Steamed Eggs.
“The kids receive a monthly allowance from the army until they turn 18,” Lu Zetian placed the washed dishes in the cabinet and turned to Qin Shi. “Food and living expenses don’t need to be skimped on. The kids’ health is the priority.”
Qin Shi chuckled lightly. “Got it.”
Since he said so, she wouldn’t bother saving money unnecessarily. She would make sure the kids got everything they needed—good food, proper clothes, and everything else—while enjoying the perks herself.
“How much per month?” Qin Shi asked.
“Five yuan, plus some ration tickets for grain and oil.” Lu Zetian finished washing the dishes, picked up a rag, and began wiping down the stove. “Their fathers’ pension is saved for them. Once they grow up, I’ll give it to them.”
Qin Shi nodded, knowing she wouldn’t touch those funds. “What’s your salary?”
“Eighty yuan a month. I send ten yuan home and save half of the remaining amount. The rest goes toward household expenses,” Lu Zetian explained as he cleaned the stove. “Is that enough?”
Qin Shi shrugged. “Plenty. Let’s live on a 35-yuan budget next month and adjust from there.”
Lu Zetian raised an eyebrow, glanced at her briefly, and continued cleaning the stove without comment.
Watching him scrub the stove until it gleamed, organizing every utensil meticulously, Qin Shi couldn’t help but wonder, Do all soldiers have obsessive-compulsive cleaning habits?
After the kitchen was tidied, Lu Zetian led Qin Shi to the bedrooms. Hesitating briefly, he suggested, “How about we switch rooms later? Yours is too small.”
Qin Shi refused, “No need. I’ll draft a design plan for renovations soon.”
Amused, Lu Zetian asked, “Confident, aren’t you?”
Qin Shi grinned, “Wait and see.”
Lu Zetian nodded with a faint smile, “Looking forward to it.”
—
That evening, after playing, the children washed up and got ready for bed. Pingping and An’an fell asleep almost immediately, but Gu Qinghai lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Thoughts of Qin Shi’s words and her cooking replayed in his mind.
After a long while, he let out a soft huff, turned to his side, and closed his eyes. She’s trying to use kindness to lower our guard. I won’t fall for it!
—
The next morning, the wake-up alarm blared before dawn. Qin Shi snapped her eyes open, momentarily disoriented. Hearing movement from Lu Zetian’s room, she remembered he was returning to the base today.
She stayed in bed, knowing she didn’t need to prepare breakfast since he would eat at the canteen.
However, after Lu Zetian left, she couldn’t go back to sleep. Her body was accustomed to early mornings, so she got up, started the stove in the kitchen, and began boiling water.
Qin Shi took the opportunity to reorganize the kitchen, shifting cabinets and tables to make the dining area brighter and more spacious.
By 8 a.m., she had already eaten a bowl of egg soup when Gu Qinghai emerged, holding a chamber pot. After emptying and cleaning it, he was about to return to his room when the aroma of eggs stopped him in his tracks.
Qin Shi called out to him, “Qinghai, breakfast is in the pot. Wake Pingping and An’an, help them wash up, and eat together. I’m heading to the supply store with Aunt Zhao next door.”
Gu Qinghai, unused to her casual tone, hesitated before muttering an acknowledgment. Despite his discomfort, he couldn’t deny her instructions.
After tidying herself up, Qin Shi grabbed a basket and left.
Once the door shut, Gu Qinghai bolted to the kitchen, lifting the pot lid to reveal three bowls of steamed eggs, glistening with sesame oil and sprinkled with scallions. He swallowed hard at the sight.
The Lu family wasn’t poor, and Gu Qinghai knew they had allowances, but Lu’s mother had always been frugal. Regularly eating eggs was a rarity.
Last night’s egg soup and this morning’s steamed eggs were a luxury. Staring at the smooth, delicate surface of the steamed eggs, Gu Qinghai huffed.
“Reckless spender! It’s not even her money!”
After ensuring the pot wouldn’t burn, Gu Qinghai dashed back to wake the twins. An’an, still groggy, pouted as though she might cry, but Gu Qinghai quickly interjected, “Don’t cry. There’s steamed egg for breakfast.”
At that, An’an perked up, grabbed her clothes, and started dressing. However, half-asleep, she got tangled in her shirt, with her head stuck in the sleeve.
Gu Qinghai quickly helped her, guiding her through the correct opening.
Once dressed and washed, the three children eagerly headed to the kitchen. Gu Qinghai carefully carried the bowls to the table, placing them in front of the twins.
An’an sniffed the fragrant sesame oil and exclaimed, “Smells amazing!”
Pingping pointed at the bowl in awe, “So big!”
For the twins’ usual appetite, the bowls were indeed oversized. Gu Qinghai glanced at them, thinking Qin Shi might have miscalculated. Such a waste if they can’t finish it, he thought, but he didn’t dwell on it, picking up his spoon to take a bite.
The silky, smooth texture of the steamed egg immediately made him narrow his eyes in satisfaction. The fragrant sesame oil enhanced the already simple and delicious flavour of the egg.
All three kids focused on eating, heads down, too engrossed to speak. After finishing most of their portions, the twins pushed their bowls toward Gu Qinghai, patting their round tummies.
“Big brother, you eat.”
Gu Qinghai, still not full, pulled the bowls closer and finished their leftovers in big gulps. The twins watched him intently, as if watching him eat was satisfying in itself.
When the last bit of egg was scraped clean, Gu Qinghai put down his spoon and let out a contented burp.
Pingping and An’an slid off their chairs, ready to help Gu Qinghai take the bowls to the sink, but he stopped them with a wave of his hand.
“She’s supposed to be our new mom, isn’t she? Isn’t she the one who should take care of us? Why should we do the chores?” Gu Qinghai muttered, stopping the twins from their usual habit of helping clean up.
“We…” Gu Qinghai was about to continue when An’an patted his belly.
“Big brother’s tummy is round too!” she giggled mischievously.
Gu Qinghai froze, staring at the three identical bowls in front of him. A sudden realization dawned on him.
Qin Shi hadn’t misjudged the twins’ appetite. She’d planned it this way. She knew they wouldn’t finish their portions, but he’d eat the leftovers, ensuring everyone was full. The portions were equal, precise, and perfectly calculated. Not too little, not too much.
Did she do this on purpose? Or was it just a coincidence? Am I overthinking? Gu Qinghai stood motionless, his feelings a mix of surprise and confusion.
“Big brother?” Pingping tilted his head, looking up curiously. He didn’t understand why Gu Qinghai was staring blankly with his hand outstretched.
Snapping back to reality, Gu Qinghai patted Pingping’s head and told the twins to go play outside without worrying about the dishes.
The twins, full and happy, ran off hand in hand. Gu Qinghai stood staring at the bowls for a moment before picking them up and heading to the sink.
“Maybe it’s just a coincidence… Hmph. Let’s see how long you can keep this up.”
—
Meanwhile, Qin Shi had just stepped off the bus with Aunt Zhao, arriving at the supply store.
Aunt Zhao, warm and enthusiastic, took it upon herself to give Qin Shi a thorough introduction. “This supply store has everything you could possibly need!”
Looking around, Qin Shi was impressed by the variety. Daily necessities, clothing, and even luxury items like washing machines, televisions, and refrigerators were available—though expensive and requiring ration tickets.
Qin Shi quickly dismissed those items and focused on the basics. She and Aunt Zhao bought a pile of supplies. Curious about starting a vegetable garden, Qin Shi asked about seasonal crops and purchased seeds for bok choy, spinach, scallions, garlic, chives, and radishes—easy to grow and in season.
As they were about to leave, Qin Shi spotted a milk delivery stand. Her eyes lit up, and after inquiring about the cost, she found it affordable and immediately subscribed to a six-month plan for the kids. Milk was nutritious for the children, and she could use it occasionally for desserts.
Seeing Qin Shi’s decisiveness, Aunt Zhao’s eyes glimmered with approval. Willing to spend on the kids—good!
—
Carrying their purchases, Qin Shi and Aunt Zhao boarded the bus back home. After an hour-long ride, they got off near their neighbourhood and ran into a group of young female soldiers in uniform.
The soldiers greeted Aunt Zhao warmly before turning their curious gazes to Qin Shi, clearly waiting for an introduction.
Aunt Zhao coughed lightly, glancing between one of the soldiers and Qin Shi before saying, “This is Zetian’s new wife, Qin Shi.”
The female soldiers collectively turned to the most beautiful among them.
Ah, here it is, Qin Shi thought, silently clicking her tongue as she too looked at the soldier.
The young woman rolled her eyes at her peers and declared, “What are you staring at me for? Lu Zetian and I divorced peacefully, okay?”
As expected, Qin Shi mused.
“Hello, I’m Mo Ling, Lu Zetian’s ex-wife,” the woman said boldly, extending a hand.
“Hello,” Qin Shi replied with a smile, shaking hands briefly.
After that, they exchanged no further pleasantries and went their separate ways.
On the bus ride back, the female soldiers began gossiping.
“So that’s the new Mrs. Lu?”
“Didn’t they say she’s from the countryside? She doesn’t look the part.”
“She’s young and pretty. Why would she volunteer to be a stepmom?”
“Well, the kids get a decent allowance, and Lu Zetian’s salary is excellent. There’s no shortage of women lining up to be stepmoms for a man like him.”
One of the soldiers sighed and turned to Mo Ling. “I don’t know what kind of luck Lu Zetian has, getting two such beautiful wives.”
Mo Ling snorted lightly, her expression tinged with disdain. “Isn’t that the truth? Some people are just born lucky.”
—
*Author’s Note:*
Mo Ling is a side character, but not from Qin Shi’s story arc. 😊
Leave a Reply