Chapter 266 So Fast

The new regimental commander went to pick up his wife a little over a week after he arrived.

These days, everyone is indeed keeping a close eye on what kind of meals Wei Zhao cooks every day.

The stir-fried dishes were either gourd or green beans, and the multigrain steamed buns looked as hard as bricks, and looked unappetizing.

When they all thought that Commander Wei's family had the same living conditions as them, the smell of meat suddenly stirred up some subtle thoughts in them.

But when I heard it was for a wedding, I lost all interest.

Aunt Lu was the first to respond to Wei Zhao, saying, "You can borrow my table and benches. I've also saved up a few eggs recently, so you can use those too."

As soon as Aunt Lu spoke, others offered to contribute.

Wei Yang said, "There's no need for so many dishes. I just wanted to prepare a simple meal."

…

After the excitement subsided, the neighbors dispersed and went home to enjoy the aroma of meat.

With plenty of firewood added to the stove, Wei Zhao said to Song Lubai, "Come on, let's go inside and have a peach. It'll be simmering in the pot for at least two hours."

The small peaches are greenish-red, and taste sweet and sour—very flavorful.

Wei Zhao sat on the bed and said, "In this place, you can't hide what good food you eat at home. Everyone will be watching other people's stoves. Of all the neighbors, Aunt Lu is the only one who's a bit nice. She's more generous than the others. If I give her a bunch of scallions, she'll give me a plate of peaches in return."

Song Lubai said, "Aunt Lu is from Gansu, right? I've heard that there are a few other families from Gansu as well."

Wei Zhao nodded and said, "They all came here to escape famine. Aunt Lu's husband works on a construction team and is currently building a school. He works very hard every day."

Song Lubai felt that Wei Zhao was different from before.

Wei Zhao is now focused on the affairs of her family and neighbors. Song Lubai still remembers the sharp look in Wei Zhao's eyes when they first met.

The current Wei Zhao is completely different from the one in the past.

The soup in the pot became increasingly rich. After simmering for more than an hour, Wei Zhao first scooped a bowl of soup from the pot and delivered it to Aunt Lu's house. When he returned, he added two large ladles of water to the pot.

When Wei Zhao turned his head, he was surprised to see Song Lubai and Wei Yang's dirty clothes hanging on the rope, as well as patched, dusty bed sheets and pillowcases.

The clothes were soaking wet, dripping water, clearly having just been wrung out of the water.

Song Lubai had been talking to her the whole time, so it was obvious who had washed the clothes.

You've made something of yourself! You've really made something of yourself!

Her brother had never washed her clothes before, but things are different after marriage!

Song Lubai followed Wei Zhao's dazed gaze and saw her clothes swaying on the clothesline. Thinking of her undergarments, she ran into the house.

Then she saw her undergarments and his hanging from the rope tied between the cabinet and the bed.

Her face flushed red instantly.

She was so quick! She had been thinking of washing both of their dirty clothes together after he finished showering, but she didn't expect him to be such a man of action. He quietly washed all the dirty clothes, leaving no one out!

Wei Yang had only been lying in bed for a short while when he saw her enter the room. He opened his eyes, looked at her standing there, and said, "Tighten the latch, come here, and take a nap."

The latch was in case Wei Zhao suddenly came in again. As she turned around, Song Lubai also lowered the curtain at the window.

After getting into bed, Song Lubai leaned on the bed and said, "Leave your clothes there from now on, and I'll wash them for you."

He earns a lot and is willing to let her manage all the money, so she's willing to do the laundry.

Wei Yang said, "There's no need to be so particular about things that are easy to do."

For him, Song Lubai's willingness to come here with him was a huge sacrifice; washing clothes was just a simple matter.

He placed his hand on the back of her neck, gently squeezed it, and said, "Let's go take pictures this afternoon. I also want to send the negatives back to my older sister so she can help me take them to the photo studio for coloring."

Song Lubai nodded, "That's good."

He pulled her head to the side of his neck and patted her gently, saying, "I'll see which office is short-staffed in a few days, then you can go back to work. Take a good rest these next few days."

Song Lubai had never felt so at ease before.

Even though they were in an unfamiliar place, this man seemed to be able to arrange everything for her.

She kissed him awkwardly and shyly, expressing her satisfaction.

This was the most intimate moment the two had shared since their marriage.

The room was dimly lit, and the thick walls blocked out the scorching heat from outside, but the two people inside still managed to light a fire quickly.

As their breaths mingled, there was a knock on the door. Wei Zhao said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "You two come out and have some soup. I think the meat is ready to eat too."

Song Lubai coughed lightly and said, "Third Sister, let's rest for a while and get up later."

There was no sound at the door, confirming that the person had left, so the two continued arguing.

Song Lubai recalled what Dr. Li from the Sixth Division had said.

Thinking about pregnancy, Song Lubai pushed his head up and said, "We just got married, let's not have a baby yet. I doubt we can even buy milk powder here."

Wei Yang said, "I can ask my sisters to buy it for us."

Song Lubai smiled and said, "Having a baby right after getting married is too fast. Let's live our lives on our own for now."

The second half of the sentence resonated deeply with Wei Yang.

He just got married and doesn't want to conjure up a child to cause trouble for the time being.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then I'll go to the health center and ask the doctor what he says."

Song Lubai wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him onto the bed, and buried her head in his neck, nibbling at him.

The two were arguing inside the house, while Wei Zhao stood on the doorstep drinking the meat soup with a blank expression.

The second son, Chen Jingwen, was sweating profusely from drinking: "Mom, Auntie's meat soup is so delicious! Why aren't Uncle and Auntie coming out to eat?"

Wei Zhao said with a blank face, "Love is enough to fill your stomach, why would they need meat soup? I don't think they need to eat rice at all."

The three children didn't understand what she meant. The eldest, Chen Shaohua, said, "Mom, Auntie cooks better than you. Let Auntie cook from now on, so you won't waste food."

Wei Zhao looked at Chen Shaohua and said, "Okay, this afternoon you go and tell your aunt that you don't want to eat the food I cook, and I don't want to cook it either."

Chen Shaohua sensed that his mother was a little angry, scratched the back of his head and said, "That's perfect, from now on, Auntie won't have to lift a finger when it comes to cooking."

Wei Zhao: "..."

This little brat is so stupid.

It would be quite boring if she didn't cook and just kept an eye on the three of them every day. She still had to cook, and she was sure she could cook better and better. Wei Zhao could do anything well! Humph!

The two people inside actually took a nap.

When Song Lubai woke up, the fire in the stove had already gone out.

Wei Zhao took the pot of stewed beef ribs back into the house and covered it. The pot of stewed beef ribs had been cleaned up, and the broth was shared among the neighbors.

Wei Yang had already left home and wasn't home at the moment, so Wei Zhao invited Song Lubai inside for soup and meat.

"Wei Yang said you two are taking wedding photos today. I'll draw your eyebrows in a bit. The photo studio should have red paper. When we get there, you can put on lipstick. You can't put on foundation here because we can't find any. But your face is fair, so you don't need much makeup. It's a pity we don't have any red clothes, but your military uniform will do."

Just as Wei Zhao was feeling regretful, Wei Yang returned carrying a red top.