Chapter 8

Chapter 8

After eating, with steamed buns in hand, they returned to the guesthouse once more.

Xie Junli handed the bun in his hand to Xu Yuqing and reached out to lift their luggage. Xu Yuqing surveyed the room; it wasn't large, but she made sure nothing was left behind before the two of them embarked on their journey to the Northern Military District.

The road was both swift and slow. Along the way, Xu Yuqing couldn't take in enough of the beautiful scenery—the lush green mountains and waters, transitioning to the barren trees of the North.

However, not being able to bathe was truly unbearable.

Xu Yuqing felt as if her entire body was itching, but compared to others, she was far more comfortable. Xie Junli took good care of her, fetching water and buying meals—it was all him. If it were just Xu Yuqing, she wouldn't dare leave her seat for fear of losing their luggage.

Perhaps it was the sense of security that Xie Junli's military uniform provided, but she noticed that everyone in the carriage seemed more lively. It could also be due to the presence of these young people. They were new下乡intellectual youths, looking quite young, singing lively songs.

"Miss! Is that comrade your husband?"

Xie Junli stood up, preparing to fetch water. As soon as he moved, an elderly woman who had just boarded the train curiously asked upon seeing him.

Xu Yuqing was taken aback and awkwardly nodded. With this nod, the disappointment in the elderly woman's eyes became apparent. "I see."

They really were a married couple. She had thought they were at most siblings.

It was rare to find such a handsome couple.

Xu Yuqing wasn't foolish. After a moment's thought, she understood that the elderly woman likely wanted to introduce Xie Junli to someone she knew. Xu Yuqing helplessly smiled—she supposed she was helping him avoid unwanted attention.

The elderly woman, not receiving the answer she desired, retreated and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. In reality, she secretly observed Xu Yuqing. The more she watched, the more she shook her head inwardly. This girl was too lazy and gluttonous.

She barely moved unless it was to use the restroom, leaving everything to the male companion. She didn't even wash the lunchbox. The elderly woman sighed inwardly. Times had changed. Nowadays, men only cared about looks. In the past, a weak and lazy girl like this would have been divorced long ago.

Although the elderly woman felt helpless, she knew that one should never destroy a marriage. She held her tongue until they reached their destination.

On her end, Xu Yuqing wasn't naive. She could see the sighs of disapproval from the elderly woman every time she accepted something from Xie Junli. However, it was none of her concern. Let others think what they want, Xu Yuqing thought.

Her own comfort was paramount. She would rather inconvenience others than exhaust herself.

Besides, Xie Junli was more than willing to take care of her. Xu Yuqing helplessly looked up—there was no avoiding it. She took the cup, and in her mind, Xie Junli had transformed into a motherly figure. She wondered where he had heard that she needed warm water every two hours to prevent illness.

Looking at Xie Junli, Xu Yuqing sincerely exclaimed, "Xie Junli, you're truly a good person."

Commander Xie, having received the 'good person' card, froze for a moment before falling silent. "We're almost there."

Xu Yuqing tilted her head, looking at him seriously.

Meeting her bright eyes, Xie Junli stumbled over his words, his ears turning red. "Get ready to pack up. We're getting off soon."

Almost there? That meant she was getting closer to the happy life she imagined!

"BEEP BEEP BEEP" went the horn.

"Everyone, make sure you have your belongings. Don't leave anything behind. If you do, we won't be able to return it to you! Check your bags, make sure nothing is missing!"

"Oh, it's so cold outside!"

"Yes, my old bones can't handle it! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my daughter-in-law."

Amidst the chatter and the approach of their destination, voices grew louder. Everyone wore expressions of anticipation and joy. Xu Yuqing stood up, stretching her body, and began packing.

The soft seats were indeed wearing. If not for Xu Yuqing's ability to fall asleep anywhere, her back would have been aching for days. She placed Xie Junli's freshly washed cup and the thin blanket back into the bag.

"All done, packed up."

"Mm, I'll carry the things. Stay close to me, don't get lost in the crowd. We can disembark a bit later."

Listening to Xie Junli's concerned reminders, Xu Yuqing felt warmth in her heart. She stuck out her tongue playfully. "Got it, I'll stay right behind you!"

Even so, Xie Junli still seemed uneasy, carrying a large bag while frequently looking back at Xu Yuqing. Xu Yuqing felt helpless—what kind of unreliable impression had she given Xie Junli? To avoid hindering his movement, Xu Yuqing stepped forward, reaching for the back of his coat. Helplessly, she said, "This okay? I'm holding tight."

"Mm." Sensing the pull from behind, Xie Junli relaxed slightly. He wasn't being overly cautious—the station was crowded, and some people were in a rush. There were plenty of instances where someone got pushed and fell, only to be trampled. Xu Yuqing's small frame would be in trouble if she fell.

Outside the train, the wind howled fiercely. While it was sunny in the south, it was bone-chillingly cold here.

Xie Junli navigated through the station with ease, heading to meet his comrade. The Military District was quite far from the train station, especially with so much luggage. He had sent a telegram, asking his comrade to drive over to pick them up.

"JUNLI!!! Over here!" came a hearty shout. Hearing the familiar name, Xu Yuqing couldn't help but turn around to look for the caller.

He appeared to be over six feet tall, dressed in the same military uniform as Xie Junli, except for the different shoulder insignia. Xu Yuqing subconsciously compared them—Xie Junli had longer legs and broader shoulders, making him look better in the uniform.

Unaware of her scrutiny, Xie Junli strode towards his comrade, Yu Wenyao.

"Wenyao! Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Is this your wife?" Yu Wenyao asked with a smile. He was naturally straightforward and curious when he saw a woman clinging to Xie Junli, looking petite and delicate. He immediately pushed Xie Junli aside. "Sister-in-law, I'm Yu Wenyao, under Junli's command. You can call me Wenyao—"

Yu Wenyao fell silent. He stared at Xu Yuqing in shock, then looked at Xie Junli in disbelief. It wasn't surprising that he was so surprised. Xu Yuqing was pale and slender, her waist visible even through her coat. She was small, beautiful, and obedient, resembling—a doll sold in the foreign goods section of the department store.

As a northerner, he had never seen such a gentle and graceful woman. His face flushed red, and his voice softened. "Sister-in-law, you're so beautiful!"

Initially startled, Xu Yuqing had assumed they would chat for a while before she greeted them. She had been hiding behind Xie Junli to shield herself from the wind. Suddenly, the windblock disappeared, and a dark face appeared before her. However, the bashful expression on the dark face was rather adorable.

"Thank you, you're quite handsome too," Xu Yuqing said with a smile. Just as Xie Junli finished stowing away their luggage and approached again, Xu Yuqing instinctively moved closer to him, tugging at his sleeve.

Xie Junli wasn't sure what had come over him. When he turned to see Wenyao's expression and Xu Yuqing's smiling face, he felt a twinge of anger. But that anger dissipated when she took the initiative to move closer to him.

"Let's get in the car. It's too cold."

"Mm."

Xu Yuqing obediently followed Xie Junli, getting into the car.

Although Yu Wenyao was one year younger than Xie Junli, he was already married. Seeing Xie Junli's behavior, he knew exactly what was going on—a jealous man, truly a big jealous man. No wonder none of the nurses in the Military District could catch his attention; it was because he had such a beautiful wife waiting for him.

Thinking about this, he chuckled and shook his head. In the future, this jealous man would surely be henpecked. He would have to laugh at him later.

Yu Wenyao strode forward, approaching the driver's seat with a serious expression. "I'll drive. By the way, Junli, I didn't book that guesthouse you mentioned."

!

Xie Junli suddenly opened his eyes. "What happened!"

"Ah, ah, ah!!" Yu Wenyao cried out in frustration. "Am I that unreliable? You don't trust me. It just so happened that Commissar Zhou was reassigned, and the house he left behind was allocated to you. Then your military transfer report came in—ha ha, the superior officers were worried you'd become an old bachelor, so they approved it first."

Hearing that there was a place to stay, Xie Junli relaxed. "Is everything ready?" He asked with an air of righteousness.

Xu Yuqing, who had been quietly resting her eyes beside him, opened her eyes and tugged at his sleeve when she saw his demeanor.

How impolite...

Yu Wenyao, driving ahead, watched the two in the rearview mirror, amused. "Everything is ready. When I called, a bunch of guys rushed over and cleaned everything up for you. It's just that we haven't furnished it yet."

"Mm."

Xie Junli responded casually, his gaze subtly fixed on Xu Yuqing, whose face was slightly flushed. His heart was aflame, and his eyes couldn't help but drift down to her hand. If he held it...

Arriving at the largest mall in North City, Yu Wenyao parked the car. "Hurry up, or it will be dark by the time we get back. I won't be driving then."

Xie Junli waved his hand, indicating that he understood. He took the money and coupons from Yu Wenyao and led Xu Yuqing inside.

On the way, noticing Xu Yuqing's puzzled look, Xie Junli explained, "My money is in the dormitory. This is just borrowing from him for now. I'll pay him back when we return. Also, from now on, you manage the money."

!!!!!!!

Xu Yuqing looked at the man before her, her heart pounding. This was the first time someone told her, "You manage the money."

Too much, isn't it!?!?!

No, she couldn't be swayed by a man's sweet talk. Xu Yuqing pinched her own wrist, watching Xie Junli as he shopped. She thought to herself, consider it borrowed, borrowed, and I'll repay double later!

With this in mind, she felt less pressure and joined him to look around.

Although this was the largest department store in North City, it was quite old. However, it was clean and tidy. One could easily see what each counter sold with a single glance.

However, nothing was particularly appealing. Looking at the drab colors and the similarly drab salespeople, Xu Yuqing was surprised to find that Xie Junli's military uniform was actually the most eye-catching color.

"You've chosen a quilt. Now pick a coat. One won't be enough for changing," Xie Junli said.

Xu Yuqing nodded. These were necessities, and she wouldn't skimp on them. She reluctantly chose a coat that was somewhat to her liking, along with pillows, socks, snow boots, and snow cream. Watching the growing pile of items in his hands, she felt like he was a child scattering wealth.

But why did he stop?

Xu Yuqing jogged forward. "Do we have pots, pans, and utensils at home?" Because of the cold, her head was tucked into her coat, making her appear small. Xie Junli felt a surge of warmth in his heart. If not for his self-control, fearing he might scare her, he would have immediately dropped everything to touch her head. However, he still needed to buy some yarn and ask his sisters-in-law to knit a scarf.

"No." Xie Junli remained calm, juggling multiple thoughts, showing no signs of his inner turmoil.

"Don't we need to buy them?" Xu Yuqing hesitantly asked. But she really needed them. Her grand plans for entrepreneurship had to start with these basics.

Finally understanding, Xie Junli realized she wanted to buy them. Regardless of whether his wife could cook, if she wanted something, he must buy it immediately. Without further thought, Xie Junli carried all the items in one hand and subconsciously took Xu Yuqing's hand in the other, heading upstairs.

Behind him, Xu Yuqing's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away.