Chapter 23

In fact, except for those who are extremely confident, most people still need recognition and affirmation from others.

Yan Lei was unlucky because, as a person who was illiterate after joining the army, he had awe for knowledge, so he married an educated girl against all odds.

As a result, the educated girl looked down on his peasant background and never recognized his strengths and abilities in marriage, and ignored them.

In later generations, some low-class men PUA their girlfriends by belittling them:

"You are so ugly, who else would want you except me?"

"You are so stupid that you can't do anything, who else can stand you except me?"

Over time, the girl becomes unconfident and is afraid to leave the man.

Although the original owner would not belittle Yan Lei, this long-term indifference and lack of affirmation still had the same effect.

Everyone needs to be praised. Yan Lei looked capable and good at boasting, but in fact he also needed to be affirmed by others.

So Qiao Wei used two industrial coupons and told him about it, and he straightened his back even more.

Qiao Wei bit her chopsticks and glimpsed Yan Lei's inner emotional needs that had not been met, and she had some ideas on how to appease this man.

She changed the subject: "I had a chat with the big brother in the supply and marketing cooperative, his last name is Xu. He said that he would save some for me if he has good stuff in the future."

Yan Lei smiled and said, "That's good. They have good stuff in these units. He said he shipped two boxes of canned food, I tell you, at least three boxes. Otherwise, why did they dare to put it out today when it arrived yesterday?"

Qiao Wei was surprised: "Why? Is it corruption?"

"Why do you think of corruption all of a sudden? How could it be corruption?" Yan Lei was also surprised by her train of thought, "If there is a shortage of public goods, they have to pay for it out of their own pockets. They will digest it internally first. If there is good stuff, they will buy it themselves first, and they have to ask relatives and friends to buy it. Otherwise, they will be scolded to death by relatives and friends."

"It's too difficult." Qiao Wei sighed, "If I cut more meat, my mother will say something. I was so scared that I ran away with the meat."

Yan Lei put down his chopsticks: "Isn't there enough meat?"

Qiao Wei took a spoonful of vegetables and put it into his rice bowl: "This is for frying some slag and refining some pig fat."

Today's dishes are all fried with slag, which is particularly fragrant. It's so delicious that Yan Xiang didn't say a word and kept eating.

Yan Lei was relieved, took a few bites, and praised: "It's especially fragrant!"

"You can have another meal tomorrow." Qiao Wei said, "Eat it as soon as possible, it's too hot, don't let it go bad."

Yan Lei said: "You can put as much as you want in the dishes, don't be reluctant."

With his words, Qiao Wei felt more at ease. Of course she wanted to eat and drink well, but in this era of material shortage, and the beauty of hardship, simplicity, diligence and thrift, she was afraid that Yan Lei would tell her to "save money" everywhere, which would make life miserable.

So the domineering president's shopping is really charming.

Even Qiao Wei thought his heroic face was better looking when she looked at Yan Lei.

"Okay." She said, smiling and adding dishes to the father and son.

Yan Lei looked away and lowered his head to eat, pretending not to care.

How could he not care? His wife's bright smile and moving eyes made people feel distracted.

After dinner, the couple had a tacit understanding without saying a word, and Yan Lei took the initiative to wash the dishes.

This wouldn't happen in other families. The wife is responsible for cooking, washing dishes, taking care of the children, cleaning the house, and doing the laundry.

Yan Lei convinced himself, "It's really annoying to cook and wash dishes."

"That's right," Qiao Wei said, "It's not that I don't do it, but let's distribute the housework more reasonably, right?"

The two words "right" sounded coquettish, a tone that Yan Lei had never heard before.

He glanced at Qiao Wei, and she looked at him with a smile, cunning and coquettish.

The two people's eyes met, as if there was a silent comparison.

Qiao Wei picked up the can from the bucket and walked away with a smile.

Yan Xiang had been waiting eagerly for a long time. When he saw her taking the can, he shouted happily, "Open the can, open the can!"

and followed her to the kitchen like a little tail.

After Qiao Wei left, Yan Lei couldn't help laughing, shaking his head.

She didn't want to do housework, but she could still come up with twisted ideas.

But it felt so good. After being married for a few years, Yan Lei finally felt like he was living with a living person.

It was just a few dishes to wash, no big deal, just wash them.

The canned yellow peaches were cold.

In the evening, the family sat in the yard, listening to the insects chirping, and sharing the canned food together, which was very comfortable.

The syrup in the can was too sweet. In the future, Qiao Wei would not drink this syrup. But now that the world has changed, it can't be wasted.

She diluted the syrup with boiled water, and each person drank a cup.

Not to mention sugar water, even the glass bottles of cans cannot be thrown away. After washing, they can be used as cups or containers.

In this era, nothing can be wasted. Even if you don’t need it yourself, such as old clothes and old shoes, you can give it to others.

Even old clothes that are really worn out and can’t be worn can be recycled into regenerated cloth. Regenerated cloth is not durable, but it is cheap and does not require cloth coupons. Therefore, many people are still willing to buy regenerated cloth to make clothes.

Although Qiao Wei came from a society with abundant commodities, she must now adapt to local customs.

Thinking that when winter comes, there will probably be even fewer types of food. She once heard her mother talk about eating winter cabbage for the whole winter when she was a child. She washed the canned peach bottle and shook off the water: "Let's buy some tomatoes later and make some tomato jam."

Be prepared for the winter as much as possible.

Yan Lei said: "Okay."

Qiao Wei put the bottle and the lid on the small table to dry.

"Hey." She kicked the chair Yan Lei was sitting on, "Do you have a big chair like this, the kind that can be half-lying? If you have one, get me a big one, preferably with a footstool, so I can put my feet." The chair

Yan Lei was sitting on was a small bamboo chair, the seat was about calf height, and the backrest was tilted. It is common in rural areas and period dramas. It is basically not seen in big cities in later generations.

Qiao Wei felt quite comfortable sitting these past two days and wanted a bigger one. To put it bluntly, what she actually wanted was a recliner.

There is a yard at home, and there are trees in the yard, and there is shade under the trees.

The recliner sways under the trees, just like the days in Qiao Wei's dreams.

Yan Lei said, "Okay."

Qiao Wei raised her head and leaned on the small table to look at him.

The sunset had not completely set yet, and the sunlight was copper-gold, making the man's skin look particularly textured.

"What's wrong?" he asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Qiao Wei said, "You only know how to say 'ok'."

Yan Lei laughed and explained, "Okay, I promise you."

"Then what would be 'not good'?" Qiao Wei had to ask.

Yan Lei said without hesitation: "It's against the principle."

"That's off topic. I'm talking about life, about the two of us." Qiao Wei looked at him.

Yan Lei looked up, his eyebrows and eyes were particularly serious.

"As long as you are willing to live a good life with me, there will be nothing 'bad' between the two of us as long as I can do it."

"You man..." Qiao Wei couldn't help laughing and covered her face, "You men..."

Too domineering CEO.

A bit unbearable.

Yan Lei didn't think it was funny, he was very serious.

"I promised you back then." He said, "If you are willing to come here with me, I will promise you anything. As long as I can do it."

But Qiao Weiwei didn't appreciate his love.

This man didn't know that Qiao Weiwei never loved him until her death and didn't want to spend her life with him.

Qiao Wei felt a little sad, and she couldn't tell who it was for.

She didn't want to blame anyone. Nothing mattered more than life and death. She didn't even want to blame her father who abandoned her and her lover who left her.

Compared with fate, human nature is weak and thin, as tiny as dust.

She didn't want to blame Qiao Weiwei or Yan Lei either. These were two unsuitable people who came together without feelings in a special era, and ultimately led to a tragedy.

But the light of the setting sun shone on the man's face, and his nose was high and deep.

She felt strangely soft in her heart, and she even had a little envy for Qiao Weiwei.

She raised her hand and touched Yan Lei's face.

"Then can you promise me too?" she asked softly.

Yan Lei pulled her hand off and held it, confused: "What are you screaming for?"

"The Qiao Weiwei you promised her is dead, I told you." Qiao Wei said, "I, Qiao Wei, will live with you in the future."

"So, can you promise me too?"

The setting sun sank over the eaves, and the darkness enveloped the yard.

Her eyes sparkled in the dusk, full of expectation.

She died alone, and the first person she saw when she woke up was this man.

Fate arranged for him to be her husband.

At this time, Qiao Wei became pretentious, wanting to hear this man promise her in person and say to her in person what he had said to Qiao Weiwei.

Being expected, being acted like a spoiled child.

Yan Lei held her hand and felt that the time before him was rare and beautiful. It seemed to be his fantasy of married life before marriage.

This fantasy has never been realized until now.

Yan Lei squeezed Qiao Wei's hand, rubbed it with his thumb, and raised his eyes.

"You marry me and live with me..." He said, "Whatever I can do, I will do for you."

"I keep my word."

"What about my work?"

"I asked someone to help. This will take time. It can't be done in one or two days. Don't worry."

Qiao Wei heard what she wanted to hear and smiled with satisfaction and joy.

She wanted to take back her hand, but she couldn't.

Yan Lei held it tightly and didn't let her pull it back. His thumb was still rubbing the back of her hand, which was numb and itchy. She

always felt that Yan Lei's voice seemed to be slightly hoarse in the dim light.

The numb feeling came up from the back of her hand.

There was a heat stirring in the body.

Yan Xiang leaned on the windowsill in the house and shouted: "Mom, Mom, I want to listen to "The Adventures of Little Rag Doll"! "

The atmosphere dissipated in an instant.

Qiao Wei pulled her hand away. Yan Lei let her go.

"I'm coming." Qiao Wei walked past him.

Yan Lei watched her with the corner of his eyes until she was out of his sight.

He propped up his long legs on the ground, lifted up the front legs of the small bamboo chair, and swayed it, making a squeaking sound. The corners of

his mouth curled up slightly.