The four of them sat down to eat, and Shen Qingqing was arranged to sit next to Jiang Zhixun.
Shen Qingqing didn't feel awkward.
To her, this was just going through the motions and would not affect her original decision.
She wasn't sure when Jiang Zhixun had applied to transfer back to Beijing. When the opportunity arose, she would have to nudge him.
Otherwise, her mother-in-law would nag endlessly, urging her not to affect Jiang Zhixun's career prospects.
Sister-in-law Wang prepared two types of dipping sauces.
One was just vinegar.
The other was the usual dipping sauce, mixed with chili and other seasonings.
"Pick whichever you like."
As she said this, Sister-in-law Wang casually placed the small dishes in front of Shen Qingqing and Jiang Zhixun, letting them adjust the flavors themselves.
Then she pushed the ceramic bowl filled with dumplings toward Shen Qingqing and said, "Xiao Jiang made the filling; have some more. If it doesn't taste good, we'll give him some constructive feedback together."
Shen Qingqing joked with a teasing tone, "No one dares to give suggestions to Captain Jiang."
Sister-in-law Wang chuckled, "You're his wife, the one meant to spend a lifetime with him. You're the most qualified to give him suggestions!"
"Isn't that right, Xiao Jiang?"
Caught off guard, Jiang Zhixun muttered an indistinct response.
Though his attitude wasn't great, he didn't say anything inappropriate, which left Sister-in-law Wang satisfied.
There's no need for Xiao Shen to rush back to Beijing. Give them some time, and they'll surely reconcile.
After all, there's no grudge or animosity between them, just some unresolved issues. Once they talk it out, everything will be fine.
The leader spoke up, "Let's eat."
Shen Qingqing, worried about getting her scarf dirty, took it off and placed it on her lap.
Winter clothing tends to be bulky, so when she moved, she inevitably brushed up against Jiang Zhixun beside her.
Such slight contact couldn't be considered intimate.
But Jiang Zhixun still felt uncomfortable.
He inconspicuously shifted his body, increasing the distance between him and Shen Qingqing.
Shen Qingqing hadn't come to the Northwest to mend their marital relationship.
She was already emotionally settled.
So naturally, Jiang Zhixun's act of distancing himself didn't bother her.
To make him more comfortable, she took the opportunity to shift her chair slightly while adjusting her seat.
As a result, the two who previously brushed shoulders now had a gap equivalent to two fist widths between them.
To others, this might look like nothing.
But Sister-in-law Wang and the leader's attention was fixed on them, and such details didn't escape their notice.
The couple exchanged a glance.
In unison, they silently sighed.
How could there be such clueless men in this world?
Shen Qingqing maintained a calm expression as she scooped a few dumplings into her bowl with a spoon, taking a bite. The aroma exploded in her mouth.
The ingredients were fresh, the dumpling skin smooth and elastic, with excellent texture.
The meat was flavorful and still hot—truly delicious.
She nodded and gave sincere praise, "Delicious."
Sister-in-law Wang couldn't be bothered with Jiang Zhixun anymore; when the woman took one step forward, he took three steps back.
Step back wasn't all—he even raised his hand to stop Xiao Shen's attempts to get closer.
If he didn't change his attitude, how could the couple reconcile?
She glanced at her husband, her expression clear with an unmistakable message:
"Your soldier, your responsibility to set him straight!"
Picking up the spoon, she placed a few more dumplings into Shen Qingqing's bowl.
"Eat more. Once you finish these two bowls, I'll cook another batch—the dumplings are best fresh out of the pot."
The two ceramic bowls were neither too big nor too small, each containing half the dumplings.
The men had bigger appetites, but there were only four of them, so it was enough.
Shen Qingqing didn't refuse Sister-in-law Wang's gesture. She held up her bowl and accepted the dumplings scooped by Sister-in-law Wang.
"Sister-in-law, you eat too; don't just focus on me."
Sister-in-law Wang grunted in agreement and actually picked up her chopsticks to start eating.
The leader had intended to use the mealtime opportunity to talk to the young ones about how to manage a marriage but found his wife unwilling to cooperate.
Helplessly, he shot Jiang Zhixun a glare.
Muttering under his breath, "Stupid kid."
Jiang Zhixun remained unfazed, focusing on his own eating, as if oblivious to the "disappointed father" look across the table.
Regarding his relationship with Shen Qingqing, Jiang Zhixun didn't want to say much.
He understood the leader's good intentions.
But he couldn't bring himself to be mushy with Shen Qingqing.
Jiang Zhixun believed he had already made compromises.
Otherwise, the moment Shen Qingqing recovered from her fever, he would have sent her off to the train station.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Shen Qingqing, who was holding her bowl in one hand and her chopsticks in the other, eating dumplings in small bites.
One dumpling took three bites.
Fresh out of the pot, the dumplings were piping hot. Her first bite was just enough to nibble off a corner.
After lightly blowing on it, she took a second bite.
She ate leisurely, displaying an elegant manner.
Jiang Zhixun, tall and broad-shouldered, sat taller even when seated than Shen Qingqing.
From his angle, he could see Shen Qingqing's curled lashes and the subtle movement of her lips as she blew on the dumplings…
Her shiny black, silky hair cascaded over her shoulders, held in place by a hairband, exposing her smooth, fair profile.
Her ears were bare of ornaments, but there was a tiny ear piercing.
Jiang Zhixun showed a contemplative expression, wondering when she got her ears pierced.
As he thought back, he recalled that on the day they registered their marriage, she had worn a pair of small pearl earrings.
His gaze lingered on that small ear piercing for a few seconds, amazed by how sharp his memory was.
Three years had passed, yet he could remember such a minor detail.
As he withdrew his gaze, his eyes swept across Shen Qingqing's hands clutching the chopsticks.
Earlier, her hands had turned red while washing vegetables, but now they had returned to their pale, fair tone.
She was so pale, like a sticky rice dumpling, even her fingertips holding the chopsticks appeared soft and pink.
Such a delicate young woman had traveled alone by train to the Northwest to find him.
Jiang Zhixun couldn't help but feel his heart soften.
Suddenly, he wanted to do something to soothe Shen Qingqing's mood.
Thus, under the surprised gaze of Sister-in-law Wang, Jiang Zhixun added two dumplings to Shen Qingqing's bowl.
"Let them cool first."
Shen Qingqing didn't refuse nor raise her head.
She softly said, "Thank you."
Jiang Zhixun inexplicably felt nervous, his heart rhythm irregular, and his throat tightened.
If not for sheer willpower, his breathing might have grown heavy.
Stiffening his arms, he served Sister-in-law Wang and the leader each a spoonful.
In a deliberately curt tone, he said, "Thank you for hosting us. Next time I have time off, I'll invite you to the mess hall for a meal."
Seeing Jiang Zhixun finally make some progress, Sister-in-law Wang beamed with joy, "I'll make sure to grab a few extra dishes then, and you better not sting out on us!"
Jiang Zhixun nodded, "No problem."
He lived simply, with few expenses, and transferred his stipends to Shen Qingqing.
His tickets and spare cash, however, remained with him.
Treating Sister-in-law Wang and the others to a meal wasn't difficult.
Now that Jiang Zhixun finally took a step forward, Sister-in-law Wang and the leader were pleased and chose not to push the couple any further on relationship matters.
After dinner, they let the pair leave.
"You'll return to your unit tomorrow, so take Xiao Shen out for a stroll today. If you're feeling cold, you two can go back to the guesthouse to rest."
Jiang Zhixun's ears reddened further.
Was this an urge for them to hurry up and have children?
Shen Qingqing also found it awkward, "Comrade Lin is treating us to dinner tonight; we still need to meet with him. Not sure if they'll need help with anything."
Sister-in-law Wang gave a knowing smile, "Xiao Lin and Xiao Jiang are good friends. Since you're visiting, it's only right to catch up with them."
After exchanging pleasantries, Shen Qingqing and Jiang Zhixun walked out of Sister-in-law Wang's house, one in front of the other.