Chapter 393| Chapter 394| Chapter 395
Chapter 393: 1977 Is Coming — Part 2
Unless a family was truly destitute and had lost everything, no parent would dream of withholding their child’s holiday money.
“Here, this is the red envelope your uncle and I prepared for Hu Zi,” Sheng Wanyan said, handing over the packet. “May our little Tiger grow up big and healthy in the new year.”
Hu Zi happily accepted the bright red envelope, giving them a sweet, polite bow. “Thank you, Auntie! Thank you, Uncle~”
Both Hu Zi and Yi Yi received plenty of red envelopes from the family elders that evening. Clutching her thick stack, Yi Yi toddled as fast as her small legs could carry her straight into her mother’s arms.
“Mom~” she chirped, shoving the packets forward. “Here, here~”
In her clever little mind, Yi Yi already understood that her father was the provider who worked hard to support the entire family, including her mother and herself. Because of this, her mother doted on her father. Ever since figuring out this dynamic, Yi Yi had vowed to give every single good thing she received directly to her mother. That way, her mother would surely love her the most.
Whatever treasure she managed to get her hands on, she would immediately offer it to Sheng Wanyan. And whether it was an expensive holiday packet or a smooth pebble from the yard, Sheng Wanyan always accepted it with equal warmth.
“Thank you, my sweet Yi Yi.”
“Kiss, Mom!”
Sheng Wanyan scooped her up and gave her a big, smacking kiss on the cheek, causing the little girl to wave her chubby hands and giggle with pure delight.
Sheng Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao also presented red envelopes to Grandpa and Grandma Sheng. Each envelope contained sixty-six yuan—a traditional gesture symbolizing a smooth, fortunate year ahead.
Since Gu Tingxiao’s recent promotion, his base salary had increased significantly. Even without including his field mission bonuses, he was now making a solid one hundred and fifty yuan a month. Consequently, they were much more generous with their holiday giving this year. The single red envelope they prepared for Yi Yi alone held a staggering fifty yuan.
Sheng Wanyan tucked Yi Yi’s holiday money into the new wooden chest Gu Tingxiao had custom-made for their daughter. The sturdy little box held all of Yi Yi’s precious treasures. Now that the toddler understood the concept of personal ownership, she would regularly demand to look inside. She didn’t want to play with the contents; she simply wanted to admire her wealth, finding immense happiness in just looking at it.
Sheng Wanyan never interfered with her daughter’s desire to manage her own belongings. In their household, the little girl had full authority over her treasures. Yi Yi would take everything out, arrange her items carefully, and when she was finished playing, she would point to the box, waiting for her mother to lock it up and place it safely right beside Sheng Wanyan’s own dowry chest.
Gu Tingxiao, on the other hand, didn’t dare lay a finger on either of those two boxes. If he so much as brushed past them, he would instantly face a united front of disapproval from both his wife and daughter!
“No, no, Daddy,” Yi Yi mumbled, watching him carefully.
“I’m just going to put something inside for you,” Gu Tingxiao explained gently. He had been planning to slide her new red envelope safely into the chest, but Yi Yi remained firmly opposed to him touching her treasure box.
In her mind, boys were strictly forbidden from touching girls’ things!
“No~”
She pouted her lips, fixing him with a look of absolute, solemn judgment. Gu Tingxiao found himself caught between exasperation and amusement; he knew his daughter’s stubborn streak all too well.
“Am I allowed to open your box now?” he asked formally.
Yi Yi gave a firm nod of approval. She had only been upset because he hadn’t asked for her permission first. “Go ahead~”
With her royal assent granted, Gu Tingxiao chuckled, opened the chest, and slipped the thick red envelope inside.
“Hug~”
Yi Yi immediately stretched out her chubby little arms toward him. Gu Tingxiao walked over, scooped her up against his broad chest, and began to rhythmically rock her to sleep.
Sheng Wanyan walked in carrying a basin of warm water, quietly wiping down Yi Yi’s hands, feet, and face while she rested. Surrounded by her father’s comforting warmth, the little girl’s eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep. Once she was clean, Gu Tingxiao gently carried her over to her small kang bed and tucked her in.
Noticing the exhaustion in his wife’s shoulders, Gu Tingxiao stepped up behind Sheng Wanyan and began to massage her neck and back, kneading away the tension from the holiday cooking. Wanyan leaned back against his solid frame, her eyes closing as she slowly fell asleep in his arms.
The next morning marked the official beginning of 1977—a year destined to be one of the most monumental turning points in the nation’s history.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the children from the military compound always went door-to-door to offer their holiday greetings. Knowing this, Gu Tingxiao had gone out with a group of soldiers early in the morning to clear the heavy snow from the paths. If the children were going to run around the neighborhood, the adults needed to ensure the walkways were safe and clear of ice.
Back inside, Sheng Wanyan opened their front door and set out a large welcoming spread of melon seeds, walnuts, and assorted candies on the table, patiently waiting for the local pack of children to arrive.
Yi Yi had been bundled up until she resembled a perfectly round ball, topped off with a bright red winter cloak. Sheng Wanyan had specially sewn a soft collar of white rabbit fur onto the hood, keeping the wind entirely off the little girl’s neck. Dressed in her vivid red outfit with her sparse hair gathered into two tiny buns and secured with a little star-shaped hairpin, she looked exceptionally adorable.
The moment her feet hit the floor, her first instinct was to waddle out to the doghouse to greet Maodou. The family dog looked completely startled by the sudden appearance of this rolling red sphere.
“Woof!”
Once Maodou recognized the chubby little face peeking out from the hood, he began to wag his tail furiously, happily circling around her.
Now a year and a half old, Yi Yi could walk remarkably well on her own. She proudly led Maodou on a grand patrol around the house, curiously poking and prodding at everything in her path.
As she wandered out into the courtyard, Sheng Wanyan watched her from the window. At this exact time last year, the little girl had thrown a massive fit wanting to play outside in the freezing weather, earning herself a stern scolding from Gu Tingxiao. This year, having grown a bit wiser, she realized the freezing outdoors couldn’t compare to the warmth of her own bed.
Leaving her to her inspection, Sheng Wanyan went to mix her a warm bottle of milk, keeping an eye out for the compound kids.
A few minutes later, Yi Yi was happily nestled on the sofa, bundled under a small blanket and contentedly nursing her bottle. To ensure she wouldn’t catch a stray chill, Sheng Wanyan had moved the coal stove right beside the couch.
Gu Tingxiao returned from his snow-shoveling duties just as she finished. And shortly after they finished breakfast, the neighborhood children arrived in a chaotic surge.
It was Yi Yi’s very first time witnessing such a massive, energetic crowd, and she froze in utter astonishment. Why were there suddenly so many older brothers and sisters flooding her living room?!
“Happy New Year, Uncle Gu! Happy New Year, Aunt Gu!” the children chorused in high spirits.
Sheng Wanyan beamed, handing out generous handfuls of melon seeds, walnuts, and sweets to each visiting child. The moment the kids saw the high-quality candy, their eyes practically lit up with joy, and they quickly swarmed back out the door to hit the next house.
Fascinated by the excitement, Yi Yi abandoned her blanket and tried her best to follow them out. But her short, heavily padded legs couldn’t possibly keep pace with the older kids, and she had to use both her hands and knees just to scramble over the high wooden threshold of the front door.
Amused, Gu Tingxiao scooped her up and carried her out into the yard. Watching the pack of children charge toward her uncle’s house across the lane, Yi Yi twisted around to watch the fun. She quickly realized that every time the kids visited a home, the neighborhood aunties and uncles would shower them with delicious treats and sweets.
For the first time in her short life, she truly understood the magic of the Lunar New Year. It turned out the holidays were incredibly fun!
Unfortunately, she was far too small. She couldn’t walk fast enough to keep up with the group, let alone possess the physical stamina to match their sprint. Worse still, her thick winter clothes kept her arms and legs so stiffly restricted that she could barely balance. After taking a few uneven, wobbly steps, she stumbled, nearly face-planting into the snow before Gu Tingxiao caught her.
“Waaah~”
Yi Yi buried her flushed face into her father’s shoulder, her little heart filled with a profound sense of grievance. Why did all the other kids get to earn delicious candy while she was left behind? Even her older cousin, Hu Zi, was out there running wild with the older kids, successfully gathering New Year’s treats. Only she was left out, entirely betrayed by her own uncooperative legs.
“We’ll try again next year,” Gu Tingxiao teased, unable to resist poking fun at her. “With those tiny legs of yours, you’d collapse from exhaustion before you even reached the first neighbor’s porch.”
Yi Yi puffed out her cheeks in a flash of genuine irritation. What a terrible, stinky dad!
“Hmph!”
She turned her head away, pouting fiercely. Since she was tired and refused to take another step on her own, she had no choice but to let her father carry her back inside.
Gu Tingxiao brought the rosy-cheeked, brooding little dumpling back into the warm house. However, the moment Yi Yi spotted the small bowl of fresh fruit puree in her mother’s hands, her anger instantly dissolved.
She stood up on her tiptoes, waddling over to stand eagerly at Sheng Wanyan’s knee, her eyes locked onto the food with absolute devotion.
Sheng Wanyan looked down at her, completely helpless. How am I supposed to tell her that I was actually planning to eat this all by myself?
Chapter 394: Returning Home on the Second Day of the Lunar New Year
Why did you have to come back so soon?
“Here you go, Yi Yi. Eat your applesauce.”
Sheng Wanyan kept a straight face, smoothly pretending the fruit puree had been made for the baby all along. She didn’t want Gu Tingxiao thinking she was the kind of mother who snatched food right out of her own child’s mouth.
Gu Tingxiao cast a sideways glance at her. The unmistakable amusement dancing in his eyes made Wanyan instantly look away, completely tongue-tied.
Without a word, Gu Tingxiao turned and walked back into the kitchen. When he returned, he set a freshly made bowl of fruit puree right in front of his wife.
“I’ll take Yi Yi to the bedroom for a nap,” he said softly. He scooped up the little girl, who was currently patting her perfectly round, full belly with a look of pure contentment.
As Wanyan watched the father-daughter duo disappear down the hall, the wave of guilty embarrassment finally eased. For a second there, she felt like she was going to die of shame. Shaking off the feeling, she picked up her spoon and began eating the fruit puree. The guilt vanished with the first bite; the fruit was perfectly mashed but still had a satisfying, crisp texture that tasted absolutely delicious.
Once she finished, Wanyan went to close the front door. It was already noon, and the compound children had all gone back to their respective houses for lunch. She would need to open up again later, though; while most of the kids spent their mornings playing in the main apartment building, a few always wandered by in the afternoon.
Moving to the kitchen, Wanyan began preparing lunch. New Year’s meals were traditionally quite lavish, so even though it was just the two of them, she made rice to go with two meat dishes and one vegetable plate.
By the time Gu Tingxiao finished coaxing Yi Yi to sleep, the food was ready. He sat down to eat with her, and the moment they finished, he automatically took over the dishwashing duties.
Wanyan leaned against the counter, feeling a dull, heavy bloating in her lower abdomen. She did the math in her head—her period was due any day now.
Gu Tingxiao noticed her quietness. After finishing the dishes, he set a pot to boil, mixed a warm mug of brown sugar water, and filled a thick rubber hot water bottle. Carrying both into the bedroom, he placed the hot water bottle gently over her stomach and handed her the mug.
“Does it still hurt?”
Sheng Wanyan shook her head. She didn’t suffer from severe cramps during her cycle, but the pre-menstrual bloating and lower back aches always made her feel sluggish. “I’m okay. Just sleepy.”
Gu Tingxiao tucked the heavy quilt securely around her shoulders, shed his thick outer uniform, and climbed into bed to join her. Snuggling into his embrace, Wanyan let her entire body relax. Gu Tingxiao was like a human furnace, and resting against him felt incredibly comforting. She shifted closer, tucking her cold feet between his thighs to warm them up.
Gu Tingxiao knew how cold a woman’s body could get during this time. Normally, Wanyan’s hands and feet stayed quite warm, but the moment her period approached, they turned to ice, and no amount of blankets seemed to help.
Sure enough, Wanyan’s period arrived right on schedule the next morning. She lay wrapped in the blankets, not wanting to move a single muscle. Fortunately, Gu Tingxiao didn’t have to report to the regiment during the New Year holidays, leaving him free to handle everything around the house.
Today was the second day of the Lunar New Year—the traditional day for a married woman to visit her maternal family. Since Father and Mother Sheng were far away in Chengdu, Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao were heading across the lane to her brother and sister-in-law’s house. In Chinese tradition, when the parents are absent, the eldest brother steps into the father’s role.
The holiday packages Gu’s mother had prepared for the Sheng elders had already been forwarded to Rong City, and in return, Wanyan’s parents had mailed a mountain of gifts back to the Gu household.
Carrying a pound of fresh meat and a pound of sweet pastries, Wanyan followed Gu Tingxiao and Yi Yi across the snowy lane. Pan Yue had invited them over for a festive lunch, a lively invitation Wanyan had no intention of refusing. Pan Yue’s schedule for the day was incredibly tight; she and Sheng Wanze had to rush into the city that afternoon to have New Year’s dinner at the Pan family home.
Once lunch concluded, knowing her brother and sister-in-law needed to prepare for their trip, Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao gathered their things so as not to disturb them.
Little Yi Yi was reluctant to leave, reaching out her arms to play with Hu Zi. But since Hu Zi had to visit his maternal grandparents that afternoon, he simply didn’t have the time.
“Come back and play with Brother tomorrow, okay?” Pan Yue said gently, kneeling down to the toddler’s level. “Brother has to go to Grandpa and Grandma’s house this afternoon.”
At a year and a half old, Yi Yi was already highly perceptive and could be reasoned with. Hearing the explanation, she gave up on her demands and stayed obediently in Gu Tingxiao’s arms, loudly babbling a promise to Hu Zi that they would play tomorrow.
Hu Zi grinned happily. He loved the idea of taking his little sister out to play every day. Granted, he wasn’t allowed to cross the compound gates by himself yet, but in his mind, the day would come when he would be completely free to lead his sister around the neighborhood. The little boy had already set a grand goal for himself: he was going to show off his cute sister to everyone from a young age. With a sister that adorable, all the other neighborhood kids would surely be green with envy, making him the most envied boy in the entire military compound.
Little Hu Zi’s daydreams were beautiful, utterly unburdened by how stubborn and chaotic his little cousin could actually be.
Before walking out the door, Sheng Wanyan turned to Grandpa and Grandma Sheng. “Grandpa, Grandma, come over to our house for dinner tonight. That way, you won’t have to worry about cooking for yourselves once Wanze and Xiaoyue leave.”
“Alright, your grandfather and I will head over around dusk,” Grandma Sheng agreed warmly.
“Yay, yay, yay!”
Before Wanyan could even smile, Yi Yi burst into loud cheers, kicking her small legs and waving her arms in pure delight. Wanyan laughed, affectionately pinching her daughter’s tiny nose. This little girl truly knew how to charm an audience.
Seeing Yi Yi’s explosive happiness, Grandpa and Grandma Sheng felt their hearts swell with a warmth as sweet as honey. It was proof that the children genuinely loved having them around. The little girl didn’t care in the slightest that her great-grandparents were old and frail, which filled the elders with immense joy.
“Waiwai!”
Yi Yi threw her arms around Grandma Sheng’s neck, planting a giant, wet kiss right on her wrinkled cheek. Grandma Sheng beamed so wide her mouth could barely close.
“Oh, my darling boy! You really are my precious little sweetheart,” the old woman cried happily, utterly charmed by the toddler’s affectionate nature.
With the dinner plans firmly set, the family headed back. Gu Tingxiao insisted on taking over the kitchen duties for the evening, telling Wanyan to rest in the bedroom with Yi Yi. Wanyan had offered to help, but in this brutal winter weather, the outdoor pipes were frozen solid, meaning every drop of water had to be chopped out as ice and melted in a massive iron pot over the stove. Gu Tingxiao refused to let her near the freezing water.
“The water is too cold, wife. Go inside and rest.”
Steered firmly away from the kitchen, Wanyan relented and headed to the warm room to put Yi Yi down for a nap.
“Milk! Nana!” Yi Yi babbled eagerly, tugging at her sleeve.
Wanyan quickly mixed a bottle of warm milk powder. Because the liquid was still a bit too hot, she held it out of reach, causing Yi Yi to stare at the bottle with wide, desperate eyes. After a few moments of waiting, the baby actually began to drool, which Wanyan found incredibly funny.
Testing a few drops on her wrist to ensure it was perfectly lukewarm, she finally handed it over. “Here you go, drink up.”
Yi Yi grabbed the bottle with both hands, shoved the nipple into her mouth, and began gulping it down greedily. Her small, flexible body shifted continuously; she used her tiny feet to prop up the bottle, rolling around on the bed while her eyes scanned the room. Watching her cycle through three or four different drinking postures in the span of a few minutes, Wanyan shook her head, amazed by her daughter’s endless pool of energy.
“Alright, Yi Yi, close your eyes and go to sleep,” Wanyan murmured softly. “Great-grandfather and Great-grandma are coming over for dinner tonight, remember?”
Yi Yi was still bursting with mischief and tried to coax her mother into a game of peek-a-boo, but Wanyan remained strict about naptime boundaries. She simply ignored the toddler’s antics, closed her eyes, and pretended to sleep.
Seeing that her mother was completely unresponsive, Yi Yi pouted with a slight huff, but the rhythmic swallowing of her milk eventually worked its magic. Within minutes, she drifted off.
The moment the baby’s breathing synchronized into a deep sleep, Wanyan opened her eyes and gently slid the empty bottle from her tiny grip. The little guy had clearly been exhausted, yet she always insisted on making a fuss before finally giving in to sleep.
Later that afternoon, Wanyan woke up early to prepare a small bowl of steamed egg custard for Yi Yi’s mid-day snack. By the time the baby finished eating, the rich aroma of dinner began to waft from the kitchen. Gu Tingxiao had already made significant progress; since the two elders were coming over, he had prepared several hearty meat dishes, ensuring a warm, welcoming feast for the evening.
Chapter 395: Everyone Comes to Borrow Bicycles
Three meats, one vegetable, and one soup made for an exceptionally lavish meal.
Grandpa and Grandma Sheng both knew exactly how much their granddaughter and grandson-in-law earned each month, so the high standard of food didn’t surprise them in the least.
When dinner was served, Yi Yi refused to touch a single bite of the actual food, stubbornly demanding her milk instead. Sheng Wanyan didn’t bother arguing with her. Once the toddler skipped a meal, she would quickly learn exactly what it felt like to go hungry.
“Come on, Xiao Gu, let’s have a drink together,” Grandpa Sheng said cheerfully.
At his own home, Grandma Sheng monitored him closely, so he never dared to drink too much. But now that he was visiting his granddaughter’s house, he was determined to enjoy himself.
Gu Tingxiao fetched the bottle and filled both his and Grandpa Sheng’s glasses.
Grandma Sheng knew exactly what her old man was planning. Every time they came over for a meal, he showed up more enthusiastic than anyone else. He barely ate a thing, focusing entirely on the alcohol. He really thinks he’s being clever, she thought, completely oblivious to the fact that I can read him like a book.
Sheng Wanyan pretended not to notice. Grandpa Sheng had always been this way; he would rather go hungry than be denied a glass of wine. As long as his health remained stable, there was no harm in letting him indulge a little more than usual every now and then.
“Just ignore him. Let’s eat,” Grandma Sheng said, turning her back on her husband. She picked up a few choice pieces of meat, dropped them into Wanyan’s bowl, and urged her to dig in.
In the end, the two men didn’t actually drink very much, as Gu Tingxiao knew exactly when to draw the line.
On the walk back to their house, Grandpa Sheng stole a glance at Gu Tingxiao. He hadn’t expected his grandson-in-law to be so thoroughly henpecked. He had originally hoped that by coming over, he could drink to his heart’s content. Instead, the young captain proved just as terrified of his own wife. The moment Wanyan shot him a warning look, Gu Tingxiao had meekly set his glass down, not daring to take another sip.
Grandpa Sheng felt utterly helpless. It wasn’t as if he could pull his grandson-in-law aside and lecture him to stop being so obedient to his granddaughter. Wouldn’t that just drive a wedge into the young couple’s marriage?
Left with no other choice, Grandpa Sheng reluctantly prepared to leave without getting his fill, though he made sure to swipe the bottles of peach blossom wine Wanyan had brewed before walking out the door.
Wanyan found the whole thing highly amusing. She really hadn’t expected that after all these decades, Grandpa Sheng would still be so utterly terrified of his wife.
She walked the elderly couple back across the lane. The moment they stepped inside, Grandma Sheng’s face fell as she spotted the bottles in her husband’s hands. This old man had clearly only gone over to his granddaughter’s house to secure these two bottles of wine. He was getting entirely too spoiled.
“Grandpa, Grandma, I’m heading back now,” Wanyan called out. She wanted to return to check on Yi Yi. The elders knew full well that the toddler hadn’t eaten a single bite of dinner and was bound to be starving by now, so they didn’t try to keep her. It was time for their granddaughter to go back and teach the little girl a lesson.
“Alright, be careful on the road,” Grandma Sheng replied.
In the dead of winter, darkness fell incredibly early. Even though it was only seven in the evening, the pitch-black sky made it look like midnight, rendering everything invisible.
“I will. Go on inside and get some sleep.”
Wanyan turned and hurried back to her own warm house, her thoughts completely occupied by her daughter.
The moment she closed the door behind her, Grandma Sheng immediately snatched the wine out of Grandpa Sheng’s hands.
“Hey, hey! At least leave me one bottle!” Grandpa Sheng protested, tightening his grip in a desperate attempt to hold onto his prize. But Grandma Sheng proved far too quick, wrenching them away completely.
“Leave it so you can sneak drinks behind my back?” she countered sharply. “You think I don’t know what goes on in that head of yours? You still dare try those cheap tricks on me.”
She had guessed his intentions perfectly. Grandpa Sheng opened his mouth to argue, but found himself entirely without a defense.
“Don’t go thinking you can drink like a fish just because you managed to bring this home,” Grandma Sheng lectured. “Look at how old you are. The older you get, the more stubborn and willful you become.”
She continued to nag him as she put the bottles away. Grandpa Sheng had been listening to variations of this exact speech for his entire life and could practically recite it from memory. Even so, he kept his mouth shut, sitting quietly in the living room and letting her get it all out of her system.
Once the second day of the Lunar New Year passed, the holiday season truly shifted into full gear. The neighborhood children flooded the lanes to play, loudly chanting traditional New Year rhymes:
“Dear wife, dear wife, don’t be greedy, After the Laba Festival, the New Year comes quickly. Drink Laba porridge for just a few days, And soon the twenty-third is ablaze. The twenty-third means sticky sweet melon, The twenty-fourth is for sweeping the ceiling. On the twenty-fifth, we paste up the window, On the twenty-sixth, the rich pork stew will flow. The twenty-seventh is for slaughtering the rooster, The twenty-eighth, give the yeast a big booster, The twenty-ninth, steam the buns nice and high, On the thirtieth, stay up as the old year goes by, And on New Year’s Day, we dance under the sky…”
Sheng Wanyan had just stepped out of the house to fetch a package from the post when she overheard the children shouting the jingle together in the snow.
The New Year celebrations in this era felt profoundly festive. Despite the biting cold, a vibrant holiday spirit buzzed through every corner of the compound—a stark contrast to the future she remembered. In later generations, as China modernized at a breakneck pace and entered the internet age, the traditional warmth of the holidays gradually faded. Sometimes, digital screens replaced face-to-face gatherings, consuming everyone’s time and leaving the New Year feeling hollow.
Wanyan hadn’t been out of the house in days, and since the soldiers were still on holiday leave, the compound was exceptionally lively. With nothing much to do, the military wives were dragging their husbands into the city to shop for holiday goods.
However, the military transport trucks weren’t running into the city today, forcing everyone to rely on bicycles. Those who didn’t own a bicycle had to ask around to borrow one, hoping a neighbor they were on good terms with would do them a favor.
Sheng Wanze and Pan Yue were also planning a shopping trip. Before setting off, Wanze had popped over to ask Wanyan if she wanted to tag along.
Wanyan had declined. She detested wandering outside in the freezing winter, and besides, her household wasn’t lacking a single thing. However, to keep from raising suspicions—since it would look incredibly odd if her family never went out yet miraculously possessed every necessary ingredient—she asked them to pick up a few standard kitchen supplies.
“Brother, Sister-in-law, could you pick up a bottle of soy sauce and some salt for me?”
“Will do!” Sheng Wanze called back loudly over his shoulder. He pedaled forward, with Pan Yue balanced gracefully on the back rack, and headed toward the city gates.
Wanyan continued on her way to collect her package. Near the compound office, she crossed paths with Captain Wang and his wife, Yang Wanshu. They had also intended to head into the city, but since they didn’t own a bicycle, they were currently hunting around to borrow one.
Now that Captain Wang had been promoted from deputy battalion commander to full battalion commander, his family’s financial situation had significantly improved. They were actually planning this trip to the city specifically to purchase a bicycle of their own.
Because she shared a warm relationship with Wanyan, Yang Wanshu hesitated for only a fraction of a second before tentatively bringing it up. “Yan’er, are you planning to use your bicycle today?” She felt a bit self-conscious asking; a bicycle was a highly prized, expensive luxury item, and she wasn’t entirely sure if Wanyan would be comfortable lending it out.
“No, I’m staying in. Are you two heading into the city?”
“Yes,” Yang Wanshu replied, looking relieved. “The comrades in the logistics supply department are on holiday for the New Year, and our kitchen counters are completely bare. If I don’t go into the city to buy provisions, we won’t have anything left to eat. I wanted to see if we could borrow your bicycle so Old Wang and I can make a quick trip. If we leave early, we can get back early to look after our two boys.”
“That’s not a problem at all. Come by the house with me to get it.”
“Thank you so much, Yan’er.”
Hearing her readily agree, Captain Wang quickly stepped forward to relieve Wanyan of the large package in her arms. “Here, Sister-in-law, let me carry that heavy bundle for you.”
Wanyan didn’t refuse, handing the heavy parcel over to him.
When she led Captain Wang and his wife back to her courtyard, she was surprised to find another couple already waiting at the gate. It was Deputy Company Commander Wu and Niu Chunhua. They had clearly also come to borrow a bicycle, but because Wanyan hadn’t been home, Gu Tingxiao had flatly refused to make the decision in her absence.
After all, Gu Tingxiao was a man who held a deep grudge. He hadn’t forgotten for a single second that it was Deputy Company Commander Wu’s previous wife who had maliciously reported his family to the authorities.
