Unable to endure the hardships of rural life, she returned home to arrange a marriage with a militar

When it was time to eat, Gu Jun returned with his food but didn't see Shu Yun. Instead, he found a note left by Shu Yun on the dining table.

He went to the door to wait and immediately saw Shu Yun slowly walking towards him from the entrance of the family compound.

He strode forward and said, "Let me do it." He took the bucket of water from Shu Yun's hand; it was quite heavy.

With her hands free, Shu Yun suggested, "Let me help my sister-in-law carry one bucket."

Tian Xiufen dodged it, saying, "You're all skinny and weak, I can do it myself."

On the way from the village to the family compound, Tian Xiufen carried two buckets that were much heavier than herself, yet she walked without blushing or panting. In fact, compared to Shu Yun's panting, she looked even more agile.

If it weren't for Tian Xiufen taking care of Shu Yun, she probably would have gone home long ago.

The world of three was still too crowded. Gu Jun didn't speak, Shu Yun didn't speak, and Tian Xiufen looked around and stopped, showing good judgment. She put the bucket on the ground, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Alright, you guys go first. I just saw my Gou Dan. I'm going to find him."

The atmosphere became much more relaxed once Shu Yun and Gu Jun walked together. Gu Jun lifted the bucket and asked, "Shall we have fish for dinner?"

Shu Yun nodded, "Yes, braised crucian carp. Do you have any suggestions regarding the taste?"

Gu Jun thought for a moment, "Let's add some spice. Also, we can cook less rice tonight. I'll just get a few steamed buns from the cafeteria."

"Agreed." Shu Yun pushed open the courtyard gate and directed Gu Jun to put the fish in a large basin to keep them alive. She then found a deeper basin and poured in a bucket of small fish and crabs, added an appropriate amount of well water, and poured in a few drops of oil to help the crabs expel the mud and sand.

After finishing their work, the two sat down at the table to eat.

Shu Yun had been busy all morning, and her appetite was much better today. After finishing her meal, she yawned, and her eyes were a little moist.

Gu Jun: "If you're tired, go take a nap. I'll take care of things here."

Shu Yun was about to say she wasn't sleepy when a yawn interrupted her, "Then I'll just take a nap on the sofa."

Gu Jun sighed helplessly, "Whatever."

Shu Yun leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest. She hadn't felt tired during the day, but now that she was back in her own little home, her body relaxed, and fatigue and drowsiness washed over her. She could hear Gu Jun's soft voice.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, the thought of pickling fish later made her struggle against sleep, and she mumbled, "Do we have a large vat and stones at home?"

Before Gu Jun could answer, Shu Yun's limbs gradually grew heavy, and she soon fell asleep.

While sleeping, Shu Yun felt an itch on her face, so she waved it off, turned over, and continued her deep sleep.

When he woke up again, it was already 2 p.m. The room was quiet; Gu Jun had already returned to the military camp.

Shu Yun's body had somehow ended up lying across the sofa, her shoes off, and a thin blanket draped over her. The blanket still carried the fresh scent of soap and the warmth of the sun. Shu Yun buried her head in the blanket and slept for a while, only fully waking up when she heard the sound of a broadcast outside.

After a short nap, Gu Jun had accomplished quite a bit. He had turned over the empty plot of land outside the yard and planted seedlings. Shu Yun squatted down beside him and tried to identify what was planted, but she couldn't tell.

The fish were kept in the kitchen; each one was lively and active. Next to them was a large, brownish-yellow tank and several large rocks.

Shu Yun picked up a stone and weighed it in her hand. It was very heavy, and its surface was clean but still a little damp, so Gu Jun must have washed it.

Shu Yun pulled out the largest silver carp; its tail was very strong, splashing water all over her body and face.

She placed the fish on the cutting board and deftly slapped its head with the back of a cleaver to stun it. Then she removed the internal organs and scales, cleaned it thoroughly, cut the fish into pieces, put them in a bowl, and mixed them evenly with white wine and salt. Next, she evenly coated the fish pieces with soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, and chili powder until each piece was fully coated with the seasoning.

Shu Yun neatly arranged the fish pieces in the large tank, covered it with plastic film, and weighed it down with a large stone. Now, all she had to do was let time allow the flavors to meld.

"Meow."

Shu Yun followed the sound and saw a patch of orange-yellow on a tall magnolia tree outside the courtyard wall.

"Mimi," Shu Yun whispered to it.

The magnolia tree was very tall, with several branches extending diagonally into the yard, which made it easy for the kitten to leap into the yard. It cautiously approached and finally stopped a few steps away from Shu Yun, meowing softly, which melted Shu Yun's heart.

Shu Yun squatted down, softened her voice, and beckoned, "Mimi, come here."

The kitten's fur wasn't very clean; most of its body was a warm orange-yellow, except for its four little paws which had white gloves on them, and a tiny white dot on the tip of its tail. The color combination was quite beautiful. Its little body was round and chubby, and it wasn't very afraid of people.

Shu Yun thought that even if the little guy wasn't officially adopted, he still grew up eating food from many different families in the family compound.

It tilted its head and looked at Shu Yun. Shu Yun pushed the fish entrails and scales that she had cleaned out toward the cat, saying, "Come and eat."

The cat took a few steps forward, but instead of eating, it walked up to Shu Yun and meowed softly a few more times, gently rubbing its fluffy round head against Shu Yun's calf.

Shu Yun tentatively touched its head, and the little guy nuzzled affectionately. Perhaps feeling that its service had been done and it could enjoy the food it had earned with its body, the kitten went to the fish innards, lowered its head and ate heartily, purring happily and its whiskers twitching incessantly.

Afraid that the kitten would choke, Shu Yun poured it a glass of water. The kitten accepted the water without hesitation, happily licking it with its little tongue.

Shu Yun squatted down beside him and watched; the little guy's belly was visibly bulging.

Despite its small size, it has a big appetite. It ate all the unwanted internal organs of a large silver carp.

After it finished eating, it opened its mouth wide and yawned like a human. It was very friendly and strolled around under the tree in the yard, curled up and fell asleep. With each breath, its little belly swelled up and down.

Shu Yun became interested, moved a chair and sat not far from the kitten, took out drawing paper and pen, and carefully sketched the kitten's cute sleeping appearance.

Time passed quietly, and Shu Yun's heart gradually calmed down through her paintbrush. All the difficulties she had encountered since her transmigration and all her anxiety seemed to be purified and healed at this moment.

Suddenly, faint voices came from outside, "Is this the place?"

"Yes, the Gu family is right."

The urgent knocking startled the kitten awake. It stood up, scurried up a tree, and left.

"Is anyone home?"

Shu stepped forward and opened the door. The two people who came in were a man and a woman in military uniforms. When they saw Shu Yun, there was a flash of amazement in their eyes.

"Shu Yun, right? We're from the Political Department."