Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"It's a wartime necessity." Pei Yufeng reached out and took Ji Yunshu's hand, comforting her. "Life is precious, and I value mine."

"That's better." Ji Yunshu poked Pei Yufeng's arm, looking somewhat displeased.

Xiao Wang immediately realized he had misspoken and quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. "Sister-in-law, look at what I said. I didn't go to school much, so I don't know how to say things right. Every time Pei Ge is in a big naval battle, this kind of thing... you know, the imperialists always want to encroach on our country's South China Sea. We've got no choice but to fight them tooth and nail. But Pei Ge's always the first one in the line of fire. If it weren't for him, a bunch of soldiers might not have made it back..."

It turned out Pei Yufeng had saved his comrades more than once... Ji Yunshu thought of the plot in her dream and realized this would likely happen again in the future, and her face grew serious.

"Hey, sister-in-law, did I say something wrong again?" Xiao Wang was sharp at reading people. He glanced at Ji Yunshu, saw her grave face, and knew he'd overdone it. He quickly changed the subject back. "The Political Commissar told me to come get you. He figured since it's your first time here, a car would be more comfortable for you, so he had me drive you and Pei Ge straight to your new place."

"I won't stop Pei from being on the front lines—that's his duty as a soldier. But I will worry about him, because he's my husband." Ji Yunshu didn't look at Pei Yufeng when she said this; she was just saying what came naturally to her.

Although Pei Yufeng knew Ji Yunshu's "husband" wasn't the same "beloved" he'd been hoping for, his heart still skipped a beat.

He looked at Ji Yunshu with gentle eyes and said seriously, "I will come back safely."

"You'd better!" Ji Yunshu only gave him those two words in reply, but then smiled at Xiao Wang and said, "Sorry to put you out, Xiao Wang."

"No trouble at all!" Xiao Wang waved his hand, not daring to look Pei Yufeng in the eye, and dove into the driver's seat.

Ji Yunshu sat in the back seat with Pei Yufeng beside her. The car started up, pulled out of the guesthouse courtyard, and turned onto the coastal road.

Ji Yunshu suddenly thought of what Xiao Wang had said earlier. "Who is this 'Fang Xue' you mentioned? Was she after Pei before?"

Sweat broke out on Xiao Wang's forehead—whether from the heat or nerves, it was hard to say. He glanced at Pei Yufeng through the rearview mirror, then at Ji Yunshu. His lips moved, and finally he forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace. "Fang Xue is Political Commissar Fang's daughter. As for whether she was after him..."

He paused, casting a pleading look at Pei Yufeng, as if asking how to defuse this bomb. Pei Yufeng stared back at him, his face a blank, neither giving him a clue nor bailing him out. He just stared back calmly, as if the whole thing had nothing to do with him.

Xiao Wang groaned inwardly. Pei Ge, say something! How am I supposed to explain this to the missus?

He steeled himself and, throwing caution to the wind, passed the buck back to Pei Yufeng. "Sis, you should ask Pei Ge!"

Ji Yunshu turned, crossed her arms at her leisure, leaned back, and fixed her eyes on Pei Yufeng. She didn't look like she was interrogating him—more like she was watching a show, her eyes clearly saying: Go on, I'm listening.

Pei Yufeng stayed cool as a cucumber, showing no sign of guilt. "Fang Xue and I are just acquaintances. There's nothing personal between us. As for whether she was after me, I really couldn't say."

He paused, as if feeling that wasn't enough. He frowned slightly, as if mentally running through his entire social circle. After confirming there was nothing left out, he added, "I basically don't have any contact with other women either."

"I trust you." Ji Yunshu's voice was light but firm.

Xiao Wang watched the two of them being all sweet on each other and felt a pang of envy, thinking, well, at least that's over with. But he also felt a nagging worry about what would happen when Fang Xue's fiery temper met Ji Yunshu.

They kept driving with the windows down, the sea breeze rushing in, salty and damp. Ji Yunshu leaned on the window and looked out. To the right was a big coconut grove, tall trees in neat rows, leaves rustling loudly in the wind.

Beyond that was the sea—a brilliant blue, nothing like the sky back in the capital. The sky in the capital was often a grayish blue, but the sea here was a bright, dazzling blue, like a huge gemstone that had been washed clean.

"First time on Qiongzhou Island, sister-in-law?" Xiao Wang, unaccustomed to the silence, enthusiastically introduced the area. "It's completely different from the north. It's warm all year round—you don't even need a cotton-padded jacket in winter. Over there is the coconut grove. The military unit has one too, and once the ones at the army farm ripen, you can pick them freely. Further ahead you'll see a lighthouse. It was built a while back and is quite famous around here."

Ji Yunshu followed his pointing finger and saw a white lighthouse standing on the coastline in the distance, standing out prominently against the vast expanse of blue and green.

"Beautiful," Ji Yunshu said.

Xiao Wang beamed. "Of course! Stay here a while longer and you'll see—we might not have much else, but the scenery is top-notch. The Commander said we need to make sure you're comfortable living here."

The car passed by an orchard, and Xiao Wang continued enthusiastically introducing the local fruits of Qiongzhou Island. Some Ji Yunshu had heard of, like lychees and mangoes; others she was learning about for the first time, like myrtle berries and wild mangosteens.

When it came to food, Xiao Wang smacked his lips. "Sister-in-law, the food at the military cafeteria is delicious. From the cafeteria to the family quarters, it's only about a ten-minute bike ride—really close. Do you and Pei Ge have bicycle coupons? A bicycle is the most convenient thing in the family quarters. Going out to buy groceries, fetching water, getting a meal from the cafeteria—just hop on and go. It saves so much more effort than walking, and you can even carry a passenger—"

When he said "carry a passenger," his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Pei Yufeng, and an image involuntarily formed in his mind: Pei Ge riding a bicycle with his wife on the back seat. One with a cold face pedaling in front, the other sitting behind with a beaming smile—that image made the corners of Xiao Wang's mouth curl up uncontrollably.

"Haven't had the chance to buy one yet," Ji Yunshu replied, not noticing Xiao Wang's meaningful smile. "Once we're settled in, we'll go to Yue City and bring one back."

"Right, right, that's convenient. We go to Yue City for whatever we need—just take a boat ride and you're there in no time—" Xiao Wang was getting carried away when he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

Having served in the military for three years, Xiao Wang had developed an instinctive reaction to being stared at. He instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror and met Pei Yufeng's eyes, shuddering violently.

Pei Yufeng's expression was calm. He hadn't said a single word, just quietly stared at him. His eyes appeared especially deep in the backlight, like two bottomless pools with no ripples at all, yet they made Xiao Wang's heart tremble.

Xiao Wang's enthusiasm deflated by half, and his voice dropped a notch. The animated energy from moments ago was like a balloon that had been pricked, hissing out air. He cleared his throat awkwardly and started making small talk. "Um... Pei Ge, since sister-in-law just arrived on the island, if you need any help with anything, just say the word."

"That's great!" Ji Yunshu agreed readily, as if she hadn't noticed Pei Yufeng's increasingly dark expression beside her.

Xiao Wang thought to himself, Sister-in-law, please stop talking. Can't you see Pei Ge is already jealous out of his mind? But he didn't dare say that out loud. Pei Yufeng was the toughest fighter in the unit. If he got caught for training, it would be a one-sided beating. He didn't want to suffer through that!

But not livening up the atmosphere didn't seem right either. Xiao Wang hesitantly asked, "Sister-in-law, how many years have you and Pei Ge known each other?"

Ji Yunshu answered without hesitation. "Nineteen years, I suppose."

"No wonder they say you're childhood sweethearts—such a deep bond!" As soon as Xiao Wang finished speaking, the gaze that had been making his spine feel cold finally moved away.

Xiao Wang sighed inwardly. He never knew Battalion Commander Pei could be this jealous. Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover.

The car drove along the coastline for a while, then turned a corner and passed through a stretch of sandy coconut grove. The golden sand gleamed under the sunlight. The coconut palm leaves stretched out overhead, blocking most of the sunlight, leaving only scattered specks of light falling on the jeep. The sea breeze blew in, carrying the smell of seawater and the fragrance of leaves. Ji Yunshu took a deep breath and suddenly felt her whole body relax.

Sitting in the car with the sea breeze blowing, it didn't feel hot at all. Ji Yunshu spotted boats sailing out to sea along the shore.

"This is Qingyu Bay," Pei Yufeng introduced to Ji Yunshu. "The military unit is by the bay, with a few small islands nearby. The family quarters are on the eastern hillside."

Xiao Wang drove into the family quarters, all uphill, and slowed down. "It's just ahead."

Ji Yunshu poked her head out and saw a row of small buildings with white walls and red tiles scattered along the bay, nestled among coconut and banana trees. The buildings were only two stories tall, each with a courtyard. Every household had something planted in their yard—flowers and trees—all looking vibrant and full of life.

Xiao Wang parked in front of one of the small courtyards, jumped out, and opened the door for Ji Yunshu. "We're here! Sister-in-law, this is your and Pei Ge's new home."

Ji Yunshu got out of the car and stood at the entrance of the courtyard, taking in the small building. It was located in the middle of the family quarters, much higher than sea level, with white walls and red tiles. Standing at the door, one could look out at the reefs by the shore. There was a tree in the courtyard—not very tall, but bearing several green fruits that Ji Yunshu couldn't identify. In the corner of the yard was a clump of banana plants with leaves as large as open umbrellas, gleaming green.

"Want to go inside and take a look?" Pei Yufeng said, standing beside her.

Ji Yunshu nodded. Pei Yufeng pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in first.

The courtyard was modest in size, clean and tidy, with a stone path leading from the gate to the front door, and space on both sides for planting flowers and vegetables. Ji Yunshu thought about what she could plant there. Pei Yufeng suggested eggplant, since Ji Yunshu liked eating it, and she readily agreed. She walked around the house and found an independent well in the back. Ji Yunshu suddenly thought it would be nice to plant some beautiful flowers by the well and build a grape trellis to lounge under in the shade.

Back at the front of the house, Ji Yunshu pushed open the door and stepped inside. A wave of coolness washed over her.

Ji Yunshu was slightly surprised. Outside, the sun was scorching hot, but the moment she entered, it was cool—like stepping into a different world. She touched the wall, which felt noticeably cooler than the outside temperature.

"Sister-in-law, you probably didn't know this!" Xiao Wang said proudly, following behind. "The houses here are built with special materials. They stay cool all year round, unlike the brick houses up north. The Political Commissar specifically arranged for this place to be cleaned up for you, and all the furniture was newly made."

Ji Yunshu looked around. The living room wasn't large, but it was neatly arranged. A portrait of Chairman Mao hung in the center of the wall, and the newlywed's premium furniture set—the "seventy-two legs"—was all there. A square table, four chairs, and a long bench, all made of new wood with light-colored grain. A new cabinet stood in the corner, with a pair of red characters pasted on its doors. The windows also had double happiness characters pasted on them, and on the windowsill sat two enamel mugs and two matching enamel basins decorated with peony patterns. Every piece of furniture one could need was there.

"The Political Commissar and the Commander arranged it all," Xiao Wang said with a smile. "They said you came all the way from the capital to marry here, so they couldn't let you be shortchanged. The double happiness characters were pasted by the Commander's wife and a few other wives. They said a new home needs double happiness characters—they look festive."

Ji Yunshu looked at the pair of double happiness characters, and her heart felt both warm and soft. She hadn't done anything—she hadn't even arrived on the island yet—and Pei Yufeng's leaders, colleagues, and their families had already arranged everything. The double happiness characters on the windows were red, and the ones on the wall were red too, glowing warmly in the afternoon light.

"Sister-in-law, the Commander said to have Pei Ge bring you to visit him. He wants to eat wedding candies!" Xiao Wang poked his head in from the doorway.

Pei Yufeng put his bag down and walked over to Ji Yunshu. "Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a bit?"

Ji Yunshu shook her head. She really wasn't tired—she'd slept a full night at the guesthouse yesterday and eaten a good breakfast that morning, so she was in good spirits. But she looked down at her clothes and noticed her dress was a bit wrinkled.

"I'll change my clothes," Ji Yunshu said. "I can't go see the commander in this."

Pei Yufeng placed a hand on her shoulder. "No rush. Get settled in and rest first—we can go tomorrow or the day after once you're rested."

Ji Yunshu looked at him, a smile tugging at her lips. Pei Yufeng always put her well-being first; everything else could wait.

Xiao Wang called out from outside: "Brother Pei, I'll head back to the base to report in. You and the missus take your time getting settled—the commander isn't in a hurry!"

The jeep's engine revved up and slowly faded into the distance. The courtyard fell quiet, leaving only the rustle of wind through banana leaves—a soft rustling sound, like a tiny ocean.

Ji Yunshu stood in the living room, looking at the red double-happiness decals on the windowsill, then at Pei Yufeng standing by the door, unbuttoning his uniform. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling across his shoulders and casting a long shadow that stretched all the way to her feet.

"I want to heat up some water to wash up first," Ji Yunshu said.

Each small building had a kitchen and stove on the first floor. Pei Yufeng nodded, went to draw water from the cistern, and lit the stove to heat it up, while Ji Yunshu went upstairs to the bedroom.

The building had five rooms in total, a bit smaller than her place in the capital's compound, but it was plenty for the two of them. The first floor held the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, while the second floor had two bedrooms of similar size. Both bedrooms faced south, and opening the windows gave a view of the coastline not far off.

The room with the double bed also had a vanity and three dressers, while the other had a desk and a few wooden trunks.

A staircase from the second floor led up to a rooftop terrace, which had been swept clean and strung with thick ropes for hanging clothes or bedding to dry—it felt very lived-in.

Pei Yufeng carried water and poured it into the storage tank. "Xiaoshu, the island isn't like the capital—water's not as plentiful. The well water is spring water piped down from the hills behind us. Once boiled, it's safe to drink, so use it for drinking and cooking. For washing up and laundry, you'll need to fetch water from the communal cistern at the family quarters. I'll fetch it every morning, so don't worry—but that water's not for drinking."

"Okay, anything else I should know?" Ji Yunshu watched Pei Yufeng bustling around the stove, sweat beading on his brow. Droplets slid down his brow, one hanging off the side of his nose, glistening, about to drip.

Ji Yunshu quickly pulled a clean handkerchief from her bag and handed it to him. "Brother Pei, wipe your sweat."

Pei Yufeng started to reach for it, his fingers already lifting—then he stopped mid-motion. He looked at the handkerchief she offered, then at her hand, and a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

He suddenly wanted her to do it for him.

Pei Yufeng withdrew his half-raised hand and bent down slightly. The motion was completely natural, like he was just stretching after being hunched over the stove—but it brought his forehead right down to where Ji Yunshu could easily reach it. "Xiaoshu, I want you to do it for me."

"Alright." Ji Yunshu let out a fond laugh, pinched the corner of the handkerchief, and gently pressed it against Pei Yufeng's forehead.

Her touch was featherlight, starting at his forehead and slowly tracing along his brow, soaking up the fine beads of sweat one by one. As the cloth brushed over his eyebrows, Pei Yufeng's eyes itched a little, but he didn't dare blink—he just kept gazing at her tenderly.

Ji Yunshu's fingertips slid across his skin through the thin cotton, her touch as light as a spring breeze skimming a lake. But to him, it felt like it had been magnified tenfold. He could feel the shape of her fingers, the warmth of each individual fingertip.

Feeling the cloth was damp, Ji Yunshu folded the handkerchief to a fresh side and wiped the other temple. She was so focused she even wiped away a bit of stove ash from his ear.

When she was done, Ji Yunshu tucked the handkerchief away, her voice carrying a smile: "There."

Pei Yufeng straightened up and met her eyes again. In them, he saw the stove's dancing flames reflected, bright and warm, and the curve of her smile—as if she'd just done something truly amazing.

Looking at Ji Yunshu's smile, a warmth he couldn't quite name swelled in Pei Yufeng's chest. He didn't know how to describe the feeling—it was just that things he'd always taken for granted suddenly felt completely different when done with her.

The water was soon at a comfortable bathing temperature. Pei Yufeng tested it with the back of his hand, added half a ladle of cold water, stirred it twice, and only when he'd made sure it wasn't too hot did he scoop it into the bucket. He lifted it with one hand—seven or eight-tenths full, at least twenty pounds—but he carried it effortlessly, the water barely rippling, and hauled it into the bathroom in a few steps.

Ji Yunshu went in with her clothes and towel, and before closing the door, she glanced back at Pei Yufeng. He stood right outside, as if standing guard.

"No peeking!" Ji Yunshu's lips curved, and she shut the door in a flash.

Pei Yufeng hadn't initially thought of Ji Yunshu bathing as anything particularly enticing—after their marriage, he'd helped wash her many times. But her words just now had suddenly lit a fire in him. The sound of water splashing rose, mingling with the faint scent of soap drifting through the crack in the door. Leaning against the wall, Pei Yufeng heard the ladle scooping water inside, and his mind began to wander.

He knew better than anyone how smooth and delicate her skin was—a light squeeze would leave red marks. With all the traveling these past days, he'd set those thoughts aside, but now his mind was flooded with the memory of the red marks he'd left on her collarbone on their wedding night.

Scattered like tiny stars across her fair neck, Pei Yufeng's Adam's apple bobbed as he felt the immediate shift in his body.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to push the feeling down, but the sound of splashing water on the other side of the door continued, relentlessly stirring his thoughts.

Pei Yufeng decided he couldn't stay there any longer. He hoisted the bucket again and headed back to the cistern—he needed to fill both water tanks in the house.

About half an hour later, Ji Yunshu emerged wringing out her hair, a dry towel in hand, head tilted as she walked and dried it. Her wet hair was twisted into a single rope, water droplets dripping from the ends and leaving dark spots on the floor tiles at her feet.

She'd changed into a loose, thin nightgown—the plainest style, cotton fabric so soft it draped against her figure. The neckline wasn't particularly low, but with her head tilted to dry her hair, it revealed a stretch of slender neck and half a collarbone. Fresh from her hot bath, her skin still held a faint pink flush, and with each step, the hem of the gown swayed gently, carrying a subtle trace of soap fragrance.

Pei Yufeng had just finished filling the water tank and had also drawn clean well water into an enamel cup. Catching the fresh scent emanating from Ji Yunshu, his gaze lingered on her for two seconds before he very deliberately looked away—but looking away didn't help; she filled every corner of his peripheral vision.

Ji Yunshu was entirely domestic, entirely soft, her presence seeping into everything—more striking than any deliberate adornment. Pei Yufeng felt the urge he'd barely managed to suppress beginning to stir again.

"Brother Pei, do you want to wash up?" Ji Yunshu toweled her hair, her voice unusually clear in the quiet room, the ends of her words lifting slightly with that post-bath languor and ease.

She'd have been better off not saying anything—her words made it even harder for Pei Yufeng. Ji Yunshu didn't notice the veins standing out on the back of his hand from sheer restraint. When he didn't answer immediately, she moved a step closer: "This soap is new. The scent is actually quite nice."

"...It is nice." It was just ordinary soap, the fragrance should have been faint, but to Pei Yufeng it smelled cloyingly sweet, and he desperately needed something to distract himself.

Pei Yufeng reached out, took Ji Yunshu's wrist, and gently tugged the towel from her hand. "Let me help you with that."

"Oh, sure." Ji Yunshu obediently turned her back to him, presenting the pale nape of her neck.

Pei Yufeng raised his hand and draped the towel over Ji Yunshu's hair.

His first motion was very gentle—so gentle it barely counted as drying, more like a test—testing whether she'd flinch, whether this gesture was appropriate. The towel settled on the crown of her head, his palm pressing through the fabric, pausing for a moment before he began to dry it slowly. Starting from the top, he worked the towel down along her hair, his pressure carefully controlled, as if afraid of pulling even a single strand.

"Is this pressure okay?" Pei Yufeng couldn't tear his gaze away from the curve of her neck.

"Fine." Ji Yunshu nodded, her hair swaying with the motion, and Pei Yufeng nearly lost his grip.

Her hair was wet and thick, water seeping into the towel and quickly soaking a patch of it. After two passes, Pei Yufeng flipped the towel to a dry section and laid it over her hair again, starting from her temples. His fingers, through the fabric, caught a strand of her wet hair and slid slowly from root to tip, squeezing out the water, then moving to the next strand. His movements were clumsy but utterly meticulous, like completing a delicate task.

Ji Yunshu stood still. She could feel the pressure of his fingers transmitting through the towel to her scalp, a tingling sensation that made her a little tense. His fingertips occasionally brushed against her earlobe, carrying the rough, warm texture of the towel, and with each touch, her ears reddened a shade deeper. She kept her head down, unable to see his face, but she could feel his gaze—fixed on her hair with such concentration that nothing in the world seemed more important than drying it.

After what felt like a long while, Pei Yufeng had dried her hair to about half-dry, and the tension in him had finally dissipated.

Hanging the damp towel outside, Pei Yufeng took a proper shower himself and changed into fresh clothes.

When he came out, Ji Yunshu had already made the new bed. Some of the clothes had been put into the wardrobe, and she was still sorting through the remaining luggage.

"Let me handle this." Pei Yufeng took over the task from Ji Yunshu, telling her to sit and rest. He glanced at his watch and saw it was already noon. "The mess hall is open. Do you want to wait here while I bring food back, or come eat with me?"