Seventies Island Life: I Joined the Army with My Twins and Won Big

"Colonel Gu, I bet that new country wife of yours can't even mix cornmeal properly," the military compound wives said, shelling sunflower seeds as they watched the drama unfold.

Gu Jingzhou furrowed his brow and pushed open his front gate, which had been left ajar. Instead, the overpowering aroma of braised pork greeted him.

Su Yue, wearing a floral apron, was carrying out a platter of glistening food. She raised her chin at him. "Go wash your hands. What, you waiting for me to feed you?"

The twins, their cheeks stuffed round with food, chimed in too. "Dad, Mom's cooking is the best in the world!"

After transmigrating into 1974 as a mistreated stepmother, Su Yue kicked out the awful relatives who wanted to sell the children, then took her stepchildren and her secret "fresh food storage room" with her when she followed the army to an island. In an era when people might go the whole year without a single proper meat meal, Su Yue wielded a wok in one hand and raised the kids with the other, turning a hard life into something sweet as honey. By day, she was the enviable star cook of the military compound. At night, the rough, stern-faced man who showed no mercy outside would pull her close at the edge of the kang, his voice hoarse. "Wife, I've had my fill of food. Can I have something more indulgent?"