Li Chu tapped her nose: "Didn't you say you liked my braised chicken? I just bought a chicken and I'm cooking it now. I've also kneaded some dough. How about we have braised chicken with noodles for lunch?"

Ding Qiunan stuck out her tongue: "I should be the one cooking for you. Li Chu, you're so good to me!"

"Isn't that obvious? You're my wife. If I'm not good to you, who else should I be good to?" Li Chu patted her bottom through the blanket.

Ding Qiunan chuckled sheepishly.

"Alright, get dressed and get up. It's almost done. I'll go downstairs and roll out the dough, and it'll be ready soon." With that, he put the girl on the bed.

The girl waved her hand: "Go ahead, I'll be right down."

After the meal was prepared, Li Chu first served a bowl to each of the families in the front yard. The bowl contained only a piece of chicken and a few pieces of potato, but the main thing was the large bowl of oily soup, which was delicious even when dipped in steamed buns.

When you cook something delicious at home, the whole yard smells wonderful. Who knows what those people are gossiping about behind your back? Just bring them a bowl of food to shut them up. You don't need them to remember your kindness, just stop them from talking behind your back.

The young couple huddled together, feeding each other mouthfuls of food, their love as sweet as honey.

With nothing to do in the afternoon, the two of them went to the library and spent the afternoon reading.

At five o'clock, just as it was getting dark, the two left the library to head home.

Before I had walked more than a few steps, I heard someone calling out, "Brother Chu, Brother Chu, Li Chu..."

The two stopped and looked across the street. They saw a young man waving at them, preparing to come over.

"Hey, it's this kid."

"Who is it?" Ding Qiunan asked curiously.

“Xu Damao lives in the backyard of our compound. I told you about him. When we went there yesterday, no one was home. He must have gone to the countryside to show a movie.”

As they were talking, Xu Damao walked over.

"Brother Chu, I just went to your house to look for you. How come you've taken care of such a big thing in just a few days?" Xu Damao started chattering as soon as he walked over.

"Da Mao, this is your sister-in-law, Ding Qiunan. Qiunan, this is Xu Da Mao from our backyard," Li Chu introduced the two.

"Hello, sister-in-law, you can just call me Da Mao."

“Brother Da Mao, your brother Chu and I went to your house yesterday, but you weren’t home.” Ding Qiunan nodded to Xu Da Mao.

"This was arranged for me to go down and show movies right after the harvest season. My brother Chu knows I'm often away from home. I came back today to rest for a couple of days before I have to go again," Xu Damao explained.

"Da Mao, where are you going at this hour?" Li Chu asked, looking at him.

"I've been away for half a month, and now I'm going to visit my girlfriend." Xu Damao chuckled.

"Have you two set a date yet?" Li Chu asked curiously.

Xu Damao grinned widely: "It's settled, set for the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month."

"That'll be soon. It's getting late, you should go see your partner if you want, we can talk later."

"Brother Chu, I really do have something to trouble you with. Hehe!" Xu Damao rubbed his hands together, a little embarrassed.

Li Chu was a little curious about what Xu Damao wanted to see him about.

Xu Damao pulled Li Chu's arm and took a few steps to the side, then turned back to Ding Qiunan and said, "Sister-in-law, I want to say a few words to Brother Chu."

Ding Qiunan nodded.

Xu Damao pulled Li Chu for about seven or eight meters, and wanted to go further, but Li Chu shook off his hand: "Alright, your sister-in-law can't hear you, just say what's on your mind."

Seeing this, Xu Damao lowered his voice and said, "Hehe, Brother Chu, I heard from others that you have those kinds of drugs for men, hehe, do you have any left? Could you sell me a few?"

"You're so young, what do you need that stuff for?" Li Chu found it a bit strange. "Who told you I have that kind of drug?"

"Brother Chu, I can't tell you who I heard it from. I want to buy some of your medicine, but it's not for me to take," Xu Damao quickly explained.

"You really didn't eat it yourself?" Li Chu expressed serious doubt.

"No, I'm not married yet, why would I eat that stuff?" Xu Damao said, getting a little anxious.

She turned her head and looked around: "Brother Chu, to tell you the truth, I want to buy a few pills to give to my father-in-law. You know my girlfriend's family situation, they don't lack anything, and I never know what to bring when I go there. So, I heard that you have that medicine, so I thought I'd buy a few pills and secretly give them to my father-in-law to make him happy, so he won't always dislike me."

"You little rascal!" Li Chu laughed and pointed at him. "I can sell you a few, and I don't care who you give them to. But I have to make this clear: you can only take one every three days at most. I won't be responsible for any problems that arise from taking too many."

Xu Damao patted his chest and assured him, "Brother Chu, I've remembered everything you said, and I'll make sure to remind you clearly."

"I just happened to have this on me, it's for someone else. Here, take it from my pocket." Li Chu said, taking out a paper bag commonly used in hospitals for carrying medicine from his pocket and handing it to Xu Damao.

Xu Damao took the bag, opened it, and saw that it contained ten small pills. While folding the bag neatly, he asked, "Brother Chu, how much is this? I'll pay you."

Watching the two men's actions, Li Chu had a feeling that they were making some kind of shady deal.

He shook his head, dismissing the strange thought, and said, "Five yuan will do."

Xu Damao handed over the money without saying a word.

Li Chu took the money and said, "Alright, hurry up and go, I have to go back too."

"Hey, Brother Chu, let's talk later." Xu Damao cheerfully greeted Ding Qiunan again and left.

Li Chu walked up to Ding Qiunan and took her hand: "Let's go, wife, let's go back quickly, I'm starving."

Ding Qiunan was a little curious: "What does Xu Damao want with you?"

"Buy medicine from me," he whispered in Ding Qiunan's ear.

After hearing this, Ding Qiunan spat and said, "None of them are good people."

Li Chu chuckled and joked with Ding Qiunan, "Wife, how about I eat one tonight too?"

"You're going to die!" Ding Qiunan clenched her fist and punched him, her face flushed red.

The two chatted and laughed all the way home.

When he got home, Li Chu had already prepared the dough when he went out at noon and put it by the stove. The dough had risen now, and he was going to steam some buns, cook two bowls of porridge, and reheat the leftover big plate chicken from noon. That would be dinner.

The two of them were busy in the kitchen together, and Li Chu was captivated by her smiling face.

After dinner, Li Chu curled up on the sofa to read a book. After Ding Qiunan finished tidying up, she took the wooden ruler from home and measured the sofa.

She plans to make a cotton cushion for the sofa, otherwise she won't be able to sit on it in winter.

After noting down the dimensions on paper, they started discussing what else they would need to buy for the house in the coming winter.