Nan Sheng wasn’t sure if everyone had a soft spot for men in military uniforms, but at this moment, as she laid eyes on Lin Han, her heart betrayed her and began to race uncontrollably.
Dressed in an army-green uniform, his posture straight and unwavering, he strode toward her with his gaze locked firmly on her.
Before either could speak, the village chief—ever the mood-breaker—exclaimed excitedly, "Lin Han’s back! You’ve really made something of yourself, kid. Old Lin would’ve been over the moon!"
Lin Han could only exchange pleasantries first. "Long time no see, Uncle Feng."
Though he was speaking to the village chief, his eyes never left Nan Sheng.
After some time apart, his wife had grown thinner but even more beautiful. If not for Sicheng leading the way, he might not have recognized her.
After a brief exchange, the village chief took his leave, inviting Lin Han to dinner at his place later to catch up properly.
Left alone, the atmosphere between the couple grew oddly tense. Just as Nan Sheng was about to say something to ease the awkwardness, Lin Han’s deep voice broke the silence. "Wife, I’m home."
Nan Sheng lifted her face fully, her tone laced with mild accusation. "Why didn’t you call before coming back?"
Her eyes darted around, unable to settle—a clear sign of shyness to Lin Han.
He quickly explained, "The military academy had a harvest break, and it happened to coincide with my day off. I decided to come back on a whim and didn’t have time to call. Wife, you’ve worked hard taking care of the kids at home."
Lin Han’s sudden return had thrown Nan Sheng’s emotions into chaos. No one had told her Lin Han was this good-looking—his face was sunburned, but it did nothing to diminish his striking features.
No wonder their two children were so adorable—both parents had clearly contributed!
Siqi and Sizhe soon heard the news and came rushing home. Sizhe leaped from a distance, and Lin Han effortlessly caught him after taking a few steps forward.
Compared to her brother, Siqi was a little shy, merely tugging at Lin Han’s pants and calling him "Dad."
The children chattered away, their voices filling the air with the warmth of reunion.
Lin Han felt a swell of pride. It was clear Nan Sheng had raised their children well—they’d grown taller, plumper, and far more spirited than before.
Since Lin Han hadn’t seen his parents yet, Nan Sheng urged him to take the kids to visit them.
She headed home alone, claiming she needed to start cooking.
The way he kept calling her "wife" was making her heart skip too many beats.
When Lin Han had arrived earlier, he hadn’t had a key, so he’d hung the groceries he’d bought in the shaded area under the eaves. Nan Sheng took them down—they were surprisingly heavy.
Inside the bag were several pounds of pork belly, two cans of peaches, and a few pounds of apples. If nothing else, Nan Sheng was genuinely craving those apples.
She had promised Lin Han a good meal upon his return, and she wasn’t about to break that promise.
She pulled out dried shrimp and small fish—the shrimp would go into a stew with cabbage, while the fish would be pan-fried.
With fresh meat on hand, she skipped the preserved stuff from the jar. She turned the three pounds of pork into braised meat, adding golden-fried eggs for extra richness.
It was a bit extravagant, but since Lin Han rarely came home, she figured she might as well invite his parents—and likely his eldest brother’s and third brother’s families too. She’d need to cook a whole pot to feed everyone.
Just as Nan Sheng added the corn grits to the pot, Lin Han returned with the kids.
He took the initiative to sit by the stove and tend to the fire. If he were smaller, he’d practically be a male version of little Siqi.
Sizhe glanced at the kitchen, then dragged his sister—who was clearly trying to play third wheel—to the west room. "Forget the fire, go finish your homework!"
Nan Sheng asked, "Lin Han, didn’t you invite your parents for dinner?"
Lin Han shook his head. He hadn’t dared to make the decision without consulting her first—through their letters, he knew Nan Sheng had a temper.
She had taken such good care of the house and the kids. The least he could do was avoid upsetting her.
Hesitantly, he said, "Won’t it be too much trouble?"
The Lin family wasn’t exactly small!
Nan Sheng was once again impressed by Lin Han’s thoughtfulness, and her fondness for him grew. Her voice softened as she replied, "You don’t come home often. Let’s invite everyone—your eldest brother’s family and your third brother’s too. No one should be left out."
When hosting, it was better to invite too many than to exclude even one.
Except for Lin Xue, of course—their families had severed ties.
Lin Han immediately set off for the fields. He’d inform his parents first, then his eldest brother’s family. When he reached Lin Jianshe, he delivered two solid kicks before mentioning dinner.
Lin Jianshe didn’t dare protest. It was only when a villager told Sun Qian that she rushed over to check on her husband.
"Jianshe, did Second Brother hit you? What for?"
Lin Jianshe irritably ran a hand through his hair. "What else? That brat must’ve snitched. The kid still won’t even call me ‘Uncle’ when he sees me."
Ever since the incident where he’d hit the child, the two families had stopped interacting.
Sun Qian had planned to accuse Nan Sheng of mistreating the kids, but now her husband had been beaten first. This couple was downright violent.
Lin Jianshe muttered, "Second Brother invited us for dinner tonight. I’ll just eat a little and come back. You stay home."
He knew his wife’s temper—if she went, she’d only sour the mood for Nan Sheng.
Sun Qian scoffed. She hadn’t wanted to go anyway. The food wouldn’t be worth the aggravation.
At noon, a large group of Lins—seven in total—made their way to Lin Han’s house.
Nan Sheng greeted them warmly, even sparing Lin Jianshe any awkwardness. With too many to fit at the table, the kids ate around the kang instead.
The spread was impressive—braised pork, stir-fried pork with green beans, dried shrimp and cabbage soup, crispy fried fish, spicy and sour shredded potatoes, and a plate of salted duck eggs. Five dishes and a soup, all fragrant and mouthwatering!
The elders sat at the head of the table, with Lin Guozheng and his three sons arranged by age. Fan Shuting sat beside Zhou Wei, then Nan Sheng.
Fan Shuting remarked, "Had I known you’d make so much, I’d have come earlier to help."
Zhou Wei chimed in, "Absolutely! This is even better than New Year’s dishes. You’ve outdone yourself, Sister-in-law."
Nan Sheng played along. "Lin Han’s been working hard away from home. Since he’s back, I wanted to make sure he eats well."
Lin Han glanced up at his wife, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He liked being remembered this way.
Lin Guozheng was in high spirits too. In the past, his second son only came home once a year—this was already his second visit!
"Second Son, you’ve really made us proud. The kid mentioned you got promoted again? Keep it up—the whole Lin family’s counting on you!"
Lin Guozheng raised his glass, and Lin Han obliged. Lin Han’s brothers followed suit, and the four men downed their drinks in unison.
The women, meanwhile, focused on the food—especially Zhou Wei, who had never tasted anything so delicious in her life.
"Sister-in-law, even banquet food doesn’t compare to your cooking. No wonder those little rascals always waddle home after eating here. Don’t laugh if I overindulge today."
Nan Sheng picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and plopped it onto Zhou Wei’s plate. "Eat up. There’s plenty to go around!"
As they chatted, Lin Han was also savoring each dish meticulously, his eyes lighting up with every bite.
Nan Sheng noticed his expression and secretly laughed to herself—who would have thought that beneath Lin Han’s stern exterior lay the heart of an adorable foodie?
