Chapter 51: Climbing Over the Wall to Leave One’s Own Home  

The two had been busy all afternoon. The sun had already begun to set in the west, and golden sunlight bathed the entire courtyard.  

Su Ruanruan glanced at her watch—it was already past six o’clock.  

She hadn’t felt it while working, but now that they had finished, she realized how quickly time had passed—and how exhausted she truly was.  

Supporting her waist, Su Ruanruan stood up and asked Fu Wenjing: “What should we eat tonight? I’ll cook.”  

“No need,” Fu Wenjing rejected her outright. “Wife, just boil two pots of hot water for bathing later. I’ll go to the canteen and get food.”  

Su Ruanruan wanted to refuse, but Fu Wenjing had already picked up the food containers and small basin, placed them on the cart, and pushed it away.  

Watching his departing figure, Su Ruanruan smiled silently, then got up and went to the kitchen to boil water.  

She was drenched in sweat, even her hair was soaked. A proper bath was a must tonight.  

If only she had a bath barrel to soak in!  

She could buy one from Taobao, but she couldn’t just take it out and use it in front of Fu Wenjing.  

With a helpless sigh, Su Ruanruan consoled herself—she would wait until tomorrow morning when Fu Wenjing went to the Military Unit. Then, she could enjoy a nice soak while home alone.  

However, what Su Ruanruan hadn’t expected was that half an hour later, when Fu Wenjing returned with dinner, there was also a bath barrel on the cart.  

One look and it was obvious the barrel was brand new. The yellow wooden planks had natural wood grain patterns. It wasn’t particularly stunning, but it was quite pleasing to the eye.  

Su Ruanruan stared at the bath barrel for a moment before turning to Fu Wenjing in shock. “You… where did you get this?”  

She hadn’t seen any for sale at the department store before.  

Fu Wenjing smiled. “There are all kinds of craftsmen here, and plenty of people use bath barrels. I just went to take a look and found one ready-made, so I brought it back.”  

Su Ruanruan glanced toward the main gate. Seeing that no one was around, she lowered her voice and asked: “You’re allowed to buy and sell these?”  

Her reaction successfully made Fu Wenjing laugh.  

“Of course! This is also a way for the Military Unit to generate income—self-produced and self-sold.”  

Hearing Fu Wenjing’s response, Su Ruanruan couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up.  

How open-minded!

Fu Wenjing continued: “A lot of people here use bath barrels in the summer, but it’s impossible in autumn and winter. It gets extremely cold here during those seasons, and taking a bath at home could freeze a person. But you don’t have to worry—there’s a public bathhouse in the compound. When the time comes, you can buy bath tickets and bathe there.”  

The bathhouses in the northeast were famous across the country. Even though Su Ruanruan had never experienced one herself, she had certainly heard about them.  

However, bathing wasn’t urgent—after all, the sun hadn’t even set yet.  

The most important thing right now wasn’t bathing but eating.  

Su Ruanruan picked up the food containers from the cart and said: “There’s water in the basin over there. Go wash your hands and face first. Let’s eat first—we can talk about everything else after dinner.”  

Dinner was once again a bowl of coarse corn porridge—golden in color with a naturally sweet aroma.  

Even though she had eaten the same thing that morning, Su Ruanruan still found it delicious.  

Fu Wenjing had also brought back two dishes—braised eggplant with string beans and stir-fried pork with chili peppers—along with four mixed-grain steamed buns.  

The buns were as big as Fu Wenjing’s fists, dense and firm. No matter how hard one pressed, they wouldn’t flatten. They were chewy and incredibly filling.  

Steamed buns like these, dipped in the flavorful sauce from the dishes, were simply unbeatable.  

After working hard all afternoon, Su Ruanruan was so hungry that she felt as if her stomach was glued to her back.  

With these hearty buns, she managed to eat one and a half.  

The remaining two and a half were finished off by Fu Wenjing.  

Not just the food—even the sauce was completely soaked up and eaten.  

That was just how life was in this era. Everyone had lived through tough times—no one wasted food.  

Whatever was served was eaten—down to the very last bite. There was no such thing as leftovers.  

After all, the weather was hot, and there were no refrigerators.  

If the food wasn’t finished, it would spoil by the next day.  

Would they end up overeating?  

Getting to eat until full—that was a kind of happiness!

Thinking about how some people didn’t even have enough to eat, the fact that they could eat until full—how could that not be happiness?  

As for gaining weight?  

That was unlikely.  

Their meals were simple and light, there were no snacks, and there was always endless work to do. No matter what, gaining weight just wasn’t going to happen.  

Not long after they finished eating, the sky outside darkened.  

The water had also finished boiling.  

After washing the dishes, Fu Wenjing cleaned the bath barrel again before carrying it into the eastern room.  

Su Ruanruan wanted to help, but before she could even say a word, Fu Wenjing had already picked up the bath barrel and walked off, leaving her standing there, dumbfounded.  

She knew Fu Wenjing was strong, but this was a bit too much!  

Fu Wenjing moved quickly, and in no time, the bath was ready.  

“Wife, you go first.”  

The bath barrel wasn’t particularly large. When Su Ruanruan sat inside, it was just the right size—just right for her.  

But if it was just right for her, then for Fu Wenjing, it was clearly a tight fit.  

However, he didn’t mind at all and finished his bath in no time.  

Sitting on the heated brick bed, Su Ruanruan took her time appreciating a rare sight—a handsome man stepping out of the bath.  

It wasn’t until Fu Wenjing went to empty the water that she finally lay down.  

After a long day of work, a full meal, and a warm bath, the moment Su Ruanruan lay down, sleepiness washed over her. Her eyelids grew heavy, barely able to stay open.  

Just as she was drifting off, she felt Fu Wenjing approaching.  

Dressed in loose sleepwear, Su Ruanruan had no way to stop Fu Wenjing’s large hand from slipping effortlessly under the hem of her top.  

Fu Wenjing’s palm was rough with calluses, and when it brushed against Su Ruanruan’s soft skin at her waist and abdomen, it sent tingling shivers through her.  

“Ticklish…”  

Su Ruanruan murmured, shifting to the side in an attempt to evade his touch.  

“I’m tired. I just want to sleep.”  

Fu Wenjing’s voice was low and husky. “Go ahead, wife. You don’t have to do anything.”  

“……”  

Su Ruanruan was already half-asleep—drifting in and out of consciousness.  

She was drowsy when it started, drowsy when it ended, and still drowsy when Fu Wenjing carried her for another bath.  

By the time they returned to the heated brick bed, she simply turned over, hugged the blanket, and fell into a deep sleep.  

Though the daytime heat had been intense, the house wasn’t stuffy at night.  

Especially the brick bed—it was cool to the touch. Though a bit firm, it was quite comfortable to sleep on during the summer.  

Su Ruanruan had no idea how long she had slept. By the time she finally woke up, even with the curtains drawn, the room was already bright.  

She glanced around. The bed was empty, but there was a piece of paper left behind.  

On it was Fu Wenjing’s strong and bold handwriting.  

—Wife, breakfast is kept warm in the pot. Don’t forget to eat when you wake up. I’ve gone to the Military Unit. The courtyard door is bolted from the inside, so I climbed over the wall. Don’t worry. I’ll bring lunch back at noon. Get some good rest.  

Su Ruanruan had still been a little groggy, but as she read, she woke up completely.  

Climbing over the wall to leave his own home—Fu Wenjing was probably the first person in history to do such a thing!  

Technically, Fu Wenjing could have just locked the main door from the outside, but he didn’t.  

He had probably been worried that if he locked it, it would be inconvenient for her to go out.