Chapter 82

Upon sitting on the supply truck and returning to the camp gate, Lu Weiguo carried the bicycle all the way back to the family quarters.

Along the way, he garnered many curious looks.

Shi Tingyu was in the room painting when she heard Lijian’s voice. She came out to see that Lu Weiguo had returned, not only with the things he had bought but also with a 26-inch women’s bicycle.

Surprised, Shi Tingyu walked up to him, “This bicycle is…?”

Putting the bicycle down, Lu Weiguo said, “This is for you.”

“For me?” Shi Tingyu looked up at him, clearly surprised.

“The bicycle at home is a bit too big for you to ride comfortably.” He had noticed long ago that his wife cared about her image and was somewhat resistant to the 28-inch bike.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t want a suitable mode of transport.

So, when Lu Weiguo heard about the new women’s bicycles, he decided to get one. He exchanged for a bicycle ticket and reserved one through his connections.

Shi Tingyu didn’t expect him to notice such details.

She felt a warmth in her heart.

Feeling enthusiastic, she said, “Come on, let’s go for a ride.”

Lu Weiguo placed the purchased items in the living room and then took Shi Tingyu to the playground of the agency’s elementary school, which was spacious and perfect for cycling.

The guard let them in knowing Shi Tingyu wanted to test the bicycle.

Shi Tingyu pushed off a bit before getting on.

Lu Weiguo followed closely behind, worried she might fall.

Shi Tingyu knew how to ride, so she wasn’t afraid.

“I can ride a bike, you know,” she said to Lu Weiguo.

He neither confirmed nor denied it, but he didn’t let his guard down.

In his mind, since his wife disliked the 28-inch bike so much, she probably couldn’t ride.

He had no idea she had learned how to ride in the future.

Just as Shi Tingyu got distracted for a moment, her handlebars wobbled a bit, but she quickly stabilized. However, as she continued pedaling, she found she couldn’t move.

Looking back, she saw Lu Weiguo’s large hands firmly holding the back seat.

Shi Tingyu: …

She really could ride.

“Let go, I really can do it,” Shi Tingyu said, putting one foot on the ground.

Only after confirming his wife was steady did Lu Weiguo let go.

The moment he released, Shi Tingyu seized the chance and pedaled hard, riding far ahead.

So, Shi Tingyu cycled in front, with Lu Weiguo jogging alongside.

After a while, Shi Tingyu stopped and said to Lu Weiguo, “Weiguo, get on. I’ll give you a ride.”

Lu Weiguo initially wanted to refuse but seeing his wife’s eager eyes full of hope for sharing the fun, he swallowed his words.

By the time he realized, he heard himself say, “Okay.”

The 26-inch bike was shorter than the 28-inch one, so when Lu Weiguo straddled the back seat, his long legs had no place to rest.

As Shi Tingyu started, the bike wobbled a bit but quickly steadied.

Once stable, it became easier to ride.

However, Lu Weiguo on the back seat felt his legs getting sore from being raised.

Finally, as Shi Tingyu rode past the school gate toward home, Lu Weiguo’s legs acted as brakes.

With his long legs firmly on the ground, it felt incredibly good.

Shi Tingyu found she couldn’t move again.

Turning back, she saw, indeed, he was using his legs to brake again.

Seeing his long legs awkwardly positioned like crab legs, she felt a bit guilty.

“I’m tired, why don’t you get off and walk for a bit?” she suggested.

Lu Weiguo internally sighed with relief.

He dismounted so quickly it was surprising.

Shi Tingyu: Can’t you at least pretend a little?

Shi Tingyu’s bike wasn’t fast, so Lu Weiguo easily kept pace by walking slightly faster.

As Shi Tingyu cycled and turned to talk to him, she said, “This bike is really nice, I like it a lot. It would be even better with a basket in front.”

Lu Weiguo looked at the bare handlebars and nodded, “I’ll weave one for you.”

Shi Tingyu was surprised, “You know how to weave baskets?”

Lu Weiguo nodded, as if it was a common skill, “Yes.”

Shi Tingyu thought, maybe she was the one who was ignorant.

Lu Weiguo was action-oriented and took Shi Tingyu’s matters seriously.

On his day off, he went out and came back with a bundle of pre-processed willow branches.

“Where did you get these?” Shi Tingyu asked.

Lu Weiguo mentioned a person that Shi Tingyu didn’t recognize.

He explained, “The Luo family has a long tradition of this craft. I learned it from him. His parents are still around, and they often keep busy by weaving things from willow branches. If anyone in the family quarters needs something, they’ll buy from him.”

Actually, calling it a purchase was just a tacit understanding among everyone. Nowadays, openly doing business could lead to criticism.

The willow branches weren’t taken for free; he gave some money. Although Old Luo was reluctant to accept it, Lu Weiguo insisted, so he had to take it.

This craft was, after all, how they made their living.

Despite Lu Weiguo’s rough hands, they were quite attractive—well-shaped, with clear and long joints.

If they were well taken care of, they would be a hand-lover’s delight.

Lu Weiguo’s hands deftly wove the soft willow branches in and out, forming a small basket base in no time.

Shi Tingyu crouched beside him, her eyes filled with admiration.

His hands were incredibly skillful.

The basket base he wove was tight and aesthetically pleasing.

Every willow branch was in perfect order, satisfying even the most obsessive-compulsive eye.

Once the base was done, he took it to the front of the bicycle to measure it against the handlebars, confirmed it was the right size, and continued weaving.

To a skilled hand, weaving a small basket didn’t take long. From start to finish, it took Lu Weiguo just over an hour.

With the basket completed, Lu Weiguo fetched some wire and pliers to secure it to the handlebars.

Once fixed, Shi Tingyu looked it over from different angles and found it quite charming, with a bit of a rustic feel.

For the perfect basket, Shi Tingyu stood on tiptoe to kiss him, “Weiguo, you’re amazing.”

Lu Weiguo felt that as long as she said something like that, he would do anything happily.

With the bicycle, Shi Tingyu started riding it to the town or nearby villages to buy fish.

This not only freed her from time constraints but also allowed her to exercise.

Since school started, Shi Tingyu’s regular physical training had ended due to her work. In the evenings, Lu Weiguo taught her some self-defense techniques for situations with a significant strength disparity.

Some of the moves were quite ruthless, making her a bit embarrassed.

But Lu Weiguo said, “In dangerous situations, these techniques are very useful.”

Shi Tingyu thought that was certainly true. A man being attacked in his lower regions would experience unspeakable pain.

Lu Weiguo found teaching her quite challenging—not because she was difficult to teach, but because he worried about her being too exhausted.

She had to work during the day, paint in the evenings, and now had martial arts practice. He felt tired just thinking about it.

But Shi Tingyu was persistent.

She always said, “To endure hardship is to rise above others.”