Zhang Jianjun couldn’t help but notice that since his divorce, some of the military wives had been looking at him with scrutiny and odd expressions.
But whenever he tried to ask about it, the military wives would scatter away.
After a few instances like this, Zhang Jianjun was left in a sour mood.
Still, there was nothing he could do about it.
…
Gu Jianing worked at the county hospital, with a schedule of five workdays and two days off each week.
Today was Saturday, so she didn’t have to work.
At the pleading of Xingxing and Yueyue, Gu Jianing took them out to explore the villages outside the military district and the county town.
As for Sheng Zexi, he was busy with training and didn’t have time to accompany them.
But Xingxing and Yueyue were more than happy just to have their mother with them.
As for their father, they could always go out as a family of four another time.
This was a rare outing for Gu Jianing since arriving at Huansha Island.
After all, she had spent the first two months in Beijing.
When they returned, she had a few days off, but they stayed within the military district.
Later, she started working at the county hospital.
Now, she finally had the chance to go out and explore.
Gu Jianing noticed that everything on Huansha Island was quite different from the northwest region.
First, there was the weather.
No matter how cold it got here, it never snowed.
Of course, typhoons hit the island every year.
Then there were the dietary habits.
In the northwest, most people ate wheat-based foods, while here, rice was the staple.
Moreover, thanks to its coastal location, seafood was abundant.
Seafood, which was expensive and rare in the northwest, was everywhere here and sold at low prices.
Gu Jianing hadn’t eaten much seafood before.
Now that she tried it, she found it quite delicious—fresh and flavorful.
Xingxing and Yueyue, on the other hand, loved fish and shrimp.
After eating their fill, Gu Jianing asked around and decided to buy some seafood to send to her family in Huaihua Village, as well as to Grandfather Sang and Grandmother Sang in Beijing.
After all, it was already the new year.
The Spring Festival was approaching, so this would serve as their New Year’s gift.
She learned that the dried seafood here was perfect for mailing.
Gu Jianing thought that after the Spring Festival, her eldest sister-in-law and third brother would likely head to school to register, embarking on a brand-new chapter of their lives. It was something to look forward to.
Gu Jianing took Xingxing and Yueyue to a village called Qianye Village.
She had heard that the village collectively sold dried seafood.
The environment was becoming more relaxed these days.
When it came to business, restrictions weren’t as strict anymore—especially since the start of this year.
Some agricultural byproducts could even be sold privately.
However, other goods still faced certain limitations.
As for Qianye Village, selling dried seafood had always been a collective effort by the entire village.
When Gu Jianing arrived with Xingxing and Yueyue, the villagers immediately noticed them—after all, they were unfamiliar faces.
An elderly woman approached and asked Gu Jianing what they were there for.
Upon learning that she was a military wife from the island’s base and had come to buy dried seafood, the woman happily led them inside.
“Oh dear, little sister, you’re such a beauty!”
“And your children are so adorable—they look clever and full of life!”
The elderly woman showered them with praise as she guided them deeper into Qianye Village.
Gu Jianing took Xingxing and Yueyue into Qianye Village and finally understood why it was called “Thousand Leaves Village.”
The surrounding area was filled with a unique type of tree—one that Gu Jianing didn’t recognize.
Even in the current cold weather, the leaves of these trees remained lush and abundant.
The village was named after these trees, which were considered its defining feature.
It was said that if you tried to transplant them elsewhere, they wouldn’t survive.
Only in this village, with its specific soil and climate, could these trees thrive.
Xingxing and Yueyue stared at the trees in fascination, picking up fallen leaves to play with.
“Little sister, here we are. Take a look—what would you like to buy?”
Gu Jianing surveyed the selection and found a wide variety of dried seafood.
There were even sea cucumbers, abalone, and shark fins.
Not only that, but the prices were shockingly low compared to what she remembered from her past life.
Of course, they were also much cheaper than in other regions.
Gu Jianing mused: Perhaps it’s a matter of supply and demand.
These ingredients were abundant in coastal areas, so their prices naturally stayed low.
Moreover, in this era, most people were still focused on simply having enough to eat.
Things like nutritional value or rare delicacies weren’t a priority for many.
After inspecting the goods, Gu Jianing found the quality excellent.
Without hesitation, she went into full shopping mode.
Sea cucumbers, abalone, shark fins? Of course she’d buy them—and in large quantities.
Dried scallops? Perfect for adding to porridge or soup to enhance the flavor.
Dried squid? Great for cooking in congee or stir-frying after soaking.
Various types of dried fish? Ideal for stir-frying with vegetables to elevate the dish.
Dried shrimp? Absolutely—she bought ten pounds of them.
Spicy cured fish chunks? Just the smell was enough to make her mouth water.
She bought those too.
Gu Jianing had also hoped to find some crispy fried baby fish, but there were none available.
When she asked, she learned why:
First, fishermen usually released small fish back into the sea.
Second, frying baby fish required a lot of oil—and in these times, whether it was lard, peanut oil, or rapeseed oil, all of it was expensive.
Most families could barely spare a few drops for regular cooking, let alone deep-frying small fish.
Gu Jianing: “…Guess I still have to account for the differences of this era.”
After nearly an hour of shopping, Gu Jianing checked the time and prepared to leave.
But just then—
A figure suddenly rushed out from ahead, charging straight toward Gu Jianing, Xingxing, and Yueyue.
Seeing this, Xingxing and Yueyue instinctively stepped forward.
Their little faces turned serious as they clasped hands, shielding their mother behind them.
They had never forgotten their father’s words: No matter when or where, you must protect your mother.
She is a gentle woman who needs your care.
Especially now that she’s pregnant—she needs even more protection.
Xingxing and Yueyue had taken this to heart.
Without hesitation, their small figures stood firmly in front of Gu Jianing.
In their minds, it didn’t matter if they got hurt—but their mother, especially while carrying a baby, must not come to harm.
Yet how could Gu Jianing just stand there and watch her children protect her?
Touched but quick-thinking, she was still figuring out what to do—
When suddenly, the elderly woman accompanying them stepped forward and grabbed the charging figure!
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