Chapter 43

“Yeah, I submitted the marriage report the day before yesterday. If everything goes well, the results should be out by mid-next month. Once it’s out, I’ll get the marriage license with my wife.”

Thinking about Lin Shuoyin, Shen Guannan couldn’t help but smile.

Zhang Jili clicked his tongue, “Look at you, you’re beaming. You’re thinking about your girlfriend.”

Damn, what’s it like to have a girlfriend? He’s twenty-five and has never dated.

“Did your girlfriend agree to get the marriage license with you?” Zhou Ziliang asked.

Shen Guannan, “Of course. She likes me a lot too.” He sounded a little proud.

Yes, you can feel it when you’re loved, when someone likes you.

He liked his wife very much, and she liked him too. Their hearts were in the same place. They were on the same page.

Thinking about Lin Shuoyin, Shen Guannan smiled again, but not as obviously as before.

Gu Xingye was envious. He spoke up, “Guannan Ge.”

He was calling him brother. Shen Guannan thought this kid was up to no good.

Sure enough, the next second, he heard him say,

“Why don’t you ask your sister-in-law if there are any single girls in her dorm… Introduce me to one. I want to date too.”

Hearing this, Zhang Jili and Zhou Ziliang both said, “Ge, Ge, you’re my brother. Introduce me to one too.”

“Brother, me too. Introduce me to one too. Your brother has been single for twenty-five years.”

Shen Guannan’s three roommates, Gu Xingye was the same age as him, twenty-six, but he was two months younger.

Zhang Jili and Zhou Ziliang were a year younger than him, twenty-five this year.

Shen Guannan, “I don’t know. There are so many girls in the art troupe. Why don’t you ask them yourselves? Or ask Huang Tuan Zhang and the others.”

“I’m too scared to ask.” Zhang Jili scratched his foot, then his nose.

The three of them looked at him with disgust. Zhang Jili, “My feet are clean. I just took a shower. My feet don’t smell at all. If you don’t believe me, smell them.”

“Go away.”

Gu Xingye directly pushed him away. Zhou Ziliang, “You’re looking for a girlfriend. Be careful. Don’t scratch your feet in front of girls.”

Zhang Jili, “I can’t. If I scratch my feet in front of her, that means we’re married. And we’re an old married couple.”

Going back to the previous topic, Shen Guannan said, “You have to take the initiative to find a girlfriend. You’re a man. You can’t just sit around and expect girls to come to you.”

Gu Xingye scratched his head, “The main problem is that we don’t see them often. We only see them during performances.”

“And it’s on stage.” Zhou Ziliang added.

They were focused on the performance and forgot to look at their faces or pay attention to who was who.

Zhang Jili, “Ge, brother, just introduce us to one.”

Shen Guannan shook his head, “You’re putting me in a difficult position. I don’t know anyone except my wife. I’m not related to anyone. Where am I supposed to find someone to introduce you to?”

“When are you going home? Why don’t you find a girlfriend from your hometown?”

Zhang Jili, “I’m planning to go back this winter. I haven’t been back in three years.”

Gu Xingye, “You’re going back this year. I’ll go back next year.”

Zhou Ziliang asked, “Guannan, are you going back this year? Are you going to take your girlfriend to meet your parents?”

Shen Guannan nodded, “We’re planning to go back in August.”

“By the way, once the marriage report is approved, we’ll get the marriage license and have a wedding. You guys have to come.”

Getting married in the military camp meant inviting the leaders and close colleagues to a meal. The number of people wouldn’t exceed two tables.

The three of them, “Don’t worry, we’ll definitely come.”

The four of them chatted for a while. Shen Guannan went to take a shower and then went back to bed.

Just before he went to sleep, he heard Zhang Jili ask again, “Guannan, did you ever hold your girlfriend’s hand?”

Shen Guannan was completely speechless. He got up and walked to Zhang Jili’s bed. He startled him. “Oh my god, Guannan, what are you doing? Do you need something?”

Shen Guannan stretched out his hand, “Come touch.”

Zhang Jili touched it, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Guannan, “Everyone’s hands are the same. You can feel what my hand is like. Women’s hands are the same. Stop being curious.”

This time, it was Zhang Jili’s turn to be speechless. He said, “You think I’m stupid.”

Women’s hands couldn’t possibly be the same as men’s hands. Girls’ hands should be soft and delicate.

“I’m going to sleep. Stop asking me.” Shen Guannan said impatiently.

Zhang Jili, “Okay, okay. You’re so secretive. You won’t tell me.”

Yeah, he wasn’t going to tell. Shen Guannan felt like sharing his dating experiences or other things with his brothers, but he couldn’t share any intimate interactions with his girlfriend.

He didn’t want anyone to know what his girlfriend was like.

Shen Guannan thought about Lin Shuoyin and fell asleep happily. Of course, he dreamed again. He had the same spring dream as last time.

He couldn’t help it. He had been single for twenty-six years. He finally had a girlfriend. And she was so beautiful and seductive. He couldn’t handle it.

Time flew by, and it was Sunday.

Lin Shuoyin and Shen Guannan had made plans to take photos. Shen Guannan also wrote a letter to his family, telling them about the marriage and sending them a photo of his wife.

Lin Shuoyin did the same.

So, after they met, they went to the photo studio to take pictures. The photos wouldn’t be ready for a while. Shen Guannan asked Lin Shuoyin, “Wife, are you hungry?”

Lin Shuoyin, “Not really. I ate breakfast before I came out.”

Shen Guannan, “Then let’s go shopping at the department store. I want to buy you two outfits.”

Lin Shuoyin, “I have clothes. I have a lot.”

Shen Guannan, “But I want to buy you some. I haven’t bought you any clothes yet.”

“Alright, I’ll accept your kindness.” Lin Shuoyin laughed.

The two of them went shopping at the department store. Shen Guannan bought Lin Shuoyin two dresses and a pair of leather shoes.

He said, “You can wear them in rotation.”

Lin Shuoyin, “You’ve bought me so many things. I haven’t bought you a gift yet.”

Shen Guannan cupped Lin Shuoyin’s cheeks with his hands. His voice was soft, “Wife, you don’t need to buy me anything. I’ll buy you things. I’m happy just seeing you every day.”

He didn’t need any gifts. He just wanted to see her every day.

Lin Shuoyin, “But I want to give you something too. It’ll be a memory for us when we’re old.”

Hearing this, Shen Guannan laughed, “We have such a long life together. We’ll have many memories.”

Lin Shuoyin, “That’s true. I wanted to knit a sweater for you, but I only started it. I guess by the time I finish it, it’ll be winter, and we’ll be married.”

“How about this, Guannan. I’ll knit you a new sweater or vest every year, okay?”

Shen Guannan, “Okay, wife.”

“Let’s go eat now.”

The two of them went to the state-owned restaurant. This time, they ordered chili-fried pork and braised fish. They drank soda.

Lin Shuoyin really loved fish. Shen Guannan didn’t eat much of the fish. She ate it all.

After they finished eating, Shen Guannan packed up a portion of braised pork and two boxes of rice. He said, “Let’s go to Sanhe Village and see them.”

He was talking about Lin Jian She and Zhao Fengnian.