The moment Ma Hongying heard the word "compound," she was utterly astonished. The compound Feng Zhiyi was referring to was definitely not a military family compound. So, Commander Lu's family lived in the kind of compound that only high-ranking leaders could live in.
Yang Xiulan and Jian Daying on the side couldn't help but exchange a glance, their eyes flashing with surprise. Clearly, they had both guessed that Lu Lingxiao's family background was extraordinary.
Not everyone is qualified to live in the compound.
Besides, it's a compound in the capital, where only high-ranking leaders can live!
"Girl, Commander Lu, Grandma Feng, let's go to my house for dinner."
Ma Hongying suppressed her shock and spoke to Feng Zhiyi, Lu Lingxiao, and Old Madam Feng. Then she looked up at Qin An and the others in the courtyard, just as she was about to call them over, when she heard Lu Lingxiao say something.
"Old Qin, take Captain Xiao and the others to the canteen for lunch. After lunch, take them to their lodgings and settle them in."
"Yes, Captain!"
Qin An immediately nodded.
He then looked at Xiao Bin and the others, "Captain Xiao, let's go, I'll take you to the cafeteria for lunch."
Xiao Bin nodded slightly, then led his three men to follow Qin An and Qin Xiaowu out of the courtyard and headed to the army canteen.
After Feng Zhiyi locked the gate, the group walked towards the family compound.
Ma Hongying, Jian Daying, and Yang Xiulan were all carrying things, all of which were local specialties that Feng Zhiyi had brought back from abroad.
So the moment they entered the family compound, they immediately attracted the attention of many family members, who all looked at them, but their eyes were fixed on the heavy bag.
However, Lu Lingxiao and Feng Zhiyi were completely unaware of the scrutinizing and probing gazes from these family members.
Let them watch, it's not like it'll hurt them.
Besides, she gave things to Ma Hongying and the others because they deserved them.
During the months she and Lu Lingxiao were away, Ma Hongying and the others planted new vegetables in both the Lu family's courtyard and the vegetable garden. As for the vegetables that Feng Zhiyi had planted before, they had long since grown old.
Ma Hongying dried all the vegetables and placed them in the kitchen of the Lu family's courtyard.
Ma Hongying is such a good person, and Feng Zhiyi is not an unfeeling person; naturally, she knows how to put herself in others' shoes.
Therefore, the gifts she brought to Ma Hongying were better than those of others, followed by Yang Xiulan, Wang Shujuan, and Jian Daying.
As for the other family members of the group, sorry, none!
Normally, the family members rarely visited the Lu family's courtyard, so Feng Zhiyi didn't have a deep impression of them. When they met, they would simply exchange greetings and then there was nothing to talk about.
There's no need to bring gifts for casual acquaintances!
"Commander Lu, sister-in-law, you're back."
Feng Zhiyi looked at the crowd that had gathered around her and said with a faint smile, "Yes, we just got home. Sister He said she had already prepared lunch, so our family shamelessly came to Sister He's house for a free meal."
Lu Lingxiao simply nodded to these people.
Upon hearing Feng Zhiyi's words, Ma Hongying, who was walking in front, immediately turned around and said, "Little sister, I don't like hearing you say that."
“When you were at home, my mischievous son would often run over to your house for meals. Today you came back from Beijing, and it was already past noon when you arrived at the family compound. Isn’t it only right that I invite you over for lunch?”
Feng Zhiyi smiled and raised the corners of her mouth. "Sister-in-law He, you're right. That's why I agreed without hesitation when you said it just now!"
Even if you don't agree, I still have ways to drag you here.
As Ma Hongying spoke with a smile, she led Feng Zhiyi and Grandma Feng up to the third floor. "Besides, we're practically family, aren't we? And the kids get along well too. As long as you don't mind my terrible cooking, you can come over for dinner anytime, no problem."
"Really?" Feng Zhiyi joked, picking up where she left off. "Then you'd better be prepared to be eaten out of house and home by me, after all, there are quite a few of us here!"
"As the saying goes, a half-grown boy can eat his father out of house and home. I have three kids, and they all eat a lot. I estimate that in less than ten days, your rice jar will be empty."
She wasn't joking; her three kids really do eat a lot, otherwise they wouldn't have grown so fast, their height increasing rapidly and their weight gaining exceptionally quickly.
They were all as sturdy as the Calabash Brothers.
Because their family never skimps on food, otherwise why would other families always say that Ziheng, Zirui, and Ningning were born into a lucky family and are therefore the envy of others?
There is never a shortage of fruit in our house.
In addition, the three siblings drink a bottle of milk powder every morning and evening, and occasionally take cod liver oil and calcium tablets. They also drink a bottle of milk every day. In addition, all the vegetables and fruits they eat are grown in the space, so it's hard for them not to get fat.
Ma Hongying was about to reply to Feng Zhiyi when He Liang, who had run out of the house after hearing the noise, interrupted her, "Auntie, Uncle Lu, you're here!"
"Liangzi has grown quite a bit taller in the past few months!" Feng Zhiyi said with a smile, patting He Liang's head.
“He can eat more than his dad now, how could he not grow tall?”
As soon as Ma Hongying finished speaking, He Jian'an, the battalion commander of the First Battalion, came out to greet her.
"Commander, sister-in-law!"
He looked up at Lu Lingxiao and Feng Zhiyi and warmly invited them into the house, "Please come in and sit down! The food is all ready and waiting for you. Please make yourselves at home, and I'll go get the dishes."
After saying that, he walked into the kitchen, calling out to He Liang as he went.
"Liangzi, come help serve the dishes!"
"Okay!"
He Liang responded and ran to the kitchen to help serve the dishes and bowls.
Feng Zhiyi, Lu Lingxiao, and Grandma Feng were warmly welcomed by Ma Hongying and sat down around the dining table. The little ones had already been sitting at the low table next to them.
After Ma Hongying had taken care of Lu Lingxiao and Feng Zhiyi's family, she turned around and tried to persuade Yang Xiulan and Jian Daying to stay, saying, "You two don't need to leave. Stay at my house for a meal, and then go back."
"No, I've already cooked at home. I'll go back and eat there. I'll come visit you later."
Yang Xiulan shook her head, turned around and walked towards her home. Her home was also on the third floor, only four households away from Ma Hongying's home, very close by.
Jian Daying, on the other hand, lives on the fourth floor.
"I'm going back now. I'll come back to chat with you guys this afternoon."
Jian Daying said a few words in a hurry, then picked up the bag of gifts Feng Zhiyi had given her and went back to the fourth floor.
Wang Shujuan went to work at a textile factory in the city and wouldn't get off work until 5:30 p.m. before riding her bicycle back to her family compound. So Feng Zhiyi didn't see her when she returned.
However, when Wang Shujuan left in the morning, she brought about a pound of meat and two pieces of tofu for Ma Hongying, asking her to cook them together at noon to entertain Lu Lingxiao and Feng Zhiyi.
Yang Xiulan and Jian Daying also each brought a meat dish to Ma Hongying's house.
"What are you carrying? It's such a big bag." Battalion Commander Liu Qingguo couldn't help but ask when he saw his wife carrying a bag back.
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