On the way to the department store, Lu Cheng chatted with Jiang Moli about her job.  

“Did your friend help you find this job?”  

“I wouldn’t call her a friend—more like an acquaintance, and not even a close one.”  

Lu Cheng let out a light, mocking hum. “That’s what I thought. A real friend wouldn’t have gotten you a job like this.”  

“What, do you also look down on toilet cleaners?” Jiang Moli teased.  

“You’re young and educated. This kind of work is a waste of your talent.”  

His answer satisfied Jiang Moli somewhat.  

“Quit this job. I’ll help you find another one. You can tell me what you’re looking for.”  

Jiang Moli blinked. “Can I just not work? I want someone to take care of me—eat, sleep, repeat, with no responsibilities.”  

Lu Cheng glanced at her. “Food and shelter are just basic survival needs. Don’t you have anything else you want to do?”  

“What I want is actually very simple: a modest, ordinary life—a thatched cottage, a few acres of fertile land, a handsome husband, and 100 million in savings.”  

Lu Cheng chuckled at her last demand. “That’s quite the ambition. Do you even know how much 100 million is?”  

“Of course I do.”  

In another year or so, she’d be able to reach that goal.  

Lu Cheng didn’t take her words too seriously, but he responded earnestly to her reluctance to work.  

“If you don’t want to work, then come with me to the army base. It’s surrounded by mountains with beautiful scenery—you can do whatever you want there.”  

“No.”  

“Why not?”  

“I don’t like mountainous areas.”  

Lu Cheng fell silent for a long moment before speaking again, his voice noticeably lower. “Life in the mountains is indeed tough. The environment is harsh, and resources—both daily necessities and medical care—are extremely scarce. Some of my comrades have even lost their lives because a common cold couldn’t be treated in time. But as soldiers, we have no choice but to hold our ground there, protecting the safety of the people in the border regions.”  

“You’re all incredible and noble. Whether the country is in crisis or the people are in trouble, you’re always on the front lines, shielding the nation and its citizens with your flesh and blood. You deserve all the praise and admiration in the world.”  

Lu Cheng was surprised. “I didn’t expect you to have such insight and awareness.”  

Jiang Moli replied, “Just because I’m lazy and love comfort doesn’t mean I lack a brain or thoughts. When it comes to major principles, my stance is firm.”  

Lu Cheng studied her for a long moment, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.  

The more he got to know her, the more he found himself liking his soft, delicate wife.  

His tone softened. “I won’t force you to come with me if you don’t want to. But that means we’ll have to live apart, and you might feel neglected or lonely at home. When that happens, you can’t pick fights with me over it.”  

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”  

She just didn’t want to live in the mountains long-term. An occasional visit for a short stay would be fine—she could treat it like a vacation.  

Jiang Moli agreed readily, but Lu Cheng felt increasingly displeased.  

Deep down, he actually wanted to take Jiang Moli with him.

…

After parking the car, Lu Cheng didn’t immediately lead Jiang Moli into the department store. Instead, he pulled out a notebook and pen from his bag.  

Noticing her gaze, he explained, “I’m used to planning things out first. Let’s list everything we need to buy so we don’t miss anything.”  

Jiang Moli gave him a thumbs-up. “That’s a good habit.”  

For years, this was how Lu Cheng had operated, and he never thought much of it. But being praised by Jiang Moli made him feel inexplicably pleased.  

Subconsciously, he wanted to talk more with his wife, to deepen their understanding of each other.  

“I’m a rough man…”  

“How rough?”  

Lu Cheng was caught off guard by her question. “What?”  

Jiang Moli’s face warmed, and she averted her eyes. “Nothing, go on.”  

Lu Cheng gave her a suspicious look before continuing, “I’m a rough man, not highly educated, and I don’t like beating around the bush. If you have any thoughts or requests, just say them outright. If it’s within my power, I’ll do my best to…”  

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence.  

Jiang Moli thought he had finished and was about to agree when the man asked, “Were you just making a dirty joke?”  

She hadn’t expected him to catch on.  

It wasn’t until after the words slipped out that she remembered—this was the 1970s, and suggestive remarks could easily be mistaken for harassment.  

“I was asking how thick-skinned you are. What were you thinking?”  

Her righteous tone made Lu Cheng second-guess himself.  

“My apologies. My thoughts were inappropriate. I’ll reflect deeply on this.”  

Watching his expression—a mix of regret and awkwardness—Jiang Moli had to think of the saddest moments from both her lifetimes to keep from laughing.  

So pure…

I wonder if he’d be just as innocent in bed.  

The image of a six-foot-tall man blushing like a little rabbit popped into her mind—  

Ew.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the indecent thoughts.  

But Lu Cheng misunderstood. “Still upset? Tell me what I should do to make it up to you.”  

Jiang Moli waved him off. “My ear just itched a little. Keep writing.”  

“An itch? Let me check—did a bug crawl in?”  

Before she could react, his hand was already reaching to tilt her face, earnestly inspecting her ear.  

Jiang Moli instinctively covered it and quickly said, “It’s fine. Just add a wedding outfit to the list.”  

Sensing her avoidance, Lu Cheng withdrew his hand, unscrewed the pen cap, and began writing briskly in the notebook.  

Jiang Moli peeked over and was surprised to see how excellent his handwriting was—bold, forceful strokes, each line precise and unwavering, much like the man himself: meticulous, resolute, and upright.  

“What else? A wardrobe? A vanity table?”  

Though he asked for her input, his pen was already jotting those items down.  

He genuinely intended to buy them for her—no false generosity here. That sincerity left a good impression on Jiang Moli.  

“Take a look. Did we miss anything?”  

She took the notebook. The A6-sized page was nearly full, listing everything from furniture to towels, toothbrushes, and soap.  

“That should cover it for now.”  

“Alright.”  

Unlike the dazzling variety of modern shopping malls, department stores in this era offered little choice. Most items came in fixed brands and styles—thermos flasks were all red metal, enamel basins uniformly white with red peonies.

The department store has three floors in total. The first floor sells daily necessities and food, the second floor is dedicated to furniture, appliances, and hardware, while the third floor offers jewelry, high-end shoes and clothing, and specialty items.  

Honestly, there were quite a few shoppers. Jiang Moli quickly scanned the store and estimated at least a hundred or two hundred people inside.  

Naturally, Jiang Moli wouldn’t pass up the chance to earn some disdain points.  

Following the shopping list Lu Cheng had prepared, the two arrived at the counter selling thermos flasks.  

Three men and two women were already standing in front of the counter, seemingly there to purchase items for a wedding.  

Jiang Moli reached out and pushed them aside. “Move, all of you! If you can’t afford anything, don’t block the way. Honestly!”  

The moment these words left her mouth, the five instantly grew furious.  

“What did you just say? Who do you think can’t afford this?”  

“Talking big doesn’t mean anything. If you’ve got the money, then buy it. If not, stop blocking others!”  

[Disdain Points +6…]

Not only did the five shoppers react with anger, but even the sales clerk couldn’t stand her behavior.  

Having successfully earned disdain points, Jiang Moli abruptly changed her tone. “Fine, I won’t argue with you. I’ll go look at something else.”  

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?!”  

Jiang Moli moved to the neighboring counter selling washbasins and asked the clerk, “Don’t you have any new designs or patterns here? When I came here as a kid, you were selling these exact same basins. Now I’m married, and you’re still selling the same old stuff. Don’t you know how to keep up with the times?”  

Her complaints smoothly earned her another 3 disdain points.  

When the clerk handed her the basin, the look in their eyes was practically murderous—like they wanted to smack her in the face with it.  

After leaving the basin counter, Lu Cheng pulled her aside with a stern expression.  

Jiang Moli couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to scold her for her earlier behavior, or if he’d regret marrying someone like her after seeing her true colors—maybe even consider divorce.  

“Do you still want to buy the rest of the things? If you keep nitpicking like this, we might get kicked out soon.”  

“I wasn’t wrong. Those five people were lined up in front of the counter and totally blocking my way…”  

Jiang Moli was clearly being unreasonable, and her voice grew a little weak.  

But to Lu Cheng, it sounded like she was upset.  

Considering her naturally feisty personality, he softened his tone. “I’m not saying you were wrong. But when I’m not around, try not to pick fights. What if they hit you?”  

“Then I’ll hit them back!”  

Her fearless and unyielding attitude was something Lu Cheng actually admired.  

He didn’t press further, simply holding her wrist in a somewhat paternalistic manner. “Let’s go. From now on, just point at what you like, and I’ll handle the rest.”  

“Why shouldn’t I talk?”  

“It’s not that you can’t talk—just talk less.”  

“I talk a lot. I like talking.”  

“Then talk to me. I’ll listen.”  

“Let go of me first.”  

Noticing the stares from people around them, Lu Cheng finally released her wrist, muttering, “Your wrist is so thin and pale, like a big scallion.”  

Jiang Moli rolled her eyes. “If you don’t know how to compliment someone, don’t force it.”  

Lu Cheng rubbed his nose and pointed at the bedsheet counter. “Let’s check that out.”  

Not wanting to actually get kicked out of the store, Jiang Moli behaved herself and focused on shopping.  

Seeing her compliance, Lu Cheng assumed his words had worked, thinking to himself that while his wife was a handful, she wasn’t beyond teaching.  

Jiang Moli picked the items, while Lu Cheng handled payment and carried the bags.  

Before long, Lu Cheng’s hands were completely full.  

He slung his satchel over her shoulder and pulled out the car keys. “I’ll take these to the car first. Wait here.”  

“Mm.”  

After Lu Cheng left with the bags, Jiang Moli wandered over to a counter selling face creams, curious if they had anything like facial cleanser.  

Most people in this era washed their faces with soap—those with better means used fancy scented soap. But soap was alkaline, leaving the skin tight and uncomfortable after washing.  

“Jiang Moli!”  

A sharp, familiar voice called out from behind her.