Ge Qiuqin was busy cooking at home, and she brought out everything she could cook.

She took out fish, chicken, pork head meat, and the mutton she bought to make mutton and radish dumplings.

She was busy at the stove, and although she was tired, she was happy.

Zhang Xin came back and took the children out to play, saying he was worried about getting tired. This was the first time since they got married.

It's time to celebrate! Despite being exhausted, I suddenly feel an inexhaustible surge of energy.

She then took out some red dates from her pocket and soaked them in water.

She's preparing to make some red bean paste buns for tomorrow morning; she learned this skill from her mother.

Add a few red dates to the pleats of the steamed buns, and they look incredibly beautiful after steaming.

Tian Xiuli knocked on the door and came in with a bowl, asking to borrow a bowl of red beans. Her family was making red bean buns, but there wasn't enough filling. Since the shops outside were closed during the Spring Festival, she had to borrow some from around the house.

"Qiuqin, is this your wedding banquet today? It's so lavish. I didn't see you and your children eating this well on New Year's Eve."

The table was laden with meat, which Tian Xiuli envied. So much food must have cost a lot of money. Her family relied on the meager salary her husband earned in the army, and they couldn't bear to buy it.

It seems that Ge Qiuqin really made money by following Xia Enruo in starting her own business. Now, besides Xia Enruo's family, her family has the best food.

"I'm happy today. Zhang Xin is back and is taking the kids out to play. I can finally free up my hands and not have to take care of the kids, so I can cook more food for the whole family to eat tonight."

"Qiuqin, you too. You spend all year taking care of the kids, and now that you finally have some time to rest, instead of relaxing, you're cooking all sorts of different dishes."

"Isn't it normal for a man to comfort his own child? You're just spoiling Zhang Xin, or he'll wag his tail and start throwing a tantrum again."

Tian Xiuli also knew that Zhang Xin's temper was unpredictable. Their family had the most arguments in the compound. If you were to say who knew how to take care of his wife, it would have to be Gu Shaoxuan.

Even when Xia Enruo was so demanding and slovenly, he never uttered a single curse word or hit her. He'd only bring her home occasionally, but he'd still pay her her monthly salary without fail.

The money she received was almost the same as the living expenses her husband gave her. With that money, she had to support a family of four, and the three children alone consumed a lot of money.

“I think Zhang Xin has changed. Today he actually told me that he was worried I would get tired and told me to rest at home while he took the children out to play by himself.”

Ge Qiuqin took the bowl, scooped out a bowl of red beans from her pocket, and replied.

"I'm telling you, Qiuqin, you need to be more careful. You've been coaxing the child for so long, he's been coaxing him all day long since the sun rose in the west, and you're still beaming with joy. Of course you're tired, you don't need to tell me."

We military wives live in the compound and see each other all the time. Everyone knows how hard it is to take care of children. If you ask me, you should rest well, get enough rest and take good care of your health. That's your real asset.

"Alright, I need to go back and make steamed buns with red bean paste. I'll get you a few when I'm done."

Tian Xiuli took the bowl and walked out.

Ge Qiuqin chased after her, calling out.

"Xiuli, don't bring me any steamed buns. I'll make some later too, they'll be red bean paste filling."

Tian Xiuli walked out of the house and shook her head. This silly wife of hers, she can be happy all day if her husband says a nice word to her.

In the afternoon, at the appointed time, Xia Enru arrived on time at the communications company to teach the female soldiers to sing.

In just half a day, the female soldiers memorized all the lyrics and no longer needed to look at the sheet music when they sang.

She played the accordion with increasing ease.

I remember my music teacher playing this instrument when I was in elementary school in my previous life, but it was no longer used after a few years.

I didn't expect that I could pull it myself now, and it feels really good. The sound is crisp and elastic, and listening to its buzzing sound makes me feel cheerful.

"Sister-in-law, how do you think our singing is?"

The communications company commander practiced a few songs, then stood up and said...

"Good, everyone has mastered the melody of 'The Daughter's Journey in the Wind and Rain'. We can sing it a few more times and then practice the next song."

Xia En stood up and started playing the accordion. The female soldiers learned quickly, and she taught them with ease.

Jiang Pei returned to the cultural troupe, where her comrades gave her the sheet music for the two songs Xia Enruo had sung the day before.

"This was written by the troupe leader. We each have a copy. We need to rehearse these two songs in the next couple of days. The troupe leader said that the Lu Troupe specifically ordered us to learn them as soon as possible. We're waiting for the higher-ups to come so we can prepare for the performance."

Jiang Pei gritted her teeth and took the sheet music. After her comrade left, she tore a large hole in the paper with her fingers and crumpled the edges into a ball.

"Pah! Xia Enruo, that bitch, what kind of bullshit song is she singing? Her soft melody is like a noodle, it's awful."

The guild leader actually wants everyone to follow her example? What utter nonsense! It's garbage; I wouldn't listen to her even if you gave me permission.

She sat on the bed, crumpled the sheet music into a ball of scrap paper with both hands, and threw it directly at the wall.

"That damned woman, she played tricks on me, made me drink, and caused me to fall off the stage, so I couldn't even host the second half of the show."

Now, not only are my knees in pain, but my throat is also burning, making it impossible for me to sing.

She'll get her comeuppance sooner or later. Gu Shaoxuan was truly blind to marry such a heartless woman and treat her like a precious gem. He won't even know when she'll be drained of her lifeblood.

She's so wonderful, and there are tons of men pursuing her, so why isn't he even a little bit interested? He's just blind; poor guys really don't have any luck.

Even when eating apples, you have to pick the leftovers.

Jiang Pei was burning with rage. She was determined to avenge this wrong sooner or later, and she needed to find the right opportunity to strike him dead.

Let's see how long you, Xia Enruo, can keep gloating.

Zhang Xin led the children to play on the lake. He couldn't bear to put his youngest daughter into the ice hole earlier, so this time he simply changed his tactics and let the three children play on the ice with him.

Zhang Zhicheng was the oldest. Zhang Xin asked him to play, but he made up an excuse that his stomach hurt and refused to play. He stood aside and stared at his younger siblings.

Zhang Xin had the second, third, and fourth children squat down, and then he ran behind them and pushed each child forward.

He spotted the ice holes around the bricks; those holes must have been freshly made and hadn't frozen yet. They were the easiest places to fall in.

He pushed several children and exerted force in that direction.

First came the second brother. He took a running start and pushed off, but he just grazed the edge of the ice hole and slipped past it.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Zhicheng immediately ran over and pulled his second brother aside.

Zhang Xin then pushed his youngest daughter. Perhaps because she was light, she escaped death because although she fell into the ice hole, the thin layer of ice did not break.

He was furious when he saw that both children were alright.

These kids are really lucky; they're unharmed both times. Looks like this ice hole isn't big enough for a person to fall into; let's try another one.