Chapter 49

This was not the first time Tian Mi had done something resembling lifting the stone and hitting her own foot^[1]Doing something that backfires.. 

But registering their marriage was also important, so when she was pulled out of bed early the next morning, she wasn’t in a bad mood—she was even a bit excited.

As she dressed, she asked, “It’s only a bit past five; isn’t it a bit too early?”

“It’s not early. By the time we set off, it’ll be around six, and after driving for over an hour, we’ll get to the county just in time to register.”

“Mm,” Tian Mi replied as she buttoned up. “How are we getting there?”

“When I went for morning exercises, I borrowed Commander Wang’s car,” Lou Luhui said, taking a pair of socks from the drawer to help his wife put on.

Tian Mi pulled her foot back. “Don’t rush; I can do it myself.”

Lou Luhui cleared his throat. “I’m not rushing… I’ll go warm up breakfast.”

He said he wasn’t in a hurry, but seeing him practically flee the room, Tian Mi found it amusing and sped up her own pace.

Breakfast had been bought from the cafeteria when he borrowed the car. 

By the time Tian Mi finished washing up, breakfast was heated and ready.

She sat at the table and looked at her husband, who was refreshed and clearly in high spirits. Her mood couldn’t help but lift, too. “What time did you get up?”

“Before wake-up call.” He was too excited to sleep, only managing to close his eyes for a bit through the night.

“Mm… We’ve borrowed Commander Wang’s car several times now; is that okay?”

“It’s fine. Marriage is a big deal. Around here, it’s an unspoken rule that they lend cars for weddings… I’ve already arranged for a friend to find some good wine. I’ll send a bottle to Commander Wang.”

The two chatted while eating, with no fixed topic, speaking as things came to mind, creating a warm atmosphere.

Before they set off, Lou Luhui put on a newly knitted sweater, and seeing his wife glance over, he explained, “After we register, we’ll take photos to send to both families.”

Can’t have the in-laws not even know what their son-in-law and daughter-in-law look like.

Tian Mi pointed to his sweater and asked hesitantly, “Are you… planning to wear that for the photos?”

Lou Luhui cleared his throat. “Didn’t you say it looks good?”

Tian Mi… “It does look good. You look handsome in anything. We could take a few extra photos—some in your uniform, some in the sweater.”

At the very least, her father would definitely prefer a photo of him in uniform.

Though a bit embarrassed by her praise, Lou Luhui found her suggestion reasonable.

So he swapped out his slightly worn uniform for the brand-new one he wore on their wedding day, even putting on fresh socks, taking care with every detail.

This made Tian Mi feel a bit guilty. She hadn’t thought to dress up, but to show she was just as eager about registering their marriage, she put on her uniform too and braided her hair nicely.

Marriage certificates in those days resembled awards more than anything else, without even requiring a photo.

Holding their certificates in hand, Tian Mi felt a sense of disbelief as they got into the car.

How to describe it? It was… just so fast. A stamp and a signature, and it was done, with no real verification of any details. If someone impersonated someone else, it would be quite a disaster.

“What’s wrong?” Lou Luhui, closing the door after helping her into the passenger seat, noticed her dazed expression and asked, puzzled.

Tian Mi shook her head. “Nothing much. Are we heading to take photos now?”

“Yes. Are you cold? The state-run restaurant should still be serving breakfast—want to get a bowl of noodles to warm up?”

“I’m not hungry or cold. But if you are, I’ll go with you.”

“I’m not cold either.” With their marriage certificate in hand, Lou Luhui felt warm inside and out—how could he feel cold?

If they weren’t out in public, he’d want to hug his wife and give her a good kiss.

Of course, a kiss was out of the question here, but once he settled into the driver’s seat, he couldn’t resist reaching over to gently pinch his wife’s soft cheek with a smile before driving off.

By 8 a.m., the sky was fully brightened.

But the thick morning fog still lingered, and as the car slowly moved through the small, not-yet-awake county town, Tian Mi occasionally wiped the fog off the inside of the car window, humming a tune as she took in the sights outside.

Just when she thought they’d drive for another ten minutes, the man suddenly pressed the brake.

“We’re here already?” Tian Mi leaned forward to look out.

“Not yet. This is a recycling depot; I’m just stopping by to look for some good wood,” Lou Luhui said, glancing at her. “It’s messy here; do you want to wait in the car?”

“I’ll get out and walk with you. It’s chilly just sitting.” Tian Mi hopped out and curiously looked at the recycling depot not far off. “But what do you need the wood for?”

Locking the car, Lou Luhui led her toward the depot. “Marriage certificates can get damaged over time. I’m looking for some quality yellow rosewood or red sandalwood wood to make a frame. We’ll cut a piece of glass for it so it’ll keep for longer.”

It was thoughtful, but… “If possible, let’s try for yellow rosewood.” red sandalwood’s dark color would look rather odd for a photo frame.

Unaware of her thoughts, Lou Luhui readily agreed, “Alright!”

“Speaking of which, is yellow rosewood easy to find? Isn’t it supposed to be expensive?”

“It used to be valuable, but now no one dares to use it, so people just chop it up for firewood.”

What a… waste of good material.

Of course, while she felt it was a pity, Tian Mi didn’t want to go for anything too conspicuous.

And besides, with her own little advantage, she could already seek out a few quality jade pieces, which she was quite satisfied with—no need to be greedy.

In the end, Lou Luhui spent 70 cents at the depot to buy a broken chair with two legs missing.

But the wood was indeed yellow rosewood.

They took a total of three photos together.

Naturally, they also changed outfits three times. Tian Mi figured the photographer probably thought they were the most particular couple he’d ever met.

But her husband Hui Hui wanted to take photos in his sweater, military uniform, and military coat, so she was happy to go along.

Who made the man want to prove that he was neither old nor ugly?

Once the photos were taken, Lou Luhui handed the slightly annoyed photographer a handful of candy, chatted with him a bit, and only when the photographer smiled did he take the receipt and agree to pick up the photos in a week.

On the way back, Tian Mi asked curiously, “Do we have to come back in a week?”

“No need. It’s almost New Year, and there’ll surely be someone from the family quarters coming to town to shop. We can ask them to bring it back.”

True enough. Tian Mi suddenly thought that making trips to town or the city to buy things for the other families in the family quarters wouldn’t be too much trouble, seeing as they had just asked someone for help.

Winter swimming training was best between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Once back at the base, after grabbing lunch at Da Jie’s place, Tian Mi was already eager to go.

Seeing this, Lou Luhui didn’t keep her waiting. After a half-hour rest, he went home to get the essentials—clothes, towels, slippers—and they set off.

Tian Yu, worried about her sister’s safety, insisted on personally observing her skills, so she tagged along.

In the end, Tian Mi held the chubby little girl while Lou Luhui carried a large bag as they all headed to the winter swimming training area.

Tian Mi wasn’t the only military family member participating; there was also Zhao Qin, the wife of the Second Regiment’s Political Commissar. A local with several years of winter swimming experience, she was taking part for the love of it, not the prize.

While Tian Mi was motivated by the chance to see the undersea world, Zhao Qin simply loved swimming so much that she felt something was missing if she didn’t dive in every day—an enthusiast through and through.

Because of her unique hobby, she spent most of her free time in the water and had little interaction with other military families, so she was almost an invisible figure in the family quarters.

It wasn’t that others avoided her; it was just hard to find her to hang out.

So, when Zhao Qin learned that Tian Mi was also joining the winter swimming competition, she felt an instant kinship with her, even before meeting in person.

And sure enough, as soon as Tian Mi’s group appeared at the winter swimming area, Zhao Qin warmly greeted her, drawing the attention of several soldiers.

Hearing that the Regiment Commander’s wife was participating was one thing, but actually seeing her here left many in disbelief. They all started murmuring among themselves.

Most of the soldiers training here were winter swimming enthusiasts who enjoyed the physical activity and hadn’t missed a day since the competition date was announced.

They all knew of Tian Mi’s bravery in saving someone from the water; after all, there had been a commendation ceremony for it, so it was certainly no lie.

But, since few had witnessed the event firsthand, no one really knew the circumstances. Now, seeing her about to join in winter swimming, many harbored doubts.

They didn’t voice them out of respect for Lou Luhui, but their curiosity was unmistakable.

Nearby, Zhao Qin, now warmed up, had already struck up a conversation with Tian Mi and her sister.

Since Tian Yu and Zhao Qin were somewhat acquainted, Tian Yu introduced the two.

Zhao Qin, in her early thirties and with a cheerful demeanor, gave an enthusiastic welcome and remarked, “…Meizi, it’s great you enjoy winter swimming! Now we’ll have each other for company, and it’ll keep some people from gossiping.”

While stretching, Tian Mi smiled, “There’s nothing to gossip about; it’s just swimming. They simply don’t understand winter swimming. Even my Da Jie didn’t want me to come at first. I had to pester her for a long time.”

“Stop complaining—I only did it for your good,” Tian Yu, holding Guo Guo in one hand, reached over to poke her sister’s head with the other.

Tian Mi laughed and dodged her.

Seeing the two sisters joking around, Zhao Qin also burst out laughing. “You’re right; they just don’t get it… I’m about done warming up, so I’ll head into the water first. Just call if you need any help.”

Tian Mi was also not polite and responded cheerfully, “Go ahead, Saozi; if I need anything, I’ll definitely ask.”

“Hey, your temper is quite straightforward, Saozi likes it,” Zhao Qin said as she took off her coat, revealing the one-piece swimsuit underneath.

When Tian Mi saw Zhao Qin’s swimsuit, she froze.

People tend to have preconceived notions, and she was no different. She assumed that in this era of material scarcity, people would be relatively conservative.

But… perhaps not? At least, the swimsuit in front of her was beyond what she had imagined. It didn’t even have padding! Everything was… well, quite visible. Wasn’t this a bit too bold?

No wonder Hui Hui had such a dark expression yesterday.