Chapter 54 Lu Ye's Ultimate Romance
On an autumn afternoon, the sunlight sheds its summer heat and becomes warm and bright.
Sunlight streamed through the clean glass windows of the Xinfeng Clothing Store, casting lazy dappled patterns on the clothes hanging inside. Fine dust particles and a faint scent of fabric floated in the air.
Jiang Suining had just come from the cold storage construction site. She had been busy on the dusty construction site for days and hadn't even had time to visit her mother on the weekend. Today, she had just finished her business at the Construction Bureau and, seeing that she still had some time, she stopped by Xinfeng Clothing Store.
After not seeing her daughter for many days, Jiang's mother's face immediately lit up with a smile. Seeing that her daughter's chin had become a bit sharper, she felt extremely sorry for her and quickly made a cup of warm honey water. She also brought out a plate of soft and sweet osmanthus cake that she had just steamed.
"How come you've lost so much weight? Have you not been eating properly!" Jiang's mother held her daughter's hand, looking her up and down, her heart aching with worry. She immediately went to the market to buy an old hen to make soup. "You need to nourish yourself properly! You sit here, I'll go buy the old hen right now!"
Jiang Suining couldn't refuse, and felt a warm glow in her heart, so she could only let her mother make the arrangements.
Wang Hai was busy in the back room making custom-made clothes for customers, so Jiang Suining naturally helped out in front, looking after the shop, arranging fabrics, and attracting customers. She had just seen off a customer who came to pick up a custom-made shirt, and was tidying up the chalk and measuring tape on the cutting table when the brass bell hanging at the door jingled, producing a clear and pleasant sound.
She instinctively looked up, her face instantly breaking into a delighted smile: "Sister Hongjuan! You're back!"
Standing at the door was Zhuang Hongjuan, whom I hadn't seen in a long time. She seemed to have been reborn, radiant and full of energy. Her once dry and yellow hair had been permed into the latest trendy big waves, loosely tied back with a simple handkerchief. She wore a white dress with red polka dots, which made her fair skin look even more delicate and charming.
She held the hand of Crescent Moon, who was dressed like a little princess, and beside her was a tall, thin man with black-rimmed glasses who looked somewhat refined. The man was wearing a faded blue shirt and carrying a net bag containing several bright red apples and a package of pastries carefully wrapped in oil paper.
"Xiao Jiang!" Zhuang Hongjuan strode in, her voice filled with the excitement of a long-awaited reunion and a hint of barely perceptible shyness. "We originally planned to go to your house first, and then stop by here on the way. We didn't expect you to actually be here! I just arrived this morning, and after settling in, I rushed over to see you!"
Jiang Suining greeted him with a smile, her gaze naturally falling on the slightly awkward-looking man.
Zhuang Hongjuan understood, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned to introduce him, "This is Zhou Wei, my mentor and friend when I was learning at Lugang Hongxing Breeding Farm." She paused, her voice softening, and then said to Zhou Wei, "Zhou Wei, this is my good sister, Jiang Suining, whom I often mention to you."
"Comrade Jiang, hello! I often hear Hongjuan mention you, saying that you have helped her a lot, and I admire you very much!" Zhou Wei quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and handed over the net bag in his hand with sincerity and obvious nervousness. "It's just a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."
"Comrade Zhou, you're too kind. I'm very happy that you could come. Please have a seat." Jiang Suining accepted the gifts with grace and invited them to sit on the long wooden benches in the shop. She then quickly brewed three cups of hot tea.
Just then, Jiang's mother returned carrying a plump hen. Seeing that there were new customers in the shop, she was about to go up and greet them when her daughter introduced her: "Mom, this is my good friend Zhuang Hongjuan. She just came back from studying in another city."
“Oh, you’re Sui Sui’s friend! That’s perfect! I bought a chicken, so please stay for lunch and try Auntie’s cooking!” Jiang’s mother immediately extended a warm invitation, her eyes looking at Zhou Wei with curiosity and friendliness.
Yueya'er obediently called out "Grandma," and Jiang's mother was overjoyed. She quickly grabbed a handful of White Rabbit milk candies from the counter and stuffed them into the child's hand.
"Auntie, it's really unfortunate today. I just got back and have to go home to have lunch with my dad. I'll definitely come and bother you another day!" Zhuang Hongjuan quickly declined, her tone sincere.
When Jiang's mother heard that he was going home to be with his father, she naturally couldn't insist that he stay any longer. She kept saying, "Let's make another time," and then took the chicken to the back kitchen to get busy.
The group sat down again to drink tea.
Zhuang Hongjuan talked about how Zhou Wei was transferred to the Nan'ao Island aquaculture farm because of his outstanding skills, and her words were full of expectations and plans for her new life.
Looking at the bright and captivating light in Zhuang Hongjuan's eyes, and then at Zhou Wei's reserved yet sincere and admiring gaze, Jiang Suining understood most of it. Zhuang Hongjuan's life had been full of hardships and suffering, but unexpectedly, her trip abroad for studies had led to such a fortunate encounter, opening a new chapter in her life. Jiang Suining was genuinely happy for her sister who had finally found happiness after all her hardships.
After chatting for a while about their studies and work experiences, Zhuang Hongjuan seemed to suddenly remember something important. She took out a small square box carefully wrapped in several layers of old newspaper paper from her canvas bag.
"Xiao Jiang, I happened to see this at the supply and marketing cooperative over there this time. I thought you would definitely like it, so I brought you a box." Zhuang Hongjuan smiled and handed over the small square box, her face showing a hint of pride and anticipation as if she were sharing a treasure.
"Wow! Snow cream! And it's the Xianghai brand!" Jiang Suining was pleasantly surprised. This brand of snow cream was a hot commodity in the local supply and marketing cooperative and was very difficult to buy.
She gently lifted the lid of the box, and a rich, sweet, and familiar fragrance immediately wafted out, instantly dispelling the faint smell of fabric and paste in the shop and filling the entire space.
"It smells like roses!" Jiang Suining couldn't help but exclaim softly, her eyes suddenly lighting up. She eagerly dipped her fingertip into the milky white, smooth cream and gently spread it on the back of her hand. The fragrance became even softer and longer-lasting, lingering around her nose for a long time.
In an era of relatively scarce material choices, such a bright, pure, and fragrant rose scent is particularly refreshing, as if it can soothe all fatigue.
She couldn't help but take a deep breath, a pure and satisfied smile spreading across her face. She said to Zhuang Hongjuan, "It smells so good! Thank you, Sister Hongjuan! I've loved the scent of roses since I was little. I find it sweet and fragrant, and it makes me feel so comfortable, all my worries disappear."
As she spoke, a hint of longing flickered in her eyes, as if through the familiar fragrance she could see a bustling street scene with towering buildings in another time and space. "Sometimes I think, how wonderful it would be if I could live in a place where roses bloom all year round, and I could smell this fragrance as soon as I open the window!"
“These roses also grow on Nan’ao Island. If you really like them, I’ll ask around and see if anyone has any to grow, and I’ll get you a pot to cultivate,” Zhuang Hongjuan said warmly, seeing that she genuinely liked them.
"No, please," Jiang Suining quickly waved her hand, her tone tinged with self-deprecation and regret. "I'm not really into flowers and plants. I can't keep flowers alive, and I can't keep fish alive. It would be such a waste if I killed a perfectly good potted plant." In later generations, you could easily buy a bouquet of fresh-cut roses at any flower shop, so why did this have to happen?
She was so engrossed in the pleasure and fleeting reverie brought by the fragrant and affectionate gift that she didn't notice the shop door being gently pushed open again, and a tall, imposing figure with the air of a training ground walked in.
Lu Ye had just finished his regular morning training. When he left home in the morning, Jiang Suining mentioned that she would be coming to the clothing store at noon, so he came directly over.
As soon as he stepped into the store, he paused slightly. The store was filled with a sweet, unfamiliar floral fragrance that he had never smelled before. His young wife was looking down at a small tin box in her hand, her profile beaming with a bright smile that he rarely saw, a smile that was a mixture of surprise, nostalgia, and boundless anticipation. That smile was more dazzling than the autumn sun.
"What's making you so happy?" He walked over, his voice natural and gentle, and first nodded to Zhuang Hongjuan in greeting.
Zhuang Hongjuan quickly stood up and introduced Lu Ye and Zhou Wei to each other, then smiled and brought up the topic of roses from earlier. Lu Ye's gaze then fell on the tin box with red flowers printed on it in Jiang Suining's hand, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.
After having a bowl of chicken soup carefully prepared by Jiang's mother at the clothing store at noon, Lu Ye took Jiang Suining to the cold storage construction site on his bicycle.
Watching his wife carrying her bag and hurrying into the busy crowd at the construction site, Lu Ye stood there for a long time, pushing his bicycle, feeling a slight pang in his heart.
During this period, Jiang Suining has devoted herself entirely to the cold storage project, leaving early and returning late, often working overtime at noon. The couple has had very little time to sit down and have a quiet conversation. They've only been married for a year; will their relationship gradually fade because of their busy schedules?
No, Lu Ye subconsciously touched his chin, his brows furrowing slightly. He had to think of a way to get his wife's attention to linger on him a little longer. A thought quietly took root in his mind.
***
A few weeks later, in the logistics department office of the regiment headquarters.
It was lunchtime when Lu Ye arrived at get off work. He was wearing a worn-out training uniform covered in dust and grass clippings, clearly having come straight here after finishing intense training.
In the office of the deputy director of the logistics department, Deputy Director Li was about to lock the door and leave work when he saw him and was somewhat surprised: "Chief of Staff Lu? Coming over at this hour, is there something you need?"
"Deputy Director Li, may I bother you for a few minutes? I have an idea about the sideline production of the military. I've written a preliminary report and would like to share it with you. Please give me your feedback." Lu Ye said calmly as he handed over a neatly written report.
A hint of surprise flashed across his face. He looked up at Lu Ye and saw that the other man's eyes were serious and not joking. At Lu Ye's prompting, he quickly flipped through the pages.
The report clearly and with detailed data elaborated on the idea of planting edible roses on a long-abandoned, acidic hillside behind the regimental headquarters.
The reasons given are compelling and effective: First, it is a positive response to the call from higher authorities for "military farms and sideline production to emancipate their minds, generate income through multiple channels, supplement military expenditures, and improve the lives of officers and soldiers"; second, preliminary research shows that the climate and soil conditions of Nan'ao Island are suitable for rose growth, and the rose jam, rose syrup, and other products made from it have good market prospects and high economic value in coastal cities and even in foreign trade exports; third, this initiative can explore a new way to effectively revitalize idle wasteland resources without occupying valuable farmland, and if the experiment is successful, the accumulated experience can be promoted to other military units, which has exemplary significance.
“Plant… roses?” Deputy Director Li put down the report, pushed up his glasses, his face full of curiosity and doubt. “Chief of Staff Lu, these things sound quite delicate, don’t they? Can we roughnecks handle them well? Are you sure you can manage this?”
Lu Ye was clearly well-prepared, answering fluently: "Deputy Director Li, I specifically consulted with the old farmers and agricultural technicians on the island. Our Nan'ao Island has a mild climate with warm winters and cool summers, and moderate humidity, which is exactly the growing environment that roses like. Many local villagers have the habit of planting edible roses in front of and behind their houses and making their own rose jam, so the process is readily available. Moreover, I have learned from other sources that the food factories on our island have the capacity to produce rose jam, and foreign trade companies in several coastal cities do indeed have export demand for this product, so sales are not a problem." His tone was confident, clearly indicating that he had done some research.
"Your idea is quite novel." Deputy Director Li stroked the report cover, half-jokingly and half-seriously sizing up Lu Ye. "But hey kid, you've always been good at training and drills, why are you suddenly interested in gardening? Aren't the training tasks heavy lately? Or are you thinking of developing your career in our logistics department?"
Lu Ye remained calm and responded frankly: "Training is my main job, and I dare not slack off for a moment. This is also to respond to the call from higher authorities to generate revenue through multiple channels and to do my part."
"Regarding the seedlings, we can first select superior edible rose varieties from farmers on the island for propagation through cuttings, which is very low-cost; or we can directly contact them to purchase a batch of seedlings, the cost of which can be covered by the logistics production reserve fund, and the amount is not large." Lu Ye had clearly considered everything thoroughly. "As for manpower, the initial reclamation and planting work is not heavy. I can take the lead and organize the soldiers in the logistics team, or the various companies in the regiment, to take turns working during their free time in the afternoons and on weekends, as an extra production task and physical exercise. If there are any benefits later, we can consider giving the participating soldiers some work points or appropriate subsidies, depending on the actual situation, which will further motivate everyone."
These words resonated deeply with Deputy Director Li. They did not take up regular training time, did not apply for large amounts of additional funding, utilized idle resources, and attempted projects with market potential, which fully met the principles of "low investment, quick results, and controllable risks".
But then he thought again that this kind of production pilot project was, after all, the logistics department's job. It was not appropriate to let a regimental chief of staff who was mainly responsible for training take the lead. He carefully chose his words and said, "I think this pilot project can be done! I will keep the report and submit it immediately. After it is approved by the higher-ups, I will organize the soldiers of our logistics department to carry it out."
"Notify me when the report is approved, and I will definitely participate." Lu Ye understood the concerns in his words, but his attitude was firm. "I have done all the preliminary research and planning. When it comes to the actual work, if you leave me out, I will not agree to it." His tone was somewhat uncompromising.
Deputy Director Li assumed he was worried about having his credit stolen and also wanted to avoid suspicion, so he readily agreed: "Alright, alright, if you really have the time and energy and are willing to come and guide our work, we welcome you! Don't complain about the hard work then!"
Emerging from the logistics office, Lu Ye let out a long sigh of relief, a barely perceptible, satisfied smile curving his resolute lips. Only he knew that the seed for this seemingly selfless and meticulously planned report had been planted in his heart when Jiang Suining smelled the rose-scented balm and her eyes revealed longing.
After that day, he asked someone to find several good-looking rose seedlings and quietly placed them in the corner of his courtyard. When Jiang Suining came home from work and saw them, she was indeed very pleasantly surprised.
Under the dim light, the couple watered the flowers and chatted about the habits and language of roses. It was then that Lu Ye suddenly realized that these seemingly ordinary flowers symbolized passionate and beautiful love in many people's hearts. This realization made the vague idea in his heart clear and firm.
A few days later, the report was approved in principle by the regiment. The logistics department also quickly sprang into action, organizing manpower and preparing tools.
Upon learning the news, Lu Ye began a life of "busy on both ends." During the day, he remained the meticulous and efficient Chief of Staff Lu, leading training and handling military affairs. In the afternoons or on weekends, he would immediately change into his old military uniform, pick up a shovel and pickaxe, and lead a few logistics soldiers up the back mountain to help measure the slope, clear stubborn weeds and shrubs, and plan terraces and furrows. Coming from a rural background and accustomed to farm work, he commanded with great efficiency and led by example. The soldiers were all convinced of his abilities and worked with great enthusiasm.
Jiang Suining quickly noticed her husband's unusual behavior. Lately, he was always coming home later than usual, carrying the scent of fresh earth, and his fingernails often had dirt that couldn't be washed off. When asked, he would just casually say, "The army's logistics department has some production tasks. They're reclaiming that wasteland on the back mountain, and I'm going to help out."
Jiang Suining assumed it was in response to the call to plant some vegetables or common fruit trees to improve the army's food, so she didn't think much of it. She just quietly prepared more hot water for him when he returned home exhausted, and told him to take care of his health and not to overwork himself.
That evening, Lu Ye hurriedly finished his dinner, put down his chopsticks, and said he needed to go to the back mountain to take a look. "We just planted a batch of seedlings today, so I need to check if they're afraid of the evening dew, and also reinforce the fence a bit," he explained, his tone as usual.
Seeing the weariness that Jiang Suining couldn't hide between his brows, she felt sorry for him and, thinking that the mountain breeze was cool at night, she took one of his coats and decided to take it to him.
The moonlight was beautiful, pouring down like mercury, illuminating the winding mountain road clearly.
Before she even reached the slope, she could faintly hear voices and the rustling sound of shovels hitting the ground. Working so late? Surprised, she quickened her pace, rounding a dense thicket of bushes. The sight before her made her abruptly stop, frozen in place.
Under the bright moonlight, the once barren slope, overgrown with weeds and littered with rocks, has been transformed into terraced fields, neat and uniform.
The newly turned soil gleamed with a deep hue under the moonlight, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth. Lu Ye and several young soldiers were squatting on the ground, carefully planting bundles of saplings with moist soil balls into the pits they had already dug. They were focused and gentle, and didn't even notice her arrival.
"Chief of Staff, this rose seedling looks wilted and the branches are thin. Will it really survive? Don't let it be a waste of time." A young soldier with a childish face asked with some concern as he carefully pressed down the loose soil around the seedling.
“It will survive.” Lu Ye’s voice was deep and certain, carrying an undeniable strength. He was kneeling on the ground, gently patting the soil around the base of a rose seedling, his movements as meticulous as if he were handling a precious treasure. “As long as we take good care of it, water it frequently, and fertilize it in a timely manner, I guarantee that this hillside will be completely different this time next year! By then, we might even be able to fill our unit’s guesthouse and meeting rooms with the flowers we’ve grown ourselves, and the smell will be so soothing! If the harvest is good, we can make rose jam and earn foreign exchange for the country, which would be even more significant!” His tone was encouraging, and he painted a picture of an enviable future.
Another soldier wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and chimed in with a laugh, "Hey! If that's really the case, then we've done what the political commissar meant by 'holding a gun to defend our country, and picking up a hoe to contribute to the nation's economic development,' right?"
"That's right!" Lu Ye laughed, raising his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
"But Chief of Staff, why don't we make a contribution by planting something else? Growing grain is much more practical. Why do we have to plant these pretty but useless roses?" Another straightforward young soldier scratched his head and asked the question that had been bothering him.
Lu Ye paused slightly as he was adding soil to a rose bush. The moonlight outlined the strong lines of his profile, and his voice sounded exceptionally clear and gentle in the night mountain breeze, carrying an almost tender tone rarely heard from him:
“Because your sister-in-law… likes roses.” He explained calmly as he continued what he was doing, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I was thinking of planting roses all over the hillside here. When they bloom, she can stand in our yard and look up to see this hillside. When the wind blows, she might even smell the fragrance.”
Jiang Suining stood in the shadows where the moonlight couldn't reach, clutching the coat tightly in her hand. Listening to Lu Ye's simple yet weighty words, her heart felt as if it had been struck hard by something, both sore and tender. An indescribable surge of heat instantly flowed through her body, making her eyes burn.
She finally understood why he had been leaving early and returning late, covered in dust, all these days; and at this moment, she finally understood the clumsy, persistent, and extremely romantic cherishing hidden beneath the man's tough military uniform and cold exterior.
She didn't go up to disturb them, but quietly placed the coat on a conspicuous large rock, then turned around and walked back along the path she had come from, leaving without a sound.
On the way back, the corners of her mouth kept curving upwards uncontrollably, carrying an undisguised gentle smile.
The night breeze from the island brushed against her face, carrying a refreshing coolness, but her heart felt warm and full, as if she were holding a small, rising sun, its radiant light dispelling all the chill of the autumn night.
She knew that next year, this hillside bathed in moonlight and sea breeze would be completely different. It was not just an experimental field for the military to explore ways to generate income, but also a silent love poem written by her husband, a soldier who was not good at expressing his love with sweet words, with his most familiar sweat, his most simple actions, and his wisdom and responsibility that balanced family and country, for her and for the future they both dreamed of.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
