Chapter 8

Jiang Nian was tempted by the delicious aroma, and smiled by herself. Hearing Lu Yu’s voice, she quickly pressed her lips together and said in a low voice, “Lunch is ready.”

“I’ll go wash my face.”

With that, Lu Yu headed to the well. From the kitchen, Jiang Nian could hear the sound of water splashing outside.

She picked up two bowls of mixed sauce noodles and started walking out of the kitchen. Just as she reached the door, the bowls were taken by a pair of long, slender hands. The warmth from Lu Yu’s body brushed against her face as he said, “Let me carry these.”

Seeing the noodles, he seemed to smile slightly, “The mixed sauce noodles you made look delicious sister-in-law.”

Jiang Nian lowered her head and pulled back her hands, “Thank you.”

Her mouth was quicker than her brain, and she realized she had said something too polite. It was fine to say such things in front of Sister Feng, but she should avoid it in front of Lu Yu in the future.

Lu Yu glanced at Jiang Nian, “You don’t have to be polite with me sister-in-law.”

He then walked out carrying the bowls.

Jiang Nian grabbed two pairs of chopsticks and brought the plate of stir-fried tomatoes and eggs to the yard. She sat down, holding the bowl to mix the noodles. The aroma of the stir fried tomatoes and eggs combined with the mixed sauce noodles stimulated her taste buds. She looked across at Lu Yu, who was eating heartily, and saw him pour some stir-fried tomatoes and eggs into his bowl, mix it with the noodles and continue eating.

Jiang Nian picked up some noodles with her chopsticks, smiling inwardly while maintaining a neutral expression. She looked down at her bowl and asked, “Is it good?”

Lu Yu paused his eating, glanced at Jiang Nian who was quietly eating with her head down, and said, “It’s very good.”

He wasn’t just saying it to be polite.

He had once eaten mixed sauce noodles at a state-run restaurant with the political commissar, and they weren’t nearly as good as the ones his sister-in-law made.

To prove his point, Lu Yu ate three bowls of noodles. Afterward, he went to the well to draw water and washed his face again. Noticing that there was not much water in the kitchen water jar, he fetched three more buckets of water and poured them into the jar.

After Jiang Nian finished eating, she went into the kitchen with all the dishes, where she saw Lu Yu pouring water into the jar.

She put the dishes into the pot and was about to grab a rag to wash them when Lu Yu took the rag first and said, “You go rest, I’ll wash the dishes.”

Jiang Nian was momentarily stunned and looked up at Lu Yu who was standing by the stove.

He was tall, making the stove look short. The noon sunlight streamed in through the wide-open window, casting light on his handsome features and scattering across the earthen walls beside him.

He was washing the dishes with his head down, his jawline sharp and defined.

Jiang Nian realized that not only was Lu Yu handsome, but he was also very efficient in doing his tasks.

The mosquito bites itch unbearably, and Jiang Nian couldn’t help but scratch again. She told him about her visit to the private plot, “Sister Feng took me to the private plot today. I’ll tidy it up in the next few days and plant some vegetable seeds.”

Lu Yu drained the water from the dishes and placed them in a simple, square wooden cupboard. He turned and saw several mosquito bites on Jiang Nian’s wrists and forearms, and even a few on her neck.

“I’ll take care of the field work during my lunch break and in the afternoon. You can start planting the vegetables once the soil is plowed.”

Jiang Nian looked down at the firewood on the ground and nodded, “Okay.”

After Lu Yu finished washing the pot and dishes and swept the floor, he glanced at the bandage on Jiang Nian’s head. Picking up his clothes, he said, “I’m leaving now.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Nian obediently walked to the kitchen door and leaned against it, watching Lu Yu leave the courtyard.

As Lu Yu closed the courtyard gate, he inadvertently looked up and saw her standing there. A surge of indescribable bitterness welled up in his heart. Two years ago, when he left home, Jiang Nian had also stood outside the door, seeing him off.

Lu Yu lowered his gaze, closed the courtyard gate and left.

After Lu Yu left, Jiang Nian prepared a pot of hot water to wash her hair. She adjusted the temperature and was just about to sit down when the courtyard gate was pushed open. Sister Feng came in, bringing two eggplants and four peppers from the field.

Feng Mei thought Lu Yu’s sister-in-law might not be very talkative, but she found her temperament to her liking.

Seeing that Jiang Nian was about to wash her hair, Feng Mei put the vegetables on the table and rushed over to stop her. “Your head injury hasn’t healed yet. It’ll be troublesome if it gets wet.”

Jiang Nian grabbed her hair and smiled, “It’s not a big deal.”

“How can it not be a big deal!”

Feng Mei picked up the basin and insisted, “Come on, lie down on the bed, with your head hanging off the side. I’ll wash it for you so the water won’t touch the wound.”

Before Jiang Nian could even refuse, Feng Mei had already carried the basin into the first room on the east side.

Jiang Nian: …

She felt that Sister Feng was a bit too enthusiastic.

Jiang Nian lay on the bed, looking up at the roof beams. Feng Mei placed a stool next to the bed, put the basin on it, and started washing Jiang Nian’s hair while chatting with her about gossip.

“You don’t know, after I got home at noon, I thought about it for a long time and told Old Song about Captain Liu and Zheng Hong. Guess what he said?”

Jiang Nian followed her lead, “What did Commander Song say?”

Feng Mei snorted, “He said I’m a fool for just seeing the problem now. He also told me not to meddle in other people’s family affairs, or I’ll end up being blamed by everyone.”

Jiang Nian pressed her lips to keep from laughing.

She was surprised that Commander Song spoke so bluntly to his wife.

Jiang Nian thought for a moment and then comforted her, “Sister Feng, don’t blame Commander Song. He’s saying this for your own good.”

“What good?” Feng Mei said, applying soap to Jiang Nian’s hair and rubbing it carefully. “He won’t feel comfortable unless he scolds me.”

“Then you’ve misunderstood Commander Song.”

Jiang Nian analyzed for her, “As they say, even a wise judge can’t settle family disputes easily. Commander Song is worried that you’ll get involved in their issues and will end up getting blamed and receive nothing in return for your efforts. He’s looking out for you.”

After hearing this, Feng Mei paused and leaned closer to her and asked, “Really?”

Seeing Feng Mei’s head suddenly come closer, Jiang Nian quickly nodded, “Really, some men are just like that. They care about their wives in different ways.”

To be honest, Jiang Nian’s explanation made Feng Mei feel much better. She fetched a basin of clean water and asked, “Lu Yu’s sister-in-law, how do you know so much? You seem young. When I first met you, you didn’t seem to talk much, but when you do, it’s very comforting.”

Jiang Nian smiled, “Did you forget, Sister Feng? I was married before too.”

Feng Mei nodded, “You’re right.”

She then leaned closer again and asked in a low voice, “You’re still young. Have you thought about finding someone else? If you’re interested, I can ask Old Song and Lu Yu to find someone suitable for you in the team.”

Jiang Nian: …

She gently shook her head, looking sorrowful, “Right now, I just want to take good care of Lu Yu. I’ll think about my own matters after he gets married and has children.”

She said this to dissuade Feng Mei from her well-intentioned plans.

Feng Mei sat back down on the stool and dried Jiang Nian’s hair, “That’s true. With you taking care of him, he doesn’t have to run to the cafeteria every day.”

Jiang Nian changed the subject, “Sister Feng, I’m younger than you. Just call me Jiang Nian from now on.”

Feng Mei laughed, “Alright.”

After washing her hair, Jiang Nian felt much lighter.

She was sitting in the yard, drying her hair in the noon sunlight, when she heard arguing from the other side of the wall.

Captain Liu shouted impatiently, “I don’t have time to argue with you. If we can live together, we will. If not, then forget it!”

Xu Yan’s shrill voice responded angrily, “Liu Qiang! You heartless dog! I must have been blind to marry you. If I had known you and Zheng Hong had feelings before marriage, I would never have married you!”

The sound of a door slamming was followed by footsteps outside Jiang Nian’s courtyard gate.

Both she and Feng Mei turned to look at the half-open gate and saw Liu Qiang walking away with a sullen face.

Feng Mei listened to Xu Yan’s continued cursing.

Recalling what Jiang Nian had said in front of her and Zheng Hong earlier, Feng Mei suddenly felt that Zheng Hong was indeed too inconsiderate. If her husband, Old Song, kept going to Zheng Hong’s place to help her with various tasks, she wouldn’t be able to stand it either.

They all lived in the same family quarters. Zheng Hong always smiled when she saw people, spoke sweetly, and explained that she felt embarrassed to ask Captain Liu for help but had no other choice. If her own husband were at home, she wouldn’t have to ask for help.

Back then, everyone thought her life was hard and believed Xu Yan was unreasonable. But now, thinking about it, if things continued this way, rumors would definitely spread, and Xu Yan and Captain Liu might really end up unable to live together.

Feng Mei sat for a while longer before saying she had a pile of clothes to wash at home.

Jiang Nian said, “Sister Feng, wait a moment.”

She went inside and brought out four milk candies and four peach crisps for Feng Mei. Feng Mei was startled, knowing these were expensive treats. Although Old Song was a regiment commander and earned a decent salary, they had to send money to his parents’ family each month and help her family too. With two sons who ate and drank a lot, there was little money left.

Considering they had to save for their sons’ education and future marriages, milk candies and peach crisps were rare treats for her family. It could only be enjoyed three or four times a year.

Seeing Feng Mei’s hesitation, Jiang Nian smiled, “Don’t be shy, Sister Feng. I just arrived yesterday, and you brought us dinner and vegetables and even helped me wash my hair. If you don’t take these, I won’t accept anything from you in the future.”

Hearing this, Feng Mei accepted the treats graciously, “Alright, I’ll take them.”

Back at home, Feng Mei’s two sons had just woken up from their nap. When they saw her come in with peach crisps and milk candies, their eyes lit up, and they eagerly got up.

Song Xiangdong is the eldest child, seven years old this year, and he will go to school in the village near the army base in the second half of the year. He climbed to the edge of the bed, licking his lips and shouting, “Mom, where did you get the milk candy and peach crisps?”

The second child, Song Xianghong, also stayed close to the eldest, crying and reaching out his hands, “Mom, I want milk candy. I want milk candy. The last time I had milk candy was during the New Year. I have already forgotten what milk candy tastes like.”

Feng Mei gave each of the two children a piece of milk candy. Seeing that they were still staring eagerly at the peach crisps, she immediately glared at them and said, “I will lock the rest in the cabinet. You can have one piece every other day.”

Upon hearing this, Song Xiangdong and Song Xianghong excitedly shouted, “Yay, we get to eat milk candy and peach crisps for the next few days!”

In the evening.

The sky was pitch black.

Jiang Nian had been waiting for a long time but had not seen Lu Yu come back. Commander Song and Captain Liu from next door had already returned a long time ago.

She waited a little longer but still didn’t see him, so she went to the kitchen to cook some dishes. The sound of the vegetables hitting the oil and the frying drowned out the sound of footsteps approaching from outside.

**