Liu Shutong’s dormitory was at the other end of the military housing area.
Qin Yue’e took the two children and asked for directions along the way. As they walked, they happened to run into a unit returning from training.
One by one, the soldiers marched past the three of them in neat formation, their backs straight and their steps uniform.
The two little ones turned their big, round eyes toward them, watching curiously.
Now that they had eaten their fill, the children were no longer as weak and listless as when they first arrived.
They kept asking Qin Yue’e questions.
“Mommy, Daddy wears clothes like those uncles too, right? Is he just as impressive?”
Blood ties were a strange thing.
It was perfectly natural for children to want to feel close to their father.
Qin Yue’e wasn’t cruel enough to insult their father in front of them.
So she patiently explained, “Yes. Your daddy is just as impressive as those uncles.”
“Wow!”
Xiao Yue’s eyes immediately lit up as she stared at the soldiers marching in formation.
Among the soldiers, a familiar face turned in their direction.
Huo Guangji had excellent hearing. Although he was some distance away, he could still hear the conversation between the mother and children.
When he heard the girl’s innocent voice, the corners of his lips involuntarily lifted.
He turned his head toward them.
But the moment he looked over, he froze.
In the distance, on the open training ground, stood a woman dressed in a green military uniform.
Her long hair hung loose around her shoulders, partly hiding her face. Her waist looked incredibly slender, while her gentle voice drifted over to him.
“If Xiao Yue likes it, you can become a soldier someday too. Then you can be just as impressive. Look, Auntie Wei is a soldier too, right?”
Her profile seemed to glow faintly beneath the moonlight.
For some reason, Huo Guangji’s footsteps became slightly disordered.
“Captain, you stepped on my foot!”
The soldier in front of him couldn’t help complaining in a low voice.
Huo Guangji’s expression changed.
He immediately lowered his head.
What the hell is wrong with me?
How could I suddenly find that woman…
Forget it.
She was nothing more than a woman obsessed with money.
No matter how beautiful she was, it meant nothing.
Old Zhao, standing beside him, didn’t even need to look at Huo Guangji to know exactly what was going through his mind.
He couldn’t resist teasing him.
“I was wondering why our captain seemed like his soul had left his body. Turns out he spotted his wife!”
“That’s our sister-in-law? Let me see!”
Several of the younger soldiers immediately stretched their necks to look.
“No talking during formation!”
Huo Guangji’s face darkened.
He threw out the warning and quickly increased his pace.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
“Coming!”
Wei Wenjie had just finished eating and returned to her dormitory.
When she heard the knocking, she immediately got up to open the door.
The moment she opened it, she saw Qin Yue’e standing outside with the two children.
After bathing and changing clothes, Qin Yue’e looked so different that Wei Wenjie almost failed to recognize her.
“Little sister-in-law?”
Wei Wenjie was pleasantly surprised.
“My goodness! After taking a bath, you suddenly look like a completely different person! I almost didn’t recognize you!”
She wasn’t flattering Qin Yue’e.
The original owner really did have beautiful features.
Even though she had become extremely thin, it was still obvious that she had naturally good looks.
Her skin had darkened from the sun, but her large eyes, high nose bridge, and long, thick hair—which had remained surprisingly full despite her weight loss—made her look naturally beautiful.
Qin Yue’e felt a little embarrassed by the compliment.
She lowered her head and smiled.
“Section Chief Wei, there’s actually something I wanted to trouble you with.”
“Sure!”
Wei Wenjie was straightforward.
She immediately pulled Qin Yue’e into the room to talk.
Once they were seated, Qin Yue’e explained why she had come.
“I only arrived today, so I feel a little embarrassed asking this. I wanted to borrow some pots, pans, and other cooking utensils from you. I feel bad eating the unit’s food rations all the time.”
Qin Yue’e couldn’t pretend not to understand the situation.
The company commander and his wife had already been giving them all kinds of supplies.
At a time when everyone was struggling with shortages, how could she just keep accepting their generosity without saying anything?
Wei Wenjie looked surprised.
“Little sister-in-law, did someone make things difficult for you? Tell me who it was. I’ll go talk to them!”
“No, no!”
Qin Yue’e hurriedly waved her hands.
“The soldiers here receive their meals according to government-issued rations, and everyone is struggling. I was just thinking that if we could prepare some food ourselves, it would reduce the burden on everyone else.”
She glanced toward the surrounding mountains.
“I noticed that there are mountains everywhere around here. Back in the village, we depended on the mountains for our livelihood. I can always find something to eat and figure out how to support my two children.”
Those words made Wei Wenjie’s eyes sting.
She immediately understood.
Qin Yue’e must not have reached an agreement with Huo Guangji.
Otherwise, as Huo Guangji’s wife, she would know that she could simply apply to the logistics department for her family’s food ration.
Village women were often like this.
No matter how difficult life became, they were reluctant to open their mouths and take advantage of others.
“Little sister-in-law, come on!”
Wei Wenjie suddenly grabbed Qin Yue’e’s hand and stood up.
“I’m going to talk to Huo Guangji. I refuse to believe that he won’t take care of you and the children, even if only out of respect for me!”
“Section Chief Wei, you misunderstood!”
Qin Yue’e hurriedly stopped her.
Seeing how angry Wei Wenjie was, she quickly explained.
“I really just want to find some work here. I can’t just live here for free, can I? Besides, I can see that life here isn’t easy either.”
Wei Wenjie looked at her suspiciously.
After confirming that there was genuinely no resentment or grievance on Qin Yue’e’s face, she finally sat down again.
“Little sister-in-law, I’m not against you cooking for yourself. I’m just worried because the mountains behind us can be dangerous. If something happens to you or the children, how are we supposed to answer to Xiao Huo?”
She thought for a moment.
“Actually, the mess hall is short one helper. If you don’t mind…”
“I don’t mind!”
Qin Yue’e’s eyes immediately lit up.
She quickly accepted.
Forget being a mess-hall helper.
She would even be willing to do hard labor along the riverbank, as long as she didn’t have to lower herself and beg Huo Guangji for anything.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll talk to the mess hall tomorrow and have you try it out with me.”
“You’ll only need to work a little over two hours a day. There isn’t really a salary, though. Our unit converts work hours into food coupons.”
Wei Wenjie glanced at the children.
“While you’re helping at the mess hall, leave the children with me. I’ll watch them for you.”
As she spoke, she reached out and gently pinched the children’s soft cheeks.
“Deal! Food coupons are fine too!”
Qin Yue’e was naturally delighted.
As long as she could eat without relying on Huo Guangji, she didn’t care whether she was paid in food coupons.
Once she accumulated enough, she might even be able to trade some of them with the soldiers for cash.
She hadn’t expected to gain something from coming here.
Qin Yue’e walked back with the two children, her heart filled with happiness.
Since Huo Guangji refused to give her money, she would simply keep working at it.
Either she would wear him down until he gave her enough money to leave, or she would stay until she had saved enough herself.
At the very least, when she eventually left, she would have enough to support her two children on her own.
The moon had already risen.
Its soft light fell over Qin Yue’e as she walked forward with her head held high, one child holding each of her hands.
It had been half a month since she transmigrated into this world.
For the first time, she finally felt like she had hope.