Chapter 13: The Spendthrift Husband

Ye Qing was deep in thought. Could it be that she wasn’t reborn? Why was everything so different from what the books described?

She thought for a long while but couldn’t make sense of it, so she simply gave up trying.

Qin Ye picked out two more outfits and two pairs of shoes for her. Despite Ye Qing’s objections, he insisted on packing and buying them all.

Then, he bought two sets of clothes for Nannan as well, before finally leading the mother and daughter back.

Driver Xiao Yan had already returned. The car was filled to the brim with their things. Xiao Yan handed a receipt to Qin Ye and said: “Regiment Commander Qin, take a look and see if there’s anything missing. As you instructed, I got only the best. The total came to 482 yuan and 50 cents. Here’s the remaining change—please count it.”

Ye Qing was startled. A single bed mat, three quilts, two mattresses, and one large wardrobe cost that much?

The miscellaneous daily necessities and clothes they bought from the department store had cost another 235 yuan. Altogether, it was over 700 yuan!

And this was the 1970s, when a worker’s monthly salary was only about 20 yuan! Ye Qing’s heart ached terribly. She asked Qin Ye: “Where did you get so much money? The money you gave me that day wasn’t nearly this much, was it?”

Qin Ye smiled. “That’s not something you need to worry about. Knowing I was coming to the city to shop, the Brigade Commander lent me 300 yuan.”

Ye Qing felt like fainting. They hadn’t even started their life together yet and already they were in debt? Looked like they’d have to live frugally from now on!

This spendthrift husband!

The military wives returning from their own errands immediately noticed Ye Qing’s little white suit. Sun Fang was the first to run over. She grabbed Ye Qing and turned her this way and that to inspect her.

While looking, she clicked her tongue. “Wow, girl, you look stunning! If I were a man, I’d marry you too! Hahaha!”

“Ahem!”

Qin Ye’s face instantly turned cold.

Sun Fang acted as if she hadn’t noticed and kept talking. “This outfit must’ve cost a fortune, huh? Tsk tsk, your Old Qin is really willing to splurge! If it were my Old Zhang, he’d definitely say: ‘Wearing such expensive clothes on you is a waste! Take it off!’”

Her words made everyone laugh, but at the same time, they were secretly envious. Jokes aside, no one’s husband would willingly spend so much on a single outfit! It really seemed like Regiment Commander Qin doted on his wife.

Seeing that Ye Qing was also carrying other clothes and shoes, even tiny clothes for Nannan, their eyes widened again.

“Goodness! You bought so much? Regiment Commander Qin must’ve spent his whole allowance and mission bonuses on his wife! Hahaha!”

“And even on the child! Tsk tsk, that’s way too extravagant! What does a kid need new clothes for? Just getting one new set for the New Year is already a big deal! Kids grow fast—what a waste!”

Ye Qing didn’t say a word. She took the vegetable seeds from Qin Ye’s hands and heard him say: “Look at these. Xiao Yan only bought this much. If it’s not enough, we’ll get more next time.”

Sun Fang joked with a grin: “I was wondering why Xiao Yan was buying seeds—thought he found a girlfriend in the military compound! So it was for Regiment Commander Qin? Don’t worry, I helped him check everything. The seeds will definitely be enough!”

Ye Qing carried Nannan into the vehicle. Seeing that most of the military wives had already returned, the car set off for the military district.

When they saw the double-door wardrobe in the vehicle, there was another round of gasps.

Especially Sun Fang—she couldn’t hide her envy.

She said that she had been eyeing that wardrobe for a long time. When she asked Political Commissar Zhang to buy it for her, he only said: “The wardrobe at home is still usable. Buying such a fancy one just to store rags is a waste!”

“Damn his legs! He won’t even buy me new clothes. What am I supposed to wear if not old rags?” Sun Fang cursed bitterly.

In the end, her wardrobe had been made by some villager back in the countryside. It wasn’t just rustic—it didn’t even have a mirror!

This large wardrobe was her dream wardrobe. Whether it was the peony flower carved on top or the massive dressing mirror—it was everything she had yearned for.

The whole group in the truck was teasing him, telling Sun Fang she should divorce Political Commissar Zhang and go find herself a man like Regiment Commander Qin.

Sun Fang pouted like a deflated balloon. “Oh, give me a break! I’m already in my forties. If I really got divorced, wouldn’t I be alone for the rest of my life? I might as well muddle through this life with him. Heaven help me—maybe in my next life I’ll be born into a better family and marry a good man.”

The carriage erupted in laughter again.

Sitting up front, Qin Ye grimaced. These women really dared to say anything!

The sky had grown even darker, and now a light snow began to fall.

—

At the same time, Li Lan and Zhao Qingmei were also on their way to the military district in a jeep.

A young soldier was driving. Li Lan’s uncle, Brigade Commander Zhou, sat in the front passenger seat, while the two girls sat in the back, chirping and gossiping.

Zhao Qingmei seemed obsessed with that shirt, constantly stroking the fabric along the way. Li Lan watched from the corner of her eye and couldn’t help smirking.

Thinking of the scenes from her dream, Li Lan couldn’t help but wonder: Was that a sign from heaven?

Could Zhao Qingmei be the key to changing my fate? As long as she marries Li Qiang, then it’ll be like a butterfly flapping its wings—will the tide of fate carry me toward Qin Ye, just like in the dream?

This idea hadn’t started today. Ever since that dream, she had begun orchestrating “accidental encounters” between Zhao Qingmei and Li Qiang.

Sure enough, Zhao Qingmei had fallen for Li Qiang at first sight. She had even started skipping school for him and was now constantly running off to the village.

If everything went as expected, she’d soon be begging to marry Li Qiang. After that, Li Qiang would take the Gaokao (college entrance exam), and Zhao Qingmei would end up working at a textile factory.

Even this trip to buy the shirt had appeared in the dream. If the dream really was a premonition, then she was about to have her first significant encounter with Qin Ye—a meeting that would quickly lead to growing affection between them…

It was just that… in the dream, there had been no trace of Ye Qing.

If that event from the dream happened, then it would prove the prediction was real—and she, Li Lan, could finally escape the tragic fate of her previous life.

Watching the snowflakes falling outside, Li Lan couldn’t help getting excited. Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped her fur-lined coat.

—

Back in the family compound, the kang bed-stove had already been set up and just needed time to dry before use. A large iron cooking pot had also been installed, its shiny lid so polished it could reflect a person’s face.

The villager who helped them was honest and thorough—even cleaning up the entire house before leaving.

Qin Ye was very satisfied. He handed the remaining 20 yuan to the villager. Normally, the going rate for all this labor was 15 yuan, but Qin Ye gave him 5 extra without a word. The villager, pleased, took the initiative to help carry everything from the car into the house without needing to be asked.

Qin Ye busied himself arranging everything while Ye Qing unpacked the two quilts. She laid down a large sheet of oilcloth on the floor and combined the two quilts into one. The size was just right to cover the entire kang.

She had learned sewing from her grandmother as a child, and she hadn’t slacked off even after marriage and childbirth. These tasks were second nature to her, and she finished quickly.

Qin Ye came back from the canteen with food and called her to eat.

When Ye Qing saw the plentiful spread on the table, her mouth twitched again. They were already broke, and he was still eating this well?! This man really didn’t know how to manage a household!

If she’d known he was like this, she would’ve taken control of the finances the day he handed her money. Now it was too late to regret it.

Well, once she moved in and started cooking herself, things would be better. That would save quite a bit. And if she grew vegetables with the other military wives, their food expenses could be even lower.

But… he had borrowed 300 yuan! When would they be able to pay that back?

When you have too many lice, you stop feeling itchy. When you owe too much, you stop worrying. Ye Qing suppressed her frustration and sat down to eat.

There was braised pork for lunch. She got three pieces, Nannan had two, and Qin Ye didn’t eat any. When Nannan tried to feed him, he said he didn’t like it—it was too greasy.

But watching him secretly swallow his saliva made Ye Qing chuckle inwardly: It’s not that he doesn’t like it—he knows we’re poor!

Before they finished eating, Gao Hao arrived, looking slightly anxious. “Regiment Commander, you haven’t finished your meal yet? This house… I’m afraid you’ll have to leave the rest of the unpacking to Sister-in-law!”

Qin Ye raised his thick brows. “What’s going on?”