After getting off the military truck, the military dependents immediately scattered, each going about their own business.
Lu Zhiyan, holding Ji Nanxi’s hand, headed straight for the supply and marketing cooperative with his wife.
The supply and marketing cooperative in Ya County was much more impressive than the village grocery store in Gujia Village, with a bright storefront and a well-stocked inventory.
Lu Zhiyan took out the list he had prepared earlier and began shopping.
A heavy cast-iron pot with a lid; a kitchen knife and a fruit knife; two red thermos flasks, two washbasins, two small enamel mugs for drinking water, and one large enamel jar for storing lard later on.
He also asked for two bars of soap and two bags of laundry detergent, along with a sturdy bundle of nylon rope.
After taking a bath last night, Ji Nanxi realized there was no place in the yard to hang clothes.
Lu Zhiyan planned to set up a rope in the yard for drying clothes.
After he returned from his mission, he would go into the mountains again.
He would bring back a few bamboo poles so Ji Nanxi wouldn’t have to worry about drying clothes anymore.
After buying these daily necessities, Lu Zhiyan also took Ji Nanxi to squeeze into the fabric section. First, he picked out two new towels, then asked for several feet of dark-colored cotton fabric, a pack of needles and thread, and a new pair of scissors.
All in all, they filled a large burlap sack and a large mesh bag.
Lu Zhiyan paid with money and ration coupons, carrying the heavy burlap sack and mesh bag in his hands as they left.
Seeing this, Ji Nanxi reached out to help carry one, but Lu Zhiyan shook his head to stop her. “These are heavy, I’ll carry them.”
Looking at the sun, it was almost noon.
Lu Zhiyan said to Ji Nanxi, “Let’s go, we’ll eat first.”
The two walked through several relatively tidy streets and entered a state-run restaurant.
The state-run restaurant in Ya County wasn’t very large, but the tables and chairs were clean.
A few tables were occupied, mostly by traveling officials or better-off local residents.
The waitress was a girl with two braids. Seeing them enter, she came over with a small notebook. Her tone wasn’t particularly warm, but it was polite enough. “Here to eat? Do you have grain coupons?”
“Yes.”
Lu Zhiyan showed the grain coupons and money, quickly scanning the small blackboard on the wall with chalk-written dish names. “One portion of Dongpo pork, one seaweed egg drop soup, one steamed fish, and two bowls of rice.”
“Alright, just a moment.”
The waitress noted it down, collected the money and coupons, and turned to call out to the kitchen window.
The food arrived quickly and in generous portions.
The glistening, reddish Dongpo pork wobbled in a coarse porcelain bowl, with layers of fat and lean meat, its aroma tantalizing; the steamed fish looked light but was drizzled with soy sauce and shredded scallions, the fish flesh snow-white; the seaweed egg drop soup floated with scallions and egg shreds, steaming hot.
Ji Nanxi’s eyes lit up at the sight of this sumptuous meal. “Did you order too much?”
“We can take the leftovers home.”
Lu Zhiyan was concise. He picked up his chopsticks and first placed a large piece of Dongpo pork into her bowl. “Eat more. You must be tired from running around with me these past few days.”
Hearing this, Ji Nanxi buried her head in her meal.
The Dongpo pork melted in her mouth, perfectly balanced between salty and sweet, with a rich soy sauce aroma.
These past few days, busy settling into their new home, Ji Nanxi had indeed been exhausted.
The original owner’s body was too frail.
A little work left her bones and muscles aching all over.
Since returning from the Interstellar era, this was the first time Ji Nanxi had eaten Dongpo pork!
Being able to taste delicious meat again made her feel even luckier to continue surviving in this life!
Lu Zhiyan ate quickly, but his movements were not crude. He focused on picking out the fish bones, then promptly placed large, boneless pieces of fish into her bowl.
“You eat too.”
Ji Nanxi felt a bit embarrassed and also picked up a piece of Dongpo pork for him.
Lu Zhiyan grunted in acknowledgment and lowered his head to eat his rice.
Neither of them spoke much, quietly enjoying this unusually sumptuous meal.
Just as they finished eating, with Ji Nanxi sipping seaweed egg drop soup and Lu Zhiyan sitting beside her waiting, a sharp, terrified scream suddenly erupted from the street outside the restaurant, followed by chaotic running and shouts:
“Robbery!”
“Quick! Someone help me catch him!”
“He stole my bag! It has our factory’s payment inside!”
The voice was piercing and desperate, instantly shattering the midday calm.
The diners in the restaurant froze, craning their necks to look outside.
They saw a middle-aged man in gray work clothes, with graying hair and a face full of anxiety and panic, stumbling as he chased a slender, agile young man in a blue floral shirt.
The young man clutched a worn black handbag tightly, weaving left and right through the not-too-crowded street as he desperately sprinted.
The middle-aged man chasing him was clearly out of breath, watching the distance between them grow wider and wider. His voice cracked with urgency, “Help!”
“Please, someone stop him!”
Pedestrians on the street were momentarily stunned by the commotion. Some recognized the robber and instinctively stepped aside, not wanting to get involved.
Seeing no one blocking his way, a flash of ruthless relief crossed the robber’s eyes, and he ran even faster, heading straight toward the restaurant!
In the blink of an eye, Ji Nanxi felt a figure dart past her.
Lu Zhiyan had sprung up like a leopard. Moving with incredible speed, he took two strides to the restaurant entrance. Just as the robber was about to rush past the doorway, Lu Zhiyan extended his left leg and tripped him with precision!
“Ouch!”
Caught off guard, the robber stumbled forward, and the handbag flew out of his grasp.
But the robber reacted quickly, rolling on the ground and immediately scrambling to his feet. He glared viciously at Lu Zhiyan in his military uniform, not retreating or fleeing.
Instead, he cursed foully, “Damn it! Ruining my plans!”
With that, the robber didn’t retreat but advanced, pulling a gleaming dagger from his waistband and thrusting it toward Lu Zhiyan’s abdomen!
“Watch out!”
Someone in the restaurant gasped in alarm.
Ji Nanxi shot to her feet, nearly dropping the soup bowl in her hand.
Faced with the robber brandishing a dagger, Lu Zhiyan’s expression didn’t change at all. He didn’t even take a step back.
As the robber lunged viciously with the dagger, Lu Zhiyan leaned his upper body slightly to the side, and the blade narrowly missed, grazing the hem of his military uniform.
At the same time, Lu Zhiyan’s right hand shot out like an iron clamp. Instead of grabbing the robber’s wrist holding the knife, he seized the robber’s elbow with lightning speed and twisted it effortlessly!
“Ah—!”
The robber let out a howl of pain, his entire arm instantly going limp as the dagger clattered to the ground.
Without a moment’s pause, Lu Zhiyan smoothly executed a neat restraint, twisting the robber’s other arm behind his back and pressing his knee into the back of the robber’s leg.
The robber, powerless to resist, was pinned firmly to the ground, reduced to a series of pained groans.
All of this happened in just a few seconds.
From the moment Lu Zhiyan stood up until the robber was subdued, it was swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation, even carrying a sense of effortless ease.
The surroundings fell silent for an instant, then erupted into cheers and applause.
“Well done!”
“Comrade Liberation Army, you’re amazing!”
“Great catch!”
“Daring to rob in broad daylight!”