Big head
Captain Jiang’s family had a bigger house with several rooms. Since it was just the couple living there before, there were quite a few empty rooms. After Zhan Aiping and Shen Liqing moved in, two small rooms were still left unoccupied.
Qin Lanfang liked to fill the house with all sorts of things, big and small, quite unlike Zhan Aiping and Shen Liqing’s minimalist style. She liked to save empty cans from sweet soups and use them to store various beans in glass jars—yellow beans, red beans, millet, all kinds. They were brightly coloured. Sometimes, she would even make dyed sticky rice.
In addition to these colourful beans, her windows were adorned with strings of dried corn and red chili peppers, giving off a vibrant and prosperous look.
She also made several lovely little persimmons from scrap fabric and placed them on the cupboard in the living room. Shen Liqing was amazed by her handiwork and couldn’t help but praise her each time.
“These little persimmons are so cute,” Shen Liqing said, picking one up, absolutely loving it.
Qin Lanfang replied, “If you like it, take one with you.”
Shen Liqing laughed, “Oh, I wouldn’t feel right doing that.”
“Go ahead, take one. Both your children have one already.”
Shen Liqing sighed in admiration, “I truly envy those lucky enough to have a crafty mother like you.”
Shen Liqing could write and draw, but when it came to sewing and making these delicate little items… she’d rather not try.
Zhan Aiping chimed in, “Your hands are really skilled.”
“The tiger-head shoes that Sister Qin made are especially loved by our Guobao and Xiaotangyuan.”
Qin Lanfang handed her two small persimmons, “Take two for your kids, Youyou and Yuanyuan.”
Zhan Aiping didn’t stand on ceremony and laughed, “Then I’ll thank you on behalf of the little ones, Aunt Qin.”
Zhan Aiping then turned around, picking up the two small persimmons to play with Guobao and Xiaotangyuan. “Look, bright red little persimmons!”
The two children, sitting in the crib, smiled widely and reached out their hands to grab them. Zhan Aiping pulled over a small stool to sit and play with them. In a soft voice, she called their names, “Youyou, Youyou, look at mommy…”
“Yuanyuan?”
“Yuanyuan?”
…
She called several times, but neither of the little troublemakers responded. Instead, the brother and sister were huddled together, playing with the little persimmons. They squeezed the persimmons happily in their hands.
They loved squishing toys like this.
Zhan Aiping sighed in resignation, “Little Guobao?”
Hearing the familiar name, Youyou tilted his head to look at his mom, his big black eyes wide and unblinking. His double eyelids made his eyes look even larger. His sister’s eyes weren’t as big as his, but when he tilted his head like this, it felt like he could melt your heart with just one look.
Seeing that he had responded, Zhan Aiping called again, “Little Tangyuan?”
Yuanyuan also lifted her head to look at her mom: “?”
Yuanyuan’s features strongly resembled Gu Sheng’s, and her lips were especially beautiful. When she smiled, they looked like delicate flower petals.
“Oh no, now you only respond to ‘Guobao’ and ‘Tangyuan,’ huh? You won’t even acknowledge ‘Youyou’ or ‘Yuanyuan’ anymore.”
Zhan Aiping gently pinched the cheeks of the two little ones. These two troublemakers had learned their names already. Repeated words, more fitting for children, didn’t seem to work for them, but call them ‘Guobao’ and ‘Tangyuan,’ and they’d react right away.
Now, every time, she had to call three syllables.
As soon as the two heard their names, they would respond.
“Ahh-oh-wahh-ahh…”
Guobao and Tangyuan opened their mouths, babbling. They were currently obsessed with talking to their mom, though they probably didn’t even know what they were saying. But they were very happy to talk.
Zhan Aiping said, “You two sound just like little kittens.”
Baby cries and babbling often sounded like kitten meows, especially when they were new-borns, as if they were two tiny kittens.
“Say mama, can you say mama?”
Little Tangyuan, clutching the red persimmon, drooled and called out, “Ma?”
Her brother, like an echo, also said, “Ma?”
Zhan Aiping propped her chin in her hand, watching them, wondering if this counted as them calling her “mama,” or if it was just some unconscious “ma” sounds.
Their expressions seemed to ask, “What are you doing?”
Zhan Aiping picked up Tangyuan and smiled, “Daughter, you seem to have gotten a little heavier.”
She then lifted her son, “Both of you have gained weight.”
The two kids, half-hugged by her, giggled as they snuggled up to their mom. As she supported them, they both showed signs of wanting to stand. When she held them up, their little arms and legs kicked with all their might.
Shen Liqing, watching their interaction from the side, couldn’t help but feel envious, “Can I hold your kids? I really want to hold them…”
Ever since she got pregnant, Shen Liqing found babies more and more adorable.
Although Qin Lanfang didn’t say anything, she also gazed eagerly at Zhan Aiping.
Zhan Aiping shook her head, “With the two of you like this, it’s probably better not to hold them. Lately, Guobao and Tangyuan have been kicking hard. I wouldn’t want them to accidentally kick either of you.”
Shen Liqing said, “How strong can little kids be?”
Zhan Aiping sighed, “You’ll know what I mean once your two chubby little fish kick you.”
Shen Liqing murmured, “My two chubby fish…”
“I just had this sudden image in my mind of two fish leaping out of the water and slapping me in the face with their tails, splashing water all over me.”
“You’ve certainly got a vivid imagination,” Zhan Aiping and Qin Lanfang both laughed.
The three of them lived together with their “five” children, chatting every day, never feeling lonely.
Shen Liqing stretched lazily, “I don’t even want Lao Wang to come back anymore. Life like this is perfect—one beauty in each hand. Even the infamous King Zhou of ancient times couldn’t have had it better than me.”
Zhan Aiping joked, “If we’re talking about being King Zhou, that should be me. I’ve got two concubines both pregnant, and whoever gives birth first will be the queen.”
Qin Lanfang said, “I’m too old now. I won’t compete with my younger sisters.”
Shen Liqing laughed, “I want to be the empress dowager.”
Zhan Aiping sighed, “Sounds like my imperial harem isn’t very harmonious.”
The three of them burst into laughter.
At night, Zhan Aiping slept in the same room with her two kids. Her children, like their father, had an internal clock that ensured they went to bed and woke up on time, but like their mother, they loved to sleep in.
As long as they slept well, their temperaments were great. After their evening feeding, the brother and sister happily blew bubbles.
They had become quite fond of blowing bubbles, and Tangyuan was better at it than her brother. Her little mouth opened, and with a “whoosh,” a bubble appeared, making her giggle like a little goldfish.
Zhan Aiping watched them blowing bubbles, her gaze soft. She gently touched their warm cheeks and took out a few photos. They were the ones she had taken of Gu Sheng that day, showing off his “ID photo” look.
With his upright posture and sharp, handsome features, just looking at the photos made her feel a surge of hormones. He really was good-looking. Even though his clothes were all buttoned up, she could easily imagine the strong chest and powerful arms beneath them.
She stared at the photos, lost in thought.
“Eh?” The two bubble-blowing kids, like stranded little turtles, lay on their backs, waving their arms and legs to get their mother’s attention. With a little effort, they flipped over.
Not only could they flip over now, but they could even do baby “push-ups.”
Zhan Aiping showed them the photo she was holding, “Do you miss Daddy?”
Little Guobao stared at the photo and reached out to grab it, trying to put it in his mouth. Zhan Aiping said, “…That’s Daddy, you can’t eat him.”
Even though it was a photo of their dad, the brother and sister didn’t hold back. Each of them grabbed onto “Daddy’s” body with one hand.
Zhan Aiping had to work hard to rescue their father from them, preventing the photo from being torn to pieces by their little hands—those two mischievous kids were surprisingly strong.
But they still managed to wrinkle the photo.
Zhan Aiping sighed, “I can’t protect anything from your little floods of destruction.”
“You’re not treating Daddy very kindly.”
She playfully patted their little bottoms.
The siblings wriggled around on the bed like two little piglets. They ate well, slept well, and had no worries.
“Two little gluttons.”
Little Tangyuan blew another bubble. She and her brother slept close together, and as long as they slept soundly, they had no troubles.
…
Gu Sheng and his team had been gone for more than a month. He was doing well, and Captain Jiang’s work was serious and progressing smoothly. However, behind the scenes, he was so anxious that he had developed mouth ulcers.
“Has the baby arrived yet? Or not?”
The closer the due date got, the more nervous Captain Jiang became. Only when he was completely absorbed in work could he forget his endless worry.
He felt deeply guilty for not being able to be by his wife’s side at such a crucial time.
Gu Sheng completely understood him and comforted him, “Don’t worry, my wife is there.”
“As soon as the baby is born, we’ll immediately let you know that everything’s fine.”
Captain Jiang still worried, “But your wife is already taking care of two kids, and Little Shen is also pregnant with twins. What if they end up going into labour at the same time? Will they be able to manage?”
Gu Sheng said, “It can’t be that much of a coincidence.”
Commander Jiang replied, “My big chicken will definitely be born before the two little fish.”
Gu Sheng chuckled.
“What are you laughing at? Do you think your Guobao will be the eldest? My big chicken is taller and sturdier than your kids.”
Gu Sheng reminded him, “Commander, I’m taller than you…”
Commander Jiang responded, “But I’ve got a bigger head.”
As if being tall made him special. Well, let’s see if you can beat having a bigger head.
Gu Sheng: “…”
“A big head doesn’t make labour easy.”
Commander Jiang’s breath hitched, and he took off his hat to scratch his head, “Well, maybe a smaller head is better after all.”
“My wife hasn’t been in great health, but she’s really good with her hands. She made so many little things for the baby.”
“Those two little cloth tigers your kids were playing with looked pretty nice. My wife said she wants to learn to make them too…”
Gu Sheng listened with an expressionless face.
…
As the due date approached, Qin Lanfang couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous, while Shen Liqing was eating happily, convinced she’d be the last to give birth and in no hurry. She figured Qin Lanfang would go first, and then her turn would come.
“Are you feeling any of those signs that the baby is dropping?” Qin Lanfang asked.
Shen Liqing replied, “My two little fish are living carefree every day.”
Qin Lanfang added, “Mine too.”
“But, speaking of which, why am I starting to feel a bit uncomfortable?”
Zhan Aiping suggested, “Maybe it’s better to go to the hospital, just in case.”
There was a fear that the two pregnant women might set off a chain reaction—like how girls in the same dorm sometimes synchronize their menstrual cycles. Perhaps there was some sort of magnetic field at play?
Qin Lanfang glanced nervously at Shen Liqing’s twin baby bump. “Maybe we should go to the hospital after all.”
Shen Liqing said, “I’m just worried the food won’t be good. I’ve heard that the food at the military hospital cafeteria is terrible.”
Zhan Aiping reassured her, “I’ll have my sister make special meals for you. She knows a doctor who’s a great cook. I’ll ask him to help out.”
“You pregnant women have it tough; you deserve to eat well.”
Shen Liqing smiled, “Thank you for cooking for us before, Pingping.”
Qin Lanfang agreed, “Deputy Director Zhan is a fantastic cook.”
“Little Zhao is pretty good too.”
Zhan Aiping smiled as she listened to them chat. She found herself missing Gu Sheng’s cooking.
When Shen Liqing and Qin Lanfang were admitted to the hospital for their deliveries, they were put in the same room, so they could keep each other company. After work, Zhan Aiping brought her two kids to visit them, and at night, she slept with Gu Xiangyi.
Gu Xiangyi was over the moon and secretly thrilled, “My brother’s gone, so now I get to sleep with my sister-in-law.”
Zhan Aiping laughed, “You and your cheeky words.”
Gu Xiangyi grinned, “If I were a man, would you kick me out, sister-in-law?”
“Trying to steal your sister-in-law for yourself.”
Zhan Aiping teased, “Do you really think you could? Stop flattering yourself.”
Gu Xiangyi sighed, “My brother and sister-in-law are so fierce. My little nephew and niece are the best—come here, my little meatball and my sweet Yuanyuan, let Auntie hold you.”
She picked up little Guobao, who smelled of milk—he’d just had some mashed potatoes.
Gu Xiangyi took a deep breath, “Our little meatball smells so good—”
“Sis, I think he pooped,” Gu Xiangyi said.
Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but laugh. “Now you know how hard it is to take care of kids, huh? Smells good? More like it’ll stink you to death.”
“He looks adorable, but his poopy diaper stinks so bad.”
The two of them changed the diaper for the little one. Standing by the window, Gu Xiangyi sighed, “It’s really not easy with two kids. Sis, you’ve worked so hard. It’s all my brother’s fault for not being able to take care of you.”
Zhan Aiping said, “Having these two little troublemakers around is kind of nice.”
Gu Xiangyi pretended to be shocked. “Sis, are you missing my brother?”
Zhan Aiping immediately denied, “No way.”
Gu Xiangyi chuckled twice. “In a bit, I’ll take some pictures of my little niece and nephew to send to my parents. My dad’s been bugging my second and third brothers to find partners lately.”
“Let them see their adorable little niece and nephew.”
Zhan Aiping smiled and asked, “What about you? Aren’t you thinking about finding someone?”
“No rush, no rush. My eldest, second, third, and fourth brothers aren’t married yet, so why should I be in a hurry?” Gu Xiangyi rattled off a string of bachelors in her family.
“My little brother sure got lucky, snatching such a beautiful childhood sweetheart like you.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “It’s not like there aren’t any guys your age.”
Just like how she and Shen Liqing had gotten pregnant around the same time, in their courtyard, there were always several kids of similar ages. Back then, family planning wasn’t a thing, and with high child mortality rates, families often had three, four, or even five kids. The kids, close in age, would often be born one after the other.
Gu Xiangyi sighed, “But I don’t have that kind of childhood bond from fighting with anyone every day.”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
“Sis, I suspect that when we were kids, my little brother intentionally annoyed you because he knew you were pretty and wanted to claim you as his child bride.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “Tone down your imagination.”
The conversation was getting more ridiculous by the minute.
Qin Lanfang was the first to go into labour. At the time, Zhan Aiping hadn’t finished work yet. By the time she arrived at the hospital with her children, Shen Liqing and Gu Xiangyi were already sitting outside the delivery room, waiting—they had been waiting for hours.
Shen Liqing was eating an egg, “I’m so hungry. I’m eating for three, no matter how much I eat, it’s not enough.”
Gu Xiangyi said, “Then have some more?”
Despite appearing calm, Gu Xiangyi was quite anxious, and Shen Liqing, though also nervous, used food to ease her tension. “Pingping, you’re here. Ugh, I think I might have eaten too much… ahh, it hurts, it hurts so much!”
Zhan Aiping and Gu Xiangyi hurriedly helped her into the delivery room.
Now it was just Shen Liqing and Zhan Aiping waiting outside, along with Guobao and Tangyuan. Zhan Aiping said, “Their babies are positioned well. There shouldn’t be any problems.”
Gu Xiangyi swallowed nervously, “Having a baby is really not easy.”
“Sis, when you were giving birth, my brother was so nervous. It was the first time I’d ever seen him like that—cold sweat all over his head and body. Anyone who didn’t know better would’ve thought he was the one giving birth.”
Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but laugh at her words, easing some of the tension. She let out a long breath.
“Sis, my brother really cares about you.”
Zhan Aiping smiled, “Why are you telling me this?”
“I’m just nervous! We’re about to meet three new babies. Just think about it—they’ll grow up together, another group of childhood friends, and who knows, maybe one of them will end up together.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “Who can predict the future? I don’t want to think about giving my daughter away.”
Gu Xiangyi nodded, “True, our little Tangyuan can’t just be taken away by anyone.”
Although Qin Lanfang went into labour first, it was Shen Liqing who gave birth first. She delivered a healthy set of twins—a girl and a boy, with the older sister coming out first, followed by her little brother.
Zhan Aiping and Gu Xiangyi went to see the new-borns. The sister weighed over seven pounds and looked robust, while her five-pound little brother seemed much smaller in comparison. The sister’s cry was loud and strong.
Gu Xiangyi commented, “Weren’t they supposed to be two boys?”
“Nothing’s certain until they’re born.”
Shen Liqing was wheeled out of the delivery room, overjoyed. For her, it felt like the two babies just slid right out. She hadn’t suffered much, having mentally prepared herself for hours of labour, but it was over in no time.
“I guess I named them right—just like two slippery little fish!”
Hearing that she had given birth to a boy and a girl, Shen Liqing’s spirits soared, “This is perfect! I’m so lucky, I’ve got both a son and a daughter now! From now on, my daughter will be Sweet and Sour Fish, and my son, Pickled Fish. We’ve added two big fish to our family.”
Gu Xiangyi laughed, “Sister Shen, you’re full of energy.”
“I had been saving my strength, thinking it was going to be a long, tough labour. I was pacing myself, but it turns out I didn’t even need to. These two slippery little fish didn’t give their mom any chance to work hard,” Shen Liqing joked, feeling like she barely had to exert any effort, and the babies just slid out on their own.
Gu Xiangyi, envious, said, “I hope my future kids don’t make me work too hard either.”
Zhan Aiping brought the two babies over for her to see. Shen Liqing had a slightly complicated expression, “Did these two get a bath yet?”
Zhan Aiping reassured her, “Don’t worry, are you already complaining about your two little fish?”
Shen Liqing took one look and immediately covered her eyes, “So wrinkly, like two little old men! They’re so ugly! They must take after their father.”
While she covered her eyes, she kept peeking through her fingers. Every glance made her think they were ugly, and even after a second and third look, she still found them ugly.
She couldn’t lie to herself.
Zhan Aiping clicked her tongue, “All new-borns look like this. Your eldest is quite fair; they’re not ugly at all.”
Shen Liqing protested, “My daughter looks like me, so she’s not ugly. But this little brother, he really takes after his dad. Just look at that little nose and those little eyes—don’t they look exactly like my Lao Wang?”
Zhan Aiping nodded, “It really does look like it. Your daughter takes after you, and your son takes after your husband.”
“Exactly! From now on, my daughter will be the big fish, and my son will be the little fish.” Shen Liqing was thoroughly satisfied. “Just one pregnancy and I’ve got both a son and a daughter—this is great, really great.”
“Pingping, little Gu, I’m a bit hungry. I really want to eat some big fish and meat.”
Zhan Aiping teased, “You’ve just given birth to two little fish, and you already want big fish? You can only have something light for now.”
Gu Xiangyi offered, “I’ll go get some millet porridge.”
Zhan Aiping sat by her bedside, “Don’t push yourself too hard. Get some rest.”
Shen Liqing smiled faintly, “I still want to see Commander Jiang’s baby.”
She couldn’t be the only one whose baby looked so wrinkly and old!
Zhan Aiping said, “I’ll wait for you.”
But Shen Liqing couldn’t hold out and eventually fell asleep. Meanwhile, Qin Lanfang had also given birth to a seven-pound baby boy. His head was noticeably bigger than Shen Liqing’s two little fish.
Qin Lanfang was weak after giving birth and didn’t speak much. She and Shen Liqing were put in the same room to make it easier for Zhan Aiping and the others to care for them. Qin Yanfang and Dr. Zhao had also arrived, and they all took turns helping out.
Qin Yanfang was thrilled, “My little nephew! Look at how strong he is, over seven pounds! Just look at those little arms.”
Dr. Zhao laughed, “Three babies born on the same day.”
Qin Yanfang nodded, “What a coincidence, right?”
After two days in the hospital, they all moved to Commander Jiang’s house. The place became lively, with five babies in total—it was like a day-care. Shen Liqing and Qin Lanfang each had their own room for recovery, but they felt lonely, so they moved two beds into a large room to recover together.
The two of them spent their days chatting while taking care of the three babies, and the days passed quickly.
Zhan Aiping took two days off from work to teach them how to care for the babies first-hand, and Qin Yanfang also took time off to take care of her sister during her confinement.
He Lingling dropped by and was envious of how they had teamed up for their recovery. Both adults and kids loved being in groups.
“When I have my baby, I’m going to recover with you guys too.”
“So many kids! This is Guobao, this is Tangyuan, then there’s Sister Sweet and Sour Fish, Brother Pickled Fish, and Big Pan Chicken?”
Xie Shu, standing nearby, commented, “Anyone listening would think you’re listing off dishes.”
A few days after giving birth, Shen Liqing became quite worried because her mother suddenly decided to come help with her confinement and was rushing over overnight.
Zhan Aiping asked, “Isn’t it good that your mom is coming to take care of you?”
Shen Liqing sighed, “You don’t understand. My mom is extremely frugal—she refuses to spend money on food or clothes. Even though our family isn’t struggling financially, she still refuses to spend.”
At this point, Shen Liqing wasn’t afraid to lose face and continued, “Do you know how stingy she is? Whatever you do, don’t eat her cooking. One time in winter, she was curing pork, but she was too cheap to use salt, so the meat went bad and got worms, and she still ate it.”
“I’ve told her time and again not to cook so much, but she insists on making too many dishes, leaving leftovers at every meal. She refuses to throw anything away, so we end up eating leftovers day after day.”
“If we bought fruit, she’d insist on eating the bad ones first and saving the good ones. By the time we finish the bad ones, the good ones have gone bad too. So we end up always eating the bad ones.”
Zhan Aiping and Qin Lanfang both fell silent.
Shen Liqing sighed, “This is one of those times I’m thankful my mom favours my brothers over me.”
“That wormy meat? She thought it was too valuable to waste, so she wouldn’t let me eat it—she gave it to my brothers instead.”
“I wouldn’t eat it even if she gave it to me,” Shen Liqing laughed. “Anyway, all her ‘good stuff’ goes to my brothers.”
“When my sister-in-law was recovering from childbirth, she gave her that spoiled meat. She wasn’t trying to be mean; she genuinely thought it was something good and wanted to ‘nourish’ my sister-in-law with it. Now that I’m recovering from childbirth, I definitely don’t want her ‘nourishing’ me.”
“None of her so-called good things are actually good.”
“I’m begging you all to keep an eye on things for me. Don’t let me eat anything she cooks—I can’t stand it anymore!”
The reason Shen Liqing had been so eager to marry far away was to escape her mother. Her mom had too many bad habits—ones that couldn’t be explained away or corrected. People might think she was being frugal, but every meal she made had tons of leftovers, and she ate those leftovers with great satisfaction. Not only did she eat them herself, but she also forced others to eat them. In her household, if you didn’t eat, it meant you were ungrateful and didn’t appreciate her “hard work.”
As for not buying meat? No, she bought it—only to let it spoil. And once it spoiled, she still couldn’t bear to throw it away.
Shen Liqing had enough. “I don’t know what she’s thinking, coming all this way to take care of me after childbirth.”
“What do you think I should do?”
Zhan Aiping replied, “What do you mean? This is your home, not hers. You’re the one in charge now. You eat what you want and do things your way.”
“You’re right, Pingping,” Shen Liqing said, slapping the bed. “Though technically, this isn’t my house—it’s Sister Qin’s.”
“If my mom doesn’t like it here, she can leave.”
It wasn’t just Shen Liqing’s mother, Chen Yulan, who was coming to visit. Commander Jiang’s younger sister, Jiang Meihui, was also on her way.
Qin Lanfang said, “I’ve never met my sister-in-law, but I hear she’s a good cook. My husband insisted on having her come to cook for me, even though I told him it wasn’t necessary.”
Shen Liqing beamed, “That’s perfect! She’s definitely more reliable than my mom.”
“I’ll just eat with you, Sister Qin, and avoid anything my mom makes.”
By coincidence, Chen Yulan and Jiang Meihui arrived on the same day. They bumped into each other, both there to visit and help with the postpartum care.
Chen Yulan eyed Jiang Meihui, “I’m here to take care of my daughter after childbirth.”
In reality, Chen Yulan had come because she’d quarrelled with her son, daughter-in-law, and husband. She was hoping her son and daughter-in-law would beg her to return.
Both women carried packages as they arrived at the Jiang household.
“The Jiang family and the Wang family both had babies on the same day, so they’re recovering together,” Jiang Meihui said.
Chen Yulan paused, “Is that so? I know her husband’s not around…”
“How can two people recover together? That’s bad luck.”
Jiang Meihui replied, “What nonsense. There’s nothing unlucky about it. That’s just an old superstition.”
“You—you’re an ignorant country bumpkin,” Chen Yulan retorted, looking down on her for her rural appearance.
“I’m from the big city.”
“So what if you’re from the city?” Jiang Meihui scoffed and walked confidently into the house. After all, it was her brother’s home—there was nothing for her to be afraid of.
Chen Yulan hesitated but followed her inside.
Once inside, Chen Yulan found Shen Liqing and began scolding her. “How can you shamelessly recover in someone else’s home? Go home right away, and I’ll take care of you.”
Shen Liqing refused, “No way. All the men are away, so we’re staying together to look out for each other.”
“And now that your mother is here, you don’t need anyone else to look out for you.” Chen Yulan said arrogantly, as if her presence was a great favour to Shen Liqing.
Shen Liqing replied, “Mom, you’re welcome to visit your grandchildren, but I don’t need you to take care of me. Sister-in-law could use more help.”
At the mention of her sister-in-law, Chen Yulan’s face tightened. She coldly said, “You’re my daughter. Why would I take care of someone else’s daughter instead of my own?”
Shen Liqing thought to herself, ‘She probably fought with her sister-in-law and that’s why she’s here.’
Chen Yulan continued, “You better appreciate this. I even brought meat to nourish you. Tonight, I’ll make you a nice meat soup.”
Shen Liqing quickly declined, “No need for that. I’ll eat with Sister Qin.”
Recovering with Qin Lanfang had its benefits. They shared chicken soups and fish soups between the two families, saving money and effort while ensuring nothing went to waste.
Before they left, Commander Jiang and Wang Youli had stocked up on plenty of good food at home, ready for the women to nourish themselves with.
When Zhan Aiping returned, she met Commander Jiang’s sister, Jiang Meihui. Jiang Meihui was not young anymore and still unmarried. She had a large build, weighing nearly twice as much as Zhan Aiping, and was a big, strong woman. However, she wasn’t fierce; her smile was warm and kind.
“You must be Dr. Zhan, the one my brother’s always talking about. He said I should listen to whatever you say. However you tell me to take care of my sister-in-law, that’s exactly how I’ll do it,” Jiang Meihui said. She was surprised to see that Zhan Aiping, a young and beautiful woman, was also a doctor. Her brother had mentioned that Zhan was more reliable than the barefoot doctors in the countryside, that she had been a military doctor, and that she had treated both him and his wife. She had even been featured in the newspaper.
Zhan Aiping smiled, “Your brother told me you’re a good cook. Why don’t you make something for us to try?”
“Sure thing! Don’t worry, Dr. Zhan. Back in our commune, everyone wanted me to cook at their banquets. I promise you’ll be satisfied.”
“You’re quite the craftsperson, aren’t you?” Zhan Aiping said.
“My steamed buns and noodles are the best within twenty miles,” Jiang Meihui replied, laughing happily.
“I’m looking forward to tasting your cooking,” Zhan Aiping said. Then, her gaze lingered on Jiang Meihui’s face.
Jiang Meihui touched her face and said, “Dr. Zhan, what are you looking at? Don’t worry, these bumps on my face aren’t contagious.”
Her cheeks were covered in pimple-like bumps that resembled chicken skin. She hadn’t had them before, but they started appearing when she was in her twenties. She had seen many countryside doctors and applied countless medications, but none had helped. In fact, some treatments made her skin red, swollen, and painful, worsening her condition.
She had tried various Chinese medicines as well, but they didn’t work either. Even when there were slight improvements, the bumps would soon reappear. Due to her skin condition and her large build, she found it hard to find a match, especially since she had a preference for good-looking, handsome men.
This time, she had come to stay with her brother partly in hopes of finding a partner. If she couldn’t find someone here, she’d have no choice but to return home and find a husband who could move in with her.
Zhan Aiping suggested, “How about I give you some ointment to apply and help you adjust your body’s condition?”
Jiang Meihui hesitated, “Will it work? I’ve taken so many medicines before.”
“Trust my skills and give it a try,” Zhan Aiping replied.
After a pause, Jiang Meihui said firmly, “You’re so pretty—I trust you.”
Zhan Aiping chuckled, “You’re different from most people.”
Many of her patients only trusted old doctors with greying hair and beards, believing those were the reliable ones.
Jiang Meihui grinned, “Actually, Dr. Zhan, there’s something else I wanted to ask you.”
She shifted awkwardly, looking a little shy.
“What is it?” Zhan Aiping asked.
“It’s about finding a partner.”
Zhan Aiping laughed, “Your brother sent you to me for that?”
Jiang Meihui nodded, “He said you’re great at matchmaking. He said he and my sister-in-law only got together because of you. Otherwise, my brother would’ve stayed single forever. Even my mom gave up on him, letting him be a bachelor for so long.”
She leaned in to whisper to Zhan Aiping, “I used to think my brother liked men.”
“All the men back in our hometown want to find a wife, right? My brother’s got a good job and became an officer, but he wouldn’t look for a woman. People in our village gossiped about all sorts of things, even saying he wasn’t capable anymore…”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
“I’m not exactly a matchmaker. Why don’t you start by meeting some people, and if you find someone you like, I can ask around for you? Whether it works out or not will depend on your own luck.”
Jiang Meihui nodded, “Alright.”
After a brief hesitation, she added, “Dr. Zhan, I really just want someone good-looking. He doesn’t need to be anything special, but his face has to be handsome.”
Zhan Aiping asked, “Good-looking? Handsome? What exactly do you mean by that?”
Jiang Meihui replied, “Like my brother—big-headed and looking strong and dashing.”
Zhan Aiping: “…Big-headed?”
“My brother said a bigger head means more intelligence. I need to have smart kids, just like him. My brother’s really accomplished.”
Zhan Aiping said, “Why don’t you keep meeting people for now? Let me focus on treating your condition. Matchmaking isn’t my specialty—medicine is.”
“Sure, sure, Dr. Zhan. I knew you’d be good at this matchmaking thing,” Jiang Meihui said. In the past, she had worked with several matchmakers, but none were reliable. They always introduced her to skinny, sickly men, praising them for being kind, ambitious, and educated. But it was clear they only saw her as strong and wanted her to take care of their ailing sons.
Those matchmakers always exaggerated the qualities of these men, but Jiang Meihui hadn’t been fooled by any of it.
But Zhan Aiping’s approach, letting her choose for herself, was something new to her.
Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but say, “Don’t set your expectations too high. There’s no guarantee I can find someone for you. It’s all up to fate.”
Jiang Meihui nodded, “That’s fine, Dr. Zhan. I know my standards are high, and it’s hard for me to find a match. I won’t blame you if it doesn’t work out. After all, it’s not easy to find someone as handsome as my brother.”
“My little nephew looks just like him. It’s a shame he’s too young, otherwise…”
**Nomad: Otherwise… Otherwise WHAT??!!**
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