Chapter 45 Touch It

The 119th Troop Family Compound is mainly divided into two types of housing.

There were many deputy battalion commanders and battalion commanders who were allowed to have their families accompany them. They were assigned four-story tube buildings with five households on each floor, and the layout was basically two bedrooms and one living room.

Military officers above the regimental level can apply for allocation of two-story buildings. The red brick buildings stand among the coconut trees, like a spot of red amidst the green, eye-catching and dazzling.

If you come across a good location, you can face the sea and enjoy the pleasant scenery.

After eligible soldiers apply for military service, they can go to the director of the family housing institution with the approval slip and choose a house.

When Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan appeared together in front of Yuan Yuzhen, the director of the military family home who was in charge of all matters major and minor, Director Yuan's eyes lit up.

She knew Regiment Commander He Hongyuan. Director Yuan's husband was an instructor in the regiment and had some dealings with He Hongyuan. It was inevitable that the couple would talk about people and things in the army. Director Yuan heard that Regiment Commander He had outstanding abilities, but also knew that he was a difficult person to deal with. It was heard that many people wanted to introduce him to potential partners in recent years but all failed.

Now people actually come to me with approval slips and ask for housing allocation. How strange!

Looking at the female comrade next to him, Director Yuan also had some impression of her. She was a relative who was living in Brigade Commander Zhou's house recently. She was a pretty girl. Standing with Commander He, it must be said that they were a perfect match!

Holding a bunch of keys in his hand, Director Yuan enthusiastically took the two newlyweds to choose a house: "Head of the team, Xiaolin, have you picked a date? When are you going to hold the wedding banquet?"

Lin Xiang smiled and said, "Next month's 30th, it's a good day."

Director Yuan likes to think about happy dates when he has nothing to do. After a brief thought, he said, "That day was a good day. If I remember correctly, there was another couple in the army who got married on that day."

And they are getting married on the same day?

Lin Xiang found this interesting. She turned around and looked at He Hongyuan, then smiled happily and said to Director Yuan, "This is a really auspicious and festive day. Everyone likes it."

Director Yuan led the way, and soon they arrived at a vacant small building a few hundred meters away from the main gate of the family compound. While opening the door with the key in her hand, she began to introduce it: "This house was previously occupied by Chief of Staff Wang and his family. Later, they were transferred and left, so it is now vacant."

He Hongyuan knew Chief of Staff Wang. He nodded in agreement: "It will take one or two years."

"Yes, it's been there for quite a while. Look, there's still quite a bit of dust in there. If you were to live here, you'd have to clean it up thoroughly." Director Yuan took the two of them around the small building and let them take a closer look.

Living in the two-story building of Zhou's family is different from looking at her own house now. Lin Xiang almost took out the serious and cautious attitude when buying a house in her previous life. She considered the house structure, lighting, orientation and other aspects, and asked Director Yuan: "Director Yuan, how many houses can we choose from?"

There weren't many vacant two-story buildings, only seven in total. Three of them had already been reserved by other officers who had applied for their families to accompany them. Director Yuan silently estimated, "There are still four to choose from."

Lin Xiang was already satisfied. It was better than having only one vacant house left and having no choice.

After looking at the first house, the two did not make a decision and planned to look at all four houses before making a choice.

Director Yuan led the two of them forward, looking at houses in all directions. These vacant small buildings were basically interspersed among the small buildings that had been moved in. The surroundings were also crowded with people. In front of each small building, adults gathered in groups, choosing vegetables while chatting and killing time. Groups of children were running and playing nearby.

After viewing all four houses, Lin Xiang had already formed a general preference in her mind. She said to Director Yuan, grabbing a handful of sorghum candy to spread the joy, and said: "Director Yuan, Hongyuan and I will discuss it. When we decide later, we will come to you to get the key. Is that ok?"

Choosing a house is a big deal, and Director Yuan naturally understands it, especially since this girl is pretty and quick to speak and do things. Director Yuan, holding a few candies in his hand, smiled and said, "Okay, I live just around the corner. I won't go far after dinner. Just come to me directly after you discuss it."

"Okay, thank you."

As soon as Director Yuan left, Lin Xiang hurriedly asked the man, "Which apartment do you like?"

He Hongyuan's judgments on the battlefield were all rational analysis, and now his thoughts were clearer: "Don't you want a house facing the sea? You said you want to be able to see the sea when you open the window. Then the first and third houses are not suitable. The remaining second and fourth houses are not much different. See which one you like better."

Perhaps to make his point clear, he added, "I'm fine with either. It doesn't matter."

Lin Xiang naturally ruled out the first and third houses early on. The remaining second and fourth houses each had their own advantages. Both faced the sea and had good lighting, but their orientations were different and the house structures were slightly different.

"By the way, I'll ask Sister Guihua when she comes back." Lin Xiang remembered what Sister Guazi said in the workshop last time, asking her to ask more questions when choosing a room.

He Hongyuan naturally had no objection.

Qiu Hongxia was the most active one after get off work, and she arrived at her family compound at four in the afternoon.

But today, when he saw Lin Xiang coming over and heard that she was choosing a house, he hurriedly welcomed her in and said, "Are you and Captain He going to choose from the empty one at the east end and the one at Yeziguai?"

She had a good memory and loved to wander around. She remembered the locations of the two houses in a flash, and then she said, "The small building at the east end is actually quite good. It used to be where Brigade Commander Gan and his family lived. Now they have retired and moved into a retirement home, so the house is vacant. I heard that there are still some furniture inside that haven't been moved yet, so we can just pick it up ready-made. The only bad thing is..."

After Lin Xiang entered the room, she stuffed a handful of sorghum candy into Sister Guihua and her two children, and asked curiously, "What's wrong with it?"

"Neighbors on both sides are not peaceful." Qiu Hongxia has lived in her family compound for many years and is familiar with everyone, so she knows everything. "The neighbor on the left is Captain Feng's family, where the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law love to quarrel the most. They have a small quarrel every three days and a big quarrel every five days. There will be no peace when we move in!"

Lin Xiang: "...Then the neighbor on the right won't also quarrel, right?"

Qiu Hongxia shook her head: "No, but the four kids of Political Commissar He's family on the right are very naughty. They love to make a mess all day long. It's annoying to see them. I'm telling you in secret..."

At this point, Qiu Hongxia lowered her voice, as if she was telling some gossip and secrets: "These four kids are spoiled. They love to beg for food from other people. It is obvious that Political Commissar He has a good salary and allowances, but they are eager to eat other people's food. They like to pick meal times to beg for food. If you don't give them something to eat, they will send them away and won't move at all."

Lin Xiang: "..."

You don’t know until you ask, and you’ll be shocked when you do!

She looked at Sister Guazi with admiration in her eyes: "Sister Guihua, I'm glad I asked you first, otherwise it would be terrible if I really chose the second apartment to live in."

Lin Xiang was still worried and asked hesitantly about the fourth set: "Then the last set won't be like this, right?"

Lin Xiang thought, there are people everywhere, it is unrealistic to meet a perfect neighbor, it would be fine as long as someone who is roughly suitable is fine.

"It's OK over there." Qiu Hongxia introduced the neighbors on the left and right of the fourth small building: "On the left is the family of instructor Sun. There are three daughters in the family. His wife is pregnant with the fourth one, who should be more than five months old. The couple is a good person, and the three daughters are also very sensible."

Lin Xiang felt relieved after listening to this, especially since there would be no harm without comparison.

"As for the neighbors on the right, they are a young couple, Chief of Staff Lei and his wife, who are probably about the same age as Captain He. They got married last year, so it's only been a year. They don't have any children yet, so it's just the two of them living there, so it's quiet."

After hearing this, Lin Xiang made a decision immediately. After thanking Sister Guihua and leaving, Lin Xiang returned to Zhou's house and talked to He Hongyuan about the situation of the two houses while preparing dinner.

He Hongyuan listened to Lin Xiang talking about the neighborhood conditions of the two houses and became more and more surprised. "You went out to find out so much information?"

He knew Battalion Commander Feng, Political Commissar He, Instructor Sun, and Chief of Staff Lei, but he had never known about their family situations. For the first time, He Hongyuan felt a deep respect for the "melon-seed sister" mentioned by Lin Xiang. This sister might be a great helper in intelligence work.

Lin Xiang said proudly, "That's right. Sister Guihua is the best in our family. She knows everything. You can ask her and she will save you a lot of trouble."

The house was finalized without any suspense.

After dinner that day, Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan went to Director Yuan's house to register for the fourth apartment and took the key.

"That room has been empty for a while, and there's no furniture in it. You can clean it up and move in with some furniture. It will be nice to live in." Director Yuan saw them off and congratulated them, "Please come and let me know when you move in."

"Of course. Thank you, Director Yuan. I'll give you some candy when we move."

A small golden key lay in Lin Xiang's palm, with an icy cool metallic texture. She clenched her palm, as if she owned this sea view room.

A house is the carrier of home, especially in today's crowded era with a large population and scarce housing. Owning such a spacious and beautiful two-story house is the dream of many people.

Thinking back to the time when he was in the Lin family, he and Lin Chuchu lived together in a small room, with two narrow wooden beds separated only by a worn-out sheet. Life now seems too good!

After hearing that their nephew's housing had been allocated, Zhou Shenghuai and Feng Li brought their daughter to take a look. The small building they chose was not too far from the Zhou family's small building, and it only took ten minutes to walk there. Zhou Yuezhu was the most excited: "Then I can eat at my cousin's house in the future."

Feng Li sneered at the girl: "You are just greedy!"

Lin Xiang naturally welcomed them. She had eaten a lot of good food at Zhou's house. "Yuezhu, feel free to come. Uncle Zhou and Aunt Feng should also come more often. It's a bit lonely for Hongyuan and I to live here. It would be better if everyone came to liven it up."

Lin Xiang spoke sincerely and passionately. Feng Li liked this girl from the bottom of her heart, especially thinking that it would be good for her daughter to have more contact with her, which would be better than having contact with some of the uneducated children of military officers in the compound.

Zhou Shenghuai looked around the empty and dusty building and said, "Just clean it up and it will be neat. You are getting married and moving into a new home. Your aunt Feng and I will give you two pieces of furniture as a gift to celebrate."

Furniture is large items, such as coffee tables, sofas and chests, which are quite expensive, so He Hongyuan and Lin Xiang naturally accepted the offer.

Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan looked around the empty room, and then went up to the master bedroom on the second floor to take a look around. The master bedroom of this house was spacious and square. There was also a balcony outside the room. When the glass door was opened, they could look out at the sea. They saw the rippling blue waves, dyed with a layer of golden gauze in the afterglow of the setting sun.

"When we are free these few days, we will come over to clean the house, and then slowly move the things we bought last time over." Lin Xiang breathed in the fresh seaside air and felt relaxed physically and mentally.

He Hongyuan followed Lin Xiang's line of sight and whispered, "Okay, I'll ask the guards about the furniture. Uncle Zhou and Aunt Feng will prepare the sofa and coffee table. We'll make two more beds, a square table and stools, a five-piece chest, a bookcase, a cabinet, a long chest, a wardrobe... What else do you think is missing?"

Lin Xiang imagined what a complete home should look like in her mind. The picture gradually became clear and complete. She placed the necessary furniture in every corner. She added, "I also want a dressing table and a large desk in the master bedroom so we can use them together. I can build a few more chests and long cabinets, five and three respectively. I'll buy the rest when I think of it after we move in."

He Hongyuan kept it in mind and went to find Jiang Weijun when he returned to the single dormitory at night.

"That old master is a skilled craftsman. I heard that his ancestors made cabinets in the palace. He was very skillful, and it was passed down from generation to generation. It was a family business that made a living! There have been big movements in recent years. When they found out about his ancestors' deeds for several generations, they reported them and said they were feudal remnants, so he was demoted." Jiang Weijun talked freely in He Hongyuan's room, "But after all, it was a matter of many generations, so the nature was not serious. He was demoted to our small fishing village to do the physical work of picking fish. Later, the captain of the village knew that he had good skills, so he simply let him make furniture for everyone to earn work points. If he kept his skills, he wouldn't have to suffer so much."

Naturally, the bad elements who were sent down to the countryside were hated by everyone and looked down upon everywhere. The situation became much better after the old master started making furniture for everyone. After all, his craftsmanship was so good that it was really impressive.

Jiang Weijun's furniture had been ready and aired for half a month, and he just moved into the new house a few days ago: "My girlfriend was very satisfied, saying she had never seen such beautiful furniture, and the patterns were better than those sold in department stores outside."

He Hongyuan understood and said, "Then I'll go there when I have time. My girlfriend also wants to buy some good furniture."

Zhang Huafeng, the only one who was not married yet, was jealous when he heard the two of them talking about their partners and furniture. He said, "I want to do that, too!"

He Hongyuan and Jiang Weijun turned to look at him at the same time and said in unison: "You are not getting married, why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhang Huafeng: "..."

Who are you looking down on?

Zhang Huafeng's girlfriend, Yan Min, is in the dance team of the cultural troupe. She has a graceful figure, and combines both strength and beauty. She practices dancing for four to five hours every day, plus rehearsals for the shows, so she often has no time to pay attention to Zhang Huafeng.

Inspired by his brothers getting married one after another, Zhang Huafeng went to the cultural troupe to find a partner: "Minmin, when are we getting married? I have already written the marriage report and am waiting to submit it."

Yan Min has just finished rehearsing. The 119th Army will have a military parade and a cultural performance in October. The art troupe will naturally be the main force of the cultural performance, and the dance team and singing team will be busy recently.

Yan Min, with a thin layer of sweat on her face and slightly red cheeks, had just met her boyfriend when she heard him mention marriage. The pillar of the cultural troupe who was preparing to dance well for a few more years refused and said, "I can't dance after marriage. Can't we just get along first?"

Zhang Huafeng's face fell, and he asked anxiously, "Why can't I dance after getting married?"

Yan Min said seriously, "After getting married, you have to have a baby. You have to be pregnant for ten months and then you have to take care of yourself after childbirth. Just think about how much time it will take. Huafeng, I want to dance for another two years."

Yan Min also knew that Zhang Huafeng was not young anymore. Most of the officers of his age had already been married. Even his two good brothers of similar age had reported their marriages one after another. It was normal for him to be anxious.

"Really? I promise you." Yan Min took advantage of the empty corridor outside the rehearsal room of the cultural troupe and gently shook the man's arm. "Two more years will be enough. When the time comes, you can quickly file a marriage report. I will definitely not say a word."

Zhang Huafeng felt like a basin of cold water was poured over his heart. He would have to wait another two years, and he would have to wait until he became an old man.

Yan Min is 24 this year, which is considered old for being unmarried in this era. After all, it is a special feature of the art troupe. Getting married basically means that the dance art soldier is on the decline. Many of his comrades got married at the age of 23 or 24. If they wait any longer, they will never find a good partner.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed Zhang Huafeng on the cheek. Her peach blossom eyes were bright and charming, and her smile was like a crescent moon. Seeing this, Zhang Huafeng's depression was mostly relieved.

There's really nothing we can do about her.

——

The house issue was finalized, and the furniture making was handed over to He Hongyuan. He would be going out on a cruise in two days, and during his free time he could go to the nearby fishing village to find the craftsman who had passed down the craftsmanship from generation to generation to make furniture.

Early Tuesday morning, Lin Xiang was at the Second Factory as usual, supervising the regularization and standardization of the equipment operated by the workshop workers. Not long after, he was called out by Secretary You, who went with him and Factory Director Huang to find Director Qin of the Shrimp Sauce Workshop.

Thinking about what Director Huang said about giving herself a day off as soon as she left the Qin family, Lin Xiang took her blue cloth bag and left, thinking about tidying up her new home after she was done.

"Xiao Lin, Old Qin has a bad temper and is narrow-minded and likes to nitpick. You can help him say a few nice words later." Factory Director Huang's meaning was very clear. Now Qin Yangbo was still thinking about how he was slapped in the face by the little girl Lin Xiang, and he couldn't get over the hurdle in his heart. The person who tied the bell should untie it, so he could only let Lin Xiang say a few soft words and praise Director Qin a little, and the matter would be resolved satisfactorily.

As compensation, Director Huang gave Lin Xiang a vacation. He also kept in mind this good comrade who was able to help the factory solve problems, which would certainly benefit him in the future.

Lin Xiang understood what the factory director meant. It was nothing more than asking her to humble herself and compliment Director Qin. In this era, technical workers were treated with great courtesy. In the past in Xifeng City, the eighth-level workers in the machinery factory dared to challenge the factory director and the secretary. Not to mention those far away, just talk about those nearby. Master Feng from the maintenance team of Factory 1 was also respected by everyone, and Factory Director Huang was also polite when speaking to others.

The same is true for Qin Yangbo. If he is in a bad mood, the factory director has to be invited in person. Otherwise, there will be no one to check the proportions of various canned seafood in the future, and product improvement and upgrading will be leaderless, which is absolutely unacceptable.

Lin Xiang had dealt with Qin Yangbo twice before, and had heard other workers talk about his temper, so she said, "Director, I have a better way to ask Director Qin to come back."

oh?

Factory Director Huang and Secretary You were curious when they heard this. They leaned forward slightly and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Lin Xiang kept the secret: "You'll know when you meet Director Qin. Just don't tear down my desk, you and Secretary You."

Director Huang saw that the little girl was playing tricks and thought that she was getting braver. How come she didn't show any fear when seeing him and was unwilling to reveal it in advance?

While they were thinking, the three of them had already arrived at the gate of the Qin family, the family compound of the 119th Army.

Qin Yangbo's son is the deputy battalion commander of the fourth battalion of the third regiment of the sixth brigade of the army. His father was an old man in the factory of the predecessor of the 119 Food Factory before liberation. Qin Yangbo followed his father in the food factory since he was a child and grew up smelling the smell of seafood. Later, the private food factory was returned to state ownership and then transferred to the 119th Army. Qin Yangbo inherited his father's legacy and became the most capable workshop director in the factory. He adjusted the secret recipes of various canned seafood and pushed the 119 canned food to the top.

Qin Yangbo had been idle at home for the past half month, and had expected that Director Huang would come to visit. He opened the door to welcome the director, but to his surprise, Lin Xiang was also there.

Thinking of the incident on Mid-Autumn Festival, his face froze and his expression was quite interesting.

Lin Xiang pretended not to see it, but still called out politely, "Director Qin."

Director Huang also laughed: "Lao Qin, you have been resting at home for a long time recently. How is your health? We are getting older and are not as healthy as before. You need to take good care of yourself, but after you recover, you have to go back to the factory to build production. The 119 Food Factory cannot do without you."

Lin Xiang and Secretary You sat down after Director Huang. After listening to what Director Huang said, they couldn't help but sigh that leaders have a high level of speaking ability.

There was no mention of Director Qin being slapped in the face a while ago. They only said that Qin Yangbo was recuperating at home and would go back now that he had recovered, giving him enough platform.

However, if Qin Yangbo wasn't so stubborn, he would be a different person. He poured tea for the three people and still said, "Director, I, Old Qin, don't have any ability anymore. The world is now dominated by young people. I should move on."

Director Huang pursed his lips tightly. Although he was prepared to criticize Old Qin for being narrow-minded, he did not show it on his face and still advised: "Experience is good for experience. Your skills are the result of decades of experience. Who can surpass you? You are just talking in anger. Why bother?"

Secretary You also echoed, "Director Qin, the shrimp sauce workshop cannot do without you."

Qin Yangbo sat upright, calm and unmoved. He had been in this business for most of his life and had been exposed to it since he was a child. Now he had not handled it properly and ended up relying on a little girl to clean up the mess. He really had no place to save his old face.

"The shrimp sauce workshop can't do without anyone. Director, you can promote some young people. Old guys like us may be a hindrance."

This is really like a piece of meat being cut into pieces, and no oil or salt can be absorbed.

Factory Director Huang recognized Qin Yangbo's ability, but was troubled by his stubbornness. He immediately frowned and said angrily, "Old Qin, hey, you just care too much about your face and think too much! Why bother? Come back to the factory to work quickly. You are an adult, why are you acting like a 20-year-old kid and throwing tantrums!"

Factory Director Huang also found it annoying and responded angrily.

Qin Yangbo turned his face away, stiffened his neck and refused to give in, waving his hands in refusal: "No! It's useless for me to go back! I'm determined not to go back!"

Director Huang was very angry at Qin Yangbo's bad temper, and could only hope for his last trump card: "Young people have the momentum, but the old ones are more capable of taking charge of the overall situation, Xiaolin, don't you think?"

Seeing Director Huang kick the ball to her, Lin Xiang smiled and continued, "Yes, Director, you are right."

Factory Director Huang was satisfied. He asked Xiao Lin to say a few soft words and praise Lao Qin, and he would also play a supporting role, and that should be it.

Unexpectedly, Lin Xiang's next words took a turn and surprised him.

Lin Xiangyan smiled and said to Qin Yangbosi without any politeness: "But what Director Qin said makes more sense. Now it is the world of young people. It is a good thing for Director Qin to retire early and rest at home. Let us take care of the shrimp sauce workshop. We will definitely not let Director Qin down for half a lifetime of hard work. We will definitely do a good job in production construction and expand sales channels. You can rest assured and don't have to worry about the factory."

Factory Director Huang’s eyes almost popped out. What...what is Xiao Lin talking about? This is just adding fuel to the fire!

Secretary You was almost unable to sit still after listening to this. Director Qin was very capable and had an even worse temper. Comrade Lin Xiang was probably just trying to irritate him.

Let alone persuading Director Qin to return to the factory, he might really retire completely in anger.

Qin Yangbo was really pissed off. During this period, the deputy director of the shrimp sauce workshop and several team leaders came to his house to invite him, but he waved his hands and asked them to go back. Even when the factory director came to his house in person to invite him, he still couldn't get over the hurdle in his heart. But now, a little girl specifically asked him to take a rest so that she could take over the shrimp sauce workshop. It was really... too much!

Qin Yangbo slapped the armrest of the chair, his face flushed and his neck thick, and said angrily: "Lin Xiang, you are really a little sparrow eating soybeans, you have a big appetite! Do you still want to be the director of our workshop?"

Lin Xiang was not shaken by Director Qin's anger. She sat still and smiled, "Director Qin, you are not doing anything anymore. What's wrong with giving us young people a chance?"

"Dream on!" Qin Yangbo stood up and immediately went to find his work clothes that had been idle for some time. "I'm going back now. How can I let you guys waste the hard work I have put in for half my life!"

Lin Xiang also stood up and watched Director Qin get out of his rage and immediately put on his blue overalls. He was buttoning them up when his voice became cheerful and pleasant: "Then Director Qin, it's a deal."

She turned around and said to the stunned factory director and Secretary You, "Factory director, Director Qin has to go back to work. I'll leave first."

Lin Xiang turned and left, raised her hand to glance at her watch, it was ten o'clock in the morning, well, not bad, she was lucky to have a half-day holiday, just in time to tidy up the new house, do some paid private work or something, it was the happiest thing!

Her figure gradually disappeared from the sight of the three people in the Qin family's living room. Qin Yangbo buttoned his clothes angrily, and suddenly felt something was wrong. This little girl did it on purpose!

Qin Yangbo and Director Huang and Secretary You looked at each other and laughed. Before Qin Yangbo could say anything, Director Huang stood up, holding back his laughter and said, "Okay, Lao Qin, this work suit looks best on you. Okay, remember to come back to work on time tomorrow! We'll be leaving first."

After saying that, the two of them left quickly, leaving Qin Yangbo alone in the wind.

——

Although she scolded Director Qin to encourage him to go back to work, Lin Xiang was really treacherous for once. Now thinking about how Director Qin was so angry that he immediately went to find clothes, it was really funny.

After leaving Qin's house, Lin Xiang first went to the new house and simply cleaned the rooms on the second floor. The house, which had not been occupied for a long time, was covered with dust. After cleaning it, she wiped the windowsills and wooden doors with a rag. In a blink of an eye, it was lunch time.

She went back to the food factory cafeteria to have a quick lunch, and then went back to the new house to clean up.

If you are not so enthusiastic when working in the company, you will be very motivated when cleaning your own home.

There are four bedrooms in the new house, including a guest room on the first floor near the stairs, a master bedroom and two secondary bedrooms upstairs. Lin Xiang cleaned the three rooms on the second floor, and it was like a dusty pearl revealing its true appearance, looking brand new.

In the afternoon, the scorching sun climbed up to the sky, blazing like fire, contrasting with the blue waves in the distance. The breeze blew across the sea, and waves rolled in, creating a beautiful scene.

Lin Xiang was busy looking at the beautiful sea view outside the window with a broom in her hand, when she suddenly heard footsteps coming.

Feeling something in her heart, Lin Xiang turned around and went downstairs, with the sound of her footsteps tapping on the stairs, looking down at the man who had just entered through the door.

"Why are you here?" Lin Xiang narrowed her beautiful almond eyes.

He Hongyuan didn't expect that the target was still here. He looked up at Lin Xiang who was sitting high up, and strode forward: "I finished my task this morning and went to find the furniture maker. I had nothing to do afterwards, so I thought of coming over to clean up the house."

Lin Xiang smiled and narrowed her eyes: "Then we are on the same page."

She recounted to Congratulate Hongyuan how she had motivated Director Qin to return to the factory in the morning and had earned a half-day holiday: "It's so comfortable to do private work with pay."

He Hongyuan looked at her playful appearance like a little fox, and his heart softened. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and said, "You still have a way. You take a rest, and I will take care of the rest."

Lin Xiang had indeed been busy for quite a while, so she simply sat cross-legged on the ground to take a break.

She wore black trousers on purpose today, and after tidying herself up, her trousers were already covered in dust, but she didn't care at the moment and just sat on the floor, watching the man clean the new house.

The second floor was basically cleaned by Lin Xiang, and He Hongyuan took over the baton and cleaned along the stairs. The living room and dining room on the first floor were connected. He Hongyuan cleaned them first, then went to the kitchen and guest room on the left to clean, and finally went to the independent toilet on the right to wash the broom.

He Hongyuan is also a good hand at housework, mainly because he is well-trained. Cleaning is like a battle for him. He is strong and energetic. He sweeps the floor skillfully and wipes everywhere quickly, accurately and fiercely. Lin Xiang has never seen a man who is so pleasing to the eye when doing housework.

She couldn't help but suspect that she was seeing beauty in her lover's eyes.

He Hongyuan took off his military jacket while working, wearing only a simple olive green military training shirt, revealing a pair of strong forearms. His bulging muscles were tight and his veins were faintly visible as he worked. When he raised his hand and held the broom to sweep the dust on the roof, his clothes lifted up, revealing his abdomen divided into deep abdominal muscles. These were not the abdominal muscles that were trained in the gym in later generations. This was a body that was cultivated through years of training and fighting, showing true strength and wildness.

After being busy for a long time, the heat gradually dissipated. He Hongyuan exuded strong hormones, and every move he made was steady and capable.

It perfectly fits his style of being taciturn but steady in doing things.

Lin Xiang lazily watched the man work for a long time, and when she had rested enough, she got up to do some finishing work.

He Hongyuan was so efficient that he had cleaned up the corner of the first floor very neatly. Lin Xiang was amazed to see that he had even placed the only two stools in the room very neatly in the corner, without any deviation and perfectly aligned.

He is worthy of being the model of housekeeping in the army, a man who can fold the quilt into a tofu block and arrange the books at a perfect angle!

The two were busy until it was almost dinner time, and the military dependents who were not working at home were already frying dishes in preparation for dinner.

He Hongyuan stopped what he was doing and looked at Lin Xiang: "If you're hungry, go eat first."

Lin Xiang shook her head. She was a little hungry, but there was still some cleaning work left, so she might as well finish it before eating. Otherwise, the going back and forth would waste time. She didn't like the feeling of having to interrupt her work and only have a little work left to do.

"Clean the yard first. I'm not very hungry." Lin Xiang replied.

Seeing Lin Xiang refuse, He Hongyuan raised his chin towards her and pointed in the direction of the military jacket on the stool: "There is candy in the pocket. My hands are dirty. Go get it yourself. Eat some first to cushion your appetite."

Lin Xiang was delighted. She quickly washed her hands and reached into He Hongyuan's military jacket, pulling out three pieces of sesame candy from the pocket. "Why did you carry candy today?"

"The guards gave it to us. He and Song Qingya are hosting a party next week. They've bought a lot of stuff recently, so they gave us some candy."

The sesame candy is crispy, sticky and chewy, and the aroma of sesame spreads with each chew.

Lin Xiang ate one piece, then peeled another and fed it to He Hongyuan. They both used candy to fill their stomachs.

When it comes to hosting a banquet, Lin Xiang also becomes interested: "We have to go there, right? We have to prepare gifts for them."

He Hongyuan acted as the boss and said, "You decide what to give."

"Okay." Lin Xiang had never attended a wedding banquet in this era and just wanted to join in the fun.

After eating two pieces of sesame candy, the hunger in her stomach eased a little. Just as Lin Xiang was about to continue working, she heard voices coming from the door.

A clear female voice was heard, and then a figure with a round belly approached.

"You are Comrade Lin Xiang, right? The one that Captain He is congratulating?" The woman had delicate features, and her face was slightly plumper due to pregnancy, and she looked particularly kind. "I am Jiang Wenfang, the wife of your instructor Sun next door."

"Sister Jiang, I'm Lin Xiang." Lin Xiang didn't care that a neighbor suddenly came to her house. She looked friendly and hurriedly stepped forward to greet her. "Hongyuan and I just divided the house and are cleaning it today."

She lowered her eyes to glance at Jiang Wenfang's belly, and remembered Sister Guihua's words. This was a belly that was more than five months pregnant: "The dust in the room is a bit thick. I'll move a stool out so you can sit and talk."

"No need." Jiang Wenfang hurriedly stopped Lin Xiang and pushed the plate with six wild vegetable cakes forward. "I just saw that you guys have been busy all afternoon and haven't eaten yet. I thought we have a lot of steamed cakes at home, so you can fill your stomach first."

The neighbor came to deliver food to her house. Lin Xiang was grateful and took the plate quickly: "Sister Jiang, you are thoughtful. This cake smells delicious."

He Hongyuan heard the noise and walked into the yard. Seeing his comrade's wife approaching, he nodded and said, "Sister-in-law, hasn't Sun Ge come back yet?"

"I'm busy now. I guess you'll have to wait a while." Jiang Wenfang was still stewing food in the pot and was about to leave. "I'm going to go back first so I won't delay you guys from cleaning. You can take this bowl back anytime you're done."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Jiang. Please take your time on the way." Lin Xiang immediately felt hungry when he smelled the aroma of wild vegetable cakes. After washing his hands, he twisted a piece of it with his hands and put it into his mouth. The aroma filled his mouth and he said vaguely, " This neighbor is really kind and even specially gave us food. We have to return the favor when we are done.”

He Hongyuan was eating the wild vegetable cakes that Lin Xiang had fed him. His hands were still dirty. He responded, "Okay, Brother Sun and his wife are nice, and they have good tempers. It's good to spend more time with them."

Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan were busy in the new house for most of the day and basically cleaned it up. After sweeping away the dust that had been vacant for a long time, the two-story building seemed to be shining.

Lin Xiang had informed Aunt Feng in advance that they didn't have to wait for dinner. When the two of them returned to Zhou's house, the Zhou family had already had dinner and there was food left for them on the kitchen stove.

There was no one in the restaurant. After dinner, everyone went out to chat. Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan had worked up an appetite after a busy day and ate their food with big mouthfuls.

It is said that a full stomach makes you think... As Lin Xiang was eating, she could not hold back the scene she saw in the afternoon. She bit the end of her chopsticks and asked, "Do all of you soldiers have such good figures?"

She was really curious, was He Hongyuan an exception or was this a common problem? In her previous life, she had seen men with good bodies on the Internet, but they were all from fitness, and were obviously weaker than He Hongyuan, who had been trained in a harsh environment.

However, the conservative Comrade He Hongyuan did not understand what he said at all. He raised his eyebrows and said, "What?"

"He has abdominal muscles... They look like eight of them." Lin Xiang's gaze moved quietly down, finally settling on He Hongyuan's lower abdomen.

He Hongyuan followed her gaze and looked down. Just as he was about to speak with a smile on his thin lips, he heard the woman at the square table muttering.

"But I thought, the soldiers in your army should all be in such good shape. What level are you? Do you have the best figure among them? Is there anyone with a better figure than you?"

He Hongyuan's face darkened a little: "Do you want to know about others?"

Lin Xiangsi didn't realize the danger was approaching, and even gossiped, "Really? Is it tighter than your abdominal muscles?"

He Hongyuan: "..."

His face darkened, he clenched his chopsticks tightly, and said seriously, "Eat quickly."

Lin Xiang's desire to gossip about the abdominal muscles was abruptly interrupted by the man, and she secretly complained that this man was really stingy. After dinner, she cleaned up the stove and was about to rest when she heard He Hongyuan say, "Let's go to the new house again."

"What's wrong? Isn't everything cleaned up?" Lin Xiang asked puzzledly.

He Hongyuan looked around the room and his eyes fell on a long table: "Uncle Zhou's family doesn't use this table, so they asked us to take it over to put things on it. Let's just move it first."

"Oh." Lin Xiang thought about it and decided that since she had nothing to do, she might as well treat it as digestion after dinner.

He Hongyuan was carrying the long table in front, and Lin Xiang followed beside him. Seeing that the man seemed to be doing it effortlessly, she was secretly surprised at his great strength.

After the two of them greeted the neighbors along the way and walked to the new house, Lin Xiang took out the key and opened the door, pointing to the corner where two stools were placed and said, "Put them there, it's a perfect match."

Lin Xiang secretly complained in her heart, she must have satisfied this man's obsessive-compulsive disorder~

He Hongyuan obediently put the long table down by the corner. Lin Xiang nodded with satisfaction and was about to turn around and leave when she saw the man's eyes suddenly change. The room was dark without lights on, and only the moonlight was shining brightly, providing some light.

The man strode towards her, and suddenly put his strong and powerful hands around her waist and lifted her up. In almost an instant, Lin Xiang didn't know how she was sitting on the long table, steadily.

"What's wrong?" Lin Xiang's eyes were full of confusion.

The empty room was quiet and hushed. Lin Xiang looked at the man in front of her. Without waiting for his answer, she saw him unbutton his military jacket, which was always buttoned tightly all the way to the top button. The buttons were undone, revealing the thin training shirt underneath.

"Don't you want to compare?" He Hongyuan said seriously without changing his expression, "Huh?"

Lin Xiang stared at the man's training shirt that concealed his well-defined abdominal muscles, and swallowed unconsciously.

I swear to God, she is really not that kind of person!