Chapter 197: The Sincerity of the Troops
It was plain to see—the way Political Commissar Xie and Commander Pan addressed her had instantly shifted from “Gu Tingxiao’s wife” to the highly respectful “Comrade Sheng Wanyan.”
“Here is what we will do,” Political Commissar Xie announced definitively. “I will personally submit the application for the eighty thousand yuan payout, as well as the transfer requisition for the deputy director position at the Rongcheng Iron and Steel Plant. Furthermore, we will issue Comrade Sheng Wanyan an unrestricted supply of industrial and food coupons so she won’t lack for anything.”
“Additionally, the district command will procure a selection of premium health supplements and gifts to present to Comrade Sheng Wanyan as a token of our profound gratitude.”
Having outlined the terms, Political Commissar Xie turned his gaze toward Gu Tingxiao, an understanding smile touching his lips. “I am leaving this specific task in Captain Gu’s hands. After all, you know exactly what Comrade Sheng Wanyan likes best.”
Hearing the commissar’s proactive offer, Gu Tingxiao nodded in deep satisfaction. Since the military command was voluntarily extending these gifts, there was no reason for his wife to refuse them.
Gu Tingxiao snapped a crisp salute, projecting absolute military discipline. “Yes, Commissar! I guarantee the mission will be completed to perfection!”
Political Commissar Xie waved a hand dismissively, sitting down to draft an official requisition form. He instructed Gu Tingxiao to take the form down to the Finance Department, withdraw an operational budget of three hundred yuan along with a stack of supply coupons, and head into the city as an official representative of the military district to purchase whatever gifts Comrade Sheng Wanyan desired.
Gu Tingxiao marched straight to the Finance Department, secured the funds and coupons, and immediately headed home. He had no intention of going shopping alone. Stepping through his front door, he told Wanyan to prepare herself; they were taking a trip into the city tomorrow to have some fun.
Since the military was covering the expenses, it was the perfect excuse to treat his wife to a rare, relaxing outing.
When Sheng Wanyan heard she finally had a chance to get out and breathe some fresh air, her mood instantly soared.
The next morning, she slung her crossbody bag over her shoulder and followed him out the door.
Political Commissar Xie had thoughtfully arranged for a young enlisted soldier to chauffeur them to the city and back in a military jeep.
Wanyan had been living on the military base for two full months. Aside from her initial arrival at the Bing City railway station, she hadn’t ventured into the city once. When she was home alone, the idea of traveling so far by herself held zero appeal. But with Gu Tingxiao by her side, she was more than happy to make the long journey.
“Wanyan, pick out whatever catches your eye. The district is footing the bill,” Gu Tingxiao told her as they drove.
Political Commissar Xie hadn’t explicitly stated a hard limit on the gifts. If they happened to exceed the three-hundred-yuan allowance, Gu Tingxiao was fully prepared to cover the difference out of pocket and simply demand reimbursement from the commissar later.
Sitting behind the wheel, the young soldier’s mouth twitched violently at Gu Tingxiao’s blatant audacity. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for Political Commissar Xie. Captain Gu was bending the rules so far backward to spoil his wife that they were practically unrecognizable. The commissar was truly on his own.
Sheng Wanyan found Gu Tingxiao’s shamelessness incredibly amusing. This man clearly had zero fear of Political Commissar Xie coming after him for exploiting the budget.
“You really are the only person on this entire base who actively tries to infuriate the commissar,” Wanyan teased.
Still, she had no intention of actually treating the military budget like a blank check. She was well aware of the era they lived in—three hundred yuan was an astronomical sum of money. The fact that Political Commissar Xie was willing to allocate such a massive amount for personal gifts was already an extraordinary display of extravagance and respect.
She wasn’t an ungrateful or greedy person, but outwardly, she made sure to play along and support her husband’s bravado.
“Wanyan, have some water.”
Gu Tingxiao unclipped his military canteen from his belt. Pinning it firmly between his knees, he twisted the cap off with his good hand and offered it to her.
Wanyan took it, drank a few refreshing sips, and handed it back. Gu Tingxiao took a couple of swallows himself before sealing it back up.
After four hours of driving, they finally arrived in the city. The soldier parked the jeep directly in front of the state-run restaurant.
Shopping required energy, so eating was their first priority. They walked inside and ordered two generous meat dishes to share among the three of them, along with a massive, fluffy steamed white bun for each person.
Because this trip was officially classified as military business with all expenses paid, the young soldier didn’t hold back, digging into the rich food with absolute gusto.
“Go grab us three bottles of soda,” Gu Tingxiao instructed.
“Yes, Captain!” The young soldier immediately jumped up to execute the order.
The steamed buns were enormous. Wanyan tore hers in half, placing the larger portion onto Gu Tingxiao’s plate.
“Wanyan, you eat your fill first. You can give me whatever you can’t finish later,” he urged, gently pushing the food back. His primary concern was making sure she was fully satisfied; keeping her fed was the most important part of the trip.
“I really can’t eat that much,” she insisted.
Seeing she was serious, Gu Tingxiao happily accepted the extra half. Once their stomachs were completely full, they made their way over to the central supply and marketing cooperative.
The cooperative in the city was vastly larger than the small commissary back on the base, boasting an incredibly wide and diverse array of goods.
The young soldier opted to wait outside. His orders were strictly to drive the vehicle; he had enough tactical sense to know he shouldn’t third-wheel the captain and his wife on a shopping date.
The very first items Wanyan selected were three large tins of malted milk powder. She had nearly depleted her stash at home. She loved the drink, enjoying a hot mug every afternoon while translating documents in the courtyard, usually pairing it with fresh fruit from her spatial storage. It made her days feel incredibly peaceful and leisurely.
Next, Gu Tingxiao picked out a striking red woolen coat for her. The harsh northern winter was only two months away, making it the perfect time to stock up on heavy winter wear.
“I have plenty of clothes already. You don’t need to buy me so much,” Wanyan protested mildly. She wasn’t exaggerating; her spatial wardrobe was fully stocked with winter gear—long skirts, thick woolen coats, heavy sweaters, lined trousers, and thermal base layers. She had multiple sets of everything.
Gu Tingxiao knew she had an abundance of clothes, but in his mind, that was no excuse not to buy her something new and beautiful.
“Wanyan, you look absolutely stunning in this,” he said earnestly. He loved seeing her in bright, vibrant colors. His wife was young and beautiful; she shouldn’t always dress in muted, mature tones.
“Alright, alright, we’ll buy it.” Hearing him call her beautiful instantly melted away her hesitation. A woman was only in the prime of her youth for a few fleeting years. If she didn’t dress up and enjoy it now, time would simply slip away from her.
Wanyan then pivoted to the men’s section, intent on picking out a winter set for him. However, Gu Tingxiao was issued a heavy military greatcoat by the army for the winter months. Instead, she selected a comfortable set of thermal base layers and a sturdy pair of shoes for him to wear around the house.
Though she could have easily charged it to the military’s tab, she specifically paid for Gu Tingxiao’s items using her own money. It was a gesture of personal affection. Besides, if she used the district’s funds to buy her husband clothes, Political Commissar Xie would probably cough up blood in sheer frustration.
As she shopped, Wanyan mentally calculated how to best utilize the three-hundred-yuan budget. She wanted to focus on highly practical, long-lasting necessities.
After some thought, she purchased two large bolts of sturdy fabric, ten kilograms of fresh meat, twenty kilograms of rice, and ten kilograms of wheat flour. She added several pounds of melon seeds, a few pounds of pastries, three large bags of candies, and a sack of walnuts—all items with a long shelf life.
She then moved to the pantry section, stocking up on various seasonings they were missing at home, including ten kilograms of brown sugar and ten kilograms of refined white sugar. She sank the vast majority of the remaining funds into bulk purchases of both fine and coarse grains, ensuring they wouldn’t have to worry about food scarcity once the brutal winter hit.
By the time she was finished, Wanyan had completely exhausted the three-hundred-yuan allowance and had even chipped in a significant amount of her own cash to cover the massive haul.
Gu Tingxiao watched her sweep through the cooperative like a hurricane, a fond, amused smile playing in his eyes as the pile of goods at his feet grew to a mountainous height.
“Alright, I think we’re done here. Let’s head back,” she finally announced.
Gu Tingxiao surveyed the massive stockpile. “Wanyan, stay right here and keep an eye on everything. I’ll go get the soldier to help us carry this.”
Wanyan nodded. There was absolutely no way the two of them could haul it all out, especially with Gu Tingxiao’s arm in a sling.
Gu Tingxiao positioned her near the grain counter near the entrance, ensuring she was safe and visible, before stepping outside.
Every local who walked past couldn’t help but stare at Wanyan and her mountain of purchases. Several middle-aged women cast judgmental glares her way, silently muttering to themselves about what a reckless, spendthrift girl she was.
After a few minutes, Gu Tingxiao returned with the young soldier, pushing a large wooden handcart.
“I’ve got it, sister-in-law. Let me handle the heavy lifting,” the soldier offered eagerly.
“Thank you so much for your help,” Wanyan replied gratefully.
Working efficiently, the young soldier swiftly loaded the heaviest sacks onto the cart while Gu Tingxiao assisted as best he could with his good arm. Wanyan grabbed the lighter parcels, following them out the doors of the cooperative.
By the time they finished loading the jeep, the trunk was packed to the absolute brim, and the passenger seat was piled high with goods.
