Three days after Lu Zhanting left, Su Wanqing received a letter he had sent through someone.
A thin sheet of paper, covered with the man’s bold, flowing handwriting.
“All is well, do not worry. The mission is going smoothly; expected to return in a week. Wait for me at home.”
Just like him—domineering and concise.
Su Wanqing’s fingertips gently traced the powerful strokes that seemed to penetrate the paper, as if she could feel the force and warmth behind his writing.
She brought the letter close to her nose—there still seemed to be the faint scent of gunpowder and his unique, crisp masculine aura.
She read it over and over, until she could close her eyes and vividly picture the shape of each character in her mind.
The heart that had been hanging heavy since he left finally settled down.
He was safe.
That was enough.
But after the peace of mind came an overwhelming emptiness and longing, flooding over her like a tide.
Their small home was filled everywhere with traces of his presence.
The bucket he mentioned in the yard.
The bowls and chopsticks he used in the kitchen.
On the big bed in the bedroom, his side still seemed to hold the lingering warmth of his body.
He had only been gone three days.
Yet Su Wanqing felt she was already unaccustomed to eating alone, sleeping alone.
That afternoon, she was watering the vegetable bed in the yard when Sister Liu came in carrying a dustpan half full of worn shoe soles.
“Wanqing, aren’t you lonely all by yourself?” Sister Liu sat on a small stool, her hands busily stitching.
Su Wanqing put down the watering can and sat beside her, forcing a smile. “It’s okay.”
“What’s okay about it? Look at your face—no spirit at all.” Sister Liu saw right through her.
“When a man’s on a mission, the heart feels empty, right? We army wives all go through it,” her tone was understanding and comforting.
Su Wanqing was silent for a moment, then quietly asked, “Sister… will missions be dangerous?”
Sister Liu paused, then patted her hand firmly, voice lowered but certain.
“Silly girl, being a soldier, danger is part of the job. But we have to trust them.”
“Zhanting is the toughest soldier in our division. Even the Grim Reaper would dodge him. Just put your heart back where it belongs, and wait calmly at home for his victorious return.”
Sister Liu’s words were plain but carried a convincing strength.
Su Wanqing’s heart was indeed soothed.
“By the way,” Sister Liu changed tone, her face brightening with enthusiasm, “Tomorrow afternoon, a few of us army wives are meeting at Commissar Zhang’s house. You should come too, get to know some people, so you don’t overthink alone.”
An army wives’ gathering?
Su Wanqing hesitated.
Though she had been here some time, except for Sister Liu, she wasn’t close with the others.
To them, she was probably still “Captain Lu’s pretty wife from the countryside,” a vague label mixed with curiosity.
“Go, go!” Sister Liu pulled her hand without giving her a chance to refuse. “Ever since you showed off your skills in the cookhouse, everyone’s been curious about you, wanting to see which clever girl thawed our cold-as-ice Captain Lu.”
Unable to refuse the warm invitation, Su Wanqing knew Sister Liu meant well.
“Okay… thanks, Sister Liu.”
“No need to thank! Remember, two o’clock tomorrow afternoon, I’ll come get you.”
After seeing Sister Liu off, Su Wanqing’s thoughts began to stir.
It wouldn’t do to go to the “housewives’ tea party” empty-handed.
She recalled the popular snacks from her previous life, which would be rare treats in this era.
Perfect as a door opener.
The next afternoon, Sister Liu came knocking on time.
Su Wanqing was ready: a clean white shirt, blue cloth pants, her long hair braided into a shiny black plait down her back, looking fresh and neat.
She carried a bamboo basket covered with a brand-new white cloth.
“Oh, you brought something? Just coming is enough, no need to be so polite,” Sister Liu smiled.
“Just some little things I made myself, nothing valuable, just to share with the sisters,” Su Wanqing smiled lightly.
Commissar Zhang’s home was on the second floor, roomier than Lu Zhanting’s.
As soon as she entered, a warm buzz of conversation greeted her.
Five or six army wives were seated in a circle, knitting and mending shoes, chatting lively.
Their voices abruptly stopped as Su Wanqing entered.
Several pairs of eyes, mixed with curiosity, scrutiny, and examination, fixed on Su Wanqing.
“Come, come, let me introduce you!” Sister Liu enthusiastically broke the silence. “This is the beloved of our Tiger Battalion’s Captain Lu—Su Wanqing!”
“Wanqing, this is Commissar Zhang’s wife, Sister Wang Xiuying, and this is Logistics Section Chief Zhou’s wife, Sister Li…”
Following Sister Liu’s introductions, Su Wanqing smiled and nodded politely to each, neither humble nor arrogant, with graceful manners.
The hostess, Wang Xiuying, about forty, wearing glasses, with a refined temperament, kindly took Su Wanqing’s hand: “Welcome, Wanqing sister, sit quickly. Old Sister Liu has mentioned you often, but you look even more handsome than she said.”
“Sister Wang, you flatter me,” Su Wanqing blushed slightly and handed over the bamboo basket. “It’s my first time visiting, so I brought some homemade snacks for everyone to try.”
As she spoke, she lifted the white cloth.
A strong, sweet milky aroma immediately filled the room!
Inside the basket, a dozen or so golden, plump little treats were neatly arranged—the crust baked to a crisp golden brown, the filling soft yellow and trembling, like solidified sunshine.
“Oh my goodness, what are these? They smell so good!” a young army wife exclaimed, eyes wide.
“These are called egg tarts,” Su Wanqing explained with a smile as she placed the basket on the table. “Made with flour, eggs, and sugar, baked. Everyone, please try.”
The army wives looked at each other in surprise; they had never seen such delicate, beautiful snacks, more precious than the peach cookies locked behind the supply store counter.
Wang Xiuying, as hostess, was the first to pick one up.
She bit carefully.
Crunch!
The flaky crust crumbled in her mouth, followed by a burst of exquisite warmth and smoothness on her tongue.
The filling was almost otherworldly!
Softer than tofu pudding, smoother than steamed egg custard, with a rich milky and egg aroma exploding in the mouth—sweet just right, not greasy at all.
“Mm… so… delicious!” Wang Xiuying’s eyes instantly lit up, all her refined manners thrown aside. “This—this tastes even better than the Western pastries at the state-run hotel!”
With her leading the way, the others immediately swarmed forward.
“Oh my gosh! How do you make this smooth filling? It just melts in your mouth!”
“So fragrant and sweet! If my naughty kid could eat just one bite, his tail would wag right up to the sky!”
“Wanqing, whose cooking did you learn this from? A top chef in the city, right?”
For a moment, the room was filled with waves of amazed exclamations and praise.
The earlier scrutiny and distance instantly crumbled in the face of such absolute deliciousness.
Su Wanqing smiled and simply said she learned it from reading books.
Women’s conversations always revolve around their husbands, children, and trivial daily matters.
As they chatted, the topic turned to clothing and dressing up.
“Sigh, this dress of mine has three patches already,” one sister-in-law sighed, tugging her sleeve. “Cloth coupons are so limited, never enough.”
“Right? The supply store’s fabrics only come in blue, gray, or green—so dull and lifeless.”
“And this face,” another sister-in-law touched her rough cheek, full of worry. “The northern border wind feels like knives; face cream is precious, who can afford to use it daily?”
These complaints, to Su Wanqing, sounded like business opportunities.
She listened discreetly while her mind raced.
During a lull in their grumbling, Su Wanqing casually spoke up.
“Actually, to have good skin, you don’t necessarily need to use face cream.”
Just one sentence instantly captured everyone’s attention.
“Mix some honey with flour for a face mask; when it dries, wash it off and your skin will be smooth and tender,” she said with a smile. “If honey’s too expensive, egg whites work too. Also, save the rice washing water for washing your face—it can lighten your skin over time.”
These simple tips hit like a thunderclap.
“Really? You can wash your face with rice water?”
“Honey’s so expensive, using it for a face mask? That’s such a waste!”
Su Wanqing smiled calmly. “Try it and you’ll see, it’s all edible stuff, so it can’t hurt your skin.”
Then she looked at the sister-in-law who complained about patched clothes, borrowed paper and pen from Wang Xiuying.
She didn’t say much but quickly drew a delicate plum blossom on the paper.
“Sister, look—embroidering a red flower like this on a patch not only covers the ugly part but makes it a unique decoration.”
She turned to another sister-in-law worried about her child’s short pants and swiftly sketched more.
“Sew a piece of plaid cloth on the pant leg, add matching fabric trims on the pockets for coordination—it’s even more fashionable than new pants!”
In her previous life, Su Wanqing was a top designer, so this was second nature.
With just a few strokes, thoughtful children’s clothing designs appeared on the paper.
The army wives crowded around, craning their necks to see these unheard-of clever ideas, jaws practically dropping.
“So clothes can be altered like this?”
“So patches can become flowers?”
“Oh my, Wanqing, where does your brain come up with these things?”
“This idea is brilliant! Why didn’t I think of it?”
Even the usually composed Wang Xiuying flipped those sketches over and over, eyes full of admiration.
“Wanqing, you’re a treasure! With your ideas and skills, you could easily run a clothing store!”
A clothing store!
Those three words struck like thunder, shattering the chaos in Su Wanqing’s mind.
Of course!
Why can’t she make something of her own?
She had her space, endless spring water, honey, and various beauty herbs—perfect raw materials for making all-natural skincare!
She had the aesthetic and design experience from her past life, plus a brand-new sewing machine—the capital to create unique clothing!
These simple needs of the army wives were the biggest business opportunity of this era!
She didn’t want to be a clingy vine living under Lu Zhanting’s protection.
She wanted her own career, to carve out a space for herself in this fiery era, relying on her own hands and brain!
Once the thought took root, it grew wildly and fiercely.
A burning current flushed through her limbs, making her blood boil.
“Sister Wang, you flatter me. I’m just thinking out loud,” she said, suppressing the overwhelming wave inside, still wearing a humble smile.
But the next question she asked was purposeful.
“Sisters, if there was an ointment that wasn’t greasy but could keep your skin from cracking or peeling, would you want it?”
“Do you even have to ask? We’d dream of having that!”
“When making clothes for kids, what matters more—durability or style?”
“Of course both durable and stylish is best!”
That whole afternoon, Su Wanqing completed her initial market research amid lively discussion.
When she said goodbye, all the army wives reluctantly saw her off at the door, warmly urging her to come again.
With a box of egg tarts, she had knocked open the door to this circle—and with her talent and insight, earned their genuine respect.
On the way home, the sunset stretched her shadow long and slender.
Su Wanqing’s steps were so light she nearly floated.
A clear business blueprint was unfolding slowly in her mind.
Step one: develop a pure natural moisturizing cream called “Wanqing Jade Complexion Ointment,” starting with samples and using word of mouth to open the market.
Step two: design several fashionable children’s clothing lines aimed at these mothers in the compound willing to spend on their kids.
Back home, the sunset’s afterglow filled the empty house.
The usual feelings of loss and loneliness were completely ignited and burned away by a flame called “career.”
She hurried into the study, sat at her desk, and took out paper and pen.
The moment the pen touched paper, her eyes shone brilliantly—brighter than the sunset outside.
She was not just Lu Zhanting’s wife.
She was Su Wanqing.
A woman about to create her own legend in this era.