I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

Qiaoqiao's mother did not return to the city with them. The four of them, along with Zhou Xiaowei, filled the jeep.

Because of Zhou Xiaowei, who is just learning to speak, the atmosphere in the car was very warm. Zhou Wenhui spared no effort in teaching Zhou Xiaowei to say "Dad".

Zhou Xiaowei stared wide-eyed and replied, "Oh, oh."

Luo Meiyun couldn't resist giving the chubby boy a few kisses on the face.

"Songming, my apartment is at 126 Songshan Road. Send a few people to help me move tomorrow," said Zhou Zhonghai, who was sitting in the front row.

"Dad, are you in such a hurry? The house hasn't been cleaned yet, has it?" Zhou Wenhui asked.

"Everything is settled. It was originally allocated to a general, but he was going to retire in Beijing, so it was given to me. I need to move quickly and settle you all in so I can go back to the provincial capital with peace of mind."

"Dad, you haven't fully recovered yet."

Qiaoqiao was a little worried. Her father-in-law had changed completely after returning to Dashui Village, and now he was only thinking about working.

"I'm fine now, much better. I have a secretary in the provincial capital taking care of my daily life. Besides, it's not like we're fighting a war, how tiring could it be?"

This agricultural battle won't be easy either. Zhou Zhonghai must seize the opportunity, take the initiative, and win as many first-place awards as possible.

"Old Chief, how about transferring me to your side? I'm used to taking care of you, and I feel more at ease by your side," Liu Songming volunteered.

"No way, the Minister of the Armed Forces Department is a department-level cadre, I can't afford to use that," Zhou Zhonghai joked.

"Isn't this position of department head given to me by you? I made meritorious contributions on the battlefield, survived a great disaster, and when I came back, you put me in the ministerial position. I'm not sure about this position," Liu Songming said with a worried look.

"What are you afraid of? You've been following me for so many years, you've seen it all. Be assertive, show the assertiveness of a soldier. Songming, I'm not in Huailin City, so you'll have to take good care of things at home."

"I would like to take care of Wenhui and Qiaoqiao, but they never tell me anything when something happens."

"Liu Songming, didn't they contact you for the political background check on Ka Qiaoqiao from Huailin University last time?"

"Qiaoqiao's university background check was blocked? Who blocked it?"

Zhou Zhonghai countered that he had only been back for a few days and was in Dashui Village, so there were many things he didn't know about his family.

"No, Dad, Wenhui and Songming went to the Academic Affairs Office, they've already gone."

Qiaoqiao pinched Zhou Wenhui, telling him not to bring up the Cheng family's affairs again, lest his father get angry.

Liu Songming changed the subject: "Old Chief, what do you think of the house on Songshan Road? If it's too small, let Wenhui and the others move to the military dependents' compound. It's a waste for me to live in such a big compound by myself."

"What's mine is mine, and what's yours is yours. A dignified Minister of the Armed Forces can't possibly live in a single dormitory, can he? Liu Songming, how old are you? Why aren't you married yet?"

"Old Chief, we were talking about houses, how did we end up talking about my personal matters?"

"I've been telling you to get married and have a family for a long time, but you said you'd wait until the war was over. Now that the war is over, it's time for you to think about your personal life. Director Luo, do you have any suitable doctors or nurses in your unit who could play matchmaker for you?" Zhou Zhonghai turned to Luo Meiyun and asked.

"There are quite a few unmarried doctors and nurses, but I'm afraid Songming won't be interested in them."

"Madam, look at what you're saying. I'm just a roughneck, what right do I have to look down on others? It's just that I've only just taken over the Armed Forces Department and I'm really busy. I'll wait a year or two. Anyway, I'm already an older youth, so I don't care if I get a couple more years older."

"Speaking of marriage, I have a lot to say. Songming, only when two people are in love and affection can a marriage last. If it weren't for Director Luo's insistence on going with me to the front lines this time, I'm afraid this old body of mine would have been left on the battlefield."

While I was unconscious, I heard Director Luo calling out, "Old Zhou, don't sleep, look at me." Just that one sentence made me want to open my eyes, but I was too tired and fell asleep again.

When Zhou Zhonghai talked about the past, he just laughed it off, but Luo Meiyun was filled with mixed emotions.

After Zhou Zhonghai was injured, he was taken to her tent immediately. When Luo Meiyun saw her husband covered in blood, she thought he was beyond saving.

She didn't cry or panic. Just like the promise she made before going to war, he would die in her arms.

Luo Meiyun hugged Zhou Zhonghai and called out, "Don't sleep, Lao Zhou."

Zhou Zhonghai fell asleep and slept for over a year.

The military sent a plane to take Zhou Zhonghai to Beijing for treatment. Luo Meiyun escorted him all the way. She used her professional knowledge to handle all kinds of dangers that Zhou Zhonghai faced. Without her, no matter how strong Zhou Zhonghai's will to live, he would not have survived.

"Old Chief, you and your wife are the envy of the entire division. Even if I, Liu Songming, were to accumulate eight lifetimes of good fortune, I still wouldn't find someone as good as your wife."

Those who know Zhou Zhonghai know that he is afraid of his wife, but also know that he loves her.

"That's right, Director Luo and I have a life-or-death bond, haha..."

"Your family traditions are well-preserved, and Wenhui and Qiaoqiao are a model couple."

"Hey, Meiyun, Liu Songming is right. Let's give him a fried egg tonight."

Luo Meiyun looked tenderly at Qiaoqiao and Zhou Wenhui, who were smiling with their heads down. Isn't this what a couple is all about?

It was already dinnertime when Zhou Xiaowei got home. He had fallen asleep halfway there and woke up as soon as he got home.

Zhou Wenhui and Zhou Zhonghai took care of the children, while Qiaoqiao and Luo Meiyun went to the kitchen to cook noodles.

Each of the five people had a bowl of noodles and a fried egg, except for Liu Songming, who had two.

After finishing his meal, Liu Songming went back home. Tomorrow he would move the furniture and books stored in the military family compound to Songshan Road.

It was a tiring day, and everyone went to bed early. Only Zhou Zhonghai stayed in Yang Zheng's house, writing until midnight.

The next day, the cafeteria opened, and Zhou Wenhui went to buy food early in the morning, while Qiaoqiao and Zhou Xiaowei slept in.

I'm going to look at houses on Songshan Road today. I don't know if they have yards or if I can grow vegetables there.

Qiaoqiao has been in the city for over a year and has seen many apartment buildings, bungalows, and courtyards, but the one in the military region is the most satisfying.

There are many houses, they are spacious, and there is a vegetable garden.

When she arrived at 126 Songshan Road, she was truly stunned.

"Mom, are there really such nice houses in Huailin City?"

This house isn't a large courtyard house, it's a small mansion.

It has three floors, surrounded by high walls and a large iron gate, making it extremely secluded and impossible to see inside from the outside.

On the left side of the courtyard entrance stands a large tree. Luo Meiyun says it's a jujube tree, Zhou Wenhui says it's a pear tree, and Zhou Zhonghai says it's a persimmon tree, symbolizing good fortune.

To the right was an open space with unidentified withered leaves. Luo Meiyun said confidently that these were flowers that would revive in the spring.

Qiaoqiao thought to herself that this piece of land must be used to grow vegetables, cucumbers, and make pickled cucumbers to eat.

Next was a clean cement open space where Zhou Xiaowei could run freely.

Entering the small mansion, the first floor has terrazzo flooring, the living room is on the right, and the kitchen, dining room, storage room, and guest room are on the left.

Upstairs, there are five rooms, all with wooden floors. The larger ones are used as bedrooms, and the smaller ones as studies.

There is a large bedroom with a toilet, and a public restroom in the hallway.

The third floor has the same layout as the second floor. Qiaoqiao stared wide-eyed, repeatedly saying, "Wow, wow... Dad, are we staying in the presidential suite?"

Zhou Zhonghai smiled and said, "This building was bought by a wealthy businessman for his concubine during the Republic of China era. When the movement started, the concubine fled to Taiwan, and this building became the office building of the Revolutionary Committee. Now that the Revolutionary Committee has been dissolved, the building is vacant and has been given to me."

Zhou Zhonghai seemed somewhat resentful, and he arranged for me to live in one of his concubine's houses, which felt awkward.

"Dad, you should be content. I could work at the newspaper my whole life and still not get a house this nice," Zhou Wenhui complained.

"Hahaha, son, what's mine is yours, as long as you like it. Qiaoqiao, you two live on the third floor, and we old folks live on the second floor. We're too old to climb stairs anymore."

"Okay, we'll stay on the third floor. I'm willing to climb the stairs," Qiaoqiao said happily.

"The biggest problem our family is facing now is finding a nanny. It's not easy to find a nanny we know well." Luo Meiyun is very satisfied with this house.

"If Sister Liu were here, she would help with the search, and she would always find the right one."

"Who is Sister Liu?" Zhou Zhonghai asked casually.

"Sister Liu from the vegetable shop in the military family compound, when I gave birth, only my mother and I were at home, and we couldn't get through on the phone, so my mother went to find Sister Liu, and she brought a handcart from her workplace..."

"Can't I get through to you on the phone when you're giving birth?" Luo Meiyun interrupted Qiaoqiao.

"No, no, it was busy, Mom. Songming came back when I was giving birth. He was the one who took me to the hospital."

"Where is Wenhui?"

"Mom, I'm giving a speech out of town," Zhou Wenhui said guiltily.

"Mom, the due date came early. Don't blame Wenhui. He's been giving speeches all over the place, it's very tiring."

Why can't I get through on the phone?

"I……"

"Your father is only in a coma, and they're already bullying you like this? It's outrageous!" Luo Meiyun's face turned red with anger.

"Meiyun, forget it. Taking advantage of someone's misfortune is the norm in officialdom."

"Even if it's just an ordinary military officer's family member giving birth, we can't just sit idly by and do nothing, right? Qiaoqiao, you've suffered so much."

"Mom, it's not hard. You and Dad are back. All the hardship is worth it."

"Good boy."