Chapter 68.3

Over the next three days, Jiang Nian made significant progress on her embroidery. Shu Xue began talking to her more, and in their shared dormitory, they exchanged a few words each night. Jiang Nian learned that Shu Xue was about her age and had also learned embroidery from her grandmother. While not exceptional, Shu Xue’s skills were decent, though her work was usually low-priced pieces, making her subordinate to Dong Shu and the others in the shop.

At lunch, Jiang Nian went with Shu Xue and Su Na. Since Jiang Nian joined the shop, it had subtly split into two factions: one with Yu Xia, Dong Shu, Jia Yuan, and Fan Shan, and the other with Jiang Nian, Shu Xue, and Su Na. Ge Mei noticed the tension but didn’t comment, only occasionally mentioning Jiang Nian’s work.

After lunch, Shu Xue wanted to buy some brown sugar from the supply and marketing cooperative and asked Jiang Nian to accompany her. On their way back, they saw a military vehicle speeding away from the shop gate, quickly disappearing.

Jiang Nian immediately thought of Lu Yu. She hurried back to the shop, opened the door, and saw Jia Yuan and Fan Shan leaning out the window. Aside from the shop members, Lu Yu wasn’t there. She asked Su Na, “Did someone come looking for me?”

“Why did you run so fast?” Shu Xue caught up, panting.

Jiang Nian looked outside but saw no sign of the military vehicle. Su Na said, “Those two men were looking for Sister Ge.”

Jia Yuan laughed, mocking Jiang Nian, “Did you think an officer was here for you? Who do you think you are? How could you even ask such a thing?”

Jiang Nian: …

Yu Xia’s voice came from the partition: “Maybe they were looking for Jiang Nian. Her boyfriend is a soldier, after all. What if he’s a regiment commander?”

Her tone was calm, but Jiang Nian could still hear the mockery.

Ignoring them, Jiang Nian went back to her embroidery, wondering if Lu Yu had been in that vehicle. If it was him, why did he leave so quickly? Was there an emergency?

She mulled it over for a while before immersing herself back in her work. It wasn’t until Shu Xue called her for dinner that she put down her needle. She went to the cafeteria with Shu Xue and Su Na, and they found a corner table. They had just started talking when two people sat at a nearby table, one of whom had a familiar voice.

Jiang Nian frowned and turned to look, freezing for a moment.

It was indeed Sun Ying.

Sun Yuan had said her father sent Sun Ying elsewhere, and it turned out to be the textile factory. Opposite Sun Ying sat Wu Youshan. Sun Yuan had mentioned that Wu Youshan followed Sun Ying after she was sent away.

Both had given up their jobs as a doctor and nurse to work at the factory.

Sun Ying noticed Jiang Nian and immediately turned pale, grabbing her lunchbox and running off. Wu Youshan was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Jiang Nian, frowning deeply before also grabbing his lunchbox and leaving.

Jiang Nian: …

Shu Xue asked curiously, “Do you know them?”

“No.”

Jiang Nian buried her head in her food.

She knew Sun Ying wouldn’t dare provoke her, and Wu Youshan would avoid her too. They feared she’d expose their shameful past, which would ruin their reputation in the factory.

Having slept with Wu Youshan the day before her wedding and getting pregnant with his child, Sun Ying still married Tang Ze.

Jiang Nian: Tsk, tsk.

On their way back to the dormitory after dinner, they ran into Chen Yao outside the dormitory building. He wore an army green uniform and carried a bag of food. When he saw Jiang Nian, he waved and smiled. Jiang Nian said to Shu Xue, “You go on ahead.”

Then she ran over to Chen Yao’s side.

At this moment, outside the dormitory building, there were people from the textile factory and the embroidery shop coming and going. Dong Shu and Yu Xia returned from the cafeteria and saw Chen Yao and Jiang Nian under the tree. Yu Xia said, “That seems to be Jiang Nian’s boyfriend.”

Dong Shu snorted coldly, “What’s so great about that?”

“Shu Xue, what’s Jiang Nian’s boyfriend’s name?” 

Yu Xia asked Shu Xue. Shu Xue shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Dong Shu sneered, “If you don’t want to say it, just don’t. Acting like you don’t know. Who cares to listen?”

After saying that, she dragged Yu Xia away.

Shu Xue: …

Su Na said in a low voice, “Don’t take it to heart. Sister Dong is just like that.”

The two of them went back to the dormitory first. Before leaving, they glanced again at Chen Yao and Jiang Nian under the tree.

It was getting dark, and there were people outside the dormitory with flashlights. The beams of light were quite striking in the night. Chen Yao handed a bag of food to Jiang Nian and smiled, “Sister-in-law, this is from Commander Lu. He has a mission these days and can’t come back for a while. He asked me to check on you.”

Jiang Nian took the food, glanced inside, and saw a lot of snacks, including a roasted chicken wrapped in oil paper. The rich aroma hit her nose. She blinked, “Why so much?”

Chen Yao smiled. “Commander Lu said for you to eat more. He will come to see you in a while.”

Jiang Nian smiled, thinking about seeing the military vehicle at noon, and asked softly, “Did Lu Yu come to the city today?”

Chen Yao shook his head. “No, he’s not in Yuan City for these three days.”

Jiang Nian: …

Suddenly, she felt that she was quite embarrassed at noon today.

Thinking about Lu Yu had driven her mad.

Chen Yao left after delivering the items. Jiang Nian returned to the dormitory, and Shu Xue immediately asked, “Is that your boyfriend?”

Su Na also came over, curious.

Jiang Nian smiled. “No, my boyfriend asked him to bring me some food.”

She put the food on the cabinet next to her bed and gave Su Na and Shu Xue each a piece of White Rabbit candy and chocolate. The two had keen noses and smelled the roasted chicken. They sniffed and said, “Your boyfriend treats you well. These things must have cost a lot.”

Not to mention the candy, chocolate, malted milk, and several kinds of precious fruits, even the roasted chicken and cream biscuits weren’t cheap. Shu Xue and Su Na couldn’t help but wonder what Jiang Nian’s boyfriend did in the army to be so generous.

The roasted chicken was still warm. If left until tomorrow, it would become greasy and not taste good.

Jiang Nian took out the roasted chicken and shared it with Su Na and Shu Xue. The rich aroma drifted out the window. People in the dormitory building, who rarely ate meat, couldn’t help but crave it when they smelled the scent. Dong Shu and Yu Xia also smelled the meat and felt that their dinner was tasteless in comparison.

The next morning at the embroidery shop, Dong Shu told Jia Yuan, “I don’t know who was eating meat in the dormitory last night. The smell was so good it wafted into our dorm and made Yu Xia and me crave it.”

Just then, Su Na’s laughter came from outside: “Jiang Nian, thank you for the roasted chicken last night.”

Shu Xue also said, “I haven’t eaten meat in almost a year. Thanks to Jiang Nian, I got to eat some last night. Your boyfriend treats you so well, with cream biscuits, chocolate, fruits, and roasted chicken. Jiang Nian, when there’s a chance, you must introduce us to your boyfriend.”

Shu Xue said this deliberately to annoy Jia Yuan.

Everyone heard Shu Xue’s words. When they entered, Dong Shu and the others’ faces changed. They all turned around and sat quietly, not saying a word.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Nian had been at the embroidery shop for half a month.

Lu Yu hadn’t called during this time. Her embroidery piece was one-third done. Since the roasted chicken incident, Dong Shu hadn’t spoken to Jiang Nian. Jia Yuan occasionally made sarcastic remarks, but Jiang Nian would retort indifferently, leaving Jia Yuan feeling foolish.

One noon, Jiang Nian asked Shu Xue to help bring lunch back because she wanted to finish a few stitches.

Yu Xia and Dong Shu had just opened the door of the embroidery shop when they saw a military green Jeep parked at the entrance. Jia Yuan and Fan Shan came out and saw two men in military uniforms getting out of the car. They looked young and handsome, with an air of authority.

Su Na came out holding a lunch box, saw the two men, and asked, “Are you looking for Director Ge?” Then she called inside, “Director Ge, someone is looking for you.”

“Coming.”

Ge Mei put down her enamel cup, walked out, and saw Lu Yu and Gu Shizhou. She smiled, “Commander Lu, are you here for Jiang Nian?”

Her words carried a smile.

Lu Yu glanced at the people in the embroidery shop, his stern brows relaxed. He nodded slightly and smiled, “Is she here?”

Ge Mei smiled, “Yes.”

She then called inside, “Jiang Nian, Commander Lu is here.”

Almost immediately, footsteps sounded from inside, and Jiang Nian ran out. Seeing Lu Yu standing by the car, her heart raced. They had spent every day together before, but now, after half a month of not seeing each other, it felt like a long time.

“Lu Yu.”

Jiang Nian walked over, her eyes bright and beautiful. She looked up at Lu Yu, her lips curled in a smile she couldn’t hide. Lu Yu felt a warmth in his heart, reached out, and rubbed her head. “Hungry?”

Jiang Nian nodded lightly. Lu Yu chuckled, “I’ll take you to eat.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Nian responded softly. Seeing Gu Shizhou beside them, she greeted him, “Commissar Gu.”

Gu Shizhou nodded.

The people at the entrance of the embroidery shop blinked at Jiang Nian, especially Yu Xia and Jia Yuan. Their eyes widened. Yu Xia didn’t expect that Jiang Nian’s partner was actually a commander. This man, tall and handsome, seemed to treat Jiang Nian exceptionally well, like she was a treasure.

Yu Xia immediately felt her face burn with embarrassment.