Chapter 105

Chapter 105

After a good night's sleep, Xu Yuqing felt much better. No matter what, she decided to live her life well.

She got up, put on her clothes, and planned to drink some warm water to soothe her stomach. Opening the pot lid, she poured the lukewarm water into a thermos and casually made herself an egg noodle soup.

Water, soy sauce, eggs, and noodles—simple as that.

It was nearly eleven o'clock, so this meal would count as both breakfast and lunch.

After finishing the bowl of egg noodles, she felt much more comfortable. Not wanting to waste time at home, she put on her outdoor coat, extinguished the fire in the stove, and headed out.

This time, she wanted to try her luck at the small market she had visited before; the New Year was approaching, after all.

Stocking up was a habit she had since childhood. If not for the need for cloth coupons, she would have liked to make more clothes. For now, she only had two coats to alternate between.

But such things couldn't be rushed.

There was still some yarn at home, which she needed to turn into sweaters.

The road leading to the small market was still desolate, but thankfully there was a small path. With no one following her, Xu Yuqing felt a bit uneasy.

She walked in with large strides and saw an elderly woman sitting on some dry grass without even a stool.

Xu Yuqing approached her. "Auntie, what are you selling?"

Hearing Xu Yuqing's voice, the elderly woman lifted her head in a panic, her face full of drowsiness. Xu Yuqing frowned and called out again gently.

"Ah, ah, I'm selling these dried goods!"

Dried goods? Seeing the elderly woman move slowly, Xu Yuqing reached out to help. The basket was filled with dried mushrooms, which caught her eye. These were perfect for soups and stews.

She had been wondering where to buy them.

Unexpectedly, she found them here. However, the basket contained too many mushrooms for her and Xie Junli to consume. Otherwise, she would have bought the entire basket.

"Auntie, how much do you sell these for?"

The elderly woman lowered her head, and Xu Yuqing squatted down. She had fallen asleep again.

Had she just woken up and already fallen back asleep? But since she needed to buy something, she had to disturb the elderly woman.

She gently pushed the elderly woman's arm. "Auntie, how much are these dried mushrooms?"

The elderly woman opened her eyes groggily. "Ah, this? One yuan for the whole basket."

One yuan? Xu Yuqing's eyes widened in surprise. How cheap! A kilogram of meat cost about three mao, so one yuan was equivalent to three kilograms of meat.

This basket of dried mushrooms could be exchanged for three kilograms of meat. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the basket. More was better, since they could be stored!

If not, she could give them away.

Still cautious, she checked the bottom of the basket to confirm it was all ordinary mushrooms. Satisfied, she declared, "I'll take it!"

The sleepy elderly woman suddenly perked up, her eyes wide open as she stood up. "Oh, young lady, you have a good eye. Although it's a bit expensive, look at how well they're processed. You can cook them right away after washing, unlike others who don't clean the mud off properly."

As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on Xu Yuqing's hand, which pulled out one yuan from her bag. Her eyes brightened, and she continued, "Young lady, you didn't bring a basket. How about this: if you pay an extra thirty fen, I'll give you the basket too."

At these words, Xu Yuqing paused, quickly putting the money back and turning to leave.

Seeing her potential customer about to walk away, the elderly woman shouted, "Young lady! Comrade, why are you leaving? Comrade!"

But Xu Yuqing walked away resolutely, regretting her decision. She quickly picked up the basket and chased after her, wishing she hadn't been so greedy, thinking she could easily fool a young girl.

When the mountains were full of these goods, selling them for one yuan was a blessing!

Cursing herself for her loose tongue, the elderly woman, used to farm work, soon caught up with Xu Yuqing, grabbing her arm and smiling apologetically. "Comrade, why did you leave like that? Alright, alright, one yuan it is!"

Xu Yuqing stopped, rolled her eyes, and took out the one yuan from her bag. If only she had said so earlier, saving time.

The elderly woman took the money, set down the basket, and ran off. Xu Yuqing picked up the basket and walked briskly towards the residential area.

It was past noon, and the streets were empty. She took advantage of the quiet to carry the goods home quickly, avoiding questions about what she had bought.

Back home, Xu Yuqing left the basket in the living room and went to rest in her room.

Over the next few days, she continued buying and secretly transporting goods back home.

Her busy schedule made her forget about the man. So when she opened the door and saw a tall figure sitting on the sofa, she thought someone had broken in.

Before she could panic, she recognized him. Oh, this was her husband who had gone on a mission without any explanation.

Putting down her things, she calmly took off her shoes.

Xie Junli was still wearing the same clothes he had left in. Fortunately, the cold weather kept him from sweating or smelling.

He stood up eagerly, almost helping her put on her indoor slippers.

Xu Yuqing sidestepped his obstructive body and walked straight to the kitchen. She had just returned from town in the Logistics Department's vehicle, accompanied by Zhang Heping. Thanks to him, she managed to find the town's health clinic and bought some herbs for seasoning.

She also bought snacks like egg cakes.

Putting everything away, it was almost dinner time.

Xu Yuqing washed half a bowl of rice as usual but paused when it was time to put it in the pot. The man was sitting there tending the fire, his face clearly uneasy.

Xu Yuqing sighed, pushing aside her annoyance, and washed the rice again. She neatly placed two bowls of rice into the pot to steam.

Xie Junli watched Xu Yuqing nervously. He had returned early, not stopping for a moment on the way. Ensuring safety, he had arrived at his destination as quickly as possible and then came back.

His entire body screamed for rest, but Xie Junli looked apologetically at Xu Yuqing.

When reporting his mission, Huang Zhenwei told him that Yuqing had gone looking for him.

It felt like his heart was being torn apart. Xie Junli pursed his lips, his face cold enough to freeze water. If his soldiers saw him like this, they would be too scared to move.

Xie Junli knew he looked frightening when he was thinking, so he faced the fire, pondering how to apologize.

But by the time Xu Yuqing finished cooking the meal, he still hadn't figured it out.

"Dinner's ready," Xu Yuqing said calmly.

Xie Junli immediately responded, acknowledging her and quickly setting up the bowls and chopsticks. However, Xu Yuqing sat opposite him.

He gave a bitter smile, "Yuqing..."

The table held simple fare: stir-fried cabbage and scrambled eggs. Though plain, it was very fragrant.

Xu Yuqing ignored him, needing to compose herself. She was human, not a robot; understanding didn't come easily.

They ate in silence. Xie Junli's gaze lingered on the empty plate of scrambled eggs, remembering their taste vividly.

The first time he tasted her cooking, it was these scrambled eggs. When starving, they were undoubtedly a gourmet delight.

But now, he found them somewhat bitter.

After dinner, Xu Yuqing wiped her mouth clean and went straight to the room. Seeing her silhouette, Xie Junli finally saw a glimmer of hope. He quickly cleared the table and washed the dishes. Still smelling a bit, he had heated some water while tending the fire and cleaned himself. Gathering his courage, he walked in.

"Yuqing."

Xu Yuqing wasn't lying down; she leaned against the wall, reading the newspaper she had bought.

It was mostly news and declarations, not particularly interesting, but it passed the time. Hearing Xie Junli call her, she lifted her head calmly, "Hmm? What is it?"

Seeing her calm yet strange demeanor, Xie Junli panicked even more. He preferred her getting upset rather than this icy silence.

He strode over, climbed onto the bed, and with a loud thump, Xie Junli knelt down.

This sudden action startled Xu Yuqing.

Looking at the round back of his head, she finally reacted, exclaiming, "What are you doing!?"

Xie Junli had used a lot of force; he gritted his teeth, trying not to show pain. "I'm apologizing."

Xu Yuqing tried to pull him up, but this stubborn man refused to budge. His weight made it impossible for her to lift him.

"Wife, I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so hasty. I should have discussed things with you and explained my destination to ease your worries."

Xie Junli spoke each word earnestly.

From the moment he left, he regretted it. The further he went, the clearer it became how foolish he had been.

His words were sincere, and Xu Yuqing finally gave in, "Get up! Now! Or get out of here!"

Threats worked better. Xie Junli stood up immediately, but due to the sudden movement, his knees buckled, and he plopped back onto the bed.

Xu Yuqing didn't care how he was; as long as he wasn't kneeling, they could communicate. She kept her face stern, "From now on, I don't want to talk about this. If we're going to live together, let's do it properly."

She didn't say the last part aloud, watching the dark circles under Xie Junli's eyes, and closed her eyes tiredly, "Sleep!"

Xie Junli finally relaxed, smiling and holding her close, showing his left canine tooth. He pulled the blanket over both of them, placing her hand on his waist and holding her foot between his legs. These actions seemed instinctive, and within seconds, his snores filled the air.

Xu Yuqing lay awake in his arms, feeling a mix of emotions.

What was she struggling with? Looking at his stubbled chin and tired face, if he did this again, she wouldn't forgive him!

Making up her mind, she bit his chin and fell asleep, still angry.