He lifted the quilt covering Meng Ying’s head and leaned in slightly closer. "Don’t sleep with the blanket over your head."
Lu Tingzhou’s voice carried a hint of tension, hoarse yet sensual. Meng Ying turned to look at him, and as their eyes met, he pulled her into his embrace. "Go to sleep."
Meng Ying mumbled a soft "Mm" before drifting off into a hazy slumber.
Early the next morning, when Meng Ying woke up, Lu Tingzhou had already left for morning drills. With nothing else to do, she busied herself in the yard, tending to the vegetables. Water was relatively scarce in this area. Although their military base ensured a steady supply for daily use, using it for watering crops or planting vegetables was considered somewhat extravagant. As a result, most people grew only hardy vegetables in their yards.
After planning out the vegetable garden, Meng Ying went into the kitchen. She had prepared dough earlier and was planning to steam buns. The filling was made with preserved mustard greens and pork belly—the preserved greens had been given to her by Sister-in-law Liu from next door.
The weather here was quite warm, so the dough rose quickly. Meng Ying first drained the soaked preserved mustard greens and stir-fried them in an iron wok until dry, then chopped them finely. As for the pork belly, she had asked Lu Tingzhou to mince it the day before and set it aside. She then added some scallion and ginger water to the meat, vigorously stirring it before mixing in the preserved greens.
In about ten minutes, she had already wrapped over a dozen buns and placed them in the steamer. Kitchens in this era were rather rudimentary, and the house only had a wood-burning stove, so starting a fire was necessary. Accustomed to modern gas stoves, Meng Ying wasn’t yet skilled at lighting fires.
Just as she was hunched over trying to start the fire, Lu Tingzhou returned. As soon as he entered, he saw the kitchen filled with smoke. Spotting Meng Ying struggling with the fire, he hurried over to help.
Meng Ying looked up, coughing a few times from the smoke. "Cough, cough… You’re back. You take over the fire."
Lu Tingzhou helped her up, his eyes flickering with concern. He gently wiped the soot from her cheek with his thumb. "I’ll handle the fire from now on."
Meng Ying replied, "You’re busy with training at the barracks. When would you have time? It’s fine—I’ll learn after a few tries."
Lu Tingzhou pressed his lips together silently. "Alright."
With the two of them working in perfect harmony.
Meng Ying nodded, "Then later, help me turn over the soil in the yard and plant the vegetables."
"Alright—"
Lu Tingzhou ate quickly, finishing three steamed buns before stopping. Meng Ying, chewing slowly with pickled vegetables, hadn’t finished her meal when Lu Tingzhou went to the yard to work. From her vantage point, she could see his busy figure.
Planting vegetables required fetching water. He took a bucket and left the yard. By the time Meng Ying finished eating, the large vat in the yard was already filled with water. Meng Ying took the seeds, intending to help him, but Lu Tingzhou refused. He brought out a stool from inside the house and placed it in a shady spot.
"You don’t need to work. Just give directions."
Meng Ying was a bit surprised. She glanced at him but didn’t refuse.
The morning sun wasn’t too intense yet, casting a gentle glow over Lu Tingzhou’s figure.
As Meng Ying watched him, the loneliness and melancholy she felt upon arriving in this world seemed to lessen. Perhaps it was the sense of security brought by this man she could rely on. With her judgment of people, she could tell Lu Tingzhou was a good man. He might be a bit clueless about romance and quiet, but his character was solid.
Meng Ying lost herself in thought for a moment.
Just then, voices came from the doorway.
"Is Lu Tuanzhang home?"
Meng Ying looked toward the sound and saw a plump figure approaching with a shrewd smile on her face, cracking melon seeds in her hand. Her eyes were the upturned triangular shape Meng Ying disliked the most.
"Sister Wang," Lu Tingzhou responded.
Wang Guifen immediately spotted Meng Ying sitting leisurely under the eaves, holding a can of food and directing her husband to work. This scene completely shocked her.
In her view, men should lie at home and be served by women, while women should wash clothes, take care of children, and handle household chores.
She curled her lips disdainfully. Pretty as she was, it was a shame she didn’t know how to serve her man.
"Oh—this must be Lu Tuanzhang’s wife. She’s so pretty, truly blessed with good fortune. She doesn’t even need to work, just watches her husband do it."
It sounded like praise for Meng Ying’s good fortune, but if she hadn’t spoken with such sarcasm, Meng Ying wouldn’t have realized how much hostility she harbored, especially since it was their first meeting.
"Sister, do you need something?" Lu Tingzhou asked proactively.
"Oh, I almost forgot the main thing. I need to borrow your air pump," Wang Guifen said matter-of-factly.
Lu Tingzhou had already guessed she was here to borrow something. Wang Guifen was notorious in the area for borrowing things and never returning them. She loved taking advantage of others, especially their belongings, so her reputation in the compound had never been good. He’d heard about it but didn’t see the need to make a fuss.
"Wait a moment, then."
Wang Guifen replied, "No rush."
After saying this, she stared at Meng Ying. This girl truly lacked manners. She’d been here for a while, yet Meng Ying hadn’t greeted her or offered tea. After all, she was an elder. Thinking this, her expression grew even more unpleasant.
Lu Tingzhou brought out the air pump and handed it to her.
Wang Guifen took it, pursed her lips, swayed her hips, and left.
Meng Ying rested her chin on her hand, watching the direction she left. "Who is she?"
Lu Tingzhou: "The wife of the transferred Fang Brigade Commander. You can call her Sister Wang."
"I don't like her," Meng Ying said bluntly, expressing her preference as her large eyes blinked at him.
Lu Tingzhou's ears flushed red, his usually stern face softening with indulgence. "Alright, we'll keep our distance from now on."
Meng Ying nodded, pleased with his compliance. After a busy morning finally planting all the seeds, she was in high spirits. For lunch, she prepared braised pork—a rich, reddish-brown dish that satisfied their cravings. Lu Tingzhou ate two bowls of rice before heading to the military camp.
In the afternoon, Meng Ying busied herself experimenting with her skincare toners. By the time she looked up, dusk had begun to settle. She stood and stretched lazily.
When Lu Tingzhou entered, he saw her relaxed posture and felt his brow twitch. A small patch of skin had been exposed at her waist—pale and almost glowing. He quickly averted his gaze and placed the food he brought on the table. "I got this from the canteen."
Meng Ying glanced over: a radish soup and a stir-fry of celery with sliced pork. It looked decent enough. Exhausted from the afternoon's work, she had no energy to cook. Lu Tingzhou set the meal out neatly before heading to the bathroom to wash his hands.
After dinner, Meng Ying went to bathe. Lu Tingzhou had heated the water, carefully pouring bucket after bucket into the wooden tub until the temperature was just right.
She emerged about ten minutes later, refreshed after her bath. As she towel-dried her hair, her smooth, long locks cascaded down her back, framing her delicate face like seaweed.
By the time Lu Tingzhou came out of the bathroom, Meng Ying was already at the table, absorbed in a book.