In the afternoon, Shen Lie returned home and brought back the bookshelf that he had asked someone to make for him.

The bookshelf is about half a person's height and is made of beech wood. Beech wood is hard, moth-proof and moisture-resistant, making it an excellent wood for making bookshelves.

Shen Lie looked around the room and finally decided to put the bookshelf next to the rocking chair on the windowsill. "Put it here. It can get some sun and won't get damp or bugs."

Ning Tang was amused. "It's very windy and rainy on the island. If you put them by the window, you won't have to worry about them all getting soaked and swept away by a strong wind or rain."

Shen Lie muttered, "Just take it away, that means God also likes to read books."

Having said that, he still moved the bookshelf to a sheltered corner of the living room.

Ning Tang asked the three kids to put the books on the bookshelf.

Every time the eldest boy put a book on the shelf, he would touch the cover with great care before putting it on the shelf.

There are only seven books in total, and when they are all displayed they only take up a small corner of the bookshelf.

The eldest boy felt very sorry, “There are only so few books.” Not enough for him to read.

"That's all?" Ning Tang said, "I've been telling you about this for several months."

The eldest child puffed up his cheeks and said, "But we'll finish watching it eventually."

"You can buy it after you finish reading it." Shen Lie said, "How much is a book worth? Two yuan at most. If you help with housework, such as taking out the trash, I'll give you a penny. If you save up, it will be enough to buy books."

Ning Tang added, "Also, the New Year's money we gave you three can be used to buy books." She looked at the three little ones and raised her eyebrows, "You haven't used up all the New Year's money, have you?"

The three little ones felt their pockets guiltily.

The eldest child used all of his New Year's gift money to buy firecrackers and set them off with his friends. The second girl used her New Year's gift money to buy two red hair ribbons, which are still tied to her braids. The third child didn't spend much money, but the two older children spent all their money. When they wanted to eat candy, the third child used his own New Year's gift money to buy them, and the three little ones shared the candy.

So, they are now short of money and have no money in their pockets.

Big Wa felt very regretful. If he had known that the New Year's gift money could be used to buy books, he would not have bought firecrackers.

When the firecrackers are set off, that's it, and all you hear is a noise.

But books are different. You can buy them and read them over and over again, and you can also put them on the bookshelf. How wonderful!

Children have no resistance to collectible things.

Ning Tang looked at the expressions of the three little ones and guessed what was going on. He smiled and said, "It's okay. There's still time. From today on, you will get one cent for taking out the trash and two cents for washing the dishes..."

"How about it? Actually, two dollars can be saved quickly." Shen Lie continued.

"Once you have saved enough money, I will take you to Jiang City and visit the Xinhua Bookstore. We can also watch a movie and go shopping." Ning Tang said.

The three kids' eyes lit up and they said in unison, "It's settled then."

I looked up at the sky. It was already dark. Ningtang, Shen Lie and the three little kids were all hungry.

Shen Lie asked, "What do you want to eat for dinner?"

The eldest child said, "I want to eat scallion cakes."

Scallion flower pancake is a pancake made with chopped scallions and eggs. It tastes like scallions and eggs, and my eldest child likes it very much.

Erniu continued, "I want to eat noodles."

Shen Lie thought for a moment and said, "Then why not fry a plate of scallion cakes and make a serving of noodles with scallion oil?" These two things don't take much time to make and can be eaten quickly.

Ning Tang: "Sure, cakes and noodles? With pickled vegetables, it tastes delicious too."

The fruits and vegetables in Mrs. Luo's yard were becoming more and more abundant. She pickled a lot of vegetables, including sweet and sour radishes, pickled cucumbers, and spicy and sour cabbage... There were only three people in her family, and they couldn't finish all the pickled vegetables, so she gave a lot of them to Ningtang.

Shen Lie used a kitchen knife to chop the green onions, poured them into the batter together with the eggs, added a few drops of sesame oil, and then stirred evenly. He brushed oil on the iron pan, poured in the batter, and fry until both sides were golden brown, then removed the pan from the pan.

The moment the batter was put into the pan, the aroma of scallion cakes overflowed, lingering throughout the kitchen and even drifting into the living room.

The eldest child came over to taste it and circled around the stove, refusing to leave. "Dad, I'm hungry. Give me some to try."

Shen Lie was amused, "You little greedy guy." He pinched a piece of scallion cake and gave it to him, "Take it to fill your stomach."

Noodles with scallion oil? It’s easy to make. Cut the tender green scallions at the boundary between the white and green parts of the scallion. Pour a proper amount of oil into the pan where the scallion flower cakes have just been fried. Fry the white parts of the scallion in the pan, then remove and set aside.

Then put the green onions into the pan and fry them on low heat. While frying, add the sauce that has been prepared in advance and cook for one minute. The scallion oil is ready.

Blanch the thin noodles, take out and put them in a bowl, pour in scallion oil and stir twice, put four fried eggs on top, and then spread the scallions on the noodles. The fragrant scallion oil noodles are ready.

The finished scallion oil noodles are golden in color, and the scallions are fried in oil until they turn black. Paired with the white scallions and tender eggs, it makes one's appetite whet just by looking at it.

The eldest boy rolled his eyes and said loudly, "Dad, can I help you serve the noodles?"

Shen Lie guessed what he was thinking at a glance, "Okay, help me? Bring it to the table?."

The eldest child came running over, holding a bowl of noodles in both hands, and walked steadily towards the living room, saying as he walked, "I've done the work for you, remember to give me a penny."

Shen Lie chuckled, "Okay, okay, it's just one cent. I'll remember it for you."

Erniu also ran over and said, "Dad, let me help you with the scallion cakes."

Shen Lie handed her the plate with the cake and said, "Hold it carefully." Then he said, "Forget it, I'll take it."

He always feels a little sorry for his daughter.

When Da Wa came to serve the dishes, Shen Lie gave them to him without thinking. When it was Er Niu's turn, Shen Lie was worried that she would not be able to hold it steadily. What if the dishes broke? It would be a small matter if they broke, but it would be bad if they scratched Er Niu's instep.

Erniu pouted, "If big brother can take it, I can take it too."

Shen Lie touched her pigtails and said, "Okay, okay, you can take it if you want. But be careful when you take it."

Erniu nodded, her eyes lit up, and before she could say anything, Shen Lie continued, "I know, I know, one cent, right?"

Erniu trotted a few steps and turned back to remind Shen Lie, "Dad, you have to remember this. Don't forget it."

Shen Lie chuckled, "Don't worry, you'll be there for me."

He turned around and saw Sanwa at his feet again.

The third child looked up at him with his round little face, revealing a row of white millet teeth. He stretched out his white and tender little hand and said in a baby voice, "Dad."

Come on, here you come to get something and get a penny.

Shen Lie didn't dare to let him carry the heavy things, so he washed a pair of chopsticks and handed them to him, "Here, take them."

The third child also needs to use his two little hands to hold this pair of chopsticks.

After taking the chopsticks, Sanwa still refused to leave.

Shen Lie held his forehead and said, "I see, one cent." He began to regret promising to pay San Xiao for his work.

Only then did Sanwa run away contentedly.

Shen Lie fried another dish of hot and sour potato shreds, and then took the pickled cucumber, sweet and sour radish, and hot and sour cabbage out of the earthenware jar and put them on a plate. As soon as he walked into the living room with the plate, he heard Ning Tang complaining to him, "Captain Shen, come and take care of your three kids."

Shen Lie put the plate on the table and took a quick look. The room was very quiet and he didn't see anything spilled or spilled. "What happened?"

Ning Tang signaled him with her eyes to look at the plate of scallion cakes.

Shen Lie looked down and saw a thick stack of scallion cakes. The shape was still there, but a corner was missing here or there. It was obvious that the greedy kids must have pinched them with their hands.

His forehead twitched. "You pinched a little here and a little there, it looks like it was bitten by a mouse. How can I eat it?"

The three little kids looked at each other innocently, and the eldest kid was the first to complain, "We were just afraid that you would find out."

The three of them were extremely hungry. The eldest child took the lead first. He stretched out his little hand and pinched a small piece of scallion cake. When he saw that Shen Lie in the kitchen hadn't noticed, he pinched another piece.

Erniu followed the example of the eldest child and also made scallion cakes. After she finished eating them herself, she did not forget to put a piece into the mouth of the third child.

Ning Tang did not stop them, but just smiled as she watched the three kids "stealing food", and waited until Shen Lie came before reporting them.

Shen Lie didn't bother with the three kids, he waved his hands and said, "Eat."

Scallion cakes can only fill your stomach. If you really want to fill your stomach, you have to eat a full meal.

The eldest child wrapped hot and sour potato shreds with scallion cakes and ate with his mouth full of oil, while the second girl almost buried her little face in the bowl of scallion oil noodles.

After dinner, the three little ones consciously went to help Shen Lie wash the dishes.

Shen Lie waved them away and said, "You have already earned one cent today. I don't have any more money to give you."

Actually, it was winter, and Shen Lie didn't want the three children to wash dishes because their hands would get frozen. If one of them made a fuss, he might get frostbite.

When he was at home, he would not let Ning Tang wash the dishes if he could avoid it. Ning Tang was delicate and tender, and washing dishes was a chore for her, so it was better to let him, a rough old man, do it.

After taking a bath, the family of five nestled in the living room.

The weather in March was still a little cold, so Shen Lie left the window ajar, lit the stove, and made the living room warm.

Ning Tang casually pulled out a copy of Journey to the West from the bookshelf and handed it to him, "Tell them the story three times."

Shen Lie was speechless, "What about you?" Didn't they say that you would give it to them?

Ning Tang motioned for him to look at her hand.

Shen Lie looked down and saw that Ning Tang was holding a box of clam oil, which seemed to be the skin care product. "Okay, okay, I'll tell them."

He carried the three children to the mahogany bench in the living room and wrapped them in a quilt from the second floor.

I picked up Journey to the West and turned to the main text page. "In the first chapter, the spiritual root gave birth to the source of life... The monkey in the mountains could walk and jump, and eat plants..."

"Journey to the West" is mainly written in vernacular Chinese, mixed with classical Chinese and rhymed text. However, the ancient vernacular Chinese is also classical Chinese to modern people. When encountering difficult-to-understand passages, Shen Lie explained them to the three little ones in his own words.

In his narration, a bizarre fairyland slowly unfolds before the three children like a scroll painting.

It seems as if there really is a lively stone monkey wearing a grass skirt, jumping among trees and branches, picking flowers and searching for fruits, among the caves on the cliffs and waterfalls.

The three little ones were fascinated by what they heard.

Ning Tang was also listening while applying clam oil. This clam oil was bought by Shen Lie when she was in Shangang Village.

She opened the clean and smooth clam shell, scooped out a little with her little finger and placed it on the palm of her hand, melted it with the warmth of her palm, and then applied it evenly on her face and hands.

Clam oil has a light fragrance, and it smells quite good.

After Ning Tang finished wiping herself, she pulled Erniu over and applied clam oil on her little face and hands.

Ningtang had already noticed that Erniu's skin was not in very good condition. Perhaps due to long-term exposure to wind and sun, there were actually some fine lines on her little face. When winter came, tiny red bloodshot would appear on both sides of her cheeks.

After she found out, she would apply some clam oil to Erniu to protect her skin every few days, and reminded her to hide under a tree when the sun came out when playing outside. Over time, Erniu's skin became much better and whiter, and at least she no longer had red bloodshot on her face in winter.

Erniu was completely absorbed in the story told by Shen Lie and let Ningtang do what he wanted.

After Ningtang finished wiping Erniu, he pulled Sanwa over and followed suit, applying clam oil on his face and hands.

The eldest boy is no different from the two younger ones. He can do two things at once. On one hand, he listens to Shen Lie telling a story, and on the other hand, he watches Ning Tang wiping the hands and faces of Erniu and Sanwa.

Seeing that Ningtang had finished wiping them, he was about to put the clam oil away and had no intention of wiping him at all.

The eldest child pouted, "Stepmother, you are biased. You only wipe them and not me."

Ning Tang was amused, "Stop being hypocritical. Fine, fine, I'll wipe it for you. I'll wipe it for you."

Pull the eldest child over and apply clam oil on his little face and hands.

Only then was the eldest child satisfied and continued listening to the story.

Shen Lie glanced at Ning Tang and suddenly felt his hands itching.

… He wanted to rub clam oil, too.

Ning Tang noticed his look sharply, and laughed secretly in her heart. She shook the clam oil in her hand and teased him, "Captain Shen, do you want to wipe it off?"

Shen Lie immediately said seriously, "I won't wipe off this kind of sissy stuff."

He is just a rough old man, why does he need to use clam oil?

Humph! No!

On the other side, the Su family had just finished dinner.

Ning Xue personally prepared bath water for Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu. After they finished bathing, she rubbed their sore waists and helped them dry their hair carefully.

There has been a lot of work in the logistics department recently, so Su Junyan came back relatively late. As soon as he came back, he asked Ning Xue to cook for him.

Ning Xue quickly dried the twins' hair, then hurried to the kitchen to serve Su Junyan dinner as if she were serving a master.

Su Junyan wiped his mouth, and without paying any attention to the greasy dishes on the table, he leaned on the stool and read the newspaper.

Ning Xue worked tirelessly to wash the dishes. It had just rained today, the weather was cold, and the water was very cool. After washing the dishes, her hands were almost frozen stiff and she couldn't even straighten them.

After finally finishing her work, Ning Xue came out of the kitchen, thinking she could take a break.

Su Junyan shook the newspaper and said, "Go pour me a cup of tea."

At that moment, Ning Xue's grievance and dissatisfaction reached its peak.

She bit her tongue hard to prevent herself from getting angry.

After pouring tea for Su Junyan, he placed the cup on the table in front of him. He was still a little angry, so he put some force into the cup and the tea spilled everywhere.

Su Junyan looked at her strangely. What was she angry about?

However, he couldn't guess what Ning Xue was thinking. He could only secretly complain in his heart that women's minds were really hard to guess.

After Ning Xue's rage, she calmed down.

Seeing the rosy and handsome faces of Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu who had just finished taking a bath, the slight dissatisfaction in her heart disappeared, "Okay, let's start today's study."

Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu did not go out during the entire winter vacation, and the same was true when school started. Every day after class, they were forced to study at home under the pressure of heavy snow.

Such a depressing life is unbearable for adults, let alone children.

So when he heard Ning Xue say that they were going to start today's study, even the mild-tempered Su Guangzong showed a rare look of dissatisfaction on his face.

Su Yaozu, who was a lively person, even came out to make a scene, flipping over the homework book on the table and saying, "I don't want to learn!"

Ning Xue picked up the homework book that had fallen on the ground with a good temper, patted the dust off it, and said, "Be obedient."

Su Yaozu curled his lips and muttered quietly, "When my biological mother was alive, I never saw her pressuring us to study every day."

These words simply pierced Ning Xue's heart.

She pressed her chest with a pale face, "Yaozu, how can you say that."

Is the twins' biological mother right? She doesn't care about them at all. She doesn't worry about every detail like herself does. She also has to pay attention to their food and clothing and keep an eye on their studies every day. How much effort does that take?

She said, "Do you know what it means to love someone deeply and then be punished severely? If it weren't for your own good, why would I force you to study every day? Wouldn't it be better for me to take a rest instead of doing that?"

But Ning Xue's efforts seemed to be in vain, as the twins didn't appreciate it at all.

Su Yaozu didn't look her in the eye. "That's because you can't give birth to a child yourself. Treat me and my brother as your own sons. Let us study hard, become successful in the future, and help you live a glorious life in your old age."

Such words? Of course, it is not something that Su Yaozu, an eight-year-old child, can say.

It has been almost a year since Ning Xue and Ning Tang came to join the army. Since neither of the two cousins ​​has brought any good news, there are bound to be some rumors on the island.

——Is it because you can’t have children that you come here to be someone else’s stepmother?

——No wonder Ning Xue treats the Su family twins so well. I guess it’s because she herself can’t have children, so she raises the twins as her own children and hopes they will help her take care of her in her old age.

People often talk and whisper in the twins' ears. Over time, even the twins have learned these words.

Su Junyan heard Su Yaozu's increasingly outrageous words and coughed, "Okay, stop talking. I'll make the decision. I'll give them both a day off today. They won't have to study today."

He looked at Ning Xue who was still in a daze, and added, "Learn it tomorrow."

Su Yaozu looked at Ning Xue's pale face and realized belatedly that he seemed to have gotten into trouble. He quickly forced a smile on his face and pulled Ning Xue's hand, "Mom, I was just talking nonsense just now."

Su Guangzong also quickly grabbed her other hand, "Yes, mom, don't blame your brother, he doesn't use his brain when he speaks, it's all, it's all those aunties and aunties who whispered nonsense in our ears, so your brother..."

Ning Xue came back to her senses, looked at the cute and tender faces of the twins, and gradually relaxed.

Yes, it must be that others spread rumors in front of them, so they said nonsense. They are just children, what can they understand?

On March 15, when Da Wa came back from school at noon, she said in a hurry, "There's a notice on the bulletin board at the entrance of the Military Family Courtyard, saying that the Women's Committee is looking for some kind of job."

Ning Tang was busy cooking and asked him casually, "You can't read, so how do you know that they are looking for trouble?"

The eldest child puffed up his cheeks and said, "Stepmother, you look down on me. I can't read. I don't have ears yet. I heard it."

When the eldest child came home from school, he passed by the bulletin board at the entrance of the Military Family Compound and saw many people gathered there looking at something.

Relying on his small stature, he squeezed into the crowd and glanced at the posted notices several times.

He barely recognized any of the words on the notice, but that didn't stop him from listening to what others were saying.

He vaguely heard that the Women's Committee was recruiting.

Ning Tang had no intention of joining the Women's Committee, so she just asked a few questions casually and didn't bring up the topic again.

During dinner, Shen Lie also mentioned that the Women's Committee was looking for staff.

Ning Tang was surprised, "How come even you know about this?"

Shen Lie said, "Such a big notice is posted on the bulletin board. I'm not blind." He continued, "Anyway, when I came back from get off work, I saw quite a few people gathered around to watch. I guess a lot of people signed up this time."

He asked Ning Tang, "Do you want to sign up?"

Ning Tang said without thinking, "No."

He added, "By the way, please cover for me in front of Sister Luo. She and Sister Ding both asked me to go to the Women's Committee. I said I would go back and discuss it with you. Then you can say it was you who didn't let me go because the three children at home are too young and need my careful care!" He put emphasis on the word "care carefully".

The eldest child interrupted while eating, "We don't need you to take care of us."

Ning Tang narrowed his eyes, "Use it or not?"

The eldest child burped and covered his mouth, "Use it, use it."

Ning Tang reminded Erniu and Sanwa again, "You know what? Don't let anything slip."

Shen Lie was speechless. "Are you really going to use this excuse? Then what kind of person am I in the eyes of Sister Luo and Sister Ding?"

He has become the kind of penniless man who doesn't let his wife go out to work and earn money to realize her dreams so that she can take care of the children.

Ning Tang complained in his heart, but said, "It takes a thousand days to train soldiers, but only a moment to deploy them. Captain Shen, I completely rely on you."

Shen Lie muttered, "It takes a thousand days to raise an army, but only one day to deploy it. Do I cook more at home, or do you?"

Seeing Ning Tang was about to glare at him again, Shen Lie raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, okay, I'll cover for you, okay?"

"I just don't understand. It's so nice to go out and work." Shen Lie said, "You stay at home every day and you're almost sick. It's good to go out and have a look."

Ning Tang doesn't have the spirit of people of their generation who devote everything to work. "No, I'm fine now. I sleep until I wake up naturally every day. When I'm bored, I go to visit Luo Saozi and Xinlan's house, or go to the beach to enjoy the breeze and the sea. My life is very comfortable."

Before she traveled through time, she was in poor health due to work. She went to work at 9 a.m. every day and got off work at 9 p.m., six days a week. Even during her breaks, she had to keep her cell phone ringing to stay in touch. Once, her boss called her, and she had to turn on her computer to work at 3 a.m.

Every day when I go to work, my face is pale, my legs are weak, and I have two heavy dark circles under my eyes. At first glance, I look like a giant panda.

Now that I'm here, I don't have to worry about work, I'm in great health, and I enjoy everything I eat.

It's impossible to expect her to go to work!

Shen Lie added, "But working can earn you money, and you only have to work six days a week, with one fixed day off a week. It's not like us, we can't tell when we can take a day off."

Ning Tang was stunned and said in surprise, "Wait a minute, wait a minute, tell me again, what do you mean by only having to work six days a week? Does that mean that if I join the Women's Committee, I have to work six days a week?"

Isn't this just a single day off? !

Shen Lie was even more surprised than her, "You don't know?"

Ning Tang glanced at him and said, "How would I know where to go?" She had never worked in this era.

Shen Lie remembered that Ning Tang came from Shangang Village, so it was normal for her not to know. He patiently explained to her, "Not only the Women's Committee, but also the textile factories and steel mills in the city... the workers there all work six days a week."

Ning Tang's mouth was stiff, "No, whoever wants to go can go."

Working six days a week means working from Monday to Saturday, then taking a day off on Sunday, and then starting the work cycle again. Even an iron man is not built this way!

What's the difference between this and the 996 in her previous life?

Moreover, she seriously suspected that if she joined the Women's Committee, she would have to work even more overtime than in her previous life. She would have to be consulted for all the small matters. Seeing how busy Ding Ronghua was every day, she could guess that this was definitely not a good place to be!