Deep Affection

The kitchen felt as though it had just endured a fierce battle.

Jiang Nian could barely breathe. Just as she was about to suffocate, Lu Yu finally released her. Their hot breaths intertwined, and the dim kitchen seemed to submerge them into a bottomless abyss. Jiang Nian’s heart pounded violently. Seeing the dark, almost crazed intensity in Lu Yu’s eyes, she immediately pursed her lips, too frightened to move.

"Lu Yu..."

Jiang Nian kicked her dangling legs, her head pressed against the wall as she tried to distance herself from him, but the space between them was limited; there was nowhere to hide.

"What is it?" Lu Yu’s voice was hoarse, his gaze on Jiang Nian filled with an uncontrollable impulse.

Jiang Nian was so tense her whole body felt stiff. "I said I would think about it. I haven't agreed yet!"

Lu Yu gripped Jiang Nian’s waist and lifted her slightly, burying his head in her neck and exhaling heat. "You say what you want, I'll do what I want."

Jiang Nian: ...

What kind of logic was that? She hadn't expected Lu Yu to go back on his word. As waves of heat continued to hit her neck, Jiang Nian used both hands to push him away. "You didn't say this at the hospital. You said that before I agreed, you wouldn't do anything beyond the limits."

"I'm sorry." Lu Yu held Jiang Nian tightly, greedily and shamelessly kissing her neck. "I've changed my mind."

To him, Jiang Nian was a poison—an addictive one. Once touched, there was no turning back. He had thought a lot while sleeping last night; perhaps he had already developed feelings for her the day he brought her to the military. He knew he was being lowly and shameless, intentionally loving Xu Cheng’s woman.

Lu Yu hugged Jiang Nian tightly, wishing he could carve her into his own body. "Jiang Nian, agree to be with me. Don't make me wait too long." He didn't want to keep hiding like this; he wanted Jiang Nian to stand by his side openly. He even wanted to hold her hand and go outside, telling everyone that she was his wife, not his sister-in-law.

Feeling the heavy breath on her neck, Jiang Nian reluctantly agreed. "Fine, let go of me first."

Jiang Nian’s feet touched the ground, and her body nearly went limp. She leaned against the wall, looking at the tall Lu Yu standing inches away. She bit her lip and said, "Don't do this again in the future." She had been truly frightened just now. What if someone came to the house and saw this? What would happen then? Had he thought about the consequences?

Lu Yu said, "I know what you're worried about. None of those things are an issue for me."

Jiang Nian lowered her head, unwilling to discuss the topic further. True, she and Lu Yu weren't biological siblings-in-law, but to the outside world, they had always held that status. If their relationship changed and was announced, even if people didn't say it to their faces, they would surely gossip behind their backs. She didn't care for herself; she could ignore the rumors. But she couldn't bear to see Lu Yu being slandered. If Lu Yu was due for a promotion or transfer after the Dragon Boat Festival, they couldn't afford any issues at such a critical moment. If someone with ill intentions used this against him, it might affect his career. She didn't want to burden Lu Yu, much less leave a stain on his glorious life.

"Lu Yu." Song Bai’s voice came from outside.

Jiang Nian snapped back to reality, shifted to the side, and turned to face the cupboard. She whispered to Lu Yu, "Let me think about it."

Song Bai stood in the yard. "Lu Yu, my brother is calling for you. There's a meeting in the regiment."

"Got it," Lu Yu replied. He looked at Jiang Nian’s slender back. "I'll be back tonight."

It wasn't until the footsteps outside faded away that Jiang Nian breathed a sigh of relief. In truth, she had also thought a lot last night. She couldn't ignore her feelings for Lu Yu, but before Lu Yu’s transfer order arrived, she didn't dare give him any promises or hope. She couldn't risk Lu Yu’s reputation and future. She could only decide after his transfer order was finalized. At least until then, she couldn't tell Lu Yu. Otherwise, how would she explain how a family member like her knew so much about military transfer orders?

After Lu Yu left, Jiang Nian returned to her room to continue her embroidery. Around noon, an orderly came to the family compound saying there was a phone call for her. Jiang Nian went to take it, and Ge Mai’s voice came from the other end: "How have you been these past few days?"

Jiang Nian smiled. "Quite good."

Ge Mai said, "I'm leaving soon."

Jiang Nian was stunned for a moment, then reacted joyfully. "Are you going to Yuan City to take up your post?"

"Mhm," Ge Mai said. "I originally planned to go in two months, but the director in Yuan City left early, so I must go over to take over. Jiang Nian, after I leave, a new director will come to handle the embroidery matters with you."

Jiang Nian felt a bit reluctant to see Ge Mai go. Ge Mai said, "I'll come find you before I leave. We'll go out for a meal together."

Jiang Nian gripped the phone. "Alright."

After hanging up, Jiang Nian walked out of the guardroom, suddenly feeling a bit uncertain about the future. She had always collaborated with Ge Mai; her sudden departure left Jiang Nian with a sense of loss.

On her way back, she encountered two unexpected people: Tang Ze and Sun Ying. They were walking out of the family compound. Sun Ying was carrying a bag of zongzi, and the two were talking and laughing. Well, Tang Ze was doing most of the talking and laughing, while Sun Ying only gave polite smiles.

"Sister-in-law." Tang Ze greeted Jiang Nian when he saw her.

Jiang Nian nodded to Tang Ze and looked at Sun Ying. Sun Ying coldly looked away. Tang Ze awkwardly tried to smooth things over. "Where did you go, sister-in-law?"

Jiang Nian said, "To take a phone call." Then she walked away.

Thinking about the dream of Sun Ying and Wu Youshan, Jiang Nian couldn't help but wonder: in the book, if Sun Ying and Lu Yu didn't marry, how would the plot eventually unfold? Before she could think further about the plot, the thought of Lu Yu and Sun Ying together made her feel suddenly uncomfortable. She took a deep breath, trying not to think about the contents of that book. In other words, the more she thought about it, the more upset she would get. After all, it was just a novel and had nothing to do with Lu Yu. When she read that book, Lu Yu was just a cold character on a page.

Back in the yard, Jiang Nian went to her room and started embroidering. She worked until noon, but Lu Yu hadn't returned. She was about to ask Feng Mai when she remembered Lu Yu had said he would be back in the evening. Jiang Nian heated up two zongzi for lunch and continued embroidering. Ge Mai was leaving at the end of the month, and she didn't know who the next director would be.

Feng Mai and Xu Yan came over in the afternoon. Jiang Nian sat in the yard embroidering while listening to them gossip about the family compound.

Feng Mai looked at Jiang Nian. "Guess who I ran into when I went to find Old Song after breakfast?"

Jiang Nian tilted her head. "Who?"

Xu Yan also listened curiously. Feng Mai gave a snort. "I saw Tang Ze bringing a woman back. I've seen her before; she's a nurse at the county hospital. She gave you an injection once, and she gave one to Xiang Dong too. She's very pretty but seems hard to approach—very much a city girl, quite arrogant. She doesn't even greet people."

It was Sun Ying. Jiang Nian had seen her on her way back.

Xu Yan asked, "Is she Tang Ze’s blind date?"

Feng Mai said, "I'd bet on it. Why else would she follow Tang Ze home? And on the Dragon Boat Festival, no less? It's obvious." She clicked her tongue and gossiped, "Do you think this nurse is also remarried? Otherwise, why would she take an interest in a widower like Tang Ze?"

Hearing this, Jiang Nian almost laughed out loud. Feng Mai’s words reminded her of how Feng Mai had tried so hard to set her up with Song Bai. She teased, "What's wrong with being a widower? Didn't you also not mind that I'm a widow?"

"You're the only one who talks so much," Feng Mai laughed and patted Jiang Nian’s shoulder. "I'm just curious how Tang Ze got to know that nurse."

The topic passed after a while. Since the Dragon Boat Festival was over, Song Xiang Dong and Liu Jian Ye would have to go to school tomorrow. Feng Mai and Xu Yan stayed for a bit and then left; they both had a lot of chores to do. Xu Yan said, "I have to go weeding tomorrow; there's still some grass in the field."

Jiang Nian remembered that her own plot also needed weeding. The vegetables were growing now, and if she didn't weed, they wouldn't grow well. After Xu Yan and the others left, Jiang Nian put down her embroidery, changed into the old patched clothes she had brought last year, and took a small shovel to the field. When she arrived, she saw that the plot was clean; not a single weed was in sight.

Jiang Nian: ... No need to guess, Lu Yu had done it.

She took her shovel and headed back. At the intersection between the family compound and the regiment headquarters, she saw a group of people. Leading them were Lu Yu and Battalion Commander Lu. Jiang Nian’s footsteps faltered. She looked down at her black patched short coat and trousers, feeling a bit embarrassed. She lowered her head and tried to walk straight past, attempting to avoid a face-to-face encounter with Lu Yu and the others.

"Sister-in-law."

Lu Yu’s voice came from behind. Jiang Nian pursed her lips, took a breath, and turned to look at Lu Yu and Battalion Commander Lu. She gave an awkward smile. "Where are you all going?"

Lu Yu’s gaze was a bit complex as he looked at Jiang Nian. "Going out for a bit. We'll be back soon."

The soldiers following behind saw Jiang Nian and all called out, "Sister-in-law!"

Jiang Nian smiled awkwardly and quickly glanced at Lu Yu. "I'll head back first." Then she ran straight toward the family compound. Her legs moved quite fast.

Lu Yu frowned deeply, his thin lips pressed into a cold line. Was she that afraid of him now?

"Deputy Regiment Commander Lu, Regiment Commander Song and the Political Commissar are waiting. Let's go," Battalion Commander Lu said.

Lu Yu withdrew his gaze. "Let's go."

Back at the family compound, Jiang Nian quickly changed out of her patched clothes. After a sigh of relief, she continued embroidering. As dusk fell, she went to the kitchen to cook. Since it was the Dragon Boat Festival and Lu Yu would be back for dinner, Jiang Nian planned to stir-fry a few extra dishes.

Starting the fire and cooking alone was a bit hectic. She chopped the vegetables, prepared the ingredients, set the pot, and poured the oil. She had some meat left from yesterday, so she sliced it and made a dish of stir-fried pork with onions, along with two vegetable dishes. When the rice was done, Lu Yu still hadn't returned. Jiang Nian put the dishes in the pot to keep warm and ran back to her room to continue working on the clothes she had started last time.

It was pitch black outside, and Lu Yu still hadn't returned. Jiang Nian leaned over the wall toward Feng Mai’s yard and called out, "Sister-in-law Feng, is Regiment Commander Song back yet?"

Feng Mai poked her head out the window and replied, "Not yet. They've been busy these past few days. They'll probably be back very late. Go ahead and eat; don't wait for Deputy Regiment Commander Lu."

Jiang Nian had no choice but to return to her room and continue sewing. She waited until nearly midnight, but Lu Yu still didn't show. Jiang Nian simply went to the kitchen to eat a bit, then heated some water to wash up before going to sleep.

She slept soundly until the next morning. When she woke up, her head was at the edge of the bed, and her ear felt sore from the hard surface. Jiang Nian turned over, feeling groggy. When she opened her eyes, she realized it was already light out. Faint footsteps could be heard outside. She immediately woke up, jumped out of bed to dress, tied her hair up, and opened the door to see Lu Yu placing food on the table in the yard.

The man looked at her sleepy eyes, a smile touching his face. "You're up?"

Jiang Nian nodded. "Did you not come back last night?" She went to the well to fetch water to wash her face.

She heard Lu Yu say, "I was busy until midnight. I ate some cornbread at the dormitory with Song Bai and slept there. Did you not eat dinner last night?"

After brushing her teeth, Jiang Nian said, "I ate a little."

Lu Yu looked at the dishes from last night, which were mostly untouched. He had just reheated them. Once Jiang Nian sat across from him, he handed her a pair of chopsticks. "Eat more."

"Mhm." Jiang Nian lowered her head and took small bites. Several pieces of meat appeared in her bowl. Lu Yu’s voice came from across her: "You're too thin."

It was a very ordinary sentence, but Jiang Nian blushed. She inexplicably remembered the scene in the kitchen yesterday morning. She didn't even dare to look up. Whatever Lu Yu put in her bowl, she ate. Her mouth was full of rice and meat as she mumbled, "I know."

Lu Yu looked up and saw Jiang Nian’s head almost buried in her bowl. He frowned but said nothing more, quietly lowering his head to eat. After finishing, they took the dishes to the kitchen. Jiang Nian saw Lu Yu washing the dishes and turned to leave.

"Jiang Nian." The low voice came from behind her.

Jiang Nian stopped and turned around only when she reached the kitchen door. "What is it?"

Lu Yu’s cold brow hadn't relaxed since the morning. "Don't keep avoiding me."

"I'm not." Jiang Nian realized she had answered too quickly and hurriedly explained, "I'm not avoiding you."

Lu Yu said nothing more and turned back to wash the dishes.

Jiang Nian returned to her room and breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at the embroidery, which was more than half-finished, and sat on the edge of the bed to continue. There was the sound of water being poured outside. Every time footsteps sounded, Jiang Nian felt her heart race uncontrollably. She realized belatedly that her emotions seemed to be constantly pulled by Lu Yu. She tried to block out the footsteps, focusing her thoughts on the embroidery pattern, but then she heard footsteps approaching her room. She turned to look and unexpectedly met the man's dark eyes. Jiang Nian, who was holding a needle, gripped it tightly and gave a smile. "Are you finished with your work?"

Lu Yu didn't speak, only gave a slight nod. He stood outside the door for a moment, then walked straight toward Jiang Nian. Before she could stand up, he reached out and took her hand, removing the needle to prevent her from hurting herself.

"You..." Jiang Nian pursed her lips, her heart pounding.

"I just want to hold you for a moment." Lu Yu wrapped his arms around Jiang Nian, his bony hand gently stroking her back with a mesmerizing strength. "If you're afraid of gossip, I'll wait. We'll get married when the time is right, alright?"

In Jiang Nian’s heart, only a transfer away from this place would be the right time. She nodded gently in Lu Yu’s arms. "Alright."

It seemed her "alright" encouraged Lu Yu. The man's arms tightened around her like steel.

"Jiang Nian." A husky, lingering voice whispered by her ear. Jiang Nian trembled. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, the man's hand slid through her hair to cup the back of her head, and his lips covered hers.

A scorching breath rose around them, intensely hot. His arms tightened around her waist as if he wanted to rub her into himself. His heavy breathing made Jiang Nian’s face flush and her heart race. Faint footsteps sounded from the yard. Jiang Nian was both scared and nervous, and in her distraction, she accidentally bit something.

"Jiang Nian."

"Deputy Regiment Commander Lu."

Jiang Nian’s face was bright red. She quickly pulled her head back, just as Regiment Commander Song’s voice came from the yard. "Lu Yu, today in the regiment..."

Hearing this, Jiang Nian was so scared she rolled to the other side of the bed, then sat at the foot of the bed pretending to fix her hair. Her face was flushed, and she clearly looked like she had been up to something. Lu Yu gave a silent laugh, stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the room.

Regiment Commander Song saw Lu Yu come out and said, "Let's go quickly. We'll be busy enough to barely have our feet touch the ground for the next few days." Not a moment could be wasted.

Jiang Nian sat in the room and heard Lu Yu say as he left, "I won't be back for lunch."

Through the window, Jiang Nian replied, "Got it."

Walking outside, they were joined by Battalion Commander Lu and several other battalion commanders. Battalion Commander Lu was stunned to see the smile on Lu Yu’s face. Having worked with Deputy Regiment Commander Lu for years, this was the first time he had seen such a smile... it was hard to describe.

Lu Yu noticed Battalion Commander Lu’s gaze and gave a light cough. "Are all the men from your battalion here?"

Battalion Commander Lu said, "They're all here."

The footsteps in the yard grew distant. In the room, Jiang Nian patted her face until it was no longer so red. Only when she relaxed did she notice a faint taste of blood in her mouth. She was stunned for a moment, then realized with a start that she had just bitten Lu Yu’s tongue.

Jiang Nian: ...

She pursed her lips, stood up, went out to wash her face with well water, and returned to her room to continue embroidering. Near noon, an orderly came for Jiang Nian. Someone from the State-owned Embroidery Shop was looking for her at the propaganda team's office. Jiang Nian knew it was Ge Mai.

She changed her clothes and followed the orderly out of the military base. She found that not only Ge Mai had come, but Zhang Xiao as well. Jiang Nian ran over with a smile. "Sister Ge, Zhang Xiao."

"Sister Jiang!" Zhang Xiao ran up and hugged Jiang Nian. "I missed you."

Jiang Nian smiled. "I missed you too." Ge Mai saw the two acting so affectionately and couldn't help but laugh. She said to Jiang Nian, "Let's go for a walk in the county town and have lunch."

Jiang Nian said, "Alright."

As the two walked along the tree-lined road, some military wives passed by and greeted Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian smiled and chatted with them. Those wives and aunties felt that Deputy Regiment Commander Lu’s sister-in-law was different from last year; she was always smiling and no longer seemed afraid of people.

They reached the county town just in time for lunch. The two went to the state-owned restaurant and sat by the window. Ge Mai ordered two small dishes and two bowls of rice. While eating, Ge Mai asked Jiang Nian, "How have you been lately?"

Jiang Nian smiled. "Quite good."

Zhang Xiao, eating happily beside her, said, "I think Sister Jiang looks radiant."

Jiang Nian: ... Her eyes flickered as she ate. Ge Mai raised an eyebrow, poured Jiang Nian a cup of water, and said something only the two of them understood: "Any progress?"

Jiang Nian nodded gently. "Mhm."

Ge Mai smiled and said, "If things work out, remember to call and let me know so I can be happy for you too."

"What worked out? What progress?" Zhang Xiao took a sip of water, not understanding the cryptic conversation between Ge Mai and Jiang Nian, and asked curiously.

Ge Mai glanced at her and laughed. "I was asking Jiang Nian if there's any progress between you and Zhou Jun."

Zhang Xiao’s face immediately turned bright red. She quickly took a gulp of water and whispered, "Why talk about me?"

Ge Mai gave Zhang Xiao another piece of meat. "Tell us, how far have things progressed with Zhou Jun?" Ge Mai was still worried about Zhang Xiao. She was leaving next month, and she didn't know if the next director would be as tolerant of Zhang Xiao. She couldn't take Zhang Xiao to Yuan City; after all, she was new there and her foundation wasn't solid. Her subordinates probably wouldn't respect her yet. If she brought Zhang Xiao along, it would cause a lot of resentment. If Zhang Xiao could marry Zhou Jun, she wouldn't have to go back to the countryside.

Jiang Nian looked at Zhang Xiao, also waiting for her to speak.

Zhang Xiao gave an embarrassed smile and said, "Zhou Jun called me the day before yesterday. He said his parents know about us. His mother is coming in a few days. Once my side agrees, we'll finalize things."

"That's wonderful." Ge Mai smiled and continued, "I'll send a telegram for you when I get back today. Telegrams are fast. Zhou Jun is a soldier; your mother will definitely agree."

Zhang Xiao smiled. "Thank you, Sister Ge."

The restaurant was crowded during lunch and filled up quickly. Passersby moved past the window. Jiang Nian suddenly felt that although this era was poor, the atmosphere was good. There wasn't a single car on the street; at most, one could see a few bicycles.

After lunch, Ge Mai gave Zhang Xiao some money and told her to buy two bottles of soda. Once Zhang Xiao was gone, Ge Mai asked, "Have you and Deputy Regiment Commander Lu expressed your feelings to each other?"

Jiang Nian nodded. "Mhm."

Ge Mai asked, "Then when do you plan to make it official? What about the family compound?" She actually wanted to ask if there would be gossip. After all, Jiang Nian and the Deputy Regiment Commander weren't biological siblings-in-law, but people had always seen them as such. If they married, the family compound would surely talk.

Jiang Nian lowered her head as she walked. "Sister Ge, I want to wait a bit."

Ge Mai asked, "Wait for what?"

Jiang Nian hesitated, looking down the long street. "Wait for the right time."

"Let go of me—" An argument broke out at the intersection ahead. A woman shook off a man's hand, her face full of coldness and irritation.

Jiang Nian stopped. It was Sun Ying and Wu Youshan. Ge Mai saw her stop and followed her gaze. Several passersby had also stopped at the intersection to watch the couple's dispute. The man kept grabbing the woman's hand, only to be impatiently shaken off. She asked, "Do you know them?"

Jiang Nian shook her head. "I don't. Just watching the commotion."

Ge Mai couldn't help but laugh.

"Ying Ying, why do you suddenly want to get married? We grew up together; we're the childhood sweethearts..."

"Can you stop pestering me?!" Sun Ying shook off Wu Youshan’s hand again. As she turned her head, she saw Jiang Nian across from her. Her expression immediately turned cold. She let out a snort and ran off.

Jiang Nian: ...

"Ying Ying!" Wu Youshan called out and chased after her.

Sun Ying was getting married?

The first person Jiang Nian thought of was Tang Ze. Feng Mai had mentioned that Sun Ying had followed Tang Ze home on the Dragon Boat Festival. She hadn't expected them to progress so quickly, nor had she expected Sun Ying, who had been pestering Lu Yu at the hospital two days ago, to be getting married so soon.

"Sister Ge, Sister Jiang." Zhang Xiao came back carrying two bottles of soda and shared them. Jiang Nian took a sip; the taste wasn't quite like new-century soda, but it was delicious.

Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao talked for a while longer as they walked in the small square next to the state-owned restaurant. Ge Mai said, "The deadline for that embroidery piece is the middle of next month. I've sounded out the leadership; the next director is about my age, but I'm not sure about their personality. When the deadline comes, if there are any problems, you can call me, and I'll handle the communication."

Jiang Nian nodded. "Alright."

Hearing this made Zhang Xiao a bit nervous too.

"Oh, right. Before I go, I have a gift for you." Ge Mai took out two brown paper packages from her bag and handed them to her. Jiang Nian took them and felt the shapes; they seemed to be clothes and shoes. She was stunned and looked at Ge Mai. "Sister Ge, this is?"

Ge Mai smiled and said, "I see you wearing the same few outfits every day and you don't even have a single dress. I bought you a one-piece dress and a pair of sandals. It's hot now, so you can wear them. Women should dress themselves up a bit more. We don't dress for others; we dress for ourselves. How many years of youth do we have? If we don't dress up while we're young, we'll have regrets when we're old."

Jiang Nian remembered saying similar things to Ge Mai back in the city.

After saying goodbye to Ge Mai and Zhang Xiao, Jiang Nian headed back to the military base. At the intersection between the family compound and the regiment, she met Tang Ze and Chen Fang. Jiang Nian stopped and greeted them, "Sister-in-law Chen, Battalion Commander Tang."

Chen Fang looked at the items in her hands, which looked like clothes, and asked tentatively, "Bought some clothes?"

Jiang Nian said, "A friend gave them to me."

Chen Fang looked thoughtfully at the brown paper packages Jiang Nian was holding. A friend? Could it be Song Bai? When Feng Mai had mentioned by the river that Song Bai had someone he liked, she had suspected it was Jiang Nian. Now it seemed certain. Otherwise, who would give clothes to the Deputy Regiment Commander’s sister-in-law, who had no relatives here? She had previously thought about setting up Tang Ze and Jiang Nian, but now both Jiang Nian and Song Bai seemed to have someone. However, her Tang Ze also had someone—that nurse from the county hospital. She was a state employee, and her father was a director at a factory. Her conditions were better than Jiang Nian’s in every way.

Chen Fang smiled and said, "How is Deputy Regiment Commander Lu’s marriage situation? I say he's not young anymore. Our Tang Ze is about to get married, and there's still no word from him? As sisters-in-law, we should worry more. As the saying goes, the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. Lu Yu’s parents are gone, so you must be very dedicated."

Jiang Nian: ... I certainly don't want to be Lu Yu’s mother.

Tang Ze frowned. "Sister-in-law, stop talking." He looked at Jiang Nian and smiled. "Sister-in-law, we'll head out first."

Jiang Nian nodded. "Mhm."

Back at home, Jiang Nian opened the brown paper packages and shook out the clothes. It was a pale yellow one-piece dress with a white belt. She opened the other package; it was a pair of white sandals. Having lived here for a year, she knew the prices; this outfit was very expensive, and such items were relatively scarce in the department store. Ge Mai must have put a lot of thought into this gift. She folded the clothes neatly and put them in the cupboard.

Feng Mai’s voice came from outside: "Jiang Nian, the neighboring commune is catching fish. Let's go too; the fish there might be much cheaper than at the food station."

"Catching fish?" Jiang Nian turned and saw Feng Mai coming in. "Not in that big river, right?"

Feng Mai’s expression also changed, likely thinking of the incident with Xiang Dong. She shook her head. "No, just a pond. The water isn't even as high as us. Battalion Commander Lu’s mother told me about it. It's very crowded now, so let's go quickly, or we won't catch any."

Jiang Nian was about to close the cupboard when she remembered something. "Do we have to go into the water to catch them?"

Feng Mai was stunned. "Of course! We catch them ourselves, and then we weigh them together. It's really cheap." She looked at Jiang Nian’s clothes. "But you have to change. It would be a shame to get those dirty."

Jiang Nian was wearing the clothes Lu Yu had bought her last year—a slightly fitted shirt that outlined her small waist and straight-leg trousers. She looked at Feng Mai’s old patched clothes, which were washed until the hems curled. She nodded. "Sister-in-law Feng, wait for me. I'll change."

After Jiang Nian changed, she put on a basket and headed out. She met Xu Yan and Battalion Commander Lu’s mother. They were all wearing old, worn-out clothes that wouldn't be a shame to get muddy. They went to the neighboring village. As they crossed the large bridge, Jiang Nian looked at the big river, still feeling a bit lingering fear from that day. The pond was at the commune's brigade, and from a distance, they could see several ponds filled with people.

"That pond has fewer people." Feng Mai pulled Jiang Nian and ran over. Xu Yan and the old lady followed.

Watching Feng Mai, Xu Yan, and the old lady jump into the pond with a splash, Jiang Nian didn't hesitate and jumped in too. She nearly slipped on the mud but stabilized herself. She followed Feng Mai’s lead, bending over in the murky water to catch fish.

"Oh my, this one is big!" Feng Mai grabbed a fish by its gills. The slippery fish wiggled but was tossed into her basket. She looked up at Jiang Nian. "Have you caught any?"

Jiang Nian’s face was flushed from the sun, and her forehead was sweaty. She shook her head. "I can't catch them." They were too slippery. She had finally grabbed one, but it had wriggled away.

"Here, here—" Xu Yan called to Jiang Nian. "There are many here. Come quickly."

By now, the old lady had already caught four fish. She had lived in the countryside all her life and knew how to catch fish quickly. Seeing that Jiang Nian hadn't caught any for a long time, she taught her, "When you catch a fish, you have to squeeze its gills. Once you grab it, immediately slide your hand toward the gills, and it won't be able to run."

Jiang Nian smiled at the old lady. "Thank you, auntie."

"Here's one for you." Feng Mai tossed a fish into Jiang Nian’s basket. Xu Yan also tossed one in. Jiang Nian focused her attention on the fish in the pond, then quickly grabbed a small one, squeezed its gills, and tossed it into her basket.

The old lady smiled. "Just like that."

Jiang Nian turned to the two of them and smiled. "Thank you."

They caught many fish. The old lady planned to salt them so they wouldn't spoil. Ge Mai and Xu Yan thought the same. They climbed out of the pond with their baskets. Jiang Nian also struggled to climb out; she was covered in mud from the waist down, and her clothes were splattered with mud spots. She felt the skin on her face tightening, but her hands were too muddy to touch it.

Feng Mai saw her and started laughing. "Jiang Nian, this is the first time I've seen mud on your face. You know, mud looks bad on others, but it actually looks quite pretty on you."

Xu Yan looked over. Jiang Nian’s skin was fair, and after being out in the sun and working hard, her face was rosy. With a few mud spots on her cheeks, she didn't look messy; she looked adorable.

Jiang Nian: ... It was the first time she had heard such a compliment.

They went to the brigade. The line to weigh the fish was very long. Most of the people catching fish were from the brigade or were educated youth. It was nearly dusk, and half the sky was red. There weren't many people ahead of them—only about ten. Each family's catch was weighed, and a person from the brigade recorded it in a ledger. Every year, everyone looked forward to the fish harvest to satisfy their craving for meat. The brigade had to hand over the fish, and based on the weight each family caught, they would be allocated a few fish. Some families who didn't catch any wouldn't get any. But some clever people would hide a fish or two in their clothes and sneak away.

Soon it was the turn of Jiang Nian and the others. The brigade leader knew they were military wives, so he didn't take their fish. After recording the weight and collecting the money, he let them go.

Jiang Nian carried her basket back, feeling like her legs didn't belong to her. They were so heavy she could barely lift them. The mud on her hands had dried. They went to the riverbank to wash their hands and faces before heading back to the military base. On the way back, they saw other military wives who looked much the same as they did.

Feng Mai said, "We have to wash up thoroughly when we get back. We're covered in mud and smell fishy and stinky."

Jiang Nian twitched her nose and sniffed herself, frowning in disgust.

Back at the yard, the first thing Jiang Nian did was pour the fish into a basin of water. Then she fetched water and poured it into the pot to heat. Once the water was hot, she carried it bucket by bucket into her room. She turned on the light, stripped off her dirty clothes, and threw them on the floor to soak. But there was too much mud on her legs and feet; the first wash made the water filthy. She put on shorts and a tank top, then used a basin to scoop out the dirty water. Without Lu Yu, carrying the water was exhausting. It was dusk now, and Jiang Nian wanted to finish bathing quickly to make dinner.

She ran back to the kitchen to heat more water, then carried it back. After the second wash, she was finally clean. Only then did she feel more comfortable. She dried herself off and was about to climb into bed when she suddenly heard footsteps outside. She was startled and shouted, "Who is it?!" She had bolted the door from the inside, so no one could push it open.

As soon as she shouted, she realized it was likely Lu Yu. Sure enough, Lu Yu’s worried voice came from outside: "I knocked for a long time and no one answered. What's wrong?"

Jiang Nian dropped her towel and wanted to climb into bed. Since the yard gate was closed, she hadn't bolted the room door, fearing Lu Yu might enter. She quickly replied, "I'm bathing!" Then she dove under the covers, wrapping herself tightly. She reached out from the edge of the blanket to grab her clothes and quickly dressed. Lu Yu’s light laugh came from outside: "It's good that nothing's wrong."

The man stood outside the door, his hand resting on the doorframe. He had nearly pushed the door open. Hearing the rustling inside, Lu Yu’s throat moved. He withdrew his hand and said, "I'll go cook." Then he turned and went to the kitchen.

Hearing the footsteps grow distant, Jiang Nian breathed a sigh of relief. After dressing, she pulled back the covers. Her face was flushed from the heat, and her hair was soaking wet. She put on her shoes and rubbed her wet hair with a towel before opening the door to the kitchen.

The kitchen light was on. Jiang Nian saw Lu Yu standing at the cutting board, chopping vegetables. The warm yellow light illuminated his tall, straight figure. The man had taken off his military jacket and was wearing a white shirt tucked into his trousers. Around his army-green waist was a black belt. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, with a firm, powerful midsection. Jiang Nian inexplicably thought of the last time in the kitchen when Lu Yu had pulled her waist and pressed her against the wall.

She quickly dismissed those images, went to the kitchen door, and said softly, "I went to the neighboring commune with Sister-in-law Feng to catch fish this afternoon. I was covered in mud, so I locked the door to bathe when I got back." She explained what she had been doing.

Lu Yu’s hand chopping vegetables paused. His dark eyes under his cold brow pressed down, and his low voice carried a strange rasp: "Alright."

Jiang Nian finished and then smiled. "Wash those fish, and I'll make dinner."

"Alright." Lu Yu used that same word again. He put down the cleaver and turned to see Jiang Nian walking toward the stove. She was wearing the clothes he had bought her last year. Her wet hair draped over her shoulders, and her damp bangs clung to her forehead. Her snowy face was rosy from the bath. She emitted a faint scent of soapberry. Her long, wet eyelashes looked incredibly lovely.

"The fish are by the well." Jiang Nian pointed them out. As she went to the cutting board to chop vegetables, her wrist was suddenly caught. She blinked and saw those slender, bony fingers gripping her wrist. Her heart skipped a beat. Following his wrist upward, she met Lu Yu’s deep, bottomless eyes.

"What... what is it?" Her voice was a bit shaky.

Lu Yu’s voice was husky. "Dry your hair, or you'll get a headache."

Jiang Nian avoided Lu Yu’s burning gaze. "I've dried it. It's just a bit damp. It'll be dry by the time we finish dinner."

"I'll dry it for you." Lu Yu didn't let go. Instead, he gripped tighter and pulled her to sit by the stove. "I'll go get a towel."

Jiang Nian’s heart pounded uncontrollably. She felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. Just as she was about to stand up, she saw Lu Yu return with a clean towel. He stood behind her and pressed her shoulders, stopping her from rising. "Don't move."

In the quiet kitchen, the man's voice added a layer of husky magnetism.