Yuan Qiang was fiddling with his newly bought lighter in his office. He heard it was an American product. When he saw Gu Shaoxuan walk in with his head down, he immediately perked up.

"Hey Gu, what do you think of my lighter? Isn't it cool, buddy? These American gadgets are just different."

"All you ever do is mess around with this stuff. Have you even finished the tasks I assigned you?"

Yuan Qiang's position in the military is the head of the equipment department, and he had a considerable amount of work to do in the early stages of this combat exercise.

"Of course, I'm busy all day too, so I need to balance work and rest at night. If you keep working overtime like this, your body won't be able to take it. If you can't keep up and your wife kicks you out, don't blame me for not warning you."

"Alright, stop joking around. I called you here today for this. Could you ask your uncle if the Yongning Sugar Factory is hiring? I'd like to find Xia Enruo a job."

Gu Shaoxuan's words surprised Yuan Qiang. After so many years of getting along, this was the first time Gu Shaoxuan had asked him for a favor.

"What's wrong? Have you come to your senses now? I've said it before: I'll find your sister-in-law a job. Once she's busy, she won't argue with you anymore. It's a small matter. I'll go back and talk to Grandpa. It'll definitely be fine."

Yuan Qiang was certainly aware of Xia Enruo's past behavior; probably none of his comrades in the regiment were unaware of it.

Gu Shaoxuan and Yuan Qiang were close, so it was fine for him to tell him about his impending divorce from Xia Enruo. He even specifically instructed him to have a dormitory so that Xia Enruo wouldn't have any problems with food and lodging.

"Hey Lao Gu, are you serious? This decision is a bit too hasty. Besides, you two haven't been married long. If word gets out that you're getting divorced so soon, it won't look good on your reputation. Your superiors might even say that you're treating marriage like a game, which will have a negative impact on you."

Yuan Qiang was indeed considerate of his comrade. Everyone in the regiment knew that Gu Shaoxuan had become the chief of staff at a young age, and if he made a few more merits, his future would be limitless. If this matter were to become a hot topic because of his love life, too much negative feedback would ultimately affect his career.

Gu Shaoxuan couldn't listen to any of that anymore. He was exhausted by Xia Enruo's constant trouble-making and her tantrums at home. Now he was single-mindedly focused on getting a divorce, and he didn't care if his work was affected. He just wanted to live a normal life like everyone else.

"Brother, I appreciate your kindness, but we've already discussed it and it's settled. This is better for both of us!"

Gu Shaoxuan's words left Yuan Qiang speechless. Matters of the heart are not for outsiders to interfere with. Seeing his comrade tormented by marriage pained him deeply.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of the work."

--------------------

Xia Enruo had just finished washing up in the morning when there was a loud knocking on the door.

She opened the door, and Ge Qiuqin stood outside holding a bowl of millet porridge with two eggs inside, smiling as she said:

"Your sister-in-law heard the noise and knew you were up. Here's some freshly cooked rice porridge and toasted bread slices for you. Eat them while they're hot. The steamed buns you made yesterday were really good, and that fruit tea too—the kids kept asking for more after they finished it. I never knew Xia Xia was such a great cook! Those steamed buns were even better than those made by a restaurant chef."

"Sister-in-law, you flatter me. The children want fruit tea, I'll make it for them when I have time, and I'll bring it over to you then."

Xia Enruo took the bowl and replied with a smile.

"That's great! My four kids will be jumping for joy when they hear that. Eat it while it's hot, and I'll get you more if you want."

Ge Qiuqin's opinion of Xia Enruo changed a lot after dinner yesterday. She had thought she was a lazy wife who did nothing, but she was surprised by her amazing cooking skills and, more importantly, her gratitude. This warmed her heart, so she quickly cooked millet porridge early in the morning and sent it over. She would never have done such a thing before.

After eating, Xia Enru tidied up the house. She loved cleanliness in her previous life, but back then she had hired several nannies and didn't have to lift a finger. Now she had to do it herself. Fortunately, the house wasn't big, so it wouldn't take long.

After tidying up, she prepared to continue looking for work in the city center. Although she had made a lot of money yesterday, she had not yet found a stable job that she could do. She couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Making money was her top priority now. To gain a foothold in this era, she had to be financially independent.

Xia Enruo wandered around the city center for a long time, still wanting to find a job as a chef, but her situation was the same as yesterday, with no restaurant giving her a chance.

Moreover, she was carrying a bamboo basket, and the shopkeepers assumed she was a villager who had come to buy things, rather than a skilled chef, and they all turned her away.

It seems that finding a job is not as smooth as she had thought. At lunchtime, Xia Enruo spent 1.5 yuan at a roadside restaurant to order two meat pies and a bowl of mutton soup. Although she had no job yet, she couldn't let herself suffer.

After eating, she went to the state-run store and bought some brown sugar, tapioca starch, and some fruit, promising Ge Qiuqin that she would make fruit tea for the children in her spare time, and she couldn't break her promise.

This time, she's not only going to make fruit tea, but also some bubble tea. The kids will definitely love it. Xia Enruo has always liked children, and she likes Ge Qiuqin's four children more and more as she looks at them.

When the original owner was alive, the children would call her "Auntie," and she would eat plenty of persimmon cakes given to her by the children. However, the original owner was lazy and didn't know how to do anything. She didn't even have enough to eat for herself, so naturally she wouldn't buy anything for the children.

Now that Xia Enruo is occupying the original owner's body, it's considered that she's helping her repay the favor.

After finishing her shopping, she carried her bamboo basket and headed towards the bus stop. At this time, buses were scarce, and the wait for one could be quite long, so Xia Enruo had to go early to avoid getting home too late.

She walked along the main street when a woman ahead of her shouted and chased after a man as they ran out of the alley.

"Thief! Thief! This man stole my wallet!"

The woman's shrill voice was extremely penetrating, and several men gave chase after her. The thief running ahead was wearing a black leather jacket, had a thin face, and wasn't very tall; he was carrying a cloth bag.

Xia Enruo watched as this person approached her in a panic, but her small arms and legs were no match for him, and she might even be knocked over.

A sudden idea struck her. She took the bamboo basket off her back and, seeing the thief about to slip past her, she used all her strength to slam the basket down on the man's head.

The man, staring at the bamboo basket, suddenly lost his bearings and fell onto the road. Several people who caught up with him tackled him to the ground and pulled the stolen goods from his hands.

"Thank you, sister, and thank you, brothers. I just got off work and went into the alley. This guy pushed me down, snatched my bag, and ran away. My salary that I just received was in there. If I lose it, my family will starve this month."