The father and son chatted and laughed in the yard, their laughter drifting all the way to the front yard.

The three women glanced in that direction every now and then.

Deng Cuixiang looked at the father and son, her heart filled with joy, but she didn't forget to ask.

"Did my husband scare you during dinner just now? That's just his personality; he can be strict in any situation, but he actually loves his kids very much."

Zhou Qiqi shook her head, took the clean bowl from her hand, and wiped the water with a clean cloth.

“I wasn’t scared. It’s good that Xiangyang has been taught to be very sensible.”

Deng Cuixiang smiled, but pursed her lips and looked at Zhouzhou, who was helping to wipe the table.

"He's such a mischievous monkey, what's so good about him? Zhouzhou is the one who's lovable."

"Hello Xiangyang~" "Hello Zhouzhou~"

The two nudged each other with their elbows and deliberately splashed water on each other, like children bickering.

Zhu Yingying laughed as she watched, "You two stop arguing, it's all good."

Deng Cuixiang made a casual joke while washing the dishes.

"Yingying, you like children so much, why don't you have one yourself? I remember you and Lao Wang have been married for over two years, and you haven't planned to have any children yet?"

"I..."

Zhu Yingying's face stiffened slightly, and she subconsciously tugged at her sleeve to cover her wrist.

Zhou Qiqi noticed this action with her sharp eyes and quickly interjected.

"Hey, wasn't this the time you were so angry with Xiangyang a few days ago that you were practically fuming? I saw you even lose your cloth shoes that day, what was that about?"

Without thinking much, Deng Cuixiang was immediately steered off-topic and began to complain endlessly.

"Don't even mention it! That day, he and Xiao Yong from next door picked up some cow dung somewhere, stuck a match in it, and threw it around like firecrackers..."

After washing the dishes, the women chatted for a while longer.

At this time, Battalion Commander Jiang and Regiment Commander Wang went to Zhou Qiqi's house to help clean up the coal stove and chimney.

At first, Zhou Qiqi felt bad, but the two said, "Since Commander Shen is not here, as soldiers, we should help the families of soldiers."

She then stopped refusing.

After working for half an hour, the coal smoke had mostly dissipated.

Zhou Qiqi took Zhouzhou and went home with Zhu Yingying.

When they reached the door, she opened it and told Zhouzhou to go back inside first, but then pulled Zhu Yingying into her own room and asked her seriously.

"Yingying, tell me the truth, where did you go this afternoon?"

Zhu Yingying was initially reluctant to speak, but Zhou Qiqi forcefully grabbed her arm and rolled up her sleeve—the large bruises on her wrist were shocking.

She knew she couldn't hide it anymore, and with tears welling in her eyes, she spoke, "I..."