Can’t Endure Hardship
Women can be sensitive, especially during their period and right after getting married. So, when Su Su saw Lin Chuan lying away from her with his own blanket, she immediately sat up and asked, “What do you mean by this?”
Lin Chuan, startled, sat up and looked at her, clearly confused.
“Are you avoiding me because I’m on my period? You don’t even want to share the same blanket?” Tears welled up in her eyes, making her look fragile and vulnerable.
Lin Chuan’s heart softened. He reached out and gently patted her head, explaining, “I’m cold and smell like smoke.”
Su Su realised she had misunderstood him and blushed. “You dummy, if you’re cold, you should get under the blanket. It’s warm in here.” She lifted the blanket for him and added, “If you get sick, whose fault will that be?”
“Su Su…” How could she be so adorable?
Feeling a surge of affection, Lin Chuan pulled her into his arms and pressed her down onto the bed, kissing her deeply.
Unfortunately, nothing more could happen due to her period. It was frustrating for him, but at the same time, he was incredibly happy.
Especially when she, red-faced and panting, complained, “My lips hurt… You were too rough.”
Inside, Lin Chuan was thinking about all the other things that could make her hurt and complain, but outwardly, he remained serious and said, “Sorry, they’re a bit swollen. Let me kiss them better.”
His attempt to soothe her soon led to them heating up again, until Su Su, nearly in tears, said, “No, I can’t take it anymore. I need to sleep.”
“Okay, let’s sleep,” Lin Chuan agreed, flipping her around so he could spoon her from behind. Only then did he finally settle down.
The next morning, after they were both up and had eaten breakfast, it was time for Lin Chuan to hand over the household finances. Despite how much he had spent on the wedding, he had still managed to save some money, and he gave it all to Su Su, saying, “It’s not much, but use it to buy yourself something nice for the New Year.”
“What about you?” She felt like he was giving her everything he had.
“I still have some money on me, and besides, I don’t really need to spend anything at the barracks,” Lin Chuan said, sounding completely serious.
“But don’t you need money for cigarettes?”
“I’m quitting.”
“Why?”
“Now that we’re living together, smoking would just waste money.” His answer was simple and straightforward.
Usually, it was the woman who had to nag the man to quit smoking, but Lin Chuan didn’t even need to be told.
“But I have money. You don’t need to quit just to save.” Although she did think quitting would be healthier, she didn’t want him to feel like he had to be so frugal. “Really, look,” she said, pulling out her little wallet like she was showing off a treasure. She struggled a bit to open the zipper.
The small wallet was packed so tightly with ten-yuan bills that when she finally got it open, the bills sprang out, scattering all over the bed.
Lin Chuan’s pupils contracted in surprise. He had no idea that he had married such a wealthy wife. In this era, even dual-income families in the city would find it difficult to save a few hundred yuan by the end of the year. But here was his wife, carrying this much cash around as if it was nothing.
He quickly helped her gather the money and, pressing down on her wallet, said seriously, “Comrade Su Su…”
Su Su swallowed nervously, feeling like she needed to explain where all the money had come from.
But before she could say anything, Lin Chuan continued, “From now on, don’t spend your own money, and don’t tell anyone about it—not even our family.”
“Why?”
“Word gets around, and if people find out, you could be in danger or attract unwanted attention.”
“But I only told you.”
That simple statement, “I only told you,” made Lin Chuan feel like his heart was coated in honey. He leaned in and kissed her gently, then said, “Our village is poor. During the winter, some people can barely afford to eat, so you need to keep a low profile. Once I take you to the city, it won’t be a problem anymore.”
Su Su finally understood Lin Chuan’s concern and promised to be careful with her spending, saying she wouldn’t buy meat every day but might indulge every now and then.
Lin Chuan still wasn’t entirely at ease, though. The road from the mountains to the commune was difficult and potentially dangerous, especially for a beautiful young woman like Su Su traveling alone. So before he left, he borrowed a donkey cart, saying he was going to buy tickets but actually planning to take Su Su shopping.
He handed Su Su fifty yuan, in addition to the meat and grain coupons she already had.
When they arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, Lin Chuan told her to stay on the cart while he scouted the area. Only after ensuring there were no villagers or anyone connected to their village did he let Su Su get down and start shopping.
He splurged, buying ten catties of meat, thirty catties of white flour, and ten catties of millet. After loading these onto the cart, he also bought two frozen, dressed chickens and a duck. These didn’t require any coupons and were bought directly from the locals. Su Su thought to herself that they wouldn’t lack meat this winter, but she also realised she would need to learn how to cook it properly.
“Don’t buy so much. Even if you do, I don’t know how to cook it.”
“I’ll chop it up and store it in the little shed. Whenever you want some, just take it out and cook it. We have potatoes and cabbage at home, and I’ll get you some sweet potatoes. If you’re hungry, just roast one—it’s very filling.” Lin Chuan finished speaking and immediately went to buy a bag of sweet potatoes.
Su Su felt like Lin Chuan was really worried she might starve to death at home.
Once Lin Chuan was satisfied with their purchases, they headed back. Out of the fifty yuan, twenty remained—money went a long way in this era.
When they got home, the two of them settled into their little home. Lin Chuan chopped the chickens into pieces and stored them in the shed. Each chicken was divided into three portions, wrapped in parchment paper, and placed on the cutting board to freeze. Once frozen, the portions were stored in a large jar, covered with a cloth. Whenever Su Su wanted some, she could just take out a portion to cook.
After all this, Lin Chuan began teaching Su Su how to light the stove and cook. He even said indulgently, “If you don’t feel like cooking, just go home and eat. You can bring some food back here afterward.”
“Okay, we haven’t split households yet anyway.”
“That’s true, but these are just for you. I’ll take a bag back to the main house and leave the rest for you.”
“Won’t that look bad?” She didn’t want to appear selfish.
“You’re different from them,” he said simply. She couldn’t handle the hardships they could.
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