“My An An has also been allergic to peanuts since childhood, it’s congenital.”
Qiao Xingyue told Huang Guilan about the two times An An had experienced peanut allergies since she was little.
Then, she added:
“Peanut allergies can range from mild symptoms like full-body rashes and itching to severe cases involving edema, breathing difficulties, and even suffocation or shock. If not treated promptly, it can indeed be quite dangerous.”
“Aunt Lan, don’t worry. From now on, when I cook, I’ll make sure not to add any peanuts or peanut-based seasonings.”
Previously, only An An was allergic to peanuts.
Now that An An, Aunt Lan, and Comrade Xie are all allergic to peanuts, she would definitely be extra cautious.
Just then, the buns in the steamer were ready.
Qiao Xingyue lifted the steamer containing the buns off the honeycomb coal stove.
The pot emitted a fragrant, steaming aroma that was utterly delightful.
But Huang Guilan’s mind was preoccupied with the coincidence, “How can it be such a coincidence? An An is allergic to peanuts just like me and Zhongming?”
Qiao Xingyue also found it quite remarkable and said with a smile, “Aunt Lan, it seems this child is fated to be connected to you.”
Evening.
Huang Guilan was soaking her feet in her room.
Lately, Huang Guilan hadn’t been sleeping well. Xie Jiang brought a small bamboo stool and sat in front of her, giving her a foot massage.
Noticing Huang Guilan lost in thought, Xie Jiang asked, “What’s on your mind, dear? You seem so absorbed.”
“Old Xie, don’t you think it’s strange? Comrade Qiao’s older daughter, An An, is just like me and Old Four—she’s had a congenital peanut allergy since childhood. How can it be such a coincidence?”
Xie Jiang noticed the water in the foot basin was no longer warm, so he picked up the thermos and added some hot water.
“Stay still, be careful not to get burned. This just shows that our Xie family and the child are connected by fate. Our family has never had a girl, so why not treat An An and Ningning as your own granddaughters?”
“I think that’s a good idea.” The thought of the two adorable and well-behaved children made Huang Guilan both heartbroken and deeply sympathetic.
“…”
“Alright, Old Xie, that’s enough massaging.”
“Let me massage a bit longer. Is the pressure alright?”
“It’s fine. These past couple of days, soaking my feet and having you massage them like this has actually improved my sleep quite a bit.”
When Qiao Xingyue left her grandmother’s room, she inevitably passed by Aunt Lan and Division Commander Xie’s room.
The door was slightly ajar.
Division Commander Xie, a high-ranking military officer commanding at least ten thousand soldiers who all had to follow his orders.
Every one of those soldiers had to salute him when they saw him.
Yet, at home, Division Commander Xie would actually wash his wife’s feet.
He was truly a good man who cherished his wife.
No doubt, growing up in such an environment, Regiment Leader Xie and his brothers must also be men who took good care of their wives.
As an outsider, Qiao Xingyue couldn’t help but feel relaxed and happy witnessing such a family atmosphere. She had no idea what kind of incredible luck had brought her to such a wonderful employer to work as a nanny.
With a light and cheerful heart, Qiao Xingyue prepared to take An An and Ningning to wash up and go to bed.
Just then, she ran into Xie Zhongming returning from outside the main hall.
He was holding a net bag containing three stacked enamel basins, each stamped with a bright red “Double Phoenix Brand” logo on the bottom.
Seeing her, he handed her the net bag, “Comrade Qiao, my mother asked me to bring these enamel basins for you. They were just bought from the department store.”
Qiao Xingyue took the net bag, “Why so many?”
Xie Zhongming responded, “My mother said female comrades value cleanliness, they use separate basins for washing face and feet…”
Huang Guilan had explained that female comrades use different basins for washing face, feet, and undergarments, so she specifically instructed him to buy three enamel basins for Comrade Qiao.
But as a man, discussing undergarment washing with a female comrade felt somewhat awkward.
“Anyway, my mother specifically asked me to bring you three new enamel basins.”
Qiao Xingyue examined the basins and found new toothbrushes, cups, and Zhonghua brand toothpaste inside.
In the 1970s, daily consumables like toothpaste were luxuries for ordinary families, especially Zhonghua brand. This large tube cost one yuan and twenty cents – enough to buy twenty large meat buns.
Most ordinary households used tooth powder or salt for brushing teeth.
Aunt Lan had asked Comrade Xie to buy her the most expensive toothpaste directly. Qiao Xingyue suddenly felt unexpectedly honored, and secretly resolved in her heart: I must work hard for the Xie family.
“Comrade Xie, thank you so much, and please thank Aunt Lan too. I don’t know how to express my gratitude to your whole family!”
“No need to be so polite.”
“By the way, Comrade Xie, I heard from Aunt Lan that you’re married. Why hasn’t your wife joined you in the military camp?”
Given Comrade Xie’s rank, his wife would definitely qualify to accompany him in the military.
She had asked casually.
Thinking about how Division Commander Xie doted on Aunt Lan, she assumed Regiment Leader Xie must also be a good man who cherished his wife and would want her by his side.
By the time Qiao Xingyue realized she shouldn’t have asked this question, it was too late.
Xie Zhongming’s brows furrowed deeply, his eyes devoid of any warmth. He remained silent for a long time.
The atmosphere between them instantly froze.
Even An An and Ningning nearby noticed their uncle had suddenly turned cold, making them too afraid to make a sound.
Finally, Xie Zhongming replied coldly, “Comrade Qiao, this is the second time you’ve inquired about my personal marital status.”
Qiao Xingyue suddenly understood.
No wonder when he first entered the main room yesterday and saw her in the Xie household, he had looked at her with such suspicion and wariness.
“Comrade Xie, I didn’t come here to work as a nanny because of you. I’ve been wanting to find work in the city to support my two children, and Aunt Tang from our village happened to recommend me here. I really have no designs on you.”
“I’m just a widow who lost her husband and has two children to raise. I couldn’t possibly have any other intentions.”
Please don’t misunderstand – she hadn’t come here to seduce him.
This job was too important for her.
At this, the impassive Xie Zhongming responded coldly again, “Is that so? Comrade Qiao, I never said I suspected you of anything. Why are you so quick to explain yourself?”
Qiao Xingyue was left speechless, “…”
Indeed, Comrade Xie hadn’t said he suspected her of anything.
But her urgent explanation was only because this nanny job was truly too important for her.
She added:
“Comrade Xie, I just want to do my job well, have a stable income, and survive with my two children.”
“I truly have no improper thoughts about you.”
After saying this, she took An An and Ningning’s hands and turned to go upstairs.
The Xie family’s two-story house had the main room, kitchen, bathroom, plus Aunt Lan and Division Commander Xie’s room, and the grandmother’s room on the first floor.
The second floor housed the rooms of Qiao Xingyue and the two children, along with Xie Zhongming and Xie Mingzhe’s rooms, as well as a small terrace adorned with flowers.
Xie Zhongming watched as the mother and her two daughters went upstairs.
He thought about how Comrade Qiao had lost her husband and had been raising the two children alone, living a truly difficult life. The coldness in his eyes faded, replaced only by a hint of regret.
His earlier icy interrogation of Comrade Qiao now felt like shards of ice piercing his own chest, causing him heartache.
He really shouldn’t have doubted Comrade Qiao’s identity based solely on the information at hand.
Even if he had suspicions, he should have waited for solid, undeniable evidence.
Soon, Xie Zhongming realized that his understanding of Qiao Xingyue was still too one-sided.
As he recalled her gaze—filled with grievance, anger, and unwavering resolve—when she turned and left with the children, he began to feel that his suspicions might be misplaced.
Taking a deep breath, he went to his grandmother Chen Suying’s room.
Grandmother Chen Suying was paralyzed on her left side, but her right hand was still nimble as she gestured to Xie Zhongming. However, due to her facial paralysis, her speech was somewhat slurred.
As soon as he entered, his grandmother grabbed his hand and said, “Zhongming, Xingyue, those two girls… their eyes look so much like yours.”
“Grandma, Xingyue is just here to work for our family. Don’t mistake things. Those two girls have nothing to do with me. How could their eyes resemble mine?”
“They do… look… carefully!”
Grandmother Chen Suying kept insisting that the girls’ eyes bore a striking resemblance to Xie Zhongming’s when he was a child.
Xie Zhongming didn’t take it seriously.
Those two children were born to Comrade Qiao and her deceased husband. How could they possibly look like him?
It was impossible.
Leaving his grandmother’s room, he saw Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan both in the bathroom, where sounds of banging and clattering could be heard.
Approaching, he found that the bathroom pipe had broken.
A rusty pipe was leaking water, and Xie Jiang had been squatting there trying to fix it for a while without success.
“Dad, let me give it a try.”
Xie Zhongming took the wrench from Xie Jiang’s hands.
In the ordinary dormitories of the Compound, each unit had a single main valve, but Division Commander Xie’s two-story house, reserved for high-ranking officials, had its own main valve.
Xie Zhongming went to shut off the main valve and was about to squat down to repair the pipe when a tearing pain shot through his groin, forcing him to stand up abruptly halfway through the motion.
Yesterday, when Comrade Qiao first arrived at the Xie household, she had reminded him to go to the Hygiene Section to have his stitches removed, especially since the area was infected. He had indeed gone to the Hygiene Section, but all the male doctors were absent, leaving only female doctors and nurses.
As a result, he hadn’t dealt with the stitches or the infection. Now, as he squatted down, his pants tightened around the area, causing the wound to ache sharply.
Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan exchanged a knowing glance. Then, Xie Jiang asked, “Old Fourth, hasn’t the wound there healed yet?”
In front of Huang Guilan, Xie Zhongming felt somewhat embarrassed but had to reply, “It’s just a bit infected. It’s fine.”
Huang Guilan was frantic. Old Fourth had married Pang Ya, who weighed over two hundred jin, and they hadn’t even had a child. If something happened that left him without descendants, what would they do?
Huang Guilan urged anxiously, “Old Fourth, why don’t you go to the Hygiene Section and let the doctors take a look?”
Just then, Qiao Xingyue happened to return from hanging the freshly washed underwear in the yard to dry. Hearing the commotion, she walked up to the bathroom door.
The space in the bathroom was already cramped. With the three members of the Xie family standing inside, there was no room left. She had no choice but to stand at the doorway and address their backs directly:
“Aunt Lan, I’ll fix the water pipe. After that, I’ll take a look at Comrade Xie’s infected wound.”
Xie Zhongming’s ears flushed red. He immediately clenched his fingers and firmly refused, “Comrade Qiao, thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I’ll go to the Hygiene Section tomorrow.”
Qiao Xingyue put down the enamel basin in her hand. “Comrade Xie already went to the Hygiene Section today, didn’t you?”
“…” The red-eared Xie Zhongming silently admitted it.
Qiao Xingyue pressed further, “Was it because the Hygiene Section only has female doctors, and you wouldn’t let them take off your pants to treat the wound?”
At this point, Huang Guilan glanced at her fourth son. By now, not only were his ears red, but his neck and face were flushed too. She knew her son well—since childhood, he had always maintained strong boundaries with the opposite sex and was very reserved around female comrades.
Huang Guifang gently advised, “Old Fourth, in a doctor’s eyes, there are only patients, no distinction between men and women. If you keep being this shy and delay treatment, what if you really end up unable to have children? You and your wife have been living apart for so long, and you still don’t even have a child. Since it’s infected, let Comrade Qiao take a proper look at it later.”
Xie Zhongming clenched his fingers even tighter.
At the mention of Pang Ya, his stern facial features tensed up.
“Mom, I won’t have a child with her.”
His icy voice carried clear resistance.
It was only then that Qiao Xingyue picked up on some clues.
Why was Comrade Xie living apart from his wife for so long?
And it was obvious that Comrade Xie didn’t seem to like his wife very much—he might even be somewhat resentful toward her.
Was Comrade Xie in an unhappy marriage? Was it an arranged marriage? But that didn’t seem right. Division Commander Xie and Aunt Lan didn’t strike her as the type to arrange a marriage for their son. They were reasonable and open-minded.
In any case, Qiao Xingyue found it strange.
She took the wrench from Xie Zhongming’s hand. “Let me fix it. If this pipe keeps leaking until tomorrow, who knows how much water will be wasted.”
“Comrade Qiao, you know how to fix water pipes too?”
“I’ll give it a try. It shouldn’t be a big problem.”
Xie Zhongming’s parents quickly squeezed their way out of the bathroom.
Qiao Xingyue stepped inside, crouched in front of the pipe, and unscrewed the elbow joint to inspect it. She quickly figured out the issue.
“The sealing ring is broken. Comrade Xie, do you have any old bicycle inner tubes at home? If so, bring me a pair of scissors too.”
“Actually, we do. I’ll go get them.”
Xie Zhongming returned with the scissors and a discarded bicycle inner tube. He watched as Qiao Xingyue cut out a rubber ring the size of a sealing ring, placed it into the groove of the elbow joint, and tightened the pipe.
Her movements were as swift and fluid as if she were performing surgery—efficient and precise.
In just a few moments, she had fixed the leaking pipe that neither he nor his father, Xie Jiang, had been able to resolve.
He bent down to check—it really wasn’t leaking anymore.
The dim light cast a shadow, illuminating Qiao Xingyue’s focused brows and eyes, her dark braided hair, and the jade-like fairness of her neck beneath the braid.
Just as Xie Zhongming was about to straighten up—
The next moment, Qiao Xingyue stood up and turned around, accidentally bumping into him.
Caught off guard, Qiao Xingyue’s soft, plump lips brushed against Xie Zhongming’s forehead. She hadn’t expected him to suddenly bend down.
After steadying herself, she quickly apologized.
Xie Zhongming rubbed his burning ears. “It’s fine!”
Remembering what he’d just mentioned about his infection, Qiao Xingyue said decisively, “Comrade Xie, since you have an infection there, let me help you treat it…”
Before she could finish, Xie Zhongming said firmly, “Comrade Qiao, that won’t be necessary. I’ll go to the military general hospital tomorrow.”
…
Everyone returned to their respective rooms.
After lying down, Huang Guilan said to Xie Jiang, “Old Xie, I think Comrade Qiao and our fourth son are quite well-matched. If only our fourth son could divorce Pang Ya.”
Xie Jiang removed his reading glasses. “What, you want to matchmake our fourth son with Comrade Qiao? He’s still married. We can’t casually arrange such things.”
After Xie Jiang lay down, Huang Guilan nudged his arm. “Old Xie, I don’t mind Pang Ya being fat – as long as her ideology is sound. But she’s always stealing from neighbors in Chadian Village, taking from the Zhang family one day and the Li family the next. For the past five years, every letter from Chadian Village to our fourth son has been asking for money to clean up her mess. What kind of military wife behaves like that? You should persuade our fourth son to just divorce Pang Ya. The organization would certainly approve.”
Xie Jiang sighed. “It’s not that our fourth son hasn’t considered it. He just hasn’t made up his mind yet.”
Huang Guilan also sighed. “Our fourth son is so talented and handsome. He should marry someone capable and beautiful like Comrade Qiao. If he can successfully divorce, there might be a chance for them. Don’t you think?”
Xie Jiang: “Don’t play matchmaker recklessly. Although Comrade Qiao is a widow, her conditions aren’t poor. She might not necessarily be interested in our fourth son.”
…
2:00 AM.
Xie Zhongming had a dream.
He actually dreamed of Pang Ya sitting on top of him.
He held her waist, his arms unconsciously tightening around the soft curves.
The waist was as soft as tender tofu, glistening with a thin layer of fragrant sweat.
When he looked up again, the face shimmering with delicate sweat had transformed from Pang Ya’s into Qiao Xingyue’s.
The long black braid tied on Qiao Xingyue’s right side hung down naturally, making the skin of her collarbone appear as fair as jade.
Xie Zhongming sat up drenched in sweat.
Perspiration soaked his neck where every muscle was taut.
His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed as sweat trickled down, every sweat-sheened muscle displaying restrained tension.
Xie Zhongming took a deep breath.
How absurd!
No matter how flawed Pang Ya might be, she was still his wife, and Comrade Qiao deserved respect. How could he… mix them up in his dreams?
He threw off the covers and saw a dark stain on the sheet.
Abruptly pulling off the bedding, he stuffed it into an enamel basin and walked out of the room.
Just then, he bumped into Qiao Xingyue leading Ningning upstairs under the lamplight.
Ningning had woken up needing to pee in the middle of the night, rousing Qiao Xingyue, who had to take the child downstairs since the only bathroom in this two-story house was next to the main room on the first floor.
Qiao Xingyue saw Xie Zhongming under the light, wearing only an army green tank top and shorts that reached his knees.
His chest was soaked with sweat.
The tank top clung to his chest, accentuating the firm and powerful lines of his muscles.
It seemed as though he hadn’t been sleeping but had just finished a sweat-drenched workout. His neck and the edges of his ears were flushed red, showing clear signs of dilated capillaries.
Noticing the enamel basin in his hands stuffed with bedsheets and duvet covers, Qiao Xingyue couldn’t help but wonder, “Comrade Xie, are you really going to wash the bedding in the middle of the night?”