Chapter 10 – Do You Want to Accompany the Army?

He skimmed through the report, reassured them it would be processed urgently, and then asked whether the bride would come as an accompanying family member.

Huo Tingwu hadn’t mentioned this matter to Ye Tao yet—it wasn’t his place to decide for her. But deep down, he hoped she would come.
“Please reserve a room for now,” he requested.

Commander Ren agreed readily. Forget one room—he could set aside ten if needed. Their unit was stationed on the border, where conditions were harsh. Especially in winter, when snow often sealed the mountains, the bitter cold kept many families from wanting to live there.

Since someone was at least considering it, regardless of the final decision, he would make arrangements in advance—better prepared than caught off guard.

After hanging up, Huo Tingwu paid the phone fee and turned to Ye Tao.
“Do you want to accompany the army?”

“Accompany the army?” she repeated.

“Yes. I’m now at deputy-regiment level. For officers at battalion level and above, their families can apply to join them. Do you want to go? I’ll follow your decision.”

He didn’t want to pressure her. She had lived in Tongxiang brigade for nineteen years. Suddenly uprooting to a new place might be difficult. If she didn’t want to go, it would be understandable.

Ye Tao pondered. She wasn’t familiar with this era. In Tongxiang, she only knew the Huo and Ye families. Maybe moving to a new environment wouldn’t be so bad.

“This isn’t urgent. Let’s go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy you some things first.”

Before leaving, he brought along all the money and ration coupons he had—anything she liked, he would take home.

The cooperative was located in the county center, just a five-minute walk from the post office.

By the time they arrived, the place was packed.

“Why are there so many people?” Ye Tao grimaced as she was squeezed into the crowd, nearly suffocated by the stench of sweat.

Huo Tingwu quickly shielded her. “Are you alright?”

Panting like she’d escaped death, she said, “I’m fine, just got stepped on.”

An older woman nearby chuckled. “You two don’t live in the county, do you?”

Ye Tao nodded. “No, we don’t. By the way, why’s it so crowded today?”

The cooperative was popular, sure, but so packed you couldn’t get in? Did people here really have that much money?

“Ah, no wonder you didn’t know. There’s a promotion—between ten and eleven, everything is 20% off. Nobody knows exactly how they calculate it, but cheaper is cheaper.”

Her whole family had come to stock up. With this haul, they wouldn’t need to buy anything for a year, saving plenty of money.

After all, money didn’t fall from the sky. Only a fool wouldn’t take advantage of a bargain.

The couple exchanged a glance—so that was why.

They didn’t need to move on their own; the crowd behind simply shoved them through the doors.

Huo Tingwu steered Ye Tao straight to the clothing counter, where it was slightly less crowded. Most families only made one set of clothes per year. Even with a discount, ordinary people couldn’t bear to buy more.

“Comrades, what would you like? Menswear or womenswear? We have both,” the sales clerk greeted them warmly, eager to serve.

Overwhelmed by the array, Huo Tingwu passed the choice to Ye Tao. “Taotao, see if there’s anything you like.”

Ye Tao frowned. The clothes of this era were all black, indigo, or army green—dull and repetitive, nothing that sparked her interest.

In her heart, she longed for modern shopping platforms where you could order anything from the comfort of home—the ultimate paradise for a homebody like her.

“Nothing you like?” Huo Tingwu noticed her lack of enthusiasm.

She shook her head. “Maybe we should just buy fabric and make our own.”

Her sewing skills weren’t great, but Huo Tingwu had told her that his mother used to make all their clothes when he was young. Surely the craftsmanship would be good. They could always make their own patterns at home. Surely fabric colors weren’t this limited.

“Wait, comrades, don’t rush off. We still have a batch we haven’t displayed yet.”

Overhearing their conversation, the clerk quickly judged them as big customers. She hurried to the back storeroom and returned with several garments.

Ye Tao’s eyes lit up. Among them were white blouses and even skirts—completely different from the dull items hanging outside.

The clerk gave a sheepish smile, embarrassed. The manager had insisted on clearing out old stock by running this discount, leaving the good stuff tucked away.

“Look, comrade—this is a bulaji, imported from our allied nations. Young ladies love it. This blouse is pure cotton, soft and breathable. And these trousers—the fabric is light, perfect for summer…”

She rattled off a series of enthusiastic recommendations.

Ye Tao touched the fabric—it really did feel nice.

Seeing her satisfied expression, Huo Tingwu immediately pulled out money to buy them.

“Wait! We don’t even know the sizes yet,” Ye Tao stopped him.

The clerk reassured her. “They’re all free-size. You’re so slim, they’ll fit. If they’re a bit loose, you can just take in the seams here.”

Ye Tao carefully noted the spot she pointed to. Luckily, they had a sewing machine at home. If anything didn’t fit, she could alter it herself.

One after another, they bought several pieces. The clerk beamed, packing them up while praising Ye Tao for finding such a generous husband. Few men spent money so freely.

“Thank you, but we’re already married,” Huo Tingwu said proudly, making his status clear.

Ye Tao wished she could hide her face—his cold, stoic image completely collapsed here.

After clothes, he noticed her calloused hands and bought a heap of skincare items—clam oil, snow cream, everything he could find.

Calluses wouldn’t disappear overnight; they had to be cared for slowly. Her hands also had many cracks, which needed proper treatment.

In the past, Ye Tao wouldn’t even glance at such things.

But times were different. Now, he bought what she truly needed. Touched by his thoughtfulness, Ye Tao decided she wanted to buy him a gift too.

The surprise happiness made Huo Tingwu’s stern face soften with a barely noticeable smile.

“Alright. Whatever you buy, I’ll like it.”

When a usually cold man tried to flirt, it was lethal. Ye Tao’s ears turned red. She glared playfully. “You’d better like it, or there won’t be a next time.”

Since his clothes were issued annually, he didn’t need extras. After some thought, Ye Tao decided to buy him a fountain pen.

They picked out a simple, understated one. Because it was from her, Huo Tingwu treasured it so much he wanted to keep it in his pocket all the time.

They bought everything on their list and left the store in less than an hour.