"Hey, what's going on?"
Wang Xiuxiu held Lu Xiaozhao's hand as he skipped and hopped into the courtyard, a gray rabbit fur hat still wrapped around his head.
Xu Ruantang immediately smiled and tried to step down the stairs, "What brings you all here?"
During the Lunar New Year, everyone is busy visiting relatives and friends, but with the snow, she can't go anywhere and is worried about being bored.
Before I could even feel sad, the person who spoke arrived.
Wang Xiuxiu let go of Lu Xiaozhao, walked to her side, and helped her into the house. "Don't go to the yard. Come inside, have some tea and chat. I brought Xiaozhao to wish you a Happy New Year and ask for red envelopes."
Despite saying that, she first took out a red envelope and stuffed it into Xu Ruantang's hand.
"This is a gift for you, baby. Be good and make your mommy suffer less."
Wang Xiuxiu touched Xu Ruantang's belly, her tone unconsciously softening.
With someone by her side, Xu Ruantang was genuinely happy.
"It's not even born yet, so there's no need to give it a red envelope."
She got up and went to her room on the first floor. A little while later, she took out a red envelope and handed it to Lu Xiaozhao, who was obediently drinking water.
Lu Xiaozhao immediately put down the water, took the red envelope with both hands, and cupped her hands to Xu Ruantang, saying, "Aunt Xu, Happy New Year."
His tone was very serious; the little boy already had the air of an adult.
Xu Ruantang smiled and patted Lu Xiaozhao's head, "Happy New Year, Xiaozhao. Go have fun, but be careful not to fall."
Lu Xiaozhao nodded, walked up to Wang Xiuxiu, and handed her the red envelope. "Mom, please put this in for Xiaozhao."
After Wang Xiuxiu had carefully put everything away, he went to play in the yard.
As Wang Xiuxiu sipped her tea, she watched Lu Xiaozhao's retreating figure and sighed, "He's really grown up so fast. Now, every day when I come home, Xiaozhao insists on bringing me water to wash my feet, and he sweeps the floor for me."
His tone was full of pride and self-satisfaction.
Xu Ruantang curled her lips into a smile, "Xiao Zhao has always been a good girl."
She turned to Wang Xiuxiu and continued, "Where's Lu Shishen? Isn't he taking the kids back to his hometown this year?"
Although the two are divorced, neither of their parents knows it.
If people from their hometown come to visit, the two of them will put on a show.
In addition, Lu Shishen has always wanted to remarry Wang Xiuxiu, and apart from the children and the army, he spends all his time revolving around Wang Xiuxiu.
Actually, there's not much difference compared to before the divorce.
Lu Xiaozhao is still studying in the compound, and Wang Xiuxiu comes back from time to time.
"I went out after breakfast, but I don't know what to do."
Wang Xiuxiu seemed indifferent.
Xu Ruantang glanced into the courtyard, then lowered her voice and leaned closer to Wang Xiuxiu to ask, "So you don't have any plans?"
Her eyes sparkled with gossip.
Wang Xiuxiu found it amusing and couldn't help but gently poke her forehead. "Ruan Tang, you've become incredibly gossipy since I found out you're pregnant. You never used to ask about these things."
Xu Ruantang herself also discovered it.
She looked down at her belly. "It's probably the belly that's being nosy, not me."
The child has taken all the blame.
Wang Xiuxiu leaned back in her chair and chuckled softly, "It's still so small, and its back isn't good enough to carry such a heavy pot."
Xu Ruantang put down her water glass and stared intently at Wang Xiuxiu. "Sister Xiuxiu, don't change the subject. Tell me, have you already fallen for her?"
Since his divorce, Lu Shishen has been the epitome of a perfect man.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Wang Xiuxiu treated him like a servant, coming and going at will.
Knowing that Lu Shishen and Wang Xiuxiu had divorced, some people in the courtyard soon had other ideas.
Lu Shishen was indeed outstanding; people kept introducing their relatives to him, but he always refused them outright.
Some people overthink it, assuming he's just concerned about saving face.
So he came up with a plan to have his niece visit him in the yard, creating an opportunity for her to bump into Lu Shishen.
Since Lu Shishen is already divorced, no one can say anything about what he's doing.
Even so, Lu Shishen always left without looking to the side.
When the girl greeted Lu Shishen, he walked even faster, almost embarrassing the woman.
After one, two, or three times, the family understood what he meant.
People gradually realized that there was no chance at all, so no one bothered with him anymore.
Wang Xiuxiu knew all of these things.
She was also present during that staged encounter, but she reacted quickly and had already taken Lu Xiaozhao far away.
Because of her actions, Lu Shishen, for the first time ever, ignored her for several days.
After sulking for a few days and realizing that Wang Xiuxiu wasn't buying it at all, he happily went over to her again, acting as if nothing had happened and continuing to fawn over her.
As time went on, everyone in the compound understood.
Deputy Battalion Commander Lu hasn't let go of his ex-wife; the two will remarry sooner or later.
Some people say that even without the marriage certificate, the two of them would still live like a married couple.
Xu Ruantang had nothing to do all day, so when she went out for a walk, she would be stopped by the women in the courtyard and they would sit together and gossip.
She knew some of it, more or less.
Wang Xiuxiu chuckled softly, and was about to speak when the courtyard gate rang again.
Chen Ji, who had left home early in the morning, was carrying a suitcase when he entered the house. Behind him was Lu Shishen, the person involved in Xu Ruantang and Wang Xiuxiu's cricket-catching incident.
"Why did you two come back together?"
Xu Ruantang waited for them to enter the house before standing up and asking.
Chen Ji placed the box he was carrying on the table. "I met it on the way."
Once he opened the box in his hand, Xu Ruantang lost all interest in asking any other questions.
Chen Ji found a set of mahjong tiles from somewhere, and the four of them sat together and played for the entire morning during their rare free time.
When it was lunchtime, and since it was the Lunar New Year, Xu Ruantang decided to invite them to stay for lunch.
Chen Ji went to do it, and Lu Shishen, with great insight, followed him in.
"Ruan Tang, come on, let's go to the yard and bask in the sun for a while."
Wang Xiuxiu helped Xu Ruantang up, and the way she was being so careful made Xu Ruantang laugh. "Don't be like that, I can manage on my own, I'm not that fragile."
“That won’t do, your husband Chen will get anxious again soon.”
Wang Xiuxiu also joked with a smile.
Taking advantage of Lu Shishen's absence, Xu Ruantang asked the question she had been holding back all morning: "Sister Xiuxiu, what are your plans? Are you going to remarry Deputy Battalion Commander Lu?"
Wang Xiuxiu had just moved a stool and sat down when she was suddenly attacked face-to-face.
Her lips twitched slightly as she said, "Ruan Tang, if I don't answer you today, you won't be able to sleep tonight, will you? Wouldn't that make me even more guilty?"
Xu Ruantang took her arm and shook it gently twice. "It's not that bad, it's just that I feel like you're not doing well right now."
She leaned on Wang Xiuxiu's shoulder, her gaze falling on Lu Xiaozhao, who was playing alone not far away.
After a long pause, Xu Ruantang continued, "Sister Xiuxiu, I know you're doing this for Xiaozhao, but you can't sacrifice your life for the sake of a child."
If you truly have no feelings for Deputy Battalion Commander Lu, I won't say anything. But I know you do.
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