Su Man walked slowly to the courtyard gate, not opening it right away.
She peered outside through the crack.
A young woman stood there.
She wore a fashionable Bragi-style dress, tightly cinched at the waist, and a pair of rare small leather shoes for this era.Her hair was permed into trendy curls, tied with a red ribbon, with a light layer of powder on her face.In her hand was a delicate bamboo basket filled with bright red apples.
In this gray-blue-green era, she looked like a peacock among chickens.
Su Man quickly searched her past-life memories.
Lin Wan’er.
The art troupe’s star performer, the compound’s acknowledged “military beauty,” and Lu Zhan’s number-one admirer.
It was said that before Lu Zhan’s injury the families had intended to match them, but Lu Zhan never agreed.
Now that he suddenly registered his marriage, this “reserve wife” clearly couldn’t sit still.
Su Man sneered.
Here to provoke her?
She lifted the latch and opened the gate.
“Who is it?”
Leaning against the doorframe, she spoke lazily, eyes indifferent.
Lin Wan’er hadn’t expected this sight.
She imagined Lu Zhan’s rural wife would be rustic and timid.
But the woman before her…
Though dressed simply in a white shirt and black trousers, without makeup or jewelry, her skin glowed white and her features were exquisitely delicate.
Especially those slightly upturned peach-blossom eyes — alluring and captivating.
More infuriating was Su Man’s natural confidence and ease.
She didn’t look like an inexperienced country girl at all.
Her presence even surpassed Lin Wan’er’s.
Jealousy flashed in Lin Wan’er’s eyes before being replaced by a perfect smile.
“You must be Comrade Su Man?”
Holding the basket, she walked into the courtyard without permission, as if she were the hostess and Su Man merely the gatekeeper.
“I’m Lin Wan’er from the art troupe. Lu-ge and I grew up together in this compound.”
“I heard he suddenly got married, so I came to take a look.”
She emphasized “suddenly,” implying Su Man was unworthy.
Su Man closed the gate and folded her arms, watching the performance.
“Oh, Comrade Lin.” She smiled faintly.“If you’re an old acquaintance, why walk in empty-handed? People might think an inspecting leader arrived.”
Lin Wan’er’s smile stiffened.
She lifted the basket. “I brought apples — special supply, hard to get.”
“Lu-ge loves these. Whenever I visited his dorm, he always peeled them for me.”
Showing off past closeness?
Su Man found it amusing. Lu Zhan peeling fruit for a woman? Unlikely.
“Really?”
She casually grabbed an apple, wiped it on her clothes, and bit down loudly.
“Very sweet,” she said while chewing.“But Zhan-ge doesn’t like these anymore — says they’re too sour. Seems your information is outdated.”
Lin Wan’er’s heart ached watching the expensive apple bitten.
She forced down anger and noticed the muddy military uniform hanging to dry.
Her eyes lit up — a breakthrough.
“Oh dear, why isn’t this washed?”
She touched the dirty uniform dramatically.
“Comrade Su Man, you’re not very virtuous. After such hard training, Lu-ge can’t even wear clean clothes?”
She lectured with superiority.
“As military family members, we must care for logistics. Since you’re from the countryside, you may not understand.”
“Forget it — I’ll do it.”
She rolled up her sleeves to grab the washbasin.
“His uniform fabric is special — needs skill. When he lived in the dorm, I washed his clothes. He only liked wearing mine.”
Highly suggestive.
But Su Man just laughed inwardly — such an old trick.
“Wait.”
She pressed the basin edge.
“Might you misunderstand something?”
“This is the Lu household. I am Lu Zhan’s legal wife.”
“When did outsiders get to wash my husband’s clothes?”
She stressed outsider.
Lin Wan’er’s eyes reddened immediately.
“I’m just worried about Lu-ge and helping as comrades! Why are you so narrow-minded?”
“Helping?”
Su Man sneered.“Perfect then. I happen to have clothing I don’t know how to wash. Since you’re skilled — help me.”
Lin Wan’er thought Su Man yielded and smiled proudly.
“Of course. No matter how dirty, I can clean it.”
Su Man tossed the apple core aside and went inside.
Soon she returned with an enamel basin covered by a towel.
“Here — his most personal clothing. Use your ‘skill.’”
Lin Wan’er confidently lifted the towel.
Her smile shattered instantly.
Inside lay a man’s army-green underwear — with unmistakable stains.
Lu Zhan’s from last night.
“AH—!!!”
She screamed and dropped the basin.
“Su Man! Shameless!”
Face red as liver, mortified.
Su Man picked it up innocently.
“What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you washed his clothes before?”
“Don’t tell me… you washed this too?”
She covered her mouth in fake shock.“So your relationship had reached this level?”
“I didn’t!” Lin Wan’er nearly cried.
Just then voices came from outside the gate.
“Regiment Commander Lu, your unit performed greatly in the exercise!”
“All the soldiers’ credit.”
Lu Zhan’s voice.
And not alone.
Lin Wan’er’s face turned pale.
She looked at the underwear… then the door.
Finished.