Chapter 34

He Hongyuan’s sudden remark caught Lin Xiang off guard. What did he mean by that? Was he implying that if she used his fabric ration tickets, she had to be his wife?

Hmph, wishful thinking!

She pursed her lips and turned away, continuing her conversation with Yuezhu and Aunt Feng. However, she could still feel a scorching gaze from her right side, making her cheeks heat up.

The boat sailed across the sea, taking about forty minutes to reach the northern pier of Phnom Penh. The water rippled gently, and the slight rocking of the boat created a mild sense of dizziness.

Many military dependents had come from inland and weren’t used to traveling by boat. Some leaned against the cabin walls, looking pale, holding dried mango peels close to their noses to ease their discomfort.

Seasickness was hard to overcome—some people were naturally unaffected, while others needed repeated exposure to gradually adapt. Lin Xiang was among the lucky ones who didn’t experience it. However, she later realized that Aunt Feng and Yuezhu were slightly affected. It wasn’t severe, but it was still something to be mindful of.

She had prepared sour plum candies in advance—a welfare benefit given to workers at the food factory. Those who worked there often got access to leftover or slightly defective products. She handed out one candy to each person and didn’t forget to offer one to Comrade He Hongyuan, who was completely immune to seasickness.

Tilting her head slightly, she held out her hand. “Captain He, even though you don’t get seasick, you should still try one. It’s sour and quite tasty.”

Without hesitation, He Hongyuan took the candy from her palm, unwrapped it neatly, and popped it into his mouth. After savoring it for a moment, he remarked, “Mm, sweet and sour.”

Zhou Yuezhu, who also had a sour plum candy in her mouth, peeked over and said in a soft, teasing voice, “Oh wow, Cousin only eats candy when Cousin-in-law gives it to him! He never accepts candy from anyone else!”

Lin Xiang was flustered by Yuezhu’s playful teasing but was also curious. “Really?”

Yuezhu nudged her chin in her cousin’s direction. “It’s true! He stopped eating candy since he was ten. Now, he only eats it when you give it to him.”

Lin Xiang couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Was that really the case?

But He Hongyuan remained completely unbothered, showing no intention of explaining himself.

Amid the laughter and chatter, the boat docked at the northern pier. The gangway was lowered, and passengers disembarked one after another.

The last time Lin Xiang had come to Phnom Penh was a month ago, but in just one month, everything had changed dramatically.

She now had a proper job… and a fiancé!

He Hongyuan rarely went out for leisure. His life was simple and monotonous, so he had no say in the shopping plans—he just followed along with the three women.

Aunt Feng planned to take the younger ones to the department store. Even though they had set out early, the store was already bustling, as if it were a marketplace. Customers packed the aisles, eager to snatch up various goods.

As they merged into the crowd, Lin Xiang marveled at the department store, which was slightly larger than the one in Xifeng City.

Every morning, the newly stocked fabrics were the most sought-after items. People who had saved up their ration tickets were eager to grab brightly colored cloth.

Aunt Feng, along with Zhou Yuezhu and Lin Xiang, held onto their fifteen feet of ration tickets and squeezed into the crowd to buy fabric, leaving He Hongyuan to fend for himself. The man had his own shopping plans and headed toward other counters.

Aunt Feng was well-practiced in the art of fabric shopping, far more skilled than the two younger ones. Holding both money and tickets in her hands, she managed to secure five feet and five inches of pale yellow Terylene fabric and five feet of white floral Terylene. Terylene was pricier than regular cotton and couldn’t be exchanged on a one-to-one basis with fabric tickets—ten feet of tickets could only buy seven feet of Terylene.

Though expensive, the material was excellent—crisp and structured, unlike cotton, which wrinkled easily. It would be perfect for making Lin Xiang two blouses.

Zhou Yuezhu had recently gotten new clothes, and her wardrobe was already full of pretty outfits, so she only bought a few small items this time.

Holding onto the ten or so feet of fabric tickets He Hongyuan had given her, Lin Xiang thought for a moment and then squeezed into the crowd. Before long, she emerged with eight feet of black Terylene.

By then, He Hongyuan had finished his shopping and returned to the fabric counter. Seeing the color of the fabric Lin Xiang had chosen, he frowned slightly. “Why did you pick this color? You look good in bright ones.”

Young women typically didn’t like wearing black. He had heard Zhang Huafeng and Jiang Weijun mention that their girlfriends preferred vibrant colors.

Lin Xiang shook her head, her eyes twinkling. “It’s for you. You always wear white military uniforms—it’s time for a change.”

From white to black—she found the contrast amusing. A tall and well-built man in a black shirt would look incredibly handsome!

He Hongyuan had never considered buying fabric for himself, and he was about to suggest she exchange it for something she liked when he noticed her suddenly stopping to size him up from head to toe. Her gaze left him feeling a bit puzzled.

“What is it?” he asked.

Lin Xiang shook her head. “You’re so tall… You’ll use up a lot of fabric,” she clicked her tongue in mock dismay.

He Hongyuan: “…”

Then she flashed him a sweet smile. “But tall people look great in clothes.”

It was the first time He Hongyuan had ever been complimented like this. In the end, his attempt to refuse failed—the fabric tickets he had given her ended up being used for his own clothing instead.

As Lin Xiang carefully measured the fabric, thinking about how to tailor a shirt for him, He Hongyuan felt a faint warmth spread through his chest.

With the most important fabric purchases settled, the rest of the shopping focused on small trinkets. Zhou Yuezhu and Lin Xiang picked out several hair ties and clips, as well as two bottles of Pechoin cream. These were exclusive to city department stores, and since they had the chance to shop here, they weren’t going to pass it up.

Lin Xiang had plenty of ration coupons in hand, so she became a bit more generous with her spending. She bought two taels of brown sugar, two taels of white sugar, and then picked out half a pound of sponge cake, filling two oil-paper bags to the brim.

Before leaving, Lin Xiang looked around and finally spotted what she had been searching for among the dazzling array of goods.

With its thriving seafood industry, Jinbian City’s department store carried a variety of related products, including canned seafood from major food factories. Among them, the shrimp paste cans from Factory 119 were the best of the best, occupying the largest display area. They were neatly arranged alongside other brands of shrimp paste, fermented black bean fish, luncheon meat, and other canned goods.

Seeing Lin Xiang staring at the shrimp paste cans without looking away, He Hongyuan chuckled, “Haven’t you seen enough at the factory? You still want to buy some here?”

Lin Xiang turned around, her eyes filled with amusement. “You don’t get it. This is called reconnaissance! I’m checking out our factory’s competitors and seeing how well their products sell.”

Hearing her confident remark, He Hongyuan’s deep eyes brightened slightly, his lips curving into a smile. “You sure know a lot.”

“Of course!” Lin Xiang boasted, but then quickly worried she might have said too much and hurried to add, “Well, it’s just basic knowledge. Once you join the food industry, you naturally start paying more attention to these things. Just looking at these cans is making me hungry—let’s go eat.”

She swiftly changed the subject.

The four of them, all carrying full shopping bags, made their way to a state-owned restaurant for lunch. He Hongyuan treated them, having brought enough grain coupons and cash. He ordered the day’s featured dishes from the blackboard menu: ginger and scallion roasted duck, stir-fried coconut strips, four-treasure tofu, and fish stew with shrimp paste.

Feng Li had noticed Lin Xiang’s keen mind for tailoring back when they visited the state-run tailor shop. Smiling, she said, “You can decide how to make your blouse, and as for Hongyuan’s, it’s good for you to have a say in it too.”

Zhou Yuezhu joined in the teasing. “That’s right! Cousin wears his military uniform all day long—sister-in-law should give him a fresh new look!”

He Hongyuan couldn’t argue with his third aunt, but he did shoot a sharp glance at his cousin. However, Zhou Yuezhu wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She stuck out her tongue at him playfully and then turned to Lin Xiang, winking. “Sister-in-law, oh~?”

Lin Xiang had never thought much about Yuezhu calling her “sister-in-law” before. Back then, she and He Hongyuan were merely connected by a marriage certificate with no real relationship or feelings between them.

But now it was different. They were officially dating. Hearing Yuezhu call her “sister-in-law” now made her a little flustered.

And just then, He Hongyuan added fuel to the fire. “You’re the only one who talks to me without any respect. Don’t go annoying your sister-in-law.”

Lin Xiang: “……!”

Zhou Yuezhu immediately burst into laughter, her round eyes narrowing mischievously. She turned to her mother and said, “Mom, look! Cousin is already siding with sister-in-law!”

Throughout the meal, Lin Xiang could barely lift her head, all thanks to Zhou Yuezhu’s teasing. She could only sneak a few glares at He Hongyuan, silently telling him to rein it in.

After lunch, Feng Li planned to visit an old friend in the city, giving the young couple some time alone. “We’ll take the 5 PM boat back. Let’s meet directly at the pier.”

He Hongyuan naturally agreed.

For their date, Lin Xiang chose the biggest entertainment activity of the 1970s—watching a movie.

It was a coincidence that their first movie outing had been as a cover for Yuezhu and her boyfriend. Back then, their only connection was the shaky marriage certificate between them. But now, stepping into the city’s cinema again, they were officially a couple—one in a proper, freely chosen relationship.

The last time, Lin Xiang had watched the movie without caring about He Hongyuan at all. But this time, she found it difficult to ignore his presence.

The dimly lit screening room cast shadows, and though the film played on the screen ahead, she was acutely aware of the strong presence of the man beside her.

The small wooden benches were packed tightly, and with the popularity of the newly released film, the room was overcrowded. Many people squeezed in wherever they could, trying to fit more people onto each row of benches.

Lin Xiang was pushed so close to He Hongyuan that their shoulders brushed against each other. A slight lift of her head would bring her face dangerously close to his. His eyes gleamed in the darkness, and his deep voice carried a magnetic quality as he asked, “You okay? The crowd’s really eager to watch this one.”

“I’m fine.” Lin Xiang felt like she was surrounded by his presence, even her breathing seemed a little unsteady. She tried to shift away slightly, but just as she moved an inch, the woman next to her—holding two excited children—shifted as well, pressing against her forcefully.

The sudden push nearly sent Lin Xiang toppling into He Hongyuan’s arms, but he reacted quickly, catching her by the waist and steadying her with a firm grip on her arm.

Beside her, the woman apologized, but Lin Xiang didn’t say much and simply continued watching the movie, now pressed even closer to He Hongyuan. Fortunately, the room was dark, so no one could see her flushed face.

Of course, she also couldn’t see the faint red on He Hongyuan’s ears.

He sat ramrod straight the entire time, his posture stiff and unmoving, as if he were on high alert.

By the latter half of the movie, Lin Xiang had slowly grown accustomed to their close proximity. After all, she was a modern woman, and they were a legitimate couple—what was there to be shy about?

Still, this man had absolutely no sense of relaxation. Watching a movie shouldn’t be this serious. He looked as tense as if he were preparing for battle, sitting so rigidly that no one would believe he was simply enjoying a film.

The surroundings were quiet. Lin Xiang secretly turned her head to glance at the man beside her. He seemed completely unresponsive, his eyes fixed intently on the screen. A mischievous thought arose in her mind, and her slender fingers began to move nimbly and slowly from her own leg, inching little by little to the right…

Her pinky finger lightly hooked He Hongyuan’s pinky before she quickly withdrew her hand, as if playing a naughty prank, pretending that nothing had happened while staring seriously at the screen.

The man still didn’t react. Lin Xiang was surprised—was Comrade He Hongyuan really that hard to tease? Was the movie really that good?

Unwilling to accept defeat, she felt the need to at least see He Hongyuan smile helplessly. So, she tried again—her fingers stealthily moved to the right, lightly hooked his finger, and was about to retreat. But this time, as if lying in wait, He Hongyuan reacted with unexpected speed, swiftly capturing her “troublesome” hand in his grasp. Her delicate, soft fingers were completely enclosed in his palm, radiating waves of warmth.

At this point, whatever was happening on the movie screen no longer mattered. Lin Xiang’s heart pounded wildly, as if she had committed some grave taboo in such an innocent era, giving her a guilty conscience.

She tried to withdraw her hand, but He Hongyuan only tightened his grip, refusing to let go.

Only when the words “The End” appeared on the screen, and the murmuring voices of the crowd rising to leave filled the theater, did Lin Xiang realize that the firm grip around her hand had finally loosened. Her slightly heated fingers curled into her palm, fingertips pressing together as if still carrying the residual warmth of his touch.

However, before she could get up, her hand was once again grasped—this time, accompanied by a sudden cool sensation encircling her wrist.

Startled, Lin Xiang looked down and saw a delicate, elegant ladies’ wristwatch shining on her wrist. The smooth, silver-white watch face gleamed softly, the slender hands ticking away, quietly marking the passage of time.

“This watch…?” Lin Xiang had a suspicion but found it hard to believe.

As the lights in the theater turned back on, He Hongyuan finally released her hand and said lightly, “Didn’t you say you wanted to know the time? This is just right.”

Indeed, a few days ago, when He Hongyuan picked her up from work, he had heard her casually mention how she always had to guess the time every day, though she could usually get a rough estimate.

But Lin Xiang had only made an offhand remark. As someone from the modern era, she was used to checking the time easily with a phone. In the 1970s, however, that was not an option.

Even owning a wristwatch was out of reach. Not only did one cost over a hundred yuan, but it also required an industrial coupon. Lin Xiang had enough savings to afford it, but she didn’t have the coupon.

She hadn’t expected He Hongyuan to remember her casual comment and take the opportunity to buy her a watch when they came to the city today.

Her soft fingertips gently traced the cool surface of the watch. Just as she was about to speak, she heard He Hongyuan say, “This watch is for ladies. I can’t wear it, so you should keep it for yourself.”

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, and Lin Xiang’s smile deepened. This man still remembered how she had used his fabric ration tickets to buy black cloth to make him a shirt. Fabric could be made into men’s clothing, but a wristwatch’s design couldn’t be altered.

He had deliberately given her no chance to return it.

A ticklish warmth spread through Lin Xiang’s heart—who would have thought that the usually serious Captain He had such a cute side?

—

On the boat ride back to Langhua Island, Lin Xiang still felt her right wrist burning with heat, though she kept a neutral expression. He Hongyuan, as always, maintained his stern and composed demeanor, so neither Aunt Feng nor Yuezhu noticed anything amiss.

It was only when Aunt Feng asked whether the movie was good that Lin Xiang, feeling guilty, instinctively turned to glance at the man beside her. She hadn’t exactly paid much attention to the movie, especially during the latter half, which she had no recollection of whatsoever.

He Hongyuan’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he replied, “It was good.”

While the others weren’t paying attention, Lin Xiang sneaked a glance at him, her eyes filled with silent accusation—Did you even watch it? How can you just say it was good?!

But He Hongyuan simply arched an eyebrow and curved his lips into a quiet, knowing smile.

—

The two long-sleeved blouses Lin Xiang had planned to make, along with He Hongyuan’s black shirt, were sent to the state-run tailor shop during her lunch break on Monday.

Following modern fashion trends, she made some modest adjustments to the designs. Women’s shirts in the 1970s were typically loose and bulky, so she requested a slightly fitted waist and added some decorative details to the collar.

As for He Hongyuan’s black shirt, she focused on making it sharp and structured, aiming for a clean and elegant look.

After finalizing the details, Lin Xiang paid a deposit of nine mao for all three shirts before returning to work.

Ever since her lively encounter with Master Feng from the repair team at Factory No. 1 the previous week, her workdays had been busier. While the other three people in the office were slacking off, Lin Xiang focused on her tasks, tuning out the background chatter—Director Zhao reading the newspaper and commenting on slogans, Ma Defa reciting poetry with dramatic enthusiasm, and Kong Zhenzhen gossiping while mending labor protection gloves.

Director Zhao: “Oh, look at this—there’s going to be a family planning initiative. They’re forming a leadership team for it. How do they put it…? Late births, spaced births, fewer births. Don’t have kids like sows dropping litters, one after another.”

Kong Zhenzhen snapped back angrily, “Director Zhao, what kind of talk is that? Who are you calling a sow?”

Director Zhao rubbed his nearly bald head. “Oops, my mouth slipped again. You know what I mean.”

Kong Zhenzhen, who already had two children and was planning a third, grumbled, “I don’t see why they have to mess with all this nonsense.”

Ma Defa paid no attention to anything outside, and amid Director Zhao and Kong Zhenzhen’s “friendly” discussion about the new childbirth policy, he quietly recited, “Struggle—this is life, this is the richest life…①.”

Lin Xiang translated the general content of the complex and difficult-to-understand mixer equipment manual onto a fresh sheet of paper, separately noting down some technical terms. This was an area she was unfamiliar with, requiring discussion with Master Feng to infer their actual meanings.

The three different conversations in the office all stopped simultaneously as the three colleagues stood up and called out to Lin Xiang, “Xiao Lin, stop writing, let’s eat first.”

One of the rules at Factory No. 2: No matter how big the world is, nothing is bigger than mealtime.

Lin Xiang joined the three of them in the cafeteria of Factory No. 1. As usual, they arrived early—before the factory workers got off their shifts—so they could get large pieces of braised pork, heaping portions of food, and eat in comfort and ease.

As more workers from Factory No. 1 trickled into the cafeteria for lunch, the four of them were finishing up their meals when hushed whispers drifted to their ears.

“Is it true that our wages are going to be cut?”

“Of course. Shrimp paste hasn’t been selling these past two months—it’s all been snatched up by Shiwei Food Factory. The sales department staff are worried sick. If this continues, our production tasks will be reduced. Otherwise, where are we going to sell all the shrimp paste we produce?”

The group from Factory No. 2 carried their lunch boxes out of the cafeteria and turned on the faucet by the sink to wash them. As the water flowed, Kong Zhenzhen’s voice rang out, “What do you mean? Factory No. 1 is struggling?”

In her understanding, Factory No. 1 was the backbone, supporting thousands of workers in the food factory with its signature shrimp paste canning business.

If Factory No. 1 couldn’t hold on, how could Factory No. 2 survive?

Director Zhao shook his head and hushed her. “Let’s talk about it back at the office.”

Director Zhao was usually cheerful, but when it came to gathering information, he was no slouch. By the time the workday was nearly over, he returned with the latest news.

However, his expression was serious. As soon as he entered, he closed the door behind him, leaving the three others momentarily stunned.

Curious, Ma Defa asked, “Director Zhao, don’t tell me something’s really wrong?”

Factory No. 2 had practically been exiled to the outskirts, and they were completely out of the loop when it came to news. Seeing the unprecedented severity on Director Zhao’s face, Lin Xiang knew something wasn’t right.

In a flash, she recalled the seafood cans she had seen at the department store on Sunday. Alongside the rows of deep red shrimp paste cans from Factory 119, there had also been rows of deep blue cans. And there had been quite a few buyers—enough to suggest they might soon rival Factory 119’s shrimp paste in market share.

She thought back—those deep blue cans were from a brand called Shiwei.

For once, Director Zhao didn’t start off with his usual relaxed attitude. Instead, he spoke with a rare sense of gravity. “This time, it’s really a bit tricky. Apparently, Shiwei Food Factory in Jinbian City applied for funding and managed to get some advanced equipment. They also improved their canned shrimp paste recipe. Over the past two months, their sales have skyrocketed, which has had a significant impact on Factory No. 1’s shrimp paste.”

The effects hadn’t been obvious in the first two months, and the major department stores that had contracts with Factory 119 had continued to stock their usual quantities. But this month, the sales department received numerous requests from department stores to reduce their orders—by as much as one-fifth.

That wasn’t a small number. A 20% drop in sales meant a decrease in factory revenue, which in turn would lead to a reduction in production tasks. Workers’ wages would inevitably be affected as well.

More critically, Shiwei Food Factory had only been selling their revised shrimp paste for three months, yet it had already made such a dent in Factory 119’s sales. If this continued, orders could decrease further next month and the month after… At this rate, Factory 119 could lose at least half of its market share.

The usually carefree Ma Defa and Kong Zhenzhen both fell silent at this revelation.

Factory No. 2 was, after all, dependent on Factory No. 1. If Factory No. 1 struggled, Factory No. 2 would be the first to be cut off.

Seeing the tense atmosphere in the office, Director Zhao, perhaps unable to bear the weight of it, quickly forced a smile and reassured them, “But it’s not that bad. Factory 119 has been around for years, and residents across dozens of cities in the region are used to our shrimp paste. There’s no way Shiwei can take over so easily. Right now, they’re just riding the wave of their newly improved product. Once the novelty wears off, things will settle back to normal.”

Kong Zhenzhen, hearing Director Zhao’s words, found them reasonable. “That’s true. There’s no way Factory 119 would just go under like that. Shiwei might make a fuss for a few months, but that’s about it.”

Ma Defa, too, latched onto this comforting thought. “That makes sense. When it comes to shrimp paste, ours is still the best-tasting and the best-selling. Even the government reception halls order our shrimp paste for their tables.”

Reassured by these thoughts, the group quickly snapped out of their worries and resumed their usual cheerful attitude, tidying up their things and preparing to leave for the day.

Only Lin Xiang remained at her desk. Thinking back to what she had seen at the department store, she had a nagging feeling that things wouldn’t be so simple.

Traveling by boat to Jinbian City wasn’t easy, so Lin Xiang reached out to Aunt Feng and asked for help. She found a military wife from the family quarters who was heading to the city on Wednesday to buy supplies. Handing over one yuan, she asked her to purchase a can of Shiwei shrimp paste. After hesitating for a moment, she handed over another yuan, requesting that she buy a few other best-selling canned products from Shiwei Food Factory.

After dinner, lost in thought about the sudden emergence of Shiwei Food Factory, Lin Xiang headed to the tailor shop to pick up her clothes. She wasn’t sure whether Factory 119 would be able to withstand the competition from this new rival. However, before she could dwell on it further, her attention was caught by three neatly cut and crisply tailored shirts displayed in the shop.

Lin Xiang’s two blouses were made from light yellow and white floral fabric, respectively. The light yellow blouse featured ruffled trim along the front and a subtly curved waistline, exuding a fresh, youthful energy. The white floral blouse was simpler, with a small, square collar and red buttons that added a striking touch of color, giving it a charming, pastoral elegance.

The men’s shirt was sharply tailored, with a clean, structured cut. The black Dacron fabric gave it a crisp, refined look, with broad shoulders tapering smoothly to a narrow waist. As Lin Xiang looked at the shirt, she could already picture He Hongyuan wearing it—his broad shoulders and slim waist radiating an air of restrained allure.

Back at the Zhou family home, Aunt Feng and Yuezhu’s eyes lit up at the sight of the new clothes. Yuezhu clicked her tongue in amazement. “This cut is even better than the ones sold at the department store!”

Feng Li was also delighted. “From now on, whenever we buy fabric to make clothes, we’ll need Xiang Xiang’s advice. This really is different!”

Lin Xiang was quite satisfied with this batch of clothes. With these two new blouses, her wardrobe now had a total of four new outfits! A cause for celebration!

One day, she would fill her entire wardrobe!

As the sun dipped westward, the residential compound was cast in dusky twilight. Lin Xiang stroked the black shirt, hesitated for a moment, and then, unable to resist, slipped out into the night toward the military’s single officers’ dormitory.

Women weren’t allowed upstairs at night, so she registered at the gate and asked a soldier to call for He Hongyuan. “My name is Lin Xiang. Please inform Captain He Hongyuan that I’m here to deliver his clothes.”

The duty soldier had, of course, heard about Captain He’s relationship. He immediately saluted Lin Xiang and sprinted upstairs to deliver the message.

Moments later, two people descended from the second floor. The duty soldier kept his gaze straight ahead as he returned to his post, while He Hongyuan strode forward, emerging from the darkness. As he came closer, his chiseled features—sharp brows and star-like eyes—gradually came into view.

Owning a watch had its benefits. Lin Xiang raised her wrist and checked the time—8:42 PM.

“Why did you come so late?” He Hongyuan chided, though his eyes were filled with warmth as he led her to a quieter spot in the compound. “I could’ve picked it up tomorrow. You didn’t have to make the trip at night.”

Lin Xiang unfolded the black shirt and held it up to He Hongyuan’s chest. The size was perfect, as if it had been made just for him. The deep black fabric replaced his usual white military uniform, giving him an aura of cool authority in the dim night—intense yet irresistibly attractive.

“You’ll look amazing in this!”

With his sharp features, deep-set eyes, and defined jawline, He Hongyuan was the perfect match for such a dark, commanding color.

“You clearly have great taste.” He Hongyuan had never received a gift from a partner before. Thinking of how Zhang Huafeng and Jiang Weijun constantly flaunted the little presents their girlfriends sent them, he finally understood the feeling. His usually serious face softened, showing none of the resistance he’d had when she first suggested buying fabric.

“Of course, I have excellent taste!” Lin Xiang stepped closer, her figure blending into the night. Standing on tiptoe, she gently placed a kiss on He Hongyuan’s cheek.

She was more than satisfied with her choices—both in clothing and in the man before her.