Chapter 13 Preparing the Dowry

“It’s okay,” Shen Chuning smiled sweetly at Zhou Yubai, “I have to thank Brother Yubai for saving me. Otherwise, I would have fallen badly.”

She had been nervous, her heart pounding.

But seeing Brother Yubai so flustered, she suddenly calmed down.

This was the first time she had seen this usually stern and unsmiling man show such a cute side.

Zhou Yubai calmed himself, regaining his usual stern and unsmiling demeanor, but his voice was much gentler than usual, “Get on.”

He leaned the bicycle slightly to ensure Shen Chuning could easily get on.

After Shen Chuning sat on the back seat, Zhou Yubai got on as well.

“I’ve already submitted the marriage report to the army. The army needs time to process it, so the marriage report will take some time to be approved.”

“Mm,” Shen Chuning softly responded to the steady voice from the front.

The man said again, “Ten days from now is a good day. Let’s hold the wedding banquet then.”

“Mm,” Shen Chuning responded obediently again.

Although she didn’t speak, the slight upward inflection in her tone revealed her happiness.

Zhou Yubai felt her soft voice like a feather brushing against his heart, making it tingle.

He had never thought he would get married, but now he felt a strange anticipation.

Having such a delicate and soft little thing at home after marriage didn’t sound so bad.

After a moment of silence, broken only by the whooshing wind, Zhou Yubai spoke again:

“What are you doing in town by yourself? Where are your father and brothers?”

Shen Chuning carefully held onto Zhou Yubai’s clothes, “My father and older brothers are at work, and Third Brother returned to the army today. I…”

Shen Chuning hesitated, biting her lip before whispering, “I’m going to town to get some dowry.”

Zhou Yubai stopped pedaling.

He didn’t know why, but hearing that soft voice behind him, his heartbeat suddenly sped up, a sweet, indescribable emotion spreading within him.

“What are you going to buy?”

“I’m going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy four sets of quilts, thirty kilograms of cotton to make two ten-kilogram and two five-kilogram quilts, some fabric to make clothes. I also need to buy enamel washbasins, enamel mugs, a metal thermos, and fruit candies.”

When she got married, the village children would come to ask for candy, so she needed to buy some fruit candies.

She also wanted to check out the black market and pave the way for future business there.

But she didn’t dare to mention this to Zhou Yubai.

Hearing her words, Zhou Yubai didn’t realize the corners of his lips were upturned.

He had thought she proposed marriage because of what happened that night.

Although he had tried his best that night, they had intimate contact, and according to rural traditions, they should get married.

Seeing her so focused on the wedding preparations, he felt she wasn’t being forced to marry him because of that night.

“Brother Yubai, what are you doing in town?” Shen Chuning politely asked in return.

Zhou Yubai remained silent.

Just as Shen Chuning thought her question was too abrupt, Zhou Yubai’s magnetic voice suddenly came from the front, “Nothing, just taking a stroll.”

He hadn’t actually planned to go to town today.

He went to Shen’s house to find Shen Chuning, wanting to discuss holding the wedding banquet in ten days and getting the marriage certificate after the army approved his marriage report.  He didn’t find her.

He only found out from the villagers that someone had seen Shen Chuning leave the village, probably heading to town.

He thought that she was so delicate, if she really walked to town, she would probably cry from exhaustion!

So, he immediately went home to get his bicycle and followed her.

It was busy farming season, most people were busy harvesting corn, and the supply and marketing cooperative wasn’t crowded.

Shen Chuning arrived at the daily necessities counter and rattled off the items she had mentioned to Zhou Yubai.

The saleswoman looked at Shen Chuning’s rosy face and considered the items she was buying.

She immediately understood and said with a smile, “Comrade Shen, are you getting married?”

Shen Chuning often came to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things.

She always bought fashionable clothes and shoes, regardless of price, helping the saleswoman achieve sales targets.

So the saleswoman was familiar with her.

“Mm,” Shen Chuning shyly nodded, blushing slightly.

The saleswoman winked at her, looking at Zhou Yubai who was standing a few steps away, “Is that soldier your partner?”

“Mm,” Shen Chuning nodded again, blushing.

“Oh my!” The saleswoman excitedly patted her thigh, “Comrade Shen, your taste is excellent.”

The saleswoman gave a thumbs-up, “Before, we said that you were so beautiful, we wondered what kind of handsome man would be worthy of you.  And here he is!

Your partner is so tall and handsome, I dare say, you can’t find a second one in our county.”

While chatting with Shen Chuning, the saleswoman skillfully picked out the items.

“Comrade Shen, don’t worry, for your wedding, I’ll give you the best goods.  Look at these ‘dragon and phoenix’ enamel basins, enamel mugs, and this ‘double happiness’ metal thermos. They’re all new goods just arrived at our supply and marketing cooperative.  I wouldn’t give them to anyone else.”

“These quilt covers are also new goods, there are ‘hundred birds facing the phoenix’, ‘dragon and phoenix’, and ‘peony and wealth’.  See which one you like, I’ll get it for you.”

Shen Chuning chose two sets of ‘peony and wealth’, one set each of ‘hundred birds facing the phoenix’ and ‘dragon and phoenix’.

After getting these things, Shen Chuning asked the saleswoman, “Sister, I also want to buy thirty kilograms of cotton to make new quilts, do you have any?”

The saleswoman looked troubled, “Comrade Shen, we don’t have that much cotton. You know, cotton is a military supply, and our small supply and marketing cooperative has limited stock.

We only have five kilograms left, should I give them all to you?”

Shen Chuning nodded, “Okay, five kilograms is fine!”

Five kilograms could make a thin quilt. She would find a way to get more cotton on the black market.

Or she could find a way to get some cotton seeds and plant them in the space.  After harvesting, she could find an excuse to take them out.

However, they were in the south and didn’t grow cotton. She didn’t know where to get cotton seeds.

Shen Chuning was pondering when she heard Zhou Yubai ask, “How much does this bicycle cost?”