Chapter 22

Seeing Jiang Nian standing still, Lu Yu let go of her hand.

He tried his best to ignore the soft touch in his palm, stepped back a few steps, and deliberately lowered his voice with a bit of hoarseness: "Sister-in-law Feng is here, sister-in-law, don't worry."

Seeing that Jiang Nian still lowered her head, his voice became softer: "I knew about the rumors outside last night. The person who spread the rumors should be related to the figure you saw at night. I will find that person as soon as possible and let him clear my name." Hearing this,

Jiang Nian raised his head and looked at Lu Yu, tugging at the corner of his clothes and asked: "Do you believe me?"

Lu Yu said: "I have never doubted sister-in-law."

Hearing Lu Yu's affirmation, Jiang Nian was somewhat relieved. After all, there were rumors outside. If they were said too much, She was also worried that Lu Yu would believe it.

Jiang Nian pursed her lips and smiled softly: "Yeah."

Behind the wall of the courtyard next door, Feng Mei was still scolding Liu Qiang: "Zheng Hong is spreading rumors outside that Deputy Commander Lu's sister-in-law is having an affair with Zhu Jun. Xu Yan is helping her and fighting for justice. What are you saying about Xu Yan? When Deputy Commander Lu comes back, if he knows that Xu Yan is helping his sister-in-law so much, he might even thank her. But you are blaming yourself!"

She said a lot of things, explaining the whole story of the fight between Zheng Hong and Xu Yan.

Xu Yan was standing beside him, staring at Liu Qiang with red eyes. Liu Qiang knew the whole story and frowned, "What nonsense! Every time Zhu Jun went to fetch water for Deputy Colonel Lu's sister-in-law to water the vegetables, I passed by his house. The courtyard gate was wide open, and Zhu Jun was standing by the well. Who the hell said that the courtyard gate was closed every day? !”

Feng Mei shouted, “Zheng Hong!”

Liu Qiang cursed, “Bullshit!”

Feng Mei glared at him, “Who are you scolding?”

Liu Qiang, “Zheng Hong.”

Listening to the conversation on the other side of the courtyard wall, Lu Yu’s face darkened slightly, and he said to Jiang Nian, “Sister-in-law, just do what you should do. I won’t let this matter ferment for too long.”

Jiang Nian nodded slightly, “I’ll go make lunch.”

She walked under the tree and carried the basket of vegetables into the kitchen. Lu Yu locked the courtyard gate, turned around and walked into the kitchen to help Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian prepared stewed pork with beans and cabbage with vinegar for lunch, heated up four steamed buns with white flour, and made a bowl of tofu and vegetable soup. She was afraid that someone might see Lu Yu through the crack of the door when they came back from the yard, so she brought the dining table to the stove room.

Lu Yu looked at the two dishes and

one soup and felt very hungry. The shredded pork noodles he had had last night were the best and most filling meal he had had in two months, and today's meal was no less delicious than last night's.

Jiang Nian didn't eat much, and the rest was basically eaten up by Lu Yu.

When she stood up to clean up the pots and bowls, Lu Yu got there first: "Let me do it."

Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment and asked tentatively: "Can I go to the next door to see Xu Yan?"

Lu Yu put the bowl in the pot, and heard Jiang Nian asking him carefully, and said: "Go if you want to, no need to ask me."

It is also a good thing for her sister-in-law to have a few friends to talk to here, so that she won't be alone at home all day thinking about random things.

Jiang Nian turned around and walked out of the courtyard gate, went to the next door to see Xu Yan, talked to Xu Yan for a while, and then came back, waiting for Zhu Jun to come in the evening to see what method Lu Yu would use to catch that person. Zhu

Jun

came after seven o'clock in the evening, and Jiang Nian opened the door for him. When he saw Jiang Nian, Zhu Jun was still a little embarrassed.

He knew all the rumors in the family compound, and explained them to Captain Song. Captain Song said that he would wait for Deputy Captain Lu to come back and find a solution. In fact, it was okay for him as a single man, but Deputy Captain Lu's sister-in-law was a widow who had just lost her husband. She had been secretly pointed at in the past two days.

Every time he came, he deliberately opened the door so that people passing by could see him standing by the well. He never stepped into any room in Deputy Captain Lu's house.

But despite all the precautions, he still couldn't prevent the dark villain.

Deputy Captain Lu came to see him last night, and he told Deputy Captain Lu about this matter. Deputy Captain Lu asked him to come to his house tonight and let him bring someone out.

Zhu Jun said, "Sister-in-law..."

He didn't know what to say.

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "Come in."

Her voice was crisp and she deliberately raised the volume.

Zhu Jun nodded, and after entering the door, he gently closed the door, leaving only a crack.

The two walked into the yard and saw Lu Yu standing with his back against the wall. He made a gesture to Zhu Jun. Jiang Nian didn't understand, but Zhu Jun did. He said to Jiang Nian, "Sister-in-law, I want to eat the food you cook. Can you turn on the stove for me?"

When Zhu Jun said this, his face was a little awkward. From time to time, he glanced at Lu Yu standing against the wall. Jiang Nian followed his line of sight and looked over.

The man was hidden in the dark night. It was impossible to see the expression on his face. He could only see the tall and slender figure, which inexplicably made Jiang Nian feel more secure than ever before.

Jiang Nian raised her voice and responded, then turned and went into the kitchen to cook. Zhu Jun hesitated for a moment, then followed her in, sitting stiffly in front of the stove to light the fire. He felt as if ants had crawled over him, and he was not able to move at all. Halfway through the meal, a short whistle suddenly sounded from outside.

Zhu Jun stood up and rushed out instantly!

Jiang Nian was stunned for a moment, then she dropped the dough in her hand and ran out. As soon as she walked out of the door, she saw Lu Yu climbing up the wall with one hand, and Zhu Jun climbed up the wall with the help of his strength, and also climbed over, which made Jiang Nian's blood boil.

She turned on the light rope in the yard, and heard the voice of Captain Song from outside.

"What? It's you!"

The tone was quite unexpected and shocked.

"Oh my god, why is it you?"

Feng Mei's tone of shock was no less than that of Captain Song, which showed that the person who was caught was not Zheng Hong.

Zhu Jun's voice was full of anger: "Sister-in-law of the deputy commander of the Lu regiment? After all, he invited your family to dinner. Why are you so mean to make up rumors about her? I'm a big boss, so forget it, but she is a clean woman!"

Jiang Nian walked out the door and saw the woman being pressed by Zhu Jun on the shoulder. She was somewhat surprised. She thought it was Zheng Hong before, but it turned out to be Kang Xiu.

At this time, no one in the family compound was asleep. When they heard the noise, they ran out to see the excitement.

Lu Yu said in a deep voice: "It was you who hid outside the courtyard wall to peek at my sister-in-law several times, and it was also you who spread rumors about my sister-in-law and Zhu Jun, right!"

There was a rare hint of anger in the man's calm voice.

Kang Xiu had never seen such a scene before. She was so scared that her calves were shaking and her face was pale. Moreover, the hand pressing on her shoulder was very strong, as if it was going to break her bones. Her face turned pale from the pain.

Jiang Nian walked over, looked at Kang Xiu's pale face coldly, and asked in a cold voice: "Why do you want to spread rumors about me and squad leader Zhu? Have I ever offended you?"

Kang Xiu stubbornly said: "I didn't spread the rumor. What does it have to do with me? Squad leader Zhu, let me go."

She twisted her shoulder in pain, and Zhu Jun let go of her hand angrily.

Feng Mei got angry when she heard Kang Xiu's cunning words, and she shouted at the top of her voice: "You said it wasn't you, then why did you run here? You wouldn't pass by here if you went home!"

Kang Xiu was hoarse because of Feng Mei's questioning. Captain Song's face turned black, stared at Kang Xiu, and shouted: "Speak!"

Kang Xiu trembled when he was yelled at, and his brain suddenly short-circuited. He mumbled for a long time but didn't know what to say. Everyone's eyes were not blind. When they saw this situation, they knew that Deputy Captain Lu was right. Xu Yan also came out of the house. When she saw Kang Xiu, she was also stunned for a moment, and then she and Feng Mei started to curse. Captain

Song glared: "You two shut up!"

Xu Yan and Feng Mei shut up obediently.

Seeing the noisy military wives and aunts talking about all kinds of things, Jiang Nian ignored the whispers around and questioned Kang Xiu: "Why are you spreading rumors about me?"

Seeing that the situation had turned out like this, Kang Xiu did not hide it anymore and said with her neck stiff: "Who said I was spreading rumors? I am telling the truth. Squad Leader Zhu comes to your house every now and then and closes the door as soon as he goes in. He is holding an aluminum lunch box when he comes out. Who knows what you two single men and women do at home?"

Lu Yu said sternly: "Shut up!"

Zhu Jun was so angry that his face turned blue. If it were not for men not being able to hit women, he really wanted to kick Kang Xiu, the shrew, to death!

Jiang Nian's eyelids jumped when he heard this. He really couldn't bear it and slapped her in the face.

After beating him, she was the first to feel wronged and her eyes turned red. She sobbed, "I am an innocent woman, but you just put a accusation on me without any evidence. Not only that, but you also dragged squad leader Zhu into it. How can you be so evil?"

Lu Yu's eyes flashed with a trace of surprise. In his eyes, his sister-in-law was timid and cowardly. She would not resist even if she was bullied. Otherwise, how could she be bullied by the Jiang family for so many years in the countryside?

She was forced to attack Kang Xiu in front of so many people today.

This slap not only stunned Kang Xiu, but also Xu Yan and Feng Mei. Captain Song also looked at Jiang Nian in surprise. It was hard to imagine that Deputy Captain Lu's sister-in-law would hit someone. She looked thin and small, and didn't like to talk, but she was so fierce when she got angry.

Kang Xiu reacted, pointed at Jiang Nian angrily, and shouted at Captain Song: "Captain Song, she hit someone and you didn't care?!"

Captain Song was very angry. He thought that Deputy Captain Lu's sister-in-law hit her well, but as the captain, he couldn't allow her to hit people at the slightest disagreement. He wanted to say something to Jiang Nian, but when he saw Jiang Nian's tears of grievance, he couldn't say a word of reprimand.

Fortunately, Feng Mei came to his rescue: "I am going to beat you. Who told you to stay out of your house in the middle of the night and run to the door of Deputy Regiment Lu's house to peek? You also spread rumors about Deputy Regiment Lu's sister-in-law and squad leader Zhu. I think a slap in the face is too light!"

As soon as Feng Mei finished speaking, Captain Song shouted, "Where is He Yongren? Why don't you take care of your wife and let her talk nonsense outside."

He said to Kang Xiu, "I think you should be punished this time. Where is this? Huh? Here It's the army! It's where the soldiers are. The soldiers here are always working for the party and the people to protect their country. As a soldier's family member, you don't stay home to be a good wife, but instead come out to do these crooked things, and even frame the squad leader Zhu and the sister-in-law of the deputy regiment commander Lu. What do you have in mind?"

He pointed at Kang Xiu's head: "Tell me, how old are you? You are the mother of two children, don't teach your children badly!"

"Captain Song."

He Yong ran over from the team, sweat on his forehead. It was Captain Liu who called him back. When he came back, Captain Liu told him everything. Just now, he heard Captain Song scolding Kang Xiu from a distance, and he was so angry that he wanted to send Kang Xiu back to his hometown.

He also heard those rumors in the past two days, and was also angry about which bastard spread the rumors. He didn't expect it to be his wife!

He Yong ran to Captain Song to take a breath, but was scolded by Captain Song. He lowered his head and behaved like Sun Zi, then turned around and apologized to Jiang Nian. He then looked at Lu Yu with an embarrassed look on his face: "Deputy Captain Lu, I'm sorry."

Lu Yu looked at Jiang Nian with red eyes, and said in a deep voice: "I need to give an explanation to my sister-in-law about this matter. It's not enough to just apologize."

He Yong ?Yong thought of the last time that Battalion Commander Lu's wife forced Deputy Lu's sister-in-law to hit the wall and seek death. He was afraid that his wife would force her to death again, so he looked at Lu Yu: "Then Deputy Lu will tell me a solution."

Lu Yu looked at it . Xiang Jiang Nian asked in a low voice: "What does sister-in-law want to do?"

He mainly wanted her to relieve her depression, and was afraid that she would be as confused as last time. As long as she said so, he would find a way to make the decision for her.

At this moment, people from the Family Court had almost come out, and all their eyes were on Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian lowered his head and tugged at the corner of his clothes, looking like a doormat. Feng Mei said, "Just say it, my old Song will definitely make the decision for you."

Captain Song glanced sideways at Feng Mei, wanting to slap her with the sole of his shoe.

He didn't even dare to brag, because his wife sold him out first.

Jiang Nian looked at her toes, her eyelashes covering the mockery in her eyes, and whispered, "Sister Kang spread rumors about me and squad leader Zhu everywhere, causing every household in the family compound to talk about me."

At this point, she paused, and continued with embarrassment, "I want her to explain the whole story to the sisters-in-law from house to house, and clear squad leader Zhu and I of the name of innocence. I don't want to be pointed at when I go out in the future."

Lu Yu looked at He Yong, and Captain Song also looked at He Yong.

This matter is not difficult, but it is really embarrassing. Asking Kang Xiu to explain door to door is tantamount to peeling off Kang Xiu's face, letting others laugh at her as a gossipy woman who stirs up trouble out of nothing. Captain Song secretly clicked his tongue in his heart. Is the sister-in-law of Deputy Captain Lu really as easy to bully as

she appears to be? Kang Xiu, who had been keeping her head down and not daring to speak after He Yong came, raised her head and glared at her after hearing Jiang Nian's request, saying: "No way! Don't even think about it!"

He Yong glared at Kang Xiu fiercely, and Kang Xiu's neck shrank, and her momentum was gone again. He

Yong gritted his teeth and said: "Okay, I will let Kang Xiu apologize door to door tomorrow."

After hearing this, the military wives and aunties who were watching the excitement walked back home together, saying that they would stay at home tomorrow and wait for Kang Xiu to come over for a "speech".

This farce was over.

Captain Song sent everyone away. When Jiang Nian was walking back home, she saw Zheng Hong looking at Kang Xiu with an expression of regret. As if she noticed her gaze, Zheng Hong turned her head to look at her, turned around and left with a cold face.

Jiang Nian frowned, and suddenly a guess popped up in her mind.

She knew from the plot in the book that Kang Xiu was a brainless woman, especially when someone was talking to her, she would get excited, just like when her sister Kang Nan said a lot of good things to Kang Xiu, Kang Xiu ran to Captain Song's house to match Kang Nan and Song Bai.

"Stay and have dinner before you go."

Lu Yu's voice brought Jiang Nian back to her senses. She looked at Zhu Jun who was about to leave, and said, "Let's have dinner before we go. I'll go cook."

She went home first, and Lu Yu and Zhu Jun walked behind her.

Zhu Jun was still holding back his anger, and said to Lu Yu: "Deputy Regiment Lu, Captain He's wife is too wicked to do such a thing, but fortunately, my sister-in-law said that she should go door to door tomorrow to explain the situation." He chuckled: "If my sister-in-law hadn't said this, I would have thought of it."

Zhu Jun's words also made Lu Yu think deeply.

If it were someone else, he would have explained the matter clearly in front of so many people just now, and the rumor would be broken tomorrow if it spread from one person to ten to a hundred, but my sister-in-law asked Kang Xiu to go door to door to explain the situation again.

He glanced at Jiang Nian who walked into the kitchen, and didn't think about it any more. He sat in the courtyard and talked with Zhu Jun.

It was a bit late today, so Jiang Nian simply fried two dishes, corn cakes and dumpling soup. Zhu Jun ate the delicious rice, and his anger disappeared. After he finished eating, he smacked his lips and said to Lu Yu, "The rice cooked by my sister-in-law is so delicious!"

Don't mention it, I've been used to eating the rice cooked by Deputy Regiment Commander Lu's sister-in-law for the past two months, and I feel that the taste is not right when I eat in the cafeteria.

The cooking skills are not on the same level.

After the meal, Zhu Jun left. Lu Yu took the initiative to collect the dishes and wash them, boiled hot water, and poured water for Jiang Nian to take a bath.

After taking a shower, Jiang Nian stood outside the house, looking at Lu Yu splashing water in the yard, and asked, "When are you going back to the dormitory?"

After asking, she felt that she was rushing him, and quickly explained, "I just asked, there is no other meaning."

In fact, she didn't want Lu Yu to move out.

Through Kang Xiu's incident, she felt that having a man at home was really safe. If she encountered something she couldn't handle, Lu Yu could stand in front of her.

Just like tonight.

Lu Yu turned around and looked at Jiang Nian standing outside the door of the house. The warm yellow light fell from her head, casting a faint shadow on her slender neck. She pursed her lips and looked at him with sparkling eyes, waiting for his answer.

Lu Yu did not miss the hope floating in Jiang Nian's eyes, so he followed her thoughts and said, "I will live in your house in the future."

He also felt that it would be safer for his sister-in-law to stay under his nose.

After he finished speaking, he saw the smile on Jiang Nian's lips, which was faint and beautiful. When she smiled, her eyes were filled with bright light.

Lu Yu's Adam's apple moved, and he put the bathtub in the second room to the east, and said to Jiang Nian, "It's late, go to bed."

Jiang Nian whispered, "Okay."

She turned back to the house, lay on the bed, looked at the moon outside the window, listened to the cicadas on the tree, and fell asleep.

The next morning, Jiang Nian got up early and made breakfast.

She cooked three dishes. There was a vegetable garden at home, and there were vegetables planted in the private plot. She didn't eat much, and basically relied on Lu Yu, so it would be a waste if she didn't make more dishes. After all, some vegetables were not delicious when they were old.

Lu Yu said, "Sister-in-law, I'll invite Captain Song, Captain Liu and his family, and Zhu Jun to have dinner together in the next two days."

In the two months since he left, Xu Yan and Feng Mei had helped Jiang Nian a lot, and Zhu Jun had even put in a lot of effort, and was even splashed with dirty water.

Jiang Nian nodded: "Yeah."

Lu Yu went to the team after dinner. Jiang Nian put the dishes in the stove room and washed them. Feng Mei came just after she finished. She laughed before she said anything. After laughing for a while, she said: "I just came from the family compound in front. Kang Xiu was explaining to the families one by one. I was dry-mouthed listening outside. I came back to drink some water and then continue to watch. But I think if Kang Xiu finishes running around the family compound, her throat will probably be unable to speak for several days."

After she finished speaking, she snorted again: "Even if her throat is hoarse, it's her fault. Who

made her talkative?" Jiang Nian said: "She brought it upon herself."

Feng Mei nodded: "Yes."

After nodding, she realized that she didn't understand, so she looked at Jiang Nian strangely. , Jiang Nian's heart skipped a beat and he asked, "Sister Feng, why are you looking at me like that?"

Feng Mei smiled and said, "I found that you are the same as Song Bai. You speak in four-character sentences. But what does it mean to bring trouble upon yourself?"

Jiang Nian: ...

She breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "The punishment she is suffering now is all caused by herself."

Feng Mei said "Oh", "How do you know so much? Have you attended primary school in the countryside?"

Jiang Nian quickly lied, "Xu Cheng taught me. He and Lu Yu had studied before. During those years, Xu Cheng was paralyzed at home and had nothing to do, so he taught me some words."

It is well known that Xu Cheng has been educated. As for whether she taught the original owner to read, only she knows.

After all, Xu Cheng is dead, and there is no evidence.

Feng Mei smiled and said, "Learning to read is a good thing. During the Chinese New Year, Old Song's cousin Song Bai will come back. You two can get to know each other then. Don't worry, my cousin is very handsome, and you are also beautiful. Maybe you two will really fall in love with each other then? Don't you think so?"

Jiang Nian: ...

She saw through it.

Sister Feng was determined to match her with Song Bai.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, Feng Mei continued, "Last time when I had dinner at your house, Deputy Commander Lu was there, and I couldn't say much. Now that he's not here, I have to say a few more words to you. You're not a child anymore. Do you have to be a widow for the rest of your life after your man dies? You might as well find a suitable man and marry him. You live under the same roof with Lu Yu every day. It won't sound good if others say this. Although Lu Yu is your brother-in-law, that's only in name, but you still have to stay away from him."

She glanced outside the yard and saw that no one was there. She approached Jiang Nian and whispered, "What if Lu Yu meets a woman one day and she sees that there is a woman living in his house, who would dare to marry him? So let me tell you, wait until the New Year when Song Bai comes back, and I will help you two get together."

Jiang Nian: ...

Sister Feng said so much, but she still had this in mind.

She was afraid that if she didn't agree, Feng Mei would definitely say something else.

So she nodded and

said, "Okay." "Then it's settled." Feng Mei opened the lid of the military green kettle and drank a mouthful of water: "I'm so thirsty."

Jiang Nian: ...

She was a little curious and asked, "Sister Feng, why are you so insistent on introducing me to Captain Song's cousin? I'm a widow."

Feng Mei rolled her eyes at her: "You're to my taste, you're pretty, you're diligent and you cook delicious meals. Besides, what's wrong with being a widow? You don't have any children."

Jiang Nian: ...

She was a little speechless.

After Feng Mei left, Xu Yan also came and told her that Kang Xiu had been to so many houses, and like Feng Mei, she drank water from a military green kettle.

Jiang Nian felt that Xu Yan had changed a lot in the past two months. She was no longer staying at home every day like before, and she no longer quarreled with Liu Qiang. She thought of what she said to Xu Yan last time, so she asked: "How are you these two days?"

Xu Yan knew that Jiang Nian was asking what she had taught her before, to use sugar-coated bullets to coax Liu Qiang and take control of the financial power in her own hands, so she shook her head and said: "Not yet, I just quarreled with Liu Qiang yesterday, and I plan to talk about it in two days."

Xu Yan left when it was almost time for lunch.

Kang Xiu went to 20 houses at noon, and her lips were dry. After lunch, she had to continue to explain door to door.

Jiang Nian made fried noodles for lunch. After eating, Lu Yu went to the team. When she reached the gate, she saw Kang Xiu walking towards Feng Mei's house with her head down, followed by a group of children and some military wives and aunts who were watching the excitement.

Kang Xiu also saw Jiang Nian. She clenched her fingers, glared at her angrily, and went into Feng Mei's yard.

Jiang Nian was too lazy to pay attention to her.

She sat on a bench in the yard, peeled a piece of chocolate and put it in her mouth, listening to Kang Xiu talking about the whole story at Feng Mei's house, she couldn't help laughing, a head poked in from outside the door, whispered: "Auntie."

Jiang Nian turned around and saw that it was Song Xiangdong, she waved: "Come in."

It was October, Song Xiangdong had been in school for a month, he was wearing a long-sleeved jacket, carrying a small crossbody schoolbag Feng Mei gave him, the small schoolbag was made of a piece of black cloth folded in half, sewn from the left and right sides, with a strap sewn on the left and right ends, so it was convenient to wear it crossbody.

The strap was a bit long, and it was a bit in the way when Song Xiaodong ran.

Jiang Nian took out the last two chocolates from her pocket and placed them in Song Xiangdong's palm, smiling: "Give one to your brother."

Song Xiangdong clenched his fingers embarrassedly, his face a little red: "Thank you, auntie."

Jiang Nian heard that Kang Xiu had finished speaking, walked through the door and went to Xu Yan's house. She asked Song Xiangdong: "Is there anything you need from me, auntie?"

Song Xiangdong took out a candy the size of a fingernail from his pocket He handed the candy to Jiang Nian and whispered, "Auntie always gives it to me and Xiang Hong. I want to give it to Auntie too. This candy is a reward from my teacher. She said I study hard and am obedient."

Jiang Nian felt warm in his heart. He took the candy, peeled off the layer of paper scraps on the candy, and ate it in front of Song Xiangdong. It didn't taste very sweet. It was the cheapest candy, but Jiang Nian felt it was sweet all the way to his heart.

What a good child, but in the book, he had such a miserable future.

Seeing Jiang Nian eating, Song Xiangdong smiled happily and peeled off a chocolate and ate it. He seldom ate chocolate since he was a child. It was bought for him and Xiang Hong by his cousin uncle Song Bai when he came to visit his father.

Jiang Nian glanced at Song Xiangdong's schoolbag and asked, "Didn't you bring lunch to school? Why are you back?"

Song Xiangdong said, "The teacher said that the team leader asked everyone to go to the fish pond to catch fish today, so we won't go to school in the afternoon."

Jiang Nian knew this.

Every year, people in the commune would go to the fish pond to catch fish, and all the fish they caught had to be handed in. In the end, the team only gave a few fish to each household, but for most families who couldn't afford meat, they could eat fish at this time of year to satisfy their hunger.

Jiang Nian tugged at the strap on his shoulder: "Since you don't have school this afternoon, how about I make some alterations to your schoolbag?"

Song Xiangdong's eyes lit up, he took off his schoolbag and handed it to Jiang Nian, and asked happily: "Auntie, how are you going to make it? I want to see it, too."

Jiang Nian pointed to the bench below: "Sit there."

She went to the iron box in the house and took out the various colored threads she bought at the supply and marketing cooperative, and sat on the bench in the yard with a needle and a thimble. Song Xiangdong stuck his little butt out to look forward, and saw Auntie using military green thread and brown thread, and the needle moved through the schoolbag with ease.

Song Xiangdong was tired of sitting, so he stood up and looked down.

He found that the needle and thread seemed to have life in Aunt Jiang's hands. One stitch at a time, they slowly formed a little boy in army green clothes, wearing a military cap with a red five-pointed star in the middle, carrying a small schoolbag, and the eyes and nose looked just like him.

Song Xiangdong widened his eyes in shock, stretched out his hand to pinch his face, and then watched Aunt Jiang carefully as she continued to embroider the needle on the schoolbag. Only after his feet were embroidered did Song Xiangdong come to his senses and shouted in surprise.

"It looks so good!"

"Auntie, you are so great!"

Jiang Nian smiled, then shortened the strap of the backpack a little bit. Finally, she inserted the needle into the thread, shook the backpack and handed it to Song Xiaodong: "Put it on and see how the strap is."

Song Xiangdong happily put on the backpack. The length was just right. He lowered his head and happily touched the little boy in military uniform on the backpack. He raised his bright eyes and looked at Jiang Nian: "Auntie, is this me?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "Of course it's you."

Song Xiangdong had never seen such a handsome backpack: "If I carry it to school tomorrow, my classmates will be so jealous of me. I want to go home and show it to my mother."

After that, he waved to Jiang Nian and ran home impatiently.

"Mom, mom, look at the schoolbag that Aunt Jiang sewed for me. It's so beautiful."

Song Xiangdong ran home and took off the schoolbag and placed it on the table like a treasure. Song Xianghong came over and wanted to touch it, but Song Xiangdong patted the back of her hand and said, "Don't break it."

Song Xianghong: ...

He pouted and turned to look at Feng Mei who walked into the room: "Mom, my brother hit me."

Song Xiangdong said angrily: "Who hit you? I just touched you lightly."

Feng Mei said: "Okay, okay, you two can't make a fuss all day long." She held the needle in her hand and sewed the sole of the shoe: "What did your Aunt Jiang sew to make you so happy?"

Song Xiangdong gently patted the strap of the schoolbag and let his mother see the little boy wearing a military uniform and a military cap on the schoolbag.

Feng Mei smiled: "It's just embroidery..."

The words stopped abruptly. She stared at the little boy on the schoolbag with wide eyes, put down the sole of the shoe, smoothed the schoolbag with both hands, and looked carefully at the little boy embroidered with needle and thread. The nose and eyes looked very much like her Xiangdong. The little boy grinned and was missing a front tooth, exactly like Xiangdong.

Feng Mei was so shocked that she couldn't speak. She touched her schoolbag with her fingers and shook her head: "Oh my god, the embroidery is so vivid."

She turned around and asked: "Is it really embroidered by your Aunt Jiang?"

Song Xiangdong said happily: "I saw Aunt Jiang embroider it with my own eyes. She embroidered it very quickly. My eyes were dazzled."

Feng Mei smacked her lips.

If Jiang Nian really got together with Song Bai, then Song Bai would really have found a treasure.

Just after dark, Captain Song returned home. Song Xiangdong happily took the schoolbag to Captain Song and asked him to look: "Dad, who do you think this is?"

Captain Song sat on a bench, drinking water from an enamel pot in his hand. He glanced at the schoolbag that Song Xiangdong had spread out on the table, and the water that he had just swallowed came out of his throat. He turned his head to look at Feng Mei who was standing by the door of the kitchen. Feng Mei smiled mysteriously and said, "Who do you think embroidered this?" ? "

Captain Song said, "It's not you anyway."

Feng Mei: ...

She didn't bother with him and said, "It was embroidered by Vice-Captain Lu's sister-in-law."

Seeing the astonishment on Captain Song's face, Feng Mei looked up proudly as if she had embroidered it herself and said, "And she also promised me that when Song Bai comes back to visit relatives during the New Year, she will meet Song Bai, and then she will be our sister-in-law."

Captain Song: ...

When

Lu Yu got home, Jiang Nian was cooking in the kitchen.

He walked to the stove and sat down to light the fire. Jiang Nian served the dishes, cut the noodles into strips with a knife and put them into the pot.

Tonight, we will have hand-rolled noodles and cold cucumber salad.

Lu Yu glanced at Jiang Nian's patched clothes: "Sister-in-law, I have a day off at the end of the month. I will take you to the market to buy some autumn and winter clothes. Think about what you need at home and buy some."

The weather is getting cooler now, and there is a slight difference in temperature between morning and evening.

The clothes that sister-in-law brought from home are all summer clothes. There are at least two autumn and winter clothes, and they are all patched.

Jiang Nian subconsciously glanced at the clothes on her body, thinking of the money Lu Yu gave her. She had only 60 yuan left after spending the past two months. She mainly bought some more expensive needles and threads, bought some cloth, and cut some meat, but didn't buy any snacks.

Lu Yu hasn't paid her salary for two months, and she doesn't dare to touch the money in the iron box recently.

Besides, she is always grateful for what she has received. How dare she let Lu Yu buy clothes for her?

But now she has to find a job to earn money, at least to support herself, and can't always rely on Lu Yu.

Thinking of this, Jiang Nian whispered: "Don't buy for me, I have clothes, wait until autumn and winter, I will buy some cloth and cotton to make clothes myself, and then I will make a few clothes for you."

Besides, the clothes in the market are expensive, she doesn't like them either. It's better to make them herself. After all, she is separated from this era by several decades, and there is still a big difference in aesthetics.

Lu Yu looked at Jiang Nian's cheeks, which were rosy from the heat, and frowned slightly. He lowered his eyes and used an iron hook to light the fire in the stove: "You still have to buy what you should buy, and don't save on some things that you shouldn't save."

After lighting the fire, he took the bowl and plate and walked to the yard and sat down. Jiang Nian pursed his lips, took a deep breath, picked up his own bowl and walked to the yard, sat opposite Lu Yu, and lowered his head to eat noodles quietly.

However, just after eating two bites, a light brown letter paper package suddenly appeared in his sight.

Jiang Nian raised her head and saw Lu Yu withdraw his hand. His dark eyes looked at her: "This is my salary for the past two months. There is also a part that will be distributed with the subsidy at the end of the year. I kept some for myself as a backup, and my sister-in-law kept the rest."

Jiang Nian lowered her eyes and looked at the thick letter paper, swallowing the noodles in her mouth with difficulty.

Lu Yu ate three bowls of noodles in a row, and after eating, he took Jiang Nian's bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen to wash the pots and dishes.

Listening to the sound of water in the kitchen, Jiang Nian stared at the letter paper on the table in a daze. The moment she picked it up, she felt her fingers were a little hot.

She walked into the house, unfastened the light cord, and took out the money from the letter paper. In addition to the money, there were also many bills. There were no large-denomination bills, but small-denomination bills. She counted them carefully and felt something was wrong, so she counted them again.

A total of 700 yuan.

It was so much!

Jiang Nian felt that this salary should be related to the two months that Lu Yu had been away. He said that the other half would be paid at the end of the year together with the subsidy. She lowered her head and counted the money again, took out three bills and held them against the light bulb, then looked carefully at the patterns on them. She looked so seriously that she didn't hear the footsteps coming from outside the house.

"The money is real."

The man's low and magnetic voice was mixed with a hint of smile.

Jiang Nian was so scared that his hands trembled. He turned around and saw Lu Yu standing at the door of the house.