The next morning, Lu Nong woke up at five o'clock, which was rare. He got up from the bed with his hair standing on end, and pulled down his pajamas that had risen to his chest. He didn't notice that the seat next to him was not empty that day.

When I turned around, I was shocked to find Pei Ji'an lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

Lu Nong: “…”

I didn’t see it, I didn’t see it. He fell asleep and didn’t see anything... Lu Nong hypnotized herself all the way, quietly climbed out of the bed, grabbed the skirt at the head of the bed and hurried out of the bedroom, not noticing that the person on the bed opened his eyes the moment she walked out.

After coming out of the bathroom, Lu Nong tidied up her new dress and went downstairs. She was wearing a pastoral style light green plaid dress that was closer to the dressing style of this era. However, her hair was braided into a soft and fluffy braid, and she also pinned a wisteria flower hairpin on her head, which made her look super gentle and elegant.

Mother Wu came down from upstairs dozing off. "Nong Nong, why don't you sleep a little longer?"

"Today is the first day of school. It's not good to be late. Do you want to go out to buy breakfast? I'll go." Lu Nong took the bamboo basket from her godmother.

"Hey, the sun is rising from the west. Comrade Lu, who usually doesn't get up until noon, has also gotten up so early?"

Pei Zheng adjusted the belt around his waist and the drawstrings on his feet, came down from the second floor, and said to Lu Nong in a sarcastic tone when he saw him.

Lu Nong chuckled, "Guardian Xiao Pei, it seems that you are ready to accept the important task assigned to you by the organization today?"

Lu Nong emphasized the pronunciation of "重任".

Pei Zheng: “…” I copied it, I was careless.

He was used to arguing with Lu Nong every day. The first thing he did when he saw Lu Nong was to find a way to defeat Lu Nong in the argument. He didn't even remember that he lost the bet yesterday.

Pei Zheng's expression changed drastically. After struggling for a while, he finally accepted his fate, closed his eyes, and stopped talking back.

"Ahem," Lu Nong was in a good mood, and said with a fake face, "Since Comrade Xiao Pei is so positive, then all right, the organization has unanimously decided that Comrade Xiao Pei will be tasked with buying breakfast from today on. Here, your grandmother Wu's vegetable basket, remember to buy everything the whole family likes to eat."

Pei Zheng took the basket wrapped in the blue flowered cloth with disdain. It was no big deal to buy breakfast there, as he had to get up early every morning to run anyway, but how did it look like for a grown man like him to hold this thing?

He was about to put the basket down when his eyes turned and he thought, no, he couldn't enjoy this blessing alone. They had agreed to share the blessing, and since his brothers were guards together, he couldn't leave them behind.

So Pei Zheng went out with the basket.

Seeing him leave, Lu Nong laughed out loud. It must be said that Pei Zheng and the small floral pattern were quite incompatible.

"I'm going out for a short walk." She threw her braid behind her head. It was a rare opportunity to get up early, and it would be a bit regrettable not to breathe some fresh air.

I had just taken two steps when I heard my stepmother say, "Miss, is it bad to instruct Pei Zheng to do these things? After all, you are not his biological mother."

It is said that being a stepmother is difficult. Mother Wu was a little worried that Pei Zheng had some concerns, and was also worried that outsiders would misunderstand Lu Nong.

Lu Nong stopped and thought, had she gone too far?

From yesterday to now, Pei Zheng has been asked to wash the baby's diapers and smelly socks, clean the toilet, grow vegetables and flowers, light the fire for the godmother, wash vegetables, massage shoulders and wash feet...

It’s a bit too much, but... she is so happy hahahahahaha.

"It's okay," Lu Nong comforted her godmother, "Pei Zheng is not a stingy person. He lost the bet with me yesterday and promised to be my security guard for a month. It's not too much for me to ask him to do some small things."

Mother Wu was helpless. "A trivial matter like cleaning the toilet? I think you just want to torment him."

Well, Lu Nong stopped fighting and honestly admitted, "Yes, I just want to torture him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Jinan came down from upstairs. I don't know how long he had been listening.

Lu Nong: “…”

Mother Wu: “…”

Help! I admitted to torturing someone else's son, and his own father heard it. What should I do?

You don't think she's a vicious stepmother, do you? How can I explain this and redeem my image?

Lu Nong looked at Pei Jinan and said dryly, "Pei Zheng and I were just joking, please don't misunderstand me, Chief."

Pei Ji'an: "I know."

Pei Ji'an walked towards the door wearing a military jacket. If he was an abstinent male god when he buttoned up his shirt, then when he was not so well-behaved, he was Xiao Shuxuanju, with a calm and gentle temperament.

He took care of the wound on his body and walked slowly past Lu Nong. Seeing that Lu Nong did not catch up with him, he turned around and looked at Lu Nong and said, "Aren't you going out for a walk?"

Lu Nong:? ?

...In the end, she followed Pei Jinan out the door.

Well, the condition is okay. At most I don't know how to move my hands and feet. I just walk with my hands and feet together.

Ah!! Lu Nong howled in her heart like a bear again. The impact of the flag-raising incident last night has not been completely eliminated from her mind. Today she was caught in public again. Help, how on earth did Pei Ji'an manage to look so calm as if nothing happened last night?

Lu Nong: I can do it, Pei Jinan can do it, so can I!

She took a few deep breaths and felt okay.

I happened to glance at Pei Jinan’s pants, they were so big... Who could bear it?

Shit! I failed again.

In order to divert attention, Lu Nong cleared his throat, occasionally glanced at Pei Ji'an, and asked: "Chief, why do you believe that what I just said about joking with Pei Zheng is true?"

After asking the question, Lu Nong regretted it. Her question was such a stupid one, and people believed it. Why should she remind Pei Jian to think about this sensitive topic again?

But she was also really curious, did Pei Ji'an trust her character so much? Or did she have a kind face and was naturally easy to gain other people's trust?

Soon, Pei Ji'an broke Lu Nong's fantasy and said matter-of-factly: "Pei Zheng told me about your bet last night."

Besides, he had always been watching how she and Pei Zheng got along, so how could he have misunderstood?

Lu Nong was disappointed. He was not influenced by her personality charm, so he replied dryly: "Oh, is that so."

Early morning in summer is the freshest time of the day. The sun has not yet risen completely, and a gentle breeze blows your face. Insects are still chirping and birds are singing on the branches. The environment has not yet experienced industrial pollution, and there is only the fragrance of plants and the smell of cooking smoke coming out of each chimney.

Lu Nong was quickly attracted by the clean smell of fireworks, and could even smell what each family had prepared for breakfast as he passed by.

The two of them were walking leisurely, neither hurried nor hurried. When they turned their heads to the side, they could see a tall figure, which made Lu Nong feel that time was quiet and peaceful, as if in this age where everything was slow, she could really grow old with the person beside her.

It’s a pity that it’s an illusion… Strange, why did she say it’s a pity?

Until they saw Pei Zheng, Zhang Kaiping and Jiang Yu standing at the door of Shen's house. Pei Zheng was throwing pebbles at a window of Shen's house, and Zhang Kaiping was holding Wu Ma's small flower basket in his hand.

After a while, Shen Jiming opened the window and saw Pei Zheng and the other two standing downstairs. He raised the basket in his hand and said, "Mingzi, come downstairs and get to work. Sister Lu Nong's new instructions are to buy breakfast."

Lu Nong: “…” Poor little brother, he even learned how to fake an imperial decree.

Shen Jiming came out of the house quickly. The four of them talked in low voices for a while and then walked away with their backs to Lu Nong and Pei Jinan.

From beginning to end, none of the four people noticed Lu Nong and Pei Ji'an at the corner.

After watching Pei Zheng's tricks, Pei Jinan continued walking as if he didn't see his son. After walking for such a long time and seeing that Pei Jinan didn't make things difficult for her, Lu Nong became bolder and looked around for something new, completely ignoring Pei Jinan beside her.

"Xiao Lu? Taking a walk with Lao Pei?"

A woman's voice called Lu Nong's attention back. She looked over and saw that it was Zhang Kaiping's mother, Sister Qin. Lu Nong had a good relationship with Sister Qin. She had changed her address to Sister Qin from Sister Qin a few days ago to Sister Qin. She smiled and greeted Sister Qin:

"Sister Qin, are you taking a walk too?"

Sister Qin held up the fried dough sticks and soy milk in her hands and said, "How could I do that? There are so many things to do at home. I don't know where Kaiping went so early in the morning. I had to go out to buy breakfast by myself. I just came back."

Lu Nong felt ashamed after hearing this. That bad boy Pei Zheng had called Zhang Kaiping away, and Sister Qin was left with no one to do the work at home.

"Your dress is really nice," Sister Qin looked at Lu Nong's slender waist with envy, then looked down at her own thick waist. This is really the throes of comparison, "and your hair is really beautifully combed. You said it's all done by your hands, how come you are so dexterous?"

She is good-looking, has a good temper, knows how to dress up, and is dexterous. No wonder old Pei Baba married her. If she were a man, she would also marry such a daughter-in-law.

Before Lu Nong could say anything, Sister Qin glanced at Pei Ji'an again and said to him in a somewhat reserved tone, "Old Pei, I heard from my husband Zhang that you were injured. Is the injury serious?"

Pei Ji'an used the same excuse from yesterday and said lightly, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. It's just a little scratch."

Sister Qin was very reserved in front of Pei Ji'an just now, but when she heard what he said, her attitude changed instantly, and she said with some resentment, "I don't know that you soldiers say you shed blood and sweat but no tears, but you also say this in front of us, the families of soldiers. It's really sad for those who care about you, don't you think so, Xiao Lu?"

After saying this, Sister Qin sought approval from Lu Nong.

Lu Nong smiled dryly and nodded. Pei Ji'an also showed a rare expression of being taught. Sister Qin then relaxed her expression. Then, she didn't know what she thought of. She looked at Pei Ji'an and then made up her mind. She gritted her teeth and said, "...Sister-in-law wants to borrow Xiao Lu to tell you something. Old Pei, do you mind?"

Pei Jinan turned sideways to let Sister Qin do as she pleases.

Sister Qin pulled Lu Nong over, glanced at Pei Ji'an to make sure he wasn't looking at them, and said to Lu Nong mysteriously, "Little Lu, don't blame me for being nosy. I heard from Zhang Kaiping that your old Pei has started drinking tonic soup now? Is it because he was injured in the wrong place this time? I have a few prescriptions here. I'll send them to you tomorrow."

Lu Nong: “…”

Lu Nong looked at Pei Jinan in confusion and found that his expression was pale for a moment. She suspected that Pei Jinan could hear what they were saying, but when she looked carefully, there was no expression on Pei Jinan's face, as if it was just her illusion.

Lu Nong retracted his gaze and said to Sister Qin with difficulty, "Sister, no need, he... is not injured anywhere, I was the one drinking the tonic soup, I was not feeling well, so he just gave me some tonic."

Sister Qin frowned, thinking that Lu Nong was not telling the truth. That was not what Zhang Kaiping said last night. That big bowl of turtle soup was only given to Pei Jinan to drink. It would be strange if it was not for the man to replenish that aspect. Then she thought that it might be that the young wife was shy and embarrassed to talk about such things.

"Okay, you drink, and he drinks with you. I believe it, okay?"

Lu Nong: “…” You don’t look like you believe it.

Sister Qin didn't bother to argue, thinking that there will always be a time when you will ask me for a prescription, and changed the subject, "Xiao Lu, you have been married for quite a few days, and I wanted to tell you something a few days ago."

"Sister, please go ahead." Lu Nong pretended to listen attentively.

Sister Qin patted Lu Nong's hand and continued, "There aren't many people in our compound, and the family members get together every once in a while to talk and chat. I know you gave wedding candies to your close relatives a few days ago, but it wasn't formal enough. It's a good opportunity to have a gathering this week, so I'll introduce you to someone. What do you think?"

This was well-intentioned, and it sounded like the ladies' diplomacy. It was better for someone to bring her into this circle than to be excluded foolishly. Even if Lu Nong was stupid, she couldn't refuse. She said with gratitude, "Thank you, big sister."

Sister Qin nodded with satisfaction, knowing that Lu Nong understood what she meant. It was refreshing to talk to an intelligent person.

"Then I'll go home first. The kids are all waiting for this bite of food. You guys take a slow walk." After saying hello to Pei Ji'an, Sister Qin left in a swift and brisk manner.

After Sister Qin walked away, Lu Nong told Pei Ji'an about what Sister Qin had just said about bringing her into the circle of ladies, "...what do you think?"

In this matter, she had to ask Pei Ji'an for his opinion to see if there was anything he wanted her to pay attention to.

Pei Ji listened quietly and said casually: "Go ahead. If you feel comfortable with each other, just treat it as making some friends. If you don't feel comfortable with each other, don't force it."

Lu Nong looked sideways at him. On the surface, these words sounded meaningless, but if you think about it carefully, you can hear Pei Jinan's pride in them. The general meaning is: I don't need you to be cautious with anyone.

The so-called ladies' diplomacy is naturally to bring the wives of different families closer together. It cannot be said that any benefits are gained, but it is indeed helpful to men.

But Pei Ji'an didn't care about these at all, which showed that in his heart, he never bothered to make progress by these means. Well, Pei Ji'an hadn't had a wife for more than ten years, and he had always relied on himself.

Lu Nong thought Pei Jinan looked quite handsome like this, even more handsome than he looked.