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

Master Li came to my house to fry fish, and he even brought a lot of seasonings with him.

"Uncle Li, did Brother Songming ask you to come and help? Actually, Sister Hu and I can handle it."

Liu Songming is a cadre; how can you ask him to send someone over every time there's something going on at home? That would be abusing his power for personal gain.

"No, I came by myself. These grass carp need to be coated in flour and fried, and there needs to be enough salt, otherwise they'll spoil quickly. After frying for a while, put them in a jar, seal it well, and they'll be fine to eat even in early summer."

Uncle Li started getting busy, while Sister Hu helped him out.

There are also about ten pounds of pork belly. Cut it into large chunks, render the fat, put it in a jar, seal it, and it can last for a long time.

Qiaoqiao also helped, but she kept wondering to herself, "Are my family and Uncle Li very familiar?"

Even if it's a leader's family, they wouldn't be so eager as to come knocking on your door for help, would they?

After slicing ten pounds of pork belly, my hands were covered in oil. I turned to find some soap to wash them and suddenly noticed that Sister Hu was looking at Uncle Li with a very gentle gaze.

Oh, Qiaoqiao, even though you're married, you're still at a kindergarten level when it comes to love.

Uncle Li's good relationship isn't with the Zhou family, it's with Sister Hu.

They were worried that Sister Hu would get tired, so they came to her door to help with the work themselves.

When will they get better?

We only met for the first time yesterday.

It turns out that love doesn't need to be searched for; it might just happen on that day, at that moment, in that second.

Sister Hu has suffered so much; it's a good thing that a man loves and cherishes her.

Qiaoqiao pretended not to know anything, and together they fried fish, rendered lard, and marinated mutton to roast during the New Year.

Uncle Li worked diligently all afternoon, preparing all the dishes for the family's New Year's Eve dinner and putting them in the refrigerator, so they only need to be heated up during the New Year.

Before leaving, he stewed a pot of fragrant mutton and radish soup. No matter how much Qiaoqiao tried to persuade him to stay for dinner, he still left, as he had to rush back to the armed forces canteen to cook dinner.

"Sister Hu, Uncle Li's cooking is really good. His mutton has no gamey smell at all."

Qiaoqiao cautiously probed for information.

"Yes, yesterday I said the mutton wasn't cooked well, so he offered to help us. Old Li is a good man, it's just that his fate is like mine..."

As she spoke, Sister Hu wiped away her tears.

"What's wrong with him?"

"His son sacrificed his life, and his wife couldn't bear the blow and passed away within two years. The military arranged for him to work in the army canteen and also allocated him a small house. The state provides for his retirement."

"He only has one child?"

Qiaoqiao was a little sad. Everyone who could live in the military headquarters had their own story.

"He also has a daughter who is married and lives in the countryside. He can only see her once or twice a year. Luckily, he can cook, so he can stay in the canteen and not have any wild thoughts."

"I never imagined that Uncle Li was a martyr's relative. Sister Hu, you must comfort him."

"He comforted me instead, saying that if my son were alive, he would be about your age." Sister Hu became sad again.

"Sister Hu, you have to look forward. Your son certainly doesn't want you to suffer."

"He's gone, he knows nothing more, but how can we, the living, forget him? We have to think about him every day we live."

"Sister Hu, Weiwei will be back this afternoon, don't be sad."

With Xiaowei by her side, Sister Hu had no time to overthink things; that kid was just too much trouble.

"It's almost Chinese New Year, why am I telling you all this sad stuff? Hey, why hasn't Gu Quan come back yet?"

"It should be soon."

"Okay, let's cook the other dishes. Vice Governor Zhou should go home now."

Sister Hu wiped away her tears and went to cook.

If Uncle Li and Sister Hu could get together, it wouldn't be a waste to have someone to talk to, Qiaoqiao thought to herself.

When Yang Zheng returned home, the Yang family was in an uproar. Qiaoqiao's mother held her son's hand, looking him over from left to right, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Oh dear, my grandson, you're so heartless, not coming back for a whole year."

Grandma Qiaoqiao pushed open Qiaoqiao's mother's door; she wanted to see her grandson.

"Grandma, Mom, I'm sorry, I miss you too," Yang Zheng said guiltily.

"I know, Grandma knows. Qiaoqiao said that you're learning skills in Shanghai, and Grandma doesn't blame you," Qiaoqiao's grandma said first.

Qiaoqiao's father grinned and said, "Yang Zheng, we're having tofu for dinner. I made it this morning, and there are two pieces left after we sold them all."

Grandpa Qiaoqiao circled around his grandson, just smiling and not saying a word.

Outside, Zhao Jintao called out, "Uncle Yang, Auntie, Fenglin and I are back first. We'll come see you tomorrow."

Oh dear, I was so focused on my son that I forgot about Jintao and Fenglin.

"Fenglin, let's eat at your aunt's house tonight. She's slaughtered a pig, so there'll be good food."

Qiaoqiao's mother rushed out and pulled Fenglin aside.

"No, Auntie, Qiaoqiao brought me mutton and beef, I can't finish them all."

"Fenglin, that's great! You've gained weight, and your complexion is rosy."

"Yes, the water in the city is good for people. Auntie, I'll come and talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, okay, are you going back?"

"Go back to my own home."

"Alright, you can go back now. Your mother misses you every day."

Hearing that Fenglin had returned to his home, Qiaoqiao's mother felt relieved.

Everyone was happy, except for Xiaowei, who remained silent.

Yang Zheng picked him up in one go: "Xiao Wei, are you unhappy to see your uncle?"

"Why isn't my mom coming?" Xiaowei asked seriously.

"Mom will arrive on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Your uncle is back; they're spending the New Year in the city."

"Uncle?" Xiao Wei was already speaking very clearly.

"Yes, I came back from the Soviet Union. You go back with Uncle Gu and come back on the second day of the Lunar New Year, okay?"

"I don't want to go back; I want to stay with my grandma."

Xiao Wei turned to look at Qiao Qiao's mother, who was already tidying up his clothes.

"Xiaowei, you have to be good. Your uncle is back. He has to go back for the New Year. He'll come back in a couple of days."

Without thinking twice, Qiaoqiao's mother dressed Xiaowei.

"Grandma was biased; she only liked my uncle."

"Is this favoritism? You need to be reasonable. If you don't go home for the New Year, won't your grandparents, parents, and uncle be very sad?"

"Xiaowei, there are many beautiful firecrackers in the city, don't you like them?"

Seeing that Xiao Wei was unhappy, Yang Zheng coaxed him.

Will my mom buy it for me?

"certainly!"

"Let's go home, Xiao Dou."

Children's moods change so quickly. Firecrackers are more important than grandma. Once dressed, grabbing the little yellow dog, they get in the car.

"Xiaowei, come back early with your mother on the second day of the Lunar New Year."

The family seeing their child off made Qiaoqiao's mother feel a little sad: "Yang Zheng, you need to get married soon and have a couple more children. With Xiaowei gone, the house feels so empty."

"Mom, I'm still in school."

"Don't lie to your mother. Some university students already have children. There's no national regulation against university students getting married, is there?"

"Mother, I have no intention of getting married. I just want to make the best prosthetic leg for Wenhui."

"Isn't Wenhui's prosthetic leg perfectly fine?"

"Mom, there are even softer and lighter prosthetics."

"My son is so capable. Prosthetics are so difficult to make, even a mother can't see them, but my son can make them."

"Yes, having children is far more important than getting a prosthetic leg. Mother, don't worry, I will definitely get married. Come on, let's go inside. Qiaomei brought a lot of gifts, and your teacher's wife gave you a beautiful bed sheet."

Yes, he will definitely get married, but the girl he marries is not yet grown up.