Hu Jun was called to a meeting, and his expression turned grave upon hearing its contents.
The meeting's purpose was to adapt to the strategic shift in the PLA's development philosophy and cultivate comprehensive high-ranking officers. The higher-ups had decided to merge the Military Academy, Political Academy, and Logistics Academy to establish the National Defense University.
This Party school training was also preparation for this transition.
They could no longer rely on outdated training methods or remain stagnant. Continuous learning was essential—those who couldn’t keep up would be left behind, and the pressure was immense.
For someone like Hu Jun, coming from an educated family, the adjustment was manageable. But many young officers lacked his advantages.
Hu Jun’s gaze fell on Shen Xianjun. That guy had really lucked out. Even Liao Yuanjie was struggling, but Shen Xianjun, having gotten a head start, adapted more smoothly.
Qin Nian quickly caught the professor’s attention due to her academic excellence.
This professor, a figure from their homeland, was so strict that even local students feared him.
In his class, he only explained things once—those who didn’t grasp it were simply deemed incompetent.
Yet, his expertise was undeniable, granting him absolute authority.
Initially, some locals had tried to take advantage of Qin Nian, seeing her as a pretty, vulnerable girl. Though she repeatedly avoided their advances, ill intentions lingered.
"You, come assist in my lab," the professor declared, singling her out in front of everyone. His words instantly deterred those with ulterior motives.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Firecrackers crackled as Old Yang’s Noodle Shop opened for business!
Given the summer heat, Yang Yufen had added a chilled noodle dish to the menu—freshly shredded cucumbers and a tangy tomato sauce, tossed with seasoning for a quick, refreshing meal.
She’d included it mainly because Dabao and Erbao loved it.
"Aunt Yang, one bowl of chilled noodles, please!"
"Coming right up!" Yang Yufen scooped the noodles into a bowl.
"Want some chili?"
"A little, please."
"Here you go, Little Zhang! Long time no see."
Only after setting down the bowl did Yang Yufen recognize his face.
"It’s been a while since I visited you, Auntie. I heard the firecrackers and came to check it out. Saw you and thought I’d drop in to show support."
Little Zhang grinned.
"Then give it a try and let me know what you think."
Yang Yufen had deliberately set off the firecrackers at 11:28 AM for good luck.
Curious passersby gradually trickled in.
"Plain noodles: 25 cents. Chilled noodles: 30 cents. Egg noodles: 40 cents. Meat toppings: 50 cents. One liang of noodles requires one liang of grain coupons, two liang needs two."
The prices were reasonable, and extra noodles only cost extra coupons, so customers happily settled in for a bowl.
"Aunt Yang, these noodles are delicious! I’ll be back for dinner."
A regular took one bite and immediately praised them.
"Ah, sorry, but we’re closed in the evenings—I’ve got to get home to my grandsons. But we’re open every noon!"
Yang Yufen smiled as she dropped another portion of noodles into the boiling water, timing each batch perfectly for that ideal chewy texture.
She’d done the math: a fixed daily quantity, no overproduction. Sell out early, go home early; sell out late, wait a bit longer. With no rent to pay, earning around 30 yuan a day was more than satisfactory.
After splitting profits with Gui Xiang, her monthly take-home was decent.
As expected, they sold out before 2 PM.
"Should we make more?" Gui Xiang asked, seeing how brisk business was and how much time was left.
"No, you need rest. Ruining your health isn’t worth it—you’ve got your husband and son to care for."
Working together sped things up. Washing and tidying took just half an hour.
On her way home, Yang Yufen spotted Army Commander Liao at the security post again. By now, they were familiar enough to exchange greetings. She handed him a lunchbox.
"Chilled noodles. It’s hot out, and appetites suffer. Consider this a small thanks for everything you’ve done."
"Then I won’t stand on ceremony." Army Commander Liao accepted it with a smile.
"Saw Dabao at the nursery today. The way he scaled that wall reminded me of his father."
Yang Yufen froze.
"What? Dabao climbed a wall?"
The mental image made her dread the chaos ahead.
"The kid’s fine. Just being active—and he wasn’t the only one."
"Erbao too?" she blurted.
"Not him. Erbao got stuck on the gate. Quiet little fellow. The teachers only noticed after hauling down the row of kids from the wall. Didn’t cry a peep—stayed perfectly calm."
Yang Yufen felt a vein throb at her temple.
"Dabao said he wanted to bring his friends to your shop. Claimed your noodles beat the nursery cafeteria’s, so they all got curious and tried to sneak out when the teachers weren’t looking."
Army Commander Liao chuckled between bites.
"Gotta admit, this bowl lives up to the hype. No wonder the kids are obsessed."
Yang Yufen headed straight to the nursery instead of home. The gatekeeper recognized her and let her in.
"Grandma, we’re sorry."
Dabao and Erbao hung their heads, thoroughly chastened after the teachers’ lecture.
Yang Yufen sighed, first checking Erbao’s slightly reddened ear—nothing serious.
"Thank you for your patience," she said to the teachers. "Go play with your friends now."
After apologizing, she sent the boys off.
"Don’t worry—boys will be boys. Dabao might’ve suggested it, but he wasn’t the ringleader. They’ve all been talked to."
Yet when Yang Yufen stepped outside, she found the twins surrounded by a group of children staring expectantly at her.
"Grandma..." Dabao blinked innocently.
"Alright, if you want noodles, I’ll make them after school. But no more sneaking out during class, understand?"
Back home, Yang Yufen fertilized the vegetable patch—the backyard harvest supplied the shop.
"Yufen, here. My tomatoes and cucumbers are overflowing. Since you need them for the shop, no point buying elsewhere when you can take mine."
Aunt Wang arrived with a basket. Their plots were adjacent, making it easy.
"Perfect! Saves me a trip to the market. I’ll settle up with you later."
"Sounds good. Need some chives? I’ll cut them while I’m at it—just watered them."
"Go ahead. I’ll prep the fertilizer."
Yang Yufen didn’t stand on ceremony.
"We’re having chilled noodles tonight. Skip cooking and join us."
"Deal. I’ll lend a hand later."
Aunt Wang bent to harvest the chives.
After tending the garden, Aunt Wang returned with her kids.
"Why so much dough?" she gasped, seeing the massive bowl.
The two families often shared meals, so their appetites were no mystery.
