"If that's the case, then I won't stand on ceremony. Uncle Liu, just call me Xiao Xiao." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled amiably. No wonder the approval came so fast; it turns out Lu Feng was a soldier under Liu Hongjun's command.
"Are you really going to marry him? Maybe you should think about it again?" The more Liu Hongjun looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, the more he felt it was a pity. He knew the conditions under which Lu Feng was finding a wife — it was quite unfair to a woman.
"Sir!" Lu Feng called helplessly. "I won't let Comrade Fu Xiaoxiao be wronged!"
"Marrying you is being wronged!" Liu Hongjun gave Lu Feng a sidelong glance. How could he know what women have to face? He thought being a stepmother was easy?
"Uncle Liu, I'm not wronged. On the contrary, I'm grateful that Comrade Lu Feng is willing to marry me." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled slightly at Liu Hongjun and explained her situation.
"My foster mother gave my job to my sister and wants me to go to the countryside for her. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't resentful. I always thought it was because I wasn't good enough, but now I understand — no matter how well I do, she won't like me because I'm not her child. Comrade Lu Feng needs someone to take care of his two children, and I need such an opportunity. To be honest, I'm not afraid of going to the countryside, but... I don't want to accept such a bleak fate."
Fu Xiaoxiao looked at Liu Hongjun frankly and shared her thoughts. "I know what marrying Comrade Lu Feng entails, but I've chosen this path, and even if it's the wrong one, I have no regrets."
Liu Hongjun and Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. Indeed, she was marrying to avoid going to the countryside, and while the reason wasn't entirely proper, they sympathized with her perspective. She wasn't wrong to seek a way out for herself.
"You're a thoughtful child. Given this, I won't say more." Liu Hongjun said to the two of them.
Learning that Fu Xiaoxiao was going to marry within seven days, and meeting Lu Feng on the last day, perhaps it was fate that brought them together.
Otherwise, it's unlikely these two would have ended up together.
"One more thing." Liu Hongjun looked at Lu Feng, who nodded, then turned to Fu Xiaoxiao seriously.
"Go ahead." Fu Xiaoxiao waited for him to speak.
"Tomorrow, I'll be carrying out a mission, with no set date of return." Lu Feng apologetically looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. It was due to this urgent task that he had resorted to such measures.
"You can go without worry; I'll handle everything at home! I promised you that I would take good care of the two children." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded, patting her chest.
She understood a soldier's duty. Having chosen to marry Lu Feng, she would bear this responsibility and never be a burden to him.
No wonder their marriage report could be specially approved; it was due to his urgency, requiring someone to care for his 'home front.'
"She's a good comrade." Fu Xiaoxiao's words touched Liu Hongjun's heart. Such a sensible good child; Lu Feng really found a gem this time.
"Thank you." Lu Feng looked gratefully at Fu Xiaoxiao.
Liu Hongjun gently smiled at Fu Xiaoxiao. "When Lu Feng returns, bring the children to my house for a meal. I'll have your aunt make some nice dishes to welcome you."
"Thank you, Uncle Liu." Fu Xiaoxiao replied gracefully.
Her openness made Liu Hongjun like her even more.
"I'll wait for you outside." Knowing they still had things to discuss, Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and exited the office, standing outside the door waiting for Lu Feng.
After Fu Xiaoxiao left, the smile disappeared from Liu Hongjun's face, replaced by a serious look towards Lu Feng.
"Lu Feng, I order you as a commander: you must return alive, even if you have to crawl out of a pile of corpses! Before, you were alone and I didn't mind, but now you have Comrade Fu Xiaoxiao and two children. This is your responsibility!"
"Yes." Lu Feng responded with a resolute gaze and a cold face.
After waiting outside the door for a while, Lu Feng came out. His cold face softened when he looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"I haven't waited long either." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled.
"Let's go home!"
Lu Feng led Fu Xiaoxiao back to the housing complex when two muddy children suddenly dashed out from the side, almost bumping into Fu Xiaoxiao. Lu Feng grabbed them with one hand each, lifting them into the air.
"Mr. Lu."
Suspended in mid-air, the two children were initially struggling, but upon seeing Lu Feng, they immediately quieted down.
"How did you get like this?" Seeing the children covered in dirt, Lu Feng frowned, restraining his temper in consideration of Fu Xiaoxiao's presence, lowering the pressure, making the children guilty and not daring to raise their heads.
"...Sorry." The two children admitted fault.
Fu Xiaoxiao watched as Lu Feng carried them home.
Once inside, he took them to the well, stripped them of their clothes, and prepared to rinse them with cold water.
"Hey! Lu Feng!" Fu Xiaoxiao was startled and quickly stopped him.
"What's wrong?" Lu Feng halted and looked at Fu Xiaoxiao.
The two children then noticed a unfamiliar woman in the house. Remembering Aunt Li's words today, they guessed that this must be the 'new mother' their father married. Aunt Li said she would find a way to drive them out.
With this in mind, the children's eyes were filled with vigilance as they looked at Fu Xiaoxiao.
"It's already autumn; you should add some warm water..." Fu Xiaoxiao advised helplessly. If he rinsed them, the wind would blow, and they'd definitely catch a cold.
"They're used to it." Lu Feng shook his head, saying that he and the children typically bathed this way.
A cool breeze blew, and Fu Xiaoxiao saw the children shiver, giving Lu Feng a disapproving glance.
"I'll go heat some water."
Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao go to the kitchen to heat water, Lu Feng turned to the children and asked.
"Are you cold?"
"Mr. Lu, we're not cold at all." The children looked up at Lu Feng, trying to show they weren't cold, but the streams of snot from their noses made Lu Feng silently put down the water scoop.
"This is your new mother; her name is Fu Xiaoxiao. She will take care of you now, and Aunt Li won't be coming anymore." Lu Feng draped clothes over them and said.
"Okay." The children nodded obediently, seemingly accepting Fu Xiaoxiao's presence just like that.
Fu Xiaoxiao arrived in the kitchen to find the stove cold, with no signs of being used. What had Aunt Li fed the children today?
Fetching water from the tank and pouring it into the pot, Fu Xiaoxiao started the fire and heated the water. She looked around the kitchen; in a nearby cabinet, there was enough rice, flour, and oil, but only salt and sugar as seasonings.
Looks like we need a big shopping trip tomorrow; many things are lacking!
"Is the water hot?" Lu Feng entered the kitchen and saw Fu Xiaoxiao frowning at the cabinets. "Are we out of something?"
"The water's hot." Fu Xiaoxiao pointed to the pot, indicating the water was ready. "We're missing quite a few things, but what I'm more curious about is, do you know what Aunt Li gave them for lunch? When I came in, the stove was cold, and it didn't look like it had been used."
Lu Feng was taken aback; he'd never questioned that.
Seeing his reaction, Fu Xiaoxiao knew he'd never asked before.