Chapter 336| Chapter 337| Chapter 338
Chapter 336: Huzi’s Education Problem
“Don’t worry, no one will bother you in the future,” Political Commissar Xie reassured her.
Sheng Wanyan was not an ungrateful person. “Thank you, Commissar.”
After expressing her gratitude, she turned and headed back inside her house. Political Commissar Xie wanted to say more, but he could only watch her go.
He let out a long sigh. This whole farce was finally over, and the family compound was peaceful once again. Feeling a sense of relief, he left. After being busy for so long, it was nice to finally have one less thing to worry about. He just hoped that Captain Wu would perform well in the future and find a better wife.
The family compound returned to its usual rhythm, and the drama surrounding Zhang Zhaodi and Captain Wu’s family became the latest topic of gossip. Captain Wu’s two sons threw tantrums at home for days. When they went out to play, the other kids taunted them, calling them motherless and saying their mother was a bad person. No one wanted to play with them, and they were ostracized by the other children in the compound.
Because of this incident, Captain Wu’s mother immediately started arranging blind dates for her son. This time, she was determined not to let another unpresentable woman into her family. If another Zhang Zhaodi came along, she would probably die of anger. She even wrote a letter to her relatives back home, asking them to find a suitable girl from the city. She also began secretly evaluating the young women in the staff housing compound, looking for someone with a good family background who could help her son get promoted.
The family had suffered heavy losses because of Zhang Zhaodi, and Captain Wu’s mother was eager to find a daughter-in-law who could help rebuild her son’s career.
Sheng Wanyan had absolutely no interest in these matters. Now that this major problem was solved, she just wanted to focus on making money.
Time flew by, and soon it was May. The haze of April gradually dissipated. The families in the compound slowly forgot about Zhang Zhaodi and returned to their own lives.
The weather warmed up, and the snow in Bing City finally stopped. Every household started planting vegetables in their private plots. Sheng Wanyan was no exception. As soon as Gu Tingxiao returned at noon, he would take the time to turn the soil for her. Sheng Wanyan focused on sowing the seeds and bringing out the winter clothes and blankets to wash and dry.
Gu Tingxiao was about to go on another mission. The situation was unstable right now, so he would likely have more missions this year than in the past. Sheng Wanyan was used to the nature of his work and carefully prepared his money and food rations.
For the first time ever, she got up early in the morning and carried Yi Yi out to see Gu Tingxiao off. Many of the other military wives were crying, reluctant to let their husbands go. Before getting into the vehicle, Gu Tingxiao gave her a lingering look and gently pinched Yi Yi’s little cheek.
This mission was in response to a reservoir collapse that had trapped people in an entire city. Soldiers from all over the country were dispatched for the rescue effort, and the Bing City troops were no exception.
“Set off!”
The rescue team departed, and news of the disaster soon filled the newspapers. A total of 240,000 people were trapped. It seemed the country was facing heavy losses this time.
Sheng Wanyan carried Yi Yi back home, silently praying for everyone’s safe return. Back inside, she let Yi Yi play in her crib while she took out some translation materials.
When Gu Tingxiao wasn’t home, Sheng Wanyan didn’t bother cooking elaborate meals. If she could get something from her space, she wouldn’t cook at all. However, she still made sure to light the stove and cook some rice every day. Since the weather was getting warmer and people were out and about more, it would look suspicious if no smoke ever came from her chimney.
Without Gu Tingxiao there, Sheng Wanyan found it hard to sleep, always feeling like something was missing. Habit was truly a terrifying thing. She tossed and turned for several nights. This year seemed to be full of bad news, like a prelude to a coming storm.
Seeing that the weather was nice, Sheng Wanyan decided to take Yi Yi out for some fresh air so the little girl wouldn’t get bored inside.
Huzi was now one year and four months old and could walk on his own. Ever since he learned to walk, he clamored to go outside and play every single day. Pan Yue, at a loss for what else to do, often brought him out during her free time.
Just then, she saw Sheng Wanyan bringing Yi Yi out, so the two women sat together under a tree with the children. Huzi was happily playing in the mud nearby, while Yi Yi practically jumped all over Sheng Wanyan.
“Her little legs are pretty strong,” Pan Yue noted, watching her niece bounce around with seemingly endless energy.
“She’s even more rambunctious at home, just like a little boy,” Sheng Wanyan sighed, exasperated but affectionate. At home, Yi Yi was constantly plotting her escape. If she weren’t so small and unable to climb over the crib railing, she probably would have flown off by now. She couldn’t understand why such a young girl was so fierce.
“It’s better for them to be lively and healthy,” Pan Yue said.
Sheng Wanyan nodded in agreement. A lively, noisy child was always better than a lethargic one. The more active they were, the healthier they usually were.
“By the way,” Pan Yue added, “I asked my family in the Capital to buy two of the latest skirts from the Overseas Chinese Shopping Mall. They’re very popular there right now. I’ll bring yours over later.”
Pan Yue had been so excited when she heard about the new style that she had her family buy two—one for herself and one for her sister-in-law. Her sister-in-law was always so good to her; it was only right to give something back.
“They must have been expensive. I’ll give you the money later,” Sheng Wanyan said.
“I won’t take your money. I eat your food all the time,” Pan Yue protested, looking slightly offended. “If you’re going to be like this, I won’t accept anything you give me next time.”
Although the skirts were pricey, Sheng Wanyan frequently sent meat and fruit to Pan Yue’s family. Even though it was meant for the elders, Pan Yue and her family benefited significantly. And then there was the malted milk—the grandparents doted on Huzi, and he drank a lot of it. Sheng Wanyan always shared her good things, so Pan Yue felt she had to reciprocate.
Sheng Wanyan smiled, understanding Pan Yue’s intentions. Even before Sheng Wanyan got married, Pan Yue had bought her many nice things. And since they had become neighbors, Pan Yue frequently gave her small, thoughtful gifts. They might not have been expensive, but they were always things Sheng Wanyan liked. It was rare to have a sister-in-law who remembered her preferences so well.
“Then I won’t be polite,” Sheng Wanyan said, not wanting to make Pan Yue feel awkward. She would find another way to make it up to her later. That was how their relationship worked—a constant give and take.
Hearing this, Pan Yue’s frown disappeared.
After strolling for an hour, Sheng Wanyan carried Yi Yi home for her nap. Huzi didn’t want to leave, but Pan Yue wasn’t going to spoil him. She simply picked him up and carried him away. He was already spoiled enough at home by the grandparents; Pan Yue felt she had to play the “bad cop” to keep him grounded. Whenever Huzi threw a tantrum, Pan Yue would simply remove him from the situation without a word.
Chapter 337: Fishing
Huzi was now one year and four months old, and his own little personality was beginning to take shape.
He was well aware that his great-grandparents absolutely doted on him, but his own parents operated on a very strict set of principles. Every time Grandpa and Grandma Sheng couldn’t resist sneaking him an extra treat, Pan Yue would instantly intervene, sternly putting a stop to it.
When it came to candy, his ration was strictly capped at one piece per week. Whenever he tried to bypass his mother and beg his great-grandparents for more sweets, Pan Yue would immediately confiscate the candy, refusing to let him indulge.
And his father was even stricter. If Huzi ignored his mother’s warnings or threw a tantrum, Sheng Wanze wouldn’t hesitate to deliver a swift smack to his backside.
Pan Yue was terrified that living in a household with doting elders would completely spoil him, leaving him with a deeply ingrained habit of demanding things whenever he pleased. Because of this, she was determined to enforce strict boundaries now, before any bad habits could take root. If she let him run wild, he would become lawless. Once a child grew beyond your control, they became a walking disaster for the entire family.
Being unceremoniously carried away from the playground, Huzi felt a strong urge to cry, but catching sight of Pan Yue’s dark, uncompromising expression, he swallowed his tears. He didn’t dare test her temper.
Huzi: “…” Mom is so scary.
If she wanted to go home, she could have just said so without discussing it with me! It’s not like I would have refused…
———
Back at her own cottage, Sheng Wanyan fed Yi Yi and gently coaxed her down for her afternoon nap. Yi Yi was an incredibly well-behaved sleeper; she never fussed or made a fuss once she was tucked in.
Having a baby who settled down easily was an absolute blessing.
Much of the credit went directly to Gu Tingxiao. From the day she was born, he had prioritized her sleep quality above all else, ensuring she learned to sleep independently without requiring constant, exhausting rocking. Gu Tingxiao knew how grueling it would be for his wife to pace the floorboards all day trying to lull the baby to sleep while he was away at the barracks. To prevent that burden, he firmly refused to rock Yi Yi to sleep in his arms, ensuring she never developed the habit of needing motion to settle down.
Because of his foresight, Yi Yi could peacefully drift off to sleep the moment she was placed in her crib. As long as someone was nearby to provide a baseline sense of security, she was perfectly content.
Once Yi Yi was sound asleep, Sheng Wanyan retreated to her own bed to catch some rest. After having a child, mastering the art of time management was absolutely critical; otherwise, you would spend your days feeling perpetually overwhelmed, always chasing the clock.
———
Shortly before dinner, Pan Yue walked across the lane to deliver the new skirt, knowing Sheng Wanyan was too busy with the baby to step out.
Sheng Wanyan unfolded the fabric, admiring the elegant design. It was a beautiful, pale goose-yellow summer dress, perfect for the warmer months ahead.
“Are the women in the capital truly wearing colors this vibrant now?” Sheng Wanyan asked, brushing her fingers over the material.
“Yes, the trends in the Capital have shifted heavily toward brighter, bolder colors this year,” Pan Yue confirmed.
Sheng Wanyan nodded appreciatively. She stepped into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a massive plate of freshly fried potato wedges she had prepared that afternoon, handing them over to her sister-in-law. Pan Yue didn’t stand on ceremony, happily accepting the fries to add another dish to her family’s dinner table.
As the northern frost melted, the military compound gradually buzzed back to life. Everyone was eager to get outside and start working the earth. Several of the military wives even began organizing small expeditions into the nearby mountains to forage for wild vegetables and early mushrooms.
These women possessed a lifetime of rural survival experience; they knew exactly which fungi were safe to consume and which were toxic. The compound had seen poisoning incidents in the past, so no one dared harvest anything they couldn’t confidently identify.
Sheng Wanyan hadn’t ventured up the mountain in months. With Gu Tingxiao deployed on his mission, she was tethered to the cottage, leaving her with no choice but to entertain Yi Yi indoors. However, ever since that single afternoon stroll under the trees, the baby had become obsessed with the outdoors. Every single day, she would extend a chubby finger, pointing insistently toward the front door.
“Ah~!”
“Aaaaaaah~!”
Yi Yi was determined to go outside. Seeing her daughter practically vibrating with pent-up energy, Sheng Wanyan had no choice but to relent. Taking her out for a walk was actually a solid strategy; it would burn off her excess energy, ensuring she would sleep soundly through the night.
Sheng Wanyan bundled the baby up and carried her down toward the shallow river at the base of the mountain. A large crowd of residents had already gathered along the banks, casting nets into the current.
Grandpa and Grandma Sheng were among the fishermen. Even if they couldn’t land a massive catch, netting a bucket of small minnows to pan-fry for dinner was a perfectly delightful way to pass the time.
Spotting Sheng Wanyan approaching with the baby, Grandma Sheng hurried over to greet them.
“Wanyan, what brings you out here with little Yi Yi?”
“Grandma, she absolutely refuses to stay cooped up in the cottage anymore,” Sheng Wanyan sighed affectionately. “I brought her out to catch some fresh air.”
Grandma Sheng looked down at Yi Yi, who was twisting in her mother’s arms, her wide eyes taking in the bustling riverbank with absolute fascination. It was obvious the little girl had fallen deeply in love with the outside world. Once she learns to walk, Grandma Sheng mused silently, I fear she’ll be running out the door on her own.
“Everyone’s down there trying their luck,” Grandma Sheng noted. “Do you want to cast a net and see if you can catch a few fish for dinner? I can watch the baby for you.”
Sheng Wanyan considered the offer. This was the perfect opportunity to covertly pull a few fresh fish from her spatial domain and stock her water basin back home.
“That would be wonderful, Grandma. Why don’t you take Yi Yi and sit under the shade of that large tree over there?” Sheng Wanyan suggested. “She’s getting quite heavy these days.”
Grandma Sheng smiled and nodded, happily taking the infant into her arms and walking over to chat with the other military wives resting beneath the branches.
Sheng Wanyan slipped off her shoes, rolled up her trousers, and waded into the shallows to join Grandpa Sheng. He handed her one end of a large fishing net, and they anchored themselves in the current.
Sheng Wanyan surveyed the water. The river was teeming with schools of tiny fish today, and everyone was aggressively casting their nets. Knowing that consistently being the only person to haul in massive, logic-defying catches would eventually arouse suspicion, she decided to deploy a diversion.
Wading toward the deeper edge of the bank, she discreetly released a small school of heavy, premium tilapia from her spatial domain directly into the current, allowing the fish to scatter toward the other nets.
“Grandpa! There’s a cluster of massive fish right over here!” she called out loudly.
Hearing her shout, Grandpa Sheng immediately waded toward her, and the surrounding military wives snapped their heads around, their eyes wide with excitement.
“Where?!”
“Where are the fish?!”
“Oh my goodness, look at the size of that one!”
“There’s another one right by the reeds!”
Chaos erupted as everyone frantically scrambled to cast their nets over the prize. Working in perfect sync, Sheng Wanyan and Grandpa Sheng scooped up two massive fish, each easily weighing around a kilogram and a half. Grandpa Sheng hoisted the net, eagerly dumping the catch straight into their bucket.
“Ahhhhh! I got one too! I got one!” Qiao Hehua shrieked, hauling a heavy, thrashing fish onto the bank, her face glowing with triumph.
The other military wives were practically going to war over the remaining tilapia, shoving each other out of the way, utterly refusing to yield an inch.
“That one is mine!”
“I don’t see your name written on its scales!”
While the women aggressively fought over the catch, the sheer volume of thrashing and screaming instantly terrified the remaining fish, sending them darting into the deep water. Only one or two lucky wives managed to secure a prize before the school vanished.
Taking full advantage of the distraction, Sheng Wanyan smoothly dropped her net three more times, securing three additional premium fish from her spatial reserve, ensuring Grandpa Sheng’s bucket was filled to the brim.
Hearing the commotion, Grandma Sheng hurried over to the bank to inspect their haul. Seeing six massive, pristine fish thrashing inside the bucket, her face lit up with absolute joy.
“Heavens, the river is incredibly generous today!” she marveled. “This is spectacular! Look at the size of them; there are six beauties right here.”
Sheng Wanyan smiled warmly. “Let’s call it a day, Grandpa.” She helped the older man out of the water, looking back at the military wives who were still fiercely arguing over the empty shallows, deeply satisfied with their flawless harvest.
“Grandma, let’s head back to the cottage.”
“Yes, yes, let’s go!” Grandma Sheng agreed eagerly. “We are absolutely making a rich fish stew tonight.” She turned to her granddaughter. “Wanyan, you must come over to our side for dinner tonight.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded happily. A hot, savory fish stew sounded absolutely perfect.
When they arrived back at the Sheng cottage, Pan Yue’s jaw practically dropped at the sight of the overflowing bucket.
“It’s entirely thanks to Wanyan’s sharp eyes,” Grandpa Sheng chuckled, setting the heavy bucket down. “If she hadn’t been there to anchor the net, your grandmother and I wouldn’t have landed a single one.”
At his age, Grandpa Sheng simply couldn’t compete with the frantic, aggressive energy of the military wives; had Sheng Wanyan not been there, he likely would have only caught a single minnow just for the fun of it.
“By the way, four of those massive fish belong to Wanyan,” Grandpa Sheng instructed. “Xiaoyue, string them up securely so she can carry them back across the lane.”
“Right away!”
Pan Yue quickly fetched a length of sturdy straw twine, expertly stringing Sheng Wanyan’s four fish through the gills before handing the heavy bundle over.
“And don’t forget to remind Wanyan to come back over for dinner tonight! We’re making fish stew!” Grandma Sheng called out from the kitchen.
Pan Yue relayed the message with a bright smile.
Sheng Wanyan carried her catch back to her cottage, keeping the fish alive in a large basin of fresh water. Later that evening, when she walked back across the lane for dinner, she made sure to bring along a large platter of fresh, crisp vegetables she had stir-fried herself.
Cultivated exclusively with the pure, spiritual spring water from her spatial domain, the vegetables were impossibly sweet and vibrant.
Chapter 338: Taking Yiyi To The City To Take Pictures
Pan Yue didn’t mind carrying her stir-fried vegetables across the street at all. In fact, she secretly felt that the food prepared over at her sister-in-law’s house always tasted better. Whether it was the meat or the vegetables, everything Sheng Wanyan made was just incredibly delicious.
Little Yi Yi had reached the age where she could eat solid complementary foods, so Sheng Wanyan had prepared some soft rice porridge to feed her. The baby ate happily, giggling and babbling between every spoonful. Sheng Wanyan couldn’t help but chuckle, wondering what on earth was going on inside that creative little head to make her laugh so much.
“Give Yi Yi a little bit of the egg custard,” Pan Yue suggested, pointing to a dish on the table. “It’s nice and soft.” Because of Huzi, Pan Yue made fresh egg custard every single day.
Sheng Wanyan scooped a small spoonful and guided it to Yi Yi’s mouth. Up until now, the baby had been almost exclusively breastfed, with only the occasional taste of fruit puree or rice porridge, so this was her very first time trying egg custard.
Yi Yi took a bite, paused as she processed the novel texture, and suddenly looked up at her mother with wide, sparkling eyes. Sensing her daughter’s instant approval, Sheng Wanyan smiled. It looked like she could add this to the rotation to keep the little girl’s cravings satisfied.
“Ah~” Yi Yi opened her mouth wide, leaning forward to demand another bite.
Sheng Wanyan playfully shook her head and refused. Instead, she deliberately ate the spoonful herself.
Yi Yi’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. She stared at her beautiful, usually kind and generous mother with a look of utter betrayal and horror. Seeing the baby’s lower lip begin to tremble, Sheng Wanyan quickly scooped up another bite and fed her before the waterworks could start.
The grievance was instantly forgotten, and Yi Yi began happily gobbling down the custard in big mouthfuls.
“Look at you, a grown adult, fighting with a baby for food,” Grandma Sheng chided gently. She shook her head, thoroughly amused. It seemed that since her granddaughter had been doted on so completely by Gu Tingxiao, her playful streak was only getting worse.
“Grandma, you can’t just spoil a child blindly. It’s a matter of early education,” Sheng Wanyan defended herself with a grin.
Grandma Sheng huffed at the grand vocabulary. “Just listen to yourself! You’re trying to debate early childhood education with a baby who isn’t even nine months old yet. Aren’t you embarrassed to tell people that?” She shook her head fondly. “If you ask me, the person who was spoiled too much around here is you.”
Sheng Wanyan didn’t talk back, but she silently resolved to do it again next time anyway.
After dinner, she carried her daughter back across the lane. Yi Yi was exceptionally clingy tonight, fussing until Sheng Wanyan allowed her to fall asleep right in her arms. Holding her close, Sheng Wanyan gently patted her back and softly hummed a nursery rhyme.
Clutching the fabric of her mother’s shirt with her tiny hands, Yi Yi drifted off into a sweet, peaceful sleep, exuding that warm, signature milky scent. Sheng Wanyan leaned down, pressed a kiss against her soft cheek, and inhaled deeply. She finally understood the pure, addictive joy of cuddling a sleeping child.
Breaking her usual rule, Sheng Wanyan decided not to move the baby to her crib tonight, choosing instead to let Yi Yi sleep right beside her in the big bed. Nestled together against the northern cold, the mother and daughter kept each other warm in the quiet house.
A few days later, Sheng Wanyan calculated the timeline and realized that the latest mail run from the Capital should be arriving at the base.
She carried Yi Yi over to Pan Yue’s house, asking her sister-in-law to watch the baby for a short while so she could walk down to the logistics gate to collect the mail. There were two heavy packages waiting for her: one sent directly by the Gu family estate, and the other containing a fresh batch of state translation materials.
Sheng Wanyan hauled them back to her cottage and carefully sliced the twine. The care package from the capital was absolutely packed to the brim with custom clothes and premium toys for Yi Yi. Patriarch Gu was clearly desperate to see his new granddaughter, but his demanding military post prevented him from traveling north, so he poured his longing into preparing these gifts instead.
Looking at the beautiful array of gifts, an idea struck Sheng Wanyan. The spring weather had finally turned mild and beautiful; it was the perfect time to take Yi Yi into the city to get some proper portraits taken. She could mail the photos back to the elders so they could finally see how much the baby had grown.
She had originally planned to wait and take a proper family photo with Gu Tingxiao, but his deployment schedule was entirely unpredictable, and she had no idea when he would return. I’ll take some portraits of Yi Yi and me first, she decided, and we can take a full family portrait the moment Tingxiao gets back.
The following morning was a Monday, the designated day for the regiment’s supply trucks to route into the city for bulk purchasing. Seizing the opportunity, Sheng Wanyan bundled Yi Yi up and secured a seat on the transport vehicle, which was infinitely more convenient than cycling through the slush.
Seeing her board the truck early in the morning, the surrounding military wives immediately began whispering among themselves. After all, Sheng Wanyan rarely left her courtyard, let alone traveled into the city with the baby in tow.
Sensing their curiosity, Sheng Wanyan offered a polite, casual explanation. “Yi Yi’s grandfather back in the capital hasn’t had the chance to meet her yet. I’m taking her into the city to get some portraits developed so I can mail them to the elders.”
A wave of envy rippled through the crowd. In this era, professional studio photography was an immense luxury that cost a pretty penny. To spend that kind of money on a mere baby girl showed just how deeply treasured she was.
However, remembering the explosive rumor that Sheng Wanyan independently commanded a monthly income of several thousand yuan from her translation work, none of the wives dared to utter a single sour comment. This woman possessed staggering intelligence and high-level connections; she was a massive asset to the base. Who knew when their own households might desperately need her favor or medical expertise? It was vastly more intelligent to maintain a flawless relationship than to offend her over a bit of luxury.
“Ah, that’s incredibly thoughtful of you,” one wife chimed in quickly, her tone warm. “The elders must be absolutely sick with longing having never seen the little one’s face.”
“Exactly, exactly…” the others echoed with eager smiles.
Sheng Wanyan simply returned their smiles with a polite nod, entirely unbothered by their calculations. She didn’t care what the compound whispered behind her back, as long as her own household thrived. You live your life for your own happiness, not to perform for an audience.
Upon reaching the municipal center, she bypassed the crowded markets and marched straight to the city’s leading state-owned photo studio, carrying the dozing baby inside.
“Good morning, Master,” she greeted the photographer behind the counter. “I’d like to get some portraits taken today. A few of my daughter and me together, and a few of her on her own. I’ll need four physical copies of each print, please.”
The photographer blinked, his pen pausing over his ledger. It was the literal first time in his career he had encountered a customer demanding four duplicate copies of a premium portrait order. Still, he kept his commentary to himself. Only a fool would turn down guaranteed revenue, and he was far from an idiot.
“Understood,” the master nodded, gesturing toward the back room. “Please step over to the staging area and take a seat on the wooden stool with the child. Ensure both your profiles face the lighting.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded, adjusting her clothes as she sat down and gently turning Yi Yi to face the massive lens.
The photographer marveled silently as he adjusted his focal rings. He had rarely encountered an infant this perfectly fair, chubby, and photogenic. If this little girl were dressed in a traditional red holiday smock, he mused, she would look exactly like the fortunate New Year dolls printed on the premium state calendars.
Click… Click…
Once the joint portraits were captured, the master instructed Sheng Wanyan to set the baby directly onto the smooth studio rug to play, snapping a series of individual shots as Yi Yi waved her tiny hands.
“Are you in an absolute rush for the final prints?” the photographer asked, stepping out from behind the black cloth. “If it’s standard processing, you can route back to the city to collect them in two days.”
Sheng Wanyan had zero intention of making a second grueling trip through the mountain passes. Since she was already in the city center, she wanted to secure the prints immediately and drop them off at the central post office before heading back.
“Master, is there a rapid development protocol available today?”
“There is,” the photographer replied, his lips twitching slightly. “But the express chemical processing carries a substantial surcharge.”
Sheng Wanyan didn’t hesitate for a single second, pulling her wallet out. “That’s perfectly fine. I want them processed immediately.”
The studio master suppressed a sigh of pure amazement at her casual extravagance. He had never seen a dependent from the barracks throw money around with such absolute indifference to the cost. Still, a premium fee was a premium fee, and he was perfectly happy to pocket the profit.
“Very well. Please take a seat in the waiting area while I enter the darkroom to develop them for you.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded, settling onto the bench. Developing film using mid-seventies chemical processes was a notoriously slow, meticulous ordeal, but she was perfectly content to wait out the hours indoors.
She had purposefully avoided taking Yi Yi out for a leisurely stroll through the municipal markets, terrified of attracting the wrong kind of attention. Human trafficking rings were a rampant, terrifying reality in this chaotic decade, and a remarkably fair, beautifully plump infant like Yi Yi was exactly the kind of high-value target criminals looked for. Rural families who were desperate for heirs frequently paid massive sums to black-market rings to secure child brides for their sons. To eliminate any security risks, Sheng Wanyan kept her precious daughter completely shielded from the public eye.
After a wait of nearly two hours, the photographer finally emerged, delivering the crisp, pristine black-and-white prints. Sheng Wanyan settled the bill, carefully slipped the photos into her bag, and walked straight to the municipal post office.
She organized the envelopes efficiently, dispatching one full set down to her parents’ estate in Chengdu and a second identical set to the Gu family ancestral home in the Capital.
Of the remaining two sets, she intended to give one to Gu Tingxiao the exact second he returned, allowing him to carry his family’s portraits inside his military ledger to ease his homesickness during long deployments. The final set would be tucked safely into her own private keepsake box, a beautiful time capsule for Yi Yi to look back on when she was fully grown.
With her administrative objectives completed, Sheng Wanyan carried the baby back to the military assembly point, boarding the afternoon transport truck back to the barracks.
Once she crossed her own threshold, she safely stored the primary negatives and extra prints inside her spatial domain, slipping the physical duplicates into a polished album.
Hearing her return, Grandpa and Grandma Sheng walked across the lane to check on her.
“How did the trip go, sweetheart?” Grandma Sheng asked warmly, peeking into the parlor. “Did you manage to get all the photographs safely sent off to the capital?”
