“Xiao Ze, does your mother still hit you now?”
“Look at you, why do you always ask such random questions?”
“Ah, I’m just speaking casually.”
The twins had been beaten every day for the past few months. Now that it wasn’t happening, they weren’t used to it.
“Xiao Ze, such a big meat bun—you can eat all that? Want Auntie to help you?”
The woman speaking was Yu Xiaohua. Her husband was also a battalion commander, though not in the same regiment as He Ting.
Her parents were chronically ill and her family struggled. They rarely had meat all year, so whenever there was food, she always tried to grab some advantage.
Little He Ze had only had full meals for two days. Naturally, he wasn’t willing to share, afraid she would snatch his food. So he quickly clutched the meat bun and ran back to Lin Zhi.
Yu Xiaohua dared to ask little He Ze for food secretly, but she wouldn’t dare say anything more in front of Lin Zhi. In the family quarters, she was fearsome, but she had suffered a few losses under Lin Zhi.
Once, she had picked up a stick outside Lin Zhi’s door, and Lin Zhi had simply stood there, hands on hips, yelling for a long time. Yu Xiaohua’s face and pride were completely lost.
She couldn’t understand how someone could be so unreasonable yet so unafraid—ignored by everyone, scolded by leaders, even disliked by the battalion commander—and yet not care.
Unable to comprehend and unable to win, Yu Xiaohua could only comfort herself that she wasn’t as thick-skinned.
Seeing her try to take advantage of the twins, an older aunt nearby couldn’t stand it.
She pulled Yu Xiaohua back and whispered a reprimand.
Yu Xiaohua was dissatisfied. She hadn’t gained anything and yet was being scolded.
In her mind, she thought it wasn’t fair.
Though she liked taking small advantages, life was hard for everyone.
She rarely succeeded in getting what she wanted.
Lin Zhi noticed the commotion but continued her nap, lazily opening her eyes when the car returned.
Waking up with half-eaten buns, the twins lifted them to her mouth. Lin Zhi glanced around and took them—but without intending to eat them herself.
If they each ate half, the remaining two would be hers.
After finishing one meat bun, the supply vehicle returned. Lin Zhi stretched and noticed the female protagonist and others returning as well.
Time was up—they had to go back. Lin Zhi boarded the vehicle with the twins, resting her chin on one hand and watching the female protagonist struggle with several large packages.
Judging by the effort, they were filled with good things.
The book said the female protagonist was lucky—able to stumble upon ginseng and lingzhi in the mountains.
Not only lucky but brave—she always visited the black market when going into town and occasionally scavenged at the dump.
Thinking of the dump, Lin Zhi slapped her thigh. How could she forget to go? The dirty wall at home still needed newspaper covering.
The car was about to leave—too late to go now, so she’d wait for next time. Thinking about having to face that dirty wall for half a month, Lin Zhi sighed.
Wen Xiuxiu, paying attention to Lin Zhi’s every move, noticed her gaze fall on the large packages and lifted her head slightly.
Even if Battalion Commander He gave her money, how could it compare to her own wealth? Relying on someone else’s money was no match for having her own.
“Xiuxiu, what did you buy? So many packages—surely it cost a lot?” Yu Xiaohua’s eyes darted to the packages, unwilling to look away.
Everyone in the family quarters said Lin Zhi, living on fifty yuan a month, lived well. But to her, Lin Zhi’s family was truly thriving.
Every time they went into town, they came back with large packages. Meat aromas constantly wafted from their home. No one in the quarters could compare.
Thinking of her own children, patched up with dozens of repairs, and the Lin family kids already in several sets of new clothes this year, Yu Xiaohua felt a pang of jealousy.
Both their husbands were battalion commanders, yet their lives were worlds apart. Why was her life so bitter?
“It’s nothing much, just things for the children. Kids grow fast, so more stuff is needed,” Wen Xiuxiu replied softly, pretending not to hear the sour tone.
“You really treat your kids well,” Yu Xiaohua muttered softly, shrinking back and closing her eyes like the others.
Wen Xiuxiu looked at the twins, thought for a moment, and opened a small package, taking out two pieces of peach pastry and handing them over. “You probably haven’t eaten yet. Have a pastry to tide you over.”
Hearing this, Yu Xiaohua, who had been ready to close her eyes, perked up. She rubbed her hands and asked, “I haven’t eaten either. Do you have one for me?”
Giving things away and having someone ask for them were two different matters. A flash of displeasure crossed Wen Xiuxiu’s eyes, but her lips still smiled.
There were over ten people in the car. One peach pastry wasn’t much, so she handed each person one.
By the time it came to Lin Zhi, five or six pieces remained. She simply took them all.
“Zhi Zhi, give these to the children. They didn’t eat lunch, better not go hungry,” Wen Xiuxiu said softly, still worried about the kids.
Lin Zhi didn’t hesitate. She took all the pastries.
“Thanks, but they just ate meat buns. They probably can’t eat more. I’ll save these for them tonight.”
Hearing Lin Zhi buy the meat buns for the twins, Wen Xiuxiu’s smile stiffened. She murmured a low “hm” and sat back.
Lin Zhi brushed stray hair from her face and glanced at the female protagonist with a look of “I expected more from you.”
A proper female protagonist with such low combat effectiveness? She should have pressed the advantage, making the comparison group struggle—but now it seemed she had the upper hand.
Lin Zhi couldn’t understand. She took a bite of a peach pastry, met Yu Xiaohua’s covetous gaze, and smirked, “Pretty tasty.”
Yu Xiaohua twitched her lips. A few yuan a pack—it’s supposed to taste good.
Wen Xiuxiu also noticed—giving Lin Zhi so many pieces but only one for her. Too unfair.
Everyone who had gotten up early was tired. On the way back, they didn’t huddle together to chat. They had chores waiting, so everyone tried to rest.
Lin Zhi had just dozed a little. She wasn’t tired, but the twins were struggling—their little heads kept nodding, and Lin Zhi worried they might hit something.