"Fortunately, Teacher Zhong found out the whole story, otherwise Shuifen would have to suffer for who knows how long." Aunt Fang had already prepared dinner and said with a smile as she brought out the dishes.

Lin Tao agreed: "That's right, I've seen her smile in the past few days."

Li Chengxi was sitting nearby, listening in confusion, and asked, "What are you talking about? What happened to Mrs. Chen?"

Lin Tao and Aunt Fang looked at each other. This was not a good thing. They had never mentioned it to Li Chengxi before. It was only today that Chen Shuifen found out that it was not Captain Zheng. Aunt Fang was so happy that she told it to Li Chengxi in front of him.

Lin Tao didn't hide it from him anymore and said, "It was said before that a soldier had a problem with his conduct. Didn't you guys hear about it?"

Li Chengxi said, "We haven't heard of this. The problem of work style is not a small matter. If it is serious, you will be punished. Regardless of whether this is true or not, you'd better not talk nonsense about something that has not yet been seen."

The words sounded serious, but the tone was gentle. Lin Tao knew that Li Chengxi was not angry. However, it was not good to follow such gossip in the military area.

Lin Tao responded: "Yes, we understand."

Aunt Fang also agreed, "Yes, we just mentioned it casually and never mentioned it in front of outsiders. We won't talk about it again in the future."

Since Lin Tao couldn't finish a whole chicken by herself, but in this weather, vegetables can only be kept for two days, otherwise they will go bad. And it's best for women to eat fresh food, so Lin Tao asked Aunt Fang to cook the chicken in two ways. The one without chili is for Lin Tao's confinement meal, and the one with chili is for them.

This was originally a good idea, but when Lin Tao saw the plate of fried chicken with chili, she couldn't help swallowing.

It smells so good, and it must taste even better...

Thinking of this, Lin Tao couldn't help swallowing her saliva, and her fair face was full of desire to eat.

Seeing that Lin Tao was almost immersed in the bowl of fried chicken with chili peppers, Li Chengxi coughed a few times as a reminder.

Lin Tao received the reminder, curled her lips and looked at Aunt Fang.

Aunt Fang smiled and said, "Don't look at me like that. It's useless. You just came out of confinement and your body hasn't recovered yet. You can't eat spicy food so early. It's easy to get inflammation."

Lin Tao's gaze just moved a little, and before it fell on Lin Manman, Lin Manman quickly lowered her head and focused on eating.

Lin Tao had no choice but to eat her bowl of tasteless fried chicken with mushrooms in silence.

In fact, the fried chicken with mushrooms cooked by Aunt Fang is quite delicious, but Lin Tao hasn't eaten chili for more than a month, and she really wants to eat chili. She feels that nothing tastes good without chili.

But she also knew that what Aunt Fang said was right. She still had to take care of her health now, and everything would have to wait until she recovered.

After dinner, Yueyue happened to cry. Aunt Fang went to check on her and touched her butt and found that it was not wet, which meant she was hungry.

Lin Tao carried the child into the house to feed her. The little girl ate very hard, as if someone was trying to snatch the food from her. Lin Tao looked at her and found it funny. Occasionally she had to help her adjust her posture, fearing that she would accidentally cover the child.

It’s quite embarrassing to talk about it, but Lin Tao feels that her breasts have become much bigger since she became pregnant, and they are even bigger after giving birth than when she was pregnant.

After feeding, Lin Tao held Yueyue upright for a while, carefully holding the child's head and neck with her hands. This was what the doctor at the health center told her, that after feeding, she should hold the baby upright for a while, which is equivalent to digestion, so as to prevent the baby from choking or vomiting milk when sleeping directly.

After holding Yueyue, they put her back into the crib. They didn't hold Yueyue much during the whole confinement period, but they took good care of her. Even if she woke up, she would not cry unless she had to pee, poop or was hungry. She would just stare at something in the room for a long time with her big eyes.

While Lin Tao was washing up, Li Chengxi came in to help her.

This was because she was in pain down there in the first two days after giving birth, and she didn't dare to move too much, which was inconvenient. But now that she was out of confinement, the wound didn't hurt that much, and Lin Tao could wash it herself, but Li Chengxi still followed her.

Li Chengxi rubbed Lin Tao's back as he did before.

After rubbing her back, Lin Tao squatted down and crossed her legs a little embarrassedly. Li Chengxi gently spread them apart and cleaned her wound. The wound touched her soft spot, and Li Chengxi asked in a hoarse voice: "Does it still hurt?"

Lin Tao: "It's okay. It doesn't hurt as much as before."

When the man's rough hand touched her vagina, Lin Tao shivered. Then she looked at Li Chengxi, whose complexion was normal, as if he was just helping her clean.

But how could Li Chengxi not want to? He didn't dare touch Lin Tao since she was six months pregnant. It has been more than five months.

Before getting married, he never felt anything. But after getting married, he fell asleep holding Lin Tao every day, and her fragrance entered his nose. Li Chengxi really felt that time was unbearable.

But when he thought about a child as old as he and Lin Tao, coming out of a place as small as Lin Tao, even though he had never experienced childbirth, he could imagine how painful it would be.

He calculated that it felt like two or three months had passed since he was shot.

So he endured it, counting the days in his heart, planning to wait two or three months before meeting Lin Tao again.

Xiaoyue gets hungry very quickly. Lin Tao had just fed her after dinner. When Lin Tao washed up and returned to her room, the child started crying again.

Lin Tao started breastfeeding again, and Li Chengxi was reading a book beside her. However, he pretended to be reading because he saw Lin Tao was breastfeeding. In fact, he was secretly looking at Lin Tao.

Lin Tao felt the burning gaze, looked up at Li Chengxi, pursed her lips and smiled before cursing.

Yueyue fell asleep again soon after drinking milk, with a smile on her face. Li Chengxi said to Lin Tao as if he had discovered a new continent: "A Tao, look, our daughter is smiling."

Lin Tao just thought it was funny: "She is so young, how can she really laugh? Even if she laughs, it will be unconscious."

Although he said that, Li Chengxi still couldn't get enough of staring at Yueyue's smile.

*********************************

When Lin Tao went to school, Yang Aidang happened to have something to do with the principal. When they saw Lin Tao, they both said that her complexion looked better than before she gave birth, and her waist was about the same as before she gave birth. She looked like a little girl.

Xu Yuting said at the side: "That's not true. Ah Tao is having such a good confinement period."

The principal said, "Okay, stop talking about her. You are the same. You two are truly the happiest military wives on the island."

Several people laughed as they talked, but Lin Tao just smiled and said nothing, which was considered as her tacit agreement with what was said.

After the birth of her child and returning to work, Lin Tao took some time to give the students a set of examination papers to test their recent learning progress and found that they were all doing quite well.

In theory, everything is going according to plan and everything is fine.

The only regret is that Aunt Fang and Lin Manman are about to return to Xiangcheng.

It has been three months since Aunt Fang and her friends came here. They came in September and now it is December. Originally, according to Lin Tao's idea, she wanted to just let Aunt Fang and Manman stay here for the New Year.

But it’s not that easy to celebrate the New Year here. When Aunt Fang came, there were still some things to deal with at home, so she had to go back.

Besides, Lin Changhai will also come to the island to spend the New Year to visit his children. It would not be appropriate if there were too many people and the house could not accommodate them.

At night, Lin Tao lay in Li Chengxi's arms, sighing as she talked about this: "I feel so reluctant to let Aunt Fang and the others go tomorrow. Chengxi, how can time go by so quickly? Two or three months are gone in the blink of an eye."

In fact, when she was in confinement, she said that time was passing slowly, but now she says it is passing quickly.

Li Chengxi understood that Lin Tao was reluctant to part with Aunt Fang and Lin Manman, so he expressed his thoughts: "Didn't Manman go to a health school before? The Ministry of Health will recruit another batch of nurses and pharmacists in the spring of next year. She can sign up then."

Lin Tao's eyes lit up with joy: "Really?"

Li Chengxi: "Well, you can ask her if she is willing to go when the time comes."

Lin Tao threw back the quilt and prepared to get out of bed, and said hurriedly, "I'll go now."

But Li Chengxi pulled her into his arms and said, "The lights are off. Aunt Fang and the others must be asleep. Can you go over and wake them up now?"

"Okay, then I'll tell you tomorrow morning." Lin Tao blushed. She's already a mother, but she won't be calm enough if something really happens.

After she finished speaking, she realized that she had fallen into Li Chengxi's arms. Just as she was about to get out of his arms, she noticed that something was wrong with him. The man's body became hot, as if it was on fire. When Lin Tao's body touched that place, she couldn't help but shudder.

The two looked at each other, and Li Chengxi hugged Lin Tao even tighter.

From the late stage of pregnancy to now, Li Chengxi has been holding it in for more than half a year. Lin Tao knew what he wanted, so she let him do it.

While the child was asleep, the two of them had a good time. In fact, it was not only Li Chengxi who thought about this, but Lin Tao also thought about it. However, compared to Li Chengxi, her thoughts were nothing.

Li Chengxi went in slowly and gently and asked her, "Does it still hurt?"

Lin Tao blushed and said it didn't hurt anymore, and then Li Chengxi dared to use more force.

On the way, Yueyue in the crib suddenly moved, and Lin Tao was so scared that she reached out and hugged Li Chengxi's neck. She subconsciously held her breath and looked nervously in the direction of the child, for fear of encountering the imagined six-eye contact.

Since the birth of the child, a dim kerosene lamp is lit at night in order to take care of the child conveniently in the middle of the night. Yueyue smacked her lips and went back to sleep.

Lin Tao breathed a sigh of relief, and the man moved even more happily.

After finishing, Li Chengxi cleaned her up carefully. Lin Tao suddenly seemed to remember something and asked in a low voice, "You won't be pregnant again, will you?"

Li Chengxi paused and said, "...No."

Although he said this, he was thinking in his heart that he had to pay more attention to this aspect. The confinement period had just ended, and if he got pregnant again, he really couldn't live like this.

After a good time, Li Chengxi felt relaxed all over and fell asleep holding Lin Tao.

At midnight, Lin Tao was still half asleep, and Yueyue started to make noises. Li Chengxi got out of bed quietly to change Yueyue's diaper.

Aunt Fang and Lin Manman have to go back to Xiangcheng today. Li Chengxi asked Xiaoning to buy the boat and train tickets a few days ago.

The luggage was almost packed last night, so they could leave after breakfast. Lin Tao also prepared a lot of things for them, and they took as much as they took when they came back. Aunt Fang refused to take it at first, but Lin Tao insisted that she take it.

Lin Tao also stuffed a hundred yuan into the pocket of the new dress she made for Aunt Fang, as a reward for Aunt Fang's care for her during her confinement.

She deliberately didn't tell Aunt Fang, knowing that if Aunt Fang knew, she would refuse to accept it.

But she couldn't not give them the money. They came from so far away to take care of her, and she would feel bad if she didn't give them the money.

The train ticket is due at 3pm and the boat ticket is due at 10pm. It is still early and several people are sitting at the table eating breakfast.

Xiao Ning was already waiting at the door in his car. Aunt Fang asked Xiao Ning to come home to have breakfast together, but he said he had already eaten in the army cafeteria.

Today we made seafood porridge at home. The porridge was stewed thickly and contained shrimps and clams. It tasted very fresh.

Lin Tao then talked about what Li Chengxi had mentioned to her last night. She mainly wanted to ask what Lin Manman thought and whether she was willing to come to the island.

Aunt Fang and Lin Manman were both very surprised and delighted when they heard this. Originally, Aunt Fang was still worried about what to do after Lin Manman returned to Xiangcheng. She had finally waited for the pharmaceutical factory to recruit workers, but something like this happened. Although Li Chengxi said that he had sent a telegram to his comrades in Xiangcheng, they would not have to worry about this matter after they returned.

However, the achievements of the pharmaceutical factory are gone, and it is not certain whether Lin Manman can enter the pharmaceutical factory.

But now I heard that Lin Manman could come to the island to be a female soldier, which was really a ray of hope. Female soldiers were much better than the small workers in the pharmaceutical factory.

Aunt Fang was about to agree. Lin Manman was happy but a little hesitant. She said, "I am willing, but I am worried about my mother being alone in my hometown in Xiangcheng."

As soon as she said this, Aunt Fang said to Lin Manman: "What are you talking about? Mom has her hands and feet fine, why are you worried? You don't want such a good opportunity. When you return to Xiangcheng, what will you do if another gangster comes?"

Lin Manman bit her lip and said nothing. She knew in her heart that being a female soldier on the island was her best choice, but...

Aunt Fang sighed and said, "Don't let me make the decision for you. Let's go back this year and come to the island in the spring of next year."

This was settled, but Lin Tao also suggested that Lin Manman should come to the island first, and then bring Aunt Fang to live with them after two years.

This is what Lin Tao planned. When her father comes to the island to celebrate the New Year this year, she will discuss it with her father and bring him over as soon as possible so that the family can be reunited.

After breakfast, when the time was almost up, Lin Tao and Li Chengxi drove Aunt Fang and Lin Manman to the pier.

It is this pier again. Every time we meet and separate, it is here.

Lin Tao had already gotten used to it. She knew that Lin Manman would come to the island soon, and Aunt Fang would come as well, so the thought of separation was somewhat diluted.

"Aunt Fang, be careful on the road," Lin Tao said, "It won't be long before our family can be together again."

Aunt Fang nodded and looked at Yueyue in Lin Tao's arms.

The wind was a bit strong at the pier, so when they went out, Lin Tao wrapped Yueyue in a small layer and held her in her arms so that the wind wouldn't blow her away. This was Yueyue's first time at the pier, so it must be a rare experience for her. She didn't sleep, but opened her big eyes, looking left and right, looking very smart.

Although Aunt Fang had only taken care of the child for over a month, she treated Lin Tao as her own daughter and the child was like her own granddaughter. She was really reluctant to let her go so suddenly.

She took Yueyue from Lin Tao's arms and hugged her, saying, "Yueyue, your aunt is leaving soon. Your aunt really can't bear to leave you. Are you also reluctant to leave your aunt?"

But Yueyue is not even two months old yet, still too young to understand what Aunt Fang says. She just stretched out her little hands and grabbed at Aunt Fang.

In fact, Aunt Fang couldn't help crying last night, but she felt much better today. She was just afraid that she would cry in front of Lin Tao and make Lin Tao cry too, so she has been restraining her emotions since she woke up in the morning until now.

But at this moment, seeing such a lovely Yueyue, she really couldn't help but have tears in her eyes.

After I leave this time, I will have to wait so long before I can see this sweet baby again.

"Okay, it's time for us to go." Aunt Fang returned Yueyue to Lin Tao and waved to them.

Lin Manman also said reluctantly: "Sister Tao, brother-in-law, we are leaving."

"Be careful on the road, and remember to send us a telegram when you arrive." Lin Tao and Li Chengxi both said.

A telegram can be received immediately, but a letter may take ten days or half a month to be received, so Lin Tao would be worried.

Xiao Ning quickly helped to carry the two large bags, and followed Aunt Fang and Lin Manman onto the boat. This was arranged by Li Chengxi, as Aunt Fang and Lin Manman were both women, and Aunt Fang was a little seasick, so when the luggage was difficult to carry, Xiao Ning was allowed to go along.

After getting them safely on the train, we took a boat back to the island.

The boat moved slowly. Aunt Fang waved to them on the boat and asked Lin Tao to take the child back early because it was windy at the dock and they should not let the child get cold.

Lin Tao and Li Chengxi waited for a while, and the boat gradually went away. Then Li Chengxi drove Lin Tao home.

On the way, Lin Tao couldn't help sighing.

Li Chengxi smiled and said, "Don't sigh. I see you have made progress today."

Lin Tao was confused and asked, "Progress? What progress?"

Li Chengxi said, "The last few times I took you to the dock to see people off, you couldn't help crying. This time you didn't cry. You've made progress."

Lin Tao thought it was something else, but it turned out to be this. She was speechless for a while, snorted and said, "That person will always make progress, and Manman and Aunt Fang will be here soon. I don't feel so bad when I think about it."

"I hope you don't feel bad. I'm afraid you will feel bad." Li Chengxi said, "After Aunt Fang leaves, you will have to take your daughter with you when you go to class. Is that inconvenient?"

Lin Tao teased: "Captain Li asked me this, do you want to bring my daughter to you, and you bring her to work?"

Li Chengxi thought that it was really inconvenient, as he didn't sit in the office every day. In addition, the child needed to be fed, and it was really inconvenient if he was not with his mother. He couldn't just let Xiaoning take the child to Lin Tao whenever he was hungry.

Lin Tao said this just as a joke. Seeing that Li Chengxi was speechless, she smiled and said, "Okay, don't worry about me. Yuting also took care of the child in the same way. Xiao Qingming is this big now. My class is separate from Yuting's and Teacher Zhong's. When I go to class, they can help me look after the child. It's okay."

"Thank you for your hard work." Li Chengxi turned around and glanced at Lin Tao.

Lin Tao smiled and said, "Why would a couple talk about this? Just drive properly."

*********************************

Aunt Fang and Lin Manman sat on the train for dozens of hours, and it was not until noon on the third day that the train they were on arrived at Xiangcheng Railway Station.

It was also their bad luck that the train was delayed, otherwise they could have arrived earlier.

Lin Changhai was away on a long trip, so he was unable to pick them up, so the mother and daughter each carried a bag and left the train station.

Fortunately, Li Chengxi had managed to get sleeper tickets, otherwise the two of them would have been numb from sitting on the train for dozens of hours, and would not have been able to carry so many things.

When they reached the gate of the county town, they happened to see an oxcart from the village, so they got on it.

However, riding in a bullock cart was not a good idea. As soon as they got on board, someone asked them how they were doing on the island and how they had brought back so many things. However, Aunt Fang always gave vague answers and changed the subject.

Seeing that they could not get any useful information from Aunt Fang, those people stopped talking. But when they got off the ox cart, they couldn't help but say sourly when they saw Aunt Fang and Lin Manman's backs: "She said that she had nothing to do with Lin Changhai. She went to help someone's daughter during her confinement period, and brought back so many things. Who would believe her when she said that she had nothing to do with him?"

Not long after, Lin Laotian heard the news that Aunt Fang had returned with two particularly large bags.

"Auntie Lin, I heard that your granddaughter is born, and Fang Min went to take care of her during the confinement period, and brought back so many things. Fang Min, a stranger, brought back so many things. Your grandson-in-law is really generous, even more generous than your battalion commander's son-in-law."

The last sentence really hurt Mrs. Lin and made her very angry.

Since Lin Hui got married, she has never sent a letter back, let alone anything! Lin Tao, the little unlucky one, has sent letters to Lin Changhai and his family several times.

Once when Lin Changhai was not at home, she told people that she was Lin Changhai's mother and could help collect the things. She originally intended to steal the things, but after a while Lin Changhai came to ask for the things. He did not even give her face and took the things away directly. He also told the postman not to give her the parcel in the future, which made old lady Lin very angry.

But seeing that Fang Min could bring back so many things, she was Lin Tao's biological mother after all, so how could she be worse than an outsider? If she went to the island, Lin Tao would have to give her a little bit of everything.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Lin's mind began to become active again.

*************************************

A few days later, Lin Tao received a telegram from Xiangcheng.

It was a photo taken by Lin Manman for her. To save money, there were very few words on it. It meant that they arrived safely. She went to the pharmaceutical factory to inquire and learned that the son of the director who bullied her last time was arrested by the police for gang fighting. However, her test paper was lost, and now she missed the time, so she could not retake the test and could not enter the pharmaceutical factory.

When Lin Tao saw the telegram, she thought, it’s a good thing that Manman can come to the island again next year.

It's the same to take care of one child or two children. After Aunt Fang left, Lin Tao took Yueyue with her when she went to class the next day.

There were two small cots next to each other, and the children were all very well behaved, so they really didn't have to worry about anything.

Xiao Qingming and Yueyue are both cute. After class, the teachers in school always can't help but want to tease them and they love them very much.

Even the students were like this. A first grader took out the White Rabbit milk candies he had brought and wanted to give them to Xiao Qingming and Yueyue.

Fortunately, Lin Tao found out and stopped them in time, telling them that Xiao Qingming and Yueyue were still young and could not eat milk candy yet.

Only Jin Pingping looked unhappy. She said sarcastically that now the office has become a nursery.

After hearing this, Xu Yuting wanted to argue with her, but Lin Tao persuaded her not to. After all, she was still there, and she was afraid that if she really argued, it would scare the child.

Lin Tao looked at Jin Pingping and asked her very calmly, "Teacher Jin, do you not plan to have children in the future? What if Teacher Jin gets married and has children and there is no one to take care of them? Do they have to bring them to school? Bringing children to work is not an option. Teachers in schools used to do this and no one said anything. Everyone helped each other. Teacher Jin, let me tell you something. It's not easy for us women. Why should women make things difficult for other women? I hope you can figure it out."

Jin Pingping was left speechless by what Lin Tao said.

However, Lin Tao didn't know whether Jin Pingping had figured things out after this incident, but Jin Pingping's mood recently could be said to be very good.

The thing is, the Education Bureau of the mountain city outside the island is going to hold an excellent teacher meeting. As an excellent teacher, Lin Tao should have attended this meeting. However, Lin Tao is still breastfeeding and her child is young. This time she will have to stay in the mountain city for at least two or three days, which is really inconvenient for Lin Tao.

Xu Yuting and Zhong Jing have special identities: one is a capitalist lady and the other is the wife of a counter-revolutionary. Neither of them is suitable to attend this meeting.

The other two teachers were from the island and their education level was not high enough. They taught lower grades. The only one who could go was Jin Pingping.

So the principal appointed Jin Pingping to replace Lin Tao to go out of the island to attend the Outstanding Teachers Conference, and Jin Pingping was very happy.

I don’t know if it was because of this or because of what Lin Tao said last time, but she never said again that the office had become a nursery.

Xu Yuting knew that Jin Pingping was going to attend the meeting, and she felt uncomfortable. She grumbled in front of Lin Tao: "Tao, look at how proud she is. It's just a meeting, as if it's something special. Don't you think that if you didn't have to take care of the children, she wouldn't have had a turn."

Then he asked, "A Tao, have you really decided not to go?"

Lin Tao held Yueyue in her arms and shook her head, saying, "No, I won't go. The main reason for attending the conference this time is to learn. The principal asked Jin Pingping to write down all the key points from the meeting and send them to us. No matter who attends the conference this time, it will be almost the same, and the results will be the same."

"I know it's the same, but after all, being able to attend the meeting at the Education Bureau is also an honor," said Xu Yuting.

Well, actually, honor meant nothing to her, she just didn't want Jin Pingping to take advantage of it.

Lin Tao knew what she was thinking and told her not to think about it all the time.

Lin Tao: "Come to my house in the afternoon and I'll teach you how to hook shoes."

The weather is getting colder, and children have to wear shoes crocheted with wool, otherwise their feet will be cold. Lin Tao's crocheted patterns are beautiful, and Xu Yuting likes them, so she wants to learn to crochet shoes from her.

When it gets a little colder, Lin Tao plans to get some cotton to make cotton clothes and shoes for the children.

Xu Yuting nodded, and the two parted ways at the fork in the road.

During the days when Jin Pingping went off the island for a study session, a major event happened on the island - the officer who had an affair with the widow was caught!