25
For dinner, Chen Shengqing had the food he got from the canteen in the family district, which consisted of a box of rice, a box of roasted scorpion meat, and a box of stir-fried shredded potatoes. The taste was just average.
After dinner, Chen Shengqing took the initiative to wash the dishes. Yang Qiujin boiled some hot water, gave herself and Chen Tianyou a bath, and then went back to organize the new items in the house, as well as the pickles, salted vegetables, and bean paste she brought from Sichuan Province.
However, she found that all the things were neatly arranged. Even the kitchen that had not been used for a long time was cleaned by Chen Shengqing. No wonder she saw him holding a wet rag in his hand when she woke up.
Yang Qiujin felt strange that the man was so self-conscious about taking care of all the housework.
She is used to seeing that all the men around her are patriarchal and naturally think that housework is done by women. Just like her father, he never tidies or cleans the house, let alone goes into the kitchen to clean the stove or wash dishes. Many times he won't even help to pick up the soy sauce and vinegar bottles when they fall over. Men like Chen Shengqing, who do housework without Yang Qiujin's instructions, are simply an outlier.
Yang Qiujin walked into the yard and saw Chen Shengqing squatting in the yard, scrubbing the dirty clothes that Chen Tianyou had just changed.
The sun in the west has completely set, and it is already nine o'clock in the evening, but the sky is still bright.
Under the blue sky, after taking a shower, the man put on a white tank top, revealing his strong and muscular arms. As he scrubbed clothes, the muscles on his arms bulged.
If his skin wasn't as white as jade, I don't know how many women would be fascinated by his masculine back.
Yang Qiujin glanced at her own honey-colored skin, feeling somewhat inferior, and muttered quietly: "What's the point of a man being so fair? He's even fairer than me. It's really unfair."
"?" Chen Shengqing heard her words and turned to look at her, with unknown emotions flashing in his dark eyes.
Yang Qiujin suddenly remembered that Chen Shengqing hated being called pale and looked like a gigolo, not a man, and couldn't help but sneer: "Well, you've done all the housework, and I feel a little frustrated. Did you do something to let me down? That's why you're so diligent. If you have something to say, just tell me. As long as you're not an adulterer, there's room for negotiation."
"....." Chen Shengqing looked at Yang Qiujin with a hard time saying anything, lowered his head, wrung out the washed clothes in his hands and put them into the bucket: "If you think I do too much housework and you have nothing to do, I can do nothing in the future."
"Eh? No, no, no." Yang Qiujin forced a smile and said respectfully, "It would be great if you can do housework. I have never seen a man who takes the initiative to do housework like you do. I just find it strange."
"Don't be surprised. I don't want to do it either." Chen Shengqing carried the bucket and walked to the clothesline he had just pulled on the left side of the yard. He picked up a piece of clothing and shook it out a little, then hung it neatly on the rope. "You're new here and you're not feeling well. I can't let you work with an uncomfortable body. I'm the battalion commander of the Border Defense Cavalry Battalion. I spend most of the year patrolling the Tianshan Mountains or going out on missions, and I'm often not at home. You're a woman staying at home, taking care of a troublesome child like Tianyou. It's more tiring both physically and mentally than other military wives. I'd feel sorry for you if I didn't do more housework at home to let you relax."
Yang Qiujin stared at him hanging clothes in a daze. From childhood to adulthood, the environment she had been exposed to and the education she had received had all told her that women should give birth to and raise children, work in the fields and do housework, no matter how hard or tiring the work was, it was what women should do.
No one has ever been like Chen Shengqing, who understands that it is not easy for women to give birth and raise children, feels that women are tired, and is willing to share the housework to let women relax.
Something seemed to be taking root in Yang Qiujin's heart. She looked at the tall figure busy in the yard. The emotion in her heart did not last for a few seconds. She saw Chen Shengqing holding a familiar small dress in his big hand. He immediately stepped forward and snatched the small dress: "Why did you wash my clothes too?"
"It's just a matter of convenience." Chen Shengqing took the small clothes from her hand and hung it on the rope with a normal expression. "You and I are husband and wife. I have seen everything I should see and done everything I should do. There is no need to be estranged."
"You!" Yang Qiujin saw him pick up her panties and hang them up again, her pretty face flushed like blood. She wanted to say something to Chen Shengqing, but he was right. They were husband and wife and had done what they should do. She was no longer an 18-year-old girl who knew nothing. If she was to be shy about this matter, how would they live in the future?
Chen Shengqing hung up all the clothes and turned his head to look at her. He saw that her face was red and she looked a little angry and at a loss. The corners of his mouth rose silently, and he deliberately looked at her bulging chest that was still a little wet after she took a shower and changed into clean clothes. "If you don't like me washing your clothes, next time--"
He paused here and said meaningfully, "Wash it yourself."
Such a straightforward and passionate gaze made Yang Qiujin's skin feel hot inch by inch, and she seemed to be back to seven years ago when he also looked at her whole body in such a passionate way.
"I'm not being mean, the weather here is really dry, I have to go back home and take care of my skin."
Yang Qiujin blushed and her heart beat fast. She fled back to the house, picked up a small mirror, and applied various whitening creams and moisturizing creams she bought from home. While listening to her own pounding heartbeat, she secretly laughed at herself for being so useless.
They are an old couple, it's just washing some clothes, why is she still acting like a grown-up girl, it's really not like her character.
"Hey, Captain Chen, he's at home."
A cheerful female voice came from outside.
"Sister-in-law Zhao, long time no see, I hope you are well."
"I'm fine, I'm fine, hahaha, Captain Chen, you are a cultured person, you speak in a very elegant way, I can't understand you. I heard that you brought your family to accompany the army, so I came to see if your wife woke up."
When Yang Qiujin heard that a guest was coming, she quickly put down her skin care products, walked out of the living room, and saw a middle-aged woman about 35 years old standing outside.
She was of medium build, with a dark complexion, a thin, dark face, single eyelids, and was wearing old-fashioned, rustic coarse cloth. She looked like a woman from the country.
"Who is this?" Yang Qiujin asked Chen Shengqing inquiringly.
"My name is Zhao Erfeng." The woman introduced herself in a familiar manner. "My husband is the deputy commander of the Second Regiment of our Border Defense Department. I am his wife. My family lives in the middle of the row of houses opposite you. I heard that Captain Chen brought his family to accompany the army. I thought your family must be in need of something, so I baked a few cakes and sent them to you. I hope you don't mind."
"Sister-in-law Zhao is so thoughtful. How could we dislike it? Sister-in-law, don't stand in the yard. Come sit inside." Yang Qiujin did not dare to neglect the other party, who was her husband's direct superior. She warmly invited Zhao Erfeng to sit inside. "My name is Yang Qiujin. My family really lacks everything. I was thinking of going to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow to buy some things that our family lacks."
As she was talking, she was about to pour some water for Zhao Erfeng, but Zhao Erfeng stopped her and said, "Don't bother, I'll be gone in a while."
Zhao Erfeng put the baked cakes in the basket on the living room table, looked around, saw the newly bought tables, chairs and stools, and smiled and said, "Sister, Captain Chen is really good to you. All the furniture is new. It's not like me. When I came to the army with my husband, the conditions were very difficult. We lived in a mud house and had to cut wood to make furniture ourselves. Although my family has moved to a bigger house now, the furniture inside is still the old one. Sometimes when I sit on the chair, the chair shakes so much that my brain flies out."
Yang Qiujin was amused by her exaggerated words. "Mrs. Zhao only sees the surface. In my opinion, it is better to use old furniture. They are strong and durable. New furniture may have some problems."
"My husband Li said the same thing." Zhao Erfeng's words touched her heart, and she looked at Yang Qiujin with a more pleasing and gentle look. "Sister, when I saw you, I felt like we were meant to be. You just came here and you are not familiar with this place. If you go somewhere and can't find the way, or if you encounter any problems, just come find me. I have plenty of time at home."
Zhao Erfeng was from a northern rural area. She was illiterate, uneducated, carefree, and rather aggressive. Most of the spouses of the officers stationed there were more educated and looked down on a noisy country girl like her.
Many military wives flattered her on the surface, but actually plotted against her behind her back. For this reason, she quarreled with those military wives who said one thing in front of her and another behind her back, and later she gradually stopped associating with them.
It was a rare opportunity for Chen Shengqing to bring his family to join the army. It was heard that his wife was also from the country, and that their marriage was arranged just like Zhao Erfeng's. Zhao Erfeng could be considered to have found a soulmate of the same kind, and had been looking forward to Yang Qiujin's visit to the camp.
Now when he was in contact with Yang Qiujin, he felt that she did not speak like other military wives, who were full of veiled anger and ambiguity. Instead, she chatted with him openly, which made Zhao Erfeng very excited, as if he had finally found the organization.
Yang Qiujin felt that Zhao Erfeng was a down-to-earth person without any ulterior motives. Who would start talking about their family affairs right away? Usually such people are straightforward and have no ulterior motives. She liked to get along with such people, and she didn't have to worry about them stabbing her in the back.
She smiled and agreed: "Okay, my family is still short of oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, and some daily utensils. I can't find the way to the supply and marketing cooperative. Can I come to see you tomorrow, sister-in-law?"
"Okay, but sister, we have a military service center in our camp, so you don't have to go to the supply and marketing cooperative outside to buy it. You can just come to my house and find me. I'm always free."
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
It was not yet dark when I saw Zhao Erfeng off.
It gets dark late in the frontier in spring, around 10 o'clock. Before dark, many soldiers' wives came to chat, and Yang Qiujin cheered up and dealt with them one by one.
When it got dark, no one came to visit. Yang Qiujin collapsed on the kang bed in the house and said weakly, "These military wives are always asking for trouble. They come to ask about this and that. I am so fed up with it."
"If you don't like them, you don't have to associate with them. If you meet them on weekdays, just say a few words to them." Chen Shengqing said as he entered the room.
"Aren't you afraid that I will offend them and bring repercussions to you in the army?" Yang Qiujin sat up and looked at him curiously.
"The military values personal ability, not personal communication. You have always disliked hypocrisy and flattery, and you don't like to socialize too much with others. I am the same. There is no need for us to compromise ourselves in order to please others."
Chen Shengqing stared at the window of the house which was gradually getting darker. "I have to report to the camp early tomorrow morning. The light bulbs in the house can't be used. When you go to the service center tomorrow, buy two light bulbs. When I get back from get off work, I will turn on the lights."
It was getting dark, there was no light in the house, and the tall figure of the man standing in front of the window gave people a sense of oppression.
Thinking that they were a proper couple, they were too unfamiliar with each other in their hometown, and there was no reason for them to do that. Now that they were familiar with each other again, it was natural for them to do that. Yang Qiujin was a little nervous, and stood up and walked out, "Okay, I remember it. Where did Tianyou go again?"
Chen Shengqing grabbed her slender arm and said, "Don't wander around. Stay in the house. I'll go find him."
The temperature of the man's large palm was frighteningly hot. Yang Qiujin was so burned that she withdrew her arm and lowered her head with a hum.
"Dad, I don't want to sleep. I'm not sleepy. I still want to play!" Chen Tianyou was quickly caught by Chen Shengqing. He said that he was not sleepy, but his father threw him on the kang. He rolled around on the kang for a while and fell asleep in a daze.
Yang Qiujin listened to her son's even breathing and said with a smile: "This kid doesn't recognize strangers or beds at all. He falls asleep as soon as he says he will."
"We, as parents, are all by his side. He feels safe enough, so it's hard for him not to fall asleep." Chen Shengqing took off his shoes and saw Yang Qiujin still standing by the kang bed. He put his hands around her waist, picked her up, and put her in the middle of the kang bed. "Go to sleep."
"Eh?" Her body was empty, and she was briefly held in the man's arms. She smelled the scent of soap and fir on the man's body, and felt the man's hot breath. Yang Qiujin's heart was beating wildly, and she reached out to push her, "What are you doing? The child is next to us."
Chen Shengqing paused, realizing what she was saying, and took a deep breath: "If you want him, I'll carry him to the small room."
"Who wants it?" Yang Qiujin blushed and patted his strong shoulder shyly, "You picked me up, and I thought you... I don't want it, not at all!"
She turned over, hugged Tianyou's little body, and pretended to fall asleep.
Chen Shengqing stared at her back, smiled silently, and said after a while: "Qiu Jin, I am a normal man, I have normal desires, but I am not the kind of person who indulges in desires. You and I have been separated for seven years, and some things cannot be rushed. You don't have to be on guard against me everywhere. I will never touch you before you are willing."
Yang Qiujin was surprised to hear this and stopped pretending to sleep. She turned over and sat up, staring at him with bright eyes in the dark and asked, "Are you serious?"
How many men think that once a woman marries him, she becomes his property. No matter whether the woman is willing or not, as long as the man wants to do that thing, he will force the woman to do it.
When Yang Qiujin was in the Vanguard Brigade, she often heard gossips from those gossiping women about the concubines of some men in the village. They often mentioned that some women were upset after quarreling with their husbands, but the men did not apologize or solve the problem. At night, they ignored the women's wishes and forced them to do that thing on the bed. No matter how the women cried, they only cared about their own pleasure...
"If you don't believe me, I can touch you now." Chen Shengqing chuckled, and his deep and pleasant voice echoed in the small room.
"Believe it, believe it, I believe it." The man's eyes were unusually hot in the night. Yang Qiujin knew very well what that look meant. She didn't dare to challenge the man and fell asleep.
Although the man is still as handsome as he was seven years ago, even more masculine and manly than seven years ago, there is not much romance between the two of them. Now they live together purely because they have a child and mutual responsibilities.
Yang Qiujin always felt that two people without any feelings for each other doing that thing was no different from mechanical wood. Before the two of them had no feelings for each other, she was unwilling to do that thing with Chen Shengqing.
If they want to develop feelings, they have to cultivate it slowly. She has already come with the army, and she will have plenty of time with Chen Shengqing in the future. She thinks she is good-looking and has a good figure, so it is only a matter of time for her to win Chen Shengqing's heart.
After a good night's sleep, Yang Qiujin woke up in a military call the next day.
Chen Shengqing was no longer lying on the kang bed. He must have gone to the army early in the morning.
Chen Tianyou was awakened by the bugle call. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked, "Mom, what's that noise? It's so loud!"
"This is the army's bugle call, to remind the soldiers to get up, turn off the lights and go to bed." Yang Qiujin combed her hair, "Do you want to sleep a little longer? It's still early."
In fact, it was useless for her to ask. With Tianyou's vigorous and active energy, as soon as he woke up, there would be a lot of noise and clatter, making the whole family unable to sleep. It was simply impossible to get him to sleep in his cage.
"I don't want to sleep anymore." As she expected, Chen Tianyou saw that it was already dawn, so he jumped up and ran out.
"Where are you running to?" Yang Qiujin reached out and grabbed him. "You don't brush your teeth or wash your face. Who do you want to stink to death?"
"I want to go play with Sister Songyue. Sister Songyue is very pretty and speaks nicely. She won't dislike me for not brushing my teeth or washing my face." Chen Tianyou struggled hard.
Wang Songyue is the eldest daughter of instructor Wang next door. She is six years old this year and one month older than Chen Tianyou. She is pretty, speaks softly, and is very smart. Chen Tianyou likes her very much.
Yesterday, Yang Qiujin had learned from the wives of soldiers who came to visit her what kind of people and what kind of background Director Wang and his family, who lived next door to her, were.
She herself does not have much prejudice against those with bad backgrounds. It is mainly because of the influence of Professor Zheng and the other two that she feels that people with bad backgrounds are not necessarily bad people.
After hearing what Chen Tianyou said, Yang Qiujin washed his face and said, "Pretty girls only like clean boys, not dirty and smelly boys. If you want to play with her all the time, you have to pay attention to personal hygiene. If you don't brush your teeth or wash your face every day and don't like to be clean, do you think Wang Songyue will play with you?"
Chen Tianyou thought of Wang Songyue, who was dressed neatly and beautifully, and he began to waver in his heart: "Then I'll go brush my teeth now."
He rushed to the master bedroom, squeezed toothpaste on his own, scooped water from a cup, and brushed his teeth carefully for the first time without Yang Qiujin urging him to do so. He brushed his teeth thoroughly.
Yang Qiujin was very fond of this girl named Wang Songyue and was extremely curious about what kind of girl could make her naughty boy so obedient.
Could it be that Chen Tianyou encountered the legendary "one thing conquers another"?
If she has the chance, she must hang out more with her neighbors and keep in touch with them, if not for anything else, just for the sake of that little girl Wang Songyue, so that she can help control her naughty child.
Breakfast was the hot pancakes that Zhao Erfeng had brought yesterday. It was really good, soft and sticky with a slightly salty taste. Chen Tianyou, who was always a picky eater, ate two large pancakes in a row and only stopped when his stomach was full.
After dinner, Yang Qiujin washed up, took the money, picked up two cans of homemade bean paste, some pickled vegetables, and some dried radishes, and walked to the Wang family next door.
Chen Tianyou had already started playing with the Wang siblings. When he saw Yang Qiujin coming over, a fair and clean girl wearing a light blue long dress and pants, with two buns and a red hairband, who looked particularly pretty and lovely, called out to her in a crisp voice, "Auntie Yang, hello."
"Hello, are you Wang Songyue?" Yang Qiujin smiled slightly, "Do you know me?"
"Tianyou told me." Wang Songyue pointed to Chen Tianyou, who was catching bullworms with a boy on the left side of her yard and said, "He said you were so fierce, always beating and scolding him. He didn't want to go home and wanted to be my mother's son."
"This brat!" Yang Qiujin looked at Chen Tianyou with murderous intent, feeling half bitter and half sad, "I love you in vain!"
Chen Tianyou sensed the murderous aura, turned his head and looked at Yang Qiujin, realizing that his mother might be sad, and quickly added: "Mom, I was just joking, don't take it seriously."
However, it was the first time that Yang Qiujin heard Chen Tianyou say such words from an outsider. She would be lying if she said she was not sad. She ignored him and looked at Liang Xueqing who came out after hearing the voice. She forced a smile on her face and said, "Comrade Liang, right? My name is Yang Qiujin, and I am Chen Shengqing's wife. I am new here, and my children have caused you a lot of trouble. I brought some special products from my hometown. I hope you don't mind."
She took out half of the things in the basket and handed it to Liang Xueqing.
"Comrade Yang, you are too polite." Liang Xueqing was just about to make friends with her, but she didn't expect her to come to her house on her own initiative and bring some specialties from her hometown. Liang Xueqing did not refuse her things and warmly invited her to sit in the house.
Yang Qiujin shook her head: "I won't sit down. There is nothing missing at home. I have to go to the military service center to get what's missing at home. My son Hun seems to like playing with your child. Can you help me look after him?"
"Sure." Liang Xueqing nodded while holding the things. "We are all in the same unit. If you are too busy to take care of the children, you can always ask me to help take care of them."
"Thank you." Yang Qiujin pointed at Chen Tianyou's back and said, "This kid is very naughty. If he doesn't listen or quarrels or fights with your children, just punish him. I won't feel sorry for him."
She was still angry about what the child had just said. Liang Xueqing smiled softly: "Don't worry, I think Chen Tianyou is a good child and won't quarrel or fight with others easily."
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