Ling Chengyan also smiled, took the bowl to serve the soup, and then competed to wash the pots and dishes: "Alright, just setting the table now, go wash your hands, change clothes, and eat quickly before class. No need to wait for them."
Hongling didn’t refuse, washed her hands, served herself so rice to eat, finished quickly, changed into clean clothes, and went out to school.
Almost as Hongling left, Xiaoyu returned with a few kids, and they greeted each other at the gate.
Ling Chengyan had already set the table and called Xiaoyu to eat with the kids. She rode her bike to the governnt compound. Without needing to go in, the guard at the reception told Ling Chengyan that Section Chief Wang left in a car driven by an overseas Chinese. He had reception duties.
Ling Chengyan didn’t say much, just greeted and left.
In the distance, she overheard a conversation at the reception door: "The foreign lady picked up Section Chief Wang, could there be any issues...?"
"Hey, hard to say, Section Chief Wang is quite a showman, considered number one around here."
"The man is cultured, heard he even speaks so Eng... national language..."
The two murmured and entered the room, their voices fading away.
Ling Chengyan pursed her lips, kicked off with her foot on the bike, and rode back ho.
That night, Wang Liansheng returned even later, nearly ten o’clock when he got ho. Not just the kids, even Ling Chengyan was already asleep.
Wang Liansheng entered quietly, trying not to make noise, but still woke up Ling Chengyan.
He washed up outside and ca into the room. The light was suddenly turned on, and the strong light made Wang Liansheng instinctively raise his arm to shield his eyes.
Ling Chengyan sat on the bed, looked at the agile and calm-faced Wang Liansheng, and said lightly, "Didn’t drink?"
"No, didn’t drink," Wang Liansheng replied quickly, "Tonight was a movie viewing reception, just watched a film in the small auditorium."
Ling Chengyan covered her mouth to yawn: "Good that you didn’t drink, go to sleep."
She then pulled the blanket back over Shi Tou and lay down again to sleep.
Wang Liansheng quickly agreed, took off his shoes, and got under the blanket, watched Ling Chengyan turn to the inside, and turned off the light himself.
In the dark, he lay silently for a few seconds and finally said, "I planned to co ho right after work, but was stopped by the leader just before leaving. Even Mr. Lian sent soone saying he wanted to see ..."
"..." Ling Chengyan made no sound.
Wang Liansheng wasn’t sure if his wife was asleep or just didn’t want to deal with him.
After a mont, he said again, "I thought about calling, but couldn’t find the ti. Don’t be angry."
Ling Chengyan turned over, looking at him in the dark, and said, "You don’t need to explain. Excuses don’t work with ."
"..." Wang Liansheng suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
After saying that, Ling Chengyan turned her back to close her eyes and sleep, not caring if the man was tangled up with sleeplessness.
The next morning, as always, Wang Liansheng got up early. As Ling Chengyan got up and went out, he cheerfully greeted her: "I bought sugar-oiled cakes, the soybean milk you like, and the coriander roots you love to eat."
She saw that he had already washed up and changed into clean clothes, but couldn’t hide the tiredness beneath his eyes.
She pursed her lips, went into the kitchen, took so eggs to boil in the pot, and broke up the leftover cakes and stead buns from the night before into the iron pan at the door, poured in so hot water, added so minced dried at she made, and called Da Huang for breakfast.
Da Huang ca over to nuzzle her hand and lowered his head to eat.
Wang Liansheng poured the soybean milk, took the sugar-oiled cakes, watched her and said: "Da Huang is eight years old, getting old too."
Ling Chengyan petted Da Huang’s head: "Take good care of him, dogs can live to fifteen."
Wang Liansheng nodded: "I’ll buy so big bones later."
Saying that, he added, "I’ve been working overti for two days, and took a day off today."
Ling Chengyan glanced at him and smiled: "You’re off duty, perfect to help Hongling find weaknesses and tutor her so more."
Ever since Xiaoyu started middle school, her grades improved steadily, now stable within the top five in class. Xiao Xing almost always scores double hundreds, occasionally losing one or two points due to carelessness, requiring little concern from parents about grades. Hongbing’s grades are slightly lower but within the top fifteen in class and improving... The only one that needs attention is Hongling. Her foundation is weak, and she’s not as quick-witted as Xiaoyu. It’s taxing to cram for the nursing class exam in the short term.
Hongling is his niece, so naturally, Wang Liansheng had no objection, agreeing, "Hongling’s main issue is her weak foundation... I’ll help her, aim for her to pass in one go."
Ling Chengyan finished breakfast and hurried to the training ground.
When she finished morning exercises and returned, Xiaoyu had left with Xiaoxing and Hongbing, while Hongling had taken little Wang Wenzhang to school.
Seeing her return, Wang Liansheng asked, "Want to eat a bit more?"
Ling Chengyan washed her face, asked for half a bowl of soybean milk to drink, saw two boiled eggs left, ward them with hot water, and called Wang Liansheng to sit: "The circles under your eyes are too dark, I’ll roll them away for you."
"Don’t waste the eggs..." Before he finished, she pressed the shelled egg onto his face.
Wang Liansheng: "..."
Hongling smiled slightly, took little Wang Wenzhang by the hand, and hurried out.
The training tasks weren’t heavy today, so Ling Chengyan returned early for lunch.
Wang Liansheng had already bought groceries, and as soon as she entered, she slled the aroma of stewing bones.
"I specifically bought ribs, requested more cartilage, taste if they’re tender enough," Wang Liansheng said, serving a piece in a small bowl for her.
Ling Chengyan took a bite: "Hmm, needs a bit more cooking."
Saying that, she tossed the leftover crunchy bone to Da Huang, who wagged his tail at her.
Wang Liansheng looked on, smiling: "Your daughter loves these crunchy bones, if she sees this..."
Ling Chengyan gave him a sideways glance, "Who loves Da Huang the most, don’t you know?"
Several tis Xiao Xing didn’t eat her share of at, secretly saving it for Da Huang. She didn’t believe he hadn’t seen it.
Wang Liansheng also smiled, pondering ways to stop the child from giving up her at to feed the dog. After all, the family situation wasn’t yet good enough to eat at every al, and yet, during her growing years, she sparingly shared it... He didn’t want her to be malnourished over ti.
"I heard a new batch of woolen coats ca in at the departnt store. I’ll buy one for you. Your coat’s been worn for years, frayed at the cuffs and collar, it’s ti for a new one."
Wang Liansheng quickly smiled: "Sure, we’ll go after eating, just in ti for you to make it to work in the afternoon."
In previous years, Ling Chengyan hadn’t paid much attention to Wang Liansheng’s attire, mostly buying for the children.
Recently overhearing two female soldiers from the communication unit talking about it, she was swayed.
After all, being involved in important duties, not necessarily needing luxurious attire, but it had to be decent, signifying not just personal image, but to so extent, representing the nation.
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