CHAPTER 203: 193 FOLLOW THE ARMY AND THE NEW HOME (2668 CHARACTERS)

The Military District here is quite large, with courtyards, apartment buildings, and standalone houses. The standalone houses are two stories tall, somewhat like small villas, but only a select few with high ranks get to live in them.

Jiang Jinghuai had taken special leave today to bring Tian Sangsang and their child here.

Tian Sangsang walked along the family compound paths, flanked by neatly aligned ginkgo trees. Even separated by the courtyard, the loud sound of a bugle call could be heard.

After walking for a while, she began to encounter people. Most of them were women, presumably family members of military personnel. These women, curious as they were, all stared at Tian Sangsang. Some poked their heads out from windows, while others paused their watering in the vegetable gardens to watch her.

Tian Sangsang instinctively glanced at Jiang Jinghuai and saw that he remained composed and impassive, not showing any sign of displeasure. She relaxed. It was said that men were also vain creatures, all hoping their wives were attractive and poised, bringing them pride when out in public. Alas, reality was cruel. In truth, she still looked quite dark-skinned, especially when standing with Jiang Jinghuai and their son—they truly didn’t look like one family.

She really had to transform back into who she was in her previous life as soon as possible.

"We’re here." On the third floor, Jiang Jinghuai pulled out a key and unlocked the door. With one hand, he pushed the door open and let them go in first.

Tian Sangsang stood in the living room, thinking she must have entered the wrong place. She stood there dumbfounded, not realizing when Jiang Jinghuai had taken Meng Shuyan into his arms.

Is this seriously a place where a man lives? Did you secretly hide a Snow White-like girl at home, by any chance?

The entire house gave off a strong impression: clean. Astonishingly clean. Dominated by two tones, black and white. It was subdued and elegant, carrying a sense of profound refinement. Even the black seemed pure, clean to the utmost degree.

The house had a separate kitchen, a separate bathroom, two bedrooms, and one living room.

The living room was simple, with a table, a few chairs, and a black-and-white-themed sofa. The kitchen was spotless—spotless to the extent that there wasn’t even a single pot...

Walking further to the bedroom door, it was Jiang Jinghuai’s room. Heavy black curtains were drawn back, letting warm sunlight stream through the windows onto his bed. The bed was fairly large, looking almost untouched without any wrinkles, except for the military green quilt folded as neatly as a block of tofu, which made her fingers itch.

Tian Sangsang clenched her fists. She was someone with a mild case of OCD, especially when it came to lifestyle habits. By her own routines, she liked to make her bed every morning, but to coordinate the quilt with the bed’s appearance, she preferred folding the quilt into a rectangle and leaving it at the back side of the bed, rather than neatly folding it into a tofu block and placing it at the head.

Taking a deep breath, Tian Sangsang forced herself to let go of the thought of refolding the quilt. Her gaze wandered across other corners of the room. There was actually a bookshelf. Besides books, there was also a vase on the shelf—with a rose in it.

The vibrant red rose made Tian Sangsang shudder instinctively.

Next to the shelf was a small table. On the table sat a retro record player and a radio.

Other than these, there wasn’t much that stood out.

Suddenly, Tian Sangsang felt that Jiang Jinghuai might be a cleanliness freak =.=

"You’ve been standing still for ages. What do you think?" Jiang Jinghuai’s low, resonant voice rang out.

Tian Sangsang heard herself grinding her teeth audibly: What do I think? Come over here so I can beat you to death.

Jiang Jinghuai glanced at her. "If there’s anything you’re dissatisfied with, feel free to bring it up."

There’s plenty to be dissatisfied with! What kind of place is this?! Have you ever seen anyone’s curtains in black? Have you ever seen a kitchen without a single pot? Seriously! Is this even a place for humans to live?!

"It’s okay, different living habits are inevitable. The most important thing for a married couple is tolerance and compromise." Tian Sangsang smiled gently.

"You could make that smile even faker," Jiang Jinghuai remarked with a blank expression.

You could speak even more bluntly. Tian Sangsang dropped her smile and asked seriously, "Is there a pharmacy here for traditional medicine nearby?"

Jiang Jinghuai nodded.

"Shuyan needs to drink medicine and soak her legs. Kunling wrote a prescription for me—two medicine brews a day, plus one foot soak."

"Whatever you need, I’ll go get it," Jiang Jinghuai said.

Tian Sangsang handed him the prescription she had prepared earlier and casually asked, "Do you never cook at home?"

"I eat at the cafeteria."

"From now on, let’s eat at home," Tian Sangsang said. "Just wait a moment." She grabbed a pen and paper, jotting down a list of basic items. The other things she’d pick up herself in the future. Essentials included pots, bowls, ladles, brand-new bedding, and the various tools needed for brewing medicine.

Moving house was such a hassle. But fortunately, the conditions exceeded Tian Sangsang’s expectations. And Tian Sangsang and Meng Shuyan only needed to bring their dog along; there wasn’t anything else to carry.

Tian Sangsang cleaned the house again, although strictly speaking, it wasn’t necessary—it was her OCD, after all. Besides, Jiang Jinghuai’s house was unusually clean, almost too clean for a bachelor living alone.

Jiang Jinghuai returned with an abundant haul of Chinese medicine, along with large bundles of other items.

"Have some water." Earlier, Tian Sangsang had calculated the time and prepared the water in advance; now it was not too hot, warm just right.

Jiang Jinghuai paused, wiped his sweat, then drank the water in one gulp. Somehow, the water tasted far sweeter than it used to...

Tian Sangsang first washed the Chinese medicine, placing it in a basin and soaking it in cold water. It couldn’t be brewed directly; it had to soak for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, she washed the pots, bowls, and other tools, even wiping them carefully with a clean cloth. The bedding was taken to the bedroom.

She had just set down the quilt when she heard Meng Shuyan’s voice, "Mommy, Little Milk Tea hasn’t had a bath in days. I want to help bathe her."

"Alright, Mommy will get a basin of water for you." Tian Sangsang went outside to fetch a basin of water and wrung a towel. "Or do you want Mommy to do it?"

Meng Shuyan immediately shook his head. "I’ll do it. I’m so bored."

"Alright." Tian Sangsang patted his head. "Be sure to wash her clean. Take your time..."

When the Chinese medicine finished soaking, Tian Sangsang put it into a clay pot, setting it on medium heat to brew. Brewing medicine was a bit of a skill—it wasn’t practical to wait idly by. Then she heard clattering sounds from outside...

Who’s making noise? A thief?! Tian Sangsang jumped in alarm and went out.

The living room was piled with all sizes of wooden planks, alongside tools like axes and chisels scattered everywhere. Jiang Jinghuai was wearing an army-green sleeveless vest, crouched low. In his hand was a hammer that he was using to drive a nail.

The vest had no sleeves, leaving his bronze skin almost entirely exposed to the air, a drop of sweat sliding down his neck and disappearing into his shirt.

Unexpectedly, watching a soldier working on wood could be so pleasant—a combination of rough masculinity and elegant artistry, seemingly contradictory yet somehow harmonious!

Tian Sangsang muttered internally, resting her chin on her hand as she crouched nearby to ask, "What are you working on with all these wheels?"

"Making a wheelchair for Yanyan," Jiang Jinghuai replied, giving her a look that questioned her intelligence.

Unfortunately, Tian Sangsang didn’t notice. Her gaze had fallen to the floor, and she exclaimed, "You’re making a wheelchair yourself? You actually know how to make a wheelchair?!"

"Is it that surprising?" This time Jiang Jinghuai didn’t look at her, focusing on the task at hand.

"Not surprising, but very impressive." Tian Sangsang stared at his side profile, her eyes sparkling. "From childhood to now, I’ve always admired people with unique skills. Especially those of you who can create things with your hands. Just think, a plain rock, a basic plank of wood, or ordinary fabric—these people can turn them into treasures. They turn them into ornaments, handheld crafts, outfits—how magical is that?"

"So, do you like it a lot?"

"It’s... not bad. I do like it." Tian Sangsang nodded earnestly.

"I can make something for you," Jiang Jinghuai said, casting her a sidelong glance. "The twelve zodiac animals."

Tian Sangsang was taken aback, overjoyed. "The twelve zodiac animals? That sounds like too much..."

Jiang Jinghuai: "The last one."

"..."

Jiang Jinghuai, at this rate, you’re not going to have any friends!

What’s wrong with pigs? Did pigs eat your rice?!

Tian Sangsang suppressed her irritation and suddenly smiled. "No problem, then give me the last one. Coincidentally, that’s my zodiac sign, and next year is my zodiac year. I’ll treat it as a good luck charm."

"Hold on!" she said, grabbing a pencil and notebook from the room. She placed the notebook on the floor and sketched a few strokes—a cute, chubby cartoon pig in Q-version appeared vividly on the paper. "Look, its name is Baibai Pig—sharp ears, round eyes, and embroidered patterns on its clothes. This one’s a bit challenging, so don’t force yourself if it’s too hard..."

Jiang Jinghuai stared at her quietly for a while, then reached out to take the paper. His lips curved slightly as he murmured, "It’s quite vivid. Should I carve it into a light color or a dark color?"

Tian Sangsang replied, "A light one; it’s supposed to be white anyway."

Jiang Jinghuai: "Alright."