Qi Taiguo had gone to the unit for his shift, and Cheng Su stayed home to familiarize herself with the new environment. She was led by two neighbors to see the kitchen on the other side, which belonged to her own home.
There was a separate gas stove that Qi Taiguo had arranged for. However, according to Chunhua and the others, he rarely cooked, usually getting his meals from the cafeteria. At most, he would make some midnight snacks, like cooking some noodles.
That’s why the cooking condiments consisted of only a packet of salt, a small bottle of oil, and a bottle of soy sauce.
"Now that you’re here, Sister-in-law Qi, I think this gas stove and the likes should start to be put to good use!" Chunhua said with a giggle, looking at Cheng Su.
Cheng Su offered a shy smile, glanced at the gas stove and a pot, and then surveyed the kitchen. It really wasn’t much to speak well of. There was no exhaust hood—the walls were already coated with a greasy film from cooking, looking a bit dirty.
Looking further into the kitchen, there was a row of shower stalls and toilets, simply divided to the left and right from where the kitchen utensils were placed. Each small wooden door was painted red. Whether it was a shower stall or a toilet, none of them were entirely enclosed, meaning they were open at the top. If someone were to use the toilet while another was cooking...
She closed her eyes slightly, banishing that awkward image, but she knew reality did not allow for pickiness. After all, the times were such, and having a gas stove rather than needing to start a fire was a considerable luxury.
A good life needed to be created with one’s own hands. If she wanted to live the life she yearned for, hard work and perseverance were necessary.
After exchanging pleasantries, Cheng Su returned to her quarters to take a good look around her new home, inside and out.
The bachelor life was nothing to compliment; dust was everywhere in the house. Fortunately, there wasn’t much furniture. Since Qi Taiguo lived alone, it wasn’t too chaotic—a good cleaning would suffice.
She was new here and not in a hurry. After scouting around inside and out, she finally sat down.
When it was around six o’clock, someone knocked on her door. Cheng Su went to open it and saw a young soldier smiling, lifting a metal lunchbox in his hand.
"Hello, Sister-in-law Qi. Commander Qi instructed me to bring you your meal," the soldier said.
"Thank you. What’s your name?" Cheng Su took the lunchbox.
"Sister-in-law, just call me Xiao Zheng!" The soldier saluted and returned to his post.
After seeing him off, Cheng Su sat at the dining table and opened the lunchbox. There were two compartments: one with rice and the other with a dish.
In the army cafeteria, everyone ate from the big pot, with a mix of meat and vegetable dishes. Cheng Su tried a bite. As for the taste, well, it was passable, but certainly not as good as if she had made it herself.
Being new to the place, she had to make do for the time being. Moreover, since Qi Taiguo had always been single, the house didn’t really have much in terms of groceries—just a few tubes of noodles and two eggs.
Even if she wanted to make something delicious for herself, she would need the right ingredients.
No rush. Life couldn’t be settled all at once. She needed to adapt gradually.
While eating, Cheng Su looked around the room, pondering over the cleaning and tidying that needed to be done. Most importantly, now that she had arrived, the house had to be improved. It couldn’t continue like Qi Taiguo’s bachelor days, lacking in everything.
Alright, since she was to be a cohabitant and close companion, it was only right to try and make their little home cozy.
After dinner, and with no entertainment available, Cheng Su simply began to clean and tidy up slowly, considering it as a form of post-dinner exercise. It wasn’t until ten o’clock that she took a bath and went to bed.
Lying on the big bed, she stared at the canopy for a while, finding herself in yet another new environment. What kind of challenges and pleasures awaited her in the days to come?
After letting her thoughts wander for a while, Cheng Su fell into a deep sleep.