On the first day of their walk around the area, Bai Shanshan simply thought Wen Yan was unbearably idle.
On the second day, Bai Shanshan couldn’t help but imagine: Could this person be planning to run away?
On the third day, Bai Shanshan had already concocted a scenario of a premeditated murder.
In this desolate wilderness, burdened with “romantic grievances,” they had finally reached the moment of truth.
The bleak northern wind, the swaying withered grass—Bai Shanshan’s heart pounded like a drum, her eyes darting around in search of a way to survive.
How had they even gotten here?
She hadn’t paid any attention to the route, just blindly followed Wen Yan.
How careless!
“Bai Shanshan, do you think this place is good?”
Bai Shanshan’s mouth felt dry, and for once, she didn’t pick a fight. With a forced smile and a trembling voice, she said, “Good.”
Wen Yan turned around and raised an eyebrow.
“Are you cold?”
“No, no, no.”
Bai Shanshan watched as Wen Yan reached into her bag. Oh my god! Did she bring a knife??
“Here—”
“No!”
Bai Shanshan’s voice cut off abruptly. Seeing the scarf in Wen Yan’s hand, she gave an awkward smile and fanned her face with her hand, saying, “No, no, I’m hot, really hot.”
Wen Yan glanced at Bai Shanshan but didn’t press the matter. Her teacher had said to treat everyone’s “quirks” with equal respect.
“What a perfect place for raising ducks and geese!”
Wen Yan spread her arms contentedly, recorded the coordinates, and felt that the three days of walking hadn’t been in vain.
Bai Shanshan’s train of thought finally returned to normal: “What? You did all this just to raise ducks and geese?”
Wen Yan shook her head. “Not just that. I also plan to raise chickens and pigs.”
As long as Bai Shanshan wasn’t overthinking things, she was fairly normal, albeit with a sharp tongue.
She poured cold water on the idea: “Wait, didn’t you forget what Niu from the cafeteria said? They’re not unwilling to raise them—they just don’t have enough breeding eggs.”
Out of the fifty-some Land Reclamation Regiments, none were unwilling to raise livestock. Who wouldn’t want to improve their regiment’s living standards? But the reality was that there weren’t enough resources allocated to them.
Wen Yan smiled mysteriously. “If there aren’t any, then there aren’t. We’ll make our own!”
Even after returning to the camp, Bai Shanshan couldn’t figure out how Wen Yan planned to “make her own.”
“Bai Shanshan, we’re going to intercept Li Tuan first thing tomorrow morning.”
Bai Shanshan: “Asking for money again? I advise you to give up. My uncle is as tight-fisted as they come—he darns his socks eight layers thick. He won’t give you money to mess around.”
Wen Yan suddenly understood. “So that’s why Li Tuan looks taller!”
Bai Shanshan rolled her eyes: Is that really the point?!
The two went their separate ways, each returning home amid the lingering scent of traditional Chinese medicine in the camp.
The medicinal smell came from the frostbite treatment Wen Yan had brought back. Over a dozen soldiers had been soaking their feet for three days, and it was probably starting to show some effect.
Wen Yan was lost in thought as she arrived home, only to find someone waiting at her door.
“Zhao?”
Zhao greeted her warmly. “Sister-in-law!”
He was one of the people Jiang Baizhou had found to test the frostbite treatment. After three days, Zhao clearly felt much less itching.
In his eyes, Wen Yan was a capable person.
No matter where you go, those with real skills are respected.
“Is there something you need?”
Wen Yan didn’t open the door. Since she was alone at home, she wouldn’t invite Zhao inside. It was better to talk right there.
“Yes, I came to deliver a letter to you, Sister-in-law.”
Wen Yan assumed it must be a letter from her family.
Zhao handed it over, and Wen Yan took it, only to pause in surprise. “No stamp?”
Zhao flashed a gossipy smile. “It wasn’t sent by mail. Battalion Commander Jiang gave it to you.”
Wen Yan was genuinely taken aback. Jiang Baizhou gave it to her?
Zhao was a gossip but tight-lipped about it.
On the day Battalion Commander Jiang left, he privately handed him several letters, instructing him to deliver one to Wen Yan every three days.
He couldn’t help but tease at the time: “Battalion Commander Jiang, I never expected you to be so romantic!”
Jiang Baizhou: “Zhao, you don’t have a wife, so you wouldn’t understand.”
Zhao: “…”
Did he have to hit so hard where it hurts!
“Sister-in-law, I’ll be going now.”
“Alright, thank you.”
“It’s nothing! Battalion Commander Jiang specifically reminded me that if you have any heavy work to do, just call me or anyone from our Second Battalion. We’ll come as soon as you call.”
Wen Yan thanked him again, watching as Zhao ran off into the distance.
She took the letter inside, loosened her scarf, and sat down in a beam of light streaming through the doorway. She opened it.
【Yanyan, I hope this letter finds you well.
In the stillness of the night, with the stove fire casting flickering shadows, I pick up my pen to write to you. A thousand thoughts swirl in my mind, and I hardly know where to begin.
Since spending more than two days with you, it feels as if I’ve encountered the warmth of spring in the cold of winter, or found an oasis in a barren desert. I look forward to the long years ahead, feeling that life is truly worthwhile only with you by my side.
I cherish your sincerity and honesty, and delight in the genuine way you treat me.
All I seek in this life is to spend every passing year with you.
Jiang Baizhou, written in the winter of the Wuxu year.】
Wen Yan’s fingertips gripping the letter turned pale, and a corner of the paper wrinkled slightly. Her expression was solemn, her breathing slow and heavy.
“Have I… lost?”
“My love letter is nowhere near as good as this!”
“With writing this eloquent, how could Jiang Baizhou possibly have characters he doesn’t recognize!”
Wen Yan muttered to herself, her competitive spirit fully ignited.
She smoothed out the letter, folded it neatly, and placed it back in the envelope. Then she paced back and forth in the room.
Finally, breaking her usual habit of not working after hours, she went to the logistics department and took a few wooden boards.
By the end of the night, a rectangular box had appeared in the house. Inside, it was lined with a small floral cloth, and a letter lay “lazily” enjoying its own spacious, independent room.
The next day.
When Bai Shanshan came to see Wen Yan, she couldn’t help but notice that Wen Yan seemed to be in an unusually good mood.
“Did you find money yesterday? You look so happy.”
Wen Yan locked the door and said, “Finding money is a rare stroke of luck. I’m happy because Jiang Baizhou wrote me a letter.”
Bai Shanshan nodded at first, but the next second she gasped and rolled her eyes.
“Wen Yan, could you please stop flaunting how good your relationship is in front of me? At least show some respect for your former love rival.”
Wen Yan blinked innocently. “I’m not flaunting anything. You asked.”
“Also, please know your place. You don’t even qualify for such a formidable title as ‘love rival.’”
Bai Shanshan fumed, making wild gestures behind Wen Yan’s back. Wen Yan suddenly turned around and reminded her with a smile, “Hitting your supervisor will result in a pay deduction!”
From a distance, Bai Shanshan could be heard asking, “Don’t you have any other tricks?”
Wen Yan: “It’s not about having many tricks. It’s about having ones that work.”
Amid Bai Shanshan’s muttering, the two arrived outside Li Tuan’s office. Bai Shanshan boasted, “I already spoke to my uncle-in-law last night.”
Wen Yan nodded knowingly. “You must have told him I’m not asking for money.”
Bai Shanshan: “Of course. If I’d mentioned money, we wouldn’t have been able to corner him even if we tried.”
Click!
The door opened.
Li Tuan glared at them repeatedly. “Get in here, now!”
If you’re going to talk about someone behind their back, at least do it discreetly.
If it weren’t for the fact that the frostbite medicine had worked, he would have had a thing or two to say.
“Wen Yan, I heard you wanted to see me?”
Wen Yan nodded and said succinctly, “I want our Land Reclamation Regiment to raise chickens, geese, and ducks. I’ve already scouted the location for the breeding area. It won’t require money—just some sun-dried mud bricks to temporarily build coops for the ducks, chickens, and geese.”
Li Tuan wanted to object, but Wen Yan raised her hand to stop him. “Li Tuan, I wouldn’t have come to you if I hadn’t thought this through. Please hear me out.”
Li Tuan swallowed his words. Fine, he’d listen—it wouldn’t change the outcome anyway.
Besides, before that rascal Jiang Baizhou left, he’d said all sorts of things, good and bad, but the core message was: Take care of my wife.
“Alright, go ahead.”