Griddled Flatbread and Hand Slaps.
“She’s so fierce…”
Both the older and younger children stared at Qin Shi’s dark expression, an inexplicable fear growing in their hearts.
If Qin Shi had shouted or scolded them, or even hit someone, they wouldn’t have been as scared. But seeing her calm demeanour now, they were absolutely terrified.
They were too young to understand that being calm when angry is far scarier than an outburst. Yet their instincts told them that this was dangerous.
Once everyone quieted down, Qin Shi turned her attention to Pingping. She noticed his face and lips were covered in dirt. Carefully checking him, she found no major injuries inside his mouth, just a small cut on his lip. Relieved, she let out a breath.
Pulling out the handkerchief she always carried, Qin Shi wiped Pingping’s face, then folded the handkerchief and pressed it gently to his still-bleeding lip. Only then did she straighten up.
“Now, tell me—what happened?” Qin Shi demanded, looking at Gu Qinghai and the skinny, dark-skinned boy.
“He bullied my sister!” they both shouted angrily at the same time.
“It was his sister who bullied me and Pingping first!” An’an interrupted, her pigtails undone and her eyes glaring at a teary-eyed little girl standing nearby. She began recounting the events to Qin Shi: “Lili wanted to grab my bow. I didn’t let her, so she tried to touch Pingping’s little red flower. She’d just been playing with mud, and Pingping didn’t let her touch it. When he ran away, she pushed him down, and that’s how he hurt his lip!”
Qin Shi was surprised. She didn’t expect An’an to be so rational and recount everything so clearly. However, this wasn’t the time to dwell on that. Qin Shi turned to the little girl and asked, “Lili, is what An’an said true?”
Lili didn’t reply. She was already frightened out of her wits, and as soon as Qin Shi questioned her, she burst into loud sobs, crying out for her mother.
Just then, some adults arrived, including Lili’s mother. Seeing her daughter crying so miserably, Lili’s mother rushed over, scooping her into her arms. “What happened? What’s wrong, sweetie? Don’t cry…”
Lili only cried harder when she saw her mother.
Lili’s mother turned to Qin Shi, her voice sharp. “You! What’s going on here?”
Qin Shi glanced at her and calmly repeated An’an’s explanation. Lili’s mother immediately dismissed it. “Impossible! My child is so well-behaved!”
“It was Lili who pushed him. Everyone saw it,” An’an retorted, turning to the nearby children for confirmation. “Isn’t that right?”
Over the past few days, Qin Shi had made lots of tasty treats, and Pingping and An’an often shared snacks with the other kids, even giving out sweet and fragrant sweet potato cakes. The twins had become very popular. Today, wearing their beautiful new clothes, they’d drawn even more attention. Lili had been envious and tried to touch their clothes, but the twins wouldn’t let her.
Angry, Lili had pushed Pingping, causing him to fall and hurt himself.
Now, when An’an asked, the children obediently told the truth: “That’s what happened.”
Lili’s mother froze, her expression stiff. After a moment, she forced a smile and said, “Kids will be kids. Fighting and playing around is normal. Lili, apologize to Pingping.”
Still crying, Lili refused. “I won’t! An’an hit me, and she hasn’t apologized to me yet!”
Lili’s mother’s anger flared. Seeing that Lili’s clothes were torn, she shouted, “An’an! Look at what you’ve done to Lili’s dress! How could you be so violent? Apologize to her right now!”
An’an planted her hands on her hips and shouted back, “Why should I? She bullied Pingping first, so I hit her. She deserved it!”
An’an wasn’t about to let Lili off the hook after she’d made Pingping bleed.
“You…” Lili’s mother was about to say something when Qin Shi interrupted her.
“You seem like an educated person, but your reasoning is surprising.” Qin Shi let out a cold laugh. “Your child started it. If she hadn’t pushed Pingping, would An’an have hit her? Apologies need to follow the proper order. Your daughter should apologize to Pingping first. Then, An’an will naturally apologize to her.”
“And who do you think you are?” Lili’s mother snapped. “What does this have to do with you?”
Before anyone familiar with Qin Shi could speak, An’an grabbed Qin Shi’s hand and declared, “She’s my mom!”
The adults who had only heard of Qin Shi but never met her were stunned. So, this was Lu Zetian’s new wife?
Qin Shi held An’an’s hand and said calmly, “Yes, I’m their mother. So, of course, this is my business.”
Lili’s mother stared at Qin Shi, but Qin Shi ignored her. Instead, she knelt down and removed the handkerchief from Pingping’s lip, revealing the blood covering his mouth and hands. “He’s injured like this. Isn’t an apology appropriate?”
The sight of so much blood startled the surrounding adults.
“Oh my! He’s bleeding so much!”
“Quickly, take him to the clinic!”
Pingping’s small hands had smeared the blood everywhere, making the injury look even worse. The adults nearby were alarmed.
Qin Shi turned to Lili and asked, “Lili, you hurt Pingping and made his mouth bleed. Don’t you think you should apologize?”
Terrified, Lili hid behind her mother, avoiding Qin Shi and Pingping. But under the circumstances, there was no way to escape.
Lili’s mother gave her a little push, and Lili finally mumbled a weak apology: “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Pingping, still in pain, didn’t respond.
Lili’s mother wanted to say something, but Qin Shi lifted Pingping and handed him to Auntie Zhao, who had just arrived. “Auntie Zhao, please take Pingping to the clinic for a check-up. I’ll be there shortly.”
Auntie Zhao took Pingping with a heartbroken look on her face. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.”
Pingping, lying on Auntie Zhao’s shoulder, kept his eyes on Qin Shi. He thought she was amazing—so fierce and impressive.
“An’an,” Qin Shi said, turning to her. An’an immediately understood and chirped out her apology.
“I’m sorry. Even though you pushed Pingping and hurt him, I shouldn’t have hit you. I should have called an adult instead.”
Qin Shi: “…”
She hadn’t expected An’an to be so “eloquent.” Looking closer, she realized An’an’s innocent eyes were completely sincere. Qin Shi fell silent.
An’an wasn’t just clever—she was naturally shrewd.
As expected, Lili’s mother looked visibly uncomfortable after hearing An’an’s apology.
However, since An’an had apologized, and considering they all lived in the same community and frequently ran into one another, Lili’s mother couldn’t say much more. After all, Lu Zetian was the regiment commander. Still, she turned to her eldest son.
“And why were you fighting?” she asked sharply.
“Gu Qinghai bullied Lili,” Wu Hao mumbled in explanation.
He recounted that they had been doing long jumps when some younger kids ran over, shouting that there was a fight. Naturally, the group went to see what was happening.
When Wu Hao arrived, he saw Gu Qinghai push Lili aside. Seeing his sister shoved to the ground, Wu Hao couldn’t hold back and jumped in to fight Gu Qinghai.
Being smaller and thinner, Wu Hao was no match for Gu Qinghai and took two punches before calling for his friends to join in. Soon, what began as a one-on-one scuffle turned into a chaotic group fight.
In the military compound, it wasn’t unusual for boys to roughhouse. However, Lili’s mother, upset at seeing her son’s split lip, turned her anger toward Gu Qinghai. “His lip is split! You’re way too heavy-handed!”
Gu Qinghai opened his mouth, about to respond, but Qin Shi beat him to it. “And my Pingping’s lip is bleeding too! You can’t have double standards like this—making it a big deal when it’s your child but brushing it off when it’s someone else’s.”
“You!” Lili’s mother glared at Qin Shi.
Qin Shi remained unbothered. “Am I wrong? You came in demanding an explanation from me. I told you that your daughter bullied Pingping, and you brushed it off, saying kids fighting was normal. But when you saw your daughter’s torn dress, you lashed out at An’an. Only after realizing your daughter started it did you settle down.
“And now your son’s lip is slightly injured, and you’re yelling at my child. Meanwhile, my Pingping has a deep cut on his lip and might need stitches. Did I scream and shout at you? No. We’re all civilized people here—why can’t we handle this civilly?”
Lili’s mother’s face flushed red, then pale. She was furious but couldn’t find a retort. Seeing the way others were looking at her with judgment, she became even more humiliated. She gave Qin Shi a furious glare, grabbed Lili and Wu Hao, and stormed off.
“All you do is cause trouble! Can’t you just behave for one day?”
“Fighting, fighting—every day it’s fighting!”
Qin Shi frowned slightly, watching as Lili’s mother vented her frustration on her children. However, she didn’t say anything—nor did she plan to.
The rest of the crowd dispersed, pulling their own kids aside. Some gathered in small groups, whispering about Lu Zetian’s new wife.
“Wow, she really sorted things out with just a few words and even managed to put Lili’s mother in her place. That attitude and composure—impressive!”
“Doesn’t seem like a rural woman at all! She’s something else.”
“Definitely something else.”
Soon, word about Qin Shi’s handling of the situation spread throughout the military compound. Many became curious about her. However, even more buzzed about her sewing skills.
After all, Lili was known for being spoiled and wearing fashionable clothes sent by her uncle from the city. Yet today’s argument stemmed from the twins’ new clothes, which Lili had been envious of. This naturally piqued everyone’s curiosity.
When people inquired about the incident, they were told about the innovative and beautiful outfits Qin Shi had made. The twins reportedly looked like child models straight out of a TV commercial. Later, when they saw Gu Qinghai wearing a shirt styled like a military uniform but embroidered with a woollen star, many started thinking about asking Qin Shi to teach them.
But that was a story for another time.
At the moment, Qin Shi was holding An’an’s hand and walking home with Gu Qinghai.
An’an, feeling like a victorious little general, strutted proudly, her messy hair doing nothing to dampen her cheerful spirit. She hopped and skipped, beaming with joy.
“Qin Shi, Qin Shi, you’re amazing!” An’an gushed, swinging Qin Shi’s hand lightly.
Qin Shi smiled at her. “You’re amazing too. You were brave enough to protect your brother, and so clever to explain everything clearly.”
Praising her further, Qin Shi added, “When everyone else was too scared to speak, you stood up and told the truth without hiding anything. That’s incredible! Once you start school, I’m sure you’ll win a ‘Three Good Student’ award.”
An’an’s eyes sparkled with delight, her smile stretching from ear to ear. “Really? Am I that amazing?”
“Of course,” Qin Shi replied with a smile.
Children thrive on praise. However, once the compliments were done, Qin Shi shifted to teaching her.
“An’an, it’s wonderful that you protected your brother, but fighting isn’t the right way to solve problems. What if you’d gotten hurt? Or if you injured someone else? Your dad would have to apologize, and the other kids might stop playing with you because they’re scared.”
Qin Shi stopped and crouched down to look An’an in the eyes. “When Pingping got hurt, you were very upset, weren’t you?”
An’an nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
Qin Shi continued gently, “If you got hurt, your family would feel the same way—sad and worried, just like you felt for Pingping.”
“I don’t want that…” An’an’s nose wrinkled as tears welled up again.
“You were so upset earlier that you rushed in to fight Lili. But you don’t want everyone else to feel that way about you, right?”
An’an nodded vigorously, sniffling.
“So next time, don’t fight, okay? If something like this happens again, take Pingping and run to find an adult. Always protect yourself, alright?” Qin Shi asked softly.
“Okay,” An’an replied, nodding earnestly.
Today was lucky—despite so many kids fighting together, none of the little ones were seriously hurt. But what if things had escalated? If someone lost control and attacked indiscriminately, it could have ended in disaster.
Arguments are one thing, but fighting is unacceptable—especially group fights. It’s just too dangerous.
An’an nodded vigorously, tears streaming down her cheeks.
An’an was an adorable little girl with big eyes, double eyelids, and long lashes. Her delicate features made her look like a little doll.
Now, her hair was messy, her face smudged with dirt, and she cried pitifully without making a sound. She looked like a sad little kitten, and Qin Shi’s heart softened.
Qin Shi wiped away her tears, then picked her up and gently patted her back. “It’s okay as long as you know what to do next time. Our An’an is the smartest, most sensible, and most adorable child, right?”
“Mm~” An’an’s nasal tone made her response even softer and cuter. Qin Shi smiled and comforted her, “Don’t cry anymore. When we get home, I’ll redo your hair and give you a pretty hairstyle, okay?”
“Okay!” An’an stopped crying, wrapping her arms around Qin Shi’s neck and resting her head on her shoulder. For the first time, she felt an overwhelming sense of security.
Trailing behind them, Gu Qinghai heard their conversation. Watching Qin Shi walk away without looking back, his expression darkened.
She comforted and guided An’an but ignored him completely. Was she angry? Was it because he had snapped at her earlier?
Regret bubbled up in Gu Qinghai’s chest. He wanted to explain, but he didn’t know how, so he just followed her in silence.
—
When they got home, Qin Shi settled An’an before heading to the clinic. However, just as she was about to leave, she saw Auntie Zhao returning with Pingping, his lip covered in yellow and white ointment.
“Auntie Zhao,” Qin Shi hurried over and took Pingping’s hand, sincerely thanking her. “Thank you so much. Please come to our house for dinner tomorrow evening. Lu Zetian specifically told me to invite you and the commissar.”
Auntie Zhao didn’t decline. They were all like family, after all, and Qin Shi had brought her food before, which was so delicious that she couldn’t find a reason to refuse.
“Sure! I’ve been wanting to properly taste your cooking. That time you brought over braised potatoes, it was so fragrant that Old Zheng couldn’t believe I’d gone to the canteen for a meal!”
Auntie Zhao chuckled, adding, “Honestly, your cooking is better than that so-called head chef at the canteen!”
Qin Shi laughed. “Then tomorrow evening, you can enjoy a proper meal cooked by me.”
Auntie Zhao laughed heartily, telling Qin Shi that Pingping’s injury wasn’t serious and advising him to eat light for the next few days. Then, she went home to prepare dinner.
Qin Shi brought Pingping inside, carefully examined his wound, and felt relieved that it was just a surface injury.
“Does it hurt?” Qin Shi asked, gently patting his small head.
Pingping nodded obediently, looking pitiful.
Seeing his red, swollen eyes, Qin Shi fetched a towel and soaked it in cold water to soothe his face. She washed the dirt from his face and hands, then prepared to change his clothes. His new outfit had gotten dirty when he fell, with soil smudged all over it.
Looking at his soiled new clothes, Pingping’s eyes turned red again. “They’re dirty…”
He loved the outfit so much that seeing it dirty after just one wear made him miserable.
“It’s okay,” Qin Shi comforted him. “We’ll wash it, and once it’s dry tomorrow, you can wear it again.”
With that, she handed him an apple from the table and said, “Take this to Gu Qinghai. Ask him to wash it for you, and you can both eat it while I cook dinner.”
Pingping hesitated, looking at Qin Shi for signs of anger. Seeing none, he slid off the couch and went to find Gu Qinghai.
As the sky darkened, Qin Shi returned to the kitchen to start cooking. Originally, she had planned on making tomato and egg hand-pulled noodles, but there wasn’t enough time now.
She peeled garlic, chopped scallions, and stir-fried the tomatoes, deciding to make stewed noodle pieces instead. While the soup simmered, she prepared cucumber salad, setting it aside just as Lu Zetian returned home.
—
The moment Gu Qinghai saw Lu Zetian, he put down his apple and walked cautiously to his side, looking up nervously.
“Dad…”
On his way home, Lu Zetian had heard about the group fight, so he knew what Gu Qinghai wanted to say. “The usual rules.”
Gu Qinghai’s head dropped immediately. He retrieved the wooden ruler from the house and handed it to Lu Zetian.
Pingping and An’an, seeing this, abandoned their apples and ran over to plead for Gu Qinghai.
“Dad, please don’t punish Brother! He was fighting to protect us!” An’an hugged Lu Zetian’s leg, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes.
“Dad, don’t hit Brother,” Pingping added, his injured lip making it hard to speak clearly. Tears welled up in his eyes again.
Lu Zetian glanced at them and said, “He was right to protect you two and deserves praise for that. But fighting is still wrong.”
“Wrong actions must be punished,” Lu Zetian continued, seeing that the twins were on the verge of tears. “However, since he was protecting you, I’ll only hit him twice.”
Hearing this, the twins relaxed. Two fewer strikes—what a relief!
Having never been spanked, they didn’t realize that even two hits could be extremely painful.
Lu Zetian raised the ruler, and Gu Qinghai obediently extended his hand, palm up.
“Left hand,” Lu Zetian instructed.
Gu Qinghai obediently switched hands.
“Smack!”
His fingers instinctively curled from the pain, but he quickly stretched them out again, holding his hand steady in mid-air.
The loud sound startled the twins, making them flinch in unison. In the kitchen next door, Qin Shi paused her kneading. The sound was so sharp—it must have been a hard hit.
It would’ve been better to hit his backside instead, she thought. At least there’s more padding. Hitting his hand like this—how is that okay? Qin Shi made a mental note to talk to Lu Zetian about it later.
“Smack!” Another strike.
Gu Qinghai’s palm was now red and swollen, but he didn’t make a sound.
Lu Zetian looked at him. “Do you understand what you did wrong?”
Gu Qinghai lowered his eyes. “I understand.” He had already realized, from Qin Shi’s earlier guidance to An’an, that fighting was wrong.
“And what exactly was your mistake?” Lu Zetian pressed.
“Even if I’m protecting my brother and sister, I shouldn’t resort to fighting,” Gu Qinghai answered.
Lu Zetian nodded. “Unless you’re in absolute safety, with overwhelming strength to ensure no one gets hurt, using fighting to solve problems is foolish.”
Gu Qinghai looked up at him and then nodded vigorously. “I understand!”
In the kitchen, Qin Shi chuckled and shook her head. She lifted a large piece of dough and called out loudly, “Who wants to watch me slice noodles?”
The twins froze for a second before sprinting to the kitchen. “I do! I do!”
Gu Qinghai glanced at Lu Zetian, who gave him a nod. Only then did Gu Qinghai leave.
Lu Zetian stepped into the courtyard to wash up, but through the window, he could see Qin Shi standing by the stove with a large ball of dough in her hands. She skilfully sliced thin, even strips of dough into the pot with a knife, her movements fluid and graceful, as if it were second nature. The kids’ exclamations filled the air.
“That’s amazing! Qin Shi, I want to learn how to do that!” An’an’s excited voice rang out.
“You can learn when you’re older and can handle a knife. Otherwise, you might hurt yourself,” Qin Shi replied.
“Promise me you’ll teach me then!”
Qin Shi smiled. “If you still want to learn by then, I’ll teach you.”
Lu Zetian watched them, a smile unconsciously forming on his face.
Inside the kitchen, Qin Shi had other thoughts. Who knows if I’ll even be here by then? If Lu Zetian falls for someone else, I’ll have to leave. Or if I manage to contact the system or find a bug to escape being a stepmother forever, I’ll leave too.
But if An’an still wanted to learn by then and sought her out, Qin Shi wouldn’t refuse. She’s just too adorable, Qin Shi thought with a smile, shaking off her chaotic thoughts.
She turned her focus back to stirring the noodle soup and adding the seasonings. Soon, a steaming bowl of stewed noodles was ready, its warmth melting away the day’s exhaustion and troubles, leaving behind only satisfaction and the simple joy of comfort food.
—
The twins, full of energy again, pestered Gu Qinghai to read them a storybook, while Qin Shi helped Lu Zetian clean up after dinner. The scene was peaceful and warm, like a real family.
While washing dishes, Lu Zetian suddenly spoke. “Thank you.”
Qin Shi shrugged. “It’s what I should do. I already told you—you’re not losing out by having me here.”
Lu Zetian nodded in agreement. “True. You can do everything a nanny can, and even things a nanny can’t.”
He turned his head slightly to look at her, smiling teasingly. “No nanny is as amazing as you.”
Qin Shi tilted her chin slightly, accepting the compliment with a touch of pride. “Exactly.”
Their eyes met, and they both broke into a smile.
—
While the Lu family enjoyed their tranquil evening, someone else wasn’t feeling so at ease.
Li Qianqian, who had just returned from a two-month training program, lay on her bed, her mind in turmoil. She replayed the gossip her mother had just shared, her anxiety growing.
“How could this happen? How is this even possible?”
“Lu Zetian… remarried? That doesn’t make any sense!”
She had only been away for two months, and yet everything had changed when she came back.
What on earth happened? she wondered. Who is Qin Shi? And why did Lu Zetian suddenly get married?
Li Qianqian muttered to herself, her voice shaky, as she clutched her head. Her eyes were dazed, and it was unclear what she was thinking.
—
**Author’s Note:**
Author (pointing fingers): Go ahead, Regiment Commander Lu, keep smiling and joking. But the tides are turning, and soon you won’t be laughing!
The female lead won’t fall for the male lead easily. She’s got no time for emotions! (Or does she?)
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