Chapter 281 The Stranger in the Compound
When Su Wantang woke up, it was already broad daylight.
She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Lu Jingyan sitting on the edge of the bed, holding an enamel mug in his hand.
"Awake?" Lu Jingyan handed her the mug. "Rinse your mouth."
Su Wantang took it; it contained warm water, the temperature was just right.
She got out of bed and walked to the sink. The toothpaste was already squeezed out and neatly placed on the toothbrush.
Su Wantang turned to look at him.
Lu Jingyan leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, a smile on his lips.
"Aren't you going to do morning exercises today?" Su Wantang asked.
"I'm not going," Lu Jingyan said matter-of-factly. "I'll stay with you."
After brushing her teeth, Su Wantang washed her face. Lu Jingyan had already brought her a towel. She dried her face and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
"What would you like to eat?" she asked.
Lu Jingyan followed behind her. "Whatever you make, I'll eat."
Su Wantang took some spiritual spring water from her spatial storage and poured it into the pot. She then took some rice, rinsed it clean, and put it into the pot.
The porridge cooked with Lingquan water tastes completely different from that cooked with ordinary water.
The aroma of the porridge wafted out as soon as it started to bubble.
Lu Jingyan stood by the stove, watching her skillfully stir the porridge in the pot.
"Wantang".
"Um?"
"Your cooking is really good."
Su Wantang smiled. "It's just cooking some porridge."
"That's fine too." Lu Jingyan leaned closer and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I want to eat your cooking every day from now on."
Su Wantang pushed him. "Stop fooling around, the porridge is going to burn."
Lu Jingyan released her and turned to leave.
When the porridge was cooked, Lu Jingyan brought in two bowls.
Su Wantang served two bowls of porridge and chopped some pickled vegetables.
The two were sitting at the table, about to eat, when a sound came from outside the courtyard.
"Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!"
Su Wantang was stunned for a moment.
Lu Jingyan frowned, put down his chopsticks, and walked out.
At the entrance to the courtyard, Gao Jianjun clung to the wall, his neck stretched out as far as it could go.
"What are you doing?" Lu Jingyan asked coldly.
Gao Jianjun sniffed. "Boss, what are you eating? It smells amazing!"
Lu Jingyan turned and walked back. "Porridge."
Gao Jianjun jumped down from the wall and followed behind. "What kind of porridge is this? Why does it smell different from usual?"
"Just regular porridge," Lu Jingyan said. "You can go now."
Gao Jianjun didn't leave. "Boss, I haven't had breakfast yet."
Lu Jingyan stopped and looked back at him.
Gao Jianjun immediately stood at attention. "Boss, I was wrong."
"Go back and eat at the cafeteria."
"The porridge in the cafeteria..." Gao Jianjun stopped mid-sentence when he saw Lu Jingyan's expression. "Okay, I'll go now."
He turned and walked out, but when he reached the door, he looked back one last time.
"My sister-in-law is biased," he muttered under his breath.
Lu Jingyan's face darkened even more when he heard this.
Gao Jianjun ran away quickly.
Su Wantang sat at the table and laughed when she heard the commotion outside.
Lu Jingyan walked in and sat back down opposite her. "Ignore him."
Su Wantang picked up the bowl and took a sip of porridge. "Actually, we could have let him in to eat."
“No,” Lu Jingyan said. “Only I can eat what you make.”
Su Wantang looked at him. "Stingy."
Lu Jingyan remained silent, lowering his head to drink his porridge.
After breakfast, Su Wantang cleared the table. She watched Lu Jingyan wash the dishes.
"Jingyan".
"Um?"
I want to go out for a walk.
Lu Jingyan dried his hands and turned to look at her. "Where are you going?"
"Let's just wander around the compound," Su Wantang said. "I haven't really looked around properly yet."
Lu Jingyan nodded. "Okay, I'll go with you."
The sun had already risen when the two went out.
There were quite a few people in the compound, mostly soldiers coming and going, and a few family members pushing strollers.
Su Wantang walked beside Lu Jingyan, whose hand was always protecting her waist.
As we passed through a grove of trees, several officers approached us.
Upon seeing Lu Jingyan, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.
"Greetings, Commander Lu!"
Lu Jingyan nodded.
Several officers' eyes unconsciously fell on Su Wantang.
Su Wantang wore a light-colored cheongsam with a beige coat over it. Her hair was pulled back, revealing a section of her fair neck.
She stood beside Lu Jingyan, her figure slender and her demeanor aloof.
The officers were stunned for a few seconds before they came to their senses.
"Commander Lu, who is this...?"
“My love,” Lu Jingyan said.
The officers immediately smiled. "Hello, sister-in-law!"
Su Wantang nodded. "Hello."
Several officers walked away, still whispering among themselves.
"Commander Lu's wife is really beautiful."
"Absolutely, she has a great presence too."
"But she doesn't look like a military wife; she looks more like a rich young lady."
"Why do you care so much? As long as Commander Lu is happy, that's all that matters."
Su Wantang heard this and turned to look at Lu Jingyan.
Lu Jingyan looked down at her. "What is it?"
“They say I don’t look like a military wife.”
Lu Jingyan stopped and turned to face her. He reached out and pinched her cheek. "You are you, you don't need to be like anyone else."
Su Wantang smiled.
The two continued walking forward.
When they reached an open space, Su Wantang stopped.
"Can things be grown here?" she asked.
Lu Jingyan glanced at it. "Okay."
Su Wantang squatted down and ruffled the soil with her hands. The soil was alright, not too hard.
“I want to grow some herbs,” she said.
Lu Jingyan nodded. "Okay, I'll have someone get you some tools later."
Su Wantang stood up and clapped her hands.
As the two walked back, they passed through a residential area.
Several women were sitting at the doorway, talking.
Upon seeing Su Wantang and Lu Jingyan approaching, he immediately lowered his voice.
As Su Wantang walked over, she heard one of the women say, "Is this Commander Lu's wife? She looks so delicate."
Another woman chimed in, "That's right, she needs Brigade Commander Lu's help to walk, she doesn't look like a military wife at all."
"I heard she didn't get up until noon yesterday, and Brigade Commander Lu even skipped morning exercises to take care of her."
"This isn't a military wife, she's clearly a young lady."
The women were talking, and their voices grew louder and louder.
Su Wantang heard this, but didn't stop walking and continued forward.
Lu Jingyan's face darkened.
He turned and walked towards the women.
Su Wantang grabbed him. "Ignore them."
Lu Jingyan looked at her. "They're talking about you."
“I know,” Su Wantang said, “but I don’t care.”
Lu Jingyan stared at her for a few seconds before turning around and continuing to walk forward.
When I got home, Meng Wan was airing out her quilts in the yard.
She saw the two return and waved with a smile. "You're back?"
Su Wantang walked over. "Mom, let me help you."
Meng Wan waved her hand. "No need, no need, you go inside and rest."
Su Wantang went over and helped her spread out the quilt.
Meng Wan looked at her and suddenly asked, "Wantang, did you hear people gossiping about you outside?"
Su Wantang was taken aback. "Mom, how did you know?"
Meng Wan smiled. "In this compound, what can be kept from me?"
Su Wantang fell silent.
Meng Wan patted her hand. "Ignore them, they're just a bunch of gossips."
Su Wantang nodded. "I know."
Meng Wan glanced at Lu Jingyan. "Jingyan, are you busy this afternoon?"
Lu Jingyan shook his head. "It's nothing."
“Then come with me on a trip,” Meng Wan said. “I’m going to chat with some of my old girlfriends.”
Lu Jingyan frowned. "Mom, what are you going to do?"
Meng Wan smiled. "It's nothing, we were just chatting."
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Meng Wan changed her clothes and went out.
She went to a place where several military wives in the compound often gathered.
Several women were sitting there talking when they saw Meng Wan arrive and immediately stood up.
"Professor Meng, what brings you here?"
Meng Wan sat down with a smile. "I came to see you all."
Several women quickly poured her tea.
Meng Wan picked up her teacup and took a sip. "I heard you guys have been quite free lately?"
The women were stunned.
Meng Wan put down her teacup. "So you're so bored you talk about my daughter-in-law every day?"
The women's expressions changed.
One of the women quickly explained, "Professor Meng, we didn't..."
"No?" Meng Wan interrupted her. "I listened at the door for a long time. You all said my Wan Tang is spoiled and doesn't seem like a military wife, right?"
The women lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
Meng Wan stood up. "I'll make this clear today: my Wan Tang should be raised with the utmost care."
“She saved my son’s life; she is the Lu family’s benefactor.”
"She can do whatever she wants."
"If you have any objections, come and find me."
After Meng Wan finished speaking, she turned and left.
Several women sat there, their faces alternating between pale and flushed.
On the training ground, Chu Yunfei was practicing shooting.
She held the gun, aimed at the target, and pulled the trigger.
A gunshot rang out, and the bullet hit the bullseye.
Several soldiers were discussing something nearby.
"Have you heard? Brigade Commander Lu didn't do morning exercises again today."
"To be with his lover?"
"Yes, I heard that his wife doesn't get up until noon."
"Brigade Commander Lu is so good to her."
Chu Yunfei tightened her grip on the gun.
She put down the gun and turned to walk outside.
She stopped outside the training field and took a deep breath.
She told herself that Lu Jingyan had found someone else, and it was time for her to let go.
But the bitterness in my heart was something I couldn't suppress.
That evening, Su Wantang sat in the courtyard, watching Lu Jingyan turn over the soil in the open space.
She was holding several packets of seeds, all of which were common herb seeds taken from her spatial storage.
Lu Jingyan turned over the soil for a while, then straightened up and walked over to her. "Tired?"
Su Wantang shook her head. "No."
Lu Jingyan sat down next to her. "Wantang, what do you want to plant?"
Su Wantang handed him the seeds. "These are all."
Lu Jingyan looked at them. "Are they all herbs?"
"Hmm." Su Wantang nodded. "We might need it in the future."
Lu Jingyan put the seeds away. "Then I'll help you plant them tomorrow."
Su Wantang leaned on his shoulder. "Jingyan, there's something I need to tell you."
Lu Jingyan looked down at her. "What is it?"
"I want to find an obstetrician and gynecologist to do a comprehensive examination."
Lu Jingyan was stunned.
Su Wantang continued, "I need to make sure my body is fine so that I can have a healthy child."
Lu Jingyan was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly pulled her into his arms.
“Wantang.” His voice was a little hoarse.
"Um?"
"Thank you."
Su Wantang looked up at him. "What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for being willing to have my child."
Su Wantang laughed. "Silly girl, this is my own idea."
Lu Jingyan lowered his head and kissed her lips.
The moonlight shone on the two of them, and the courtyard was quiet.
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