Chapter 39

Because Ji Wanqing was still on her period, Jiang Che didn’t let her lift a finger. He just had her sit in the courtyard and read books and drink tea while he worked tirelessly.

Even though she was reading, her gaze gradually became uncontrollable.

Jiang Che took off his outer shirt, leaving only a white tank top, revealing his broad and firm shoulders and upper arms. The fabric across his chest was stretched taut by his strong pectoral muscles.

He knelt half-way by the well in the courtyard, holding onto the edge and pushing down on the water pump with all his might. The muscles in his arms rose and fell rhythmically with the force he exerted, until the bucket was full of water.

Then he lifted the iron bucket and went to the main room, pouring the water into a basin. The splashing water droplets fell onto his narrow, strong waist, slightly dampening it, revealing a hint of flesh.

Hmm.

He must have at least eight-pack abs.

With this physique and this face, if he had been in the pre-apocalypse world, he would only need to show off his muscles occasionally and film a few racy videos to make a fortune.

And this wasn’t like those muscle men in the future who built their muscles with protein powder. His muscles were real, forged in countless training sessions amidst gunfire and bullets.

“What are you looking at?”

Jiang Che was wiping down the new furniture in the house. He turned around and saw Ji Wanqing staring in his direction.

“Nothing, what do you want to eat tonight?”

Caught red-handed, Ji Wanqing calmly changed the subject, quickly diverting his attention.

“Just something simple, I’m tired from today.”

“Okay.”

At night, they didn’t have any extra food at home, so Ji Wanqing simply cooked some noodles. They sat at the new table and chairs, eating silently.

The lights were dim and flickering. A cool breeze blew through the small courtyard. This was the first time Jiang Che had been alone with a woman at night.

After dinner, he quickly cleaned up the kitchen and added more firewood to the stove to boil water. “If you’re not used to it, I’ll have someone come and change it to a coal stove.”

They used coal stoves at the Ji family’s house and in Jiang Che’s dormitory. You just had to control the size of the air vent to control the heat. Using a firewood stove was much more troublesome.

But Ji Wanqing thought, “It’s not a big deal.”

Food cooked with firewood, firewood chicken, all tasted delicious. She could build a small coal stove in the small space next to it, which would be more convenient for braising and stewing.

The bathwater was boiled, and Jiang Che helped her carry it to the bathroom.

It was called a bathroom, but it was actually a dry toilet in the backyard. This was a disadvantage of living in a courtyard. If they lived in an apartment building, they wouldn’t have this problem.

Luckily, the courtyard had been empty for a long time, so the dry toilet didn’t smell.

Ji Wanqing quickly finished her business and went back to the room. “Let’s find someone to renovate the toilet tomorrow. The straw shed is leaky on all sides, it’s too cold to take a shower in the winter.”

“Okay.” Jiang Che went to wash up quickly and came back.

He locked the courtyard door and the room door, turned off the lights on the first floor, and went upstairs to the second floor.

Jiang Che saw that there were already some books, hair ties, wooden combs, and other things belonging to her in the house. The feeling of his private space being invaded by another person was strange.

“Do you… snore or grind your teeth when you sleep?” Ji Wanqing changed into a cotton nightgown, a halter style, and sat in front of the dressing table to undo her braid.

Jiang Che’s gaze fell on her smooth, round shoulders, as if he had been pricked by something. He quickly looked away. “I don’t snore, and I don’t grind my teeth.”

“That’s good. I’m quite particular about my sleep quality.” The braid she had tied all day came undone, becoming loose, wavy hair that cascaded down her back like a river surface rippling in a gentle breeze, silently tempting.

“Yawning.” She was a little sleepy and stood up to go to the kang. “By the way, do you prefer to sleep on the inside or the outside?”

Although it was an earthen kang, it was two meters wide.

Ji Wanqing had brought a large package from the county. She said she had sent it before she came, and it contained things she hadn’t brought with her on the trip.

The cotton printed four-piece bedding on the earthen kang was from the package.

“Both, both are fine.” Jiang Che didn’t dare to look at her. His 6’3″ frame seemed a little flustered.

Ji Wanqing climbed onto the bed. “Then I’ll sleep on the inside. Go to sleep, goodnight.”

It was their wedding night, and she really wanted to get intimate with Xiao Jiang Che. But her physical condition didn’t allow it. She didn’t want to tease him and end up suffering.

Jiang Che lay stiffly on the bed. Soon, he heard the sound of light breathing from beside him.

She fell asleep so quickly?

How could she fall asleep so quickly?

He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at her.

Moonlight streamed in from the window. He could only see the person beside him lying on their side, their mountainous curves rising and falling. Their dark, thick hair was slightly curled and spread out.

He reached out and touched it. It was very soft and smooth, like a luxurious silk fabric.

Jiang Che held it in his hand and kneaded it, then uncontrollably brought it to his nose and sniffed it. Then he suddenly woke up and let go, lying stiffly on the bed, motionless.

But the fragrance seemed to cling to his nose, tormenting him until he fell asleep in the middle of the night.

The next day.

When Ji Wanqing woke up, the bed next to her was empty.

He could hear the regular sound of digging from downstairs.

She changed clothes and went downstairs. Jiang Che was sweating profusely in the courtyard. He had said yesterday that he wanted to dig up the weeds in the courtyard.

Ji Wanqing wanted to plant some vegetables in the courtyard, so she asked him to turn the soil over while he was at it.

“You’re awake.” Jiang Che put down the hoe, washed his hands, and went to the kitchen to bring out the breakfast that was warming on the stove. “Your favorite soy milk and tea eggs.”

“Thank you, how early did you wake up?” Ji Wanqing was shocked. It was only nine o’clock! He had not only bought breakfast, but he had also turned over half of the soil!

“Six o’clock. I’m used to getting up early for morning exercises. Don’t worry about me, just do whatever you’re used to.”

The big event in life was over, and he still had three days left of his vacation. He would try to get everything done at home in these three days so she wouldn’t have to worry.

Ji Wanqing: … Young people, they have so much energy.

After breakfast, she casually fed the egg yolk to Jiang Che. Ji Wanqing washed her hands. “I bought some pastries yesterday. I thought that since we’re new here, we should go visit our neighbors.”

Aunt Zhuge had also reminded her of this. The family compound was also an interpersonal circle. It wasn’t about getting along well with everyone, but at least basic etiquette should be observed.

“That’s right, I’ll go with you.” Jiang Che put down the hoe, wiped himself down with a handkerchief, put on his outer shirt, and went out with Ji Wanqing.

The two-story courtyard was in the southeast corner of the family compound, arranged like the character “非”. They were on the second path on the left, called the second alley.

There were ten courtyards in the second alley, five on each side.

Aunt Zhuge lived in the second house on the right, close to the entrance but not right next to the road, a very good location.

Ji Wanqing’s house was the third house on the left, also a good location.

The couple took the first box of pastries and knocked on the door of the house next door.

The house on the left belonged to Commander Zhao of the 111th Regiment. Aunt Yulan was an honest person. When she saw the couple bringing pastries to visit, she insisted on giving them ten eggs.

She also told Ji Wanqing to come and visit her whenever she had time, so they could sit together and chat to relieve the boredom.

They took the pastries and went to knock on the door of the house on the right.

Soon, a girl with a braid came to open the door.

The moment she saw the beautiful girl outside, Ji Wanqing saw a deep sense of fear in her eyes.