I was reborn after my cousin stole my life.

Chapter 45: The Most Powerful Battalion Commander Jiang

Dr. Liu continued chatting with Jiang Zhou: "I've had the soup your wife makes. She puts medicinal herbs in it, and they're perfectly suited to the climate. I've been smelling the aroma coming from your house a lot lately. Has she been making other soups with medicinal herbs?"

Jiang Zhou nodded, "Your nose is really sharp!"

"That's right!"

Dr. Liu doesn't like going out or talking to people. The only thing he likes to talk about is Chinese medicinal herbs.

As for other people, even if he speaks, not many people are interested in listening.

Instead, they complain that traditional Chinese medicine is troublesome and not as fast as Western medicine.

Dr. Liu couldn't stand hearing this.

Only Jiang Zhou was someone he was having a serious conversation with.

"I can smell everything she's cooking. It's well-cooked, and the herbs are added correctly. Does someone in her family know traditional Chinese medicine?"

"Her maternal grandfather was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, just like you."

"No wonder, she comes from a family with a strong scholarly tradition. Her grandfather was fortunate to have someone to carry on his legacy, unlike me..."

As he was talking, he got angry again and slapped Instructor Liu on the back.

Instructor Liu: "..." Is it my fault?

"Her maternal grandfather passed away early, so she didn't learn much from him. She learned all of this from books. She loves reading medical books, and she has read the 'Barefoot Doctor's Manual' she borrowed from the library several times recently."

"What's the use of that book?" Dr. Liu said dismissively. "Even if you read it until it's worn out, you'll only get a basic understanding. If she likes reading, she can come to me and get some. I have plenty of books here."

Instructor Liu stumbled, nearly dropping his own father. "Didn't you say no one was allowed to touch your books?"

If anyone in the family touches his precious books, he'll jump up and down and chase after them, hitting them with his best foot.

Dr. Liu slapped him again, "That's because I don't want you to touch them! What's the use of you touching them? Have you learned anything? Have you remembered anything? If I don't keep them safe, your wife can tear them off and set me on fire, and your son can tear them off and fold them into paper airplanes! You spendthrift bastards! I managed to preserve them for twenty years, and you almost caused the family tradition to end!"

That's an exaggeration. "It's not that serious, it's just a few books!"

Dr. Liu was so angry that he wanted to slap him again.

"Playing the lute to a cow!"

It's only in the last two years that things have looked a bit better, with fewer radical red armbands around; otherwise, he wouldn't dare to bring them out.

Jiang Zhou smiled and nodded: "Then I'll thank you on behalf of my wife."

Dr. Liu: "What's the big deal? I wish there were more people like your wife who love traditional Chinese medicine."

The group arrived at the bathhouse, and the men and women each entered the steaming hot bathroom.

Yuan Xiu usually takes baths at home, but they are not very enjoyable. Most of the time, she just wipes herself down, which is not as refreshing as standing under the shower in a public bathhouse.

At this point, she would wash her hair and body together, and it would take her more than half an hour to get out of the bathroom.

She brought her new clothes today, the pink one.

After she finished bathing, dried herself, and went out with her half-dry hair hanging down, Sister Guiying's eyes lit up. "Is this the new dress you and Chunmei went to the tailor shop to make?"

Yuan Xiu nodded. She had already put on another outfit, but this was the first time she had worn this one.

"You look beautiful. It makes your skin look so fair." Sister-in-law Guiying leaned closer to look at her. "You've become so fair, much fairer than when you first arrived."

Suddenly, someone nearby spoke up: "That just proves that our Battalion Commander Jiang knows how to manage people! Haha!"

The word "nourish people" was emphasized.

I was teased again without even realizing it.

Is it a tradition for older women to tease new brides?

Yuan Xiu now understands: the more shy you are, the more they tease you.

Yuan Xiu was in a good mood today and decided to give Jiang Zhou a good boost in status. "Of course! My husband really knows how to take care of people!"

"Isn't Battalion Commander Jiang impressive?"

"That's amazing!"

How amazing is it?

"The best!"

Ask away, if you can ask, I can answer!

"Little Yuan." Sister-in-law Guiying pulled her along, smiling and gesturing behind her.

Yuan Xiu turned around, "...!..."

When did Jiangzhou emerge?

Wasn't he not here just now?

She even glanced outside.

Yuan Xiu was extremely embarrassed.

When people feel awkward, they are bound to do something to make themselves feel less awkward.

For example, Yuan Xiu greeted them with a smile.

"Are you done washing? Why were you taking so long today?"

Jiang Zhou looked at her; her half-wet hair was draped behind her, tied loosely with a handkerchief, and a few playful strands clung to her slender neck. Above that was an exceptionally delicate face, rosy with a hint of pink. It was hard to tell whether it was her clothes that were more pink or her face.

"I was helping out inside, so I was delayed for a while."

That's right. Instructor Liu was bathing his father all by himself, so he definitely needed someone to help him.

"I'm all better now, shall we go back?"

Jiang Zhou nodded, took the basin from her hand and placed it on top of his own, then patted her back with his right hand. "Let's go."

Yuan Xiu: "Mm."

The two walked side by side, while the women behind them who had been teasing Yuan Xiu exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"I didn't realize our little Yuan was so tough."

"It seems Battalion Commander Jiang is really capable!"

"You women, all you do is tease other people's young wives..."

……

How embarrassing.

Did he just hear that?

Still didn't hear me?

If he hears this, won't he overthink it?

Did you think you were being sarcastic?

If that's the case, shouldn't she apologize to him?

"Um... I'm sorry about that just now. I didn't mean to say it. My sisters-in-law always tease me, and I just blurted it out without thinking."

While apologizing, Yuan Xiu cautiously glanced at Jiang Zhou beside her.

Jiang Zhou: "..."

He glanced at her, then glanced at her again.

"It's okay, if you're not embarrassed, why would I, a grown man, be shy?"

Yuan Xiu chuckled twice.

It's good that he didn't think too much about it.

Fortunately, it didn't hurt his masculine pride.

Yuan Xiu let out a soft, small sigh of relief.

She thought Jiang Zhou wouldn't notice, but in fact Jiang Zhou had already heard it, and he glanced at her again.

If she could say those things in front of her sisters-in-law, she probably didn't reject him.

Or perhaps she wasn't actually opposed to him in the first place.

She just... doesn't understand?

They thought that sleeping in the same bed meant they were husband and wife.

Jiang Zhou felt he had guessed correctly. She was only eighteen years old and her parents had both passed away. Other girls had their mothers to teach them about married life before they got married, but she didn't.

No one has told her these things, so it's perfectly normal that she doesn't understand.

Thinking about this, Jiang Zhou wanted to hit himself with a hammer!

He'd been stuck here for almost half a month, eagerly waiting for her to get used to him, only to find out it was all his own doing!