Chapter 40: Present

Chapter 40: Present

The desk, the enamel cup, and that serious expression...

Does this man look like he’s about to hold a meeting?

The last time Principal Zeng talked to Lin Qiao, it wasn’t nearly as formal...

Lin Qiao was speechless for a moment, then another, but managed to control herself and not give him a sidelong glance. "I don't think there's a trust issue between us."

Not only did she control herself, but she also put on a serious expression. "First, our income is transparent. I’ve never suspected you of hiding private funds or engaging in gray income." She held up a slender white finger.

"Secondly, when you have questions for me, I’ve told you everything I can, without any concealment." She held up another finger.

"Thirdly, I never interfere with your social life. Even when you come home late, I don’t interrogate you or check your shirt for long hair." She held up another finger.

If they were just in an initial cooperative relationship, Lin Qiao wouldn’t even bother saying these things.

But since our cooperation has extended to the bedroom and is quite harmonious, I do care if we’re sharing a cucumber with someone else.

"Checking for long hair on the shirt?" Ji Duo was very good at catching the key point.

He had never heard of such a practice before, and it was clear that Lin Qiao knew about it but had never done it to him, showing that she truly trusted him in this regard.

Lin Qiao didn’t mention what finding a long hair would mean, not to mention there were also those who checked for perfume or lipstick marks.

She had heard of an even more impressive case where a woman returned after a seven or eight-day business trip and checked the electricity and water meter records to find out how many nights her husband hadn’t come home.

"So I don’t think there’s a trust issue between us. If there is, it’s you who has trust issues with me." She shook the three fingers she had extended and concluded.

However, what Ji Duo wanted to ask wasn’t about this. In response to Lin Qiao's counter, he simply picked up the enamel cup and, with a normal expression, drank some water.

Clearly, this was a habit from talking to subordinates. His expression revealed no emotion, and his actions were so composed that he unconsciously applied pressure on the other party. After putting down the enamel cup, his demeanor became more solemn. "First of all, your health isn’t good, and you don’t proactively tell me."

This referred to Lin Qiao’s menstrual cycle, which had caused a major misunderstanding between them.

"Secondly, when you have material needs, you don’t come to me several times."

This referred to the incident with buying oil, which he had already asked about once before. But when he said this, he gave Lin Qiao a meaningful look.

That look couldn’t exactly be called an interrogation; it was quite calm, but it somehow made people feel inexplicably guilty.

Lin Qiao also felt a fleeting sense of guilt for a split second, but then she realized she had already explained everything reasonably and logically. What was there to feel guilty about?

So she gave the man a sly look, indicating that she was listening and for him to continue.

This reaction made Ji Duo pause for a moment, but he still didn’t bring up that little yellow book. "Most importantly, you never consider relying on me when you encounter problems."

The man’s black eyes were solemn, his straight back slightly leaning forward as he also made a conclusion. "So, you have a serious trust issue with me that needs immediate resolution."

Lin Qiao really failed to manage her expression this time and looked up at the sky speechlessly. "I thought it was women who loved to bring up the past. What’s with you?"

"I’m presenting evidence so you can acknowledge the issue." The man obviously didn’t think he was bringing up the past and countered her. "We are a unit; this is what you said before we got married. I think there’s a discrepancy between what you say and what you do, and this matter must be discussed."

Lin Qiao suspected that if she were his subordinate, his last sentence would have been, "You must explain this matter to me."

Was it necessary? It was as if she had made some huge mistake, warranting a family meeting...

Lin Qiao didn’t say anything for a moment, overwhelmed with complaints and unsure where to begin.

Noticing her attitude, Ji Duo frowned slightly but soon softened his expression. "I'm not here to interrogate you; I'm here to help solve the problem together."

"Do you usually speak to your soldiers like this, Captain Ji?" Lin Qiao finally spoke up.

Before the man could answer, she raised her hand and added, "I'm not trying to argue with you; I'm genuinely asking."

Driven by genuine curiosity, she even leaned forward, crossing half the desk as if trying to see every emotion in his eyes. "Do all officers bring their military ways home? Treating family members like subordinates—Dad doesn’t do that."

As she leaned forward, her collar naturally dipped a little. Being tall, Ji Duo caught a glimpse of her fair neck and her straight, beautiful collarbone.

Instinctively, he adjusted her collar. "We’re discussing serious matters; please pay attention."

Clothes back then had high collars, so there wasn’t much to see, but Lin Qiao remained still. Seeing this, Ji Duo frowned and pulled her collar up further.

With the collar nearly reaching her chin, Lin Qiao was at a loss for words and simply sat back. "What does trust mean to you? Should I cry and seek your help every time something happens? Or ask you for clothes, shoes, and gold jewelry every few days?"

Ji Duo imagined it, and his frown deepened.

"See? You can't stand that either," Lin Qiao said, spreading her hands. "Besides, before we got married, I promised you I wouldn't hold you back."

Explaining each point individually would be too cumbersome and might lead to being led around, so it was better to set the tone that there was no problem between them.

But Ji Duo was clearly not so easily thrown off his rhythm. "Before I married you, I also promised to take good care of you. This isn’t about holding you back. Now that we’re married, you shouldn’t try to solve problems alone."

"If something happens to you, will you tell me everything?" Lin Qiao's question left Ji Duo speechless.

Lin Qiao thought: You’re secretly doing business and lied to me about having a friend. Is that trust?

Ji Duo thought about helping his nephew and, more fundamentally, the switched arranged marriage...

Unable to voice a rebuttal, Ji Duo fell silent, allowing Lin Qiao to seize the initiative. "See? We still need to give each other some space."

She then looked at him suspiciously. "It wasn’t like this before. Why are you suddenly so concerned about this?"

Her words left Ji Duo even more silent. Truthfully, he hadn't fully figured it out either; he just knew they needed to talk.

Since he hadn't figured it out, there was no way Lin Qiao could read anything from his face. Could it be that after sleeping closely for so long, the loss of distance made him want to manage her more?

This man probably was used to giving orders and disliked unnecessary talk. His words always contained more directives than inquiries. Fortunately, he didn't meddle in trivial matters, always leaving enough space between them. Otherwise, if he were someone who liked to depend on others for everything, Lin Qiao would have found his controlling nature too strong.

A desk separated them, and this family meeting clearly didn’t achieve its intended goal or reach a consensus.

"Xiao Ji! Do you need any cucumbers and tomatoes?" In the midst of the silence, the voice of Colonel Liang's wife suddenly came from outside the window.

The couple almost simultaneously stood up and moved to open the door to go out. At this moment, they shared an unspoken understanding.

Colonel Liang's wife stood in their yard. "Homegrown; you don't even need to cook them; you can eat them plain. Should I bring them over?"

Probably ingrained in the genes of the people, even though Colonel Liang had been promoted to brigade commander, his wife still enjoyed planting vegetables in their yard for personal consumption.

Seeing Lin Qiao on the second floor, she was surprised. "Xiaolin's back too?" She carried the items over. "Did you find that relative?"

"We've received news," Lin Qiao didn't elaborate.

"Good to hear. It's been several days; it must have been worrying." Colonel Liang's wife placed the items by the living room door. "You can wash and eat them; they're fresher than what you'd buy outside. If you like them, I can pick more in a few days."

Previously warm-hearted but never this enthusiastic, Lin Qiao felt a bit unaccustomed. "Thank you, Sister-in-law."

"No need to thank me. If you don’t want them, I’ll just eat them myself." As Colonel Liang's wife was about to leave, she turned back to Lin Qiao. "My maiden name is Liu, Liu Cuiying."

It wasn't just because of the husbands' connections that she interacted with Lin Qiao.

And at this time, Lin Qiao had already stopped teaching Junzi, so it wasn't to build a good relationship with Lin Qiao to get her to look after her son at school either.

This realization made Lin Qiao less resistant, and she smoothly changed how she addressed her, "Sister Liu."

Liu Cuiying visibly relaxed, and then her small eyes squinted in a smile, "Hey, if you need anything, just come over. I'm home all day."

In Liu Cuiying's eyes, Lin Qiao was still too pretty, but her success in improving Junzi's grades wasn't due to her looks.

Moreover, Junzi had also mentioned that Xiaolin went to great lengths to help the falsely accused girl in their class and almost got hit by the girl's father (Junzi exaggerated a bit).

A teacher who is good to their students is a good teacher, especially since she was only a substitute.

Liu Cuiying left with a sigh, her attitude had completely changed compared to the first meeting over two months ago.

However, upon closer inspection, the change wasn't sudden; each subtle shift could be traced.

Ji Duo's gaze naturally fell on Lin Qiao.

The young woman's hair had just been washed and was casually tied into a ponytail, with a few strands framing her face, softening her otherwise sharp features. Unlike earlier upstairs, where she seemed ready to out-negotiate him.

Thinking of this, his brows furrowed again, and just as Lin Qiao turned her head, she found the man staring at her with dark eyes.

What's wrong? Was the meeting not enough, and he was planning to continue upstairs?

Lin Qiao raised an eyebrow, immediately regaining her prickly rose demeanor.

Ji Duo just looked at her, "I'll find you next time." He bent down to put away the vegetables on the floor.

He was actually planning to continue, despite saying 'next time'?

Lin Qiao was speechless again, while the man had already washed the cucumbers and tomatoes, putting some outside and some in the fridge.

Speaking of which, the design of refrigerators these days was really unreasonable, with the freezer on the small door above and the cold storage below. A tall man like Ji Duo looked cramped squatting down.

Lin Qiao took a washed tomato and took a bite, then heard the man say, "Come home for dinner tomorrow evening."

Tomorrow evening?

She was stunned for a moment, "Isn't tomorrow Wednesday?"

Actually, the day she arrived in her hometown was the day they usually returned to the old house. Lin Qiao remembered, "How did you explain it to Mom last Sunday?"

"I had business at the military unit." Without consulting Lin Qiao, Ji Duo didn't mention Lin Wei's disappearance.

In fact, he was better than many men in this regard. Most men wouldn't take responsibility proactively, and a few would even push their responsibilities onto their wives. He didn't want to attend the gathering; his wife wouldn't let him go. He didn't want to spend money; his wife wouldn't let him.

Lin Qiao's expression softened, "Thank you."

This made Ji Duo straighten up, his dark eyes glancing at her, "Tomorrow's my birthday."

The tone was very casual, answering Lin Qiao's earlier question.

But this answer...

Lin Qiao was stunned for a good two seconds before swallowing the tomato in her mouth, "It's your birthday tomorrow, why didn't you say so earlier?"

Ji Duo lifted his eyelids, "It's on the household register. I thought you knew."

When they got married, they did indeed verify each other's personal information, and Lin Qiao had seen the man's household registration, but...

"Can you really remember it from just that brief look?" Lin Qiao felt that the man was just nitpicking, "Do you know my birthday?"

"March 23, 1962."

Lin Qiao: "..."

Seriously, do all male leads come equipped with photographic memory, or are they just this meticulous that they even remember their partner's birthday?

Lin Qiao was completely speechless, but the man's expression didn't change, as if gaining the upper hand didn't affect him. Instead, he looked at her again, as if reproaching her.

At that moment, Lin Qiao felt like he was the teacher, and she was the student who had been called on and couldn't answer. It was a bit annoying. Luckily, the man had to go back to work in the afternoon, and there wasn't enough time for him to start another meeting about their cooperation sincerity.

However, after he left, Lin Qiao went to check the household registration again and, sure enough, it was his birthday tomorrow.

There was only one day left, no, only half a day now. Even if Lin Qiao had heaven-defying abilities, she couldn't conjure up a gift in such a short time.

Not giving a gift could be an option. The last time Xu Li had a birthday, this man didn't seem to have any intention of giving a gift either.

But it was also him who said that giving more gifts wouldn't offend anyone. And when good partners found out, they would at least make a token gesture. Moreover, their relationship had long surpassed the usual cooperation, so it would be unreasonable not to give any token of appreciation...

As soon as he got off work in the evening, Ji Duo noticed that Lin Qiao was different today.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Maybe her lips were redder, or her eyes were brighter, but she looked really good.

Her hair had been styled as well, loosely pinned at the back, and she was wearing a skirt that ended just below her calves.

Ah, it was the same dress she wore when she kicked him while sitting on the desk earlier.

Without reacting, Ji Duo hung his military cap on the coat rack, "Are you going out?"

"Not going out, just heading to the cafeteria for a meal."

Lin Qiao had already changed her shoes and was at the door, but the man frowned at her, "You're going to the cafeteria?"

"Do we need a meeting to discuss this as well?" Lin Qiao laughed as she looked up at him with her almond-shaped eyes.

Ji Duo didn't say anything, but for some reason, he really didn't want Lin Qiao to go out.

After a moment, he picked up his military cap again, "I'll buy the food and bring it back."

This old-school cadre always helped her with everything at home. Fortunately, he only helped and didn't comment or criticize her choice of clothing.

Lin Qiao felt that she wasn’t losing out. Just seeing the man's reaction made it worthwhile.

After all, women dress up for themselves. She was usually too lazy to make an effort, and the variety of cosmetics available back then was really limited.

During dinner, Ji Duo noticed that Lin Qiao seemed unusually cheerful and kept glancing at him. This made him pause mid-chopstick, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

For some reason, Lin Qiao was reminded of how puzzled she had been when following him upstairs at noon. It was the same familiar situation, but this time, the roles were reversed, and he was the one left confused.

Lin Qiao smiled, suppressing her laughter, "Let’s finish eating first, and then I’ll tell you."

However, after the meal, she took her time, first watching the news with him, then spending the rest of the afternoon walking around the yard with him until it got dark.

Ji Duo was truly patient; since she didn’t say anything, he didn’t ask either.

Lin Qiao, thinking it was the right moment, deliberately picked up the cup and said, “Let’s go, we’ll talk upstairs.”

As soon as they went upstairs, she gestured for the man to sit opposite the desk.

It seemed serious, but not quite official. As Ji Duo was still pondering, Lin Qiao suddenly turned off the bedroom light.

The sudden darkness left Ji Duo momentarily disoriented. When he could vaguely see again, a soft body had already nestled in his arms.

He instinctively held her steady and realized that, this time, Lin Qiao was straddling his lap.

The woman wrapped her arms around his neck, and as she moved, her dress pulled up, exposing her bare knees, now in the cool air and within reach.

His hands tightened reflexively. Lin Qiao had already leaned in, whispering in his ear, “An early birthday gift, want it?”

With nothing else to give, spending the night together would suffice. If he was happy, she was happy, and both felt refreshed.

From the start, Lin Qiao had never been shy. Feeling his lips press down, she even lightly bit him back.

This bite made Ji Duo’s advances fierce. His hand moved to the back of her neck.

It seemed that in such matters, the man was accustomed to taking absolute control, always kissed deeply, making Lin Qiao moan softly.

Her moan made Ji Duo pull back slightly, but his hand gently stroked her knee, slipping under her skirt to grab her leg.

The man seemed to have wanted this for a while, his grip firm. In the dim darkness, his clenched jaw and throat were visible.

Just as he was about to lift her, Lin Qiao pressed down on his shoulder, breathing lightly, “Here.”

She reached into the drawer and pulled out what she had hidden earlier. “I said, no undressing this time.”

Her voice teased him, and Ji Duo’s eyes darkened. He reached out and grabbed the back of her head, turning his face to bite her lip.

In the darkness, a belt buckle hit the floor with a crisp sound. Breathless from the kisses, Lin Qiao teased him, “My curtains aren’t even drawn, do you… do you mind?”

The rustling of clothes stopped suddenly.

Lin Qiao’s eyes widened. “No way, you’re really hitting the brakes for this?”

“No,” the man paused, his low, hoarse voice uncharacteristically tinged with helplessness, “The condom broke.”

“The condom broke?” Lin Qiao couldn’t believe it. “How many times have we even used it?”

It hadn’t been many times, but Ji Duo using it… it was already a bit tight… These were handmade in this era, and the quality was…

“It’s fine, I prepared two,” Lin Qiao reached into the drawer and grabbed another one.

Then…

“Should I go get another one? Weren’t there three more?” At this point, even Lin Qiao didn’t know what to say.

In the darkness, the man seemed to fall silent for a moment. “Last time I washed them, one broke.”

Lin Qiao fell silent too. It hadn’t even been two months, and a year’s supply had dwindled to just two.

“Today’s been unlucky all around, maybe you shouldn’t accept the gift just yet.” She patted the man’s chest, where she had just unbuttoned his shirt. “How about you go dig through the trash when you get back.”

What a shame, she had only undone three buttons, aiming for that tantalizing balance of revealing without fully exposing. Now, all her plans were ruined.

Feeling truly regretful, Lin Qiao even reached inside to feel around, only to have her wrist immediately grabbed by the man.

However, the heat from his palm almost burned her, but the man still didn't move. Ji Duo also felt that today was full of misfortune, afraid that even the last two would meet a tragic end.

I'll have to make another phone call when I get back.

Ji Duo thought.

Should I call Sister Yan and ask if we can get some from abroad?

Lin Qiao thought.

If they kept getting frustrated over this, she didn't know if Ji Duo might develop some issues, but she was worried about her own uterine fibroids.

After washing up, the couple lay on the bed, one on each side, with half a bed's width between them. They hadn't been this far apart even when they first got married.

The main concern was avoiding any accidental incidents.

Lin Qiao really couldn't sleep and even suggested, "Should we clean up the next room? We should control the frequency; overindulgence isn't good."

She didn't know which part of that sentence hit the man, but Ji Duo's breath hitched.

However, after saying that, Lin Qiao herself felt a bit uncomfortable. She was enjoying this legally, so why did it have to be rationed?

They were both probably a little unsatisfied, and the next day, when the couple returned to the old house, the atmosphere was inevitably a bit different from usual.

Xu Li noticed it but didn't ask too many questions. After all, it was the young couple's life, and it wouldn't do for the mother-in-law to interfere at every little thing.

While Xu Li and Old Master Ji remained silent, it didn't mean Ye Minshu would stay quiet. Although she hadn't noticed much, Lin Qiao was the thorn in her side, impossible to swallow or spit out. Whenever there was a chance, she would try to take a jab to feel better.

It was Ji Duo's birthday today, and although the family had agreed not to celebrate, she still came to represent Ji Jun and Ji Ze, bringing some fruit and a fish.

After finishing the formalities, she didn’t rush to leave and suddenly asked Lin Qiao, "I remember Xiao Qiao attended the military-affiliated middle school in Xiao Ze’s unit, right?"

Almost as soon as she spoke, Lin Qiao knew she was looking for a fight. She smiled but didn't respond, waiting to see what she would do next.

Ye Minshu inevitably mentioned Song Jing, "She has excellent grades, and the teachers hold her in high regard. Last year, they urged her to graduate early, but she delayed it until next summer because she felt she hadn't gained enough experience. The teachers still recommended several places and let her choose."

The country was in need of talent, especially from the classes of '77 and '78, so teachers did push students to graduate early in three or three and a half years.

But what did Song Jing have to do with Lin Qiao? They had never interacted.

Although it sounded like goodwill, how could Song Jing, who hadn’t even graduated and was only interning, help Lin Qiao?

Or did she think that Lin Qiao, who had been working for several months, couldn’t even compare to an intern who hadn’t started her job?

"Comrade Song is indeed a good teacher." Lin Qiao, sitting next to Xu Li, chuckled, "When they were selecting substitute teachers for the first-year high school, she and I had a trial class together."

Ye Minshu obviously didn't know this and was taken aback, "She had a trial class with you?"

"Yes, and she wasn’t selected." Before Lin Qiao could speak, Ji Duo had already put down the newspaper and said in a deep voice, "Big Sister, is there anything else you’d like to ask?"

When dealing with Lin Qiao, Ye Minshu could still try to take a few jabs, but when Ji Duo looked at her with those dark eyes, she felt uneasy.

"If you have nothing else, you should go back."

Old Master Ji also felt that his eldest daughter-in-law was just here to cause trouble, "Don’t treat everything like a treasure without even understanding it."

That was indeed a harsh comment, and Ye Minshu’s face flushed. She still wanted to say that Song Jing was a college student, how could she not be better than Lin Qiao? But at that moment, the phone in the living room rang, and Xu Li answered, "Hmm," a couple of times before suddenly looking up at Lin Qiao, "Qiaoqiao, did you write a letter to the leaders' mailbox?"