Xu Runli's hand hung in mid-air, her face drained of all color.
She abruptly pulled her hand back, and the ribs fell into the bowl with a thud, splashing oil onto her clothes.
"Oh dear!" she exclaimed dramatically, picking up a handkerchief to wipe her clothes. "These oil stains are so annoying, they've already dirtied my freshly made jacket. Zhicheng specially asked someone to buy this fabric for me, saying it's the most fashionable color this year."
Yun Tangyin was eating the shrimp that Fu Yucheng had peeled when she heard this, and she didn't even look up: "Fashionable colors don't stand up to dirt, how can they be as practical as a gray cloth jacket? People from capitalist families should dress more simply to avoid gossip."
Fu Yucheng immediately chimed in, "Yeah, Yinyin looks good in anything."
He arranged the peeled shrimp around the edge of Yun Tangyin's bowl, forming a small circle. "Is that enough? I'll peel more if not."
Xu Runli's hands, clutching the handkerchief, twisted into a pretzel. She had deliberately brought up the new jacket to subtly mock Yun Tangyin for dressing in a dowdy manner, but unexpectedly, she was forced to witness their public display of affection.
"It's simple, but it makes me look too old." She forced a smile and said, "Sister, you're clearly a little older than me, but when you dress simply, you look like you're a generation older than me."
As soon as she said that, Yu Xia burst out laughing: "How could that be? Last time I took Yinyin to the supply and marketing cooperative, Accountant Wang said she looked like a recent graduate. But you, if you didn't know better, you'd think you were some out-of-province sister-in-law visiting relatives."
Xu Runli's face flushed red and then turned pale: "I just wanted to dress presentably, so as not to embarrass Zhicheng."
“Why would Zhicheng feel ashamed of you?” Jiang Jianhua finally found a chance to speak. “If he dares to feel ashamed of you, I’ll speak up for him! I can’t stand a man who feels ashamed of his wife for another woman.”
Fu Yuanshan slammed the bowl on the table and frowned: "When have I ever complained about you?"
Jiang Jianhua also got angry: "Why are you taking this personally!"
Just as Song Yushuang was about to speak, Yun Tangyin picked up her soup bowl and changed the subject: "Mom, after the new clothes are finished, would you like to go with me to get your hair permed?"
Song Yushuang nodded and praised Yun Tangyin a few more times.
Fu Yucheng peeled the last shrimp and placed it in Yun Tangyin's bowl: "Are you full? If you are, I'll take you to the military base. They just received a batch of new books; pick a few to read and pass the time."
“Okay.” Yun Tangyin stood up, the silver bracelet on her wrist making a crisp sound. “Mom, we’re leaving now.”
Song Yushuang waved her hand: "Go ahead, and come back soon."
Fu Yucheng walked ahead, with Yun Tangyin beside him. The evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs at her temples, and the silver bracelet on her wrist swayed gently with each step, making a soft tinkling sound.
"Xu Runli was so embarrassed at the dinner table just now." Yun Tangyin couldn't help but smile as she recalled Xu Runli's pale and bluish complexion.
Fu Yucheng stopped and turned around to tidy her wind-blown hair: "If she had behaved herself, things wouldn't have come to this."
He touched the skin behind her ear with his fingertips, and seeing that her ear tips were slightly red, he withdrew his hand and continued walking forward. "Next time someone bothers you, you don't need to ask, I'll do it."
“I can’t always let you stand up for me.” Yun Tangyin took a piece of candy out of her pocket, unwrapped it, and held it to his lips. “Try it? It’s a fruit candy that your sister-in-law bought at the supply and marketing cooperative. It’s quite sweet.”
Fu Yucheng put the candy in his mouth, the sweetness spreading on his tongue. His gaze fell on her fingertips, which were covered with candy crumbs, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "Sweeter than candy."
Yun Tangyin didn't react: "What?"
"You." Fu Yucheng's voice was lower, the setting sun casting a long shadow that perfectly encircled hers in his arms: "You're sweeter than sugar."
Yun Tangyin's cheeks instantly flushed, and she gently pushed him away, saying, "We're still outside."
She said that, but her steps were a beat slower, and she quietly moved closer to him.
The two walked to the gate of the military base. The sentry saluted with a smile, then asked with a grin, "Brother Fu, you brought your family?"
"Hmm, come and get a few books."
After returning the greeting, Fu Yucheng stepped aside to let Yun Tangyin pass first: "This is my wife, Yun Tangyin."
The sentry's eyes lit up: "Hello, sister-in-law! Brother Fu always says you're a cultured person who knows a lot of characters, but we've never seen that before. We're so glad to finally meet you now."
Yun Tangyin smiled and nodded: "Hello, sorry to bother you."
Once inside the barracks, Fu Yucheng led her to the reading room: "The new books are all in there, you can choose one."
The reading room was quiet, with a faint smell of ink in the air.
Yun Tangyin walked to the bookshelf, her fingertips tracing the spines of the books. Just as she pulled out a copy of "How the Steel Was Tempered," Fu Yucheng gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
"Don't move." He rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice warm and sweet. "Let me hold you for a while."
Yun Tangyin's back was pressed against his chest, and she could clearly hear his steady heartbeat.
She relaxed, put the book on the bookshelf next to her, and took his hand in hers: "At the dinner table today, the way you peeled shrimp was like a little wife."
Fu Yucheng chuckled softly, the vibration of his chest transmitted through their skin: "I'd be happy to peel shrimp for you."
He paused, his fingertips tracing the silver bracelet on her wrist. "Does the bracelet fit you well? If it's loose, I'll take you to a silversmith to have it altered."
"It fits perfectly." Yun Tangyin twirled the bracelet. "How did you know my size?"
"I touched it." Fu Yucheng seemed like a different person, his skin had become much thicker, and he even directly admitted that he had held Yun Tangyin's wrist, so he remembered it clearly.
Yun Tangyin felt a warmth in her heart, turned around, tiptoed, and gently touched his cheek: "Fu Yucheng, how can you be so good to me?"
Fu Yucheng's ears turned red instantly, as if he had been burned, but he hugged her even tighter: "It will be better in the future."
He looked down into her eyes, which were filled with tiny sparkles of light: "Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll take some time off and take you for a walk along the Songhua River. I've heard the sunsets there are beautiful."
“Okay.” Yun Tangyin’s eyes lit up. “Then I need to make a pair of comfortable shoes in advance, otherwise my feet will hurt after walking for a long time.”
"You don't need to make it, I'll buy it for you." Fu Yucheng gently pinched her nose, his eyes full of doting affection: "The department store just received a batch of rubber-soled shoes, they're soft and lightweight, I'll go buy you a pair tomorrow."
The two leaned against the bookshelf and talked for a while. Fu Yucheng was afraid that she would get tired of standing, so he moved a wooden stool for her to sit on, while he squatted in front of her and told her interesting stories from the army.
They said that Old Zhang from the cookhouse always puts too much salt in his cooking; they said that the communications officer, Xiao Zhou, was caught writing a love letter by the instructor; and they said that Xiao Zhou won first place in the last target practice and the prize was an enamel mug, which he planned to use as a mouthwash cup for her.
Yun Tangyin listened attentively, occasionally bursting into laughter, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the hem of his clothes.
"We should go back now, or Mom will worry." Fu Yucheng glanced at the sky, stood up, and dusted off the corner of her clothes for her. "Have you chosen your books? I'll carry them for you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com