Looking at the photograph, Lin Wanqiu's defenses completely crumbled. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, landing on the kang mat and leaving small damp patches. It wasn't that she didn't understand his predicament; it was just that those days and nights she had endured alone were too bitter, so bitter that she couldn't help but feel resentment and hatred. But seeing his red-rimmed eyes and cautious demeanor, seeing the warmth that had once been in the photograph, she knew that she ultimately couldn't bring herself to be cruel.

“I didn’t say I didn’t want you as my husband.” Lin Wanqiu wiped away her tears, her voice trembling with sobs, but much softer than before. “I just… find it hard to forgive you all at once. Those pains can’t be erased with just a ‘sorry’.” She raised her head to meet Shen Tingzhou’s gaze, her eyes filled with grievance, heartache, and a hint of softening. “Nian’an needs her father, and this family can’t do without you. I can give you a chance, temporarily overlook the past, but I need to watch you, to see how you behave in the future. If you dare to lie to me again, if you dare to abandon my child and me again, I will never speak to you again for the rest of my life.”

Shen Tingzhou froze, then a wave of ecstasy washed over him. He grabbed Lin Wanqiu's hand, his palm burning hot, the force so great it felt like he could crush her bones: "Really? Wanqiu, are you serious?" Afraid he'd misheard, he pressed again, "You're willing to give me a chance?"

Lin Wanqiu felt a little pain from his grip, but she didn't push him away. She just nodded and said, "Yes, but don't be too happy yet. You'll have to take on more of the housework from now on; you'll have to teach Nian'an her lessons; and if the Shen family comes looking for trouble again, you'll have to stand in front of them. Also, if there's any news about your mission, you can't hide it from me anymore. Even if you can't tell me the details, you have to let me know that you're safe."

"I promise you everything! I promise you anything!" Shen Tingzhou nodded hurriedly, his eyes shining brightly like a child who had just received candy. "I'll take care of all the housework, I'll tutor Nian'an, I'll handle things with the Shen family, and I'll definitely tell you about the mission! Wanqiu, don't worry, I'll definitely behave well from now on and I'll never let you suffer any more grievances!"

His voice was so loud that it woke Nian'an, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed). The child rubbed his eyes, sat up groggily, looked at the two people in the room, and asked softly, "Mom, Dad, what are you talking about?"

Lin Wanqiu quickly wiped away her tears, smiled, and reached out to hug Nian'an: "I didn't say anything. I told your father that he should play with your slingshot more often in the future."

Nian'an's eyes lit up, and she immediately forgot her sleepiness, turning to look at Shen Tingzhou: "Really? Dad, will you play with me every day from now on?"

"Of course!" Shen Tingzhou leaned over and pinched Nian'an's little face, his smile full of tenderness. "I'll not only play with your slingshot, but I'll also take you to the mountain to pick chestnuts and to the river to catch small fish, okay?"

"Yay!" Nian'an cheered, hugged Lin Wanqiu's neck, and kissed her on the cheek. "Mom, you're not angry anymore?"

Lin Wanqiu smiled and nodded, patting the child's head: "Don't be angry anymore. From now on, let's live a good life as a family."

Sunlight streamed obliquely through the window, bathing the three of them in warmth. Nian'an chattered excitedly in his arms, talking about the games she wanted to play with her father. Shen Tingzhou sat beside her, occasionally offering a word of encouragement, but his gaze always lingered on Lin Wanqiu, as if she were drooling over her. Looking at the scene before her, the last vestige of gloom in Lin Wanqiu's heart dissipated—perhaps, this family could truly be like the sugar cubes in this cup of brown sugar water, slowly simmering until it became sweet.

At noon, Shen Tingzhou went to the kitchen to cook. He had learned to cook noodles in the army, and today he specially took some refined flour from his spatial storage to cook a bowl of egg noodles for the mother and son. By the stove, he wore Lin Wanqiu's floral apron and clumsily kneaded the dough, his face covered in flour, making him look like a cat with a dirty face. Lin Wanqiu leaned against the door frame watching and couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Knead it slowly, don't spill all the flour."

Shen Tingzhou turned around and saw her smile. His heart felt as sweet as honey, and he quickly replied, "Okay, I'll be careful." He rolled the dough into a thin sheet and then cut it into thin noodles. His movements were slow but very careful. The water in the pot boiled, and he put the noodles in. He then cracked two eggs into the water and made poached eggs, which floated on top of the noodles like two small clouds.

"The noodles are ready, come and eat." Shen Tingzhou placed the noodles on the table. In the rough porcelain bowl, the noodles were snow-white, the poached egg was golden, and some chopped green onions were sprinkled on top, the aroma was irresistible. Nian'an couldn't wait any longer, picked up her chopsticks and started shoveling food into her mouth, panting as if it were too hot, but she still couldn't stop: "Dad, the noodles you cooked are so delicious! Even better than Mom's!"

Lin Wanqiu glared at her son: "You heartless wretch, isn't the porridge your mother usually cooks for you delicious?"

Nian'an stuck out her tongue and quickly said, "Mom's porridge is delicious, and Dad's noodles are delicious too!"

Shen Tingzhou smiled and ruffled Nian An's hair, then put a poached egg in Lin Wanqiu's bowl: "You eat too, it'll help you recover. You've suffered before, I'll cook delicious food for you every day from now on."

Lin Wanqiu looked at the poached egg in her bowl, feeling a warmth in her heart. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat in small bites. The noodles were cooked until very soft, just to her liking, and the poached egg was fried to perfection, the yolk slightly runny, its sweet aroma spreading in her mouth. She looked up at Shen Tingzhou, their eyes meeting, and they both couldn't help but smile—it turned out that eating together as a family was such a happy thing.

In the afternoon, Zhao Laoshi, the brigade secretary, suddenly arrived. He was wearing a dark blue cadre uniform and carrying a kraft paper envelope. As he entered the courtyard, he called out, "Is Wanqiu home? I have something good for you!"

Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou hurriedly went out to greet them. Zhao Laoshi was taken aback when he saw Shen Tingzhou, then smiled and said, "Tingzhou's here too, perfect, listen with your wife." He handed the envelope to Lin Wanqiu, "This is a notice from the commune, saying they want to recommend you to the county for the 'Wealth Creation Expert' selection! You led the women to grow off-season vegetables recently and opened a tofu shop, which made many families in our brigade rich. The commune leaders all praised you!"

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