Chapter 27

Shi Tingyu didn’t expect Lu Weiguo to be so focused on this matter.

“In fact, we don’t need to buy all of them,” she said. Having experienced the extravagance of the past, she wasn’t as attached to the idea of having a full set of items like people used to.

“Watch, bicycle, sewing machine, and radio, we can’t miss any of them,” Lu Weiguo said earnestly.

Seeing his seriousness, Shi Tingyu replied, “If we must buy something, I think a watch would suffice.”

As Lu Weiguo was about to say more, Shi Tingyu took his hand and said, “We don’t need to buy the rest. Modern bicycles have high crossbars, which are too tall for me, and you already have one, right? As for the sewing machine, I rarely do needlework, so buying one would just gather dust at home.”

“What about the radio? You can use it at home,” Lu Weiguo felt they were skimping too much.

To be honest, Shi Tingyu wasn’t fond of listening to the radio. Nowadays, radio programs mainly focused on news, children’s shows like “Little Trumpet,” or poetry recitations, which didn’t appeal to her coming from the information-rich era.

Moreover, these items had short lifespans and were quickly outdated, making buying them unnecessary.

She explained to Lu Weiguo, “I don’t particularly enjoy the radio programs. We can consider buying one when there are more diverse programs available.”

Seeing her sincerity, Lu Weiguo abandoned the idea of buying everything and took her to the watch counter.

In the end, Shi Tingyu chose a Shanghai brand women’s watch. The silver strap looked elegant on her wrist.

For some people, wearing a watch might make them look ostentatious, but for Shi Tingyu, it complemented her well.

Personal style was indeed mysterious; some people wearing designer brands looked affluent, while others might be mistaken for wearing knock-offs.

Shi Tingyu was someone who suited wearing a watch perfectly.

Lu Weiguo admired Shi Tingyu’s delicate wrist, thinking that even a piece of string would look good on it.

After purchasing the watch, Shi Tingyu seemed to forget she had it on her wrist and went about her day as usual.

Lu Weiguo couldn’t help but think that with her previous circumstances, a watch wouldn’t be considered rare.

Nowadays, people would roll up their sleeves to show off their watches. He remembered his cousin, a police officer, who had posed for photos with his watch prominently displayed, regardless of how awkward the pose looked.

Before heading to the gathering, Shi Tingyu and Lu Weiguo calculated that besides themselves, there would be three company commanders, two battalion commanders, and their company’s instructor, Feng Wei. Additionally, they would invite the wife and son of the second battalion commander, Mrs. Zhang and Damao, totaling ten guests for the table.

Shi Tingyu didn’t want to make things too complicated. Since the men would enjoy the meal, she decided not to fuss over elaborate dishes. Instead of beautifully plated but scarce dishes, she opted to increase the portion sizes, enhance the flavors with more oil, and ensure the guests enjoyed the meal.

According to the current standard, five main dishes and a soup would be sufficient.

Her initial menu included braised pork with potatoes, braised pig’s trotters, spicy clams, chicken stew with mushrooms, and boiled fish. She planned to use the fish head from the boiled fish to make a fish head and tofu soup to complete the meal.

Surprisingly, she noticed lobsters available and thought it was early June, making it the perfect time for plump lobsters. She decided to replace the braised pig’s trotters with spicy lobsters.

Considering that the men would likely drink some alcohol, enjoying spicy lobsters with wine would be delightful.

Lu Weiguo was surprised to see Shi Tingyu buying lobsters. He never expected her to prepare this dish. Back in the village, during summers when lobsters were not available, she enjoyed catching them but had limited seasonings, resulting in average-tasting dishes.

However, seeing Shi Tingyu’s happy expression, Lu Weiguo was confident that the lobsters she prepared would be delicious.

After purchasing all the ingredients, it was almost time for the meal. They went to a state-owned restaurant for lunch before heading back.

In the afternoon, Lu Weiguo returned to the camp to invite the guests. Typically, inviting superiors to dine together was not common, as it could lead to gossip. Even if invitations were extended, regular superiors would usually decline, except for special circumstances. Lu Weiguo skipped this step.

Upon hearing that Lu Weiguo was hosting a meal, the soldiers who were still in training became excited. A meal invitation meant they could enjoy a feast.

Mrs. Zhang heard the commotion next door and came over to offer help. Shi Tingyu welcomed her in.

“Hey there, just spoke with Xiao Lu, I’m here to lend a hand,” Mrs. Zhang said with a smile.

Shi Tingyu quickly expressed her gratitude, “Thank you so much for coming to help, Sister Zhang.”

While Mrs. Zhang helped peel potatoes, Lu Weiguo returned after inviting the guests.

Shi Tingyu quickly said, “Weiguo, please help wash the lobsters and clams. After washing the clams, sprinkle some salt and sesame oil on them to remove any sand.”

These two shell-on ingredients are better handled by men.

Without a second thought, Lu Weiguo took the lobsters and clams to the well to wash them.

Watching Lu Weiguo obediently washing the seafood, Mrs. Zhang whispered to Shi Tingyu, “I didn’t expect Xiao Lu to be so obedient. You sure have a way with him.”

Shi Tingyu thought to herself, “Can I really take credit for his obedient behavior?”

However, she couldn’t say that directly; it would sound too conceited.

After praising Lu Weiguo, Mrs. Zhang talked about her husband, “Old Zhang never takes the initiative; he only moves when asked.”

Observing Mrs. Zhang’s expression and tone, which held a blend of disdain and softness, Shi Tingyu intervened, “Sister Zhang, that’s not entirely true. According to Weiguo, Battalion Commander Zhang cares about his family. Whenever he eats out, he always saves a portion for you and your child.”

Mrs. Zhang’s heart softened instantly, and she replied with a smile, “Well, that’s his one good quality.”

Lu Weiguo, listening to the conversation between the two women at the well, couldn’t help but smile. He realized that if his wife genuinely wanted to get along with someone, there was no one she couldn’t win over. She had a way with words that resonated with people.

However, Shi Tingyu was a bit reluctant to engage with others due to the hassle of socializing.

After washing the lobsters and clams, Lu Weiguo followed Shi Tingyu’s instructions to have the clams spit out any sand by salting them and rubbing them with sesame oil. The lobsters were placed in a bucket.

Seeing Lu Weiguo finishing the task, Shi Tingyu asked him to bring the lobsters and fetch some scissors.

Lu Weiguo obediently complied.

Curious, Mrs. Zhang asked, “Why do you need scissors if the lobsters are already washed? Aren’t they usually served whole?”

Shi Tingyu took the scissors from Lu Weiguo, swiftly cut off the lobster heads, and removed the digestive tract.

“The lobster heads and digestive tracts are dirty and need to be removed to ensure cleanliness,” she explained.

Wild lobsters, unlike those specially farmed in the future, needed this extra care for hygiene.

Mrs. Zhang nodded as if she understood, “I see.”

Once she finished handling one, Shi Tingyu was about to start on the next one when a big hand reached out and took the scissors from her.

“I’ll do this; you can work on the mushrooms,” Lu Weiguo said.

Seeing the lobster’s large claws, Lu Weiguo felt it was a bit risky. Although he hadn’t done this before, watching Shi Tingyu handle one lobster taught him how to do it.

As Shi Tingyu looked back at Lu Weiguo, she saw him skillfully cutting off the lobster heads and cleaning the lobsters effortlessly with his calloused hands. Despite the somewhat unsightly scene of preparing food, she found it radiant, like being enveloped in a glow, both visually and aesthetically.