When Qin Jinshen saw Ling Huanwu again, dressed in a cheongsam with her hair styled in an updo, his eyes lit up, as if he were seeing the perfect wife Ling Huanwu from his previous life.
Until... he saw the triplets behind her, and it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
The red candle on the table was shedding red tears, and the steaming breakfast was bubbling away.
Qin Jinshen's imagined candlelight breakfast was shattered in an instant.
Ling Huanwu stared at him, pulled out the two older girls behind her, and smiled with her eyes crinkling, "You don't mind if the three kids come to eat, do you?"
"Brother Er Gou, your grandfather is a great philanthropist, and I happen to be a saintly person who likes to help others. Aunt Liu is sick, and there's no one to cook for the three children, so I'll bring you along. You don't mind, do you?"
Qin Jin was extremely unwilling, but since the real Grandpa Zhao Ergou was a great philanthropist, how could he possibly mind?
So he smiled and welcomed the three children into the house.
While Qin Jinshen and Guard Ma turned to get bowls and chopsticks, they turned around and saw the triplets each holding an iron spoon. In the blink of an eye, they had devoured all the oyster pancakes and pot edges on the table.
Ling Huanwu patted the heads of the triplets one by one, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Qin Jinshen, "Brother Ergou, the children aren't full, could you please cook some more, Uncle?"
"Okay, I'll go cook!"
Guard Ma worked hard again to make the side of the pot, and fried about ten more oyster pancakes.
After the last few oysters were fried and the last batch of oyster skins were cooked, Guard Ma wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking that he could finally feed these little darlings and that his master could have a proper date with his sweetheart.
No sooner had he hurried up to clear the dishes than the three children simultaneously rubbed their bellies and exclaimed, "Uncle, is it lunchtime again? Can we stay for lunch?"
The rag in the guard's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
Qin Jinshen's lips twitched violently, but he had to force a smile. "Alright, alright, I like children. I'm a saint, just like my grandfather..."
Plates of garlic sprouts with cured pork, winter bamboo shoots with cured pork, dried mustard greens with cured pork, cured pork stewed with potatoes, and cured pork fried rice with eggs were served.
When the guard Ma emptied the last piece of cured meat from the earthenware jar, he hugged the empty jar and fainted beside it, crying.
After eating their fill, Daya, Erya, and Sanya sat obediently in the room, their big eyes sparkling.
"Wow, Uncle, your quilt is so soft and light! Mine are always heavy and cold. I'm so envious!"
Qin Jinshen's face turned pale. Afraid that Ling Huanwu would notice something was amiss, he hurriedly picked up the down comforter on the bed and stuffed it into Daya's hands.
"If you like it, Uncle will cover you with this. Uncle isn't cold!"
Da Ya's big eyes crinkled into crescent moons just like Ling Huanwu's when she smiled.
"Uncle, why are your bowls different from everyone else's? The patterns are so unique..."
"Uncle, why is your enamel chamber pot yellow? It looks like gold!"
"Uncle, why isn't your back scratcher made of bamboo? It looks like jade..."
The triplets kept chattering away, pointing out everything in the room.
By evening, the triplets, having eaten and drunk their fill again, each carried a basket of things.
The three children ate all of Ma Huwei's rations and almost emptied the cozy little home that Qin Jinshen had built up over the past few months.
The situation is exactly the same as when they first came to the educated youth settlement.
Watching Ling Huanwu smile and say goodbye to him, her back swaying gracefully as she left with her hands full of things, and the backs of the three mischievous children returning with their bags full, Qin Jin was stunned for a long time, his face full of confusion.
"Is today's trial marriage over just like that? Is she going to empty out our house?"
The guard, Ma, was clutching an empty earthenware jar, his soul seemingly drawn away by the strips of cured meat that had been thoroughly devoured.
The next day.
Ling Huanwu used the same trick again, taking the triplets to Zhao Jingxiang's house.
One compliment after another was bestowed upon him, and the triplets' bright eyes tricked Zhao Jingxiang out of his stockpiled dried meat, scallops, and shrimp, even his usual treat of dried plums, and the last valuable item he had on him—his old lighter.
Zhao Jingxiang was left alone, looking at the empty house, and gazing at Qin Jinshen in the opposite house.
The sea breeze swirled up the leftover candy wrappers from the educated youth settlement courtyard, mirroring the two men's current mood—bewildered and confused.
The triplets carried their loot home piece by piece.
Looking at the mountain of valuables piled up in the house, Aunt Liu was a little worried. "Comrade Ling, isn't this a bit inappropriate? Weren't you just trying to verify who Zhao Ergou was? Why did you empty the whole house?"
Ling Huanwu watched the children's joyful expressions as they touched their spoils, and a smile appeared on her lips. "Auntie, don't worry, they're both fakes. These two might not be spies sent by anyone, and we don't know what their purpose is. We must not be soft-hearted and must make them back down!"
Aunt Liu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and hugged the soft down comforter with great affection.
night.
When Ling Huanwu returned to the educated youth settlement, she passed by the family compound and saw that the room where she and Zhou Jiuzhen used to live was lit with candles, so she went over and pushed the door open to go in.
The door creaked open, and Zhou Jiuzhen was seen spreading out the blankets by the bed.
Standing beside him was the shy Su Haiting, whose gaze was now bashfully fixed on Zhou Jiuzhen's pert buttocks as he bent over.
The scene was too beautiful for Ling Huanwu to bear looking at, so she let out a soft "hmm".
When Zhou Jiuzhen turned around and saw that it was her, he turned his face away somewhat awkwardly. "The sea has been rough these past two days, and the ship can't sail, so I asked Comrade Su to stay here for a while."
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