Xu Li was not empty-handed, but she was holding a pot of flowers instead of a local specialty.
"Sister-in-law Yueyue, you and Captain Chen just moved into the family compound, and you're both so busy, you probably don't have time to plant anything. We don't have any local specialties, so I'll give you a touch of spring!"
Jiang Shiyue’s first reaction was that there might be some places without specialties?
He muttered something in his heart but didn't show it on his face, and kept thanking him.
"Thank you, sisters-in-law!" Jiang Shiyue smiled. "Everyone is busy with the New Year. I'm so embarrassed to ask you sisters-in-law to come and see me when you're so busy."
Wang Yan shook her head and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law Yueyue, you are too polite! We are all in this courtyard. The men in our families are comrades-in-arms, so we are naturally sisters."
Jiang Shiyue knew that this was not a polite remark, but she would not take it seriously.
The compound was a special place, where men could indeed exchange their lives for each other's, but the same couldn't be said for women.
Jiang Shiyue's previous brief experience of living in the family compound was that she felt her sisters-in-law were a bit like sisters-in-law.
Most of them are only close on the surface, but not so close behind the scenes.
Of course, after spending a long time together, some sisters-in-law become real close friends, that is, they become best friends from being sisters-in-law.
Most sisters-in-law are good girls when taken individually. They often have good personalities and are relatively independent. After all, not everyone is willing to live a pseudo-single-parent life and persist in it.
However, this does not mean that everyone can get along well. After all, a good personality does not mean similar values.
Therefore, many sisters-in-law in the family compound often meet, eat and spend time together because of the good relationship between the men, but as Wang Yan said, it is a bit difficult to be sisters.
Jiang Shiyue, for example, had been running the business for half a year at the Repair Camp compound. Wang Hong, Wang Yingying, Doudou's mother, Dazhuang's mother, and others were all considered her friends and enjoyed following her to make money. But, like colleagues, they were mostly just nodding acquaintances.
Three women put on a drama. No matter what they think in their hearts, they appear to be harmonious on the surface.
However, the sisters-in-law had lived in the compound for a long time, and their lives were too simple, so there was actually nothing new to talk about with each other.
Wang Yan brought the topic to the man, "Sister-in-law Yueyue, I see you don't look well. Are you worried about Captain Chen?"
Jiang Shiyue was too embarrassed to admit that she had lost sleep because of missing Chen Shanhe, so she nodded. "Yeah, he used to work in the repair camp, just like the workers in the repair shop, going to and from get off work on time. This is the first time... I'm not used to it."
"I was just like you at first, but now I'm used to it!" Zhong Wenwen patted Jiang Shiyue's shoulder soothingly. "Even if they don't go out or fly, they may not come home. For example, our Liu Yang didn't need to fly these two days and didn't go on any missions, but he didn't come back yesterday."
"Huh? What a coincidence?" Wang Yan was a little puzzled. "Our old Zhang didn't come home yesterday either."
"Ah?" Zhong Wenwen seemed a little surprised. "Doesn't he have any flight missions either?"
Wang Yan nodded. "So that's a bit strange. Maybe they're busy preparing for war during the New Year holiday!"
Jiang Shiyue still knew about the war preparations.
Soldiers also need to relax during the holidays, especially since many officers and soldiers choose to go home on leave during the Spring Festival, resulting in fewer people on duty than usual.
All in all, its combat effectiveness is slightly weak.
Nothing can be seen in peacetime, but in wartime this situation will inevitably lead to war.
Therefore, every holiday, each compound will prepare for war and arrange drills in advance to prevent emergencies.
My sisters-in-law all live in the compound and often see these things, so it is not a secret to them.
Jiang Shiyue knew what was going on, but she couldn't get a word in. Chen Shanhe wasn't in the compound, so he just listened quietly to the three of them chatting, occasionally refilling their tea.
"Speaking of which, Sister Lili is the most enviable. She doesn't have to worry about anything and can go to and from get off work on time every day." Zhong Wenwen turned her head and glanced at Xu Li, with obvious jealousy in her eyes.
Xu Li chuckled. "What are you envious of? Our Old Song didn't come home yesterday. They're not idle during the war preparation period. They are idle during normal times, but everything has its pros and cons. Our Old Song's annual allowance is not as high as the monthly allowances of your captains."
This sentence successfully dispelled the anger of the two sisters-in-law.
Jiang Shiyue also took another look at Xu Li. She was a very good person!
Money is always a hotly discussed topic in any era.
The two sisters-in-law quickly started discussing money, or to be more precise, they started crying poor.
Sure enough, no matter what era or income people have, they will never think that they earn too much money.
"Speaking of which, I'm more envious of Sister Shiyue." Xu Li turned her gaze to Jiang Shiyue. "She is the role model for contemporary women. She has both academic achievements and a successful career. She's also beautiful, has a smart son, and a handsome and talented husband."
"Yes! Sister Shiyue is really amazing!"
"She's worthy of being the best military wife. When I first heard about it, I wasn't convinced, but now I'm just envious!"
“…”
Jiang Shiyue naturally had to be humble and polite, just like Xu Li, finding the advantages of his sisters-in-law and listing them out, while looking at Xu Li calmly.
This sister-in-law seems to be a little too interested in herself!
***
The New Year atmosphere in the compound is slightly weaker than in other places.
For example, Wu Xiu'e, who is in a nursing home, started preparing for the New Year early, steaming buns and rice cakes, and frying fish and chicken.
The compound didn't feel the festive atmosphere until New Year's Eve.
The army is particularly particular about efficiency.
For the villagers, posting Spring Festival couplets is a big event, and often adults and children come together.
They started early and prepared the couplet paper and lined up to ask the village’s best handwriting person to write couplets for them.
After writing and drying, the whole family will go out to paste the couplets together on New Year’s Eve.
While the adults are busy mixing dough or paste, the older children are responsible for cutting the couplets with sewing thread, and the younger children are responsible for collecting the cut couplets and handing them over to the adults when they are ready to paste them.
There are as many pairs of couplets as there are doors and windows in the house, even on the straw hut.
Since children cannot put up spring couplets, they take miniature characters of "Fu" (good fortune) and stick them on furniture in the house, such as table legs and jars.
The army also has to post couplets, and the process is similar to that of ordinary people, but it is a highly efficient assembly line operation.
Those who are well-educated are responsible for writing the couplets. Once they are finished, they will be taken away, dried on the way, and hung directly on the wall when they arrive at their destination.
Multiple departments acted simultaneously.
What used to be half a day's work in the countryside can be completed in just an hour here, and big red lanterns are hung up as well.
The New Year atmosphere was instantly filled.
The children in the family compound were playing excitedly downstairs, occasionally interrupted by the warnings of their sisters-in-law.
In comparison, Jiang Shiyue and his mother seemed a little too lonely.
Jiang Shiyue listened to the noise outside, looked around the room, turned around and asked Yangyang who was reading a book, "Yangyang, tomorrow is New Year's Eve."
Yangyang turned his head to look at Jiang Shiyue without saying anything, but the expression on his face was more obvious than usual, meaning: So what?
Jiang Shiyue: “…”
She was just about to start telling Yangyang about the Spring Festival when the door was knocked again.
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