When Tang Wenlan finished washing her hands and hurried over, she happened to witness Huo Tuanzhang carrying his wife out of the vehicle.
She couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy—who would have thought Huo Tuanzhang was so devoted to his wife? Back when she moved in, Old Xing hadn’t even offered a helping hand, let alone carried her. She’d have to have a serious talk with him later. It was bad enough he wasn’t as handsome, but his awareness was lacking too!
However, now wasn’t the time to dwell on such matters. Tang Wenlan remembered her husband’s reminder clearly. She quickly squeezed through the crowd and stepped forward with a smile. “Huo Tuanzhang, you’ve picked them up, I see.”
Huo Xiao turned around, recognized the speaker, and nodded in acknowledgment before leading his mother and wife forward to introduce both sides.
Hu Xiu still felt somewhat reserved. After hearing her son’s words, she simply smiled and said, “Hello, Comrade Xiao Tang.”
Lin Ting, however, couldn’t afford to be so distant. Huo Xiao had just mentioned that this was his partner’s wife and that their families were next-door neighbors. So, her smile carried an appropriate warmth. “Hello, sister-in-law. I’m Lin Ting. We’ve just arrived and there’s much we don’t know yet. I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble you in the future.”
Tang Wenlan had previously worked in the Arts Troupe. Although she had only danced for a year before transferring to logistics due to the hardship, she was naturally good-looking and considered herself well-acquainted with beauties. Yet, she was still taken aback by Huo Tuanzhang’s wife’s striking appearance. With such looks and grace, how could she possibly be from the remote mountains? She seemed more like a city dweller than Tang Wenlan, a genuine urbanite herself. Moreover, she looked too young—hardly like someone who had given birth.
Of course, no matter how much she wondered or was curious, Tang Wenlan wouldn’t pry when they were still unfamiliar. She replied with a smile, “What trouble are you talking about? Our husbands are in the same regiment, and our families are neighbors. It’s only natural we visit each other often.”
Then, she looked down at the Dragon and Phoenix Twins and couldn’t help but admire them again. “Are these your children? They’re so lovely and well-raised.” So fair, chubby, and healthy.
Lin Ting smoothed the hair of Guo Guo, who was clinging to her thigh, and noticed the child was somewhat stiff. She bent down to pick her up and introduced with a smile, “This is my daughter, Miao Miao. The one in my mother-in-law’s arms is my son, his nickname is Guo Guo. They’re almost four years old.” Then, she turned to the children. “Miao Miao, Guo Guo, say hello to Auntie.”
Miao Miao clung to her mother’s neck, still nervous in the unfamiliar environment, but she obediently turned her head and said in a sweet, childish voice, “Hello, Auntie.”
Guo Guo, always bold, also greeted, “Hello, Auntie,” and flashed a grin full of tiny white teeth.
“Oh my, so well-behaved! Lin Ting, right? Your children are so well-mannered.” Tang Wenlan had two children of her own—the elder was 10 and the younger 7, both boys at that notoriously troublesome age—so she couldn’t help but adore the jade-like Dragon and Phoenix Twins.
Lin Ting gently patted her daughter’s back and replied with a smile, “Sister-in-law, you can call me Xiao Lin or Ting Ting. The children are quite sensible, but my mother-in-law has done most of the raising.”
Despite her enchanting looks, her personality was refreshingly straightforward. Tang Wenlan felt a bit more at ease. “Alright then, I’ll call you Ting Ting. I’m a bit older than you, so you can call me Sister-in-law Wen Lan.”
Lin Ting also had a favorable first impression of her. Since both sides were keen on building a good relationship, by the time Huo Xiao and the orderly had moved all the luggage into the house, the two women were already chatting animatedly.
Huo Xiao couldn’t comprehend the intricacies of female friendships, but he felt genuinely pleased that his wife had adapted so quickly.
Worried that she might be exhausted from the journey yet forcing herself to socialize, he hesitated briefly before approaching: “Ting Ting, no need to cook tonight. After I return the vehicle, I’ll stop by the canteen to get food.”Before Lin Ting could respond, Tang Wenlan slapped her forehead in frustration: “Ah, look at my memory!” I’ve been so busy chatting with Ting Ting. Don’t go to the canteen—everyone come to my place for dinner. I’ve made plenty of dumplings, just waiting for you all to arrive so I can boil them.”
Lin Ting waved her hands repeatedly: “No, no, don’t trouble yourself, Sister-in-law. The canteen is fine for us.”
Tang Wenlan: “Why so polite? Our families will be seeing plenty of each other from now on. Besides, I’ve already made them… It’s settled then. Rest for a bit and come over.”
Watching Sister-in-law Wen Lan dash off after her rapid-fire invitation, Lin Ting turned to her husband: “…What do you think?”
Huo Xiao reassured her: “Let’s go. Old Xing and his wife are good people.”
Hearing this, Lin Ting stopped objecting. Holding the child, she decided to head inside first: “Then you go return the vehicle. Mother and I will wait for you at home before going over together.”
As she turned, she noticed dust on her husband’s shoulder and instinctively brushed it off.
Seeing this, Huo Xiao’s lips curved upward—he cherished such small gestures of affection from his wife.
“The house is actually brick-tiled with whitewashed walls too. The space isn’t smaller than our old home, but the furniture is rather rigid. That boy Xiao has poor taste.” Having slipped inside earlier and already explored the place, Hu Xiu first expressed satisfaction with their new residence before criticizing two aspects.
“The furniture is probably standard issue from the Troop. If you don’t like it, we can make some tablecloths from homespun cloth later to cover them.” Lin Ting was also pleased—given the choice, anyone would prefer a clean, bright home.
However, she was currently too tired to properly tour the new house. After setting Miao Miao down to let her and Guo Guo explore the room themselves, she collapsed onto a stool.
Noticing this, Hu Xiu set aside other concerns and asked with concern: “Tired?” Should I make the bed so you can nap?” During the journey, her daughter-in-law had barely slept at night, worried something might happen, and had refused to trade shifts with her.
Lin Ting shook her head: “I’ll be fine after sitting awhile. We still need to go to Sister-in-law Wen Lan’s for dinner later.”
Hu Xiu was surprised: “How considerate of them. Well, you rest first. I’ll find something to bring—we can’t show up empty-handed.”
Lin Ting agreed: “Let’s take a preserved rabbit.”
“Is that enough?” After all, all five family members would be going.
Lin Ting didn’t think it insufficient—a rabbit still provided several pounds of meat. Besides, once they were settled, their family would surely return the invitation.
But knowing her mother-in-law disliked taking advantage, she accommodated: “Then why don’t you add one more item to make it an even number?”
Hu Xiu indeed brightened: “That’s the way. You rest—I’ll handle it.”
After returning the vehicle and stopping by Old Xing’s office to invite him back to the Family Compound together, Huo Xiao led his freshly changed mother, wife, and children to their neighbors’ door a few minutes later.
Meanwhile, when Xing Guoqiang saw Old Huo’s wife, he finally understood that his own wife’s glowing praises hadn’t been exaggerated.
He also shot his partner a mocking look—now he saw why the man had been in such a frantic hurry to fetch his family.
Huo Xiao ignored his teasing, his gaze following his mother and wife.
Seeing that the two were getting along well with his sister-in-law, and the Dragon and Phoenix Twins were being pulled along to play by Old Xing’s children without any discomfort, he gradually relaxed.
His attentiveness genuinely surprised Xing Guoqiang, who was sitting beside him. He lowered his voice: “Do you really need to keep such a close watch? The children are already this old, and you two are still so clingy as an old married couple?”
Hearing this, Huo Xiao remained silent for a few moments, still not explaining that the children were adopted.
In fact, adopting the orphans of comrades was quite common these days, but since he had deliberately moved to a new environment, he didn’t want to take any risks.
Moreover, the children were gradually growing up, and he didn’t want them to be troubled by questions of biological parentage.
Of course, he was even more reluctant to let others scrutinize or even monitor Ting Ting, their stepmother, with critical eyes.
So, in the end, Huo Xiao simply said calmly, “You wouldn’t understand.”
Xing Guoqiang was speechless. Just as he was about to say, “As if you’re the only one with a wife,” his wife’s voice came from the dining table: “Time to eat!”
This was Huo Xiao’s first time visiting for a meal since arriving at the troop.
Under normal circumstances, Xing Guoqiang would definitely have had a couple of drinks.
But today, Huo Xiao’s family had endured several exhausting days of travel and surely needed rest.
This was one reason he had arranged for dumplings—they were quick to prepare.
Sure enough, by the time the family of five had eaten their fill and returned home, only about twenty minutes had passed.
It didn’t really need to be this rushed. After all, they were guests, and no matter how tired they were, it wouldn’t do to leave right after eating.
But while the adults could manage, the children couldn’t.
The twins had fallen asleep in their parents’ arms halfway through the meal.
Hence, the subsequent “being chased home” right after dinner.
Lin Ting and Hu Xiu felt a bit embarrassed but, unable to bear leaving the children, took the opportunity to return home.
“I originally wanted to give the two little ones a bath,” Hu Xiu said, first taking Guo Guo from her son’s arms. After undressing the little one and tucking her into bed, she reached out to take Miao Miao from her daughter-in-law’s arms.
Knowing her mother-in-law valued cleanliness, Lin Ting suggested, “Shall I mix some warm water to wipe the children’s hands and feet?”
Hu Xiu shook her head. “Never mind, we’ll change the bedding tomorrow.”
The children could skip a bath, but the adults couldn’t.
So, after settling the Dragon and Phoenix Twins and instructing her son to keep an eye on them, Hu Xiu and her daughter-in-law grabbed their pre-packed toiletries and headed straight to the bathhouse. They took a quick shower and hurried back.
Such was the awareness required when raising children.
By the time they returned home, Hu Xiu’s ear-length short hair was already dry, and she prepared to go to her bedroom to sleep.
Just before entering, she reminded her son not to touch the luggage in the bags—she wanted to sort it out herself.
Although Lin Ting loved her waist-length long hair, at times like these, she couldn’t help but envy how quickly short hair dried.
Unlike her, whose eyelids were heavy with sleep, yet she still had to muster the energy to dry her hair.
When Huo Xiao entered the bedroom to fetch a change of clothes before heading to the bathhouse, he saw his wife sitting on the edge of the bed, her jet-black long hair cascading to one side, a half-dry towel in her hand as she wiped it.
Even though… she was already yawning repeatedly.
The pitiful sight amused Huo Xiao but also tugged at his heart.
His mother had quietly told him earlier that Ting Ting hadn’t slept well for several days in a row, taking care of her and the children.
Remembering this, Huo Xiao changed direction, fetched his own dry towel, lifted his wife’s long hair, and began helping her dry it.
Lin Ting was utterly exhausted at the moment, her mind sluggish as it took several seconds to register what her husband was doing.
He had already held her, embraced her, and with no outsiders around now, she was simply too tired to muster any embarrassment, allowing him to continue.
But her thick, long hair was truly difficult to manage without a hairdryer.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when she finally couldn’t hold on any longer. Resting her head against the man’s waist and abdomen, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
In truth, Lin Ting’s mind was still somewhat conscious—she was just too exhausted to open her eyes.
So, she could feel Huo Xiao’s large hand gently smoothing her hair.
She could also sense him tenderly laying her down and tucking her into the blankets.
Mm… and he even stole a kiss on her forehead.
Just as Lin Ting, with the lingering warmth on her forehead, was about to sink completely into deep sleep, the drowsiness in her mind was abruptly shattered by the man’s words.
“I originally planned to tell you right away that Guo Guo and Miao Miao aren’t my children, but it seems it’ll have to wait until tomorrow… I wonder if you’ll care?”
Lin Ting… Wh…what?
Her sluggish mind slowly rebooted, and as she processed what the man had said, Lin Ting bolted upright. Her Peach Blossom Eyes, bloodshot with exhaustion, stared unblinkingly at him: “What did you just say?”
Huo Xiao…
Seems… she does care quite a bit?