Translator’s Note: I made an error regarding military titles, which I will correct starting this chapter. I previously used “Vice-Captain” to refer to Gu Qinghan as a deputy battalion commander. However, officers at the deputy battalion commander level are actually addressed as “Captain” or “Major,” while battalion commanders are referred to as “Major” or “Lieutenant Colonel.” From now on, I will use “Captain” for Gu Qinghan. Apologies for any confusion!

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Chapter 91.1

In the North, the night air was still a bit chilly.

Seeing Wen Nuan’s shocked expression, Gu Qinghan knew that she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep for a while, so he reached for her coat and draped it over her.

Gu Qinghan who was sitting down beside her said: “Be careful, you might catch a cold. Put on some clothes and take your time looking.” Then he pulled her coat snugly around her shoulders.

Wen Nuan was simply surprised. This thick stack of unity bills looked like it was worth quite a bit of money.

Back in Beijing, she had honestly thought that the conversation between her Grandpa and Major General Shen was just banter, as the two of them did enjoy making empty threats to each other.

However, even if there was such a thing as a “technical fee,” she hadn’t expected the amount to be this large. It was truly beyond her expectations.

Holding the thick wad of money in her hands, Wen Nuan felt warmth spreading through her palms.

She leaned against Gu Qinghan, crossed her legs and smiled. “Let me count how much money is here.”

Gu Qinghan responded with a soft “Mm.” Then tugged the blanket from the kang, smiling as he said, “Wait a moment, I’ll get you an extra flashlight.”

After saying this, he stood up, walked over to the table, picked up a flashlight, and turned it on.

Tonight, Gu Qinghan hadn’t come back all that late, but Wen Nuan must have been quite tired, as she’d already fallen asleep by 9:30.

Beside Wen Nuan lay little Lele, sound asleep and blissfully unaware.

When Gu Qinghan entered the room earlier, he hadn’t turned on the lights, opting instead to light a candle, not wanting to disturb the child.

With the extra flashlight now on, the room brightened up significantly, and Wen Nuan began counting.

Oh my God, there were a full three hundred yuan!

There were also a few fabric ration tickets inside the envelope.

Wen Nuan thought she might have counted wrong. After all, all she had done was write a small booklet, without actually going over to provide any real assistance.

It could be said that this money felt like an unexpected windfall.

In his letter, Major General Shen mentioned that the soldiers stationed at the Border Defense had already started wearing down jackets.

After trying them out for more than half a month, everyone agreed that they were warmer and better at keeping out the cold and they weren’t as cumbersome as the cotton-padded jackets.

Everyone seemed quite pleased with the down jacket.

Although widespread distribution was not yet possible, letting the soldiers stationed at the Border Defense have access to these coats first had already been a tremendous help to the troops.

This money was her payment, and in addition, there were some fabric ration tickets as compensation for the sample garment Wen Nuan had made earlier.

Major General Shen had truly thought of everything!

When Gu Qinghan noticed that his wife had finished counting but remained silent, he asked, “What’s the matter? Do you feel like it’s not quite enough?”

“How could it not be enough? Over three hundred-yuan, Captain Gu! That’s several months of my salary!” Wen Nuan smiled at her husband, then leaned on his shoulder and said softly, “It’s more than enough, really. I barely did anything to help. I’m just a little surprised that Major General Shen would put so much cash directly in an envelope.”

What if the money had gotten lost?

Wen Nuan knew that this letter had taken over a week to reach her and had likely passed through the hands of many comrades along the way.

Though she trusted the postal workers not to steal, if the envelope had torn and the money had fallen out, it would have been terribly upsetting.

Fortunately, the envelope was thick, and despite the long journey, it hadn’t been damaged.

Hearing his wife’s thoughts, Gu Qinghan hugged her tightly and explained, “Major General Shen’s area is full of snow by now, so it’s probably not easy for him to go out, which is likely why he sent you cash.”

He added, “Or maybe he wanted to surprise you.”

Anyone would feel happy receiving a large sum of money out of the blue.

Seeing the smile lingering on Wen Nuan’s lips, Gu Qinghan knew she was genuinely pleased—as happiness radiating from deep within her.

Wen Nuan nestled in his arms, chuckled and sweetly said, “It really is such a surprise!”

“Now, let me think about what I could buy.”

With a sudden windfall of several hundred yuan, Wen Nuan instantly felt the urge to go shopping in town.

She wanted to get herself a sweater, maybe even a cotton-padded coat, and a soft, furry hat for Lele, along with a pair of little cotton boots.

The cloth shoes Lele currently wore were ones Gu Qinglan had bought a few months ago, but now they seemed a bit too snug as he was growing quickly.

Since starting work, Wen Nuan hadn’t felt much like making clothes or shoes by hand anymore.

Especially with shoes, they were just too hard to make; she didn’t even know how to stitch soles properly.

Gu Qinghan pursed his lips and casually asked, “Will there be something for me?”

Wen Nuan turned her head, looked at him, and couldn’t help but laugh. She really hadn’t thought of that—yet, of course, there had to be!

But all of Gu Qinghan’s clothes and equipment came from the Flight Team, even down to the food he ate.

She wasn’t quite sure what would be good to get him.

So Wen Nuan sat across from him, gazing into his eyes, and asked, “What would you like?”

Gu Qinghan raised his eyebrows, looked at her bright, eager eyes, and squeezed her hand gently, saying, “It seems there’s not much I need.”

Just as Wen Nuan was about to suggest getting him a fountain pen, he suddenly leaned in close, his low voice whispering something into her ear that made her cheeks flush.

He watched her with a playful glint in his eye, waiting for her response.

Wen Nuan gave his arm a light pinch, scolding, “Be serious!”

After that, she realized he was only wearing a thin shirt. Meanwhile, she had on an undershirt, a sweater vest, and even her cotton-padded jacket draped over her shoulders, bundled up as if ready for winter.

Though it was only early October, the North’s nights were already close to freezing, and they hadn’t yet started using the stove in the house.

For now, they had to rely on wearing more layers and covering up with blankets to stay warm.

“Why are you wearing just this one shirt? Did you just take a cold shower?” Wen Nuan turned around, looking for his jacket, but there was none in sight—he must have been going around like this since his shower.

Annoyed by how little he seemed to care for his own health, Wen Nuan couldn’t help but scold him, “Gu Qinghan, how many times do I have to tell you? We’re in the North now, not back home! It’s October, and you’re still taking cold showers!”

Although Gu Qinghan was indeed in good health, even he wouldn’t withstand this kind of carelessness for long.

“It’s fine; I’m not cold at all,” Gu Qinghan said, holding her hand and trying to show her his warmth.

When Wen Nuan felt the heat in his palm, she believed him, but she still couldn’t resist a scolding, “Next time, use hot water!”

Gu Qinghan scooted closer, his gaze following the line of her hand to her flushed lips. He licked his own lips, his voice low as he asked, “Then… do you want to check for yourself?”

As Gu Qinghan spoke, he pressed Wen Nuan’s hand to his abdomen, the thin fabric of his shirt allowing the heat from his body to seep into her palm. She instantly felt the warmth, and couldn’t help but lick her lips nervously, whispering, “It’s… it’s fine.”

Before she could pull her hand away, Gu Qinghan caught it firmly and drew her into his arms. One arm wrapped around her waist, while the other guided her hand beneath his shirt, laughing softly. “It’s been a while since you checked on me. Want to make sure everything’s in order?”

Feeling the firm, well-defined muscles of his abdomen, Wen Nuan couldn’t help but hold her breath. She looked up into Gu Qinghan’s jet-black eyes and, almost involuntarily, nodded.

In the next moment, he lifted her up, and the stack of money they’d set aside fell to the floor, scattering a few bills in all directions.

“My money!” Wen Nuan yelped instinctively.

“Don’t worry, my little money-lover.” He chuckled, carrying her toward the door. In a low murmur by her ear, he added, “No one’s going to touch your money. I’ll help you pick it up later.”

—o—o—o—

Maybe it was the intensity of the night before, but when Gu Qinghan woke up the next morning, he was still a little ecstatic. After kissing Wen Nuan gently, he got up to make breakfast for her and the child.

Wen Nuan woke up too, though she wasn’t keen on moving. When she finally did get up to wash, she found herself feeling slightly weak in the legs.

After a quick breakfast, Wen Nuan lay back down on the kang bed, only for the child to wake up shortly afterward.

When Gu Qinghan came into the room, she threw a pillow at him, scolding, “Why aren’t you out of the house yet?”

He caught the pillow effortlessly, a look of satisfaction on his face, and set it back on the bed, asking, “So, you’re not going to the Kitchen Unit today?”

“I’m going, just a bit later.” Wen Nuan had some work to finish up today, and she planned to take Lele into town tomorrow for some boots, especially since it was the weekend.

Then she lifted her head, still a bit annoyed, and asked Gu Qinghan, “Are you free tomorrow? Want to come to town with us?”

Gu Qinghan sat on the kang bed, helping a yawning Lele into her coat. “I should be free in the morning, but I have a meeting in the afternoon.”

Wen Nuan lifted her chin, signaling for him to help the child brush her teeth as well. “Let’s have lunch together; I’ve got something I want you to try.”

“Alright.” Though he had no idea what she wanted him to try, Gu Qinghan trusted her and didn’t ask questions. He just scooped up Lele, who was still rubbing her eyes, and walked out of the room with her.

Moments later, the unmistakable sound of Lele’s loud, wailing cries echoed from outside.

Wen Nuan turned over, pretending she hadn’t heard Lele’s earlier cries. Fortunately, Lele stopped crying quickly and came running back into the room with a grin, saying, “Mom, let’s go to work!”

“Alright,” Wen Nuan replied, stretching and yawning, wishing for winter to arrive soon for the first time—then she could just curl up at home through the cold season.

Lele looked up at her, reaching out a small hand to give her a playful pinch, giggling: “Lazy little pig Mom!”

Wen Nuan raised her eyebrows, questioning who the real lazy pig was here. She scooped Lele up, tickling her mercilessly, filling the room with the child’s sharp, happy laughter—a stark contrast to her cries earlier.

From the doorway, Gu Qinghan stood watching his wife and daughter, a smile spreading across his face.

By noon, Wen Nuan brought out a plate of Sichuan-style eggplant and a stir-fried mix of green beans, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms, intending for Gu Qinghan to try them.

The previous meat dishes had already been taste-tested by several leaders and General Xu, who all felt they were fine. However, they planned to observe for a couple more days to ensure no one experienced digestive discomfort. Because of this, the Kitchen Unit had paused preparing any more of those quick meals for now. Wen Nuan decided she’d take a break tomorrow, head to town, and return to work afterward.

Carrying the two dishes over to Gu Qinghan, Wen Nuan set them in front of him and said, “Here, help me taste these two dishes.”

Having meat alone wasn’t enough; plus, meat supplies were limited. While fish was more readily available, vegetable dishes still made up the core of their meals. Preserving vegetables properly was Wen Nuan’s main focus.

Gu Qinghan had already prepared his regular crew meal and didn’t react right away, but seeing Wen Nuan sitting down reminded him of her request that morning for him to taste something.

So, it was a taste test.

Gu Qinghan picked up his chopsticks and tried a bite of the stir-fried vegetables, savoring each one. The green beans, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms had a satisfying crunch, with a light and mild taste that might not be to everyone’s liking. Many would likely prefer it with some chili sauce for more flavor.

Gu Qinghan didn’t quite understand what Wen Nuan wanted him to try, so he thought for a moment and then said, “It doesn’t seem particularly special; it just tastes like regular vegetarian food.”

Wen Nuan looked at him and asked, “And does the texture change at all?”

Gu Qinghan put down his chopsticks and shook his head. “Not really, I can’t taste much of a difference. It just tastes like regular vegetables.”

To his surprise, Wen Nuan started laughing. She said, “Then that means these dried vegetables are a success.” She pushed a plate of Sichuan-style eggplant toward him and said, “Try this one next.”

Gu Qinghan carefully tasted it again and thought it tasted no different from the Sichuan-style eggplant he usually had at home.

Wen Nuan let out a big sigh of relief and smiled at Gu Qinghan, saying, “Then that’s good. These are quick-cook meals that our factory will soon begin producing.”

Seeing that Gu Qinghan was listening attentively, she continued explaining, “All of these dishes were prepared beforehand and then stored in the freezer for a while. Now we want to let people try them to see if there’s any noticeable difference.”

Earlier that morning, Quartermaster Luo had come to tell her that General Xu had already contacted the Eastern Border Defense Station. It would depend on whether they needed these meals, and if so, the first batch would be sent to them.

The research institute wasn’t in as much of a rush, but in the Border Defense areas, snowfall had already started in many places. If they didn’t send supplies soon, when heavy snow arrived, the roads would be much harder to navigate.

General Xu fully supported this plan, agreeing that getting the factory up and running would not only benefit everyone but also provide a bit of extra income for the troops.

Most of the workers had already been hired, with only a few positions left, which wouldn’t have much impact. Once the plan was finalized, the factory would get busy.

After hearing Wen Nuan’s explanation about the quick-cook meals, Gu Qinghan agreed that it was feasible and said, “Then you can start preparing. The Border Defense areas really need this.”

Gu Qinghan often flew to the Border Defense regions and had seen the endless snow-covered landscapes. He could imagine how severe the cold was there. Although this plan would only solve a small aspect of daily life, it would be of great help to the troops.

Wen Nuan nodded, “Yes, yes. Tomorrow, I’ll take Lele to town to get some winter supplies for her, and then we’ll get to work.”

Once they finished this batch of supplies, winter would arrive in the North, and Wen Nuan planned to finally take a well-deserved rest.

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