Chapter 3

“Sister-in-law, just say what you want to say.”

Lu Yu put the bucket on the ground, picked up another bucket of water, and poured it into the large pot. The sound of water splashing broke the silence of the night. He put down the bucket, turned around, and looked at Jiang Nian, who was standing outside the door.

“Can we stay a few more days?” She came up with a temporary excuse: “I have a headache.”

Lu Yu said, “Please bear with it. The conditions in the village are limited. Once we return to the army, I will take you to the hospital there for a proper check-up and recuperation. Besides, the leader specially approved for me five days of leave, and I can’t be returning any later than that.”

Since Lu Yu had said this much, she couldn’t argue any further and nodded lightly, “Then I’ll listen to you.”

Jiang Nian went back into the house, sat on a small stool, and sighed as she looked at the kerosene lamp.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. She looked up to see Lu Yu entering while holding the bathtub that the original owner used, and a bucket of hot water. He glanced at Jiang Nian, then awkwardly averted his eyes, placed the tub on the ground, and poured the water in. He went back and forth twice to fill the tub halfway.

“Try the water temperature. If it’s not hot enough, I’ll add more hot water.”

Jiang Nian bit her lip, moved her stool closer to the bathtub, and tested the water with her hand. The temperature was just right. She swirled her hand in the water and said with her head down, “The temperature is just right.”

Then, biting her lip again, she squeezed out the word, “Thank you.”

Lu Yu quickly picked up the bucket and left, closing the door behind him.

Jiang Nian got up and locked the door. She walked to the bathtub and looked at the large basin of water with tears in her eyes. The room was lit by a kerosene lamp, and the water’s surface was as calm as a mirror. She bent over to look at her reflection in the water, discovering that the face of the original owner was identical to hers, except the original owner was much thinner.

After marrying into the Xu family, the original owner didn’t have to work in the fields every day as she did in the Jiang family, and over the years, her skin had become fairer.

Jiang Nian felt refreshed after her bath. She changed into clean clothes, opened the door, and walked out, just in time to see Lu Yu entering from the main gate. He had taken off his uniform and was wearing a white shirt with military green pants. He held a door latch in his hand and inserted it into the door.

Seeing Jiang Nian standing outside, Lu Yu strode into her room, rolled up his sleeves, bent down, and lifted the bathtub effortlessly, making Jiang Nian admire him for his strength.

If it were her, she’d have to scoop the water out bit by bit.

Lu Yu poured the water in the yard, turned his back to Jiang Nian, and said somewhat awkwardly, “It’s late, go to sleep. The doctor said you need to rest to heal.”

Jiang Nian replied, “Okay.”

She turned back into the house, closed the bedroom door, and lay down on the bed.

It was the hottest time in July. Jiang Nian slept with the window open, listening to the sounds of insects and frogs outside. She turned her head to see the sky full of stars, finding the moment particularly peaceful and beautiful.

She had almost slept for an entire day and night, so she wasn’t sleepy now. Her mind kept thinking about the plot of the book. The male lead was now a deputy commander in the army. After handling the original owner’s funeral, he would take a train back to the army and  that was where he’d meet the female lead, who at that time was reporting to the army hospital with a letter of introduction. They’d have a pleasant conversation and find out they were from the same county, deepening their mutual affection.

But now the male lead had to return early, so the plot where he met the female lead wouldn’t happen.

However, since the female lead worked at the army hospital, they might still meet when the male lead returned to the army, and the story could gradually get back on track. She also had to find a way to return to her own time.

She missed her soft bed, phone, air conditioning, and takeout so much…

Jiang Nian gradually fell asleep, waking in the middle of the night to the sound of water splashing. Thinking it was raining, she propped herself up and looked out the window, only to see Lu Yu standing by the well, shirtless, pouring a bucket of cold water over his head and wiping himself with a towel.

He had his back to the window, and even in the dark, Jiang Nian could see his muscular back, with smooth, firm lines, resembling the most perfect body she had seen on her phone.

Feeling Lu Yu was about to turn around, Jiang Nian quickly lay back down, turned her back to the window, and squeezed her eyes shut.

She kept repeating in her mind: I didn’t peek on purpose…

Outside in the yard, Lu Yu casually dried himself, put on his clothes, picked up the kerosene lamp, and returned back to his room. He glanced at Jiang Nian’s wide-open window, frowned, and thought he was being overly suspicious.

It was the middle of the night, she must be sound asleep.

He had chosen this time to draw water from the well and bathe to avoid the awkwardness of bathing one after the other.

Jiang Nian was half-asleep and half-awake for most of the night. At dawn, she heard footsteps outside, coming and going. She didn’t need to think to know it was Lu Yu.

Taking advantage of being a patient, Jiang Nian lingered in bed for a while longer before getting up.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she found that Lu Yu had already made breakfast. He had prepared a dish of stir-fried cabbage with meat, another of stir-fried shredded potatoes with meat, porridge, and hot white bread buns. From the original owner’s memory, she knew that meat was expensive and required meat coupons, and that white bread buns were a luxury many people couldn’t afford. The meals last night and this morning must have cost quite a lot of money.

She remembered that two years ago when the male lead returned to handle Xu’s father funeral, he brought a bag of white flour, some meat, and peach pastries that were only available in the county. He had told the original owner not to skimp, as he would send allowances back regularly. The original owner knew that his kindness was due to her taking care  of Xu Cheng.

However, after the male lead left, Jiang’s mother came to Xu’s house and took everything that the male lead had brought home.

Jiang Nian sat down to eat. She noticed that Lu Yu only ate vegetables but not meat, just like last night. He waited for her to finish eating before eating all the leftovers on the plate. She thought that if Lu Yu lived in the modern era, he would be a very decent man.

He was responsible, reliable, and most importantly he is handsome. He has all the qualities that a male lead in a book should have.

After finishing her meal, Jiang Nian put down her chopsticks. When Lu Yu finished eating, she wanted to take the initiative to clear the table, but he beat her to it: “Sister-in-law, go lie down in your room first. Dr. Zhang will come over to change your dressing later.”

“Alright,” she replied.

Watching Lu Yu carry the dishes to the kitchen, Jiang Nian got up and went back to her room.

A while later, Dr. Zhang arrived with an old-fashioned wooden medical box to change Jiang Nian’s dressing. Dr. Zhang, in his forties, was the only doctor in the team. Anyone with an injury or illness will go see Dr. Zhang.

After changing the dressing and reapplying fresh bandages, Dr. Zhang gave Jiang Nian a few instructions before leaving.

Both lunch and dinner were prepared by Lu Yu.

They had noodles for lunch and porridge for dinner. Noodles were also a rare commodity in this era.

After dinner, Jiang Nian returned to her room and packed the few clothes the original owner had into a cloth bag. There was nothing else worth taking.

Lu Yu came in from outside, glanced at the cloth bag beside Jiang Nian, and asked, “Is that all?”

Jiang Nian pressed her lips together and nodded.

Without another word, Lu Yu walked over and stuffed the small cloth bag into his large pack: “Go to sleep early. We’ll leave early tomorrow morning.”

After saying that, he picked up his large pack and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Jiang Nian wasn’t sleepy. She stared at the kerosene lamp on the table and sighed, still fretting about how to return to her own time. It was almost midnight before she fell asleep. It felt like she hadn’t slept long before she heard a knock on the door: “Sister-in-law, are you up?”

“Yes,” Jiang Nian quickly responded.

Lu Yu’s deep, powerful voice came from outside the door: “Breakfast is ready. We’ll leave right after eating. The train is at four in the afternoon, and we need to hurry.”

“Alright,” Jiang Nian said.

She got up, dressed, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and tied two small braids according to the original owner’s habit before going out to eat. She knew from the original owner’s memory that it took three hours to get from the village to the county, and another two hours by bus from the county to the city. It would take five hours altogether, and if they dawdled, they might miss the train.

After breakfast, Lu Yu went to wash the dishes. The front door was knocked on, and it was the voice of Zhao Gang, the son of Aunt Zhao next door: “Lu Lao’er, it’s getting late, we need to go now.”

“Coming.” 

He came out of the kitchen, locked the door, and asked Jiang Nian, “Is there anything else you need to bring?”

Jiang Nian thought for a moment and shook her head: “There is nothing.”

Lu Yu picked up his military green pack and walked out with Jiang Nian, locking the door behind them. They climbed onto Zhao Gang’s donkey cart and headed to the county. Lu Yu and Zhao Gang sat in front talking, while Jiang Nian sat in the back, looking at the 1970s countryside. The bumpy dirt road and earthen houses everywhere revealed the poverty of rural life in this era. People carrying hoes and shovels greeted Lu Yu along the way.

“Lu Lao’er, where are you going?”

“Returning to the army,” Lu Yu replied.

“Taking your sister-in-law with you?”

“She has no one to look after her at home. I can take care of her a bit in the army.”

Jiang Nian kept her head down the whole time, thankful that the original owner was a quiet person. People just glanced at her and moved on. When the donkey cart left the village, Zhao Gang looked back at Jiang Nian and said to Lu Yu, “It’s good to take your sister-in-law with you. It’s not easy for her to stay home alone.”

He left some things unsaid.

The Xu’s family daughter in law was weak, and a widow at home could be an easy target for troublemakers or constant bullying from the Jiang family, she would probably end up like Xu Cheng in no time if she continued to stay in this village.

After three hours on the donkey cart, Jiang Nian felt like her bones were about to fall apart.

Lu Yu bought bus tickets from the county to the city. Their seats were next to each other. Once on the bus, Jiang Nian, who always got sleepy on vehicles, leaned against the window to rest, lamenting in her heart about wanting to return to her own time.

The bus moved slowly, and Jiang Nian, uncomfortable with her head against the window, groggily leaned on Lu Yu’s arm, finding a comfortable position and falling into a deep sleep.

When Jiang Nian leaned over, Lu Yu stiffened.

He tightened his lips, put his hands on his legs, and even his breathing became lighter. His expression was a bit unnatural.

Although he knew Jiang Nian wasn’t doing it on purpose, he couldn’t remain indifferent.

Lu Yu held on for a while before gently adjusting Jiang Nian’s head, moving her slightly to the side. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, she moved back, leaning on his arm again, tugging at his sleeve, and muttering, “Don’t move.”

Lu Yu: …

He didn’t expect her to be like this when she was asleep.

An elderly couple sat on the other side. The old lady looked at Lu Yu, thinking they were a quarreling couple, with the husband still angry. She couldn’t help but scold Lu Yu, “You’re such a petty man. Your wife’s head is injured, let her lean on you and sleep, what’s the big deal?”

The old man next to them heard the old lady and chimed in, “A man should be more magnanimous.”

Lu Yu: …

He stopped avoiding her, sitting upright but remaining tense.

The bus traveled for two hours, during which Jiang Nian also slept for two hours. When the bus arrived at the station, the surrounding voices and the sound of the brakes woke Jiang Nian up. She lazily opened her eyes and realized she was leaning on Lu Yu’s arm. She was so scared that she quickly sat up in fright.

Lu Yu stood up and retrieved the large military green bag from the luggage rack.

Without Lu Yu’s tall frame blocking the view, the old lady immediately noticed Jiang Nian sitting by the window. Her head was wrapped in bandages, her clothes were patched, and she was skinny, looking timid and fearful with her head lowered. The old lady got even angrier and scolded Lu Yu, “Young man, you look decent, but why is your heart so cruel? Be nicer to your wife in the future! Look at how thin she’s become!”

Lu Yu, expressionless, shouldered his bag and replied, “Alright.”

Jiang Nian: ???

What is going on?

She just took a nap, how come she became Lu Yu’s wife once she woke up?!

**