Chapter 125: Husband and Wife Part Ways  

Upon hearing this, Mother Li’s expression eased considerably. She wanted to ask how much the retirement subsidy was, but she quickly realized that she might be overstepping. She had promised not to interfere in Second Daughter-in-law’s matters…  

With this thought, she carefully glanced at Shen Yiyi and, seeing that her expression remained unchanged, let out a sigh of relief. Without hesitation, she ended the topic and handed the bowl in her hands to Shen Yiyi.  

Smiling, she said: “Here, this is the bowl Er Bao just brought over. Before I could hand it to him, he ran off in a hurry to play, saying he’d come back for it later. But I figured he’d get so caught up in playing that he’d forget, so I brought it to you.”  

As she spoke, she smacked her lips twice in satisfaction. “Second Daughter-in-law, your cooking skills are truly amazing! Those fried pumpkin cakes were absolutely delicious!”  

Receiving praise for her cooking, Shen Yiyi took the bowl. “As long as it tastes good.”  

Just as she finished speaking, Lang Ya barked excitedly and dashed outside.  

Li Chen had returned.  

He patted Lang Ya’s head and looked inside the house. “Wife, Mother!”  

“Why are you back so early today?” Mother Li asked in surprise. It was only noon.  

“I have to join the team heading to Gansu Province tomorrow, so I came back early to pack.” Li Chen explained.  

Shen Yiyi was in the middle of pouring hot water. Hearing this, she was taken aback. “Why so suddenly?”  

Although Li Chen was bound to go on long-distance missions sooner or later, being notified today and leaving tomorrow was far too rushed.  

Transporting goods to Gansu and making the round trip, including any delays along the way, would take nearly a month.  

“The person originally assigned to go fell ill in the past couple of days, so I’m stepping in.” Li Chen said.  

Shen Yiyi handed him the hot water she had just poured. “Then you’ll have to start preparing soon.”  

Li Chen took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through his body. “There’s not much to prepare. Just packing a few sets of clothes will do…”  

“What about food?” Shen Yiyi asked while taking out the fried pumpkin cakes she had just made.  

“I’ll just buy some things in the county before we leave. Besides, I can get food along the way.” Li Chen replied.  

Shen Yiyi stuffed a piece of fried pumpkin cake into his mouth and huffed: “Just buy some things? You really are easy to feed. And what about when you’re trekking through the mountains? Where will you buy food then?”

Li Chen took a bite of the pumpkin cake and looked at his wife with an innocent expression.  

“I’ll go into town later to buy some supplies for you.”  

“I’ll go with you.” Li Chen said.  

“No need, I’ll go by myself.” Shen Yiyi replied. She planned to take out items from her storage space under a legitimate excuse. If Li Chen went along, it would only make things inconvenient. She then asked: “Have you eaten lunch? I didn’t know you were coming back, so I didn’t save you any food.”  

“I haven’t eaten.”  

“Then see what you want and cook something yourself.” Shen Yiyi said hurriedly, afraid he would insist on going with her. She rushed into the house to change clothes. “I’ll change quickly and head into town to stock up for you.”  

“Ride carefully. The snow has melted, and the roads are muddy.” Li Chen called out loudly.  

“I know.” Shen Yiyi’s voice came from afar.  

Only then did Li Chen turn around and take another bite of the fried pumpkin cake, only to see his mother smiling at him.  

“……” Li Chen paused. “What is it?”  

His tone was noticeably colder compared to when he spoke to his wife. If it had been Li Dabin or Li Sanhong speaking to her like that, Mother Li would have already pulled a long face.  

But this was Li Chen—her son, yet not someone she had raised. Given their circumstances, the way he treated her now was already much better than she could have expected.  

With a sigh, she said: “Yiyi is a good wife.”  

Li Chen: “……”  

Shen Yiyi returned about two hours later, carrying several large bags. Without stopping to rest, she immediately started packing supplies for him—  

She had prepared plenty of food, including biscuits, nuts, canned fruit, chocolate, sponge cakes, red dates, and brown sugar. These were all energy-boosting items, perfect for when he got hungry or exhausted on the road.  

She also packed a small amount of rice, flour, eggs, cured meat, and sausages, along with a medium-sized cast iron pot. If he couldn’t find a household to provide food along the way and wanted a hot meal, he could cook for himself.

The medium-sized pot wouldn’t allow for much cooking, but there was no need to worry—most long-distance drivers kept pots, bowls, and other utensils in their vehicles.  

Clothes were, of course, essential. It was late March, and many places were still quite chilly. She packed both thick and thin layers, a couple of extra pairs of shoes, as well as a raincoat and rain boots.  

Worried about dryness, she included a few bottles of snowflake cream. Concerned about mosquitoes, she packed two bottles of insect repellent. She also gathered some common medications and other necessities.  

Li Chen watched his wife busying herself, packing everything for him. His heart swelled with satisfaction.  

That evening, the Three Baos learned that their father would be away for a long time and clung to him endlessly.  

Li Chen, who wanted nothing more than to spend precious time with his wife…  

Without hesitation, he turned off the lights. Once the room was dark, he forbade any more talking, finally managing to coax the Three Baos to sleep.  

The couple, understanding each other perfectly, slipped into the next room for a private moment.  

As their parting drew near, both of them felt a sense of melancholy. This only made them more passionate, both eager to give the other as much happiness as possible.  

By the time they were finished, it was nearly midnight. Shen Yiyi nestled in the crook of Li Chen’s arm, letting him wipe the sweat from her body.  

“I want some water.” Shen Yiyi murmured, nudging him gently. Her voice was soft, almost like she was acting spoiled.  

Li Chen immediately got up, poured a cup of hot water, mixed in some cool water to make sure it wasn’t too hot, and then brought it over to her.  

Shen Yiyi sat up, wrapped in the blanket, and took two sips before narrowing her eyes at him. “You planned this all along, didn’t you? You even brought the thermos inside.”  

Li Chen didn’t deny it. He simply let his darkened gaze sweep over her bare skin. His voice was slightly hoarse as he whispered: “Still have energy?”  

Shen Yiyi instantly knew what he was thinking. She shoved the cup back into his hands and dove under the blanket. “Nope!”

Li Chen curled his lips into a smile and tilted his head back, finishing the water she had left. The sound of him swallowing, a clear gudu gudu in the silent night, painted a vivid image in Shen Yiyi’s mind—she could almost see the way his Adam’s apple moved…  

After placing the cup on the table, Li Chen lifted the blanket and slipped inside.  

Shen Yiyi laughed and tried to dodge. “Rogue!”  

“Wife, we won’t see each other for an entire month…”  

“You have to drive tomorrow!”  

“It’s fine. There are two of us in the vehicle. I can let my partner drive first while I catch up on sleep.”  

“…You really planned this all along!”  

“Wife~”  

“I wanted to wake up early tomorrow and make some pancakes for you to take along…”  

“I can buy some at the state-run restaurant.”  

…  

The consequence of their late-night mischief was that Shen Yiyi almost didn’t wake up in time to see Li Chen off the next morning.  

Of course, the only reason she managed to wake up at all was because she had told Li Chen the night before to make sure he called her before he left. Li Chen, after finishing his preparations, finally woke her up.  

Originally, Shen Yiyi was supposed to go with him to the county and then ride the bicycle back home. But she was simply too exhausted, so she gave up on the plan and only walked him to the door.  

Li Chen took the bicycle to leave it at the transport team’s station, and she would retrieve it when she went into town later.  

After exchanging a few more reminders, the couple reluctantly parted ways.  

Just as Shen Yiyi was about to close the door, she caught sight of Lin Jiadong standing not far away, staring at her with a complicated expression.  

Without hesitation, Shen Yiyi rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut with a bang.