That evening, Lu Zhanting came home earlier than usual.
His military boots stepped into the living room, but instead of heading straight to wash up like he normally did, he stopped.
The tall man stood in the middle of the room, looking at Su Wanqing as she tidied up. His expression was tense, carrying an unmistakable hint of awkwardness.
“Well…”
He spoke, his voice low, the slight hesitation at the end something even he didn’t notice.
“Chen Hao and a few others are coming over tonight.”
Su Wanqing paused mid-wipe and looked up at him, her clear eyes meeting his.
“Chen Hao? Your orderly?”
“Mm.”
Lu Zhanting added concisely, “And two platoon leaders from the battalion—Li Wei and Wang Gang.”
“After the last exercise, we agreed to get together. They want to come by, get to know the place… and eat.”
When he said the last two words, his gaze flickered for a split second.
The request was sudden.
He knew the situation at home all too well—aside from the rationed rice and flour and a few bland vegetables, there was nothing else. Asking Su Wanqing to somehow produce food for three or four grown men on such short notice was asking the impossible.
“Sure.”
The answer was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
All the words he had prepared—If it’s not convenient, I’ll just take them to the mess hall—got stuck in his throat.
He looked at her. Not only was there no sign of difficulty on her face, a light, sincere smile even bloomed there.
“About what time will they arrive?”
“Do they like spicy food? Any dietary restrictions?”
She asked naturally and smoothly, like a housewife who had hosted guests countless times.
Lu Zhanting stared at her calm composure for a moment before answering instinctively, “About an hour. They’re not picky—as long as they’re full.”
“Got it.”
Su Wanqing nodded, untied the apron around her waist.
“Then you rest for a bit, or keep them company. I’ll handle the cooking.”
With that, she turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving behind a slender yet remarkably capable silhouette.
Lu Zhanting stood where he was, staring at the closed kitchen door. A strange, burning anticipation rose in his chest.
Inside the kitchen, Su Wanqing quickly calculated.
This wasn’t just Lu Zhanting’s comrades’ first visit.
It was also her first official appearance as Lu Zhanting’s wife.
This meal could not be careless.
She had to make them eat well—and more importantly, she had to make Lu Zhanting proud.
She opened the cupboard. The inventory was obvious at a glance: a few jin of white flour, half a sack of rice, and in the corner, several shriveled potatoes and radishes.
With just these, even a simple home-cooked meal would be difficult.
Su Wanqing’s thoughts shifted, her consciousness sinking into her space.
Inside, the crops in the black soil were lush and vibrant with life.
She moved familiarly to the storage area, her eyes swiftly scanning the abundant supplies.
A cleaned, plump chicken.
A slab of pork belly with perfect layers of fat and lean meat.
Several crucian carp, lively and splashing in a stream.
Fresh mushrooms, crisp green vegetables, ripe tomatoes, and dewy cucumbers were all within easy reach.
The menu formed instantly in her mind.
Braised pork belly—perfect with rice.
A pot of chicken and mushroom soup—warming and nourishing.
Scallion-braised crucian carp—fresh and fragrant.
Paired with tomato-and-egg stir-fry, sautéed greens, and cold cucumber salad.
Four dishes and one soup—meat and vegetables balanced. In this era, it was top-tier hospitality.
She took out all the ingredients, placed them in a large bamboo basket, and covered the top with dried vegetables and potatoes as camouflage.
That way, even if Lu Zhanting suddenly came in, he’d only think she’d dug these out of her “family stores.”
Everything ready, Su Wanqing rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
The chicken was blanched, then placed in a clay pot with soaked mushrooms and a few slices of ginger, simmered slowly over low heat.
Before long, a rich, domineering aroma of meat drifted out of the kitchen.
Next came the pork belly—cut into chunks, caramelized with sugar, seasoned, watered, and left to braise.
Soon, the pot began to bubble softly, the salty fragrance of sauce intertwining with the rich aroma of fat, aggressively invading every corner of the house.
The crucian carp was pan-fried until golden on both sides, layered thickly with scallions, splashed with sauce, and gently braised to absorb the flavors.
Her movements were fluid and assured.
Her knife work was precise, her heat control impeccable.
This simple little kitchen had become her stage.
The mingling aromas rose and spread, transforming the once cold, austere military family housing into a place filled with warm, human smoke and life.
An hour later, lively laughter and voices sounded outside the courtyard gate.
“This is the place! I’m telling you, sister-in-law is amazing—beautiful and kind!”
It was Chen Hao’s booming voice.
“Enough, enough, you talk too much. Don’t scare her,” another steady voice cut in.
Lu Zhanting stood up and opened the door.
Three men in military uniforms stood outside.
At the front was Chen Hao—round-faced, eyes crinkling into slits when he smiled, radiating cheerfulness. Behind him were Li Wei, tall and serious, and Wang Gang, big and honest-looking.
“Battalion Commander!”
All three snapped to attention and saluted in unison.
“At home, there’s no need for that,” Lu Zhanting said, stepping aside to let them in. His gaze swept over Chen Hao. “And you—you’re loud.”
Chen Hao grinned sheepishly, scratching his head and craning his neck inside.
“Where’s sister-in-law?”
Before the words even fell, Su Wanqing came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of cold cucumber salad.
She had changed out of her old cooking clothes and into a clean, light-blue blouse, her long hair neatly tied back.
The heat from the stove had left a natural flush on her cheeks, a few damp strands of hair clinging to her smooth forehead.
She had neither the fragility of a sheltered young lady nor the awkwardness of a rural girl—only a poise that instantly won people over.
“Hello, I’m Su Wanqing. The food will be ready soon—please have a seat.”
She smiled as she spoke, her voice clear and gentle.
The three men froze.
They had heard long ago that Lu Zhanting had married a countryside girl, and had expected someone plain, even rustic.
Who could have imagined this?
No makeup, yet more striking than the women in magazines.
Especially her eyes—clear and bright like mountain spring water. And more rare still was her calm, dignified bearing, neither servile nor overbearing, instantly likable.
“S-sister-in-law, hello!”
Chen Hao recovered first, his face reddening as he hurriedly introduced himself.
“I’m Chen Hao, the battalion commander’s orderly. This is Li Wei, and this is Wang Gang.”
Li Wei and Wang Gang snapped back to attention and followed suit, a little stiffly.
“Hello, sister-in-law!”
“Don’t stand there—sit down,” Su Wanqing said warmly, then turned to Lu Zhanting. “You keep them company. I’ll bring out the dishes.”
Lu Zhanting gave a low “Mm.” His eyes followed her back into the kitchen, the corners of his lips lifting into an almost imperceptible curve.
“Old Lu, you’re something else!”
Chen Hao plopped down, lowering his voice as he waggled his eyebrows at Lu Zhanting.
“Hiding such a beautiful sister-in-law and not introducing her sooner! You lucky bastard—this is some once-in-a-lifetime fortune!”
Even the usually stern Li Wei nodded, offering a rare, fair comment.
“Sister-in-law… seems very good.”
Wang Gang, meanwhile, kept sniffing the air, staring toward the kitchen and asking honestly,
“Commander, what smells so good? It’s better than the mess hall on New Year’s!”
Lu Zhanting ignored their teasing—but the slight lift of his chin and the pride he couldn’t hide in his eyes said everything.
Soon, Su Wanqing and Lu Zhanting brought the dishes out one by one.
When the table full of food appeared before them, Chen Hao and the others were completely stunned.
The braised pork, glossy and ruby-red, trembled invitingly in a large bowl. Thick, rich sauce clung to every piece, releasing a tempting sweet aroma.
The scallion-braised crucian carp lay quietly on its platter, golden and crisp, its body blanketed in fragrant, lightly charred scallions.
There was also the bright yellow tomato-and-egg stir-fry, the vivid green sautéed vegetables, and a large basin of steaming, aromatic mushroom chicken soup.
The staple was fluffy white rice, each grain distinct and piping hot.
The three men looked at one another, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
What kind of heavenly life was this?
Had they accidentally wandered into the back kitchen of a state-owned restaurant?
“Sister-in-law… y-you made all of this yourself?” Chen Hao asked, stammering in disbelief.
“Mhm. I don’t know if it suits your tastes. Go on, try it—don’t be shy,” Su Wanqing said with a smile as she served each of them a bowl of rice.
“Doesn’t suit our tastes?”“This is practically an imperial feast!”
Wang Gang had long since lost his patience. He grabbed his chopsticks and shoved the largest piece of braised pork into his mouth.
The meat was braised until meltingly tender—the fat dissolved instantly on the tongue, while the lean meat had soaked up the sauce, savory with a hint of sweetness, rich but not greasy.
Wang Gang’s eyes lit up instantly. He swallowed it down in two bites and shouted indistinctly, “So good! This is insanely good!”
With him leading the charge, Chen Hao and Li Wei no longer held back.
Chen Hao picked up a piece of fish. The flesh was tender and fresh; the scallion fragrance and savory sauce exploded in his mouth, so delicious he nearly swallowed his tongue.
Li Wei took a sip of the chicken soup. The broth was milky white, rich and fragrant. As it slid down his throat, warmth spread instantly through his limbs, as if washing away an entire day’s fatigue.
“Sister-in-law! Your cooking is unbelievable!” Chen Hao praised through a mouthful of rice. “Were you a restaurant chef before? This is even better than what our regiment commander treats us to!”
“Exactly!” Wang Gang echoed while stuffing his face. “Battalion Commander, you’re incredibly blessed! To marry such a wonderful wife!”
Su Wanqing felt a little embarrassed by all the praise and could only smile. “If you like it, eat more. Your training is tough—you should nourish yourselves properly.”
Lu Zhanting didn’t say a word the entire time.
He ate quietly, yet the lines of his face were softer than ever before.
He rarely picked up food for himself, but his chopsticks never stopped moving.
He placed the largest chicken drumstick into Su Wanqing’s bowl, then added the most flavorful piece of braised pork.
“Eat.”
His voice was low, carrying a firmness that brooked no refusal.
Su Wanqing looked at the small mountain of meat in her bowl, warmth rippling from her chest outward.
Naturally, Chen Hao and the others didn’t miss this scene.
The three exchanged glances, grins full of teasing.
Their battalion commander—cold as an iceberg—actually had such a considerate side.
Sure enough, there’s always someone who can melt another.
Everyone ate their fill at this meal.
The big pot of rice was scraped clean. Every dish on the table was wiped out—even the leftover sauce was mixed with rice by Wang Gang.
The three men leaned back in their chairs, hands on their bellies, wearing satisfied expressions of total “casualties.”
“I’m done. I’ve never eaten this much in my life,” Chen Hao said, patting his round belly and letting out a burp.
“Sister-in-law, thank you for the hospitality. This is a meal we’ll remember for a lifetime,” Li Wei said sincerely, rare emotion showing on his usually stern face.
“If the battalion commander ever dares bully you, just tell us! We’ll deal with him for you!” Wang Gang declared, pounding his chest heroically.
Lu Zhanting shot him a cold glance. “Tired of living?”
Wang Gang immediately shrank his neck and fell silent.
Good-natured laughter filled the room.
Watching these iron-blooded men reveal such genuine, lovable sides in front of her—and seeing Lu Zhanting seated at the head of the table, face stern but eyes and brows soaked in quiet amusement—Su Wanqing felt a sense of fulfillment and steadiness she had never known before.
In her own way, she had earned their recognition.
She had upheld Lu Zhanting’s pride and, for herself, secured her first real sense of dignity in this home and in this compound.
Late at night, after seeing off the still-reluctant comrades, the house finally grew quiet.
The air still carried the lingering scent of food and the echoes of hearty laughter.
As Su Wanqing was cleaning the chaotic table, Lu Zhanting walked over and took the dishcloth from her hands.
“Leave it. I’ll do it,” he said in a low voice.
She didn’t argue.
Leaning against the kitchen doorway, she watched the tall man busy himself at the small sink.
Under the light, his side profile looked resolute. The muscles in his arms shifted subtly with each movement, brimming with strength.
This scene had become familiar in just half a month.
“Thank you… for today,” Lu Zhanting suddenly said.
Su Wanqing paused. “For what?”
“They… all like you,” his voice sounded a bit stiff—he rarely said things like this. “You gave me a lot of face today.”
It was the highest praise he could think of.
Her heart felt lightly scratched, a tingling warmth spreading through it.
Looking at his back, she said softly, “We’re husband and wife. Your face is my face. It’s what I should do.”
Lu Zhanting’s movements paused.
He turned to look at Su Wanqing leaning against the doorframe.
The dim yellow light outlined her gentle silhouette. Her eyes, misted with steam, were dazzlingly bright.
“Su Wanqing.”
“Yes?”
“From now on… when guests come over, can it be like today again?”
He asked, his tone carrying a trace of caution and hope he hadn’t even noticed himself.
Su Wanqing smiled.
Under the warm light, her smile bloomed quietly like an epiphyllum—soft, radiant, and beautiful.
She nodded solemnly.
“Okay.”
Just one word, yet it felt like a most solemn promise.
At that moment, Lu Zhanting’s hardened heart softened completely.
From this day on, this house was no longer just a place to shelter from wind and rain.
It had become a real home—one that could welcome comrades, filled with laughter and warmth.
And all of it was because of the girl before him.
He thought that marrying her was probably the greatest stroke of fortune in his life—second only to surviving countless brushes with death on the battlefield.