Song Siyi’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled. She reached out and gently patted his back. “That’s good.”
Song Siyi joked, “From now on, your life is mine. When you charge ahead on the battlefield, you must protect yourself. If you get injured again, I won’t care for you.”
Xie Jingzhou slowly curved his lips into a smile. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
After all, his second life was indeed given by her.
Seeing a nurse approaching, Song Siyi quickly pushed him away.
If others saw them hugging and holding each other, they would surely be reported.
Xie Jingzhou covered his mouth with a light chuckle at the sight. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to eat.”
The thought of the braised pork at the state-run restaurant made Song Siyi’s mouth water.
“Let’s go.”
At that moment, her eyes were filled with nothing but longing for food.
Xie Jingzhou didn’t dawdle either. He took her straight to the state-run restaurant.
By the time they arrived, lunchtime was almost over, but fortunately, there was still one last plate of braised pork left.
Xie Jingzhou also ordered a plate of cold pig’s head meat, vinegar-braised cabbage, mapo tofu, and egg drop soup before he was satisfied.
The waitress couldn’t help but glance at the two of them. At this time, few people were so willing to spend on food.
However, taking in their attire and demeanor, she understood and said nothing, swiftly writing out the bill.
“The braised pork is seventy-five cents, the pig’s head meat is forty-five cents, the vinegar-braised cabbage is twenty-five cents… The total is two yuan, twenty-six cents, six liang of meat coupons, and four liang of grain coupons.”
Xie Jingzhou paid and led Song Siyi to a seat by the window.
Song Siyi wasn’t worried about not finishing the food. After spending so many days together, she knew Xie Jingzhou’s appetite all too well.
As the two waited for their meal, four or five people walked in through the door, chatting and laughing.
Among them were two whom Song Siyi had no desire to see.
The five also noticed Song Siyi. In the crowd, Wu Nan caught sight of Song Siyi, and a flicker of jealousy flashed in her eyes.
Ever since the incident of falling into the water, her reputation in the village had been ruined, and the other educated youth girls no longer wanted to associate with her.
Fortunately, there was still Song Sijia.
Once, she had been the lofty educated youth in front of Song Siyi, but now it seemed the tables had turned. There was no trace left of Song Siyi’s former self.
Was marrying into the brigade leader’s family really that good? Good enough to completely transform a person?
Seeing the people she disliked, Song Siyi felt nothing but annoyance.
Song Sijia and the others didn’t go over to disturb them either. After all, they were all hungry, and ordering food was the priority.
Just then, Song Siyi and Xie Jingzhou’s dishes were ready. Xie Jingzhou quickly stood up to fetch them.
Song Sijia stood at the window to order. “One plate of braised pork…”
“There’s no more braised pork. Choose something else.”
Just as Xie Jingzhou passed by them carrying the braised pork, Song Sijia pointed at him and said, “They have it. Why don’t we?”
The waitress shot her a disdainful look. “I said there’s none left, so there’s none left. Why so much talk? Are you ordering or not?”
“You!”
Lu Yan quickly pulled Song Sijia aside and ordered the dishes himself.
Song Sijia glared at the waitress, then shook off Lu Yan’s hand and walked over to Song Siyi and Xie Jingzhou’s table.
“Cousin, look, there are only two of you. Could you give us this plate of braised pork?”
Song Siyi: “No.”
Song Sijia was furious at the response. Turning to Xie Jingzhou, she put on a pitiful expression. “Brother Xie, look, there are only two of you, and you can’t possibly finish so many dishes. Could you give it to us? We’ll pay for it.”
Xie Jingzhou's sharp gaze swept toward her. "My wife said no, don't you understand?"
"And please call me Comrade Xie."
Song Sijia hadn't expected Xie Jingzhou to treat her with such an attitude. After all, they had been betrothed since childhood.
Wu Nan also stepped forward to chime in, "Comrades, look at all the dishes you have. Wasting food is not good behavior."
Song Siyi put down her chopsticks and looked at the two of them. "First of all, we bought these dishes, so how we eat them is our decision. Secondly, didn't anyone teach you not to disturb others while they're eating? Anyone who doesn't know better might think you're trying to freeload a meal. Is that what you want?"
Wu Nan felt a wave of embarrassment. She truly hadn't meant that; she just wanted to eat some braised pork.
After the exhausting autumn harvest, they had come to the state-run restaurant specifically to satisfy their cravings. Who knew the braised pork would be sold out?
Lu Yan felt deeply ashamed, especially in front of Xie Jingzhou.
He strode over to Song Siyi's table in a few quick steps, his gaze lingering on Song Siyi for a few extra seconds. "Sorry for disturbing your meal."
As Song Sijia looked at him in confusion, he forcefully pulled her away.
Suddenly, only Wu Nan was left standing there. Song Siyi looked at her. "Want to stay and have some?"
Wu Nan forced a smile. "No, thank you."
Before the words fully left her mouth, she quickly turned and hurried away.
Xie Jingzhou picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and placed it in Song Siyi's bowl. "Don't mind them."
Song Siyi nodded.
On the other side, Song Sijia forcefully shook off Lu Yan's hand. "Why did you pull me away?"
Lu Yan's face was dark. "Haven't you ever seen meat before? How could you have the nerve to ask for food from someone else's table?"
Hearing him speak to her like that, a surge of grievance instantly welled up in Song Sijia's heart.
Tears pooled in her eyes. "Who was I doing this for? It's because the autumn harvest has been so tiring lately, and I wanted to buy some braised pork to help you recover."
But Lu Yan was ungrateful. "If it weren't for your family not letting us go back to live with them, would I have to be this exhausted?"
"You have the nerve to bring that up? I think your family looks down on me. If they look down on me, why were they so eager to marry you off to me back then?"
"Look at what my life has become since I married you."
Song Sijia looked at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? Was your life so great before?"
"Did my life become difficult because of me?"
If it weren't for the fact that he would become a tycoon in the future, who would want to live this kind of life with him? He was good at nothing.
Wu Nan, afraid the two would start arguing in the state-run restaurant, hurried over to mediate.
The other two male educated youths also stepped forward to intervene.
Song Siyi and Xie Jingzhou, however, had no interest in paying them any attention and focused on their own meal.
After eating, Xie Jingzhou took her to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, where they bought two cans of malted milk powder, two jin of White Rabbit candies, and some sponge cake before heading back.
On the way, when no one was around, Song Siyi wrapped her arms tightly around Xie Jingzhou's waist.
After a moment's hesitation, Xie Jingzhou said, "Wife, I want to return to my military unit as soon as possible."
Song Siyi had already guessed this, so she wasn't surprised. "When are you planning to leave?"
Xie Jingzhou: "In two days."
Song Siyi hadn't expected it to be so soon. "Then we should have gone to buy the ticket just now."
Xie Jingzhou turned his head and looked at her with a somewhat aggrieved expression. "Wife, I'm leaving. Aren't you the least bit reluctant?"
Song Siyi truly wasn't, because she knew he would have to go back sooner or later.
However, she dared not say it out loud. If she really did, the man before her would surely make a huge fuss, and she couldn't handle that.
Song Siyi tightened her embrace slightly. "How could I? I know the military unit is your battlefield, where your ideals and ambitions lie."
"As your wife, of course I want you to do what you love."