He wasn't digging a hole.
He was building a dream for her with his own hands.
Su Tang's heart felt as if it had been soaked in a honey pot, sweet and tender.
She quickly ran into the house, poured a glass of water from the storage space, and handed it to him.
"Dig slowly, no rush."
Qin Ye took the water glass and gulped it down in one go. The glass contained spiritual spring water that she had secretly drawn from her spatial storage.
He found the water incredibly sweet, and all his fatigue dissipated.
While Qin Ye was dealing with the excavated soil, Su Tang secretly poured a large bucket of spiritual spring water into the newly dug pond.
"My grandma told me that when you dig a new pond, you need to use good water to 'nourish' the soil first, so that the fish won't get sick easily later," she explained earnestly to Qin Ye as he returned.
The two of them worked together to plant all the seeds and saplings.
One week later.
In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the courtyard.
The yard has been completely transformed. The vegetable garden has been neatly arranged, several fruit tree saplings have been planted, and the small pond has been dug and even lined with stones.
Li Xiumei, carrying her son Xiaohu, passed by and was so surprised by the scene in Qin Ye's yard that her mouth gaped open in an "O" shape.
"My goodness! Su Tang! You guys... it's only been a few days! This yard is practically a vegetable garden!"
She looked at the well-planned vegetable garden and the exquisite little pond, and was filled with admiration.
"You're so capable!"
Seeing Li Xiumei's envious expression, Su Tang smiled and pulled her into the house.
"Sister-in-law, Qin Ye and I were just discussing it. Now that the new house is all set up, we'd like to invite everyone over for a meal to celebrate. You and Wang, you absolutely must bring Xiao Hu!"
"Oh! That's great! I'll definitely come! I'll be your assistant!" Li Xiumei clapped her hands with joy.
After seeing Li Xiumei off, Su Tang closed the courtyard gate and turned to Qin Ye, who was studying the timber.
"Inviting only Sister Xiumei's family isn't enough to make it lively. Do you have any particularly close brothers in this unit? Let's invite them too. The more people, the better the food tastes."
Qin Ye put down the woodworking ruler in his hand and thought for a moment.
"Yes, the company commander of my guard company is named Zhang Qianli. We're sworn brothers. His wife, Sister Zhou, is also a straightforward person. They have two children, a daughter named Xiaoya and a son named Xiaoshitou."
"Let's also invite Zhao Meng, that bachelor. He's our regiment's political commissar and a good brother of many years. He's just a bit of a chatterbox."
"Okay, it's settled then!"
Su Tang made the decision, her mind already racing with calculations.
This was the first time she had officially appeared in front of Qin Ye's friends as "Qin Ye's fiancée" since arriving in Tibet, so it had to be done perfectly.
The next day, Qin Ye went to the regimental headquarters early in the morning to get busy.
Su Tang locked the door and slipped into the space.
She first prepared gifts for both families.
I stockpiled a lot of things on the black markets in Shanghai and Chengdu. Although they won't spoil if I keep them in my storage space, I don't know when I'll be able to eat all that stuff.
The gifts were for Li Xiumei and Zhang Qianli's families; both families have children, and the gifts were all practical.
A jar of malted milk powder, a bag of White Rabbit milk candy, a small cloth bag of finely ground white flour, and a bar of the latest Shanghai-style jasmine soap wrapped in delicate oil paper.
Since Zhao Meng has no family, the gift is more about making men look good.
She swapped a bottle of Moutai liquor for an ordinary soy sauce bottle; anyone in the know could tell just by the smell.
A special supply cigarette pack, the cigarette box removed and wrapped in kraft paper, plus a packet of rock sugar and a small bag of plump Northeast rice.
Everything of these is hard currency, the things that make a man look good at the dinner table.
When it comes to things that help build relationships, you can't skimp on anything. Not only can you not skimp on things, but you also have to be artful about what you give and what resonates with people.
Otherwise, it would truly prove the old saying true: you might spend effort and deliver the goods, but all you might get is a reputation for being "incompetent," which would be a complete waste of time.
This housewarming party was more than just a simple meal.
It was also the first step Su Tang took in establishing her social connections within this seemingly large but actually small military compound.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
