"Cuixiang, your son is already eight years old, and you're still thinking about that handsome young man? Aren't you ashamed?"
Sister-in-law Wang is almost forty years old. She comes from the hometown of Confucius and Mencius and has very traditional ideas. There is a hint of a joke on her lips.
Deng Cuixiang was different. She was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She was from Chongqing and had the fiery spirit of a Chongqing girl in her bones. She raised her hand and brushed the stray hairs behind her temples.
"What's so shameful about that? I'm not stealing. Can't I just keep thinking about it and sneak a peek?"
"Are men allowed to stare at pretty girls on the street? Are we women not allowed to enjoy the view?"
Wang's sister-in-law was speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and turned to Qiqi with a nod.
"Fine, I can't argue with you, Qiqi, you talk to her."
She still remembered what had happened before, thinking that Qiqi was shy and would surely speak up for her.
To everyone's surprise, Qiqi blinked and nodded seriously, "I feel that Sister Cuixiang makes a good point."
"Well, you two, you've got the same ulterior motives!"
Sister-in-law Wang laughed and scolded, her wrinkles at the corners of her eyes curving into crescent moons.
After exchanging a few more jokes, the two, preoccupied with preparing food for the child, hurriedly prepared to leave.
Zhou Qiqi had already taken two bags and was stuffing them with roasted chestnuts.
Upon seeing this, the two waved their hands, after all, they had only come to "return the favor", how could they take anything else?
Qiqi insisted on stuffing it into their arms, saying, "It's for the child, not for you."
Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a glance and ultimately did not refuse—a mother is the last person she can bear to hear such words.
After seeing the two off, Zhou Qiqi rubbed her aching back and went into the kitchen.
Her back is still aching, and she's been busy all morning, so she doesn't want to tire herself out.
I simply made a noodle dish with pickled mustard greens and shredded pork.
It may sound simple, but the noodles are hand-pulled, paired with crisp pickled vegetables and tender shredded meat, and the taste is just as good.
Zhouzhou lowered her head and rummaged through a small bowl without saying a word. She just licked the corner of her mouth lightly, her eyes still glued to the bowl.
Qiqi keenly observed that she hadn't eaten much in the morning, so she served her a small bowl full of shredded meat.
"Making too much would be a waste if we didn't eat it."
The little girl's eyes were wide open, her eyelashes fluttering, as if she had never received such treatment before.
Qiqi felt a little sad watching this.
No wonder this child is so thin; he eats as much as you give him and doesn't say anything when he's hungry.
Hasn't Shen Huaichuan ever been a father or a child? How can he raise a child like this?
When he gets back, I'll definitely give him a good talking-to!
However, after waiting all noon, Shen Huaichuan still hadn't returned, probably because something had happened at the military base that delayed him.
Being a soldier is not like an ordinary job; you have to be on standby at all times.
Marrying a soldier means getting used to this kind of thing, and Zhou Qiqi didn't take it seriously at first.
In the afternoon, as Zhouzhou went to school, she stuffed a bag of roasted chestnuts into her child's schoolbag, then turned and sat down at the sewing machine.
The old batwing shirt and bell-bottoms that Deng Cuixiang gave her this morning are still lying aside.
Qiqi skillfully started the sewing machine and finished the pattern in ten minutes.
Then I started working on the new batch of goods that arrived yesterday.
I spent an hour drawing and sketching, and finally finished the design draft.
She doesn't plan to sell these modified fashion items at too high a price, so the designs won't be too complicated.
The batwing shirt and flared pants retain the previous design.
As for the new shirts and skirts...
The shirt collar and hem have been changed to a French petal pattern, with slightly puffed sleeves and buttons trimmed in the same color.
The skirt, below the existing fitted waist and full skirt, has a section cut off and spliced with irregular French double-layered lace trim.
Create a French-style mini suit.
The prices are 12 and 15 respectively. Buying a set will save you 2 yuan and include a free homemade French wide satin headband.
In addition to the makeover, she also drew two other design sketches for herself.
She didn't like the clothes in department stores; she preferred clothes she designed herself to suit her taste.
Amidst the clicking of the sewing machine, Zhou Qiqi was unusually focused, unaware of how much time had passed.
When I needed to use the restroom, I rubbed my sore shoulders and pushed open the door, only to find that it was pitch black outside.
She thought she was just like last time, so busy that she forgot the time and was busy until six o'clock again.
I went to the living room and looked at the clock; it was only five o'clock!
Zhouzhou still has half an hour before school ends.
Just as I was wondering what was going on, a clap of thunder exploded in the sky, and large raindrops began to pelt down.
The sky was a bit overcast when I woke up this morning, but it didn't rain by noon. Qiqi didn't pay attention to it, so she didn't get an umbrella for Zhouzhou.
The rain was so heavy it blocked out the sun, accompanied by strong winds, and it seemed to be getting heavier.
She quickly grabbed her umbrella, put on her raincoat, and went to school.
The Haiziwan Primary School, attended by the children of the military region, is located on an open space not far from the military region.
In addition to children from military dependents' areas, children from surrounding villages and towns also attend school here.
The school gate was crowded with parents picking up their children, and the noise mixed with the sound of rain, creating complete chaos.
In the classroom, the children ran around like little monkeys, and the teacher couldn't control them no matter how loudly she shouted.
Only Zhouzhou sat quietly by the window, holding a paintbrush and scribbling on the paper.
Qiqi knocked on the glass window, "Zhouzhou, let's go home!"
The little girl looked up, a flicker of emotion flashing in her dark eyes, and obediently nodded as she packed her things.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier. Qiqi wrapped Zhouzhou in her raincoat and took her cold little hand as they walked home.
Children were running around everywhere on the road. They dodged left and right, but were still knocked off their feet by a chubby little boy who was rushing around recklessly.
The chubby boy bumped into them, didn't even apologize, and ran off towards the slope not far away.
"That unlucky kid has absolutely no manners!"
Qiqi propped herself up on her knees and glared at that direction with displeasure.
But then I caught a glimpse of an old, withered tree on the slope, uprooted by the fierce wind, teetering on the verge of collapse—
And the direction it tipped over was right at the chubby boy's round back of the head!
Without thinking twice, Zhou Qiqi told Zhouzhou to stay put and rushed forward with all her might.
"Get out of the way!"
In the nick of time, she opened her arms and tackled the chubby boy to the ground.
Almost at the same moment, another figure pounced from the side. Although it was a beat slower, it managed to withstand the heaviest blow with its back.
Are you alright?
Ignoring her own scraped knees, Qiqi hurriedly went to help the person.
The man was in so much pain that his face turned pale, but when he heard her voice, he suddenly smiled, his eyes and brows full of unexpected joy.
"It's you?"
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