When Huo Tingzhou returned home at noon, he found the living room cluttered with items scattered across the floor.
Originally, he had intended to ask his wife about her medical check-up, but before he could even open his mouth, the sight of the mess derailed his thoughts.
"Sweetheart, what’s all this?"
Jiang Si was busy sorting through the items and didn’t look up.
"Sister-in-law Hu said there’s a big tide at the end of the month, and she invited a few of us to go beachcombing. I need to get everything ready in advance."
"Since you’re back, help me check—is there anything else we’re missing?"
Huo Tingzhou glanced at the calendar on the wall. It was only the 28th today, still three days until the end of the month.
But he was the type to provide emotional support without hesitation.
After a careful look, he said, "The beach is all sand. You should bring an extra pair of sandals."
"And two folding stools—when you get tired from beachcombing, you can sit and rest for a while."
Jiang Si grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "You always think of everything."
Once the living room was tidied up, Huo Tingzhou finally got the chance to ask,
"Sweetheart, how did the check-up go today?"
"Everything’s fine."
After saying this, Jiang Si quickly shared the good news.
"Doctor Jiang said Sister-in-law Xu has recovered really well. Given her current condition, her chances of having a child in the future are much higher now."
"Doctor Jiang really said that?" Huo Tingzhou was surprised.
"Of course. Teacher Hu even taught her a lot today—" Realizing she’d slipped up, Jiang Si immediately clamped her mouth shut.
But Huo Tingzhou had already caught it. "Teacher Hu?"
Jiang Si certainly wasn’t going to elaborate—otherwise, how would she get any rest tonight?
Lately, whether it was the sweltering weather or the fact that she’d been eating too many carbs, she always felt drowsy.
Even now, before lunch, she was already fighting the urge to nap.
Jiang Si deflected, "Anyway, that’s what Doctor Jiang said."
Hearing this, Huo Tingzhou inexplicably recalled Doctor Jiang once mentioning that his wife was highly fertile.
Noticing the shift in his gaze, Jiang Si swiftly changed the subject.
"Oh, right—ask He Ping this afternoon."
"See if he and Ding Xiang are free that day. If they are, it’ll be more fun with them along."
Huo Tingzhou nodded in acknowledgment.
Speaking of He Ping, Jiang Si remembered something else.
"He Ping submitted his marriage application over ten days ago, right? Has the political department approved it yet?"
Huo Tingzhou hadn’t asked, but judging by how He Ping had been grinning nonstop at work today, he figured it wouldn’t be long.
Jiang Si didn’t press further.
The couple finished cleaning the living room and started preparing lunch.
Having a home garden was incredibly convenient—whatever they wanted, they could just pick fresh.
Jiang Si wasn’t yet skilled at cooking, so she mostly assisted.
Though "assisting" was a stretch—most tasks were taken over by Huo Tingzhou before they even reached her.
Her role was more about participation than actual contribution.
With the heat suppressing their appetites, Huo Tingzhou made a simple shredded chicken cold noodle dish for lunch.
Paired with refreshing pickled vegetables, the two ate with relish.
Sometimes, it really felt like fate had a sense of humor.
Jiang Si had barely mentioned He Ping at lunch, and by the next noon, He Ping arrived beaming.
"Your marriage application was approved?" Huo Tingzhou asked.
"Yep, approved!"
He Ping scratched his head, grinning ear to ear. "This morning, Ding Xiang and I already got our marriage certificate."
Jiang Si congratulated him warmly.
"Thank you, Sister-in-law."
He Ping then handed over wedding candies and cigarettes to Jiang Si.
"Sister-in-law, we’re holding the banquet on the 10th next month. You two must come."
Jiang Si accepted them with a smile. "Don’t worry, we wouldn’t miss it."
"Oh, about the beachcombing—you know already, right?"
He Ping nodded. "Yeah, the regiment leader told me yesterday afternoon."
"Good. We’ll meet at the residential compound gate at 8 a.m. the day after tomorrow."
"Got it."
After a bit more small talk, He Ping prepared to leave.
"Regiment Leader, Sister-in-law, I’ll let you get back to your day. I still need to deliver invitations to Sister-in-law Hu and the others."
Jiang Si nodded, about to respond, when Huo Tingzhou suddenly called out, "Wait a second."
With that, he stood and went into the bedroom.
Moments later, he returned carrying two stacks of items wrapped in brown paper.
He Ping had no idea what was inside. His first thought was that his regiment leader had prepared a wedding gift.
"Regiment Leader, I can’t accept this. Just having you and Sister-in-law at the banquet is more than enough."
Huo Tingzhou shot him a look. "It’s not time for gifts yet. What are you thinking?"
He Ping blinked. "Then what is this…?"
"These are professional reference books, plus some notes I took during my military academy days."
"Regiment… Regiment Leader…"
"Enough, no dawdling."
Huo Tingzhou handed over the package. "Study hard and don’t embarrass me. If you don’t graduate with top honors in three years, don’t bother coming back to the Fourth Division."
He Ping was so moved he could barely speak. "Yes, Regiment Leader! I swear I’ll ace it!"
"Go on."
Watching He Ping wipe his eyes with his sleeve as he walked away, Jiang Si was puzzled.
"They’re just books. Why was He Ping so emotional?"
Huo Tingzhou was silent for a moment. "That’s just how he is."
Jiang Si didn’t dwell on it—until the next day, when "Teacher Hu" visited. During their chat, she learned things she’d never heard before.
Yes, Jiang Si had unofficially started calling Hu Meili "Teacher Hu"!
Hu Meili looked surprised. "You didn’t know?"
Jiang Si handed her a peeled pear. "Know what?"
Hu Meili took a bite. "All those impressive things your Huo Tingzhou did at the military academy? He never told you?"
Jiang Si shook her head.
During his years at the academy, their contact had been sparse.
Even when he called, their conversations rarely lasted more than two or three minutes before Jiang Si hung up. There was no time for stories like these.
Hu Meili clicked her tongue. "Only your husband could keep quiet about this. If it were my Old Xiao, he’d have bragged at least eight hundred times. Believe me?"
Now thoroughly intrigued, Jiang Si asked, "Was he really that outstanding at the academy?"
Hu Meili gave her a "duh" look. After finishing her pear, she finally said,
"Did you know your Huo Tingzhou’s selection into the academy caused a huge controversy back then?"
Jiang Si shook her head again.
She hadn’t known that either.
But she could guess the reason—Huo Tingzhou had suffered severe injuries as a child.
Even with the best treatment, scars remained.
Moreover, his height didn’t meet the era’s standards for pilot selection.
Hu Meili’s next words confirmed her suspicions.
"Your Huo Tingzhou’s height and basic physical conditions didn’t actually meet the pilot selection criteria."
"After considering all the options, his overall abilities still stood out the most."
"I heard from my Old Xiao that your Huo Tingzhou was an all-A student for three consecutive years at the military academy."
"He scored full marks in all six flight assessment categories and ranked first in academic courses too."
"Later, he even represented China at an international airshow abroad, where he won three individual championships!"
"Oh, and your Huo Tingzhou earned two second-class merits during his time at the academy."
"One was for disaster relief, and the other—I think it was during training—when his plane’s engine malfunctioned."
"My Old Xiao said it’s called a single-engine landing, and it’s incredibly difficult to execute."
"That incident even became a teaching case study at the military academy afterward."
Hu Meili went on like this for nearly two hours before finally adding,
"Your Huo Tingzhou’s notes are something others can’t even get a glimpse of."
"Now he’s given them to He Ping. If He Ping can grasp even half of what’s in there, it’ll serve him for a lifetime. No wonder he’s so moved, don’t you think?"
Jiang Si nodded, lost in thought.
It was only then that she realized how little she truly knew about Huo Tingzhou.
That night, Huo Tingzhou returned very late.
Usually, by this hour, Jiang Si would already be fast asleep.
But after hearing "Teacher Hu’s" words earlier, her heart swelled with pride—yet also ached with something bittersweet.
She tossed and turned for hours, unable to sleep.
By the time Huo Tingzhou finished showering and entered the room, Jiang Si was still wide-eyed, her almond-shaped gaze fixed on nothing in particular.
"Why are you still awake so late?"
"Can’t sleep."
Normally, those words would prompt Huo Tingzhou to pull her into his arms,
kissing her here and there before asking softly, "What’s wrong?"
But tonight, he merely posed the question.
No embrace, no cuddle, not even a hint of desire in his eyes for her!
Before she could speak, Huo Tingzhou gently patted her back. "Go to sleep."
Jiang Si’s face was a picture of confusion: ???
The next second, she blurted out something startling—
"When you say 'sleep,' which kind of sleep do you mean—"
