Chapter 36: The Sachet (Part 2)

After making the bed, she hesitated for a moment before taking out a brand-new red bedsheet and spreading it over the mattress.

As for the condoms—she had bought five whole boxes. She put most of them in the cabinet, took out one box, and opened it, pulling out three packets.

Tonight, with the kids staying at the restaurant and her husband back home, Chen Yufeng didn’t intend to be reserved. She planned to share the bed with him.

As she retrieved the condoms from her bag, she noticed something else—a small embroidered pouch.

It was a protective charm, the kind rural grandmothers loved to get from temples.

She had seen this one before. Wang Guoguo had always carried it with her, and at night, she liked to keep it under her pillow.

She wasn’t sure if Tiantian had asked for permission before taking it, but here it was.

Chen Yufeng had lied about having nightmares—she had only said that to get Mimi to slow down.

But Tiantian, her thoughtful little girl, had taken her words to heart and gone out of her way to get her a protective charm.

Smiling, Chen Yufeng held the charm in her hand, instinctively giving it a little squeeze—only to realize something felt off.

The protective charms from the small temple in Guihua Town usually contained grains—carefully measured portions of different types.

But this one… it didn’t feel like grains at all.

It felt like paper.

Curious, Chen Yufeng untied the pouch.

Inside was a sheet of paper, clearly aged—so old that the edges were nearly worn away.

It was a letter.

She turned on the lamp and was just about to read it when suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside.

She heard familiar voices—Zhao Fangzheng, Han Chao, and a few others.

“Good evening, Director!”

The sound of boots on the ground, the crisp greetings—it was unmistakable. The men were back.

Chen Yufeng immediately put the letter down and stepped outside.

Just as she walked out, the courtyard lights flicked on.

Han Chao stood there, with Zhao Fangzheng and Wang Shuya at his side.

They had just finished saluting.

And there were two other people in the courtyard—one of them was Zhang Aixia.

The other was none other than the fishmonger from the Daqingshan wholesale market.

There were two fish vendors in the wholesale market. One was an elderly couple—honest and down-to-earth.

The other, however, was notorious for exploiting customers and frequently selling dead fish.

And this man standing here was precisely the one known for selling dead fish.

Even though Zhang Aixiang was being sued by Ma Lin, she was still a leader in the logistics department—someone with authority.

As soon as she arrived, Zhao Fangzheng and Wang Shuya dared not relax, standing at attention in the courtyards on either side.

Seeing Chen Yufeng come out, Zhang Aixiang spoke up: “Han Chao, this isn’t wartime. In recent years, the military district’s entry and exit regulations haven’t been as strict as you imagine. If you don’t believe me, ask your wife. A few days ago, when she was having renovations done, the workers she brought in were able to enter just by reporting my name at the gate. No special clearance, just a simple greeting, and they came and went freely—even staying in your house. Your wife’s workers could come in with just a name drop, so isn’t it perfectly normal for Gao Ping, who delivers fish to the military district every month, to do the same?”

At that moment, Chen Yufeng had just stepped out, and everyone turned to look at her—Han Chao, Zhao Fangzheng, and Wang Shuya.

But before they could ask her anything, Chen Yufeng immediately said, “A few days ago, when I was handling the renovations, I did check in with Director Zhang. She said there were no temporary entry permits available, so I had to register the workers as my ‘relatives.’ I did that, but I certainly didn’t let them come and go as they pleased. I made sure they signed in at the main gate every time, and none of them stayed overnight. They arrived in the morning and left in the evening, all properly recorded in the gate log.”

Han Chao turned to Zhang Aixiang, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. “My wife handled things correctly. This fish vendor, however, did not follow protocol and entered the military district without authorization. I’m currently investigating the source of the illicit magazines, so I have to detain and interrogate him.”

Hearing Chen Yufeng say she not only kept records but also ensured the workers didn’t stay overnight, Zhang Aixiang looked slightly surprised.

She glanced around and spotted a stool, then sat down and said to Chen Yufeng, “Yufeng, you mustn’t lie. The gate log is compiled monthly, and we can check it at any time.”

Chen Yufeng replied, “You can check it right now. I recorded everything myself. Why would I forget?”

She hadn’t known what exactly was happening, but when Zhang Aixiang refused to issue temporary permits for her workers, she had sensed something was off and made sure to be extra cautious.

Sure enough, trouble had come knocking.

Zhang Aixiang, being a seasoned leader, remained silent for a while before saying, “Yufeng, your diligence in logging daily entries is commendable. But Gao Ping is just a fish vendor. He once did farm work with us during the resettlement period and even served in the military. He’s an old acquaintance of the unit. A mere fish vendor has nothing to do with your investigation into illicit magazines. Han Chao, do me a favor and let him go. He’s got business to run tomorrow.”

Han Chao replied firmly, “I can’t do that. Please escort him to the security office. According to regulations, I have to detain him.”

Before Zhang Aixiang could respond, the fish vendor suddenly spat on the ground. “Damn it, back when I was a soldier, you were still running around in open-crotch pants, Han Chao! I’m a businessman—losing a day of business means losing a lot of money. If you detain me overnight, can you afford to compensate me? And on what grounds are you holding me? The military has no law enforcement authority! If you dare to detain me, I’ll call 110 tomorrow and report that the army is unlawfully detaining civilians.”

The military and civilians operated as separate entities.

Detaining a civilian for the sake of investigating illicit magazines did indeed sound questionable.

The country’s current climate was one of openness and democracy, whereas the military maintained strict regulations. If a dispute arose, law enforcement would likely scrutinize the military first to prevent abuses of power in peacetime.

Zhao Fangzheng and Wang Shuya, who frequently bought groceries and knew the fish vendor, were about to persuade Han Chao to drop the matter.

But Han Chao merely furrowed his brows slightly and said, “On what grounds? On the grounds that you violated military district entry regulations. You could be a spy, posing a threat to national security.”

The fish vendor sneered. “You’ve watched too many movies. It’s the ’90s—who the hell is a spy anymore? What a load of crap! The country has opened up, and the streets are full of foreigners. Are they all spies? I’m just a fish vendor! Han Chao, you’re just looking for trouble.”

He spat again—this time, nearly hitting Han Chao’s shoe.

In the past, Han Chao would have punched him on the spot.

But this time, he simply looked at the spit for a moment before calmly turning to Zhang Aixiang and saying, “Director Zhang, I’m off duty now. Please don’t add unnecessary work to my plate. Take this man to the security office.”

Zhang Aixiang remained silent for a long while before finally turning to the fish vendor. “Let’s go, Gao Ping. Since Han Chao insists, just cooperate. After all, you haven’t committed any crimes or smuggled any contraband into the military district, right?”

Though she spoke in a conciliatory tone, the fish vendor was livid. He spat again and pointed at Han Chao. “You little bastard, what the hell are you acting so high and mighty for? Your military district is broke—you still haven’t paid me for last year’s fish deliveries! You dare detain me tonight? Fine! Tomorrow, I’ll go straight to Commander Luo and demand my payment! And from now on, I’m done doing business with the military. No more fish for you lot!”

Han Chao, seemingly unfazed, stood tall and composed. Even in the face of provocation, he didn’t react.

Seeing that Zhang Aixiang had gotten up, he immediately stood at attention and saluted. “Take care, Director.”

The fish vendor, already at the courtyard gate, suddenly turned back and raised his middle finger. “To hell with you, Han Chao!”

Han Chao clenched his fists and turned to glare at the fish vendor, his cold eyes flashing dangerously—he was ready to strike.

Fortunately, Zhang Aixiang pushed the fish vendor forward. “Enough! Just cooperate with the investigation tomorrow. What’s with all this fuss?”

As the two walked away, Zhao Fangzheng muttered, “That fish vendor used to be a soldier? He’s so vulgar.”

Wang Shuya chuckled. “Come on, it’s normal. The army’s full of ruffians and lowlifes.”

Zhao Fangzheng said, “I’ll interrogate him tomorrow. That fish vendor has a foul mouth, and I’m afraid Han Chao might end up fighting him.”

Wang Shuya was about to nod in agreement when Han Chao interjected, “No need. I’ll handle it myself.”

“Just make sure you don’t hit him. If a soldier lays hands on someone—regardless of whether they’re guilty or not—you’ll end up in confinement,” Wang Shuya warned.

Han Chao brushed the dust off his shoulder, furrowed his brow slightly, and simply responded, “I won’t.”

The two men then turned to wash up. Han Chao turned on the tap and splashed water over his face. Meanwhile, Chen Yufeng, though unsure of the full situation, was quite pleased with herself for having properly registered the workers at the gate. She eagerly wanted to tell Han Chao how Dan Haichao and the Hong Kong businessman had managed to renovate her restaurant within a week.

As she spoke, she noticed Han Chao was smiling.

After finishing her story, she added, “Brother, I didn’t embarrass you, did I?”

Even though she had only hired two workers, Chen Yufeng had been extremely cautious. She made sure they stayed outside at night and even secretly checked their bags before they left to ensure they hadn’t taken anything.

Caution is the key to long-term success. She might not be educated, but she was meticulous.

Han Chao paused in washing his face, looked at his wife’s expectant expression, and replied gently, “Not at all. You made me proud.”

Over the past two years, access control in the military district had loosened. Although they had only caught one fish vendor so far, Zhang Aixiang had a long list of people who entered the base with just a verbal greeting rather than a proper entry permit. It was highly likely that these individuals were responsible for the influx of illegal adult magazines.

Since the logistics department was responsible for everyone’s daily necessities, investigating it was a difficult task unless one had solid backing.

If Chen Yufeng had been careless, Han Chao wouldn’t have had the confidence to pursue the investigation.

But because she had followed the rules so meticulously, leaving no room for error, Han Chao now had the leverage to conduct a thorough investigation.

Seeing her husband’s smile, Chen Yufeng also grinned and said, “The food is in the pot. Go eat. I’m going to bed first.”

She had showered that afternoon and, though they would be sharing a bed, she was too shy to meet his gaze. She quickly retreated to the bedroom.

After washing his face, Han Chao entered the small bedroom—only to freeze in place.

There were no pillows on the bed.

It was obvious that Chen Yufeng had moved them next door.

Even the densest person would understand what this meant.

Han Chao stood still for a long moment, then turned to leave. But in his haste, he miscalculated and smacked his forehead against the doorframe. He saw stars for a second, rubbed his head, and remembered that the courtyard gate was still open.

So he went out to close the courtyard gate, then shut the bedroom door as well. But after thinking for a moment, he realized—he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet.

So he stepped out again to brush his teeth.

When he finally returned to the bedroom, he saw Chen Yufeng making the bed.

Her short hair, which he had grown accustomed to, was actually quite beautiful.

It reminded him of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. She had the same haircut, and her outfit—white blouse, black flared skirt, and slip-on lace-up sandals—was similar to what Chen Yufeng was wearing now.

Those shoes looked elegant and were far more comfortable than the high heels other women wore.

As she finished making the bed, Chen Yufeng turned and asked, “You didn’t eat?”

“I ate at work,” Han Chao lied. In reality, he hadn’t eaten since noon, but at the moment, he wasn’t hungry.

Chen Yufeng patted the bed and said softly, “Then let’s sleep.”

For some reason, even though Han Chao wasn’t hungry, he had the urge to bite his wife’s softly smiling lips.

As she took off her outer layer and sat on the inside of the bed, Han Chao also sat down on the edge.

But the moment he did, there was a faint creak. He immediately lifted himself up. “What was that?”

Chen Yufeng looked over and saw—it was a box of condoms.

She was embarrassed, but Han Chao was even more flustered.

Neither of them had much experience in this area.

Still, Chen Yufeng had to prepare, and she had to prepare a lot.

In the novel, the original Chen Yufeng had desperately wanted to have a son. But since Han Chao didn’t have much desire for intimacy, they didn’t do it often. And because he didn’t want anything to interfere with his work, he always used protection.

She had only gotten pregnant because, despite using protection, something had gone wrong.

But once she was pregnant, she refused to get an abortion. She had been willing to risk her life to give birth.

The first time she and Han Chao were together, they had spent three full days together—and she ended up conceiving twins.

It made her feel like she got pregnant at the slightest touch.

Now, she was terrified of another accidental pregnancy, afraid of both abortion and the dangers of childbirth. Naturally, she was being extra cautious.

She pulled out the box and said softly, “Birth control.”

Han Chao remained calm, but his throat trembled slightly. “I forgot,” he admitted. He was supposed to buy them.

By now, Chen Yufeng had taken out three and handed them to him.

Even though no one else was in the room, Han Chao still glanced around before exhaling deeply. He placed two under the pillow, but when he felt a piece of paper, he moved it to the bedside table along with the condoms.

Chen Yufeng gathered her courage and pushed the remaining two into his hands.

Afraid he might get upset, she carefully explained, “You should wear all three at once. That way, it’s safer. Otherwise… I might get pregnant again.”