Lu Linchuan's gaze fell on Zheng Nana, whose eyes were red and filled with tears, not far away. "Stop with your ridiculous thoughts. Don't ever show up in our house again."

"You can leave now."

Zheng Nana was frozen in place by Lu Linchuan's cold words, the color draining from her face instantly. She couldn't believe that Lu Linchuan, who was always taciturn in the army, would say such things to her for a woman.

"You...you've been bewitched by her!" Zheng Nana's voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes.

Lu Linchuan walked to the door expressionlessly, opened it, and said, "Get out."

Zheng Nana bit her lip, and tears finally fell. She glared fiercely at Su Wantang, then turned and stormed out the door.

The atmosphere inside eased after the door closed. Lu Linchuan turned to look at Su Wantang, his brows furrowed slightly. "What did she say?"

Su Wantang shook her head. "It's nothing."

She didn't take Zheng Nana seriously.

"Yes, no matter what she said, you have to believe in my feelings for you." Lu Linchuan's eyes were deep, and he looked at her with focused tenderness.

"Yes, I believe you," Su Wantang chuckled. "Of course I believe you."

“We’re taking a day off tomorrow,” Lu Linchuan said, reaching out to ruffle her dark hair. “I’ll spend some quality time with you.”

"OK."

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly.

"Ring ring—"

The crisp sound of a bicycle bell broke the afternoon tranquility of the family compound, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

The women who were sewing shoe soles, picking vegetables, and chatting in the courtyard all stopped what they were doing and looked towards the gate of the courtyard.

"Good heavens! Am I seeing things? That's a bicycle?"

"It's Commander Lu! Lu Linchuan is back!"

Lu Linchuan was seen straddling a brand-new 28-inch bicycle, its body gleaming dazzlingly in the sunlight. The handlebars were laden with goods; on the left were heavy sacks of rice and flour, while the right was bulging with what appeared to be oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and other good stuff.

This is the only bicycle in the entire compound!

"My goodness, this must be a Phoenix brand, right? It costs over a hundred yuan and requires an industrial ration coupon! Commander Lu is really something!"

"Skill? I bet it's how much he dotes on his wife! Look at all that's hanging on that car—rice, flour, and oil! They live the life they want, tsk tsk!"

"That's right, his little wife Su Wantang is really living the dream. She's pregnant and doesn't have to do anything, her husband takes care of everything perfectly."

Sour whispers rose and fell, and envious and jealous gazes seemed to poke holes in Lu Linchuan and the bicycle.

Inside the house, Su Wantang was awakened by the increasingly loud noise.

She groggily opened her eyes, rubbed her temples, and sat up. She heard the courtyard gate creak open, followed by the crisp sound of a bicycle kickstand hitting the ground.

She slipped on her shoes and walked out of the bedroom, where she met Lu Linchuan as he entered the room.

The man's tall figure blocked the light from the doorway. He casually unloaded a large pile of things hanging on the handlebars, carrying rice and flour in one hand and a net bag in the other, and headed straight for the kitchen.

The sound of things being put down was clinking.

"Awake?" Lu Linchuan poked his head out from the kitchen. "Is it too noisy outside?"

Su Wantang nodded, but her gaze went past him and landed on the brand-new bicycle in the yard, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Never mind that for now." As if he knew what she was thinking, Lu Linchuan turned around and came out of the kitchen again, holding an enamel bowl in his hand. "I just brought you some cooling tonic from the state-run restaurant. It's chilled. Drink it quickly to cool down."