Liu Liwei was rendered speechless.
Looking at the new Jiang wife before her, she showed no sign of agitation—not even a furrowed brow, completely composed.
She wanted to retort, but every comeback that came to mind would only make her look like she was throwing a tantrum.
Luo Shulan watched Liu Liwei’s flustered expression with great satisfaction.
Word had it that before coming to the compound, Liu Liwei had been a middle school teacher for over a decade, separated from her husband. Later, when her mother fell seriously ill, she took an extended leave to care for her. During that time, the school hired a substitute teacher to cover her classes.
After Liu Liwei’s mother passed away, she returned to school—only to find that the students didn’t want the substitute to leave. They even marched to the principal’s office in protest. The matter blew up, and even the principal became aware of Liu Liwei’s problematic ways. She was given a few words of reprimand and reassigned to another class. Feeling that she had given her all to the students, even sacrificing time with her husband, only to be repaid with ingratitude, Liu Liwei resigned on the spot and followed her husband to the army.
Liu Liwei had a high school diploma, which was considered well-educated among the compound’s dependents. But after that bitter experience, even though there were schools on the island, she refused to return to teaching. Still, she took great pride in her former identity as an educator and treated the military dependents in the compound as her “students”—especially the new brides.
Over the years, Liu Liwei had never found a single new bride acceptable. Some were dim-witted, some too lazy, some spent all their time painting their eyebrows and eyes—in her words, they clearly weren’t decent women.
Luo Shulan had heard other dependents of similar age complain that Liu Liwei didn’t act like a teacher at all—more like a meddlesome mother-in-law, finding fault with every girl.
Liu Liwei loved to lecture. Some of the milder new brides didn’t dare fight back and would be reduced to tears in no time, swallowing their grievances. But she also knew to pick on the weak. Someone like Su Qingshi—she’d mock her privately for lacking social grace, but never said it to her face, probably afraid of picking a fight she couldn’t win.
On the very first day the battalion commander’s new wife arrived, Liu Liwei had observed her. Seeing she was obedient and easygoing, she’d started her lecturing again. But who knew that the girl wasn’t as soft as she seemed—she knew how to stand up for herself.
The other aunties were thoroughly entertained. The new bride didn’t seem fierce at all, but there was something about her gentle manner that made the other party even more stifled.
Just as Liu Liwei finally recovered and was about to strike again, Luo Shulan smiled and asked, “Isn’t it getting late? Aren’t you going home to cook?”
“I—”
Before Liu Liwei could finish, she caught a glimpse of Jiang Heng’s figure out of the corner of her eye.
Within the regiment, her husband outranked Jiang Heng. But the young man was bold and strategic, and with his grandfather’s status, even Deputy Commander Qian said he had potential and always treated him with respect. When it came to pulling rank, Liu Liwei wasn’t qualified. So the words circling in her head ultimately went unspoken.
As soon as Jiang Heng returned, he noticed quite a crowd gathered in the yard.
He wasn’t sure what they’d been talking about.
Jiang Guoguo was in an excellent mood, looking up at her little sister-in-law with admiration in her eyes.
Their home had become warm and lively because of Ning Qiao.
Just like in the previous life.
A smile crept into his eyes. He walked over to stand beside Ning Qiao and introduced her to the familiar faces in the compound.
Liu Liwei pursed her lips, wanting to say something to Comrade Xiao Jiang—to let him know that his wife didn’t know how to show respect, that she was utterly rude.
But Ning Qiao had already spoken first.
In a soft voice, she said, “I remember everyone now—Sister Shulan, Aunt Wu, Doctor Zheng, Sister Xiulan, and Yunfei.”
Only one person was left out.
Jiang Heng noticed. His gaze landed on Liu Liwei’s face—but didn’t linger.
Liu Liwei opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Ning Qiao noticed the bag in Jiang Heng’s hand and instinctively moved to help carry it.
“No need,” he said. “It’s heavy. I’ll take it.”
The aunties watched with even more interest.
Everyone said Battalion Commander Jiang was cold and didn’t know how to care for his wife—but wasn’t he being quite thoughtful right now?
And he even went grocery shopping! That was more than their own husbands could say.
Luo Shulan smiled broadly: “Alright, alright—let’s head back now.”
The other aunties chimed in.
Liu Liwei’s face was dark. At least no one was laughing at her, which gave her some comfort. But when she looked up, Jiang Guoguo stuck out her tongue and made a face at her.
Liu Liwei was so furious she felt the blood rush to her head.
“We won’t disturb the newlyweds’ sweet time.”
“Talk later.”
“Let’s go, let’s go.”
Ning Qiao’s cheeks grew warm.
There wasn’t any “sweet time.”
Jiang Heng noticed the blush on her face and was about to speak—when his wife was promptly dragged away by the youngest.
Jiang Guoguo pulled Ning Qiao to pick coconuts.
“I don’t want to go…”
“Little sister-in-law, you do!”
Full of energy, Jiang Guoguo spoke loudly. She grabbed a long wooden pole with a curved blade at the end from a corner of the yard and ran off with Ning Qiao in tow.
Her little sister-in-law didn’t know how to pick coconuts, but she loved watching—and in the past life, she’d always looked up at the coconut trees with such envy.
This time around, Jiang Guoguo was determined to show her little sister-in-law the sights.
Ning Qiao had intended to keep a distance from these younger siblings, but once again, she found herself being pulled along at a run.
Jiang Guoguo was even more excited than she’d been that morning, and asked happily, “Little sister-in-law, were you protecting me just now?”
Ning Qiao was taken aback.
When Liu Liwei had made those snide remarks, she’d spoken up because she couldn’t stand watching an adult bully a child.
But thinking back, it was actually because Jiang Guoguo had stood up for her first.
“Comrade Xiao Jiang, you missed it,” Luo Shulan said cheerfully after the others had left. “Your little wife is quite something—she left Deputy Commander Qian’s wife completely speechless. The woman just stood there frozen for a good while.”
Jiang Heng raised an eyebrow.
Even in the past life, not just anyone could push her around.
She’d only tolerated his younger siblings’ antics because she wanted the family to get better.
Luo Shulan recounted the whole incident briefly and laughed, “You asked me to look after your little wife, but honestly, it’s not necessary. She’s not the same as her looks—she’s no lamb.”
“That’s not quite it either.” Luo Shulan paused, searching for the right words. “She’s soft, but—”
“She’s got a bit of a temper,” Jiang Heng said flatly.
“Yes, yes—that’s exactly it!”
Luo Shulan watched the retreating figures of Ning Qiao and Jiang Guoguo.
One reluctant, one overjoyed. But gradually, the reluctant one began to run a little faster too.
She turned back to look at Jiang Heng.
At the mention of Ning Qiao, a faint smile lingered in his eyes.
Luo Shulan laughed out loud.
Jiang Heng: …
He seamlessly adjusted his expression back to its usual sternness.
Luo Shulan laughed even harder.
From now on, if anyone spread the ridiculous rumor that Battalion Commander Jiang had been forced into marriage by his grandfather, she’d set the record straight.
Just look at how unusual he was acting—who’d believe he didn’t want to get married?
For the locals of Qingping in the western city, the sea was nothing special. But this was Ning Qiao’s first time setting foot on a beach, seeing the ocean up close.
The sea breeze was gentle. Her skirt brushed the sand as she crouched down, delighted, scooping up fine sand and watching it slip through her fingers.
She was so absorbed that she only remembered why she’d come when she caught sight of Jiang Guoguo bouncing around.
There were coconut groves all along the coast—the trees were tall. Jiang Guoguo climbed up using both hands and feet. Before she could go higher, she heard her little sister-in-law’s urgent voice.
“Jiang Guoguo, that’s too dangerous!”
Jiang Guoguo’s face fell.
Why wasn’t her little sister-in-law calling her affectionately anymore…
But when she turned her head, she saw the young woman’s delicate brows knit tightly.
She was really worried about her!
Jiang Guoguo immediately cheered herself up and kept climbing with a “swish, swish.”
Ning Qiao had seen kids climb trees in the Ancheng staff compound, but never anything this tall. She waved from below, calling for the girl to come down, but she was afraid that shouting might distract Jiang Guoguo and cause her to slip. Her heart was in her throat.
The little girl was an expert climber—even with both arms around the tree, she could free one hand to wave: “Don’t worry!”
Ning Qiao was almost breaking out in a cold sweat. She edged forward, wondering if she should try to catch her.
Jiang Guoguo was like a monkey shooting up into the sky—she scaled the coconut tree as if walking on flat ground. In no time, she was at the top.
Ning Qiao was stunned by the whole series of moves, when a clear voice rang out again.
“Little sister-in-law! Get back!”
She instinctively stepped back, and one coconut after another came thudding down.
Jiang Guoguo slid down the tree and said in a very serious tone, “Little sister-in-law, when you walk past coconut trees, you have to be careful. People often get hurt by ripe coconuts falling on their heads.”
She was actually being mild.
Ning Qiao had heard from the compound aunties that someone had even been killed that way. But her little sister-in-law was easily scared, so she had to be gentle.
Hearing that coconuts could injure people, Ning Qiao immediately stepped back, keeping a wide berth, and called out as loudly as she could, “Jiang Guoguo, come down slowly!”
Only when the girl finally landed safely on the ground did she let out a sigh of relief.
There were four coconuts in total. Ning Qiao went over to carry them—they were quite heavy. Jiang Guoguo scooped them up in her little hands, her face scrunching up with effort.
Ning Qiao offered to help, but the girl refused adamantly, hugging them tightly.
The more Ning Qiao watched, the stranger it seemed. If this was all an act, it was far too convincing.
“They’re too heavy. Let me help.”
“No way—I can do it myself!”
Unable to persuade her, Ning Qiao finally said helplessly, “Then how about we just crack two of them first?”
Jiang Guoguo tilted her head.
After a ten-minute struggle to open the coconuts—
There was a new sight on the beach: the two sisters-in-law sitting side by side, sipping coconut water.
The coconut water was sweet and refreshing. Ning Qiao tilted her head back to drink, savoring it slowly.
Jiang Guoguo had drunk and eaten countless coconuts in both this life and the last, but this one tasted the sweetest. It was because the little sister-in-law she hadn’t been able to treat well in her dreams had finally appeared again.
“Little sister-in-law, I’m so glad you came back.”
The little girl’s voice was clear and pleasant, with a hint of shyness—nothing like the overbearing brat from the original storyline.
Ning Qiao turned to look at her: “Came back?”
“No, no—I said it wrong.” Jiang Guoguo shook her head like a rattle-drum. “I meant, I’m so glad you finally came.”
Ning Qiao looked at the younger girl’s coquettish smile and raised an eyebrow.
She didn’t press further. She went back to sipping her coconut water, but her heart softened.
This was the most peaceful moment she’d felt since arriving on the island.
No tangled thoughts, no scrutinizing the people around her through the lens of the original storyline—just the soft sea breeze brushing her cheeks.
It was pleasant. And warm.
Ning Qiao and Jiang Guoguo finished off two coconuts before heading back to the family quarters.
They hadn’t been home long when Jiang Yuan and Jiang Qi returned too.
One bucket was full of seafood; the other carried a net bag, a rake, and a shovel.
Such complete gear was quite impressive. Ning Qiao leaned in for a closer look, and the two brothers immediately explained what each tool was for. The rake was for clams, the net bag for catching fresh prawns. As they spoke, they proudly presented the day’s haul to their little sister-in-law.
Jiang Guoguo covered her mouth and giggled: “Big brother said that if second brother and third brother put as much effort into studying as they do into beachcombing, they’d have gotten first place long ago!”
The two brothers immediately glared at her.
Ning Qiao remembered that in the original storyline, Jiang Yuan and Jiang Qi’s grades were indeed mediocre. Their minds were elsewhere entirely. The school principal and their homeroom teachers had called in parents several times—and she was the one who’d gone. At the busiest times, she’d had to visit their school three times in a single week; even the gatekeeper recognized her.
From the small details she’d observed since meeting them, Ning Qiao could tell that the original storyline and reality were largely the same.
Disrespecting teachers, skipping class, fighting with classmates—the two brothers had plenty of issues.
But this time around, she wouldn’t meddle.
Besides the old hen and other ingredients, Jiang Heng had also bought seasonings.
He’d blanched the chicken beforehand to remove the scum. When Jiang Guoguo brought back the coconuts, he opened them and poured the coconut water straight into the pot to simmer the soup.
“Don’t add water?” Ning Qiao asked.
“No need. Soup made without a single drop of water comes out richer.”
In his previous life, he’d learned to make chicken soup to nourish Ning Qiao’s health. He’d tried many variations, and in the end, the one he’d made the very first time turned out to be her favorite. It was then that he realized she’d been raised with good food and had a refined palate—she could tell at first taste if something was off. She’d just never mentioned it, not wanting to discourage him.
“Is that so?” Ning Qiao peered at the pot.
Jiang Heng said gently, “Go rest outside—the kitchen gets smoky.”
Jiang Guoguo took charge of escorting Ning Qiao out.
Loud clattering came from the kitchen—truth be told, the three brothers weren’t exactly skilled cooks either, so they made quite a racket.
Life in the military compound was dull, with little novelty.
But this time, the soldiers and their families found it very novel indeed.
The Jiang family had actually brought back a pile of seafood and were cooking it themselves.
“What’s so good about seafood? We see these things every day—can they really make anything special out of them?”
“I heard there’s also old hen soup and braised pork…”
“Look at that window—you can see their kitchen. It really is Battalion Commander Jiang and his two brothers cooking.”
“Men cooking? You could search the whole compound and never hear of that.”
“Chicken and pork—such good ingredients! What a waste if they ruin it!”
The meat wasn’t bought with their own ration coupons, but the military wives were already heartsick.
They worried that Battalion Commander Jiang and his brothers, with their clumsy hands, would ruin the meat.
But just as they were chattering away, a delicious aroma wafted from the Jiang household.
The fresh fragrance of seafood mingled with the scent of meat.
Several aunties stepped closer.
“They actually pulled it off?”
“Let’s go see.”
After all the bustle, the Jiang family finally sat down to a home-cooked dinner.
The three younger siblings each took their seats, all scrambling to have their little sister-in-law sit next to them.
But they couldn’t outdo their big brother.
Jiang Heng pulled a stool beside him: “Ning Qiao, sit here.”
Two curious aunties from the compound knocked on the door, eager to see what kind of spread they’d managed.
As soon as they entered, they were overwhelmed by the novelty—they didn’t know where to look first.
Ning Qiao was the center of attention.
When she picked up her chopsticks and surveyed the dazzling array of dishes, unsure where to start, the younger siblings made the choice for her.
On the island, mantis shrimp weren’t considered precious. Though they were still lively and fresh when caught, most people just threw them back into the sea, as if nothing had happened.
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