"Okay, I was just asking if you were ready. I was thinking of going early so we could get fresh vegetables!" Zhang Juanjuan smiled shyly and added, "Sis, if it's inconvenient for you to buy vegetables, just let me know and I'll go buy them for you."

“No need, I’m pregnant, not sick, I can walk around,” Shen Qiaoyue explained.

“That’s right, you need to move around a bit while you’re pregnant.” Zhang Juanjuan’s gaze involuntarily fell on Shen Qiaoyue’s belly, and she remarked, “She’s almost four months along, isn’t she?”

"It'll be about a week soon." Counting the days carefully, the fetus was ten weeks old when Lu Chen left, and it's been more than a month since Lu Chen left, so the fetus is now fifteen weeks old.

Zhang Juanjuan, supporting Shen Qiaoyue, sighed, "I truly envy you and Commander Lu Chen. You've only been married for half a year and you're already almost four months pregnant! My husband and I have been married for many years, and Bai Le and Dr. Liu both said that as long as I take good care of myself, I'll definitely be able to have children! Ever since the Great Famine, I've gained weight rapidly, and I guess I ruined my health during the famine, so I can't have children anymore!"

Zhang Juanjuan had always longed to have a child of her own. She got married during the Great Famine, but it still damaged her health.

Bai Le and Liu Xinlan probably said that because they didn't want Zhang Juanjuan to be too upset.

“Sister Zhang, Sister Bai Le told Xin Lan that you still have a chance. You’re just overthinking things. Maybe if you stop thinking about these things, the child will come one day!” Shen Qiaoyue gently patted Zhang Juanjuan’s hand to comfort her.

"Hey~ I know you're just trying to comfort me. Over the years, he and I have accepted the fact that we can't have children. Don't try to comfort me anymore. Life goes on even if we can't have children, I know that," Zhang Juanjuan quickly explained with a smile.

Although she envied others for being able to have children, that was just envy; one cannot force the matter of having children.

“It’s good to think more positively. Like my sister-in-law said, life goes on as usual. Not having children can lighten the burden a bit, which is quite good,” Shen Qiaoyue added.

Zhang Juanjuan nodded in agreement.

As she walked along the road, Shen Qiaoyue, who had been focusing her attention on Zhang Juanjuan, suddenly saw Ye Feifei's figure when she looked straight ahead.

"What is she going to do? She's acting so suspiciously!" Shen Qiaoyue looked at where Ye Feifei was going. It seemed like she wasn't going to the commune, but to a village.

Upon hearing Shen Qiaoyue's words, Zhang Juanjuan looked up in the direction of the voice, frowned, and asked, "Isn't that Ye Feifei? What's she doing?"

Shen Qiaoyue and Zhang Juanjuan looked at each other.

"Who cares what she's doing? Let's hurry up and buy groceries and go home to cook." Shen Qiaoyue changed the subject. The army commander said that he had already sent people to keep an eye on Ye Feifei and was just waiting to find evidence to take her down.

So it seems the army commander has found evidence that Ye Feifei harmed people.

If they follow now, what if they alert the enemy?

“That’s right, why bother with her so much? Let’s go buy groceries! This woman is restless, one day Deputy Battalion Commander Li will divorce her.” Zhang Juanjuan didn’t care about Ye Feifei’s actions and pulled Shen Qiaoyue to go grocery shopping together.

She arrived quite late, and Shen Qiaoyue managed to buy pork ribs, a quarter of an old hen, and some green vegetables and radishes.

Lu He must be exhausted after working for more than half a month, so Shen Qiaoyue thought of making soup to nourish him.

Use shredded radish and scrambled eggs as filling to make dumplings.

After the dumplings were wrapped, the soup was almost ready.

"Sister-in-law, I'm back!" Lu He's voice came from outside as she returned carrying a bag of food.

Hearing the sound, Shen Qiaoyue came out of the kitchen and greeted her with a smile, "You're back. I'll cook two dishes, and then we can eat."

"Okay, sister-in-law, I'll come help as soon as I've put my things down." Lu He carried the food into the living room and put it down, then took her bag into her room.

I went to the kitchen to wash my hands and help.

"Sister-in-law, let me tell you, I got my salary for last month. Although it was only twelve yuan, not much, it was the first time I earned money, money earned with my own hands. I bought you the flaky pastries and chestnut cakes that you like." Lu He shared her happy experience with Shen Qiaoyue.

Shen Qiaoyue watched Lu He talk about work, and even though she worked so hard every day, she could talk so happily.

"Our Lu He is the best. You've worked so hard. Today, your sister-in-law will treat you well. I made dumplings and soup." Shen Qiaoyue was full of care for Lu He. "You've worked for so long. After you eat, you should rest well."

"Sister-in-law, I'll rest for a bit after dinner, then catch the bus back to work tonight. I passed my assessment the day before yesterday and will start as a nurse. Today I'll be working the night shift with Aunt Wen to learn how to do it," Lu He added.

"That's great news! But you're going to be working the night shift now. Won't you be very tired?" Shen Qiaoyue was happy to hear Lu He say this, but she was also worried about Lu He because she was going to be working the night shift and not getting enough rest.

Lu He comforted Shen Qiaoyue, saying, "Sister-in-law, it's okay. All my colleagues work the night shift. Aunt Wen said that there are too many patients on the day shift, so she can't teach us anything. She suggested that we work the night shift, which is less busy. We can familiarize ourselves with the hospital environment first, and then we can go to the day shift once we've learned enough. That way, we won't be so overwhelmed."

Shen Qiaoyue nodded and said, "I see. Lu He, since you're working in the city, don't always think about coming back. I'm doing fine at home. You can come back when you're resting."

“It’s alright, sister-in-law. I’ll come back to see you whenever I can,” Lu He said again.

Seeing Lu He's persistence, Shen Qiaoyue remained silent.

I cooked two dishes and had dinner.

Lu He went to wash the dishes. Today was a holiday, so Shen Qiaoyue started cooking early. They finished eating around 5 p.m.

"Lu He, Aunt Wen didn't come back today. My sister-in-law made a lot of dumplings. I'll cook them and you can take two portions over. You can eat one portion if you're hungry tonight, and give the other portion to Aunt Wen." Shen Qiaoyue thought that Lu He had to rush back to the hospital, so after finishing her meal, she started cooking dumplings again.

"Okay, sure," Lu He replied while washing the dishes.

Shen Qiaoyue divided the dumplings into two portions and packed them into cloth bags.

"Lu He, your sister-in-law made you two outfits. Try them on, and if they don't fit, I'll alter them." Shen Qiaoyue had been spending her evenings with Xiang Shulan making clothes and chatting with everyone.

Thinking that Lu He was so busy with work that she didn't have time to buy clothes, she took out some fabric from home and made a few outfits for her.

"Sister-in-law, I understand. Don't make clothes for me anymore. I have plenty of clothes. You can make them for yourself." Lu He didn't want Shen Qiaoyue to be too tired.

He took the finished clothes into the house to try them on, and they fit perfectly. He then walked out of the house and circled around in front of Shen Qiaoyue.

Holding Shen Qiaoyue's hand, she said coquettishly, "Sister-in-law, you're so good to me, thank you!"

Shen Qiaoyue smiled contentedly and said, "No need to thank me. Wear it if it fits. Remember to rest well and don't worry too much about me. Recently, your sister-in-law Xinlan will come over to keep me company in the evenings when she has time. You can go and do your work without worry, okay?"

"I know, don't worry, sister-in-law." Lu He left in her clothes without changing them.