Chapter 27 Getting the Marriage Certificate

Although wedding photos were becoming popular, they weren’t required for marriage registration.

After taking the wedding photos, they went to the district government office to get their marriage certificate.

While waiting for the staff to register their information, Shen Chuning subconsciously looked at the man beside her.

From her angle, she could only see his bronze-colored profile and sharp jawline.

Even when the staff handed them the marriage certificate, she was still in a daze.

So they were legally married?

The scene in her dream, where she married Chen Ziyun and caused her father and brothers’ suffering, shouldn’t happen now.

Shen Chuning’s face was flushed as she left the office.

She looked up at the man secretly, only to meet his deep gaze.

She quickly looked away, calmly asking, “Brother Yubai, are we going home now?”

“Let’s eat first.”

Zhou Yubai’s magnetic voice came from above.  Shen Chuning realized it was almost noon.

They had eaten coarse grain buns that morning.

Although Big Brother had added more white flour, the coarse grain was still irritating to the throat, and the taste of the dried sweet potato powder was still noticeable.

She had been pampered and used to fine grains, making this food difficult to swallow.

Although she forced herself to eat half a bun and a bowl of egg drop soup to avoid worrying her father and brothers,

she was still hungry.

Zhou Yubai took her to a state-run restaurant.

It was a small shop, with several long tables and benches.

The wall read, “Develop the economy, ensure supply” in large characters.

Below it was a small blackboard listing the day’s dishes.

“What do you want to eat?” Zhou Yubai looked at the blackboard and asked Shen Chuning.

Shen Chuning liked fish and ordered braised fish, cabbage and tofu soup, and two bowls of rice.

Zhou Yubai paid with half a catty of grain coupons and one yuan and twenty-five cents.

The restaurant staff didn’t serve the food; they called out the order numbers, and customers picked up their food at the window.

Zhou Yubai brought their food back.

It was their first meal together, and Shen Chuning was nervous.

The man opposite her calmly picked up a piece of fish. Shen Chuning relaxed.

As she was about to pick up the fish, a piece of deboned fish was placed in her bowl.

She looked at Zhou Yubai in surprise.

Zhou Yubai was carefully deboning another piece of fish. Feeling her gaze, he looked up, “Third Brother said you always had your father or brothers de-bone your fish?”

Shen Chuning: …

She blushed.

No man would like a woman who needed help deboning fish.

She was about to say she could do it herself,

when the man calmly said, “As long as I’m here, I’ll de-bone your fish.”

Shen Chuning was shocked, her pupils widening slightly.

Then, she softly said, “Thank you.”

She ate the deboned fish. The braised fish was delicious.

She ate more rice than usual.

Leaving the restaurant, she naturally got on her bicycle.

Zhou Yubai watched her skillfully ride, then looked at his bicycle, his eyes flickering.

He regretted teaching the little rabbit to ride so early.

After riding a distance, Shen Chuning realized Zhou Yubai wasn’t following.

She looked back and saw him crouching down, fixing his bicycle chain.

She turned back, “Brother Yubai, what’s wrong?”

Zhou Yubai wiped the sweat from his forehead, “The bicycle chain broke.”

“What should we do?” Shen Chuning didn’t know how to fix it and became anxious.

“I remember a repair shop nearby. We’ll have to push it there. I don’t know if it can be fixed today.”

Shen Chuning got off her bicycle, “I’ll help you push it. If it can’t be fixed today, we’ll ride mine back. We can get it later.”

Zhou Yubai looked at Shen Chuning’s fair face, a triumphant smile on his lips.

At the repair shop,

as the repairman checked the bicycle chain, Zhou Yubai said, “Master, it can’t be fixed today!”

He emphasized “can’t be fixed.”

The repairman was about to say it would only take a few minutes, but looking at Zhou Yubai and the delicate Shen Chuning,

he understood and said apologetically, “Comrade, your chain broke, usually a quick fix. But we’re out of chains today, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

Leave your bicycle here, and come back tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay, thank you, Master.” Zhou Yubai thanked him and paid.

On the way back, Zhou Yubai naturally rode in front, and Shen Chuning sat behind.

They rode in silence until they passed the village where the black market was located. Zhou Yubai said, “Don’t come to such places alone.  Tell me if you need to come, and I’ll accompany you.”

Shen Chuning’s heart sank.  She thought her trip to the black market and the excuse of buying a dress were perfect.

He had discovered her.

Shen Chuning panicked. What excuse would she use if he asked about her trip to the black market?

But he didn’t ask.

Instead, he said, “When I submitted the marriage report, I applied for housing from the army. We’ll get a house in two months.  If you’re willing, you can join the army.”