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Chapter 27.2
Jiang Nian stayed up until midnight waiting for Feng Mei and the others to return. Unable to hold on any longer, she fell asleep first. It was almost dawn when Commander Song and the others returned, their loud voices waking Jiang Nian.
She got up, slipped on her cloth shoes, and walked out of the courtyard, just in time to hear Captain Song cursing: “Are you out of your mind with nothing better to do? Are you that bored?!”
“You scared the hell out of me!”
“If it weren’t for the fact that you’re my wife, I would have really wanted to shoot you! Get out of here!”
She didn’t hear Sister Feng’s voice, only the sound of Song Xiangdong and Song Xianghong crying and calling for their mother. Feng Mei then finally said, “Mom’s fine, stop crying.”
Jiang Nian: …
She sighed and was about to turn back to the house when she bumped right into Lu Yu who was opening the courtyard gate.
Jiang Nian didn’t feel awkward and asked straightforwardly, “I was half asleep and heard Commander Song. How is Sister Feng?”
Lu Yu looked a bit tired. After a pause, he replied, “Sister Feng is fine. Go back and sleep some more.”
Jiang Nian said, “It’s good that she’s okay.”
She pursed her lips, took a quick glance at Lu Yu’s slightly furrowed brows, then turned and went back inside to lie down.
After dawn, Lu Yu had breakfast and went to the team. Not long after, Feng Mei came running over. As soon as she saw Jiang Nian, she started babbling about what happened last night. She initially wanted to test if Old Song cared about her by pretending to have a stomach ache and fainting on purpose. Who knew Commander Song would be so worried that he called Lu Yu to borrow a car from the military district?
Hearing this, Jiang Nian curiously asked, “What happened in the end?”
Judging by Commander Song’s cursing this morning, it was clear that Feng Mei’s act had failed, but Jiang Nian was curious about how it failed.
Feng Mei laughed embarrassedly, her face turning a bit red. “Old Song carried me on his back, calling my name the whole way to the car and then to the hospital. The doctor used some device to press on my stomach, and it tickled me so much that I couldn’t hold back my laughter and woke up.”
Jiang Nian: …
Actually, Commander Song and Sister Feng were just having small quarrels but had been caring for each other for half a lifetime, just like ordinary couples. It was different from Liu Qiang and Xu Yan. She felt that Feng Mei didn’t need to go through all this trouble.
But she couldn’t say this to Feng Mei. However, after this incident, she thought Feng Mei might calm down.
Sure enough, Feng Mei smiled and said, “I won’t make trouble anymore. After what happened last night, I can see that Old Song cares about me and worries about me.”
Jiang Nian smiled and said, “Commander Song has always cared about you, Sister Feng. It’s just that he’s an official and cares about his image outside, so he has a different way of showing his affection. Look, when Commander Song came to find Lu Yu last night, his face was pale with anxiety.”
Feng Mei felt even happier.
But then she thought of something else. She looked at Jiang Nian and hesitated before saying, “You…”
Jiang Nian was puzzled: “What does Sister Feng want to say?”
Feng Mei sighed, “I’ll just say it directly. This morning I heard Old Song say that when he went to find Lu Yu last night, he saw Lu Yu holding your foot…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
Jiang Nian: …
She extended her right foot and explained, “Lu Yu was massaging my foot with safflower oil.”
Feng Mei smiled, “Yesterday, when Xu Yan and I came over, we saw it too, but Old Song didn’t know and was just saying some nonsense.”
She paused, looking at Jiang Nian’s expression, and seeing that she wasn’t unhappy, she continued, “I think you should keep some distance from Deputy Commander Lu. If people with ill intentions spread rumors, it could damage your reputation, even if you two are innocent. Some people might not see it that way.”
Actually, Feng Mei had a bit of a hidden agenda.
Although Jiang Nian was nominally Lu Yu’s sister-in-law, it was only in name. If both Lu Yu and Jiang Nian had feelings for each other, marriage wasn’t impossible. But Feng Mei still wanted Jiang Nian to be with Song Bai. She liked Jiang Nian’s temperament, and having her as a sister-in-law would be great.
Jiang Nian pursed her lips, looking down at her right foot, which had considerably reduced swelling: “I will take what Sister Feng said to heart.”
She raised her head and smiled without saying more.
Sister Feng’s words were not without reason. Just like the incident with Zhu Jun last time, there were all sorts of rumors in the family quarters. If it involved her and Lu Yu, she didn’t care much, but she was afraid it might affect Lu Yu’s future.
Seeing that Jiang Nian had indeed taken it to heart, Feng Mei continued, “At the end of the year, when Song Bai comes back, you two should meet. If things work out, marry him and go with him to the military district, so no one will gossip about you and Deputy Commander Lu.”
Jiang Nian: …
She glanced at Feng Mei, seeing the joy in her eyes, feeling even more speechless.
How much did Sister Feng want her to marry Song Bai quickly?
After Feng Mei left, Jiang Nian sat in the courtyard, thinking about many things.
Her household registration was still in the countryside, and it was only because of Lu Yu’s application that she could live in the family quarters. Even though she could earn money by embroidering for the state-run embroidery shop, with her registration in the countryside, she couldn’t live in the city. Otherwise, she would be sent back as a vagrant. Living in the countryside and earning work points through farming was worse than death.
The only person she could rely on now was Lu Yu.
At noon, Jiang Nian went to the vegetable field to pick some vegetables, made three dishes for lunch, and steamed some rice. Just as the meal was ready, Lu Yu came back from outside.
Jiang Nian carried a plate of dishes out of the kitchen and saw Lu Yu standing by the well, bending over to wash his hands. His legs were long and straight, and because of his posture, his shirt slid up, revealing a lean waist.
She pursed her lips, quickly looked away, and carried the dish to the table. Just as she turned to get the other dishes, Lu Yu straightened up: “Sister-in-law, you sit down. I’ll bring out the rest.”
He dried his hands, went into the kitchen, and brought out another plate and two bowls of rice, placing them on the table.
Jiang Nian ate quietly, not lifting her head even once. Lu Yu was naturally taciturn, and Jiang Nian had little to say at this moment. The small courtyard was filled only with the sounds of eating and the crisp clinks of chopsticks hitting bowls.
Lu Yu glanced at Jiang Nian across the table, sensing that something was off about her today. After finishing a bowl of rice, he went for another. Seeing Jiang Nian still had half a bowl left, he asked, “Sister-in-law, are you feeling unwell?”
Jiang Nian, lost in her thoughts, didn’t notice Lu Yu’s question until he repeated it. She shook her head: “No.”
Lu Yu: …
He finished his meal, glanced at Jiang Nian’s right foot, and said, “Tonight I’ll massage your foot again. It should be almost healed.”
Jiang Nian instinctively shook her head: “It’s already better. No need to massage anymore.”
Realizing she had refused too quickly, she bit her chopsticks and glanced up, meeting Lu Yu’s probing dark eyes. She immediately lowered her head and murmured, “Really, it’s fine.”
Lu Yu placed his hands on his knees, looking down at Jiang Nian: “Did someone say something to you?”
Jiang Nian quickly shook her head: “No, I just feel my foot doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Seeing her finish and putting down her chopsticks, Lu Yu stood up to clear the dishes, saying, “It’s a three-day treatment. If not completed, the foot won’t heal thoroughly. I’ll massage it again tonight.”
He carried the dishes into the kitchen.
Jiang Nian watched his tall, straight back, thinking he could be quite stubborn at times.
She went back to her room, took out fabric from the cabinet, and continued cutting it. After a while, she heard Lu Yu’s voice outside: “Sister-in-law.”
Jiang Nian’s hand holding the scissors trembled. She turned to see Lu Yu standing at the door, his tall figure blocking the light. Standing against the light, she couldn’t see his expression clearly. She gripped the scissors tightly: “What is it?”
Lu Yu looked at her downcast eyes and the hand gripping the scissors. His cold voice softened: “You don’t need to care about what others say. Just do your own thing. If anyone uses this to bully you, I’ll handle it.”
Jiang Nian’s eyes widened slightly. She pursed her lips, and after a while, nodded: “Okay.”
Lu Yu smiled: “I’m going back to the team.”
After Lu Yu left, Jiang Nian sat by the bed for a long time. Feng Mei’s words echoed in her ears, and Lu Yu’s voice lingered. She didn’t care what others said, but she was afraid of implicating Lu Yu.
That afternoon, Jiang Nian finished cutting her own clothes. When Lu Yu returned, she would measure him, and in a few days, she would buy cotton from the supply and marketing cooperative. Then she could start sewing.
As dusk fell, the courtyard was filled with the occasional sounds of footsteps and conversations.
Jiang Nian made dumpling soup, corn pancakes, and stir-fried vegetables. She took a sip of the soup and looked across at Lu Yu. “I’ll measure you later to make a few winter jackets for you.”
Lu Yu simply replied, “Mm.”
After dinner, Jiang Nian went back to her room and took a wooden ruler from the cabinet. Lu Yu, having finished washing the dishes, brought in some safflower oil. He glanced at Jiang Nian, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with her head down, then he crouched by her feet, naturally placing her foot on his knee. Pouring some safflower oil into his palm, he began massaging her ankle.
This time, the pain wasn’t as intense as the previous sessions, but Jiang Nian still tensed up. Clutching the bedsheet and curling her toes in anticipation of sudden pain. Lu Yu’s fingers pressed her ankle, moving to her sole.
The room was quiet and dim, occasionally punctuated by Jiang Nian’s soft cries of pain.
Lu Yu’s voice was much huskier than usual. “Almost done.”
He poured a bit more safflower oil onto his hand and applied it to Jiang Nian’s injured area, his gaze involuntarily landing on her slender, fair leg. The sight of her smooth skin under his calloused fingers felt oddly hot.
He took a deep breath, released her foot, and stood up. “Done.”
Jiang Nian wiggled her toes and found that the pain was truly gone this time. She smiled and looked up, only to see that Lu Yu had already left the room.
After a short rest, she was about to slip on her cloth shoes when Lu Yu came back with a basin of hot water. He placed it by her feet. “Soak your feet for half an hour. I’ll add more hot water if it cools.”
Jiang Nian nodded lightly. “Okay.”
By the time she finished soaking her feet and tidying up, it was already nine o’clock. She yawned, picked up the wooden ruler, and walked out to measure Lu Yu, but he said, “Let’s do it another day.”
He put down the basin without looking at her and went back to his room.
“Another day, then,” she thought, feeling quite sleepy herself.
Over the next few days, Jiang Nian stayed home to heal her foot. Thanks to Lu Yu’s three-day massage treatment, she could now run without any problem.
After breakfast, she planned to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some cotton. Xu Yan came over, wanting to accompany her. Xu Yan also needed cotton to make winter clothes for her two children. As they left the quarters, they ran into Zheng Hong and Lu Zhijun returning from the hospital.
Captain Lu was carrying Lu Zhijun, while Zheng Hong, with a sullen face, followed beside them. An older woman, presumably Captain Lu’s mother, trailed behind, her face equally stern. She scolded Zheng Hong, criticizing her for being a poor homemaker and for not taking good care of the child.
Zheng Hong, terrified of the old lady, kept her head down and her face cold. She didn’t respond, no matter how much the old lady scolded her.
Jiang Nian glanced at them and easily guessed that the older woman was Captain Lu’s mother.
Captain Lu frowned and turned to his mother. “Enough, stop it.”
The old lady muttered a couple more complaints but then fell silent. In this family, the sons and daughters-in-law feared the old lady, but she was particularly wary of Lu Guosheng, this son. Despite his quiet nature, he was more sensible and principled than his siblings, often using reason to outmaneuver her.
Xu Yan sneered, “Serves her right.”
Jiang Nian kept her mouth shut.
Hearing Xu Yan’s voice, Lu Guosheng looked up at her, then refocused on the path ahead, carrying Lu Zhijun home. Zheng Hong, on the other hand, turned her anger on Xu Yan, glaring viciously and cursing, “Crazy woman, what are you snickering at?!”
The old lady glanced at Xu Yan, then at Zheng Hong. “Haven’t you embarrassed my son enough? Get home!”
Zheng Hong, furious, stomped her foot and ran back home.
Xu Yan laughed gloatingly, but when she caught the old lady’s gaze, she quickly stopped. The old lady didn’t say anything more and followed Captain Lu home. Jiang Nian watched her leave, then turned to walk to the supply and marketing cooperative with Xu Yan.
For some reason, Jiang Nian felt that Captain Lu’s mother seemed to be a reasonable person.
Xu Yan remarked, “Zheng Hong really deserves it. She’s getting what’s coming to her!”
They first spent some time at the private plot before heading to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy cotton. By the time they finished shopping, it was nearly lunchtime. Xu Yan, carrying a large cloth bag, looked at Jiang Nian. “I argued with Liu Qiang again a few days ago.”
Jiang Nian asked, “Why?”
Xu Yan, still angry, said, “It’s about asking Zheng Hong for the money. Every time I bring it up, he argues with me and says if I dare to ask for it, he’ll kick me out.”
She was on the verge of tears. “Do you think we’ll ever get that money back?”
Jiang Nian found Liu Qiang’s behavior despicable. She suspected that Liu Qiang was too embarrassed to ask for the money back because Captain Lu didn’t know about the fifty yuan he lent to Zheng Hong. If he asked, it might cause friction between the two families. But ultimately, the problem lay with Liu Qiang.
Seeing Xu Yan so dejected, Jiang Nian hesitated but then whispered a suggestion to her. Xu Yan’s eyes widened in shock. “Is that possible?”
Jiang Nian replied, “It’s completely harmless to you. Give it a try; it might work.”
Xu Yan smiled. “Okay, I’ll try it when I get home.”
Jiang Nian warned her not to act too hastily and risk giving herself away. “Wait a few days before bringing it up with Liu Qiang. There’s no rush.”
Xu Yan nodded. “Mm, I’ll listen to you.”
To Xu Yan, Jiang Nian was like a strategist, helping her navigate her way out of the swamp. Without Jiang Nian, she would still be living a life of constant arguments with Liu Qiang, feeling penniless and wronged. Now, not only did they rarely argue, but Liu Qiang also handed over his salary to her.
Returning home, Jiang Nian first made lunch, ate a few bites herself, and saved some for Lu Yu. She then went back to her room to sort through the cotton. Today, she decided to make a jacket for herself. Jiang Nian opened the cabinet to take out the pre-cut fabric and saw the curtains stacked in the corner.
She had been so busy with the clothes lately that she almost forgot about the curtains.
She had embroidered two curtains, one for herself with plum blossoms and one for Lu Yu with bamboo. Just as she was thinking about asking Lu Yu to hang them up when he got back, he walked in from outside. Jiang Nian grabbed the curtains and went out to see Lu Yu washing his hands by the well. “Will you hang the curtains on the door later?”
“Sure.”
After washing his hands, Lu Yu went to the second room on the east side, grabbed a hammer and nails, and came out. He first hung the curtain on Jiang Nian’s door, then went to hang his own. Being tall, he managed without needing a stool.
Jiang Nian glanced at the plum blossom and bamboo embroidered curtains and smiled, “They look really nice.”
Lu Yu’s gaze fell on the green bamboo leaves on the white fabric. He turned to see Jiang Nian smiling with her eyes curved, and said, “Sister-in-law, your craftsmanship is excellent.”
Receiving the compliment, Jiang Nian replied smoothly, “Of course it is.”
Realizing something was off, she turned to see Lu Yu’s lips curved in a faint smile. Her face suddenly reddened, and she turned around, saying, “Don’t leave right after eating. I need to measure you to make two sets of clothes.”
Lu Yu replied, “Alright.”
Jiang Nian went back to her room to sort through the fabric. She heard Lu Yu’s voice from outside, “Sister-in-law, I’m done eating.”
“Coming.”
Jiang Nian picked up a wooden ruler and ran out to the yard. She saw Lu Yu standing straight under the tree. Approaching him, she realized there was a significant height difference between them. She pursed her lips and softly said, “Bend down a bit, or I’m afraid I won’t measure accurately.”
Lu Yu’s eyes twinkled with amusement, his deep, magnetic voice responding, “Okay.”
**
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Ayalee[Translator]
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