Chapter 17

Lu Miao gave his arm a couple of light pats—like she was calming a kitten or a puppy—and said in a coaxing tone, “Alright, alright, don’t be mad. We’re getting married, you know? This only happens once in a lifetime. Let’s be happy about it, okay?”

Worried he’d get annoyed and stop cooperating, she quickly softened her tone again. “I suddenly had this epiphany just now. I shouldn’t force you to do something you don’t like. A wedding should be a beautiful memory—for you, too.”

Whatever the case, calming him down was priority number one.

But He Mingchuan stayed stone-faced.

Sweet talk. Pretty words. He wasn’t going to fall for it again.

Still, it was rare to see her acting this... understanding.

By around nine o’clock, the yard outside was bustling with activity. More and more villagers had come—some to help, some looking to score a free meal, and some just there to snoop around. A few even took the chance to pocket a little something when no one was watching.

Of course, there were the ones who just came for the drama.

When they heard Qiao Yanxiang say that Lu Miao and He Mingchuan were still inside the room, some began whispering—saying that a young man and woman alone in a room must be... doing that.

Someone even crept up to the window to peek inside.

But instead of catching anything juicy, all he saw was a pair of beautiful eyes staring right back at him with a smile.

Scared the hell out of him.

Especially when those eyes were followed by He Mingchuan’s cold, deep gaze—it was like being caught red-handed by a ghost.

In a panic, the guy knocked over the stack of firewood in front of the window with a loud crash, instantly attracting everyone’s attention.

Qiao Yanxiang stormed over and yanked him back two steps. “What do you think you’re doing?”

It was that infamous village creep—the one who’d been caught peeping on girls and even got one leg messed up for it.

Since it was a happy occasion, she held her temper back and waited for him to explain.

The man, terrified of Qiao Yanxiang’s fierce reputation, stammered, “I-I just wanted to grab some firewood, help out with the cooking...”

Yeah, right.

This guy was known for mooching meals and never lifting a finger. And now suddenly he wanted to help?

Plus, if he was really after firewood, why was he leaning against the window?

No one believed a word of it, but no one called him out either.

The wedding banquet on the bride’s side was simple—no groom-fetching ceremony. Guests just came to eat, and the bride would walk around with her new husband, greeting relatives and friends.

Some of the distant relatives weren’t even people Lu Miao recognized. Lu Lao’er led the newlyweds around to make introductions.

For close family, they lit cigarettes and toasted. For others, just a polite hello was enough.

When they reached Uncle Lu’s table, Lu Lao’er’s brows furrowed.

What’s up with Lulu? Today was Sanshui’s big day, why was she wearing the same red dress from her own wedding?

Lu Lu’s eyes were glued to their clasped hands. The man was tall and handsome, the woman delicate and beautiful.

Even though He Mingchuan’s expression didn’t change much, he let Lu Miao cling to his arm without pulling away, clearly, they looked like a couple in love.

After greeting the table, they moved on.

Lu Miao’s hand stayed looped around his arm. Feeling the firm muscles beneath, she couldn’t help but give it a curious little squeeze.

He Mingchuan, eyes still forward, clearly noticed. In a low voice only the two of them could hear, he asked, “What do you think you’re doing?”

Lu Miao looked up with an innocent and cheeky smile. “I didn’t do anything. Don’t go accusing people for no reason.”

Yeah right. He Mingchuan grabbed her wandering hand to stop her from getting too bold—but to Lu Lu, who was watching from the side, it looked like he’d reached out to hold Lu Miao’s hand on his own.

In her past life, even after years of marriage, He Mingchuan had treated Lu Lu like the plague. He wouldn’t touch her, wouldn’t let her touch him.

And now, they’d only known each other for a few days—barely three in total—and he was already willingly holding Lu Miao’s hand?

That’s He Mingchuan, she thought bitterly. He’s always been so proud—

So why Lu Miao? What does she have that I don’t?

Lu Lu clenched her teeth so hard they made a faint grinding sound. Her nephew, Xiaohui, who was sitting beside her, looked at her in confusion.

“Auntie, what’s wrong? Are you cold?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine... This dish is just too salty.”

Hu Jing, a smart one, glanced at the retreating couple, then looked back at Lu Lu’s stiff expression and smirked. So now she regrets it? Envying Sanshui for marrying well?

But honestly, who could she blame?

That man was supposed to be her husband. She was the one who insisted on marrying Sanshui’s fiancé in the first place.

Everyone tried to talk her out of it, but she refused to listen. She stole her cousin’s man.

And what did Lu Miao lose, really?

Nothing. If anything, she lucked out.

Now both couples were married, and regret was pointless.

Everyone at that table knew the story. Hu Jing wasn’t the only one who caught on.

As for Lu Lu’s official husband, Li Qinglin, he didn’t even notice her odd behavior. He was distracted—his mind was elsewhere, thinking about someone else entirely.

He’d assumed that after being rejected, Lu Miao wouldn’t bounce back so easily. Maybe she’d stay single for years, her marriage prospects drying up because of her age. Maybe the only men who’d want her would be ones with issues.

Basically, her love life should’ve been a mess.

But instead, she turned around and got married almost immediately—to a man who was outstanding in every way.

One of the women close to Qiao Yanxiang even pulled her aside and warned her, “You better keep a close eye on your man. I swear, Lu Lu’s eyes were glued to your son-in-law like she wanted to eat him.”

Thinking back, she couldn’t help shaking her head. “Today’s Sanshui’s wedding, and that girl dressed like a bride herself. Red dress, leather shoes... The only thing missing was a big red flower pinned to her chest.”

The village gossip didn’t frame it as Lu Lu “stealing” her cousin’s wedding—it was that the He family didn’t choose her and picked Lu Miao instead.

And today, Lu Lu’s outfit and behavior fit that narrative perfectly—like she was trying to seduce someone.

If she had really chosen Li Qinglin herself, then why did she look like this now?

People might not have known about her past life, but from the outside, her behavior looked completely contradictory.

After all, it was Lu Lu who insisted on marrying Li Qinglin. Lu Miao and He Mingchuan were practically forced together.

Yet now Lu Miao was happily married, and Lu Lu looked like she was performing at some emotional tragedy.

Qiao Yanxiang couldn’t help laughing. Who would’ve thought that a rumor Sanshui made up on a whim would end up being believed by literally everyone?

Of course, she had to thank Lu Lu for occasionally acting insane.

This wedding banquet was for Sanshui and Mingchuan. They were supposed to be the stars. Normally, no one would even look at Lu Lu.

The two families used to have awkward relations, so they were supposed to keep their distance. When Lu Lu got married, Lu Miao wore her usual clothes, oil stains and all, just to avoid gossip—just to avoid anyone saying she hadn’t gotten over Li Qinglin.

She went out of her way to keep a low profile.

Lu Lu, though? She had to show up at Lu Miao’s wedding dressed like a bride. It was no wonder some guests started shifting their attention toward her.

And you could bet gossip was flying.

Even though folks at the banquet kept quiet out of respect for Uncle Lu and Grandpa Lu, once they went home? Oh, it was all anyone talked about.

The villages around them were all interlinked through family ties, and somehow the gossip made its way to Li Qinglin’s mother.

She heard people saying that her fourth daughter-in-law, Lu Lu, only married Qinglin because the He family didn’t want her and picked Lu Miao instead.

She snapped, “That’s impossible! Lu Lu was head-over-heels for our Qinglin. She wouldn’t give him up even for an officer husband!”

But her frenemy just sneered, “So you’re saying Lu Lu passed up a good, successful military man to marry your son who farms?”

“Exactly! That just proves how great Qinglin is. She gave up everything just to be with him.”

Dung beetles think their kids smell sweet. Mothers always believe their own child is the best.

“Well, then Lu Lu must not be quite right in the head,” the woman muttered. It was unclear whether she meant Lu Lu, or her mother-in-law.

“If that’s what you think, then fine,” she said stiffly. But before walking off, she added with thinly veiled malice, “You might wanna go ask around—see how your daughter-in-law behaved at that wedding banquet.”

Curious, Li’s mother began snooping around.

Who’d she go to? Liu Granny’s daughter-in-law.

At first, the woman didn’t want to say anything. It wasn’t polite to gossip to someone directly involved.

But after several reassurances that she wouldn’t take it personally, she spilled the whole story—every ridiculous thing Lu Lu did that day. From dressing like a bride, to staring down her cousin’s husband the entire time...

Lu Lu wasn’t the center of attention, so no one watched her every move. But every now and then, someone would glance over—and every time, she was doing something inappropriate.

After the banquet, people compared notes and pieced together the full story. The more they talked, the more fun it became.

Turns out, the woman Liu Granny’s daughter-in-law had been gossiping with was so sharp, she could recall every little moment in detail.

The more Li’s mother listened, the angrier she got. That woman had been right—Lu Lu only married into their family because the He family didn’t want her. They got stuck with someone else’s leftovers.

She’d been so thrilled back then to snag the daughter of the village leader. And now, she was just furious.

Lu Lu, that liar! Said she loved Qinglin, turns out it was all fake.

Her anger wasn’t just about being tricked. It was about the way Lu Lu was still fawning over another man while married, so disgraceful.

Who knew how many people were whispering about their family behind their backs now?

If she’d known all this earlier, she never would’ve agreed to the marriage, no matter how much Lu Lu begged.

When she got home, she exploded on Lu Lu.

But Lu Lu wasn’t one to back down either. She had once hoped to win over Qinglin by first winning over his family. Step by step, make him fall for her.

But the whole Li family turned out to be a mess—from the selfish sisters-in-law to the mother-in-law who only made her life harder.

Then again, in her past life, Lu Miao and the Li matriarch hadn’t gotten along either... but that never got in the way of her marriage.

After seeing how things turned out for Lu Miao, Lu Lu decided she wasn’t going to be the only one putting in effort just to keep up the illusion of a peaceful relationship with her mother-in-law.

So when Li’s mother came at her with attitude, Lu Lu flipped the table and fought back, literally.

The two sister-in-laws were totally stunned. They hadn’t expected this usually quiet and mild-mannered sister-in-law to have that kind of fight in her.

These days, it's not uncommon for mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law to not get along, but it’s still rare for it to escalate into actual fights.

Lu Lu’s bold move quickly spread like wildfire through the nearby villages.

Qiao Yanxiang knew Lu Miao loved hearing about things like this—what a shame she wasn’t home to enjoy it.

When Qiao Yanxiang wrote her a letter, she made sure to include the whole juicy story.

But that’s all for later.

Right now, Qiao Yanxiang’s old friend saw her grinning and couldn’t help but give her a little slap on the arm. “Don’t take this lightly. Just because that son-in-law of yours didn’t seem interested in Lu Lu before doesn’t mean he won’t fall for her now. Let me tell you—men, even if something’s just a pile of crap outside, they still want to get a taste. They’ll pick a pretty one to marry, but when it comes to fooling around, it’s not about looks, it’s about getting a bargain.”

“You need to have a good talk with Sanshui. We’re the elders here—we have to think a few steps ahead of the kids.”

Qiao Yanxiang thanked her for the advice. “Alright, I’ll thank you on Sanshui’s behalf.”

The old friend waved it off. “Don’t mention it. As long as the kids can live well, that’s all that matters.”

The house stayed lively for most of the day, but by around 2 PM, most of the guests had left, leaving just one table of drinkers still locked in a battle of alcohol.

Lu Miao and He Mingchuan were planning to head out that afternoon. Qiao Yanxiang, worried they’d leave too late and it wouldn’t be safe, kept pushing them to get going right after lunch.

“The county bus passes by here at 2:30. You two need to hurry. If you miss that one, the next one’s not until 4:30.”

And once they got to the county, they’d still need to transfer buses to get back to Beicheng. If they only caught the 4:30 bus, there’s no way they’d make the next one to Beicheng.

So Qiao Yanxiang was pretty anxious.

Lu Miao, on the other hand, seemed totally relaxed. She hadn’t even finished packing her things.

“No rush. If we can’t make it, we’ll just stay home another night.”

Right in front of her son-in-law, Qiao Yanxiang shot her a sharp look. She’d already told this girl to pack earlier, but Lu Miao just kept saying there was no need to hurry.

She turned to He Mingchuan with an apologetic smile. “Sanshui has always been a bit slow-paced.”

He Mingchuan silently agreed. She was the same way getting out of bed—slow as molasses.

“It’s fine,” he said. “I called for a car. We don’t need to catch the 2:30 bus.”

“A car?” Lu Miao was a little surprised.

When they went outside and everyone was helping load the dowry into the vehicle, she tugged on He Mingchuan’s arm. “When did you get a car?”

He hadn’t driven one when he came yesterday.

He Mingchuan didn’t answer, and Lu Miao didn’t press it. That was just his style—quiet and always a bit of a show-off.

Qiao Yanxiang’s smile had barely faded all day, and when she saw the Jeep, it stretched even wider.

Clearly, the He family was pleased with her daughter.

And now that they could ride into town in a car instead of squeezing into a crowded bus with luggage, her daughter wouldn’t have to suffer.

Watching the last of the dowry being loaded into the vehicle, Qiao Yanxiang was finally hit by the realization: her daughter was now married, now truly someone else’s family. From now on, she'd only come back during holidays.

She pulled Lu Miao aside into the house for a private chat. Eyes welling with tears, she said, “Keep the money your dad and I gave you safe. Don’t be afraid to spend it if you need to.”

“Once you get to your in-laws’ place, be more hardworking, don’t act like you do at home.” She let out a long sigh. “Honestly, your grandma wasn’t entirely wrong.”

Before, she’d always thought her daughter was perfect. But now that she was getting married, all kinds of worries crept in. This girl can’t cook, can’t sew—what if her in-laws start to complain?

“Don’t be like your mom. I’ve got a bad temper, that’s why I never got along with my in-laws. And buy a little something now and then for your in-laws and sister-in-law. If you run out of money, call us—we’ll send more.”

Lu Miao didn’t want her mom going back to scrimping and saving again after she left. “You guys don’t need to worry about me. I’m going to the city to enjoy life, not some dungeon.”

She teased, “I’ll probably be eating meat at every meal. You two better not go skimping on yourselves either. If you work hard all day and eat poorly, you’ll get sick.”

Daughters leaving home should never leave with heavy hearts, so Qiao Yanxiang forced a smile. “Of course.”

Lu Miao reassured her, “I’ll find a job once we get there. There’s opportunity everywhere in the city. When I make big money, I’ll build you a house—one even taller than Uncle’s.”

In rural areas, building houses still followed feng shui rules. You weren’t supposed to build taller than your neighbors, or it’d be seen as blocking their fortune.

Her uncle had deliberately built his new house taller two years ago.

It had upset Qiao Yanxiang so much she barely ate for two days.

“That’s because your dad and I weren’t capable enough.”

Love often brings guilt. Qiao Yanxiang always felt they’d short-changed Lu Miao. She hadn’t given her a good life growing up. Now that the girl was marrying into the city, it should’ve been a good thing, but as parents, they hadn’t been able to provide her with any real support.

Lu Miao didn’t want to hear that. She frowned. “Say one more word like that and I’m leaving right now.”

“I think Mingchuan’s a good kid, even if he doesn’t talk much. You two should live well together. Don’t think about Li Qinglin anymore. And if your in-laws really mistreat you, if you can’t stand it, just come home. We’re not going to let you starve.”

Lu Miao hugged her and rubbed her face against her mom. “Mooooom.....”

Worried about ruining her daughter’s carefully styled hair, Qiao Yanxiang just gently brushed the little stray hairs on her forehead.

Time really flew. That tiny baby in her arms had grown up in a blink, and soon, she’d be a mother herself.

Even with a car, it would still take time to get to the city, and once it got dark, the road wouldn’t be safe. So even though it broke her heart, Qiao Yanxiang let go of her daughter. “Alright, you two better get going. We still have things to clean up here.”

When the mother and daughter came out of the house, Lu’s second son and He Mingchuan were outside, awkwardly staring each other down.

Lu’s second son wasn’t exactly the talkative type, and He Mingchuan was even worse.

Especially with that cold face of his, saying nothing at all—he looked downright intimidating. When his wife and daughter finally came out, Lu’s second son looked like he’d been rescued. “Finally! Done talking?”

Oops. He kind of gave away how desperate he was.

Qiao Yanxiang gave him a glare. Useless man.

Lu Miao was carrying a small bag with her personal items, eyes red, quietly following behind her mom. She looked extra obedient, almost like the sweet girl He Mingchuan had described in his letters.

Before they got in the car, Qiao Yanxiang reminded He Mingchuan, “Drive carefully, okay? Safety first.”

He Mingchuan drove. Lu Miao sat in the passenger seat.

As they left the boundaries of Xiaoxi Brigade, Lu Miao seemed to lose her spark. She stared listlessly ahead, lost in thought.

The warm wind blew through the open car windows.

The mountain roads were bumpy, and Lu Miao started to feel drowsy. Before long, she closed her eyes.

The car was quiet. When He Mingchuan glanced over, he saw her head turned slightly, her delicate chin facing him, eyelashes curled like butterfly wings resting on her cheeks.

He turned back to the road.

When she woke up again, the sky had dimmed a bit. Outside the window was a landscape she didn’t recognize.

They must’ve left the county.

“Where are we now?” she asked.

He gave her the name of the place.

She scrunched her lips. This guy always answered just what she asked and never added anything extra.

“How much longer till we get there?”

“About an hour and a half.”

Lu Miao shifted into a comfier position for sleeping and was about to nod off again when He Mingchuan suddenly asked,

“Who’s Li Qinglin?”

Lu Miao was a little confused. Where’d that come from?

She was sleepy and didn’t feel like going into the whole messy backstory with Lu Lu.

Explaining this would only lead to more questions—like whether she still had feelings for Li Qinglin or if she’d been forced to marry him.

She yawned. “That’s Lu Lu’s husband. You saw her, right? The one in the red dress.”

With that, He Mingchuan could match the name to the face he’d seen at lunch.

“He was staring at you all day,” he said.

Lu Miao casually fixed her wind-blown hair. “Maybe he just thinks I’m good-looking.”

He Mingchuan frowned slightly.

“You shouldn’t say things like that so carelessly—it might be misunderstood.”

Lu Miao adjusted her seat. “I know. But you’re not some outsider, so it’s fine if you hear it.”

He Mingchuan didn’t respond again.

Lu Miao kept turning over the question in her mind—why had he asked about Li Qinglin?

She couldn’t fall back asleep right away.

As the sky got darker, the scenery outside gradually shifted—signs of the city began to appear.

“Are we almost there?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

The car pulled into the hospital housing compound. He Mingchuan said, “We’re here.”

Lu Miao didn’t bring all the dowry her mom had prepared—just her bedding and clothes. Even so, the trunk was packed full.

The He family lived on the first floor. As soon as they knocked, He’s father, who’d been waiting in the living room, rushed to the door.

“You’re finally back!” he said, eyeing the bags in their hands. “Is there more stuff downstairs?”

He Mingchuan was strong—he could carry almost anything. One mattress was enough to bury Lu Miao, but he could easily lift three.

Was that the benefit of being tall? Lu Miao was a little envious.

He Mingchuan looked like he was about 190 cm. Standing next to his not-so-short father, he was still half a head taller.

Lu Miao hadn’t been this short in her previous life—probably because she hadn’t gotten enough nutrition as a child.

Totally ignoring the fact she’d always been a picky eater.

Once inside, Lu Miao greeted He’s father and set her bag down. “There’s still a few things downstairs.”

Father He nodded and told Lu Miao to go rest on the couch. “You must be exhausted after sitting in the car for hours. Mingchuan, go pour some water for Sanshui.”

Then he called into the house, “Kefei, come downstairs with Dad to help carry your sister-in-law’s luggage.”

Lu Miao didn’t feel right asking anyone else to help with her bags—she was only comfortable asking He Mingchuan.

Just then, a bedroom door suddenly swung open, and a tall, skinny girl in shorts came stomping out. “She’s got hands, doesn’t she? Why does someone else have to carry her stuff?”

Father He had been trying so hard to make it seem like the whole family warmly welcomed Lu Miao. But that one sentence from his youngest daughter undid all his efforts in an instant.

Not to mention, it was a direct challenge to his authority as a parent. He scolded angrily, “He Kefei!”

He knew his wife and daughter weren’t on board with Lu Miao joining the family. He’d already spent days trying to talk sense into them—appealing to their emotions, using reason—hoping that once Lu Miao arrived, they’d at least treat her kindly and not bully her.

But He Kefei had already made up her mind before her new sister-in-law even arrived. Her grandpa and dad had forced her older brother to marry a girl from the countryside. Her brother had caved out of filial duty, but she would never show that woman a kind face.

As for all the things her dad said? She’d let them go straight to hell.

“You’re right. I’ll carry it myself,” Lu Miao said.

It was like punching into cotton—He Kefei was fuming. “Don’t bother trying to win me over. I’m never going to like you.”

Lu Miao just smiled sweetly at her. She thought to herself how much cuter little sisters were. Her younger brother, Lu Congge, was obedient, sure—but girls were just something else.

Even when they were angry, they were still adorable. Looking at her fondly, Lu Miao said, “That’s okay. Even if you don’t like me, I still like you.”

He Kefei, clearly not used to this kind of response, pouted and let out a loud hmph, then ran out of the living room, cheeks noticeably flushed.

And… she was surprisingly pretty.

Totally different from what Kefei had imagined a “countryside girl” to be—she thought Lu Miao would have dark skin, speak crudely, and act rough, like her deskmate described. But clearly, that wasn’t the case.

No one knew what she had stormed off to do. Lu Miao stood there, a bit stunned—did she scare her off? Was this girl running away from home?

A few minutes later, He Kefei returned—carrying Lu Miao’s luggage in her arms.

Lu Miao couldn’t help but laugh. So that’s why she bolted out—she went to get the luggage herself.

And after all that big talk about not lifting a finger for her? Barely a few minutes later, she was back carrying her bags.

He Kefei gave the adults in the room a hard stare, like she couldn’t believe how clueless they all were. “What are you all doing just standing around? Didn’t you tell me to get the luggage? Then why didn’t you move?”

Lu Miao turned to He Mingchuan and whispered just loud enough for others to hear, “Your sister is seriously adorable.”

The others in the room clearly heard too.

He Kefei, who had just been praised, blushed. But she had just finished throwing shade at Lu Miao and couldn’t lose face now—so she dropped the suitcase with a dramatic thud, turned around proudly, and stalked off.

Earlier, Father He had been worried that his daughter and daughter-in-law would butt heads, maybe even come to blows.

But seeing Kefei like this, he figured they probably wouldn’t be physically fighting anytime soon.

His youngest daughter had been spoiled by her parents and was notoriously immature. She frequently got into conflicts that her parents had to step in and smooth over.

Now, Father He felt even more confident he had made the right call.

If he’d picked a strong-willed daughter-in-law for Mingchuan, there was no telling how chaotic things might’ve gotten in the house.

Sure, Sanshui didn’t come from a well-off background, but she was obedient and wouldn’t stoop to Kefei’s level.

Lu Miao gently nudged He Mingchuan toward the stairs. “We can’t let your little sister carry all that luggage by herself.”

Just then, He Kefei came back up the stairs with another load of luggage. When she heard Lu Miao’s comment, she instantly objected. “What do you mean, ‘little girl’? You looking down on women? The Chairman said women hold up half the sky! This little bit of luggage? I could finish it in two minutes flat!”

With that, she dropped the bags and darted back downstairs.

Apparently, He Mingchuan’s sister was like white phosphorus—she could combust all on her own.

Father He patted Lu Miao on the shoulder, trying to reassure her. “She’s just excitable. Don’t mind her. If she wants to do it, let her.”

Clearly, this father was very laid-back.

If they were at her family’s house, and Lu Congge left all the chores to Lu Miao, Qiao Yanxiang would’ve smacked him upside the head.

“Come on, let’s go. There’s still a lot of stuff left,” Lu Miao called to He Mingchuan as they headed down again.

But after carrying just two loads upstairs, He Kefei was already breathing heavily.

She stayed downstairs a moment to catch her breath—no way was she going to look weak in front of Lu Miao.

Lu Miao smiled warmly and said, “I know you can do it, but I just don’t want you to get tired.”

He Kefei, like a balloon losing air, muttered, “I’m not tired… don’t act all fake nice.”

“I know you’re amazing. Carrying this stuff is no big deal for you. I just feel bad—it makes me want to help.”

He Mingchuan had sharp eyesight. Even in the dim light, he could see the way his little sister’s lips twitched as she tried to hide a smile. She was grinning so wide her eyes were squinting—it was almost painful to watch.

The three of them went up and down a couple more times until all the luggage was finally in.

He Kefei looked at the now luggage-filled living room and commented disdainfully, “What, you think we’re fleeing a famine or something? Could’ve bought anything you needed right here in the city.”

“Kefei!” Father He scolded her, then quickly turned to Lu Miao with an apologetic smile. “She’s been like this since she was little. But she doesn’t mean any harm.”

Lu Miao smiled. “Kefei’s a good kid.”

Kefei snorted and looked away.

Once the bags were upstairs, Father He glanced at Lu Miao sitting on the couch sipping water and rubbed his hands awkwardly. “Mingchuan’s mom is working the night shift today. She got assigned to a patient with a major hemorrhage—no way she could take time off.”

Both parents worked the same night shift schedule. Knowing Lu Miao was arriving today, he had swapped shifts just to be home.

Seeing the two kids getting along put him at ease.

Honestly, he’d been worried. What if Mingchuan married this country girl just to please his dad and ended up resenting her?

Lu Miao said, “Work comes first.”

Kefei muttered from the side, “You’d think she was some emperor from the old days, with the whole family lining up to greet her.”

Of course, Father He wasn’t just trying to explain why his wife wasn’t home—he also wanted to mention that no one had cooked.

“The cafeteria’s closed now. And the state-run restaurants are probably done serving too.”

“We still have some snacks at home. Maybe we can just make do for tonight?”

Lu Miao could cook, but this being her first day at their house, if she cooked dinner now, what did that mean for the future?

Kefei snorted. “So what if no one cooked? It’s not a big deal.”

“I’ll cook. Just wait a bit,” she said, holding her head high and marching into the kitchen.

She had her irresponsible parents to thank for this particular skill.

Both of them were doctors on night shift, and because they wanted to spend more time together, they often worked the same nights. That meant young Kefei had to fend for herself when it came to food.

Sure, the hospital had a cafeteria—she could bring a lunchbox and food stamps—but she couldn’t rely on that all the time. Eventually, she learned how to cook noodles.

Yep. The only thing she knew how to make was plain boiled noodles.

Lu Miao followed her into the kitchen. “I’ll help. Just tell me what to do.”

She figured she’d be slicing some vegetables or handing over ingredients.

“Didn’t expect someone your age to know how to cook. That’s impressive. I bet most of your classmates can’t, right?” Lu Miao said, starting off with praise.

Kefei answered calmly, “They can’t cook. Useless.”

Then she added, “You can’t either.”

Lu Miao just smiled. “That’s okay. As long as you can, that’s enough for all of us.”

“Need me to help with anything?”

“Nope.”

Lu Miao watched as Kefei boiled a pot of water. She was a little confused—what was this girl doing?

Then the water boiled, and Kefei tossed in a handful of dried noodles.

So… just plain noodles, huh?

Lu Miao couldn’t watch anymore. She quickly mixed up a simple soup base using lard, soy sauce, salt, dried shrimp, and chopped scallions.

She found some potatoes in the corner of the kitchen, sliced them into thin strips, and rinsed them twice to wash off the starch.

When the noodles were done, she instructed Kefei to place them into the soup base.

Kefei was about to protest but stopped when she saw Lu Miao already pulling out another pot for the potato shreds. She sulked but obediently followed instructions.

The kitchen was decently stocked with seasonings, but fresh veggies were scarce.

The classic cold potato salad needed green chili and cilantro, but they had to skip those.

Still, the smell of those seasoned noodles made Kefei’s mouth water.

She carried the four bowls to the table, then returned to the kitchen—just in time to catch a whiff of the tangy, spicy aroma from the potato salad.

She portioned out the noodles with extreme precision, making sure every bowl had almost exactly the same amount.

Lu Miao looked at her own heaping bowl and frowned slightly, glancing at the others.

Kefei was still a kid. Father He was older. Neither could eat much.

It was obvious the one with the biggest appetite was He Mingchuan.

He had just taken two bites when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Without looking, he asked, “What is it?”

“I can’t finish this,” Lu Miao said, showing him her bowl. “Don’t worry, I haven’t started eating yet.”

He glanced at the huge pile of noodles in her bowl. “If you knew you couldn’t finish, don’t take so much next time.”

From the moment Lu Miao said she couldn’t finish, Kefei had been staring at her hopefully—hoping to be the one who got the extras.

She never knew cold potato salad could taste this good.

The noodle soup was mild but rich in flavor.

She usually ate at the hospital cafeteria, where the food was just average. Sometimes her mom cooked, but honestly, the cafeteria food was better.

This was the first time she’d tasted something so good—it almost made her want to cry.

Her bowl had just the right amount, but even if she’d eaten more and had to go downstairs and run laps, she’d still do it.

Who knew when she’d get another meal this tasty?

But she couldn’t just ask to help finish it, so she had to watch as Lu Miao transferred most of her noodles to He Mingchuan’s bowl.

After dinner, another issue came up....

Where would Lu Miao sleep?

She and He Mingchuan weren’t officially married yet. Even if she’d already moved in, there was still a difference between having a marriage certificate or not.

They didn’t want Lu Miao to feel disrespected, and they genuinely believed unmarried couples shouldn’t be sharing a room.

Lu Miao and He Kefei were both girls, so sharing a room seemed like the natural choice.

But He Kefei had made it very clear she wasn’t exactly thrilled to have her here, what if she ended up bullying Sanshui at night?

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