Yun Tangyin pointed to a few books on the table: "Just these few, 'Red Crag,' 'Song of Youth,' and 'Tracks in the Snowy Forest,' which you mentioned."
Fu Yucheng stacked the books and held them in his arms, then picked up "How the Steel Was Tempered" that she had placed next to him: "Take this one with you too, I'll read it to you tonight."
“I can see it myself,” Yun Tangyin said, blushing.
“I want to read it to you.” Fu Yucheng’s tone was very serious: “Listen to me read it, it’s different.”
Yun Tangyin didn't argue anymore and followed him out of the reading room.
As they passed the parade ground, they saw several soldiers playing ball. Fu Yucheng's communications officer, Xiao Liu, called out from afar, "Brother Fu! Sister-in-law! Want to join us for a game?"
Fu Yucheng waved his hand: "No, take your sister-in-law home."
He looked down at Yun Tangyin and said, "Interested? I'll teach you how to play basketball next time you have time."
"I can't learn that." Yun Tangyin shook her head with a smile: "I can't even play badminton well."
"It's okay, I'll teach you how to fight." Fu Yucheng stopped and looked at the book and then at Yun Tangyin.
Finally, he handed her the book he was holding, and then casually pushed the bicycle against the wall: "It's inconvenient to walk with the book, let me take you back on my bicycle."
Although it would be easy for Fu Yucheng, with his status, to arrange a car, at this moment, he really wanted to experience the feeling of riding a bicycle with his lover.
Fu Yucheng bent down and turned the bicycle around. "Get on, I'll take you home."
As soon as Yun Tangyin obediently sat in the back seat, he wrapped his military jacket around her shoulders: "It's chilly, don't get cold."
He hopped on his bicycle, and a deep voice came from ahead: "Hold on tight."
Yun Tangyin gently grasped the hem of his clothes, the faint scent of soap lingering around her nose.
The bicycle rode through the tree-lined path of the barracks, the wind blowing the hem of her military coat, carrying her laughter into the distance.
When they returned to the entrance of the Fu family compound, they ran into Jiang Jianhua hanging clothes out to dry in the yard.
When she saw the two of them return, she pouted and said, "You're finally back. Mom has asked me so many times."
Yun Tangyin got off her bicycle, and Fu Yucheng immediately took off the military jacket from her shoulders: "Didn't we say at the dinner table that we were going to the army to get the books?"
Jiang Jianhua's gaze fell on the book in Fu Yucheng's arms, then glanced at the silver bracelet on Yun Tangyin's wrist, and suddenly said out of the blue, "What's the use of reading so many books?"
Fu Yucheng handed the book to Yun Tangyin and said calmly, "Knowledge is power."
Jiang Jianhua had just finished hanging up the last jacket when he heard this and couldn't help but purse his lips: "Fu Yuanshan studied for three years, and now he's still working in the factory..."
Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly called out to the east wing, "Runli! The clothes are hung up, come out and help me take the basin back!"
Xu Runli was trying on a new hair clip in front of the mirror when she heard the shout and immediately lifted the curtain to come out.
She deliberately touched the hair clip on her head, the one she bought at the supply and marketing cooperative today, the one with sequins on its light red plastic petals.
"Oh, sister?" She walked up to Yun Tangyin, the sequins on her hair clip dazzlingly bright. "You have such a leisurely time, unlike me. I just helped chop firewood in the backyard, it's exhausting."
Yun Tangyin glanced at her palm and smiled, "She's unwilling to do any chores at home, but she's eager to do them now that she's in the Northeast. Impressive."
Jiang Jianhua's face flushed red. She hadn't asked Xu Runli to chop firewood at all; it was Xu Runli who said she wanted to show off, and after she did, she still had the audacity to say it like that.
How embarrassing!
Xu Runli clenched her fists: "Zhicheng said that girls should be hardworking, and can't be like some people who never leave their homes and live like capitalists' daughters."
"Are you talking about me?" Yun Tangyin weighed the book in her hand. "Oh dear, but reading can enlighten one's mind, and..."
She looked at Xu Runli: "She can also manage the accounts."
Xu Runli was still unaware of what was happening when Jiang Jianhua's face turned pale and then red. Why was he suddenly targeting her again?
Yun Tangyin tapped her fingertips on the spine of the book, her gaze slowly sweeping over Jiang Jianhua: "If this account isn't settled, won't all the money in the family just slip away for nothing?"
Jiang Jianhua slammed the wooden basin in his hand to the ground with a thud: "Alright, alright, we're all family, why are you saying this?"
"Family? If we're family, we won't check the accounts?" Yun Tangyin handed the book to Fu Yucheng. "Mom asked me to manage the purchasing, so I have to give the family an explanation."
Xu Runli's face darkened further. She hadn't expected Jiang Jianhua to have such a low status in the Fu family, even lower than Yun Tangyin: "This is your second sister-in-law, and you still dare to control her money?"
"Oh?" Yun Tangyin raised an eyebrow: "Then let's talk about this. My second sister-in-law wrote in the ledger today that she spent 50 cents on a hair clip for you. Now tell me, is this money deducted from her monthly allowance or charged to the public account?"
This question stumped Xu Runli. How would she know how much money Jiang Jianhua earned each month?
Jiang Jianhua quickly tried to smooth things over: "It's just five cents, I gave it to her! Don't say anymore, don't say anymore..."
As they were talking, Jiang Jianhua tried to pull Xu Runli into the house, repeatedly gesturing for her to shut up.
“Since it was you who gave it to her, it should be deducted from your monthly allowance.” Yun Tangyin opened the small ledger she carried with her: “Or it should be deducted from your salary.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Runli looked at Jiang Jianhua with a hint of suspicion.
Is it possible that Jiang Jianhua and Fu Yuanshan's salaries are both in Yun Tangyin's hands?
Jiang Jianhua's face turned a deep shade of liver: "Whatever!"
Yun Tangyin traced a red mark on the ledger with her fingertip: "This month, my second sister-in-law has already bought three bars of soap and two boxes of clam oil, which is four cents over budget. Add another five cents for hair clips... Hmm, she still owes nine cents in wages this month."
Xu Runli suddenly sneered: "The Fu family is even stingy with their own family over a few cents?"
“The Fu family isn’t as wealthy as the Jiang family,” Yun Tangyin said calmly. “Every penny should be spent openly. If you feel wronged, then don’t stay here.”
Jiang Jianhua quickly waved his hand: "No need, no need!"
After saying that, she pulled Xu Runli and walked into the house: "Let's go inside and talk, don't stand in the yard."
Xu Runli stumbled as she was pulled, then turned and glared at Yun Tangyin: "Don't be so smug! Just wait until Zhicheng arrives..."
“It’s just in time for Zhicheng to arrive.” Yun Tangyin waved the ledger. “Let’s see if we plan to have him make up for the nine cents, or just leave it as a debt. After all, Mom said that she would be the first to object if my second sister-in-law did anything greedy again.”
Jiang Jianhua stopped abruptly, and Xu Runli then realized that Jiang Jianhua not only controlled the money, but had also secretly falsified expenses to embezzle money!
Xu Runli glanced at Jiang Jianhua and noticed that his face was extremely pale.
Her expression was so unpredictable that it was hard to tell whether she was ashamed or embarrassed. Fu Yucheng was also afraid that she would get angry and pounce on Yun Tangyin, so he immediately put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Yinyin, let's go. I'll read to you."
Yun Tangyin knew what Fu Yucheng was thinking, so she put away the ledger and went back to her room.
The two women were left staring at each other, the atmosphere so awkward it was almost unbearable.
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