“Old Song is really impossible to reason with!”
Thinking of Tang Jin’s face, Wen Zhengyang sighed inwardly. Such a beautiful young woman—it was no wonder Song Yunli had lost his judgment.
“Brother Zhengyang, didn’t you tell my brother that she’s pregnant?”
Song Yunting was anxious. She was terrified that Song Yunli would end up raising another man’s child.
“I didn’t. There are so many people in the family compound. Your brother has his reputation to consider.”
Wen Zhengyang had mostly calmed down by now.
“This kind of thing should be handled privately. We can’t ruin your brother’s future.”
“Brother Zhengyang, then what should we do?”
Song Yunting was worried sick when Wenfang suddenly spoke up.
“Brother, why don’t you take us to the family compound?
“We can talk to Tang Jin. We’re all women. Maybe she’ll listen to what we have to say and come clean to Brother Yunli on her own.”
“Let me think about it.”
Wen Zhengyang was still hesitant. He was afraid that if he brought them to see Tang Jin, Song Yunli would get angry.
When Song Yunli returned with dinner, Tang Jin had already found the iron wok and coal stove he had prepared.
“I’ll go get some coal later. For now, this is all we have. I’m sorry to make you put up with these conditions.”
Song Yunli genuinely felt he was shortchanging her. After all, he had grown up in a standalone courtyard house in the capital, while now they had to cook in a communal kitchen.
“Mhm.”
Back at the canning factory, Tang Jin’s family at least had their own kitchen. The communal kitchen was indeed inconvenient. If she wanted to make something nice, she would have to be discreet about it.
“I’ll try to get meals for you from the cafeteria in the mornings and evenings. At noon, you may have to go by yourself.”
As he opened the aluminum lunch boxes, Song Yunli continued talking to her.
There were two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. Tang Jin noticed that her morning sickness wasn’t as severe today.
“I can cook for myself.”
“Then wait for me in the evenings. I’ll cook when I get back.”
Song Yunli wanted to take care of her as much as possible.
Meeting his serious gaze, Tang Jin knew he wasn’t joking.
“Sure.”
She was curious to see how good his cooking actually was.
By the time they finished eating, it was already getting late.
Sister-in-law Wan called from outside.
“Sister Tang, are you home?”
“I am.”
Tang Jin once again brought out some cloud cakes.
“Sister-in-law Wan, I brought these from my hometown. Let the children have a taste.”
“Oh, I can’t possibly take your things.”
Sister-in-law Wan refused. These days, sweets and pastries weren’t things you could simply buy whenever you wanted. You needed ration coupons for them.
“Please, take them.”
Tang Jin pressed the package into her hands and smiled.
“I’m new here. I’ll need your guidance.
“If you won’t accept it, does that mean you don’t want to help me? Then I’ll really be at a loss.”
“Alright, alright. You’re not only pretty—you’ve got such a sweet tongue too. I’ll accept them, then.”
Unable to refuse, Sister-in-law Wan put away the pastries and took Tang Jin’s hand.
“Come on. I’ll take you to see the private vegetable plots. We can pick some vegetables while we’re there.”
“We all have our own plots?”
Tang Jin genuinely didn’t know this.
At that moment, Song Yunli came out of the house.
“Sister-in-law Wan, could I borrow your hoe? I’ll go turn over our plot while I’m there.”
“Of course. I’ll get it.”
She quickly brought him a hoe.
Tang Jin and Sister-in-law Wan walked ahead while Song Yunli followed behind.
“Sister Tang, who would’ve thought Battalion Commander Song, cold as he looks, would spoil you this much? In my family, I’m the one who tends the plot all by myself.”
“Ah Jin isn’t very strong.”
From behind them, Song Yunli answered in a muffled voice.
The corners of Tang Jin’s lips immediately lifted.
They soon arrived at the vegetable plots behind the apartment buildings.
The land was divided into neat rows, each family receiving about three fen of land.
“Our plot is right next to yours,” Sister-in-law Wan said cheerfully.
“Sister Tang, take a look. Whatever vegetables you like, I’ll pick some for you.”
Since she had just accepted Tang Jin’s gift, she wanted to return the favor.
She picked eggplants, string beans, chili peppers, and a bundle of amaranth greens.
“Sister Tang, take these home and eat them. If you run out, just come pull some from the field.”
“Thank you, Sister-in-law.”
Tang Jin accepted without standing on ceremony.
“I’ll need to learn a lot about farming from you.”
“Sister Tang, you really know how to talk.”
Sister-in-law Wan beamed.
No one had ever said they wanted her advice on farming before. The compliment delighted her.
She immediately began sharing her planting experience with Tang Jin while Song Yunli enthusiastically swung the hoe and worked the soil.
“Sister-in-law, how do we buy seeds?”
Tang Jin asked curiously.
Did they need military approval slips for that too?
“Whenever you need seeds, just let the logistics and procurement people know. They make several bulk purchases every year.”
Having lived in the family compound for two or three years, Sister-in-law Wan knew all the procedures.
Tang Jin nodded obediently.
“Got it.”
“Ah Jin, you two head back first. I’ll finish up here and return later.”
Not wanting Tang Jin to wait too long, Song Yunli turned and called out to her before resuming his work.
Sister-in-law Wan linked arms with Tang Jin.
“Your husband really works hard. It’s getting dark. Let’s head home and start cooking.”
“Sounds good.”
Tang Jin didn’t want to stand around any longer either.
The two women returned home first.
It was getting darker by the minute.
Since their coal stove and wok were still at home, Tang Jin decided not to move them to the communal kitchen yet.
Instead, she set them by the doorway.
First, she steamed a pot of cured-meat rice, then washed some vegetables, planning to stir-fry them after Song Yunli came back.
The aroma of the cured-meat rice immediately drifted through the entire row of apartments.
The military wives nearby couldn’t help glancing over.
“That’s Battalion Commander Song’s wife, isn’t she? She’s beautiful, but what a spendthrift.”
“It’s not even a holiday, and she’s eating this well. Let’s see what she has left to eat by the end of the year.”
“Well, they’re newlyweds. They’re still in the honeymoon phase. Battalion Commander Song definitely won’t say anything.”
“…”
Tang Jin vaguely overheard some of the comments, but she couldn’t care less.
Even Sister-in-law Wan came over to comfort her.
“Sister Tang, don’t mind what those people say. They’re just jealous of you.”
“I didn’t hear anything.”
Tang Jin truly didn’t take it to heart.
Seeing that she wasn’t bothered, Sister-in-law Wan admired her broad-mindedness and squeezed into the communal kitchen to start cooking.
It was at this moment that Wen Zhengyang arrived with Wenfang and Song Yunting.
Spotting Tang Jin sitting outside her door, Song Yunting awkwardly called out:
“Hey, where’s my brother?”
“My name isn’t ‘Hey.’”
Tang Jin glanced at her lazily.
“You really have no manners.”
“Comrade Tang Jin, we came to see you this time.”
Taking a deep breath, Wen Fang stepped in front of Song Yunting.
“Would it be convenient for us to talk inside?”
“Probably not.”
Tang Jin had no intention of letting them into her private space.
Song Yunting lifted her chin arrogantly.
“If you don’t want everyone hearing your secrets, then we can just talk right here at the door.”
As they spoke, several military wives were already sneaking glances in their direction.
Song Yunting had clearly counted on that.
Even Wen Zhengyang chimed in.
“You ladies go inside and talk. I’ll stand guard outside.”
“Fine. Come in.”
Tang Jin opened the door.
Before letting them in, she immediately shut the bedroom door.
Seeing her act as though she were guarding against thieves, Song Yunting grew even more annoyed.
“Who are you guarding against?”
“You, of course. We’re not exactly close.”
Tang Jin’s blunt reply froze Song Yunting’s expression.
Just as Song Yunting was about to retort, Wenfang stopped her.
“Yunting, the important thing is to discuss business first.”