Axolotl Translations

That afternoon, shortly after lunch, Wei Jiajia was at her desk working on an article when she heard a knock at the door.

Knock, knock, knock—three firm taps.

“Is sister-in-law home?” a man’s voice called.

She set down her pen and got up. “Coming!”

When she opened the door, she saw a young soldier standing outside. At his feet were two large packages.

Upon seeing her, the soldier stood at attention and saluted before scratching his head slightly awkwardly. “Sister-in-law, these are your packages. They just arrived today, and they were quite heavy, so I brought them over for you.”

“That’s very kind of you! They must weigh a lot,” Wei Jiajia said, eyeing the bulky packages. She knew exactly what was inside, and she truly appreciated him carrying them over.

“No need to thank me. Want me to carry them inside?”

“Yes, please. Sorry for the trouble!” She stepped aside to let him in, moving to help lift the larger package.

“No need, sister-in-law. I can do it faster alone.” With that, the young soldier hoisted the heavier one onto his shoulder and grabbed the smaller one with his free hand before heading to the main room.

Seeing how easily he managed, Wei Jiajia didn’t insist on helping. Instead, she quickly went ahead to pour him a glass of water.

After setting the packages down, the soldier thanked her and eagerly took a sip. It was a hot day, and after carrying those heavy packages, he was definitely thirsty.

Wei Jiajia turned and went to the kitchen. Taking advantage of the soldier’s distraction, she discreetly pulled a few apples from her personal stash and carried them out to him as a token of appreciation for his effort in delivering the packages to her home.

“Sister-in-law, I can’t accept these,” the soldier said hesitantly when he saw the large, perfectly round apples in her hands. He recognized them as high-quality fruit and didn’t dare take them.

“Take them. It’s my way of thanking you, and it won’t break any rules,” she said firmly, pressing the apples into his hands before he could refuse.

Seeing her insistence, the young soldier realized her gesture was sincere. With a shy smile, he accepted the apples and thanked her, his face flushing slightly.

When he returned to the barracks, he excitedly shared his experience of delivering a package to Captain Qiao’s home.

Not only was the captain’s wife beautiful, but she was also incredibly kind. She treated the soldiers with warmth and respect, never looking down on them, even the newest recruits. And to top it off, she’d generously given him such high-quality fruit as a parting gift.

Before Wei Jiajia even knew it, word of her kindness had spread among the lower-ranking soldiers.

Back at home, she grabbed a pair of scissors and began unpacking the larger package. Inside were her clothes and bedding. Taking advantage of the good weather, she quickly hung everything out to air.

Then she turned her attention to the smaller package. This one contained all the food she’d secretly taken from her stash—rice, white flour, mung beans, cured meats, dried beef, black fungus, and other non-perishable goods. There were many varieties, but each item was in small quantities, keeping the overall weight light. She’d deliberately packed and mailed these in front of Qiao Haoyu so that, in the future, she could mix them with what she had stored away without raising suspicion.

After putting everything away, Wei Jiajia clapped her hands, as if brushing them off, and suddenly remembered something. She turned, went back to her room, closed the door, and slipped into her private space.

Inside, the familiar spring water continued to drip steadily, one drop at a time. She gave it a quick glance before heading to the supermarket section.

Walking through it with practiced ease, she stopped at the bedding section and focused on a red woolen blanket.

This was a rare and valuable item—hard to find and expensive in the current market. The limited supply meant they were quickly snapped up through internal distribution as soon as they were produced. Even the department stores rarely had them in stock.

She decided to take out two sets, planning to say she’d pulled some strings in Shencheng to have them shipped with her other parcels.

One set would be for her own household, to keep warm in winter. The other she planned to gift to Zhang Huimin when she got married.

Speaking of Zhang Huimin, the timing of her deployment had been unfortunate—just as Wei Jiajia had arrived, Zhang Huimin had left for a performance tour at a lower-ranked unit.

It had been over a year since they’d last seen each other, the last time being during Zhang Huimin’s leave the previous year. She hadn’t even been able to return for Wei Jiajia and Qiao Haoyu’s wedding.

But now that she was stationed here, they’d have plenty of time to catch up.

More importantly, her best friend had also found her future husband here—Zeng Guoqiang, the officer she’d met in Shencheng.

The two had been dating for over two years.

Zeng Guoqiang’s parents were growing anxious about their son’s future. With each passing year, they became more insistent, pressuring him to return home and go on arranged blind dates.

However, due to her work in the performing arts troupe, Zhang Huimin was reluctant to marry too soon. She knew that once married, family expectations would quickly shift to having children, which could interfere with her career.

Zeng Guoqiang understood her concerns and fully supported her decision.

For the past two years, he’d borne the pressure from his family alone, shielding her from their demands so she could pursue her passions without worry.

He never burdened her with complaints—he only ever told her to focus on what she loved, promising to handle the rest.

It was by chance that Zhang Huimin discovered everything Zeng Guoqiang had been enduring for her.

One day, visiting him at the military base, she happened to spot a letter from his mother on his desk. Reading it, she finally understood the pressure he’d been shouldering.

After that visit, Zhang Huimin spent two days thinking. Then, she made up her mind—she would marry Zeng Guoqiang.

She realized that if she selfishly continued to ignore his feelings and took his kindness for granted, she might lose him.

Love had to be mutual. It couldn’t be one-sided, where only one person gave and the other simply received. That kind of relationship was fragile, incapable of withstanding hardship.

Even if they ended up together, things would never be as pure as they once were. And she didn’t want them to become a couple who resented each other. She wanted to hold on to the love they had now, before it slipped away.

With her decision made, Zhang Huimin told Zeng Guoqiang she was ready to marry him and that he should tell his family their plans.

She would never forget the look on his face when she said those words—or the warmth of his embrace as he held her tightly, the dampness of his tears against her neck.

Later, she wrote to Wei Jiajia, sharing her decision and the thoughts behind it.

When Wei Jiajia received the letter, she was truly happy for her friend. After all, how lucky was one to find someone who cherished them so deeply?

In her most recent letter, Zhang Huimin mentioned that upon her return, she and Zeng Guoqiang would submit their marriage application. They planned to hold a wedding banquet at his family’s home first, then travel to her hometown for New Year to introduce him to Grandma Zhang, her father, and her mother.

Wei Jiajia thought for a moment. By the time Zhang Huimin and Zeng Guoqiang finished their marriage paperwork, even if she had a chance to go shopping, she might not find a gift she truly liked. It would be better to prepare something now—like the woolen blanket she’d chosen. She could give it to Zhang Huimin as a wedding present.

To that, she decided to add a set of lingerie—her go-to gift for close female friends. It had never failed her. No woman could resist its appeal.

Especially a married woman. The benefits were something only the wearer could truly understand.

After all, every time she wore it, Qiao Haoyu turned into a ravenous wolf, devouring her. He’d even insisted she wear it for him every night from now on.

So, once Zhang Huimin got married, she would surely appreciate this gift.

Grinning mischievously, Wei Jiajia carried the chosen blanket out. As for the lingerie, she would wait until Zhang Huimin returned to check her size before buying it.

That evening, when Qiao Haoyu came home and saw the mung bean soup she’d made, he asked, “Where did the mung beans come from? Does the commissary sell them?”

“No,” Wei Jiajia replied. “A package from home arrived today. So for the next few days, I can switch things up and make different dishes for some variety.”

“How did you carry such a heavy package home? Why didn’t you wait for me to pick it up with you?” Qiao Haoyu’s first reaction was concern. He remembered how heavy those packages were when he’d lugged them to the post office on his bicycle.

Seeing her husband’s worry, Wei Jiajia smiled, a wave of warmth in her heart. “A young soldier from the mailroom delivered it. I didn’t have to lift a finger.”

Hearing her words, Qiao Haoyu finally relaxed, picked up the bowl, and began drinking the soup in large gulps.

Ever since his wife had joined him at the military base, his meals had improved dramatically. If it weren’t for the long commute at noon, he’d want to come home for lunch, too. Ever since he started eating her cooking, the mess hall food had lost all appeal—it now only served to fill his stomach.

Mess Hall Staff: …

“Oh, right—where will Huimin and Comrade Zeng live after they marry? Have they applied for housing?” Wei Jiajia asked, looking up at her husband.

“He submitted the marriage application before leaving on his mission. The housing will be assigned upon his return, so we don’t know yet.”

“How long will this mission take? He won’t miss the wedding, will he?” Wei Jiajia couldn’t help but worry about her friend.

Qiao Haoyu set down his chopsticks and looked at her seriously. “Jiajia, every mission is an unknown. That’s something all soldiers must face—and their families, too.”

Seeing her husband’s solemn expression and the hesitation in his eyes, Wei Jiajia immediately understood. She rolled her eyes at him, then put on a serious face. “Of course, I know that! I was just asking—worried Comrade Zeng might return too late and delay the wedding. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it? Since I chose to be with you, I knew what life I was signing up for. You don’t need to remind me at every opportunity and kill the mood!”

Seeing his wife was upset, Qiao Haoyu quickly moved closer, pulled her onto his lap, and apologized softly, “I’m sorry, it was my fault. I just feel guilty for making you face this life. I blame myself for not giving you a stable home.” His voice was deep as he kissed her forehead.

Looking at him, Wei Jiajia immediately understood his inner burden. She wrapped her arms around him, rubbed her head against his chest, and looked up at him seriously. “This is the last time I’m saying this: I’m happy to be with you. I don’t feel you owe me anything. You protect our country, so let me protect you! And if you really feel you have to make it up to me, then do it for a lifetime—spoil me and love me forever! Even when we have kids, you still have to keep me as your number one.” She ended her statement with unexpected assertiveness, then pouted as she waited for his response.

“…Alright.” Looking at his wife, both headstrong and adorable, he hugged her tightly, as if trying to merge her into his very being.

He knew she was saying this to ease his burden, but to him, she was irreplaceable—no one, not even their future children, would ever take his attention from her.

(Future baby: Crying already… these heartless parents…)

After this conversation, Qiao Haoyu’s heart finally found peace. He no longer sank into quiet melancholy, weighed down by invisible burdens.

Now, every time his comrades saw him, they sensed his energy and confidence. They couldn’t help but think—his wife was definitely his source of strength.

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