Chapter 39

“Are you looking for me?” Ding Yunfei asked, looking at the unfamiliar woman.

Wu Xiaomin had never met Ding Yunfei before either. She only knew from her past life’s memory that Yu Xiangnian had an affair with Ding Yunfei while Cheng Jingmo was away, leading to their divorce.

She smiled and introduced herself, “Hello, Captain Ding. I’m Wu Xiaomin from the clinic in the family compound, and I’m also the niece of Commissar Su Mingliang.”

Ding Yunfei was even more puzzled. “What do you need from me?”

Wu Xiaomin said, “I want to discuss a collaboration with you.”

Not only was Ding Yunfei puzzled, but he was also on guard.

However, Wu Xiaomin’s following words made Ding Yunfei let down his guard, and the two reached a consensus on their cooperation.

Meanwhile.

Yu Xiangnian returned home and started boiling yangmei soup after washing the berries in salt water.

Watching the red liquid boiling in the pot, she recalled the scene of Cheng Jingmo holding her earlier that day.

His features were so handsome and chiseled, especially his deep, captivating eyes. One look, and it was like being drawn into a vortex.

At that moment, she felt enchanted and even wanted to kiss him!

Yu Xiangnian slapped her forehead twice, scolding herself: Yu Xiangnian, you’re really letting your desires cloud your judgment! Get a grip!

She continued to boil the yangmei soup while giving herself a mental pep talk.

She attributed her feelings for Cheng Jingmo to her admiration for strong, capable men.

Cheng Jingmo was attractive, well-mannered, and exceptional in every way. Her feelings for him were purely those of a woman admiring an outstanding man.

Additionally, she was in this unfamiliar place, without anyone to rely on, and Cheng Jingmo just happened to be her husband, leading to her possessive feelings.

So, when she saw Cheng Jingmo interacting with Wu Xiaomin, she felt unhappy.

She didn’t actually like Cheng Jingmo; it was just her possessiveness acting up!

This damn possessiveness! It had to stop!

With this self-suggestion, the fleeting romantic thoughts she had for Cheng Jingmo in the mountains dissipated.

At this moment, Cheng Jingmo was at Dong Minghao’s house, preparing wild rabbits.

Dong Minghao was also working on wild chickens nearby. Seeing everyone busy, he lowered his voice and asked, “What’s going on between you and Comrade Wu? Yesterday, you gave her a wild rabbit, and today she gave you vegetables?”

Cheng Jingmo replied, “Nothing at all.”

He had just run into Wu Xiaomin by chance yesterday when she was preparing to return to the village. Wu Xiaomin said the young people in the village hadn’t had meat for a long time and wanted to buy wild rabbits and chickens from him.

He couldn’t take her money, so he gave her the wild rabbit. Who knew she would give him vegetables today?

Dong Minghao continued, “It’s really funny. I’ve known you for so many years and only knew you went on a blind date with Comrade Wu. I heard the details from my wife. Now, all the families in the compound are standing up for Comrade Wu.”

Cheng Jingmo maintained his calm tone, “There’s nothing between us.”

“Didn’t they say you two were discussing marriage, but Commander Yu insisted that you…”

“Dong Minghao, come in and help me cook the rice,” Wang Hongxiang’s voice interrupted Dong Minghao.

Dong Minghao dropped the chicken he was holding and ran into the kitchen to help.

Wang Hongxiang was cutting vegetables, and Liu Zhen was peeling bamboo shoots. The two were discussing what had just happened.

Wang Hongxiang said, “I think Comrade Wu isn’t as cultured and refined as people say. Just look at today, coming to find Cheng Jingmo was really inappropriate.”

Liu Zhen agreed, “Exactly, last time she even came to the house to see him. Even if there was something between them in the past, it’s all over now. Deputy Commander Cheng is married!”

Hearing their conversation, Dong Minghao chuckled, “Weren’t you all standing up for Comrade Wu before? Why the sudden change today?”

Wang Hongxiang glared at him, “We didn’t understand Yu Xiangnian before. After spending time with her today, she seems nice, and her relationship with Cheng Jingmo is good. What Wu Comrade is doing is destroying someone else’s marriage!”

Dong Minghao remarked, “No wonder they say women can change their minds faster than flipping a page.”

An hour later, the meal was ready.

The feast was quite lavish, featuring wild chicken soup, braised rabbit, stir-fried bamboo shoots, stir-fried plantain with black bean sauce, cold fern salad, and Wang Hongxiang’s pickled vegetables.

Adults and children crowded around the table, chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.

Cheng Jingmo usually attended such gatherings alone, but today, with Yu Xiangnian and Xiao Jie by his side, he felt a warm sense of contentment.

It was like attending a family gathering with his wife and child.

After the meal, Yu Xiangnian served each person a bowl of cooled yangmei soup.

On such a summer evening, a bowl of sweet and sour yangmei soup was incredibly refreshing.

The soup she made was especially popular with the children, who kept asking for more.

The pleasant weekend passed just like that.

At night, heavy rain fell, and Yu Xiangnian slept fitfully, plagued by one dream after another.

Her dreams were a blend of her modern life and the life of this era, making it hard to distinguish between dream and reality.

When she woke up the next day, the rain had stopped, but she felt groggy, possibly coming down with a cold.

Sitting in the office, Yu Xiangnian watched sparrows hopping and chirping on the tree outside the window.

Occasionally, such a leisurely life was enjoyable, but the thought of living this way every day suddenly scared her.

This kind of life was comfortable yet uneventful and meaningless.

Feeling a bit suffocated, she got up and walked outside for some fresh air.

Unconsciously, she walked to the warehouse and saw the bicycle parked behind it, covered in mud from the tires to the handlebars.

It was part of her dowry from her parents.

The original owner’s parents hadn’t asked for any of the “three rounds and a sound” typically prepared by the groom’s family.

Even the bedding and furniture were provided by the original owner’s parents, who only asked Cheng Jingmo to apply for a family house from the army before they married her off.

After the wedding, because Bai Mei claimed her home was far and she didn’t have a clock and was often late for work, Yu Xiangnian had lent her the new watch and bicycle.

Now, six months had passed, and Bai Mei had shown no intention of returning them.

If she didn’t ask for them back, Bai Mei would probably keep using them indefinitely.

Looking at the muddy bicycle, Yu Xiangnian made up her mind.

She turned back and went to Bai Mei’s office.

Bai Mei, having nothing to do, was idly picking her nails. Seeing Yu Xiangnian enter, she greeted her with a fake smile, “Nian Nian.”

Yu Xiangnian, with equal insincerity and a look of embarrassment, said, “Bai Mei, there’s something I don’t know how to say. It’s quite embarrassing.”

“What is it? Just say it. There’s nothing embarrassing between us.”

Yu Xiangnian used the excuse she had thought of earlier, “It’s like this. A few days ago, my sister-in-law was robbed of her bicycle and valuables on her way home from the night shift. My parents noticed I wasn’t using my bicycle and watch and asked me to lend them to her for a while.”

She appeared even more embarrassed than before, “So… Bai Mei, could you return the bicycle and watch to me?”