Achoo!
Achoo!
Achoo!
Lu Yancheng sneezed three times in a row. He wasn’t sick, so someone must be talking bad about him.
In his mind, a certain delicate figure flashed by.
Lu Yancheng shook his head to clear the image and continued moving supplies.
Many hands make light work. The entire boat’s supplies were quickly unloaded, just before the typhoon arrived.
By now, the wind had grown unreasonably strong. Dead branches and fallen leaves were swept into the air, swirling wildly. The sky was as dark as ink, and dark clouds loomed heavily over the sea.
Lu Yancheng’s brows furrowed deeply.
“Are all the boats secured?”
“Report, Company Commander, they’re all secured.”
Song Hao’s expression was grave.
“Let’s hurry to the warehouse.”
Lu Yancheng led his company toward the mountainside.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The fierce wind rattled the windows violently.
It also interrupted Jiang Zhuangzhuang’s complaints.
Fang Muyu helped Jiang Zhuangzhuang close all the windows.
A storm was brewing.
“Gurgle.”
Jiang Zhuangzhuang’s stomach growled at an inopportune moment.
“Are you hungry?”
“Yeah.” Jiang Zhuangzhuang nodded sheepishly. “I was too busy talking earlier.”
Fang Muyu was also starting to feel hungry now.
“You’re about 10 years old, right?” Fang Muyu sized up Jiang Zhuangzhuang.
“I’m 11 this year.” Jiang Zhuangzhuang corrected her.
“Eleven, that’s a big kid. When your parents were 11, they were already helping out at home a lot, and cooking was no problem for them.”
Fang Muyu’s words gave Jiang Zhuangzhuang a bad feeling.
“Sister Fang, you’re not thinking of making me cook, are you?”
“Smart, you guessed right.” Fang Muyu didn’t hesitate to praise him. “A clever and capable kid like you—I’ve never met one before.”
“Really?” Jiang Zhuangzhuang puffed out his chest, looking like a proud peacock. “Sister Fang, you really have an eye for talent. I’m the smartest kid on this island. All the bad ideas come from me alone.”
Fang Muyu’s lips twitched.
He really was clever—even knew how to insult himself.
“Since you’re so amazing, cooking something simple shouldn’t be a problem for you, right?”
Jiang Zhuangzhuang’s heart sank, and the smile on his face instantly vanished. “Sister Fang, I’m just a kid. Is it really appropriate for me to cook?”
Fang Muyu blinked her beautiful eyes. “I don’t want to make you do it either, but I don’t know how.”
Jiang Zhuangzhuang was speechless.
The two stared at each other.
“Gurgle, gurgle…”
In the end, Jiang Zhuangzhuang reluctantly stood up. “I haven’t cooked many times, but I’ll give it a try! You can’t just sit around either—you have to help me.”
“Sure, no problem.” Fang Muyu nodded. Standing around and helping was something she was very good at.
“I think neither of us knows how to cook, so let’s keep it simple.”
“Agreed.”
Fang Muyu’s suggestion met with Jiang Zhuangzhuang’s approval.
“Didn’t we gather a lot of clams and crabs today? How about we make a soup with the clams and crabs and add some noodles?”
Fang Muyu thought seafood noodles sounded delicious.
Jiang Zhuangzhuang nodded—he thought it sounded good too.
“Then let’s start by washing the clams and crabs.”
Fang Muyu very conscientiously brought a small stool for Jiang Zhuangzhuang and fetched water for him.
“You go ahead and wash them. I’ll see what else we have at home that can be added to the noodles.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Zhuangzhuang felt something was a bit odd, but still obediently sat on the stool and began washing the clams and crabs.
Fang Muyu returned to the kitchen, took out the noodles, and placed the oil and salt beside them.
Her tasks were all done; the rest was up to Jiang Zhuangzhuang.
When Jiang Zhuangzhuang finished washing the clams and crabs and brought them into the kitchen, she saw Fang Muyu sitting in front of the stove, lost in thought.
“Sister Fang, what are you doing?”
“I’m studying how to light this stove.”
Fang Muyu’s words nearly made Jiang Zhuangzhuang’s jaw drop in astonishment.
“You don’t know how to light a fire?”
“I know how to write the character for ‘fire,’ but I don’t know how to ‘light’ it.” Fang Muyu’s gaze was utterly sincere.
After Fang Muyu’s father married Gu Shiyi’s mother, Gu’s mother, eager to showcase her domestic virtues, insisted on taking over all the household chores. Especially when guests visited, she wouldn’t let Fang Muyu lift a finger, always calling on Gu Shiyi instead.
So, when Fang Muyu said she couldn’t cook, she truly meant she couldn’t cook.
Jiang Zhuangzhuang looked at Fang Muyu with earnest eyes. “You’re all grown up and still don’t know how to light a fire or cook? Sister Fang, don’t worry. I won’t make fun of you.”
Fang Muyu’s lips twitched. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” Jiang Zhuangzhuang patted her sturdy chest. “Lighting a fire and cooking? No big deal. Leave it to me.”
“You’re really amazing. So young, yet you know how to light a fire and cook.”
Fang Muyu’s praise made Jiang Zhuangzhuang beam with pride.
“Of course, I’m very capable. Just wait, I’ll light the fire and cook the clams and crabs right away.”
…
Half an hour later.
A small face smeared with soot from the stove lifted from the stove opening.
“That’s strange. My dad and mom light the fire exactly like this. Why won’t it catch?”
Fang Muyu sat on a small stool nearby, looking at Jiang Zhuangzhuang with suspicion, as if to say, “Are you really sure you know how to light a fire?”
“Um, soon, the fire will catch soon.” Jiang Zhuangzhuang’s face flushed with embarrassment as she picked up the matchbox and continued her efforts.
Perseverance paid off. Finally, sparks appeared in the pitch-black stove chamber.
“It’s lit! Sister Fang, just wait. I’ll cook the seafood noodles for you right away!”
Jiang Zhuangzhuang enthusiastically stuffed more firewood into the stove chamber.
…
After completing all the preparations for the typhoon, Lu Yancheng was about to return to his dormitory to change out of his soaked clothes and rest when Wu Weiguo stopped him, delivering a piece of bad news.
“Where do you think you’re going? The regiment has already canceled your dormitory. The family quarters have been ready for a long time. If you’re not going back to the family quarters, where else are you headed?”
Wu Weiguo added, “Your things have already been delivered there by Song Hao.”
Lu Yancheng froze in place, as if struck by lightning.
“Have you made up with your wife yet? If not, isn’t this the perfect opportunity?” Wu Weiguo grinned slyly. “Couples fight at the head of the bed but make up at the foot. Good luck.”
Lu Yancheng: “…”
He didn’t know how he made it to the family quarters.
He didn’t know how long he paced back and forth at the courtyard entrance either.
What should he say when he goes back?
What if that woman Fang Muyu thinks he still has feelings for her?
His cold, handsome face showed a rare crack in its composure.
Before Lu Yancheng could figure out how to break the deadlock, a strong, choking smell of smoke drifted out from the courtyard.
From inside the house, a few familiar coughs could be heard.
Not good.
Lu Yancheng’s body moved faster than his mind. He pushed open the courtyard gate, strode in with his long legs, and rushed inside.
He grabbed a piece of clothing from the clothesline, dipped it into a bucket of water, and dashed toward the kitchen, which was billowing with thick smoke.
“Fang Muyu, are you all right?”
Before Fang Muyu could react, something was pressed over her nose.
A strong, fishy smell shot straight to the top of her head.
Ugh—