Jiang Si shook her head—she wasn’t entirely clear about the specifics either.
She had originally planned to mention the matter to her two sisters-in-law in the afternoon after signing the contract.
But as soon as she stepped downstairs, she ran into Regimental Commander Xiao and Deputy Regiment Commander Lei.
What a coincidence—they were also here regarding the subscription contract.
Seeing that they already had a grasp of the situation, Jiang Si didn’t say much more.
She went back, had a meal, and took a nap.
By the time she woke up, the residential compound had turned into this state.
After explaining the whole story, Jiang Si turned to Mother Huo and said, “Mom, you’ve seen the situation in the compound. I doubt there’s time to queue up now.”
Mother Huo nodded.
But her tone was still tinged with regret. “Ah, if only we’d come a day earlier—”
Noticing this, Jiang Si leaned closer. “Mom, let me tell you—”
“How much?” Mother Huo’s eyes flickered with curiosity.
Jiang Si smiled and whispered word for word into her mother-in-law’s ear, repeating what she had just said.
Well, that settled it—Mother Huo’s disappointment vanished.
Truthfully, her interest in subscribing to shares wasn’t solely for the dividends.
She had visited the residential compound before and knew what it used to look like.
That was why, the moment she stepped into the compound earlier, Mother Huo had felt such a pang of sadness.
This sense of loss became even more pronounced after returning to their own courtyard.
Last time she was here, the fruits and vegetables in the garden hadn’t fully ripened yet.
But at a glance, everything was lush and green.
The cucumber trellises and loofah frames were neatly arranged.
Now? The garden was gone!
The pavilion was gone!
The yard did have a lemon tree now, but most of its leaves had already fallen.
The entire courtyard felt empty and bare.
Though she had sighed inwardly countless times, Mother Huo kept her composure.
A collapsed house could be rebuilt.
Lost crops could be replanted.
As long as everyone was safe and sound, that was what truly mattered.
Just then, Third Granduncle and Uncle Zhong emerged from the kitchen, drawn by the commotion.
“Mother-in-law, you must be exhausted from the journey. Come, come inside—”
Mother Huo greeted them warmly, pleased to see Third Granduncle and Uncle Zhong looking so healthy.
After exchanging pleasantries, she said sincerely,
“You’ve both worked so hard this past while. We originally agreed I’d come in June to take care of Si Si.”
“But because of the delays, it’s been pushed back by a month and a half.”
Third Granduncle waved his hand dismissively. “Nonsense, Mother-in-law. Si Si is my only granddaughter.”
“Being here to keep her company brings me nothing but joy.”
“Come, sit down and have some tea,” Uncle Zhong chimed in, pouring tea for everyone and switching on the living room fan.
The in-laws exchanged small talk, and Jiang Si didn’t interrupt. Instead, she followed Huo Tingzhou to the spare room to help settle Mother Huo’s luggage.
“Settling” was a generous term—they were really just finding a spot to stash the bags for now.
Knowing her mother-in-law, Jiang Si was certain she’d later proudly unpack and showcase everything she’d brought.
Opening the luggage now would spoil the surprise!
When she turned around, she noticed Huo Tingzhou’s gaze fixed on her.
Jiang Si raised a questioning brow. “What is it?”
Huo Tingzhou patted his thigh lightly.
Without hesitation, Jiang Si sat down, looping her arms around his neck. Noticing his lips pressed into a thin line, she suddenly understood.
“Did I scare you earlier?”
Huo Tingzhou: “A little.”
He looked down at her. “Next time—”
“I know, this was just an accident,” Jiang Si cut in.
Then, glancing toward the living room, she added, “Now that Mom’s here, I’ll always have company wherever I go. Does that put your mind at ease?”
The words seemed to soothe Huo Tingzhou somewhat.
Seizing the chance, Jiang Si changed the subject. “Weren’t you supposed to be back by five? You’re over an hour early.”
“We took a shortcut,” Huo Tingzhou explained. “Mom wanted to get back sooner, so we didn’t make any stops.”
“Wait—does that mean you haven’t eaten lunch yet?”
Huo Tingzhou rubbed his nose. “Not really hungry.”
That wasn’t the point!
Jiang Si shot him an exasperated look. Given how cautious Mother Huo was, she’d probably barely dared to drink water during the entire trip, let alone eat properly.
And Jiang Si’s guess was spot-on.
In the short time the couple had been in the room, Mother Huo had already downed four or five cups of tea.
Seeing them emerge and head for the kitchen, Mother Huo immediately rolled up her sleeves.
“Si Si, what would you like for dinner? Let me show off my cooking skills!”
Third Granduncle protested at once. “Mother-in-law, you’ve been traveling all day—you should rest!”
Jiang Si popped her head out from the kitchen. “Mom, Third Granduncle’s right. Tingzhou and I can handle dinner. You must be exhausted—”
Before she could finish, Third Granduncle shooed the young couple out.
“No need for you two either. Uncle Zhong already prepared the slow-cooked dishes this afternoon, and the rest are washed and chopped.”
Then, eyeing Jiang Si, he added, “Your mother-in-law came all this way—go keep her company.”
“Fine,” Jiang Si conceded, knowing she couldn’t win this argument.
Still, the mother-daughter pair only lingered in the living room briefly before Jiang Si guided Mother Huo to the spare bedroom.
“Mom, this will be your room. The bedsheets and covers are freshly washed.”
As she spoke, Jiang Si pulled two sets of pajamas from the wardrobe.
“I had these made for you—not sure if the size is right, but you can try them later.”
“Here’s the washbasin, foot basin, and slippers.”
“Oh! Almost forgot—”
Mid-sentence, Mother Huo suddenly pulled her into a tight hug.
“My daughter-in-law is so thoughtful—unlike a certain ungrateful son of mine.”
Jiang Si blinked in surprise.
She glanced at Huo Tingzhou, her eyes asking, What did you do now?
Huo Tingzhou stayed silent, merely clasping his hands in a pleading gesture.
The words Save me might as well have been written across his face.
Baffled but loyal, Jiang Si cleared her throat. “Mom, the water supply in the compound’s been restored. Why don’t you freshen up with a shower?”
“Good idea—I’ll do that.”
After days on trains and boats, Mother Huo was desperate to wash off the travel grime.
She agreed immediately—though not before shooting her son one last glare.
Once the bathroom door closed, Jiang Si turned to Huo Tingzhou. “Okay, what did you do?”
Huo Tingzhou: “Nothing much.”
Which was precisely why Mother Huo was annoyed.
When Jiang Si heard the full story, she gave him a look of utter disbelief.
“You absolutely deserved that scolding. Seriously!”
Heilongjiang in winter—minus twenty to thirty degrees, without heating!
Mother Huo had visited him at the flight academy, only to find his room furnished with nothing but an old military blanket—not even hot water.
The only edible thing left was frozen pears.
Mother Huo took a bite and nearly chipped her tooth.
No wonder she still remembered this incident vividly, even though it happened seven or eight years ago.
The shower didn’t take long, and Mother Huo washed the clothes she’d changed out of right in the bathroom afterward.
However, with so many people around, it wasn’t convenient to hang them in the yard, so she left them soaking in a basin for the time being.
By the time she stepped out of the bathroom, the meal was already laid out on the table.
Because of the typhoon, vegetables were not only expensive but also hard to come by.
So today, Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong had prepared a spread consisting mostly of fish, shrimp, and crab.
Uncle Zhong was a skilled cook—steaming, garlic-braising, charcoal-grilling, or braising in sauce, he handled it all effortlessly.
He’d also made a few of Jiang Si’s favorite Hu City-style stir-fries.
There were no outsiders at the table, just six of them, including Qian Bao.
The meal was lively and full of warmth.
After dinner, it was already quite late, so Huo Tingzhou quickly cleared the dishes.
Not wanting Mother Huo to feel uncomfortable, Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong sat for only a short while before preparing to leave.
Another round of polite insistence followed.
In the end, it was Jiang Si’s persuasion that finally made Mother Huo relent.
Still, Mother Huo and Huo Tingzhou walked them all the way to the gate of the residential compound.
Meanwhile, Jiang Si seized the chance to take a shower.
Although the water supply in the compound had been restored, it would still be cut off after 8 p.m.
Not long after her shower, Mother Huo and the others returned.
"Mom—"
Before Jiang Si could finish, Mother Huo came rushing out of the spare bedroom, arms laden with bags, her face beaming with excitement—
