In the evening, Su Lang headed home with the soldiers under his command.
Coming along with them were two unexpected guests: Division Commander Qin and Commissar Zhuang.
The usually boisterous and laughing soldiers did not dare to speak or laugh loudly in the presence of these two, at least not until they reached the home of their host for the night.
The air was filled with a spicy, savory, and aromatic scent. Upon sniffing closer, a fresh, sweet, and refreshing fragrance also wafted into their noses.
Everyone's mouths began to water, their anticipation growing.
Hearing the commotion, Bai Yang came to open the door for them, still holding an unopened oyster in his hand.
He gave a rather unorthodox salute. "Division Commander, Commissar, Regiment Commander!"
Su Lang waved his hand. "Go back to what you were doing."
"Yes, sir!"
Lin Zhilan heard the noise and walked out of the kitchen.
Although the news that Regiment Commander Su's wife was a great beauty had long spread throughout the entire military district, and they often heard Bai Yang boasting about how gorgeous his sister-in-law was, this was still their first time seeing Lin Zhilan in person.
She wore a simple white shirt and black trousers. Her jet-black hair was tied in a loose braid that rested casually over her shoulder, exuding a bright yet elegantly pure beauty.
Because she was working, she had rolled her shirt sleeves up to her elbows, revealing a section of snow-white arm. Her skin was as pale as frost and snow; for a moment, it was hard to tell whether her skin or the shirt was whiter.
Everyone was dumbfounded, freezing in their tracks.
Su Lang walked to Lin Zhilan's side and introduced the leaders and his comrades to her.
Lin Zhilan nodded to each of them in greeting, then asked Su Lang to arrange for everyone to take a seat.
No one wanted to sit with the two leaders. They pushed and shoved each other, refusing to move forward.
Su Lang easily understood what was going on. He first had Lin Zhilan sit down, then ordered the men to go to the kitchen to bring out the dishes.
Lin Zhilan wanted to say something, but Su Lang gently held her down. "You've worked hard all day. Just sit and don't move. There's no need to spoil them."
Hearing this, the crowd felt a warmth in their hearts. They didn't feel there was anything wrong with Su Lang ordering them around; instead, they felt it was because he treated them as his own people.
Dish after dish was brought to the table. A few quick-witted soldiers immediately snatched the seats next to Lin Zhilan.
Su Lang pointed at them in mock reprimand, then invited the leaders to sit at the other table.
Little Linlin was held by her father, and Jiang Chengzhou was kept close by his uncle.
Seeing that the two children were well taken care of, Lin Zhilan relaxed and invited everyone to start eating.
Sitting between his uncle and Division Commander Qin, Jiang Chengzhou ate in big mouthfuls, not feeling the least bit constrained.
Linlin sat on her father's lap, occasionally calling out "Brother." When he responded, her eyes would curve into happy little crescents.
The two siblings seemed to have a great relationship.
Division Commander Qin's eyes dimmed. He had always wanted his own children to get along well with Huang Ying, but the two kids simply didn't like her. Could it really be, as his wife said, that he was too biased toward Huang Ying?
However, he soon had no mind to dwell on these thoughts.
Division Commander Qin was from the Shu region and loved spicy food the most. The braised mixed fish on the table was savory and spicy, instantly whetting his appetite.
Looking at the others, those with a lighter palate favored the seaweed fishball soup, while those who liked spicy food went for the braised mixed fish and the fish head with diced hot peppers...
Aside from a pot of chicken soup, there were flavors catering to tastes from all over the country.
Since there were only two children at the table, Division Commander Qin placed one large and one small chicken leg into Jiang Chengzhou's bowl, telling him to share with his sister.
Jiang Chengzhou said a quick thank you, and without a second thought, put the small chicken leg into his uncle's bowl, asking him to tear it into small strips for his sister.
Division Commander Qin asked in confusion, "Chengzhou, your sister is young, shouldn't you yield to her? Why give her the small chicken leg while you eat the big one?"
Jiang Chengzhou gave him a strange look. "My sister is small. If I give her the big one, she won't be able to finish it. Why would I give her the big one?"
Division Commander Qin choked on his words.
Looking at Su Lang, he was looking down and coaxing his daughter to eat, showing no reaction at all.
At the other table, Lin Zhilan didn't even cast a glance in their direction.
Division Commander Qin did feel it was a bit strange.
He had seen many blended families. In some, the children didn't get along and fought often; in others, like his own, it seemed peaceful on the surface but had undercurrents surging beneath. In the very best of cases, they merely coexisted in peace.
But the two children before him—one was Su Lang's nephew, and the other was the daughter of Lin Zhilan and her ex-husband. Yet, as a family of four, they interacted as if they had been born into the same family, without the slightest sense of estrangement.
Lin Zhilan didn't eat much. She soon put down her chopsticks, left the dining table, and went into the yard to grill oysters.
The moment she left, it was as if a lock on a cage had been opened. Chopsticks flew across the dining table in a dazzling blur, striking fast, accurately, and ruthlessly, for fear that the food in the bowls would be gone in the next second.
Anyone who still cared about being gentle and polite at this time was a fool!
Everyone ate until they were sweating all over, filled with fiery passion. All worries and sorrows vanished, leaving only the delicious flavors dancing on their tongues.
By the end of the meal, everyone was eating in a dizzy haze of bliss, with steam practically rising from their faces and heads.
When the dishes on the table were almost finished, the men finally remembered the pot of chicken soup that looked incredibly plain.
Holding onto the belief that nothing his sister-in-law made could taste bad, Bai Yang scooped a bowl first.
The old coconuts of the island winter were the most suitable for boiling chicken.
To cook this chicken, Lin Zhilan used three or four coconuts and stewed it together with water from her spiritual spring.
After the chicken was cooked in the clear, sweet coconut water, it melted in the mouth. Every bite revealed the fresh, tender, and juicy texture of the chicken, accompanied by a faint, milky coconut fragrance.
Even just drinking the soup, it was warm, sweet, and incomparably delicious.
The people at the table were observant. Seeing Bai Yang down a bowl and immediately serve himself another, they all grabbed the ladle to scoop some soup.
In no time, the chicken soup was completely wiped out.
Right at that moment, the oysters on the grill were also ready.
Su Lang walked over holding his daughter and told Lin Zhilan to go rest.
Having just finished eating, Linlin was getting sleepy and a bit fussy, wanting to throw herself into her mother's arms.
Lin Zhilan greeted everyone, then carried her daughter upstairs.
Jiang Chengzhou didn't leave; he was still waiting to eat the grilled oysters.
The soldiers loosened their belts, cleared the dining table spotless, washed the dishes, and even cleaned the kitchen and the rest of the house.
After the physical labor, they had digested just enough to start eating the oysters.
Commissar Zhuang looked at how comfortable Jiang Chengzhou was at home; one glance was enough to tell he hadn't suffered any grievances.
After a moment of hesitation, he sat down next to Jiang Chengzhou.
Jiang Chengzhou glanced at him, pushed his oysters closer to himself, and pointed at the grill. "Grandpa Zhuang, there are more over there. Go get them yourself." (Don't steal mine.)
Commissar Zhuang: "..."
He coughed and cleared his throat. "Chengzhou, was the chicken leg delicious?"
"It was delicious."
"If you go back to the capital, your grandpa will buy you chicken legs to eat every single day."
Jiang Chengzhou kept his head down, eating his oyster as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Sitting to the side grilling oysters, Su Lang let out a cold sneer upon hearing this.
Commissar Zhuang continued his persuasion, talking about how wonderful the capital was, how he could eat meat every day, go ice skating, and watch movies—much more fun than the island.
