Chapter 12: The Book for Making Little Babies

Zhang Hongying, who had been immersed in the news of her own pregnancy, was nearly choked by her own saliva when she suddenly heard Jiang Tang’s follow-up words.

"No, that, Xiao Jiang..."

Zhang Hongying parked her bicycle, pulled her aside, and lowered her voice. "Why would you want to ask about that? You can't just say things like that to others in the future; people will laugh at you if they hear it."

"Hm? But Sister-in-law isn't 'others'!"

Jiang Tang was actually a bit confused. "Lu Changzheng said if there was anything I didn't understand, I could ask Sister-in-law if he wasn't home."

"Sister-in-law is a teacher, so you know a lot."

After saying this, her gaze inadvertently swept over Yaya, who was sitting on the bicycle seat flipping through a comic book.

Her eyes locked onto the book in Yaya’s hands.

"Sister-in-law, do you have books like that? I want to see them; I’ll learn once I read them."

She said this in a strangely considerate way.

Hearing this, Zhang Hongying wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Looking at Jiang Tang’s innocent, naive eyes, she felt a pang of heartache.

This was a pitiful little girl.

Her family had suffered a tragedy in her early years, her biological mother had abandoned her, and later she had been bullied by her sister-in-law until she was a mess...

Zhang Hongying automatically interpreted Jiang Tang’s ignorance as a result of her never having received a proper education.

Therefore, she stroked Jiang Tang’s hair with pity.

"Silly girl, Xiao Lu is right. You can ask me anything you don't understand."

"But for private questions like this, don't talk to anyone else besides me and Xiao Lu in the future, or you'll be laughed at, understand?"

Zhang Hongying told her earnestly.

Jiang Tang nodded. "I understand."

"Mm, that's good."

Zhang Hongying had to go to work and couldn't delay any longer, so she said to Jiang Tang, "When you and Xiao Lu hold your wedding banquet, I'll tell you how to put a little baby into your belly."

"Why?"

Jiang Tang hadn't expected to wait so long, and she touched her stomach with some disappointment.

This expression, falling into Zhang Hongying’s eyes, was amusing once again.

"How about this? You don't have anything to do at home, why not come to school with me?"

"Our school has a library. You can read books inside; books can teach you many things."

Zhang Hongying suggested.

She was actually quite worried that Jiang Tang would refuse.

After all, someone like Jiang Tang, supported by Lu Changzheng’s allowance, eating, drinking, and playing every day—how carefree and comfortable was that?

Who would be willing to suffer the hardship of reading?

But before Zhang Hongying’s thought had even finished, Jiang Tang agreed crisply.

"Okay."

She was very happy.

Infected by her mood, Zhang Hongying also smiled.

"Help me hold Yaya, and I'll pull you two."

"Oh, okay."

Jiang Tang held Yaya, her eyes fixed on Zhang Hongying’s back, observing her movements as she rode the bicycle.

She silently went through the steps in her mind before looking away.

Upon arriving at the school, Zhang Hongying first explained her intentions to the principal, took Jiang Tang to the school library, and then went to teach her class.

Jiang Tang looked at the books arranged on the surrounding shelves, picked one at random, sat on the floor, and began to read.

A closer look would reveal that the book was a first-grade reader.

But for Jiang Tang, whether it was a first-grade reader or the obscure and difficult books further back, she read them all with great relish.

She was so engrossed that she completely forgot about the passage of time.

She had never imagined that books could be so fascinating.

Although there were some characters she didn't recognize, she memorized them all. Even if she were asked to transcribe them from memory, she could do it without any problems.

Jiang Tang sat in the library for the entire day.

While she was reading, Lu Changzheng also submitted his marriage application report.

After the leader accepted it, he sent a comrade specifically responsible for background checks to investigate Jiang Tang’s situation.

At the same time, the leader called Lu Changzheng over to assign him a task.

"You’re getting married, so it’s a bit heartless of me to assign you a task. But I promise you, when you return from the mission, I guarantee you a few days of leave so you can rest well and stay with your wife without going anywhere."

"How does that sound?"

The leader spoke to Lu Changzheng in a consultative tone.

Of course, Lu Changzheng wouldn't refuse a mission just because he was getting married.

If there was a mission, he had to go.

However, he wouldn't turn down the leave promised by the leader.

He agreed with a "good."

"Thank you, Chief."

...

Jiang Tang read books in the school library for the whole day, and it wasn't until Zhang Hongying came to call her after work that she lifted her head from the books.

"How was it?"

Zhang Hongying asked with a smile on her face.

She had thought Jiang Tang would go back around noon, but who knew she would stay until school let out in the afternoon.

Zhang Hongying felt that if she hadn't come to call her, Jiang Tang really might have kept reading.

"Is it time to close?"

Jiang Tang asked with bright, spirited eyes.

Zhang Hongying smiled and pulled her up, her gaze sweeping over the bookshelf nearby. "How many books did you read today?"

"I read thirty books."

Jiang Tang answered seriously.

Zhang Hongying was shocked; she hadn't expected Jiang Tang to read so many books in one day.

However, because she didn't know that Jiang Tang had a photographic memory, she assumed that Jiang Tang had selected the books she liked after browsing through thirty of them.

What Zhang Hongying didn't know was that Jiang Tang had finished all thirty books and remembered the content of every single one clearly.

"Sister-in-law, can I borrow this book to take home and read?"

Jiang Tang picked up a geography book and asked Zhang Hongying.

Zhang Hongying took her to complete the paperwork.

After finishing the procedures, Jiang Tang took the book and left the school with Zhang Hongying, heading home.

At the entrance of the family compound, they ran into Lu Changzheng, who was also returning from work. Seeing Jiang Tang with Zhang Hongying, he smiled and greeted Zhang Hongying.

His gaze fell on the book in Jiang Tang’s hand, and he naturally reached out to take it.

"You went to read today."

"Mm, I read for the whole day, I read thirty books!" Jiang Tang said with a smile, affectionately grabbing Lu Changzheng’s sleeve.

When dealing with Zhang Hongying, Jiang Tang was respectful and polite.

But when it came to Lu Changzheng, she would unconsciously reveal her intimacy.

Lu Changzheng knew what she was saying.

A faint smile appeared on his face as he praised her for being amazing.

"I didn't even eat because I was reading."

Jiang Tang rubbed her stomach and looked at the man beside her, looking a bit pitiful.

Seeing this, the smile on Lu Changzheng’s face became even more doting. "Let's go back and cook."

"Okay."

The two, who were about to become a young married couple, got along much more sweetly than those old married couples, which made many people in the family compound envious.

Especially those who wanted to marry their own relatives to Lu Changzheng; they were even more displeased by the sight of them.

And so, someone who couldn't understand the situation stepped forward to stir up trouble for Lu Changzheng.

"Battalion Commander Lu, Battalion Commander Lu, wait, wait a moment."