The next day.
Shen Lu woke up on time when it was dawn.
There were still many things to do today.
Shen Lu first did a set of aerobic exercises on an empty stomach, then skillfully made breakfast for the twins.
Kneading the dough, mixing the filling, and wrapping the wontons were done in one go.
Shen Lu had always been a very capable person; in her opinion, time was money.
Therefore, she would make full use of her limited time.
After wrapping the wontons, while the water was boiling, Shen Lu packed a plate of the wrapped wontons and knocked on her neighbor Li Mei's door.
Li Mei opened the door and, seeing Shen Lu, her face showed a look of pleasant surprise.
Shen Lu got straight to the point.
"Sister, I'm planning to go to the department store to buy some things for the children later. If it's convenient for you, could you watch the two children for me?"
Li Mei's attitude had softened considerably. Upon seeing the wontons in Shen Lu's hand, she said,
"Sister, you're bringing things again. We're neighbors, no need to be so polite."
"Take them, Sister. These are just enough to cook for breakfast."
When it came to food, Li Mei seemed to recall something and said,
"Shen Meizi, you never show off, and I didn't know you were such a good cook.
Those steamed buns you sent yesterday were incredibly delicious. My son is still asking for more.
When you have time, could you teach me how to make them?"
Being praised so directly, Shen Lu smiled confidently and generously.
"It seems Sister hasn't eaten my cooking much. Next time I make something good, I'll bring it for you to try."
Li Mei was overjoyed and repeatedly said, "Good."
After taking the wontons, she waved goodbye to Shen Lu with a smile.
"You go ahead and take care of your business. Your twins play very well with my little Shi Tou."
Li Mei was naturally a warm and generous person who got along very well with her neighbors. She was also the Director of the Military Compound's management committee.
If she could befriend her, she would have more security in the Military Compound in the future.
After all, the original owner's reputation was truly bad, and she had friction with many people.
If she wanted to live a good life in the future, she had to resolve this issue.
Shen Lu woke up the two little beans. Every time they woke up, their guard was down, and their two identical little faces were filled with confusion.
They were most childlike at this moment, and incredibly cute.
Shen Lu couldn't help but step forward and ruffle their hair.
Gu Xingyu became more sober. Seeing it was Shen Lu, he immediately backed away and covered his head, preventing her from messing with it.
Gu Xingze, however, didn't react much. He even looked at Shen Lu with concern and pointed to the back of his head.
Shen Lu understood. She hugged Gu Xingyu, her heart feeling warm, and said emotionally,
"Thank you, my darling. Mommy isn't hurting anymore."
Gu Xingze pursed his small lips, unsure where to put his hands. He was a bit shy but didn't resist.
Gu Xingyu, seeing this scene from the side, let out a "humph" and turned his head away.
Shen Lu couldn't play favorites. She walked over and opened her arms, wanting to hug Gu Xingyu too.
But the little fellow, catching sight of her approaching out of the corner of his eye, jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom.
Shen Lu sighed. The road to winning the hearts of these two children was long and arduous.
While the two little ones were washing up, Shen Lu put the dried wontons on the table and boiled an egg for each child to supplement their nutrition.
She also ate a boiled egg and a few wontons herself.
Although she was on a diet, she couldn't starve herself to an extreme, as it would harm her fundamental health.
After finishing breakfast and cleaning the kitchen, Shen Lu instructed the two children.
"Mommy is going out to buy some things. I'll be back by noon. You play with Brother Shi Tou. If Grandma comes to take you away, don't leave directly; wait for Mommy to come back, understood?"
Gu Xingze nodded.
Gu Xingyu remained silent.
Shi Tou from Li Mei's house came to knock on the door at this moment.
Shi Tou looked about seven years old, tall and sturdy. Because he usually played outside, he was a bit tanned.
Standing next to him, Gu Xingze and Gu Xingyu looked like two bean sprouts.
The three of them usually played together, so they were very familiar with each other.
Shi Tou knocked on the door. Seeing the large-bodied Shen Lu open it, he was startled and took a step back.
Shen Lu showed a gentle smile.
"Shi Tou, Auntie has something to do and needs to go out. You play well with your two younger brothers. I'll make something delicious for you when I get back."
Shi Tou was still scared, but upon hearing about delicious food, his attention was instantly captured.
The steamed buns he ate yesterday were made by this plump auntie. Although she usually looked fierce and scary, he didn't expect her cooking to be so delicious.
Shi Tou, who couldn't resist good food, was immediately won over by Shen Lu. He patted his chest and promised solemnly,
"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll definitely take good care of my two younger brothers."
With Shi Tou's guarantee, Shen Lu felt much more at ease. After packing her things, she left the compound.
Watching Shen Lu's retreating back, worry flashed in Gu Xingze's big eyes. This woman had also told them she was going shopping before and never returned for a long time.
Would this time be the same as before?
"Brother, do you think she'll come back?"
This was the first time Gu Xingyu had not described Shen Lu as a "bad woman."
Confusion appeared in Gu Xingze's eyes. What happened yesterday was too beautiful, so beautiful it felt like a dream.
He held his breath, afraid that if he wasn't careful, the dream would end, and he would return to the past, living a life of constant fear.
"What's going on with your mother..." Shi Tou, not knowing what had happened, asked the two brothers with great curiosity, very concerned about whether his mouth would be able to enjoy good food in the future.
***
On the other side, Shen Lu found the department store following the original owner's memories.
She took out the shopping list she had made yesterday and bought items one by one.
Shen Lu bought mostly things the two children needed, and also bought a can of Pien Tze Huang skincare lotion for herself.
Even though she spent money very carefully, she still spent over a hundred yuan by the time she left the department store.
Gu Xiao would only send money home mid-month, and there were still half a month left.
Shen Lu pondered that she needed to find a way to earn money.
Just as she was thinking, she passed by a translation institute.
Shen Lu's mind turned; wasn't this an opportunity?
In modern times, her business empire was vast, with over 30% of her clients being foreign, so she often traveled abroad.
Shen Lu could speak some of various foreign languages, with English being her most proficient. Her spoken English was comparable to a native speaker from the United States.
Her proficiency in other foreign languages allowed her to understand and write them. Although not as fluent as English, they were perfectly adequate for occasional emergencies.
She just didn't know if the translation institute was hiring. Shen Lu walked in with a tentative attitude.
In this era, it was not easy to learn English and get into a translation institute.
The people in the translation institute were dressed in a style that was clearly more than a decade ahead of the times, each performing their duties.
The work pace was very fast. Shen Lu even heard some colleagues communicating in English.
However, Shen Lu immediately noticed that their spoken pronunciation was not very standard, with some minor issues.
While observing, a gentle male voice came from beside Shen Lu.
"Hello, is there anything I can help you with?"
Shen Lu turned around. It was a very young man, wearing a suit vest, with his hair meticulously combed, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
He had a warm smile on his face, like a gentle spring breeze in March.
"Hello, I would like to apply for a translation position."
As soon as Shen Lu said this, everyone in the office stopped their actions.
They couldn't believe that such a plump, local woman in a floral dress wanted to apply for a translation job.
***