Originally, he had planned to come back to ask her about going to the bathroom, thinking she might have run into trouble.
But now, it seemed there was nothing wrong—it had just been his imagination.
Jiang Mengning’s clothes—he had helped wash them many times before.
Now, unexpectedly, she had washed them herself. He had initially wanted to go in and help, but in the end, he just stood there, doing nothing.
It seemed Jiang Mengning was determined to divorce him, which was why she was learning basic life skills. That was fine—otherwise, if she left here, he really would have worried that she couldn’t even manage the most basic tasks like washing clothes or cooking. He couldn’t stop people from growing, after all.
Huo Jinyan watched for a moment, then turned and left.
Jiang Mengning had worked hard to finish washing and hanging the clothes. Looking at them, she felt a sense of accomplishment. See? She wasn’t useless—she could do things.
While she was washing, the little one had squatted nearby, adorable and well-behaved.
It had been so sweet. Jiang Mengning went and grabbed a few pieces of candy for Nian Nian.
“Nian Nian, Mom’s going out for a while. Don’t run around the house, okay?”
“Where are you going, Mom?”
“To the back mountain. I have something to do up there.”
“Can Nian Nian come?”
“No, you can’t. The mountain is dangerous. You stay home, okay?”
The little girl nodded: “Okay, Mom. Nian Nian will be good.”
She didn’t pester her mother; whatever Mom said, she obeyed.
Jiang Mengning patted her little head, grabbed her small basket, and put on a wide-brimmed hat.
“Nian Nian, make sure to lock the door yourself, okay?”
She patiently reminded the little girl to lock the door and not let anyone in whom she didn’t know.
“Okay, Mom. Nian Nian will be good.”
The little one ate her candy and waved goodbye to her mother.
Jiang Mengning locked the door, picked up her basket, and walked out of the army compound.
Suddenly, she realized she had no idea where the cacti were.
That was right—she was here to find cacti. On cacti grew a type of insect called the cochineal, which, when ground, produced a red pigment—an excellent raw material for making lipstick.
The color of lipstick relied entirely on the cochineal.
She turned back and asked one of the soldiers on guard: “Excuse me, where can I find cacti nearby? The more, the better.”
Her face was hidden under the hat, fair and delicate. Her eyes were bright and large, with fluttering lashes—stunning. Somehow, she carried a faint fragrance that followed her.
The soldier stiffened and saluted: “To the south of the mountains. There are many.”
Jiang Mengning smiled, giving a small wave: “Thank you, handsome.”
All the soldiers here were good-looking! Everywhere she looked were youthful, fresh faces, vibrant and energetic—truly a pleasure to the eyes.
Humming a little tune, Jiang Mengning carried her basket toward the back mountain.
The soldier, watching her retreating figure, didn’t dare to look too long. For some reason, he still felt as if her fragrance lingered in the air. His face flushed bright red, even his ears weren’t spared.
“Ahem.”
A cough sounded beside him. He turned to see Political Commissar Zhou standing there, scrutinizing him.
A man in his forties, with eyes sharp as a hawk. Startled, the soldier quickly saluted.
“Commissar,” he said.
Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, watching the soldier’s expression, as if about to speak but holding back.
Then he looked toward the direction Jiang Mengning had gone and asked:
“Was that your commander’s wife just now?”
“Yes!”
Zhou then looked at the young soldier, sternly scolding him: “Have you never seen a woman before? Your face turns red just because she spoke to you—do you realize how embarrassing that is?”