Chapter 81

“It can be free, but there’s one condition. You have to give me these drawings.” Xie Laosan spoke in broken Mandarin, showing he had some experience.

Lu Nong was surprised. Each era has its own aesthetic. The furniture designs she brought were in a modern, minimalist wood style. They included a sofa and a ladder-style coffee table for the living room, sideboard storage cabinets, a rectangular dining table and chairs for the dining area, a bed, desk, and wardrobe for Pei Zheng and Gu Huai, as well as various other small pieces to fill the space.

In terms of both function and design, this solid wood furniture was very different from the styles favored by rural families in the 1960s.

During this period, people’s tastes were rigid and conservative. They preferred grand, upright, and luxurious furniture. Even if more stylish options were available, they would still opt for the old, traditional items. New designs were difficult for them to accept and could even face resistance.

The furniture designed by Lu Nong was completely different from existing styles—too simple, yet filled with design sensibility.

Initially, Lu Nong thought the carpenter would question her choices, and she was mentally prepared for it. But unexpectedly, he offered the highest form of approval—he wanted them.

This made Lu Nong develop a genuine fondness for Xie Laosan, a carpenter with open-mindedness and good taste.

“Master Xie, do you want to replicate the furniture in these drawings and then sell them?” she asked curiously. Wasn’t he worried that no one would buy them?

But Xie Laosan shook his head and replied, “These furniture designs are too unique. Even if they’re made, most of them probably wouldn’t sell. I just enjoy collecting and studying them.”

Lu Nong nodded. This was a reasonable answer. It couldn’t be sold. It was a grounded reality.

However, she had to admit that Master Xie had both talent and a sharp eye. Now, she believed what Director Leng had said—there are indeed many skilled people among the masses. She looked forward to seeing Master Xie’s craftsmanship.

Seeing that Lu Nong only nodded and didn’t say whether she agreed or not, Xie Laosan thought she was unwilling to give up the blueprints. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I’ll make the furniture for free and give you an extra 20 yuan.”

Director Leng: “…” Is Xie Laosan crazy?!

Lu Nong: “…” That’s unnecessary.

Director Leng was stunned. She had brought Lu Nong here to have furniture made, yet not only did she avoid spending any money, but the typically stingy Xie Laosan was even willing to pay her.

Xiao Lu was truly remarkable. She was eager to see what style of drawings could drive Xie Laosan to such lengths.

Of course, Lu Nong couldn’t accept the money. To her, it was rewarding enough to see someone with such a vision. Moreover, Xie Laosan understood that these designs couldn’t be sold, but he still insisted on obtaining them. This was clearly out of his passion for the furniture.

To others, Xie Laosan was merely a carpenter, but in her eyes, he was now a craftsman worthy of respect.

“Master Xie, I’m happy to give you the drawings. You don’t have to pay me anything extra. Just now you said you would make furniture for me for free, so how about this, I will only give you the money for the wood raw materials, and exchange the labor fee for the drawings, what do you think?” Lu Nong said.

“Really?” Xie Laosan asked, surprised. For a stingy man like him, spending money felt like a sacrifice. Now he wouldn’t have to pay, as if a great fortune had fallen into his lap.

In his eyes, Lu Nong was, without exaggeration, the best person in the world.

Worried that she might change her mind, Xie Laosan quickly promised, “I’ll craft it with utmost care and ensure it’s as beautiful as in the drawings. Just wait and see.”

 “Alright, it’s a deal,” said Lu Nong.

After finalizing some details and precautions, Lu Nong paid half the deposit and left Xie’s house with a bewildered Director Leng.

It’s worth mentioning that Director Leng originally went to the Xie family to thank them for crafting a desk for her granddaughter and grandson. After all, she was there to accompany Lu Nong. To please Lu Nong, Xie Laosan waived the labor fee for Director Leng, charging only for materials.

As they left the Xie household, Director Leng was still in a bit of a daze. She looked up at the sun hanging high in the sky and muttered to herself, “Is this really the same Xie Laosan who would never budge on price? The sun hasn’t risen from the west, has it?”

After regaining her senses, Director Leng didn’t forget to credit Lu Nong for this favor. She enthusiastically praised her, saying, “Xiao Lu, this is the first time I’ve ever managed to get a deal at Xie Laosan’s place. Those designs of yours are for the furniture Xie Laosan is making, right? When it’s finished, I must take a good look to see what treasures you’ve come up with.”

Lu Nong replied with a smile, “It’s nothing special, just designs I like, which Master Xie also happens to appreciate.”

Then, politely, she added, “Director Leng, thank you for your help today, taking me to the market and accompanying me to find a carpenter. I’d love to have you over for a meal at our place someday.”

“Alright, I’ll definitely come by,” Director Leng responded heartily.

Back at the meeting spot, groups of military wives gathered to chat, discussing the things they had bought. Liu Erniu stood in the shade with Xianglan, and seeing Director Leng and Lu Nong return, she waved to them.

“Back already? So, how did it go? Was Xie Laosan at home?” Liu Erniu handed back the items Lu Nong had left in her care.

Director Leng jumped in, saying, “Oh, you wouldn’t believe…” and eagerly shared the unusual story of what had happened at Xie Laosan’s place.

Liu Erniu slapped her thigh, laughing, “I knew it! Comrade Lu here just has that cultured air, a real talent with words and pictures—she’s even got people willing to pay for her designs!”

Xianglan looked up at Lu Nong with admiration, “Sister Lu is really amazing.”

Ever since their first meeting, Xianglan had become a little fan of Lu Nong, who now felt a bit embarrassed, thinking everyone was giving her far too much credit.

Hearing Xianglan’s praise, Director Leng seemed to be lost in thought. Lu Nong being literate was evident enough—her design sketches not only had illustrations but were marked with notes, and her speech and mannerisms didn’t resemble someone uneducated. Director Leng pondered Lu Nong’s level of education, thinking that if she had at least an elementary school background, she’d make a fine teacher in a primary school.

A little while later, the vehicle returning from the supply division in the city arrived. The military wives boarded one after another. This time, Director Leng and Lu Nong sat together.

On the way, the same wives who had eagerly shared gossip with Lu Nong earlier were now visibly uneasy around her, averting their gazes in silence, as though afraid to catch her attention.

Lu Nong smiled helplessly.

The truck rumbled along, carrying them back into the mountains. Old Yu, the driver, dropped the women by the riverside and then drove off.

Liu Erniu’s two mischievous sons did indeed show up to pick her up, though they seemed more interested in her shopping bags.

Unexpectedly, Lu Nong saw Pei Ji’an waiting for her. As she looked around, she noticed the other women casting playful glances in her direction, while Director Leng covered her mouth with a smile.

“What are you doing here?”

Pei Ji’an stepped forward to help her down from the truck, saying, “Lunch break.”

Hu Mei teased, “I never expected Deputy Commander Pei to be so thoughtful. He’s putting my old Song to shame!”

“Not just your old Song! Look around—of all of us here, only Comrade Lu has her husband picking her up. Who else’s husband came?” Director Leng added, laughing.

The other women shared the same thought but dared not voice it. Unlike Hu Mei and Director Leng, they felt too intimidated to joke around with Pei Ji’an, who, with his serious expression, appeared even more imposing than the commander. They knew it was only natural for Director Leng, the commander’s wife, to tease the deputy commander, but they would never risk such boldness themselves.

Without missing a beat, Pei Ji’an took the cloth bag from Lu Nong’s hands and asked, “Hungry? Let’s head home for lunch.”

Though Lu Nong wasn’t hungry, she was indeed quite thirsty, so she nodded, “Alright.”

Pei Ji’an gave Director Leng a polite nod, saying, “Director Leng, we’ll take our leave.”

“Go on, go on, we should all be heading home.” Director Leng waved them off with a smile.

As Lu Nong and Pei Ji’an walked away, the other wives, carrying their bags, followed behind with a mixture of admiration and envy, inwardly resenting that their own husbands had never once come to fetch them.

Feigning nonchalance, Hu Mei remarked, “Look at Deputy Commander Pei, caring only about his wife. Director Leng is still here, yet he didn’t call for any soldiers to help carry things. He just left with Comrade Lu. But then again, he is the deputy division commander after all.”

Director Leng didn’t respond, but Liu Erniu looked at her curiously, “But we always carry our own things, don’t we?”

Besides, it was lunchtime, and all the soldiers were eating. They couldn’t be called over just to help out here, or it might disrupt their training later.

As Liu Erniu finished speaking, Hu Mei fell silent, while Wang Xiuzhi gave her a meaningful glance.

Director Leng, as if unaware of their conversation, leisurely walked with little Xianglan. Unlike the others, who were burdened with heavy packages, she had bought only some candies at the market, all of which Xianglan was holding.

Hu Mei, Wang Xiuzhi, and Liu Erniu, who lived nearby, split off onto another path. Suddenly, Wang Xiuzhi turned to Hu Mei and said, “You’d better give up any ideas you’re having. Do you think Director Leng can’t tell you’re stirring up trouble?”

“Don’t meddle in men’s affairs. If you keep trying to interfere, it’ll only be your old Song who pays the price.”

Hu Mei had already been irked by Liu Erniu’s straightforward remark earlier, and now Wang Xiuzhi was confronting her directly. Her face darkened as she said, “Easy for you to talk when it’s not your husband missing out. Of course, you’re not worried.”

After speaking, she didn’t wait for Wang Xiuzhi and Liu Erniu to respond and walked away directly.

“Hey, why did she leave?” Liu Erniu called out a few times to Hu Mei, but Hu Mei did not turn back.

“I didn’t provoke her, did I? Why does she ignore me?” Liu Erniu was puzzled.

Wang Xiuzhi: “…”

Liu Erniu suddenly recalled what Hu Mei had just said, “What? Did someone take the opportunity away from her family’s Old Song?”

“Deputy Division Commander Pei? That can’t be true. My family’s Old Zhao said Deputy Division Commander Pei is very capable. Even Old Zhao admires him.”

Wang Xiuzhi shook her head. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. Whoever gets the opportunity is decided by the higher-ups. We shouldn’t get involved. She’s just delusional. We should keep our distance from her in the future.”

Liu Erniu pursed her lips. “I won’t associate with her anymore. I have my pride. Why should I continue to approach someone who gives me the cold shoulder?”

Lu Nong returned home and drank a large glass of water. Just as she put down the cup, Pei Ji’an pulled her onto a stool.

Pei Ji’an squatted down and rolled up Lu Nong’s pant leg. Her leg was a mix of bruises and redness. Although the wounds had started to heal, bloodstains were still visible. He furrowed his brows and asked, “How did you get hurt?”

“How did you figure it out?” Lu Nong was a bit amazed. Pei Ji’an was truly impressive for noticing this.

Aunt Wu also saw Lu Nong’s injured leg and scolded her for being careless. She went inside to fetch some medicine for Pei Ji’an. The medicine had a strong smell, and Aunt Wu took Xiao Huai and Xiao Xia inside to eat, leaving Pei Ji’an and Lu Nong in the living room.

“You’re walking with one foot light and the other heavy. How could I not notice?” Pei Ji’an said calmly as he patiently applied the medicine to Lu Nong.

Nothing escaped Pei Ji’an’s keen eyes. After thinking for a moment, she decided to briefly share how she got hurt, fearing that if someone else told Pei Ji’an later, he might use it as an excuse to “punish” her.

When Pei Ji’an heard that Lu Nong kicked away the man who pushed her down and refused to apologize, he sighed, rubbed his brows, and said, “Don’t be impulsive in the future. What if you can’t beat him?”

“The troops are heading out for exercises in a few days and won’t be back for ten days or half a month. This is just an exercise, but if I end up on the battlefield one day, it’s very likely I won’t be able to contact home for a year or two. If you keep acting recklessly, I won’t be able to feel at ease.”

“Be good and don’t make me worry, okay?” Pei Ji’an said earnestly.

Lu Nong tilted her head. She didn’t see herself as impulsive. All her decisions were based on her assessment of her opponent: fight if she could win and run if she couldn’t. She understood that principle.

Pei Ji’an should have understood her. He had never expressed doubts about this before, but today he was saying something different, making Lu Nong feel that his attitude was off.

Exercises, going to the battlefield…

Lu Nong, smart as she was, began to have a vague suspicion, her heart sinking. Was it as she feared?

Lu Nong leaned into Pei Ji’an’s embrace. On the battlefield, guns and cannons didn’t discriminate. One could lose their life at any moment. Death treated every soldier fairly. Deep down, Lu Nong hoped Pei Ji’an would never have to go to war.

However, Pei Ji’an had once said that the country came first, and soldiers had their missions. She couldn’t stop him from doing that.

She didn’t know if Pei Ji’an would go to the battlefield in the original story. She only knew that he lived to a natural old age, but her arrival had changed his fate, turning everything into uncertainty.

In the past, Lu Nong had looked forward to the future, but now she was equally fearful. She couldn’t let this fear show. Embracing Pei Ji’an’s neck, she said, “Alright, I promise you.”

Pei Ji’an hugged Lu Nong back, gently patting her on the back as if comforting her and silently apologizing. The two remained silent for a long while.

After a moment, Lu Nong pulled away from Pei Ji’an’s embrace, blinked, and said, “Didn’t you say you were hungry? Let’s eat. After we finish, we can design my secret garden. You’ll help me, right?”

“Secret garden?” Pei Ji’an asked.

“Yeah, my secret garden. Didn’t you say you’d be leaving? You’ll only get to see how it looks when you come back. It’s a secret for you too, right?”

Pei Ji’an chuckled, well aware that his little wife loved all things beautiful and romantic. While in the capital, she had held back a little, but now that they were in the mountains, she had completely let go.

But this was also good. His original intention in bringing her away from the capital was to let her live freely and joyfully.