Feng Qingxue slept until eight or nine o’clock, only to be awakened by Xibao’s patting on her face.
There was no sign of Lu Jiang in the room. However, Fubao’s night diapers had been washed and laid next to the stove. There was a note from Lu Jiang by her pillow, with flamboyant handwriting stating "Daughter’s milk powder is at eleven, three, and seven. I will be back in five days."
The signature was a single character, "Jiang".
Feng Qingxue read the note two or three times before pretending to put it in her sling bag, but actually stored it in her space.
Storing many household items and letters in her space was the safest choice.
"Mama!" Xibao called her and pat his stomach, "Food, food!"
Snapped back to reality by Xibao’s reminder, Feng Qingxue chuckled, "Alright, let’s get up, get dressed, and brush our teeth first." She had actually prepared a baby toothbrush for Xibao, but who knows where he threw it.
After the mother and son had finished their meal, they fed Fubao. Xibao couldn’t contain his eagerness to go out and play.
He just couldn’t stand being at home - he was too used to it.
"Okay, okay, mom will take you out to play. Let’s find grandma for a playdate."
So, Feng Qingxue, with a large bag over her shoulder filled with specialty products from the capital, a daughter in her arms, and son on foot, stepped out the door. As they strolled through the housing complex, they encountered many unfamiliar faces.
Most of them were older, the younger ones were children.
Feng Qingxue didn’t know any of them, but that didn’t stop her from courteously nodding and greeting everyone, regardless of their age, all calling her "sister-in-law".
Xibao, with a sweet mouth, echoed along.
He called the elderly "grandma", whether they were around forty or even in their fifties and sixties, they were all "grandma" to him. After all, their faces were weathered and looked old to him. As for the younger children, he called them "brother" or "sister". He would just roll his big eyes around and beam a smile at the middle-aged women, not knowing what to call them.
As they passed, Lu Zhaodi curled her lip.
"Isn’t it just because she’s given birth to a son? Always flaunting around, freeloading and mooching off others." She touched her slightly protruding belly and said to the young woman next to her, "Don’t be fooled by their decent appearance, they are the worst kind."
"I think the mother and son seem quite nice? The mother is friendly and the son is lively and cute."
This woman was named Jin Feng. Her husband, Fan Zheng, was a battalion commander. Their apartment was arranged next to Lu Zhaodi. Because they lived close and had similar ideas, they visited each other more often than other families. Jin Feng had just joined the army with her two children three months ago. She had seen many army families in the complex and had occasionally heard about those she hadn’t meet like Feng Qingxue, mainly because many army families talked about Xibao.
Upon hearing Jin Feng’s words, Lu Zhaodi immediately replied, "Do you know, or do I know? I came here before you. I know clearly who’s good and who’s bad in this complex."
"That’s true. Sister-in-law wouldn’t lie to me." Jin Feng smiled and asked, "So, what’s bad about their family? Tell me, sister-in-law."
Lu Zhaodi vented her dissatisfaction upon hearing the question.
"Let me tell you, they’re just flaunting because they have a son and a higher rank. They make their comrades buy their son expensive stuff all the time, be it biscuits, egg cakes, malt essence, or premium milk candy. How do you think their son got so chubby? All these good things he eats. And there’s more, Feng Qingxue leverages Lu Jiang’s commander status to become a medic in the army. She takes a monthly salary of dozens of yuan. If there’s no foul play behind it, I would be surprised!"