He could only patiently teach Pei Manning how to use firewood to ignite the beehive coal, and how much it should burn before putting it in the stove. He also told her to seal the top of the stove with bricks and cover the round hole in the lid before going to bed at night.

Jiang Ye watched with great interest. Brother Chen always ate in the cafeteria when he was young, so he thought he knew these things.

Perhaps the firewood had been stored for too long and had become damp; it took a long time to light the fire, and when it was burning the whole yard was filled with smoke.

Han Jingchen saw that it was getting dark, so he said, "There's a garbage station nearby. Go to the garbage station tomorrow and buy some waste newspapers. Then you can mix the waste newspapers with the firewood and start a fire."

Pei Manning also thought that it would take a long time to light the fire with such damp firewood: "Okay."

There was no place to buy food at this time, so Han Jingchen asked Jiang Ye to take the money and tickets and find a neighbor to exchange them for some brown sugar and eggs.

After I packed up and cleaned the house, I cooked some brown sugar eggs and had them for dinner.

Han Jingchen and Jiang Ye didn't stay long. They had to report back to the camp before 12:00 a.m.

As soon as the two of them left, Pei Manning boiled some hot water and cleaned the things in the room again. Just when she was halfway through cleaning up, there was a knock on the yard door.

Pei Manning did not open the door. She hid behind the door and looked out through the crack. It was a woman in her 60s holding a large bowl covered with a cloth.

She opened the door: "Hello, you are..."

The woman looked at her, and stood there for a long while, then she smiled and said, "You are the one who moved in today. I am from the Xu family next door. You can just call me Sister Xu!"

"Hello, Sister Xu."

Mrs. Xu handed her the bowl and looked inside. "I saw that you moved here today and there must be nothing to cook. I steamed some more steamed buns at home, so I thought of sending some to you."

Food was a precious commodity these days, so even visiting neighbors was done at mealtimes to avoid being suspected of eating for free. Although neighbors occasionally borrowed necessities from each other, giving food as a gift was considered a great gesture of goodwill.

Pei Manning didn't dare to take it for a while, and said with a smile: "Mrs. Xu, you are too polite. We have just eaten it. Please take it back."

"You just moved in here, so we're neighbors from now on. They say that distant relatives are like close neighbors. I came to say hello and see if I can help you," Mrs. Xu said without hesitation, forcing the big bowl into her hand. "Oh, sister, I've been talking for so long, but I haven't asked you what your name is?"

"My last name is Pei Manning."

"Oh, Miss Pei, how come... you are the only one in your family?"

She had long known how to live in the house next door, but a few years ago a military officer came here to pack up things. He was tall and handsome and drove a big jeep, so no one dared to occupy the house.

However, the officer would only stay for one night and then leave, and he would not light the stove to cook. He looked serious and no one had the courage to approach him and talk to him.

So much so that no one understands the situation here.

Pei Manning understood that this person had heard the commotion and was here to inquire about the situation. "I..."

She paused for a moment, thinking that if people knew that she lived here alone as a woman, it would probably be very troublesome, so she used Han Jingchen's skin as a banner. Anyway, this was the only thing she had to worry about Han Jingchen.

"My brother lives in the military unit and only comes home during holidays."

"Oh——" Sister Xu nodded. It turned out to be a military family. Then she rolled up her sleeves enthusiastically. "Are you cleaning the house? Have you finished? Sister-in-law will help you clean up."

Pei Manning said quickly, "Hello, Sister Xu, I have just packed up, thank you." She took out the steamed buns, then took out a bag of mung bean cakes wrapped in butter paper from the room and handed them to Sister Xu together with a large bowl. "I am sorry to bother you while I was packing up today. This bag of mung bean cakes is what I made before. Sister-in-law, take it back and try it to see how it is."

"How can this be so embarrassing?"

After sending Mrs. Xu away, Pei Manning put the remaining things away. It was too cold at night, and she was afraid that it would be unsafe to sleep outside, so she turned off the lights and went to sleep in the Xumi world.

The next day, she got up early and wrote a shopping list.

Mrs. Xu knocked on the door again and asked enthusiastically, "Ms. Pei, I'm going to the department store later. Do you want to go with me?"

She thought that the Pei family's sister had just moved in, so she must buy new things, and she would need daily necessities, so she asked Shunlu to go with her.

On the way, I happened to ask her about her son's registration for military service.

Pei Manning had just found the place, so she nodded, locked the door, and went together.

"Sister, what's your brother's position now?" Mrs. Xu started talking about this as they walked.

Pei Manning was stumped by the question. "This is a military secret. He never said this." At least he could say he didn't know it at all.

"Ah?" Mrs. Xu was stunned. "This is also confidential."

Pei Manning said stubbornly: "What he did was rather special."

Mrs. Xu had an expression that said, "I know, I know." "So that's how it is. I knew your brother was quite mysterious. Do you know when this unit will recruit again? Are there any conditions required to get in?"

Pei Manning finally relaxed. It turned out that Mrs. Xu's enthusiasm was for this matter. However, she knew even less about this matter than Mrs. Xu.

"I know the policy hasn't changed. When my brother comes back, I'll ask him and tell you."