Refusing to marry a widower, I went on a crazy spree of sending my children to the army.

Commander He thought to himself, "If Lu Yuan, with his bad temper, were willing to speak, would he need to beat around the bush?"

However, it wasn't necessary to find out the answer. He smiled, nodded, and changed the subject.

Xia Zhao chatted with him for a while, then went to the Lu family's house.

Xie Susu said apologetically, "I'm sorry to trouble you again!"

"What are you saying, Auntie? I'm happy to take care of my sister-in-law!"

He went inside to check on Qiao Manman's condition.

As it turned out, there was nothing she needed to help with.

Lu Yuan took good care of Qiao Manman, and Xie Susu also managed the household affairs very well.

She came here as if she were on vacation.

Xie Susu brought her a bowl of chicken soup and told her to drink it and rest for a while.

Xia Zhao couldn't stay still. After dusting the house, feeding the chickens in the coop, and turning over the soil outside, he practiced boxing in the yard, feeling full of energy.

"Aunt Xie, what did you give me to eat? Why do I feel so warm?"

"It's just chicken soup!" Xie Susu stirred it with a spoon. "Maybe I put in a ginseng root? That shouldn't be the case, it's such a small one!"

Xia Zhao felt a dampness in her nose and quickly pressed it with her fingers: "Was that ginseng given to you by Commander Lu?"

"Yes, he said he bought it from a fellow villager, a big bag of ginseng rootlets, and told me to make soup with it!"

A drop of blood dripped onto the ground, and he thought to himself that what his sister-in-law had there was indeed not to be underestimated.

"Oh dear, what's wrong?" Xie Susu put down the soup pot and hurriedly wiped her nose.

Xia Zhao chuckled and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. I was just a little agitated! I'll feel better after letting it out!"

He continued punching, and he could feel the air being whistled around him.

Xia Zhao was quite pleased with her strength. She turned her head and glanced at Ji Ming: "Why are you here? Want to practice?"

"Fine!" Ji Ming threw a punch and started fighting with her, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Half an hour later, the two put down their fists and went back inside, telling Xie Susu that they were getting engaged.

Xie Susu was overjoyed and shook their hands, saying, "Congratulations!"

Xia Zhao chuckled: "I have to thank you, sister-in-law, for bringing us together."

Xie Susu glanced at the bedroom in surprise: "Is Manman your matchmaker?"

"Although I wasn't the matchmaker, I did get to know Xia Zhao because of my trip to Dong Province."

Even our subsequent interactions were facilitated by my sister-in-law.

Xie Susu patted her hand: "When you get married, Auntie will prepare a dowry for you."

"Thank you, Auntie!" Xia Zhao gently hugged Xie Susu. "It's so warm, even warmer than my mother's embrace!"

Xie Susu laughed, thinking the little girl was teasing her. But in reality, Xia Zhao was speaking from the bottom of her heart, speaking the truth.

***

Time passed slowly, and the heavy snow arrived quietly. In just one night, it turned the earth white.

Qiao Lingyue braved the heavy snow to come over, touching Qiao Manman's wrist while staring at her stomach with a worried expression.

"Now that it's so big, what will happen during childbirth?"

He had considered these words in his mind countless times, but he just didn't dare to say them aloud.

Xie Susu's heart clenched. When he came out, she lowered her voice and asked, "Uncle Qiao, Manman, she..."

"The same as always!" Qiao Lingyue sighed. "Why is the girl suffering so much? The reconstruction of Dong Province is almost complete, and she's still in a coma. Is it that good people don't get rewarded?"

Xie Susu didn't dare to respond and found a corner to vent her emotions.

In the evening, Lu Yuan returned, had dinner, and then saw Qiao Lingyue off.

"Grandpa, it's difficult to travel in the snow. Please don't travel back and forth during this time."

Manman's condition is stable; it won't be a big problem if she doesn't see a doctor for a while.