Jiang Jinghuai’s wheelchair wasn’t finished by noon, but it was time to eat lunch.
"Let’s have lunch at the cafeteria today. You can meet everyone," he said.
Tian Sangsang thought about it and realized it made sense. Marriage wasn’t just between two individuals; getting to know each other’s friends was important too.
The military cafeteria was bustling with activity. Rows of green military uniforms filled the space. Soldiers were queuing for food, and occasionally, one could spot some attractive women from the cultural troupe mingling about.
Most eyes were drawn to Tian Sangsang and Meng Shuyan. There was no malice in those gazes, just pure curiosity.
After all, weren’t people born to be looked at? Tian Sangsang walked with composure, unperturbed and dignified.
Jiang Jinghuai glanced at her. As long as she could hold her own, that was enough for him. Frankly, he didn’t favor timid women who would freeze or become overly shy just from meeting others. Fortunately, Tian Sangsang’s boldness meant he didn’t have to worry about that. Looking at her appearance, she didn’t seem like the type who could act hesitant even if she wanted to.
The soldiers weren’t ones to overcomplicate things. They didn’t think too much about it—just that Jiang Jinghuai’s wife seemed quite outgoing, his son was adorable, and there didn’t appear to be anything to nitpick.
If there was a flaw to be found, it might be that his wife was a bit chubby, with skin as dark as the soldiers themselves—seemingly mismatched with Jiang Jinghuai.
But marriage is a matter of mutual consent. They had a kid now anyway, so who cared about matching appearances?
After getting their food and finding a seat, people frequently came over, grinning as they said, "Captain Jiang, is this your son? The little guy takes after you—so handsome!"
"Hello, uncles!" Initially, Meng Shuyan was a little shy, but he quickly adjusted, greeting them in a sweet, milky voice with the air of a little adult.
This made everyone like him even more. How did they show their affection? By patting his hair, of course. His fluffy little curls were a rarity around here.
Eventually, Jiang Jinghuai had to place his left hand protectively over Meng Shuyan’s head to stop the soldiers from indulging their playful urges.
"Oh wow, your son is so great—well-behaved and adorable, just like you, Jinghuai!" One man with a square face, in his thirties, radiating friendliness from head to toe, came over and pinched Meng Shuyan’s cheek. Beside him stood a woman who was younger and bore a graceful appearance. A faint medicinal scent emanated from her, suggesting she might be a doctor.
The woman held the hand of a pale, timid little girl about five or six years old.
After introductions were made, Tian Sangsang learned that the man was Political Commissioner Lin from the second unit, and the woman was You Huixixi, a military doctor.
You Huixixi had already heard about Jiang Jinghuai’s rural wife. Now that she finally met Tian Sangsang, despite Tian’s less-than-perfect appearance, she carried herself with an undeniable charm. There were plenty of military wives from rural backgrounds in their unit, but none of them had the same kind of presence Tian Sangsang did in comparison. Moreover, You Huixixi was fond of children. Seeing the sweet Meng Shuyan now, she felt an even stronger affinity for Tian Sangsang. After all, a mother of such an adorable child must surely be a good person.
"Your child is so cute! What’s his name? How old is he today?" You Huixixi asked eagerly.
"Jiang Shuyan, turning four soon," Tian Sangsang replied with a smile. "Your little girl is also very pretty."
"Nini." You Huixixi bent down to the little girl with her head lowered. "Say hello to Auntie, Uncle, and your new little brother, okay?"
They waited a long while but didn’t get a response; the little girl pursed her lips and stayed silent. You Huixixi’s smile froze awkwardly.
Political Commissioner Lin hesitated briefly, then smiled and reached out to pat Nini’s head. "Jinghuai, sister-in-law, my child is shy. She was adopted after the earthquake. Come on, let’s eat."
Tian Sangsang immediately understood—the child was adopted.
In front of others, Meng Shuyan always ate by himself. While the adults engaged in conversation, the two kids quietly focused on their meals.
Meng Shuyan carefully picked up a small piece of pumpkin with his chopsticks and attempted to bring it to his mouth. Just as it moved a little closer, the chopsticks slipped, and the pumpkin plopped back into his bowl of rice. Unfazed, he made another attempt, this time gripping the pumpkin firmly with his chopsticks, but just as it reached the edge of his mouth, the chopsticks loosened again.
He repeated this process several times until he was almost tempted to bury his face directly in the bowl to eat.
For some reason, Meng Shuyan felt his luck wasn’t too good today. He looked up helplessly, intending to seek help from his parents, but they were all engaged in conversation and hadn’t noticed him.
The little guy’s face fell, and he sat still, unmoving.
Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks reached into his bowl, picking up a piece of pumpkin and steadily holding it to his mouth. "Eat up," he heard a soft voice say.
He bit into the pumpkin, his cheeks bulging as he chewed. Once he finished, his peach-blossom-like eyes curved into crescents. "Thank you, Miss Sis!"
"Miss Sis, you eat this." Clumsily, he picked up a piece of green vegetable—the leaves were easier to grasp and less likely to fall—and stretched his arm out, placing it in the bowl of the girl sitting opposite him.
Unbeknownst to the children, the four adults had already paused their conversation, watching the two with amused expressions.
You Huixixi couldn’t contain her laughter. "Oh wow! I thought our Nini was shy, but turns out she warmed up quickly and is already playing with Yanyan."
"Kids are naturally better at getting along than adults. Your Nini is very mature—already looking after her little brother," Tian Sangsang remarked.
Lin Dongni silently chewed a piece of green vegetable, daintily nibbling with a lowered head, a shy flush creeping onto her cheeks.
That afternoon, Jiang Jinghuai finished the wheelchair and left for assembly. Before heading out, he handed Tian Sangsang a thick wad of cash.
"I had been saving this for my second sister, but she doesn’t need it now. The money is yours to manage. You’ll need it to arrange things for yourself and Yanyan," he said.
Second sister? Wasn’t that Jia Wenxiu, the adopted daughter of the Jiang family from the original story? She was now Li Yibai’s woman! Tian Sangsang didn’t hesitate as she accepted the money on the spot, then wheeled the wheelchair out to go shopping with Meng Shuyan.
The area near the military base was rather remote, lined with rows of streetlights and trees, but there was a bus station nearby with direct routes to a shopping mall, which was quite convenient.
After alighting the bus, Tian Sangsang first went shopping at the department store, purchasing clothing for herself. Jiang Jinghuai had already bought clothes and bedding for Meng Shuyan, leaving none of the essential items overlooked. However, one challenge arose with the floral essential oils, which she usually used on her body and face. She couldn’t produce the oils out of thin air, and sharing a roof with Jiang Jinghuai meant she couldn’t afford to arouse his suspicions.
She decided to gather resources from her spatial dimension—roses, lilies, wild daisies, some vegetable seeds, flower seeds, and flower pots. Earlier, she’d noticed plots of land in the family quarters area. She planned to ask Jiang Jinghuai later if their household had an allotment, hopeful about the possibility.