Su Qingyue picked up the bedding and clothes her parents in the capital had mailed over—inside were also items meant for Su Qianqian.
Besides the parcels, Su Qingyue also received a separate letter from Su Yuan. Inside were ten *da tuanjie* bills and more than a dozen vouchers, including national grain coupons, candy and pastry coupons, and cloth coupons.
> *“Qingyue, if the money and coupons aren’t enough, tell your second brother. I’ve joined a newspaper, and the pay is pretty good. Take good care of yourself in the countryside.”*
After reading the letter, Su Qingyue couldn’t help but redden her eyes. This second brother truly treated her as his own sister.
A handkerchief was suddenly handed to her.
“Don’t cry.”
Pei Huaiye’s eyes were unusually bright as he looked at Su Qingyue with anticipation.
“Y-you still remember me?”
Su Qingyue widened her eyes, staring at the man in disbelief. Then she broke into a smile through her tears, blooming like a peach blossom.
“You’re the hero who saved me!”
Pei Huaiye’s sword-like brows relaxed. Hearing that title, his ears quietly turned red.
“I didn’t mean to miss our meeting that day. It’s a long story…”
An old man at the entrance cut in, “If you young couple are arguing, go somewhere else. Don’t block the post office entrance.”
Su Qingyue’s cheeks flushed shyly. Pei Huaiye’s heart pounded as he pretended to stay calm, lifting the two parcels and walking off.
Su Qingyue’s face looked like peach blossoms in bloom, her large, clear eyes blinking. Pei Huaiye stood beside her, tall and handsome. His usually cold, sharp features now looked gentle and affectionate.
Su Qingyue glanced at Pei Huaiye with a smile at the corner of her lips. He smiled back at her. Their gazes met in the air, then both hurriedly looked away—only to meet again the next moment.
Neither spoke. Both lowered their heads and laughed softly.
*Bang!*
Pei Huaiye had been sneaking glances at Su Qingyue as they walked and ended up smacking his head straight into a utility pole. Su Qingyue burst out laughing.
The roadside trees were lush and green, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows.
Su Qingyue laughed with crescent-shaped eyes. The pale yellow dress fit her well, accentuating her curves—full at the chest, slim at the waist. Her cheeks were fair with a rosy glow, her eyes clear and bright, lashes long and curled. Her lips were soft and full like petals, and her collarbones and arms were tender and white to the point of dazzling.
Standing beneath the tree, she looked both pure and alluring—delicate and breathtaking.
Pei Huaiye felt an intense pounding rise from deep in his chest. The look he gave Su Qingyue held undisguised affection and possessiveness.
Flustered, Su Qingyue looked away—and only then noticed blood on Pei Huaiye’s chest and arm.
“You’re injured?”
Pei Huaiye instinctively held onto her injured hand.
“It’s nothing. I came today to get medicine anyway. Why are there so many blisters on your hands?”
Su Qingyue pulled her hand back and shot him a small glare.
“I got them working in the fields. Let me treat you to a meal—thank you for saving me that day.”
Pei Huaiye’s gaze burned.
“Alright. Let’s go to the clinic first, then eat at the state-run restaurant.”
At the clinic, the doctor took one look at Su Qingyue’s worn hands and slightly swollen wrist and prescribed some medicine.
“It’s nothing serious. Apply the ointment and massage it like this. Next!”
Pei Huaiye sat down and opened his wound. The doctor chuckled teasingly.
“I was wondering why you let your little wife work the fields—turns out her man is injured. Take these medicines and bandages and dress it yourself. Next!”
Both of them flushed bright red, yet neither corrected the doctor.
They sat side by side in the waiting area. After washing his hands, Pei Huaiye first applied medicine to Su Qingyue’s palms and wrists, then gently massaged them, copying the doctor’s technique.
A pair of strong, wheat-colored hands with defined knuckles cradled a pair of soft, fair hands. The visual contrast was striking, overlapping with the lingering imagery from his dreams. Pei Huaiye’s ears burned red.
Fortunately, his skin wasn’t very fair, so it wasn’t too noticeable.
His palms felt as though they were on fire. Heat spread from his hands through his entire body, veins bulging along his arms as if about to burst.
On the surface, he looked calm and detached. In reality, he was silently clenching his teeth, his jawline taut.
Su Qingyue’s hands were tender and soft. After the ointment, they felt slick like water, almost impossible to hold. As he gently kneaded them, a tingling sensation spread through Su Qingyue’s body.
*You’ll never believe why I moved to… Manila*
*My life in emojis: ✈️, 🏄, 🍣, 🚵♂️*
Pei Huaiye used a bit too much force. Su Qingyue couldn’t help but let out a soft hum—like a kitten’s cry, sweet and alluring.
Pei Huaiye stiffened all over, his voice turning hoarse.
“All done. Blow on it yourself. I—I’ll go to the restroom and be right back.”
After taking care of himself and silently scolding himself a couple of times, Pei Huaiye tidied up his wound and returned, looking composed as he sat beside Su Qingyue.
Her voice was soft and delicate.
“Why did you take so long?”
Pei Huaiye unconsciously lowered his voice.
“My wound looked pretty gruesome—I was afraid of scaring you. I changed the dressing inside. Let’s go eat.”
Su Qingyue nodded and bought more than a dozen medicinal plasters at the clinic.
They had just arrived at the state-run restaurant when Yuan Guang rushed over and ran into them.
“Brother Pei! I’ve been looking everywhere for you—there’s an urgent mission!”
Pei Huaiye clenched his fist.
“Now?!”
Yuan Guang had been in a hurry to talk to Pei Huaiye. When he finally noticed Su Qingyue, his jaw nearly dropped—he had never seen such a beautiful female comrade!
“I’m talking to you!” Pei Huaiye snapped fiercely, stepping in front of Su Qingyue, clearly annoyed that the guy was ruining the moment.
Yuan Guang smiled apologetically and greeted Su Qingyue.
“Comrade, have dinner with Brother Pei another day. Today really is urgent!”
Su Qingyue smiled and nodded, showing her understanding.
Pei Huaiye had already pulled out three vouchers and five yuan, handing them to the restaurant server.
“Please order a few meat dishes to treat my—my…”
The server took the money and vouchers and finished his sentence for him.
“Got it! I’ll take good care of your wife!”
Pei Huaiye curved his lips slightly and reminded Su Qingyue gently.
“Eat first, then head back. Ask the server to help load the parcels onto the vehicle later.”
Yuan Guang urged him to leave for the mission. Pei Huaiye walked a few steps away, then suddenly jogged back.
“My name is Pei Huaiye. I already know your name. After you return to the village, remember to come find me.”
With that, he and Yuan Guang drove off in a jeep.
Su Qingyue stared at the jeep disappearing into the distance, her red lips slightly parted, disbelief written all over her beautiful eyes.
So he was Pei Huaiye?
If he already knew her name was Su Qingyue, then why had he been so fierce and told her to get lost in the thatched hut that day?
Was it because his injury hurt too much, so he couldn’t drive the ox cart?
The server bringing out the dishes interrupted her thoughts: stir-fried pork with chili, chicken stewed with mushrooms, four braised pig trotters, and stir-fried cabbage.
“Girl, your man really dotes on you—ordering so many dishes for just one person.”
Su Qingyue smiled without explaining. After days without oil or meat, she really was craving it. She buried her head and ate one bowl of rice, a plate of cabbage, and one pig trotter.
She didn’t touch the remaining dishes. Instead, Su Qingyue paid another two yuan and three vouchers, added a braised fish, and bought rice and meat buns.
“Could you pack these into a thermal container? Is that okay for next time I come to the county?”
“Of course. Your man even added ten extra cents and specifically said to have them sent to the station for you.”
A warm current rose in Su Qingyue’s heart. She hadn’t expected Pei Huaiye to be so thoughtful.
“Thank you. Please help me watch the parcels—I need to make a trip to the supply and marketing cooperative.”
At the cooperative, Su Qingyue bought supplies: salt at fifteen cents per jin—five jin; cooking oil at eighty cents per jin—ten jin; rice at fourteen cents per jin—thirty jin; white flour at eighteen cents per jin—fifty jin.
As the clerk was still working the abacus, Su Qingyue blurted out,
“The total is twenty-one yuan, nine jiao, and five fen.”
She smiled as she handed over the national grain coupons, oil coupons, and money.
Lin Yan finished calculating and double-checked—it really was twenty-one yuan, nine jiao, five fen.
“Girl, you’re not only pretty—your mental math is amazing!”
Director Zhang happened to step out of his office just then, his eyes lighting up at the sight.
Su Qingyue flashed a playful smile and bought three bars of scented soap and two bars of laundry soap, spending another one yuan and six jiao.
Lin Yan hurried to fetch the goods while customers behind urged her to settle accounts. Seeing this, Su Qingyue helped calculate several people’s totals.
“Check again with the clerk later.”
Zhang Dongfeng clicked away on his abacus to verify—Su Qingyue’s mental calculations were flawless.
Looking at the pile of goods on the floor, Su Qingyue felt a headache coming on. She bent down to pick them up, but a voice stopped her.
“Comrade, please wait. I’m Zhang, the director of the supply and marketing cooperative. Are you interested in working with us?”