Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 46: Get the Certificate Tomorrow

Shi An and Shi Ning, hand in hand, skipped and hopped to Xu Laosan and Wang Xiu's house.

Their clear, childlike voices echoed in the courtyard: "Auntie San, my dad is back! Mom told us to come and invite you over for dinner!"

Xu Laosan and Wang Xiu were chatting inside when they heard Shi An and Shi Ning's words and their faces lit up with delighted smiles.

"Big brother's back! Stop sewing shoe soles and get ready to go!"

Xu Laosan quickly put down the small object he was fiddling with, casually wiped his hands on his clothes, and said, "Oh, this is really good news. I've been waiting for this for more than half a year. Now I'm finally back."

Wang Xiu also stood up with a smile, gently straightened the hem of her clothes, then took the two children's hands and walked towards Jiang Man's house with Xu Laosan.

The kitchen was steaming hot. Jiang Man skillfully chopped vegetables, and on the cutting board were fresh greens, lean and fatty pork, and tomatoes that had just been picked from his own garden.

She first sliced ​​the pork into thin slices and quickly stir-fried it in a hot oil pan. With a sizzling sound, the pork instantly changed color and emitted an enticing aroma.

Next, Jiang Man poured the chopped greens into the pot and stir-fried them quickly. The greens gradually softened under the high temperature, and the fresh aroma of the vegetables blended with the aroma of the meat.

Then she added chopped tomatoes, which were stir-fried in the pan to release a rich juice, filling the entire kitchen with a sweet and sour aroma.

This classic stir-fried pork with vegetables is so delicious that it makes your mouth water just by smelling it.

On the other side, Jiang Man placed the prepared fish into a pan and pan-fried it until golden brown on both sides, the skin became crispy, and the fish oil seeped out, sizzling. Then, she added scallions, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, and other seasonings in sequence, and simmered it over low heat.

The broth in the pot gradually thickened, its bright red color as tempting as a gemstone. The fresh aroma of the fish, mixed with the fragrance of the seasonings, assaulted people's olfactory nerves in waves.

A pot of fragrant chicken soup was bubbling on the stove. The old hen had been simmering in the pot for a long time, and the meat was very tender, with all the nutrients infused into the soup.

A thin layer of oil floats on the surface of the golden chicken soup, and the rising steam carries a rich aroma of chicken, as if telling a story of the warmth and nourishment of home.

Seeing this, Wang Xiu quickly went into the kitchen and said, "Sister-in-law, let me help you."

Jiang Man turned around and saw Wang Xiu, a grateful smile on her face: "Xiuer, you're here. I'm fine here, you can rest for a while."

Without waiting for a reply, Wang Xiu picked up an apron from the side and tied it on, saying, "Why are you being so polite with me? Let's work together, and we can get it done faster."

In the courtyard, Xu Laosan and Qin Yishen sat facing each other.

Xu Laosan took out his pipe from his pocket, skillfully filled it with tobacco, lit it, took a deep drag, and slowly said, "Brother, my wife has suffered a lot while you were gone for the past six months."

Qin Yishen frowned slightly, his expression turning serious. "Tell me, what exactly happened?" Xu Laosan sighed softly, tapping his pipe on the sole of his shoe, and said, "Jiang He's family, I don't know what got into them, they're always deliberately causing trouble for my sister-in-law. The other day, they even went and ruined her business. You know, my sister-in-law's food stall is something she worked so hard to build up, and they just messed it up like that. It's heartbreaking."

Qin Yishen clenched his fists involuntarily, a surge of anger rising within him: "Why did they do this? Jiang Man never told me any of this."

Old Xu shook his head helplessly: "You know, my sister-in-law is kind-hearted but stubborn. She only ever writes good news to you, afraid that you'll worry about her. But we old neighbors know exactly what's going on in her life."

Qin Yishen felt a mix of emotions, heartbroken that she had endured so much injustice alone.

His gaze involuntarily drifted towards the kitchen, as if through that door he could see the strong yet fragile soul behind Jiang Man's busy figure, silently enduring everything.

"However, my sister-in-law is a very strong-willed person. After her business was ruined, she didn't give up. Instead, she kept trying to find ways to start over."

Xu Laosan continued, taking another deep drag of his cigarette. Meanwhile, Shi An and Shi Ning were chasing each other and playing happily in the courtyard.

Qin Yishen looked at them, her anger gradually replaced by tenderness and relief. Xu Laosan smiled and said, "Look at these two children. Under your careful care, they're like completely different people. When they first came, they were thin and small, didn't like to talk, and were timid all the time. Now they're so much better, chubby and fair-skinned, they've grown quite a bit taller, and their personalities have become cheerful and outgoing. They're always happy."

Qin Yishen nodded, his eyes full of warmth: "I can see that Jiang Man has taken meticulous care of them. I really don't know how to thank her."

Xu Laosan patted Qin Yishen on the shoulder and said earnestly, "We all see how much your sister-in-law cares for you. She truly treats Shi'an and Shi Ning like her own children and manages this household very well. When you come back this time, you must spend some time with them and not let your sister-in-law shoulder all the burdens alone."

In the kitchen, Jiang Man and Wang Xiu chatted as they cooked. Wang Xiu smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, I think my brother is a different person since he came back this time. He must be thinking about you all."

Jiang Man's face flushed slightly, but her eyes revealed a hint of happiness: "Xiuer, please don't tease me. I'm just happy that he can come back to see the children."

Wang Xiu gently tapped Jiang Man's forehead and scolded, "You're so stubborn. I know exactly what you're thinking."

Soon, the food was ready. Jiang Man brought the steaming dishes to the table and invited everyone to eat.

The family sat around the table, their laughter echoing in the courtyard for a long time.

Looking at the delicious-looking food on the table, and then at Jiang Man, Shi An, and Shi Ning beside him, Qin Yishen felt a warmth and satisfaction he had never felt before.

He picked up a piece of Jiang Man's favorite stir-fried pork and carefully placed it in her bowl.

"Xiaoman, I brought back the marriage certificate that has been approved. Let's go get our marriage certificate tomorrow."

"You've suffered these past six months while I was gone... I swear, I will make sure you have a good life and I will never let you suffer again."

Jiang Man looked up into Qin Yishen's sincere eyes, and a wave of emotion washed over her: "We're family, let's not talk about these things. Let's eat, the food's getting cold."