With Gu Ye away, Bao Ni has gotten used to taking care of the two children.

After helping her mother with housework and finishing her homework every day, Liu Jiu would go to play on the playground with San Qi.

Sanqi met a little girl who looked like a doll and also had a regular playmate.

There are two family quarters on this side of the military base: one is the general's residence for senior officers, and the other is the family quarters for ordinary officers.

Bonnie's family compound has both single-story houses and tenement buildings. Bonnie doesn't like the current apartment buildings; they're too cramped and offer little privacy.

The kitchen and toilet in the tenement building are shared. The families live so close together that if you fart at home, your neighbor can know exactly what you're eating.

Before Bonnie arrived, Gu Ye consulted with her about whether they should live in a tenement building or a single-story house. Bonnie insisted on choosing the single-story house, as she didn't like the apartment building.

We've gone off on a tangent. Sanqi later learned that Huo Yanyan lived in the family compound next door, and her uncle would bring her over to play every day.

Sanqi was also invited to visit the neighbor's place, and Sanqi went. There was no difference, except that the houses they stayed in were different.

Children think differently from adults; they see the surface, while adults see the hidden meaning.

When Gu Ye returned, there were only a few days left until the Chinese New Year.

Bonnie and Aunt Zhang prepared a lot of New Year's goods together.

In accordance with local customs and traditions, the main principle is to adapt to local customs.

The two children ran out to play again, so Gu Ye had a day off and stayed home with Bao Ni to tidy up the house.

"Wife, why didn't you think of doing something this time?"

Gu Ye wondered if Bao Ni would feel bored. Before, on the island, she could clear land, grow seaweed, and go back to her parents' home.

"What to do? What do you want to do?" Bonnie didn't quite understand what Gu Ye meant.

“What I mean is, you’ve been busy all the time on the island, clearing land and planting seaweed, so why haven’t you been doing anything here? I was worried you’d be bored, especially after Liu Jiu and San Qi started school,” Gu Ye said, expressing his concern.

His days ahead won't be easy, and he won't have much time to spend with Bonnie and the children.

“Gu Ye, even you have times when you can’t figure things out. Let me analyze it for you.” Bonnie looked at Gu Ye with a smile, her face full of amusement.

"Then I'm all ears, please speak, my wife."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at Gu Ye, who was being glib.

"On the island, the women in the family compound may have some ulterior motives, but they don't have any bad intentions. And your position is considered that of a high-ranking military officer on the island, so they treat me with a certain degree of deference."

I can do whatever I want, and even if they don't support me, they won't sabotage it. Besides, living conditions on the island are much worse than here, and most of the women there come from rural areas; they're more than capable of doing manual labor.

Gu Ye thought for a moment and then understood what Bao Ni meant.

This family compound is full of people and gossip, and most importantly, Gu Ye's rank as a marine brigade commander isn't significant in the entire fleet. Above him are division commanders, corps commanders, and commanders-in-chief…

Furthermore, the competition here is fierce, and I have many rivals. While they wouldn't do anything wrong, they also wouldn't fully support Bonnie. If Bonnie performs exceptionally well, it would be a plus for me.

"Wife, you see things clearly."

Bonnie continued, "And there's one more thing, which is also the most important one: the island is my territory, and my dad is the captain of the island's first team. Whatever I want to do, with my dad's support and the help of relatives and friends, everything will go smoothly, and no one will trip me up."

"And I have a good reputation on the island, so those guys don't dare not work hard. They wouldn't dare contradict me. I wholeheartedly care for the people on the island and in the family compound, and they appreciate it. Here, it's not necessarily the same."

Bonnie didn't want to do the work for someone else, nor did she want everyone to think she was showing off or helping Gu Ye.

“After the New Year, when the children are all back in school, I’ll go out and see if there are any suitable jobs available. I don’t want to be tied to work every day with no free time. You’ve already missed out on the children’s growth, and I can’t miss out on that too.”

Bonnie really can't stand the current work environment; everyone tends to dawdle and procrastinate.

"Yes, you're right. My days ahead won't be easy either; I really won't be able to take care of the family. I'm sorry to trouble you, my wife. As for work, let things take their course. If you find something you like, then we'll consider it."

On an island, you have parents to help take care of your children, and they can provide you with delicious meals and a place to rest when you're hungry or tired. Here, we're fighting this battle alone.

Gu Ye felt guilty, but he didn't regret it. There are too many things in this world that we have no choice but to do.

From the moment they put on this military uniform, they were destined to prioritize their families over their own.

Gu Ye looked at Bao Ni, who was without makeup. Her face was a little tanned and her skin wasn't very smooth, but in his eyes, she was beautiful!

Gu Ye never imagined that one day he would need a woman to give him a sense of security. It's true, due to his family background, he suffered from an extreme lack of security growing up. Apart from his older brother, no one could truly make him feel at ease.

But after escaping death, he and Bonnie crossed paths, developed trust, had a child, and gained everything...

On this sunny afternoon, Gu Ye and Bao Ni were tidying up the house. They didn't exchange many words, but with a glance or a gesture, their understanding of each other was remarkable.

Without the children chattering around, the couple enjoyed a rare, quiet and cozy holiday.

Perhaps tomorrow, Gu Ye will be busy again; perhaps tomorrow, Bao Ni will be the only one busy at home and outside. But on this rare afternoon, the two of them are like recharging, fully charged and ready to go full speed ahead, waiting for the next recharge.

Standing in her own yard, Aunt Zhang watched Bao Ni and her husband's every move next door with envy. She couldn't describe it, but she found it very enjoyable to watch.

"What are you looking at so intently?" Political Commissar Xu was also taking a break when he came out and saw his wife looking at the neighbor with envy.

"Look at Bao Ni and her husband, they're so pleasing to the eye. If you were even half as good as Commander Gu, no, even a little bit, I'd be content." Zhang's wife glared at her husbands. Comparison is the thief of joy!

Political Commissar Xu glanced at the neighboring house and thought, "It's nothing. It's just a couple working together. What's there to envy? He works too."

Sometimes, men and women think on different paths, have different needs, and can never reach a consensus.

Political Commissar Xu didn't know what he had done wrong, nor did he delve into it. He went inside to continue reading his book, while Aunt Zhang sighed and continued with her work.

Forget it, let's just live like this. It's pointless to think too much; it'll only make me suffer.

Gu Ye had no idea that he had become the perfect husband in the eyes of his neighbor, and later, the public enemy of many men in the compound. His love for his wife, which surpassed everyone else's, almost incited public outrage.