Chapter 22: Unusually Confident

Upon arriving home, the two children couldn't wait to go to their rooms and try on their new clothes.

Huo Zheng called Lu Mingyue into the bedroom, pulled a box from under the closet, and handed it to her. It contained his savings from all these years.

"My monthly salary is 150 yuan, excluding various ration coupons, and sometimes there are separate bonuses for completing missions," he explained. "I don't smoke or drink, and aside from occasional social obligations with my comrades, I don't spend much. You can just give me some pocket money each month, and that will be enough."

Lu Mingyue opened the box and gasped. What a fortune! She was going to be rich. After counting, she found over 2,000 yuan—by current price standards, she was undoubtedly a little wealthy woman. Of course, this money was earned by Huo Zheng through life-and-death struggles; she was merely keeping it for him for now. She had no ulterior motives; she wasn't broke herself, so why would she do anything so unconscionable?

"How about I give you ten yuan a month?" Lu Mingyue asked tentatively. Her satisfaction with Huo Zheng grew even further; a good man who neither smokes nor drinks deserves praise.

[Host, the person I chose for you is pretty good, right? Since you've met such a good man, you might as well marry him,] the system said, feeling smug and taking credit for their meeting.

Lu Mingyue waved her hand helplessly. [That was just my good luck. Don't try to take credit for yourself.]

Hearing the debate between Lu Mingyue and the system, the corners of Huo Zheng’s mouth curled up slightly. He hadn't expected to be so popular. In the military camp, Huo Zheng’s prospects were actually excellent. His family background was solid, and with both parents holding steady jobs, they wouldn't be a burden but could even provide support. Huo Zheng himself was outstanding, having reached the rank of battalion commander at a young age; at his current pace, it wasn't impossible for him to reach the very top.

Everyone privately understood the children's background. Even though they were Huo Zheng's own children, there were plenty of women who liked him, despite him being a bachelor with two kids. Because of this, the residents of the family compound were very curious about Lu Mingyue’s background. Gossips tried to dig into her family history, but aside from the senior leadership, no one knew where she came from.

Holding the money Huo Zheng gave her, Lu Mingyue felt a sense of security. In any case, it was their household money, and as a member of the family, it wasn't strange for her to have her own thoughts on it.

"Don't worry," Lu Mingyue said, patting her chest as she took the money. "I will take good care of this home." To be a mother without the labor of childbirth and have money to spend—Lu Mingyue felt her days ahead were looking bright.

Huo Zheng smiled. "Comrade Lu, I'll have to trouble you from now on."

"It's no trouble at all." Lu Mingyue couldn't be happier; why would she find it troublesome? Looking at the genuine smile on her face, Huo Zheng felt his own mood improve. Others would have run a mile away from a twice-married man like him—like Meng Xiaoling, who had wanted to kick him to the curb. Only she seemed happy to be married to him.

"By the way, we won't have to live together, right?" Concerned about her right to the big bed, Lu Mingyue double-checked. On the way there, they hadn't discussed this much; after all, it would be strange for a married couple to talk about sleeping in separate beds in public.

"There are five rooms in the house. The two children each have their own, and you can choose whichever of the remaining rooms you like." The housing in the family compound didn't belong to individuals; it was more like family dormitories, where people cycled in and out. When Huo Zheng first moved in with the children, the walls had been pitch black. It had taken him a lot of effort to make them look brand new, and he had simply plastered them. Even after all these years, they still looked new. The furniture in the room was also new, appearing as if it had been prepared just before he left—likely arranged by someone he hired. Such a room had the advantage that the owner could decorate it according to their own taste.

"By the way, our marriage application has been approved. If you have time tomorrow, shall we go to the county seat to get our marriage certificate?" Huo Zheng felt a bit nervous saying this. Their meeting was different from others. Lu Mingyue had agreed to travel thousands of miles with him, and in his heart, he had already accepted her as his true wife. After she proposed the idea of not interfering with each other, he was willing to respect her wishes.

"The county seat?"

Huo Zheng nodded. "The island doesn't just have the family compound and the nearby villagers; there is a sizable county seat on the island. Sometimes when people don't want to go to the city, they go there to buy things." For the islanders, leaving the island was not only a long journey but also dependent on the weather. If it was sunny, it was smooth sailing to the coast. If they ran into a storm, they could be stranded for three to five days.

Therefore, the small county seat on the island was particularly important, as it could satisfy daily needs while ensuring safety.

Lu Mingyue nodded. "That's fine."

"We can also buy the 'three rounds and one sound' for our wedding in the county seat." Since everyone else had them, she shouldn't go without. They were both aiming to build a life together, and Huo Zheng didn't want to slight her in front of others because of these things.

"Mommy~"

A little girl's milky voice reached them, and when Lu Mingyue opened the door, a small ball of flesh threw itself at her. Not prepared, Lu Mingyue felt her body uncontrollably tipping backward. Suddenly, a strong frame braced her back; she could even feel the shape of his muscles.

Huo Zheng picked his daughter up and held her in his arms, patiently telling her that she shouldn't do such dangerous things again, as they had both almost fallen. Yao Yao was still immersed in the joy of being lifted up, completely oblivious to the seriousness in her father's tone. Huo Zheng rubbed his forehead; a three-year-old wouldn't understand too much explanation.

Huo Zheng had always been very concerned about safety. He slowed down and repeated it to his daughter again. Only then did Yao Yao realize how dangerous her behavior had been and that she had almost made her mother fall.

"Mommy, I'm sorry." The little girl apologized sincerely, her round eyes filled with concern. She kicked her little legs, struggled to get down, and hugged Lu Mingyue's leg to check if she was hurt. She puffed out her cheeks and gently blew on the spot where she had bumped into her. "Yao Yao will blow on it for Mommy, so it won't hurt anymore."

Lu Mingyue thought: *Ahhhhh!!* Whose child is this, so well-behaved and sensible? She's mine!

After that, Lu Mingyue completely forgot what had just happened, her mind filled only with the adorable little Yao Yao.

"Good girl, Mommy is fine. Let's go have some chicken cake." While shopping at the supply and marketing cooperative, Lu Mingyue had prepared quite a few snacks for the house.