Chapter 32 The red ribbon and the dressing table, the wife in the mirror is sweeter than honey!
Qin Lie is a man of action.
He said he wanted to make the softest mattress for his wife, and the next morning, he took Jiang Wu to the county's supply and marketing cooperative with his accumulated cloth and cotton coupons.
In those days, supply and marketing cooperatives were the most important places in people's lives. From oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar to cloth and clothing, almost all daily necessities had to be purchased here with coupons.
The supply and marketing cooperative was bustling with people. The air was filled with a mixture of smells, not exactly pleasant, but brimming with the essence of life. Sales clerks in blue uniforms stood behind the high counters, their faces bearing the arrogance typical of state-owned enterprises.
"Comrade, what would you like to buy?" A sales clerk became much more polite when she saw Qin Lie's crisp military uniform.
"We want to buy cotton and cloth," Qin Lie said in a deep voice.
"How much do you need? Do you have tickets?"
"Yes." Qin Lie slammed a stack of tickets on the counter.
The thick stack of coupons made the salesperson's eyes widen. Other customers cast envious glances. Back then, cloth coupons and cotton coupons were rare commodities; ordinary families wouldn't get more than a few throughout the year. Qin Lie's large stack clearly indicated he had a substantial "stockpile."
"Comrade, you have quite a lot of tickets." The sales clerk's attitude became increasingly enthusiastic.
"Bring out your best cotton and strongest cloth for me to see," Qin Lie said, completely ignoring the stares around him.
These tickets were saved up from when he was living alone, originally intended for future emergencies. But now, he only wants to give the best of everything to his wife.
Soon, the salesperson brought out a large bag of fluffy, white new cotton, as well as several bolts of plain-colored but thick cotton cloth.
Jiang Wu reached out and pinched the cotton, then tugged at the fabric.
"I'll take this one." She nodded in satisfaction.
Without saying a word, Qin Lie handed over all the tickets he had. "Exchange as many of these tickets as you can."
The sales clerk took the money and calculated it, then gasped in astonishment. "Comrade, these coupons of yours are enough to make two large mattresses, plus four sets of quilts!"
Qin Lie didn't even frown. "Then I'll take them all."
He not only bought cotton and cloth, but also a large roll of sturdy cotton thread and several thick, long sewing needles.
When they came out of the supply and marketing cooperative, both of them were carrying loads full of things. The big bag of snow-white cotton looked like a big cloud in their arms, attracting frequent glances from passersby.
Back home, Jiang Wu immediately got to work. She first swept the yard clean, then laid the new fabric she had bought on the ground, and then evenly spread layers of snow-white cotton on top. It was a meticulous task.
Qin Lie wanted to help, but Jiang Wu laughed and shooed him aside. "You're a grown man, so clumsy and awkward. Don't just make things worse. Go and fix your dressing table."
Qin Lie watched as his wife's nimble hands danced among the cotton wadding like butterflies, chuckled, and turned to continue his carpentry work.
The basic shape of the dressing table is complete; all that remains is some fine sanding and assembly. Qin Lie borrowed a more professional set of woodworking tools from Zhang Dashan before going to bed last night. With better tools, the work will be much more efficient.
He used fine sandpaper to sand every corner of the dressing table again and again until it felt smooth as silk, without a single burr. Then, he carefully installed the small drawer that he had made the day before, pushing and pulling it repeatedly to make sure it slid smoothly and silently.
Finally, only the mirror remained. Mirrors were much harder to buy than cotton. Qin Lie had to rely on his old connections in the military region's logistics department to obtain a square mirror of the right size at a high price.
He carefully placed the mirror in the designated spot and then secured it with several small wooden strips. And just like that, a brand new dressing table, exuding the fresh scent of wood, was born.
The couple, one sewing a quilt in the yard and the other making furniture under the eaves, didn't disturb each other, yet a warm and tacit atmosphere flowed in the air.
By evening, Jiang Wu's mattress was finished. It was thick, fluffy, and snow-white, making one want to lie down and roll around on it.
Qin Lie's dressing table and new bed were also completely finished. He moved the two new pieces of furniture into the inner room. The large new bed took up almost half the room, instantly making the originally simple bedroom warm and cozy. The small dressing table was placed by the window, in the best-lit spot.
"Come and take a look!" Qin Lie called out to Jiang Wu, who was still tidying up in the yard.
Jiang Wu dusted off her hands and went inside. Her eyes lit up when she saw the brand-new dressing table. She walked quickly over, reached out, and ran her hand lightly across the smooth surface as if caressing a rare treasure. Then, she opened a small drawer, closed it again, her face filled with undisguised delight.
"It looks so good." She sat on the small stool in front of the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror.
The woman in the mirror had a face like a peach blossom, eyes like spring water, and a sweet smile on her lips. She was truly beautiful.
“From now on, you’ll sit here and comb your hair every morning.” Qin Lie walked behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, and looked at her in the mirror.
In the mirror, the man is tall and imposing, while the woman is petite and delicate. The two are nestled together, the scene as harmonious as a painting.
Jiang Wu looked at Qin Lie in the mirror, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She took out her old wooden comb, which she had used for many years, from the drawer, and was about to comb her hair.
Qin Lie took the comb from her hand. "I'll do it," he said in a low, gentle voice.
Jiang Wu was taken aback for a moment, then obediently sat down.
Qin Lie picked up the comb, his movements somewhat clumsy but exceptionally gentle, starting from the top of her head and combing downwards little by little. Jiang Wu's hair was black and long, like the finest silk, slipping through his rough fingers. A faint, sweet fragrance lingered around his nose.
Qin Lie's heart became calm and tender like never before. He combed her hair, as if trying to convey all his love to her through the comb.
"Qin Lie," Jiang Wu said softly, looking at the man in the mirror.
"Um?"
"You know, there's a saying in my hometown."
What do you mean?
"A husband combs his wife's hair, once to the end, twice to white hair reaching the eyebrows, and three times to a house full of children and grandchildren." Jiang Wu's voice was very soft, as if she were telling an ancient legend.
Qin Lie paused, his hand holding the comb still. He looked at the smiling eyes in the mirror, and his heart felt filled with something.
“Then I’ll comb your hair every day.” He lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll keep combing it until we’re both old and gray.”
After combing his hair, Qin Lie seemed to remember something. He took a small object out of his military uniform pocket and presented it to Jiang Wu like a treasure.
"What is this?" Jiang Wu asked curiously as she took it.
It was a red hair tie. The most common kind, you could buy a whole bunch for a dollar. But this ordinary red hair tie made Jiang Wu's heart skip a beat.
"I saw other women wearing them at the supply and marketing cooperative today, and I thought they looked nice, so I bought one for you too." Qin Lie scratched his head a little embarrassedly.
It felt a little awkward for a grown man to buy women's things. But the thought of how beautiful the bright red ribbon would look tied in his wife's dark hair made him buy it without thinking.
Jiang Wu held the red ribbon in her hand, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
This man would fight for her, make her a bed by hand, and clumsily remember something she glanced at at the supply and marketing cooperative, then secretly buy it for her. He wasn't good with sweet words, but he always expressed his simplest and most sincere love for her through his actions.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?" Qin Lie felt a little nervous when he saw that she didn't speak and her eyes were red.
"I like it." Jiang Wu sniffed, looked up, and gave him a smile sweeter than honey. "I especially like it."
She turned around and handed him the hair tie. "Tie it for me."
Qin Lie took the hair tie and clumsily wrapped it around her smooth ponytail twice, tying what he thought was a very pretty bow. Although the bow was crooked, in Jiang Wu's eyes, it was the most beautiful decoration in the world.
She looked in the mirror at herself, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and saw a bright red ribbon tied in her hair.
Qin Lie also looked at her in the mirror. Long, jet-black hair, snow-white skin, and a bright red hair tie. The striking color contrast made her appear even more vibrant and radiant.
Qin Lie's eyes darkened. His Adam's apple bobbed.
He suddenly realized that the new bed he had made for her should be put to use tonight.
Just as he was about to take action, his gaze fell on Jiang Wu. She was still wearing that faded floral dress. Although it still made her look pure and lovely, Qin Lie felt a pang of heartache and guilt for no reason.
He gave her the most comfortable bed and the most beautiful dressing table. But his woman didn't even have a decent piece of clothing.
How could Qin Lie's wife be dressed so shabbily?
no!
He insisted that she wear the most beautiful clothes in the military compound, no, in the whole world!
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