Chapter 5

Chengdu's climate is humid and cold.

As soon as I stepped out of the door, a chill ran straight into my body.

Ruiting was startled by the cold and quickly buried her head in her scarf, leaving only her eyes exposed.

Seeing her like this, Zhao Fengying said with a smile: "It is a little cold today, but it is only minus 2 degrees Celsius, which is much warmer than your hometown. What will you do if you go back to your hometown?"

Ruting still had her head buried in the past, and replied in a hushed voice: "There is a kang in my hometown, and it is basically a cat-free winter."

Of course, there are times when work is needed, such as digging dams.

But the original person had been studying all the time. After dropping out of school, he went to the fields a few times, and then his family members cared about him and kept him at home.

They call it doing housework, but in reality they don't do any housework, let alone go out to work in winter.

Seeing her pale face, Zhao Fengying couldn't help but mutter: "Normally, young people are hot-tempered. What's wrong with you? You are too afraid of the cold. You can move more when you get back. If that doesn't work, go see a doctor for treatment."

There should be nothing wrong with her body, probably just lack of exercise, but she knew what was wrong, so she curled her eyes and said, "Yeah, I know."

Captain Deng’s house is at the northernmost end of the townhouse.

I don’t know if it was because I left early or because the weather was cold, but I didn’t meet anyone on the road.

The two of them talked as they walked, and when they arrived at Captain Deng's house, Deng's sister-in-law Lu Jingjing was already waiting for them.

She was wearing a thick, loose cotton jacket, the gray color of which could not conceal her natural beauty. She seemed to be quite an age difference from Captain Deng.

As if she could see the surprise in Li Ting, Zhao Fengying took her hand and led her to the table to sit down. Then she said with a smile, "Old Deng and Jingjing are only five years apart in age. They don't look alike, right? They grew up together as childhood sweethearts. One looks younger and the other looks older. People who don't know would think they are only a dozen years apart."

Lu Jingjing was obviously used to it, but she was more surprised. She really didn't expect that Deputy Commander Huo's wife was so outstanding.

She pushed the melon seeds and peanuts she had prepared in advance in front of the two people, and took the kettle to make two bowls of sugar water, then sat down and said with a smile: "I am already 32 years old, but my husband Deng looks old, and he usually doesn't pay attention to it. He is like a death sentence to apply vanishing cream..."

Zhao Fengying responded with emotion: "All men are like that."

Ruiting was born with a beautiful face and was known as a beauty since she was a child, so naturally she had many suitors.

But my family kept a close eye on me before I became an adult. I did try to find a boyfriend in college, and he was the most handsome guy at the neighboring university.

It was just the second day after we confirmed our relationship, when we went out for dinner for the first time, but the other party asked us to get a room in a roundabout way, which made us so angry that we broke up immediately.

I don’t know about other people, but she was just 20 years old at that time and felt that it was too fast, especially since it was her first love.

It was completely different from her fantasy of being cherished, loved, and full of pink bubbles.

So, seriously speaking, as a single woman since birth, she really didn't know how to respond to such a situation.

Fortunately, the two of them quickly changed the topic.

After a few more pleasantries and finishing the sweet soup, Lu Jingjing took out two packages.

At the same time, he stuffed a thick envelope over to me: "My old Deng asked me to pass this to you. It's a token of appreciation from the soldiers."

Ruting held the envelope in her hand, feeling a little confused. Could it be what she thought?

Seeing her stunned, Zhao Fengying suppressed his relaxed expression and patted her hand: "Don't worry, this is not an isolated case. In the past... Huo Xiao would also donate money and votes to the brothers who sacrificed their lives."

This was really not a good topic, and Zhao Fengying had no intention of poking at the little girl's sorrow, so she only said a few vague words.

But it was enough for Tingting to understand what was in the envelope.

But how could she want it?

She came here out of selfish motives, and although she had no choice, she didn't have any reason to do so.

In addition, as far as I can remember, the army had already given me a pension, and my original mother-in-law, Hu Xiu, was also a very principled person.

If she really accepted it, the situation she had managed to turn around would surely collapse again when she returned to the Xiangyang Brigade.

Thinking of this, Ting stood up and pushed the envelope back to Sister-in-law Lu, and in the other's puzzled eyes, he refused and said: "Sister-in-law, I can't take this money."

Zhao Fengying was the first to frown: "This is a token of our brothers' kindness, and it is also a custom. How can we refuse it?"

She believed what he said, but she still couldn't accept it: "Sister-in-law, I'm not aloof, I just don't think the family is that difficult. Besides, let's not talk about me...my mother-in-law's attitude is that even Huo Xiao will not be happy that I accept this money."

Although I still feel a little uncomfortable about the fact that I inexplicably traveled through time and space and became someone's wife.

But some things have to have a bottom line.

She didn't know how much money was in the envelope, but judging from the thickness of the envelope, she knew it was a considerable amount.

If she accepted the money even though she knew the Huo family was rich, wouldn't that be tarnishing Huo Xiao's heroic identity?

Thinking of this, the rejection on Li Ting's face became even more resolute.

Zhao Fengying didn't expect Xiao Lue to react like this.

The little girl had fair skin, red lips, a straight nose, slightly upturned peach blossom eyes, and a vermilion teardrop mole at the corner of her eye. She looked extremely glamorous and romantic.

But at this moment, her eyes were firm and her brows were dignified, completely suppressing that hint of coquettishness.

It was this determination that made her realize that the other party was not pretending to delay.

Since it was the first time that Lu Jingjing and Lu Ting met, it was difficult for her to persuade them too much.

But as a military wife, she couldn't help but consider other possibilities of help.

Meanwhile, Huo Xiao was still sincerely refusing: "Sister-in-law, I am telling the truth. I really don't need your donations, but I will accept the kindness of my comrades on behalf of Huo Xiao."

Seeing that the other party still disagreed, Ruting hesitated for a few seconds, and finally said: "If it is really accepted, then I really don't know if it is a mistake to come here this time."

Hearing this, Zhao Fengying frowned and glared disapprovingly: "Don't ever say that."

Li Ting looked apologetic: "I really have no choice."

Zhao Fengying sighed: "Let's not talk about this for now, let's go back and ask Lao Wei first."

After hearing this, Ruting didn't want to push her too hard: "Thank you, sister-in-law."

Zhao Fengying looked at the beautiful girl, and said in a reproachful yet intimate tone: "It's too early to say thank you. I don't know what you are thinking. Do you think the money is too much?"

Of course, no one doesn't love money, and I am just an ordinary person.

I just don't think we are so poor that we need donations.

And if conditions permit, who doesn't want to live a decent life?

Especially since this respectability belongs to Huo Xiao.

She had no right to reach out.

But Li Ting also knew that her sister-in-law meant well.

So, she took the other person's hand and said in a more intimate tone: "I know my sister-in-law is doing this for my own good."

Zhao Fengying smiled and patted her hands: "It's good that you know."

Seeing this, Lu Jingjing changed the subject in time: "When we heard that you were coming yesterday, the military families in our family compound all wanted to meet you, but thinking that you were tired from traveling, we didn't dare to come to your house. We will wait until you have rested well, and then we can meet and get to know each other."

What she didn't say was that she had already visited the previous night, but Ruiting was asleep at that time.

The reason why she brought this up was because she saw that the other party was unwilling to accept the donation and wanted to introduce him to more people.

Those who can come to accompany the army must be at least company-level officers.

Plus with the presence of Huo Xiao, these are all real relationships.

It is inconvenient to meet with the military officers, but it will not be a loss to get to know the sisters-in-law.

What if it comes in handy?

Zhao Fengying obviously understood Lu Jingjing's plan and agreed, "Yes, there's nothing to do, let's just get together and chat."

Without giving it much thought, she hesitated for a few seconds before nodding: "It's time to meet."

Logically speaking, it would be better to treat everyone to a meal.

But this time it was a funeral, so it was not appropriate to make a big fuss.

She could only wait until she returned to Xiangyang Brigade and send some things to the people who had helped her.

Especially sister-in-law Fengying, who not only refused to take her money, but also treated her to delicious food and drinks...

Zhao Fengying is a man of action.

Qiyou knew that Li Ting was in a hurry to go home, so he simply took her for a walk around the yard.

When I got home, there were already more than a dozen people following me, filling up the not-so-spacious living room.

Everyone was not empty-handed. Some were knitting sweaters, some were sewing shoe soles, some were peeling peanuts, and some were holding young children on their laps.

It depicts a very vivid picture with a strong sense of age.

As the protagonist of this gathering, Ruting, who was sitting next to Sister Fengying, was naturally the focus of everyone's curiosity.

They all asked her how she knew Huo Xiao, where she was from, how old she was, how long it took her to get here, and if anything unusual happened on the way...

Some questions, from the perspective of future generations, may even be considered offensive.

But Ting Ting knew that this was a characteristic of the times, so she tried hard to adapt.

Of course, there are one or two who are not very friendly.

But before Xiaoting could even think of any doubts, she was dismissed by sister-in-law Fengying with the words "Xiaoting refused the donation."

It was also at this time that she realized that not everyone was willing to donate.

But then I thought it wasn't surprising, after all, life is hard these days.

Even military officers have several children and elderly people to support.

When I heard the sisters-in-law, who were covered in rags and looked sallow, complaining that most of their husbands' income had to be subsidized to their brothers-in-law, I realized how many people's hard work went into that thick pile of donations...

Time flies when you listen to gossip.

Before long, it was lunch time again.

After everyone took their own stools home, Ruiting accompanied Sister Fengying to cook lunch...

After dinner.

My sister-in-law has the habit of taking a nap at noon.

Ruting then returned to the second bedroom and sorted out Huo Xiao's belongings.

What is surprising or not is that after serving in the army for ten years, the other party does not have much stuff, and it can even be said to be simple.

In addition to a few half-worn military uniforms, there were more books and other items.

According to Mrs. Lu, the things were packed by Captain Deng himself, and the clothes were folded very neatly.

Ahem...even the patched underwear folds neatly.

Ruting was worried that she wouldn't be able to put things back together if she messed them up, and she felt a little embarrassed, so she was very careful when cleaning up.

Among them, two letters sent from the original owner to Huo Xiao were also found.

She didn't open it because the contents of the letter were in her memory.

It was hard for Ru Ting to understand how two people who had never even met each other could get engaged just by writing two letters.

That's not right.

Strictly speaking, it was Huo Xiao's mother, Hu Xiu, who chose the original body.

After confirming that it was their own will, the two young people submitted their marriage application.

However, in this era, it is the most normal thing.

In addition to the letters, Tingting also found several 2-inch black-and-white photos in a metal box.

The pixels are a bit blurry, but the man's sharp eyes, sharp eyebrows, and proud demeanor are captured clearly.

Especially the one with a military cap and uniform, he looks particularly handsome.

It's that kind of handsomeness with a cool and upright temperament.

Li Ting thought that the reason why the original mother, who was so proud, was willing to be a stepmother was probably not only because of Huo Xiao's identity as a military officer, but also because of his outstanding appearance.

But now she is the stepmother.

Oh, not only does she like being a mother, she's also a widow.

Thinking about the various matters she would face after returning to Xiangyang Brigade, Ruiting suddenly lost interest in admiring the handsome guy and quickly picked up all the things.

After he packed his clothes together and squeezed them into two packages for easy transportation, he washed his hands and feet and lay down in the quilt.

She didn't sleep well last night and has to travel by car tomorrow, so she needs to rest up.

at the same time.

Master bedroom.

Zhao Fengying had only slept for a few minutes when she was woken up by her husband who had returned from his lunch break.

She was not surprised and moved inside: "Lie outside, the quilt is warm for you."

Wei Tao took off his coat, sat in the warm quilt, sighed comfortably, and then asked his wife: "How is it? Comrade Xiao Lu didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

Being a leader's wife is not easy. This is not the first time that Zhao Fengying has taken care of the families of her husband's subordinates, many of whom are noisy and unreasonable.

Hearing the guilt in his tone, she smiled and shook her head: "Don't worry, Xiaolue is a worry-free girl, but she is a little too worry-free and polite."

Wei Tao picked up the teacup on the bedside table, took a sip of tea with a relaxed look on his face, and said, "It's a good thing to be worry-free."

Zhao Fengying rolled her eyes at her husband and said, "She is just a silly girl. Why would she not accept donations from the army?"

Wei Tao was surprised: "Oh? Rejected? That amount of money is not a small amount."

Huo Xiao is a man of simple character, and he is at the top of all his businesses. He has a very good relationship with people, and many people donated money this time.

With him and Lao Hong taking the lead, there were probably hundreds of people who supported him. How could Comrade Xiao Lue refuse?

Of course, this money will have to be repaid after Huo Xiao returns.

Zhao Fengying didn't know what her husband was thinking. She just recited to him what she had said. At the end, she said with emotion, "...I was curious before. Huo Xiao is so outstanding, and I didn't know what kind of girl could match him. Now that I have seen him, it's no exaggeration to say that he is a match made in heaven...It's just a pity that they are not meant to be together."

Wei Tao said nothing, thinking that he would be destined to be together after a while.

Zhao Fengying patted her husband and said, "Either lie down or sit on the bed and drink tea. I feel a cool breeze on my shoulders when you lean against me like this."

Hearing this, Wei Tao glanced at the tightly closed doors and windows, and did not refute anything. He said in a good-tempered manner: "Have a couple more sips right now. The food in the cafeteria is too salty."

Zhao Fengying kept on nagging: "I asked you to come back for lunch, but you refused to come back. You are probably older than Xiaolue's father. What's the point of avoiding suspicion? Besides, I'm at home. Why are you being so particular? By the way, I asked Xiaolue for her commune's phone number and home address. We must keep in touch in the future."

Wei Tao: "You guys are getting along well?"

Zhao Fengying turned over and faced her husband: "What a good girl... Old Wei, I was thinking, let's take the twins and adopt them."

Hearing this, Wei Tao's eyelids twitched, and he had a bad feeling in his heart: "Why do you think so?"

Zhao Fengying was speechless: "Xiao Lu is 2 years younger than our daughter. We can't keep her here forever, can we? It's only a matter of time before she remarries... There are few good candidates in the countryside. If I meet a good guy later, I can introduce him to her..."

Wei Tao: "Pfft...what did you say...cough cough cough..."