Chapter 244: The “Wife Fund”
Ji Yanming had received acceptance from his future brother-in-law and, rummaging through the cotton, pulled out the letter to look at it. He felt indescribably satisfied and happy — today was the best day of his life.
His joy made him ignore all the pain in his body; his mind and eyes were full of the letter in his hands and the fact that his “target” had just been secured.
Looking at the letter, he thought of Ning Xiyue.
He wondered what Yueyue was doing at that moment. No, he had to send her the “wife fund” he had been saving, and request a photo from her so that he could glance at it during his free time and feel completely satisfied.
With this in mind, Ji Yanming placed the letter on the table, took out paper and a pen, and wrote a love report.
After finishing the report, he pulled out stationery to write a reply to Ning Xiyue.
Once the letter was written, he added a one-inch photo taken previously by the army, placed it in the envelope, and only then was he satisfied.
No, it wasn’t done yet.
He then gathered all the edible things in the dorm, including chocolates and a bright red scarf his friend had helped him buy from the Friendship Store a few days ago.
Finally, he took out the long-prepared “wife fund,” bundled it with the letter and the packed goodies, and headed out with a spring in his step to send it to Ning Xiyue.
Of course, once it was sent, he cheerfully went to report his love to the superior officers.
Once the report was submitted, he could date openly, without anyone mocking him for being single. His Yueyue was better than anyone else.
A few days later, Ning Xiyue went to the town post office to send eye cream and health tea to her family.
While there, she discovered she had packages waiting for her — three large parcels. The first two were from Comrade Ji, sent one after the other. Seeing two separate packages made her slightly puzzled.
What was Comrade Ji sending her? The two packages were rather large, and the second one had been sent just two days after the first. Why weren’t they sent together?
Ning Xiyue didn’t quite understand.
The remaining package was from her eldest brother, apparently having received the letter and parcels she had sent him.
She placed all three parcels in her backpack and carried them home after collecting the rent.
Sitting in her small room, she closed the door and took out the three parcels, opening them in the order they were sent.
The first parcel was from Comrade Ji, sent a few days earlier.
When she opened it, Ning Xiyue laughed — it was packed with snacks and canned food, all the specialty treats she, her second brother, and Comrade Ji had seen and discussed during a previous trip to the department store.
Among the snacks, she found a letter. Opening it, she understood the situation.
This was Comrade Ji’s anxious, restless package sent when he hadn’t received a reply from her yet. It was hilarious — she could read his nervousness between the lines.
She remembered how she had been happily wandering around those days, eating, drinking, and having fun. Once the letter was sent, she hadn’t thought about it much. Little did she know Comrade Ji was thinking of her every day.
A pang of guilt suddenly hit her — why?
Ning Xiyue laughed mischievously, and the guilt vanished instantly.
She then opened the second parcel. This one also contained snacks — but this time, various dried meats and a box of her favorite chocolate.
Both parcels were full of food.
Ning Xiyue covered her face, laughing and crying at the same time. Was Comrade Ji treating her like a pig to fatten up?
Inside the second parcel were two smaller parcels. She opened the slightly larger one first and found a bright red scarf. Wrapping it around her neck, she found it soft and flattering.
Then her gaze fell on the other small cloth bag, beneath which was a letter.
She first opened the bag, eyes widening in surprise.
Inside was a bundle of money — all large-denomination bills — and something else.
She emptied the contents onto the table.
Counting it, there were 200 yuan. The other item wrapped inside was a passbook.
It showed 1,500 yuan, with the first deposit dated 1957 — when Comrade Ji was only about three years old. This money had been saved from childhood.
Why was he sending it to her? To let her manage it?
Ning Xiyue, still puzzled, opened the letter.
Its tone was completely different from the previous letter.
Just the first sentence conveyed Comrade Ji’s joy — clearly, this letter was written after receiving her reply.
Reading further, she learned that the money was Comrade Ji’s “wife fund,” specifically sent for her use, with the password included.
Tsk, Comrade Ji was proactive — having just confirmed their relationship, he entrusted her with the household finances, showing no fear she might run off with it.
Ning Xiyue felt delighted, storing the money and passbook carefully. She might not know how to use it, but she was thrilled by his trust.
They say a man who’s willing to spend on his partner isn’t necessarily a good man, but a man unwilling to spend on his partner definitely isn’t. Comrade Ji had entrusted her with his entire savings — even if he were flawed, it didn’t matter. She hadn’t chosen wrong.
Moreover, from his letter, she realized her eldest brother knew about her relationship with Comrade Ji, and her second brother did too.
Ning Xiyue quickly opened the last parcel — from her eldest brother.
It also contained food, of course, and a letter — the one she most wanted to read.
Opening it, Ning Xiyue’s eyes watered. The letter conveyed her eldest brother’s heartache and family love — reluctant yet respectful of her choices, always supporting her. It left her both moved and pained.
Since both her elder and second brothers knew, she had to write back to her family, telling them about her relationship with Comrade Ji and her feelings, to ease their worry.
“And I need to send a scarf back to Comrade Ji,” Ning Xiyue mused, touching the scarf around her neck.
She had previously knitted one for the whole family. Now that Comrade Ji was her boyfriend, she needed to make one for him too.
To save time and get everything done today in town, Ning Xiyue entered her spacious study to start working.
