Lu Xiao watched as the curtains were suddenly drawn shut, and he stopped in his tracks.
In the cool morning air, his fingers unconsciously tightened around the al box he was carrying.
The handle of the al box pressed into his palm. Inside were millet porridge, coarse grain stead buns, and a small portion of pickled vegetables from the ss hall, still faintly warm.
He stood in the courtyard, the morning light outlining his tall, straight figure.
Everything from last night was both clear and hazy, like an overly realistic dream.
Now, the tightly closed curtains blocked his view, magnifying his sense of awkward helplessness.
Lu Xiao put a hand to his lips, cleared his throat, and walked into the house. "Tangtang? I brought back breakfast. Get dressed and co eat."
Behind the curtains, Su Tang leaned against the wall, her heart pounding. The heat in her cheeks hadn’t faded in the slightest.
The intimate na was like a feather brushing across the tip of her heart. It brought a secret sweetness, but it also made her even more mortified.
She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound steady. "...Mm, okay."
It grew quiet outside.
Lu Xiao didn’t say anything else, seemingly waiting for her to co out.
Su Tang bit her lower lip in frustration and picked up the clothes beside her to get dressed.
’Even though we’re a married couple now... the daylight seems to lay bare all of last night’s intimacy, leaving at a complete loss.’
By the ti Su Tang had changed and walked out, Lu Xiao had already laid out the food from the al box on the table.
"I just went to your hospital and requested a half-day leave for you."
"I gave the wedding candy to your colleagues. You... you won’t bla for taking matters into my own hands, will you?"
Hearing her footsteps behind him, Lu Xiao’s throat felt a little tight, but he still managed to say the words naturally.
Su Tang walked closer, and only then did she see a very thin, small red mark on Lu Xiao’s neck.
Her face turned even redder. She wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
"What’s wrong?"
Lu Xiao turned around. Seeing Su Tang’s completely flushed face, he thought she was sick.
Su Tang shook her head, indicating that nothing was wrong.
"It’s fine. I was planning to do that anyway."
Su Tang sat down at the side. Lu Xiao picked up a brand-new enal basin and walked a few steps to the water cistern in the corner of the courtyard.
He deftly scooped water into the basin, then carried it over and placed it on the stone platform in the courtyard. The water sloshed in the basin, reflecting the bright light.
"The water’s a bit cold. Want to add so hot water?"
He looked at her, not ntioning last night.
Though Lu Xiao was also incredibly nervous himself.
"No need, cold water is fine."
Su Tang walked over and took the towel from Lu Xiao’s hand.
’The cold water will be good for waking up.’
After they washed up, the two of them ate breakfast together. Perhaps because the most awkward mont had passed, things felt much more natural between them.
That morning, Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu didn’t co to disturb the young couple. Su Tang said she was going to change the bedsheet, but Lu Xiao stopped her.
"I’ll do it. You finally have a morning off to rest."
He had also taken a half-day of leave, precisely because he wanted to spend ti with Su Tang.
A warm current flowed through Su Tang’s heart, and she felt sweet all over.
She didn’t argue with Lu Xiao. She sat on a chair in the room, watching him busy himself outside.
It had to be said, Lu Xiao was truly capable. In no ti at all, the bedsheet was clean, and he had even washed so other clothes while he was at it.
Although they weren’t speaking, a gentle warmth flowed between them.
Just then, a knock ca from outside. Seeing that Lu Xiao’s hands were wet, Su Tang got up and went to open the door.
"Chang Jia?"
"Sister-in-law, my apologies. I really didn’t want to disturb you two."
Chang Jia was very embarrassed, knowing they had just gotten married yesterday and he was already here bothering them.
’But what could he do? He really needed Lu Xiao’s help.’
"It’s fine. Lu Xiao, Brother Jia is here to see you about sothing."
Su Tang opened the door to let Chang Jia in, then went over to take the chore from Lu Xiao’s hands, telling them to go inside and talk.
’Chang Jia is a considerate person. He wouldn’t have co in such a rush unless sothing was wrong.’
Lu Xiao wiped his hands clean and told Su Tang to leave it, saying he’d co back to it in a bit.
Su Tang smiled and gave him a gentle push. There were only two pieces of clothing left; it was no trouble at all.
Lu Xiao led Chang Jia into the house and poured him a glass of water. "What’s wrong?"
"My wife is coming to join at the post."
Hearing this, Lu Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly. "That’s a good thing. Why do you look so worried?"
Who wouldn’t want a happy ho with their wife and kids? Of course it was a good thing she could co join him.
"It’s not like you don’t know what I’m worried about..."
"I... I already told her I’d go back to see her this month if I had ti, but she said she’s coming here instead."
Chang Jia scratched his head in frustration. "You saw what it was like for your wife when she first ca to the family compound. It’ll probably be even worse when my wife gets here."
A capitalist’s young lady and a landlord’s precious daughter—they were the kind of people others wanted to curse just for standing there.
"You’ve seen how well Su Tang gets along with everyone now. It’ll be fine. Your wife has been married to you for so many years."
’Even if her family were landlords, she’s surely been successfully re-educated by now.’
’Besides, that was all in her ancestors’ past.’
At the very least, after marrying Chang Jia, his wife had always diligently cared for the elders in the family and raised their children.
"Wait a minute. You coming to can’t be for anything good. Spit it out."
Lu Xiao looked at Chang Jia’s face and slowly put two and two together.
’What does his wife coming to the post have to do with ?’
"Can’t hide anything from you, old comrade. I wanted to ask you... oh no, ask Su Tang for a favor."
The corners of Chang Jia’s lips curled up. He stood and patted Lu Xiao on the shoulder.
"If you want to ask Su Tang for help, you should be talking to Su Tang, not ."
Lu Xiao wasn’t falling for Chang Jia’s act. He knew this guy was up to no good.
’His wife is coming, so how could he be unhappy?’
"Co on, that’s your wife. It isn’t appropriate for to ask her directly. Can you talk to her for ?"
"When my wife gets here, I’ll have her make you guys sothing delicious. She’s an amazing cook."
Chang Jia was a mix of happy and worried, but his wife’s arrival was definitely more a cause for happiness than anything else.
Lu Xiao shook off Chang Jia’s hand, sat down, and asked, "Why does your wife suddenly want to co now?"
"It’s not that she wants to co. It’s the old folks at ho who are making her."
The whole family ganged up on her this ti, so she had no choice but to co.
Chang Jia tried every pleasantry and persuasion he could think of, but Lu Xiao still didn’t agree to his request.
Not until Su Tang had finished hanging up the clothes and walked into the room.
"What’s going on here?"
Sensing the subtle atmosphere between the two n, Su Tang asked.
"Um, Sister-in-law..."
"Yes?"
Chang Jia hesitated and was about to speak when Lu Xiao stopped him.
"You should go."
Lu Xiao had his own considerations, so of course, Chang Jia couldn’t insist.
After seeing Chang Jia off, Su Tang looked at Lu Xiao and tilted her head. "What was that all about?"
’They didn’t look like it was nothing.’
Hearing Su Tang’s question, Lu Xiao reached out and pulled her over.
"Chang Jia’s wife is coming, and he wants you to help his wife..."
"Because his wife... her family used to be landlords, and he thinks..."
Lu Xiao didn’t finish his sentence, but Su Tang already understood what he ant.
It was because Chang Jia felt her situation was similar to his wife’s. He hoped that with Su Tang’s help, his wife wouldn’t be given a hard ti the mont she arrived at the family compound, just as Su Tang had been.
"I just can’t bear to see you put in an awkward position. And those aren’t good mories for you."
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