Fortunately, it was almost mealtime, and the streets were nearly empty.
Otherwise, Jiang Si would have surely lost her temper with him.
"Hurry up, or the market will close soon."
"Alright."
After Huo Tingzhou left, Jiang Si quickly retrieved three or four old hens from her space.
She also took out two white geese and several dozen eggs.
She didn’t bother with pork—by this time, the food station would have long been cleared out.
Besides, the military unit would be slaughtering pigs for the New Year early the next morning, so they could just buy some then.
After a while, Huo Tingzhou returned.
Jiang Si was surprised to see him carrying a rattan lounge chair with a footrest over his shoulder.
"Don’t we already have a lounge chair at home?"
"That one’s a bit small. It’s not comfortable for you."
Huo Tingzhou set the chair down and gave it a gentle rock.
"This one can sway. I’ll put it on the attic balcony when we get back.
It’s breezy up there with a good view. You can read there instead of being cooped up inside."
Jiang Si glanced at the chair, then at the beads of sweat on his forehead, feeling a surge of warmth in her heart.
But then: "The trunk’s already full. How are we taking this big chair back?"
As if to prove her point, two white geese stretched their necks out from the trunk and honked loudly—"Honk! Honk!"
Huo Tingzhou: "These… these geese are?"
"I bought them."
Jiang Si pointed to the alley ahead, reciting the excuse she’d prepared.
"Someone came by with baskets earlier. The geese looked plump, so I got them.
Oh, and some chickens and eggs too."
Worried he might doubt her, she even quoted the prices.
"What’s wrong? Did I overpay?" When he stayed silent, her heart skipped a beat.
It couldn’t be helped—keeping secrets made guilt a constant companion.
"No, prices are higher during the New Year season. That’s normal," Huo Tingzhou said.
"Then why didn’t you say anything?" She’d been startled.
Huo Tingzhou paused, his gaze softening with concern.
"You’ve never done this kind of thing before. Next time, just tell me what you want, and I’ll buy it."
"Mm-hmm." Jiang Si didn’t want to dwell on the topic and agreed quickly.
Then, she turned her attention back to the rattan chair.
"You’d better figure out how to get this home."
"Easy."
With that, Huo Tingzhou hoisted the chair onto the roof of the jeep and secured it with ropes from the trunk.
Once he was sure it was stable, he returned to the driver’s seat.
By now, it was too late to go home for lunch.
At noon, the two stopped at a state-run restaurant for a bowl of the local specialty, Baluo Fen (rice noodles).
In the afternoon, they bought red paper and ink for writing New Year couplets, along with fireworks and firecrackers.
Once they were sure they hadn’t missed anything, they headed back.
Before leaving town, Jiang Si made sure to pick up a newspaper from the post office.
They say a military uniform is the best cosmetic for a man—and the saying proved true.
Seeing Father Huo sitting tall and straight in his uniform at the assembly hall, Jiang Si couldn’t help but gush in admiration.
Huo Tingzhou didn’t say a word, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.
It seemed he’d have to work even harder.
Promotion wasn’t the point—he just wanted to see her proud of him.
The thought made the corners of his lips curl up unconsciously.
Jiang Si had no idea her offhand remark had once again ignited her husband’s competitive spirit.
Once home, she immediately shared the good news with Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong.
Father Huo’s promotion to head of the military department naturally delighted Third Uncle.
Just as he was about to speak, a strange odor caught his attention.
"What’s that smell?"
Then Huo Tingzhou walked in carrying a spiky, thorn-covered object.
"What is this?"
"Durian!"
Jiang Si handed over the half-eaten durian she’d been snacking on.
"Third Uncle, you—" Before she could finish urging him to try it,
Third Uncle had already retreated several steps, pinching his nose and shaking his head like a rattle-drum.
"No, no, I won’t eat that!"
Then, realizing something, he ignored the stench and hurried forward, gingerly plucking the durian from Jiang Si’s hands with two fingers.
"Sweetheart, this thing reeks! Let’s not eat it, alright?"
"Right, right!" Uncle Zhong chimed in, heading to the kitchen.
"Miss Jiang Si, I’ve prepared bird’s nest soup for you. Have some of that instead."
"It smells bad, but it tastes really good. You’ll see if you try it!"
Jiang Si made one last attempt to persuade them, but Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong were adamant.
Seeing their resolve, she gave up.
Next door, at the Xiao household—
Hu Meili and Xiao Zhengjun stared at the durian on their table, neither daring to make the first move.
"Wife… is this thing really edible?"
Xiao Zhengjun scratched his head and leaned in for a sniff. "It smells weird."
Hu Meili was equally skeptical, but since it was a gift from her dear friend, she figured it couldn’t be that bad.
"Open it up. I’ll try a bite."
"Alright…"
Xiao Zhengjun picked up a pair of scissors and, after a few minutes, cracked the durian open.
The couple froze.
The smell?
Like a bomb had gone off in an outhouse.
How did they know?
Because their outhouse had been blown up once.
Hu Meili took a tactical step back.
"Lao Xiao, you’re the pillar of this family. You… you go first."
If it was good, she’d follow.
Xiao Zhengjun wiped sweat from his brow, remembering how Old Huo had said this thing was imported from the South Seas and packed with nutrients.
Gritting his teeth, he countered, "Wife, this stuff’s super nourishing. Maybe you should have it?"
"You eat it!"
"No, you eat it!"
After a long back-and-forth, Hu Meili finally laughed in frustration.
"Fine, I’ll eat it!"
If Jiang Si said it was good, then it had to be good!
But Xiao Zhengjun wasn’t convinced.
Once, a fellow military wife from Zhejiang had brought them some fermented amaranth stalks,
claiming it was a local delicacy—"smells bad, tastes great."
They’d believed her.
One bite later, they’d spent the whole day nauseated.
But they couldn’t bring themselves to throw it away—she’d carried it all the way from Zhejiang, probably saving it for a special occasion.
So they’d suffered through it for a week.
Lost in thought, Xiao Zhengjun didn’t notice Hu Meili stuffing cotton balls up her nose.
"Here goes!"
Xiao Zhengjun sighed.
"Wait, I’ll do it."
She was pregnant—if this made her vomit, it’d be a disaster.
But he was too late.
Hu Meili had already scooped a small piece into her mouth.
Her tongue touched it lightly—sweet, with a soft, creamy texture.
A couple of chews later, her eyes lit up.
She quickly scooped a heaping spoonful of the fruit flesh. "Lao Xiao, this tastes amazing, absolutely delicious."
"Really?"
Xiao Zhengjun wasn’t so convinced.
The two of them were different from other couples—the kind who’d even make the other smell their farts.
Remembering how she’d tricked him last time with the same earnestness, Xiao Zhengjun immediately shook his head.
"No, no, you’re pregnant right now—you should eat more of it."
"Just eat it when I tell you to. Stop arguing!"
Hu Meili’s expression darkened as she shoved the spoon toward him without another word. "Open your mouth!"
Xiao Zhengjun grew even more terrified. "Wife, I won’t eat it, I really won’t!"
"Eat it! You have to!"
Just then, Eldest Boy and Little Second Son, who had been playing in the residential compound all afternoon, burst into the room.
"Mom—"
"Mom, we’re back—"
Startled by their sudden shouts, Hu Meili’s hand jerked, smearing the durian flesh all over Xiao Zhengjun’s mouth.
The two brothers froze at the sight.
A second later, they clamped their hands over their noses.
Eldest Boy gasped in disbelief. "Mom, what are you doing?"
Little Second Son’s eyes widened in horror. "Mom, what did Dad do wrong? Why are you feeding him poop?!"
