Chapter 5 : Do you have time later?

When Su Ranran finished changing and reluctantly stepped outside, the man who had been chopping wood earlier was nowhere to be seen.  

The neatly chopped wood had likely been moved to the kitchen, and the yard was tidied up as well.  

Seeing no one around, Su Ranran let out a sigh of relief, though the memory of the earlier scene still left her feeling flustered.  

That small piece of cloth, while a simple triangular design common in later years, seemed far too revealing in this era. The delicate lace trim only added to her embarrassment.  

Su Ranran’s skin was exceptionally soft and sensitive, and the coarse fabrics of the time often left her uncomfortable.  

Her mother had purchased that particular piece from the Friendship Store, a rare luxury, but she had never worn it since arriving in the countryside. It had remained tucked away in her cabinet.  

Who could have predicted he would find it?  

Even though they had already shared all the intimacies of a married couple, decades had passed for Su Ranran, making such moments feel new and awkward again.  

Trying to calm her racing heart, Su Ranran patted her flushed face and headed toward the kitchen. The kitchen stove still had a low flame burning, but Shen He was nowhere in sight. On the table sat the bowl of porridge he had brought earlier.  

After a brief pause, Su Ranran walked over, pulled out the long wooden bench, and sat down.  

The bench, narrow and simple, wasn’t as comfortable as the square chairs she remembered from the future, but a sense of nostalgia filled her as she sat.  

Picking up the bowl, she took a sip of the porridge.  

Her stomach, which had been grumbling all morning, finally settled down.  

With the warmth of the porridge soothing her, Su Ranran’s mind began to clear, and her thoughts turned to the future.  

She suddenly remembered that Shen He’s leave was less than a month long.  

In her previous life, she had been so consumed by fear of him that she’d wished for his early departure back to the army. Following him or submitting a request to join him had been the last thing on her mind.  

Their strained relationship had even led to a divorce, making the idea of accompanying him feel impossible back then.  

But now, thinking about how they would soon be separated for more than half a year, Su Ranran felt a heavy ache in her chest.  

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”  

Shen He’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. He had just returned with water and noticed the troubled expression on her face.  

Hearing his concerned words, Su Ranran felt her heart warm, but an involuntary sting of tears welled up in her eyes. However, she knew that being a military wife was never easy, and she couldn’t afford to be selfish.  

Suppressing her emotions, she shook her head gently and said, “Do you have time later? I’d like to go to the county town.”  

It was such a simple request between a husband and wife, yet Shen He seemed taken aback.  

Looking into her slightly nervous and hesitant eyes, he felt a fleeting sense of unreality.  

Until now, she had never made any requests of him.  

Shen He was well aware of her fear of him. She had always avoided him and had even seemed eager for his return to the army. But now, she was asking if he could accompany her to the county town?  

“If I have time, I’ll go get the bicycle,” he replied, his voice unconsciously softer, as if afraid of startling her and making her regret her words.  

Su Ranran: …  

The way he treaded so cautiously made her feel a pang of guilt.  

Seeing the apology in her expression, Shen He felt a complicated mix of emotions both joy and sorrow. Although he didn’t understand what had caused her to change, her newfound openness felt like a dream.  

Not daring to hope for too much, Shen He lowered his gaze. “What do you want to bring? I’ll get it for you.”  

In his mind, Su Ranran was delicate and fragile, someone who needed his care and protection at all times. It was only because of her resistance before that he had kept his distance. But now that she was reaching out to him, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to do more for her.  

Su Ranran: …  

What had possessed her in her past life to reject such a man, one who cherished her so deeply, and instead stubbornly seek a life of misery back in the city?  

Suppressing the lump of regret rising in her throat, she shook her head lightly.  

“No need to bring anything. I just need to make a phone call.”

As soon as Su Ranran finished speaking, Shen He’s eyes darkened slightly, and his hand at his side stiffened.  

Shen He couldn’t fathom who she might want to call other than her mother.  

After all, her insistence on returning to the city in the past had been sparked by a letter from her mother.  

Feeling the sudden change in his mood, Su Ranran’s heart tightened. Did he misunderstand her intentions?  

She was about to explain when she saw Shen He nod.  

“Okay,” he said simply, before turning and walking toward the shed in the yard.  

Watching his retreating figure, Su Ranran swallowed the explanation she’d been ready to offer. To her, Shen He was the man she had loved and remembered for decades. But to Shen He, she was the woman who had still wanted a divorce just the day before.  

Some wounds couldn’t be mended with a few words.  

With a sigh, Su Ranran turned back inside to grab her shoulder bag.  

The bicycle in the Shen family was their only one, purchased when Shen He got married.  

After Shen He left for the army, the bike had been stored in the shed, unused. Su Ranran had never ridden it, and oddly enough, no one else in the Shen family had either.  

Even her second sister-in-law, Gao Fangxia who often took advantage of small opportunities had refrained from touching the bike.  

So, after a year of being parked in the shed, the bicycle was covered in dust.  

Shen He grabbed a rag and carefully wiped the bike down, cleaning it inside and out. He paid special attention to the back seat, polishing it until it shone. Despite his thoroughness, he worked quickly, his movements efficient, just as one might expect from someone in the military.  

In her previous life, Su Ranran had missed Shen He so deeply that she’d become obsessed with collecting every detail of his past.  

She had come to deeply understand the disciplined life of a soldier like him. The more she learned, the more regret she felt for not cherishing him when she had the chance.  

At the same time, her admiration for the man she had once failed to understand grew even stronger.  

“Get on,” Shen He said, his long legs effortlessly straddling the crossbar as he sat on the bicycle.  

It was already past nine, and the sun streamed into the yard, casting light on his tall frame. His chiseled profile looked even more handsome and resolute under the sunlight.  

Shen He had an exceptional figure tall and upright, with broad shoulders and long legs. Even under his shirt, his taut muscles hinted at his impressive strength.  

Standing there in the sunlight, he looked majestic, and Su Ranran couldn’t tear her eyes away.  

“Ranran?”  

Shen He’s puzzled voice brought her back to her senses.  

Realizing she’d been staring, Su Ranran felt her cheeks grow hot.  

“I’m coming,” she replied, clutching her bag’s strap.  

After a brief hesitation, she stepped forward and climbed onto the back seat of the bike.  

On the surface, Shen He appeared calm and composed. But beneath that exterior, his hand at his side was slightly clenched. Only when Su Ranran’s slender figure settled on the back seat did he notice his palms were damp with sweat.  

Feeling her light weight behind him, Shen He’s heart seemed to flutter, a mix of tingling warmth and nervousness. Aside from their wedding day, this was only the second time she had ridden his bike.  

“Are you seated?” Shen He asked evenly, gripping the handlebars.  

On the back seat, Su Ranran’s face was still flushed.  

Hearing his question, she tried to calm herself and responded softly, “Yes.”  

Instinctively, she reached out and lightly held the hem of his shirt.  

The moment her fingertips brushed against the fabric, the muscles beneath it tensed immediately, even through the thin material.  

Su Ranran’s heart skipped a beat as she felt the warmth radiating from him.