Chapter 85 From now on, I will do it.
Nie Ronghua clutched her chest, which felt tight, and stared blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting.
In a daze, Zhong Wanrou's words echoed in his mind, and Su Meng's fearful yet stubborn appearance when facing the pirates flashed through his mind.
My heart is filled with unspeakable bitterness.
He thought he should heed his elder brother's advice and pay more attention to and take better care of Su Meng.
After all, she was his childhood sweetheart.
Thinking of this, he casually picked up the newspaper and flipped through it.
After seeing the bold black title on the agriculture section, I glanced at it casually.
However, in the technology section, I saw the exact same bold headline: "The advent of the double-drum threshing machine marks a significant step forward in the modernization of agricultural machinery."
What surprised him most was that the inventor mentioned above was—Su Meng?!
Is it his childhood sweetheart, Su Meng?
Or is it Su Meng with the same name?
He read on curiously, word by word.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw the Southeast Military Region Firearms Research Institute.
He recalled that when the ship was hit and started leaking, it was Su Meng who repaired the water pump and solved the problem of the ship's drainage system, thus preventing the tragedy of the ship sinking.
So, her achievements in mechanical research must be quite remarkable!
Su Meng was unaware that her invention of the double-drum threshing machine had already made the newspaper.
At this moment, she was rolling up her sleeves, tending the fire, and wielding a spatula, working enthusiastically.
In the courtyard, Huo Zhenhua helped kill the chicken, while Wang Qinglin carried water.
Su Mianzhi, along with A Da and Xie Mian, were accompanied by their grandmother and Xiao Qi. They lay or sat in the room, whispering to each other.
"Comrade Xie Mian, Comrade Su, I heard you've returned?"
Commander Tang walked in carrying a two-pound piece of pork belly and a grass carp.
Su Meng had just poked her head out of the kitchen when she saw Director Jiang Aiguo walk in carrying an enamel basin.
He said with a smile, "Commander Tang, I rushed as fast as I could, but I still fell behind you by one step."
As he spoke, he placed the enamel basin on the large table in the yard, touched his ear with his reddened fingers, and looked at Su Meng with a smile.
"Comrade Su, welcome back! These are dumplings my wife cooked. I wish your whole family a happy reunion and harmony."
Su Meng hurried out carrying a spatula, glanced at Commander Tang, then at Director Jiang, her throat tightening, but her heart warming.
"Commander Tang, Director Jiang, you're too kind, thank you! Thank you!"
Xie Mian struggled to get out, but Commander Tang ordered him to sit back down.
Afterwards, he and Director Jiang went to greet Grandma and the others, and walked out with a sigh, just in time to see Huo Zhenhua naturally take the spatula from Su Meng's hand.
He said, "The food is going to burn, give it to me."
Their tone and actions gave off the vibe of an old married couple.
Without much thought, Su Meng naturally handed the kitchen over to Huo Zhenhua, busily serving tea and water, and chatting with the two leaders.
Commander Tang asked casually, "Comrade Xiao Su, what do you think of Regiment Commander Huo?"
Su Meng, without any suspicion, said frankly, "Commander Huo is very good! If it weren't for him, we might not have been able to get away safely."
Even if she could rescue Su Mianzhi, she wouldn't be able to bring Su Mianzhi and A'da back from the island unharmed.
Hearing her say that, Commander Tang sighed, took a sip of water, and glanced at the kitchen. "He's a king of soldiers, this kind of mission is a piece of cake for him."
However, I've never eaten his cooking before. Haha! I'm in for a treat today!
At this point, what didn't Xie Mian know?
His little niece has been targeted by that big bad wolf Huo Zhenhua.
It seems Commander Tang is trying to bring them together.
But his little niece didn't seem to have grasped the concept yet, and her answers were irrelevant.
Thinking of Su Meng's aversion to arranged marriages, his gaze couldn't help but drift towards the kitchen, and then back to Su Meng.
Seeing Su Meng's composed expression, he smiled, "Little Meng, guests are guests. How could we trouble Commander Huo?"
Besides, how could you expect Commander Huo, whose hands are used to holding guns, to cook?
Su Meng was a little embarrassed. "I was being lazy. I'll go and relieve Commander Huo right now."
It was rare for Huo Zhenhua to be alone with Su Meng so openly. Before Su Meng could speak, he took the initiative to give instructions, "You help start the fire. The fire needs to be big, but there shouldn't be any smoke. You should know how, right?"
Su Meng pouted, "It's just starting a fire, anyone can do that."
Perfect timing, she doesn't like the smell of cooking fumes.
But remembering Xie Mian's words, she asked again, "Do you really know how to cook?"
Huo Zhenhua glanced at her, his voice rising at the end, "What do you think? I'm not even as tall as the stove yet, and I'm already cooking. Don't worry! I definitely won't embarrass you."
Su Meng smiled and placed a piece of firewood down: "...That's good! I learn everything quickly, except cooking. I can only cook it until it's done. Thank you so much!"
Huo Zhenhua rolled up his shirt sleeves again, his handsome face hidden behind the rising steam. The muscles in his forearm holding the spatula were tense as he quickly stirred the food, his mouth never stopping, "I'll do it from now on!"
"ah?"
He spoke so fast, and with the sound of the spatula and the crackling of the firewood, Su Meng couldn't hear what he said for a moment.
Huo Zhenhua rubbed his burning earlobe, looked at her and smiled, "I'll tell you later."
Su Meng: "......" What's all this mystery about?
The food was served quickly.
A plate of braised pork, a plate of sour soup fish, and a plate of green pepper chicken pieces, plus the stir-fried greens and smashed cucumber that Su Meng had prepared first, and winter melon and pork rib soup—six dishes in total—surrounded a large enamel basin of dumplings, filling the usually empty round table to the brim.
Afterwards, Su Meng served medicinal meals to Su Mianzhi and A Da, and invited everyone to eat.
Grandma composed herself, looked at the table full of food, and pulled Su Meng apologetically, "Thanks to my little Meng, otherwise this old woman wouldn't have been able to prepare this meal. Everyone, please don't be shy, eat up!"
Su Meng smiled and pointed to the chicken and fish that Huo Zhenhua had cooked, "These were all cooked by Commander Huo. I can't cook these fancy dishes."
Grandma looked at Huo Zhenhua approvingly, "These dishes are delicious and beautifully presented; they look excellent. Commander Huo, please sit down and eat."
Huo Zhenhua, unusually shy, sat down gracefully and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Grandma! Please sit down and eat too."
Hearing him call out "Grandma" so smoothly, Commander Tang, Wang Qinglin, and Xie Mian all turned their attention to him.
He guiltily picked up his water glass to cover it up.
Unexpectedly, that glass contained baijiu (Chinese liquor).
Huo Zhenhua, who never drinks baijiu, was so affected by the spiciness that tears welled up in his eyes.
Commander Tang chuckled and joked, "Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually, no rush!"
Upon hearing this, Su Meng and her grandmother both wore the same puzzled expression.
Ah Da defused the situation at the right moment, raising his glass and saying, "Thank you for your care and concern, leaders! Let's celebrate our family reunion! Cheers!"
"cheers!"
The men clinked glasses and drank, and even Ah Da couldn't resist the temptation of the alcohol and took a couple of sips.
After eating some medicinal food, Su Mianzhi happily put a chicken leg on Su Meng's plate, then leaned back weakly on the recliner.
"Thank you, Dad!" Su Meng felt a warm glow in her heart, but when she saw the greasy chicken skin, she picked at it with her chopsticks and put it aside, looking conflicted.
Huo Zhenhua glanced at his grandmother who had gone to the kitchen, and continued chatting with Commander Tang and the others, but quietly placed the bowl next to Su Meng and quickly said, "If you don't want it, give it to me."
Su Meng glanced at him in surprise, then calmly handed the food to him.
She thought they were doing it secretly, but little did she know that Commander Tang and the others had seen through their little tricks.
Ah Da remained calm, finishing his medicinal meal before eating dumplings.
But Xie Mian was not calm. His gaze swept over Huo Zhenhua again and again, and he looked at Su Mianzhi, who was resting with his eyes closed, with a heavy sigh.
Commander Tang was the most direct, pointing at Huo Zhenhua with his chopsticks, "You kid, hurry up and hand over the report."
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