Chapter 131: It Starts with Appearance and Ends with Inner Feelings

“You don’t have to be so full of yourself!” Yu Xiangnian said, “I was just waiting for you to come back so we can discuss the divorce!”

Cheng Jingmo held her face, his gaze deepening. “Yu Xiangnian, I have to leave soon, but I came back specifically to say a few things to you.”

He paused, took a deep breath, and said, “It’s true that I was captivated by you the second time I saw you. Since then, I’ve thought of you often, even dreamed of you. It was you who made me think about marriage. Now, I like you even more, to the point where I can’t imagine being with anyone else, to the point where I want to spend my life with you.”

“I don’t understand when you say you’re not Yu Xiangnian, or that Yu Xiangnian isn’t you. But I do understand when you say you want someone who appreciates your inner self, not just your appearance.”

“Yu Xiangnian, let me tell you this seriously: I’ve always liked your appearance, though I never dared to say it. Now, I like your inner self, the current you, not the former high-and-mighty, arrogant you.”

Yu Xiangnian was forced to look up at Cheng Jingmo, his handsome features right in front of her.

She hadn’t really looked at him for over twenty days. Now, up close, Cheng Jingmo was still as handsome as ever, his nose and eyes perfectly fitting her taste.

His deep eyes were filled with tenderness, and his thin lips moved as he spoke, “Yu Xiangnian, I never dared to hope you’d look at me before, so I kept warning myself to hide those feelings. If you had asked for a divorce back then, I would have let go.”

“But now, you’ve made me open up to you bit by bit. I’ve given you my true heart, and now you say you don’t want it. You…”

A bugle call interrupted him, and he paused.

His brow furrowed, anxiety flashed in his eyes, and his tone quickened, “I don’t agree to the divorce. Think it over some more. I have to go!”

He turned and ran, but after a few steps, he turned back into Xiao Jie’s room.

A minute later, he came back with a red hat, and in a few quick strides, he was in front of the still-dazed Yu Xiangnian, pressing the hat into her hands.

“It’s cold. Wear it!”

Then he turned back, kissed her on the forehead, and ran out the door.

As he ran, he called back, “Wait for me, I’ll be back in no more than a month.”

It took Yu Xiangnian four or five minutes to snap out of her daze.

Her mind replayed Cheng Jingmo’s words:

He had always liked her appearance, but now he liked her inner self.

Before, he agreed to the divorce, but now that he had given her his true heart, he wouldn’t divorce.

He couldn’t imagine being with anyone else and wanted to spend his life with her.

…

So Cheng Jingmo meant that his feelings for her started with her looks but ended with her inner self?!

That dog of a man, was this supposed to be a confession?

Why was it that every time he confessed, she never got a chance to respond?

He said everything he wanted, but who was she supposed to tell what she wanted to say?!

And then there was the hat…

Oh my God! A bright red knitted hat!

She hadn’t worn a red hat since she was five!

Cheng Jingmo’s taste was truly… beyond words!

To say he had no taste, yet he noticed her at first sight. To say he had taste, but the things he chose… left her speechless!

Wait! There were still many questions!

Cheng Jingmo said he liked her the second time he saw her, so why not at first sight?

If he already liked her, why did he go on blind dates?

Was it because the original Yu Xiangnian went abroad, and he felt he had no chance, so he sought someone else?

When Xiao Jie got home, he saw Yu Xiangnian standing in the kitchen, holding a red hat, alternately smiling and frowning in thought.

He hadn’t seen her smile in a long time; usually, she had a cold expression.

“Aunt, are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine!” Yu Xiangnian grinned. “What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you!”

Xiao Jie thought something was off. It sounded like she would cook whatever he wanted!

She used to say, “It’s good enough that I can cook, just make do!”

“Let’s wait for Uncle to come back and cook,” Xiao Jie suggested.

“Your uncle has gone out again and won’t be back for about a month.”

Xiao Jie nodded knowingly. “Oh, then let’s just cook some noodles.”

With her cooking skills, it was better not to make things difficult for her!

Yu Xiangnian’s plan to move out of the residential compound was thus put on hold.

With Cheng Jingmo gone, all the household chores fell to her.

Cooking and cleaning were manageable, but doing the laundry was a headache.

In winter, the clothes were thick and numerous, and the water was so cold.

After three days, Yu Xiangnian and Xiao Jie had accumulated a pile of dirty clothes, so buying a washing machine became necessary.

The next day, after lunch, Yu Xiangnian went to the department store and picked out a washing machine.

The department store rarely sold washing machines throughout the year, and this was the first time they had encountered such a decisive customer who bought one after just glancing at the price.

Yu Xiangnian was good-looking and had a sweet mouth, so the department store workers, in high spirits, delivered the washing machine to the residential compound with their delivery truck.

Since Yu Xiangyang had also gone out with Cheng Jingmo, Yu Xiangnian had to ask Dong Minghao and Xiao Tuanjie to help carry the washing machine from the compound gate to her house.

Now, the entire compound witnessed a large cardboard box with “Baiju Washing Machine” written on it passing before their eyes.

The residential compound was in an uproar!

“The deputy regimental commander’s wife bought a washing machine?!”

“Oh my! A washing machine! How much must that have cost? What a spendthrift woman!”

“Lazy woman! There are only two of them in the house, and she can’t even be bothered to wash their clothes! Truly lazy to the bone!”

“I’ve never seen a washing machine before!”

“Neither have I!”

They exchanged looks and tacitly walked towards Yu Xiangnian’s house.

Inside her house, a crowd had already gathered.

Wang Hongxiang’s family and Liu Zhen’s family, having heard about the washing machine, came over out of curiosity.

The washing machine was placed by the faucet in the small yard, and everyone urged Yu Xiangnian to wash some clothes to show them.

The washing machines back then had two tubs, one for washing and one for spinning, which weren’t very convenient to use.

Yu Xiangnian put Xiao Jie’s clothes in the washing tub, added some detergent, turned the knob, and water gushed into the tub, filling it up and starting the wash cycle.

Everyone watched in amazement!

Once the clothes were washed, she moved them to the spin tub for drying. After spinning, the clothes were almost dry.

Everyone inspected the clean clothes, marveling at how well they were washed.

The residents were amazed, “Wow! Not only are the clothes clean, but they’re also almost dry.”

Leaving Yu Xiangnian’s house, their eyes were filled with envy.

“This woman may be lazy, but she sure knows how to enjoy life! With this washing machine, washing clothes is no problem at all!”

“Well, she was born lucky! If I brought something like this home, my husband would scold me!”

“Same with mine! You won’t find another man in this compound who spoils his wife like Deputy Regimental Commander Cheng!”