Chapter 6 – The Reserved but Passionate Man

When Ran Jinnian saw several public security officers run out, hop on their bicycles, and head toward the west side of the city, she quietly left as well.

As she walked, she wondered how she could take fruit out from her space.

In the current era, goods were scarce, and fruits even rarer—usually just apples, pears, or oranges.

She wouldn’t take out anything too rare, otherwise it would draw attention and be impossible to explain.

Suddenly—

She felt the basket in her hand grow heavier. Inside was now filled with bright red apples.

Ran Jinnian was stunned.

She hadn’t even entered the space—just thought about it—and the apples appeared.

It seemed she didn’t need to go inside to retrieve things.

Looking at the basket full of apples, she thought it was a bit much.

With a flicker of thought, more than half of the apples disappeared.

Perfect.

Ran Jinnian then added some meat to the basket before carrying it home.

“Jinnian, went to the supply and marketing cooperative? What did you buy?” Aunt Zhou from next door spotted the basket, but the cloth covering it kept the contents hidden.

“Nothing much, just some vegetables,” Ran Jinnian said with a smile. Of course, the matter of the space had to be kept completely secret.

Aunt Zhou pursed her lips. That basket looked heavy—there must be plenty in there.

Upstairs, she ran into her two nephews playing by the stairwell.

She waved. “Xixi, Chengcheng.”

“Auntie!” The two little boys rushed over.

Ran Jinnian patted their heads and handed each of them two apples. “Go on, take these home.”

“Thanks, Auntie!” The boys exclaimed in delight and ran off with their apples.

When Ran Jinnian got home, Lu Jinyuan was arranging the coal he’d just carried back.

The man was wearing a black tank top, his well-defined muscles taut and strong.

Ran Jinnian’s eyes flickered as she walked over with the basket. “Husband, I bought some apples.”

Lu Jinyuan straightened and glanced at the apples, a trace of surprise in his eyes. “These apples are huge.”

“There weren’t many, I just managed to grab a few,” Ran Jinnian said, feeling a little guilty.

She washed one for him.

Lu Jinyuan split it in half with his hands. “Wife, you have some too.”

He took a bite, finding it crisp, sweet, juicy—absolutely delicious.

This kind of apple should be special supply, not something sold openly.

Still, he couldn’t figure it out.

As she ate her apple, Ran Jinnian’s mind drifted back to her space.

She was going to live with Lu Jinyuan for the rest of her life—could she really keep this secret from him?

Her thoughts were in turmoil.

Just then, a commotion outside caught her attention.

She went out and heard people talking about how the public security had arrested a few speculators.

“Those guys are bold, daring to do such things.”

“They’re local thugs—what wouldn’t they dare do? Now they’ll be eating peanuts.”

“What? No way…”

“With the crackdown this strict right now, even if they don’t get shot, it won’t end well for them.”

Ran Jinnian listened intently, wondering if Song Zehan was among them.

At noon, she made a pot of radish and pork rib soup. The aroma spread throughout the whole communal building, making everyone’s mouths water.

“Who’s having meat again? Smells amazing.”

“The Lu family is really something—getting meat every day since they got a wife in.”

“Lu Jinyuan’s a military officer, how can you compare?”

“Grandma, Grandma, I want meat too!”

The whole place was abuzz.

Ran Jinnian couldn’t care less what others thought. Her husband’s family could afford meat, and that was that.

Lu’s mother worked at a textile factory. Years ago, when Lu’s father got sick, they owed a lot of debt.

She had raised two children alone, and life had been hard. Only after Lu Jinyuan joined the army did things start to improve.

His sister, Lu Lanlan, had just gotten married, so the household was now just him and his mother.

Both had salaries and savings, so life was easier than for most.

After lunch—

While Lu Jinyuan washed the dishes, Ran Jinnian asked, thinking ahead to when she would follow him to the army base, “Husband, if I go to the military district, can I find work there?”

“With your education, there are plenty of jobs you can do,” his deep, magnetic voice replied.

Ran Jinnian had graduated high school and once planned to attend university, but she didn’t meet the state’s worker-peasant-soldier admission criteria, so she had to stop studying.

In this era, a high school diploma was already quite impressive.

“What kind of jobs could I do?” she asked curiously.

“Telephone operator, secretary, logistics…” Lu Jinyuan thought for a moment.

She grinned playfully. “Then can I be your secretary?”

“I’d have to keep working hard and get promoted first so you could be my secretary.” His eyes and brows curved with doting amusement.

“Then you’d better work hard—don’t keep me waiting too long.” Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of coyness.

Lu Jinyuan’s lips curled, his gaze deep and serious. “Wife, shouldn’t you give me a little encouragement?”

Her eyes widened, and she turned to run.

But his large hand wrapped around her waist, his breath warm against her ear. “If you want the horse to run, you have to feed it grass.”

“…”

Oh heavens.

This man was secretly so flirtatious!

“All right.”

“Wife, I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“Then… one last time.”

In the end, Ran Jinnian almost didn’t manage to get up before her mother-in-law returned from work.

Her hands were trembling as she cooked dinner.

“Wife, your physical fitness is a bit poor. Once we’re at the military base, I’ll train you.”

“Ah.”

This bad man!

Whether on or off the bed, he kept wearing her out.

The next day—

Lu Jinyuan rose early. His belongings were simple. Though Lu’s mother was reluctant, now that his business here was settled, it was time for him to return to the army.

Ran Jinnian accompanied him to the station. There was no train station in town, so he had to take a bus to the county first.

“Wife, wait for me to come back and get you.” He pulled her into his arms.

She nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”

It was only a temporary parting—they would be together again soon.

Some bystanders saw the young couple’s public display and couldn’t help sneaking glances.

Ran Jinnian pushed him away, cheeks red.

“Travel safely.”

On the way back, she stopped by the public security bureau to see if she could get any news.

She spotted the old gatekeeper and handed him a few candies. “Grandpa, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?” The old man accepted the candy.

“I heard they caught some speculators yesterday—was one of them surnamed Song?”

He didn’t answer right away. “Why are you asking?”

“They’re saying my brother got arrested. I don’t know if it’s true,” she said, pretending to be clueless.

“Your brother’s into speculation?”

When he still didn’t say more, she slipped him a few more candies. “Grandpa, my brother must’ve been wronged. He’d never do such a thing.”

The old man glanced around. “They caught five people, one of them surnamed Song. Don’t know if that’s your brother.”

“And I heard someone sent an anonymous letter of accusation,” he muttered.

“Thanks, Grandpa.”

Outwardly, Ran Jinnian wore a worried look, but inside she was delighted.

It was indeed Song Zehan.