Chapter 38

However, Lin Xixi didn’t immediately agree to Xiao Zhang.

She pondered for a moment and said, “Being in a relationship is preparing for marriage, so it must be carefully considered. It doesn’t mean that being in a relationship with you necessarily leads to marriage.”

She wouldn’t make the statement definitive.

Xiao Zhang nodded like a chicken pecking at grains, “Yes, yes, I understand, I understand. Hey, hey, then you can carefully consider me.”

Since they reached an understanding, Lin Xixi nodded reservedly, and the two of them started strolling through the market together.

Although Lin Xixi came from the countryside, her beauty, health, competence, good cooking skills, and elementary education—all of these were major advantages in this era.

It could be said that as long as the man didn’t have an obsession like Yan Lei, who insisted on marrying an educated or urban woman, Lin Xixi was a very high-quality candidate for a wife among these soldiers who also came from the countryside.

The quality was even higher than that of Qiao Wei.

Xiao Zhang, of course, was very attentive. While his salary couldn’t compare to Yan Lei’s, it was higher than that of an ordinary worker. Moreover, being a driver came with many invisible income streams.

To put it simply, Xiao Zhang had never bought his own cigarettes or alcohol, but he had endless cigarettes and alcohol to consume.

Single men didn’t spend much in the military area, so he had saved quite a bit of money. When he needed to spend, he didn’t hesitate.

He pulled out his wallet with great ease.

But Lin Xixi wanted nothing. She slightly raised her chin and waved her hand, telling him, “I won’t spend your money recklessly; I’m not that kind of person.”

What a simple girl! Hardworking, virtuous, and so beautiful!

Xiao Zhang thought even more highly of Lin Xixi.

Actually, Lin Xixi didn’t fancy anything at this market.

She had experienced the industrial society of the 1980s and 1990s. The things sold at this rundown market were all rural items, none of which caught her eye.

There wasn’t anything worth buying.

Moreover, according to rural customs, if the man bought something for the woman after a blind date, such as clothes, and the woman accepted, it meant the relationship was confirmed.

Lin Xixi didn’t want to confirm the relationship with Xiao Zhang.

As they strolled, they saw Qiao Wei, and Xiao Zhang took the initiative to greet her.

Lin Xixi followed.

Without saying anything, she hadn’t spoken yet when Xiao Zhang spoke for her, “Hey, sister-in-law, what did you buy?”

There were more things in the bamboo basket, and Yan Lei had already taken over the heavy load. Qiao Wei still carried her woven basket, and it was almost full.

Qiao Wei smiled brilliantly, “Buy whatever you see. They’re all practical things.”

Her words were not wrong; most things sold in the market were practical. However, many of the things Qiao Wei bought were not for practical use but for the rustic atmosphere they naturally exuded.

Just… for the sake of buying.

Xiao Zhang nodded in agreement, “All are useful things.”

Lin Xixi rolled her eyes behind Xiao Zhang.

Qiao Wei saw it, suppressed her laughter, and asked, “Didn’t Xiaolin buy anything? Did you forget your money? Auntie can lend it to you first.”

These words were really grating, and Lin Xixi rolled an even bigger pair of eyes.

Xiao Zhang burst into laughter and quickly waved his hand, “No need, sister-in-law, no need. I brought money with me.”

Qiao Wei pretended to suddenly understand, “Oh, oh.”

These two, calling each other sister-in-law and auntie, were incredibly natural.

Lin Xixi was furious. The way they spoke made it seem like she and Zhang Guoqiang were really in a relationship.

However, since nobody explicitly stated anything, if she forcefully clarified, it would make her seem like she had something to hide.

She could only grind her teeth in silent frustration.

Suddenly, a straw hat descended from the sky and landed on Qiao Wei’s head, covering her eyes.

Qiao Wei exclaimed, pushing up the brim of the hat to reveal her eyes and smiling.

Yan Lei asked, “One hat is enough?”

“Enough, enough.”

Yan Lei greeted Xiao Zhang and Xiao Lin, “Are you here to shop too?”

No wonder they hadn’t seen him just now; he had gone to buy a straw hat for Qiao Wei.

At this point, Lin Xixi finally made a sound and called out, “Captain Yan.”

She looked him up and down, suddenly feeling disappointed.

Last night, Yan Lei lectured her so much that she found him quite annoying. Why? Middle-aged aunties liked to lecture and boss around young people, and she couldn’t stand being lectured and bossed around by others. It just irked her.

But in the end, Lin Xixi wasn’t interested in Yan Lei as a person; she was interested in his future and his wealth. For that, she could only endure.

But now, Yan Lei was carrying a bamboo basket full of dirty-looking things.

Wait a minute, what did she see?

Lin Xixi couldn’t help but ask, “Captain Yan, why… why did you buy straw shoes?”

Why? He didn’t know why. According to Qiao Wei, it wasn’t meant for wearing but for hanging up as decoration?

Most likely, the influence of petite-bourgeois artistic thinking was at play again.

“Of course, to wear,” Yan Lei said unequivocally, “What else would I do with them? I can’t just put them on display.”

Qiao Wei quickly turned her face away, afraid she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

Lin Xixi’s expression was peculiar.

Yan Lei glanced at her and said, “Haven’t you worn them before? You’re young; you’ve caught the good days. I wore straw shoes in the summer when I was a kid.”

Lin Xixi said, “You’re already a captain…”

“What’s wrong with being a captain? Even if I become a higher-ranking officer, I can’t forget where I came from.” Yan Lei said with a stern face.

Lin Xixi was scolded by him again and didn’t want to speak. When two leaders met, there would inevitably be a clash.

Xiao Zhang said, “Well, you continue shopping; we’ll go over there and take a look.”

He took Lin Xixi with him.

Qiao Wei also looked strange.

Yan Lei turned to see and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qiao Wei said, “Nothing.”

She pulled him again and said, “Come, let’s see what’s being sold over there.”

Yan Lei: “…”

When they returned home, the couple, one carrying a back basket and a woven basket, and the other holding a child, returned fully loaded.

All three of them had an ice stick in their mouths.

The small bean ice sticks were 3 cents each, delicious and cooling.

Returning home and pushing open the courtyard gate, they immediately saw her recliner and bamboo bed in place, which made them happy.

She put down her things, washed her hands, and adjusted the positions of the two recliners. She also placed the bamboo bed next to the recliners against the wall under the eaves.

“Is it placed here?” Yan Lei asked, “Are you going to sleep here?”

Yan Lei’s eyes held a hint of concern.

She wouldn’t be sleeping outside because of the heat at night, right? If he had known, he should have bought two bamboo beds and put them together. Buying only one meant it couldn’t fit two people, making it impossible for him to hold her.

Is it still possible to go back and buy another one now? But it seemed that the people from Siping Township had brought a bamboo bed over…

Having gotten used to sleeping with her every night, suddenly having to sleep separately from his wife was a psychological blow that Captain Yan found a bit hard to bear.

The grievances were clearly visible through his eyes, filled with accusation.

Qiao Wei didn’t notice at all. She was busy arranging the new furniture.

“Not for sleeping. Hey? It’s not bad for napping, actually,” she said happily. “Pretty good, serves two purposes.”

Hearing “not for sleeping,” Yan Lei’s disappointment and grievances were swept away. He became spirited again, “Not for sleeping? Then what’s it for?”

“It’s for sitting. Like… um, a bench.” She was about to say sofa, but she was afraid Yan Lei hadn’t seen one, so she just said bench.

Yan Lei pointed out, “It doesn’t have a backrest.”

“It doesn’t matter. I have a way,” Qiao Wei said confidently.

She first took out the straw shoes and straw hat.

There were several nails on the outer wall of the house for hanging things. Even the washbasin is usually hung on the wall.

The recliner was placed next to the door, and the bamboo bed was placed under the window outside Yan Xiang’s room. The straw shoes and straw hat were hung on the nails next to the window.

The straw shoes were two shoes tied together with a long straw rope. Qiao Wei hung them up and adjusted them so that one shoe was higher than the other.

Stepping back a few steps and crossing her arms, she looked at it, and the rustic feeling was there.

The two pieces of soil-colored fabric she bought were brought into the house.

As soon as she entered the house, she saw her wicker cabinet and exclaimed, “You put it here.”

She almost forgot that she had bought such a cabinet; they had bought too many things today.

Yan Lei followed in, touched the cabinet, and asked, “What’s this for?”

The cabinets at home were enough.

Nowadays, when getting married, it’s trendy to have the “Thirty-Six Legs,” including: a square table, four chairs, a double bed, a large wardrobe, a writing desk, and a food cabinet.

A total of thirty-six legs.

When getting married, he arranged the “Thirty-Six Legs” very decently. Except for the bed being replaced with a kang, everything else was there.

Even a bookshelf that others didn’t have, she had it too.

He didn’t know what this cabinet was for.

“A new bookshelf?” he asked.

Qiao Wei had dealt with many books, and he guessed she might want to buy new books.

But Qiao Wei said, “For storing shoes.”

Yan Lei: “…”

The wicker cabinet was very light. Qiao Wei looked around in the room and moved the cabinet to the back of the left door as they entered.

It’s equivalent to coming out of her study; the cabinet is right there.

“What are you storing?” Yan Lei asked again.

“Shoes,” Qiao Wei said.

She was tired of shoes scattered along the wall. It was particularly inconvenient when sweeping or mopping the floor, making the room look messy.

She moved back and forth between the inside and outside of the house, putting all the shoes of the family against the wall into her new cabinet.

With the cabinet door closed, she said, “Look, it’s neat and tidy. Shoes are also neat, and the house is also neat.”

“You really know how to do it, specifically buying a cabinet to store shoes.” Yan Lei shook his head and sighed, “I haven’t heard of anyone having a cabinet specifically for shoes.”

That’s because everyone doesn’t have many shoes.

One person has three pairs of shoes: one pair of spring and autumn shoes, one pair of summer sandals, and one pair of winter cotton shoes.

These three pairs of shoes can be worn for several years without replacement. So, there’s no need for a shoe cabinet.

“I have a lot of shoes,” Qiao Wei said.

Yan Lei stood with his hands on his hips and said, “It’s okay; having many shoes means getting a cabinet. It’s pretty good.”

Qiao Wei’s expression became slightly strange again.

Yan Lei noticed it because she had shown this expression once at the market.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Qiao Wei pursed her lips and finally said, “You treat your wife pretty well.”

“What else should I do?” Yan Lei asked in return.

Qiao Wei thought of Lin Xixi.

Interestingly, from what can be seen now, Yan Lei and Lin Xixi had quite an obvious incompatible aura. How did the two of them achieve a sweet and pampering achievement in the main text?

“What if… you change your wife? Will you be so good to the new wife as well?” Qiao Wei asked.

Yan Lei thought this was a strange question, feeling like it was a set-up.

“Why would I change my wife?”

“It’s just, if I die…”

“Phew! Stop it! What superstitious nonsense are you talking about, cursing yourself?”

“Don’t bring up feudal superstitions. I’m just saying ‘what if,'” Qiao Wei leaned against the new shoe cabinet with her arm, looking at him with a slanting glance, “If I’m gone, you will definitely marry a new wife, right? In front of the Chairman, you’re not allowed to say insincere words.”

The portrait of the Chairman hung on the main wall of the living room.

The intimidation was too strong.

After thinking for a moment, Yan Lei admitted, “I should remarry to have someone take care of Xiang Xiang.”

It was the truth. In the opening of the main text, Yan Lei and Lin Xixii directly talked about his need for someone to take care of the child. Lin Xixi mentioned that although she hadn’t given birth, she loved children and had taken care of her uncle’s brothers and sisters. Yan Xiang also liked her.

The last sentence was crucial.

So, with so many people matchmaking for the widower Yan Lei, he eventually married Lin Xixi, the niece of Captain Zhao. It was because she seemed to be good at taking care of children.