It turned out that Zhou Zheng, the Regiment Commander Zhou, had lost his parents early. He had been raised for a few years by his uncle and aunt before joining the army. Later, a family dispute broke out in the Zhou household. Not only did his uncle and aunt take all the wages Zhou Zheng had saved, they also tried to seize the house and land left behind by his parents.
Because of this, they arranged a marriage for him, rushing him into marrying Yang Su without hesitation, not considering at all that marrying a “capitalist young lady” like Yang Su might affect Zhou Zheng’s future.
As for Zhou Zheng himself, for reasons unknown, he did not object. He simply registered the marriage and brought Yang Su to the Military Unit to live with him.
After hearing all this, Su Man still felt something was off. There must have been some misunderstanding between the two of them.
“Yang Su, Regiment Commander Zhou does housework, notices your mood changes, and even gives gifts to cheer you up. Do you think that means he doesn’t care about you?”
Yang Su bit her lip and asked in confusion: “Then why is he so cold to me?”
She had once tried to get along properly with Zhou Zheng. But Zhou Zheng never entered her room, and aside from necessary conversations, he never said an extra word to her.
Over time, she gave up. She thought Zhou Zheng must despise her. Her background was an unerasable sin.
Su Man sighed. “Then you’ll have to find the answer yourself. But I’m sure you’ve misunderstood him. Sometimes, we women can also take the initiative a little. Even if the result isn’t good, at least there won’t be regret. Instead of staying in this kind of tormenting atmosphere for so long, it will slowly drain your vitality.”
When Regiment Commander Zhou returned from work, Su Man and the others had already left.
Yang Su looked at Zhou Zheng and revealed a long-lost smile.
A trace of surprise flashed in Zhou Zheng’s eyes. “Su Man and the others came today?”
“Yes.” Yang Su, remembering Su Man’s words, then said: “Su Man invited me to work at the Bakery. But the salary can’t be guaranteed yet. The Military Unit said they would first look at the Bakery’s profitability. If it’s not good, it might be closed again. I agreed… do you agree?”
Zhou Zheng had heard about the Bakery reopening. He hadn’t expected Su Man to invite Yang Su.
“That’s a good thing. I didn’t expect you to earn a salary anyway.”
After a pause, as if remembering something, he added: “Old Qi said Su Man is capable. His judgment is usually right.”
Before, Yang Su would have definitely thought these words meant Zhou Zheng looked down on her, that he thought she couldn’t earn money, and that he only trusted his comrade Regiment Commander Qi instead of believing women could succeed.
But today, the haze in Yang Su’s heart had been lifted. She realized she might have misunderstood his words.
Thinking of Su Man’s advice to be more proactive, she gathered her courage and asked directly:
“Are you saying you don’t care whether I can earn a salary or not, as long as I’m happier? That you, like Regiment Commander Qi, believe we can do well in the Bakery?”
Zhou Zheng froze. He seemed to think the words were too sentimental, and his expression became awkward. But when he met Yang Su’s bright eyes, he somehow nodded unconsciously.
Then he immediately turned away, not noticing that behind him, Yang Su’s face had already blossomed into a radiant smile.
Su Man had obtained the key to the Bakery. After breakfast, she came with Aunt Xu, Li Qingqing, and Yang Su. They planned to clean up and check whether the door lock needed to be replaced.
But when they stood in front of the Bakery, all of them froze in place.
The old, faded “Bakery” sign had been replaced with a brand-new one. The three bold characters were powerful and vigorous, clearly written by someone with strong calligraphy skills. Even the door lock had been changed.
Li Qingqing asked in surprise: “When did this happen?”
Su Man also did not know. She had not come here in the past few days and guessed: “Probably arranged by the organization. We should thank them.”
However, looking at the calligraphy, Su Man, though not knowledgeable in it, could tell it was not standard printed lettering. She felt a bit puzzled.
Was it really necessary for the organization to make such a special sign for the Bakery? Whose idea was this?
Yang Su’s father was a calligraphy enthusiast, so she understood a little. Looking at the sign, she said in admiration: “These three characters really look impressive as a signboard.”
Su Man pushed aside her doubts and led them inside to clean.
Soon, the Bakery became spotless, and all the baking tools were neatly arranged.
“Someone come out, your supplies have arrived!”
It was someone from the Logistics Department delivering materials.
Su Man had previously applied to the Logistics Department for the needed supplies, but she had not received a definite response at the time.
She quickly stepped forward to check the items while asking Yang Su to record everything.
Low-gluten flour, butter, eggs, corn oil, yeast powder—all the items Su Man had requested were there. However, the quantities were only half of what she had originally asked for. After carefully checking everything, Su Man smiled and thanked the soldier delivering the goods.
The soldier kindly relayed his superior’s message. “Our Department Head said you should use this batch first. It’s temporarily set to be delivered once a month.”
Su Man understood. For the Logistics Department to supply everything she needed was already difficult. The reduced quantity was likely to avoid waste.
Qi Xiaoyuan had told her earlier that the Military Unit had set a three-month assessment period for the Bakery. If, after three months, the Bakery could cover all costs and still generate profit for the Military Unit, it would be turned into a formal position with full benefits.
After delivering the supplies, the Logistics Department staff left. The group carried everything inside and organized it. Aunt Xu also left afterward. Although she trusted Su Man, she still felt a bit uneasy and planned to come back in the afternoon to check.
“Su Man, what is low-gluten flour? Is it different from the flour we usually use?” Li Qingqing asked curiously while looking at the flour bags.
Su Man opened a bag and poured some into a mixing bowl. “The flour we usually use for steamed buns and dumplings is medium-gluten flour. That can be used too, but bread made with it tends to crack and become hard. Low-gluten flour is better for cakes and pastries—it makes them softer and fluffier.”
Li Qingqing nodded as if she understood, then asked excitedly: “So what are we making today?”
Su Man had already planned it. “We’ll make sponge cake. Watch me do it once, and I’ll explain the key points. It’s very simple.”
Hearing this, Li Qingqing widened her eyes in shock. “You’re going to teach us?”
Yang Su was also surprised. Just earlier, when Li Qingqing asked about flour differences, she had already felt it was inappropriate. Su Man was the only one who knew how to bake. She and Qingqing were just supposed to follow instructions and work. How could they casually ask about someone else’s skills and experience?
Now hearing that Su Man wanted to teach them directly, she panicked slightly. “How can that be? This is your livelihood skill. People only pass it on when taking apprentices.”
Li Qingqing also knew that skilled masters rarely taught others. Aunt Xu had even reminded her at home to work honestly and not make Su Man think she was trying to steal her techniques.
Su Man smiled casually. “I was even planning to teach you so I can be a bit lazy later. Otherwise, are you planning to exhaust me to death?”
Yang Su and Li Qingqing both knew Su Man was saying this on purpose to make them feel at ease. Their hearts warmed with gratitude and emotion. They watched every step Su Man performed with full attention, carefully remembering every instruction she gave.