On the other end, Lu Zhiyan escorted the Viper gang and a large amount of stolen goods, arriving at Pier 3.
Inside the interrogation room of the joint task force, the atmosphere was heavy.
Lu Zhiyan spent two hours briefing the task force leader, presenting a preliminary summary of the detailed interception at sea and the initial confessions of the suspects.
When he dragged his exhausted body out of the command center at Pier 3, the sky had already darkened.
Although the operation was successful, Viper himself had not shown up.
Representing him in the transaction was Viper’s capable lieutenant—Crow.
Crow confessed, revealing Viper’s complex background.
Not only was he involved with foreign forces, but there were also clues pointing to certain domestic protectors.
This made the case even more complicated.
Commander Liang patted his shoulder and said only eight words, “Well done, go home and rest first.”
Home.
These two words stirred a faint tremor in Lu Zhiyan’s hardened heart.
He remembered Ji Nanxi’s words: “I’ll be waiting for you at home.”
…
The old courtyard at the Base.
That evening, footsteps echoed at the courtyard gate.
Ji Nanxi looked up and saw Lu Zhiyan standing outside, covered in the dust of his journey.
His combat uniform was stained with the grime of days of travel.
Lu Zhiyan’s face was weary, with a stubble of dark beard on his chin and faint dark circles under his eyes. Yet, the moment his eyes met hers, they suddenly brightened, softening with warmth.
“Ji Nanxi, I’m back.”
His voice was slightly hoarse.
Ji Nanxi’s face broke into a wide smile. “Husband, come in quickly!”
“I’ve boiled hot water. Go take a bath first.”
“Dinner will be ready soon!”
As Lu Zhiyan walked into the backyard, he immediately noticed the neat vegetable beds, the fluffy little creatures in the corner, and the neatly stacked firewood.
The courtyard, which had been somewhat desolate and rundown when he left, was now brimming with life in just a few short days.
Lu Zhiyan’s heart softened completely.
“Did you… do all this by yourself?”
He asked, his tone filled with disbelief and admiration.
“Yes,” Ji Nanxi replied with a hint of pride. “I had nothing better to do anyway.”
“The vegetable seeds are planted, and the chicks and ducklings are lively. I was just waiting for you to come home.”
At this point, Ji Nanxi looked up and studied him closely, her brow slightly furrowed. “You’ve lost weight, and you look tired. Was the mission… successful?”
“It was.”
Lu Zhiyan didn’t want to go into details and scare her.
He reached out with his right hand and naturally took Ji Nanxi’s hand. “You’ve worked hard.”
The sudden intimate gesture made the tips of Ji Nanxi’s ears grow warm, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, her eyes curved into crescents. “It wasn’t hard. I enjoyed doing all this.”
“Go wash up. I’ll start cooking.”
Lu Zhiyan nodded. “Alright.”
He took his clothes to the bathroom, while Ji Nanxi headed to the kitchen.
The dishes for tonight’s dinner had been prepared in advance.
There was still some of the spicy braised meat from the day before yesterday and a portion of braised chicken left. All she needed to do was stir-fry a plate of vibrant green water spinach and serve a side of pickled radish with a sour and spicy kick.
In the center of the dining table sat a large bowl of steaming duck egg soup, its broth milky white and garnished with chopped scallions. The main course was sweet potato and white rice.
When Lu Zhiyan finished washing up and came out, his eyes lingered on the familiar bowl of duck egg soup.
“Try it. Same recipe, same flavor!”
Ji Nanxi served him a large bowl, her eyes sparkling as she eagerly awaited his feedback.
Lu Zhiyan took a sip, and once again, that indescribable, warm, and comforting deliciousness spread from his tongue all the way to his stomach. The exhaustion of the past few days seemed to dissipate a little with this mouthful of hot soup.
He looked up at Ji Nanxi and said, “It’s delicious. Just as good as last time.”
Ji Nanxi chuckled inwardly. How could it not be good?
When she made the soup today, it was actually because the Dimensional Mall needed to restock, so she prepared a large batch.
Thinking about the Credit Points she would earn, Ji Nanxi felt a surge of excitement and put even more care into her work, perfectly controlling the heat.
She directly restocked 60 servings of duck egg soup for sale in the Dimensional Mall.
In the end, she only kept one serving for herself.
Unexpectedly, Lu Zhiyan returned.
“If it’s good, have more.” Ji Nanxi picked up a portion of vegetables for him. “Try this too. Our own backyard hasn’t grown any yet. I bought this from Auntie Xie in Gujia Village. It’s very tender.”
Lu Zhiyan nodded. “Alright, you eat too.”
The dining table was quiet, with only the faint clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
Lu Zhiyan ate quickly, but unlike before in the army canteen, where he ate purely for sustenance, he now paid attention to what Ji Nanxi liked to eat. He subtly pushed the plate of pickled radish closer to her.
After the meal, Lu Zhiyan once again took the initiative to clear the table.
Ji Nanxi lit the kerosene lamp, its dim yellow glow enveloping the small living room.
After washing the dishes and drying his hands, Lu Zhiyan walked out and saw Ji Nanxi bent over the lamp, mending one of his old military uniform shirts.
The light cast a warm, fuzzy halo around her soft profile, her expression focused and gentle.
Lu Zhiyan walked over and sat down beside her. “Nanxi.”
“Hmm?”
Ji Nanxi looked up, her hands still busy with the needle and thread.
“After this mission, I should have a few days off.” Lu Zhiyan looked at her. “As for what I promised you before—the glass windows and the sewing machine—I’ll go check at the department store in Ya County tomorrow. Also, the fence in the backyard needs to be put up.”
Ji Nanxi’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s wonderful! We don’t need to buy the fence. There’s bamboo in the back hills. We can go cut some together. As for the sewing machine…”
She thought of the Credit Points in her Dimensional Mall and hesitated for a moment but didn’t say anything.
The source of those Credit Points was hard to explain, and deep down, she wanted to see Lu Zhiyan fulfill his promise.
Lu Zhiyan continued, “Don’t worry. I remember the department store in Ya County occasionally has stock. I’ll ask around tomorrow.”
The five hundred yuan his grandfather had sent had arrived. When he passed by the duty room on his way back to the Base that afternoon, he had already picked up the remittance slip.
“Okay!” Ji Nanxi nodded emphatically, her smile bright. “Then I’ll go to the county with you? I also want to buy a few other things and stop by the scrap collection station to get some waste paper for lighting fires.”
“The scrap collection station?” Lu Zhiyan raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah,” Ji Nanxi had already prepared her reason. “I want to see if there are any old newspapers or books for pasting on walls or starting fires.”
“Also, I’ll check if there are any broken pots or scrap metal that we could repair and use at home.”
Lu Zhiyan didn’t suspect her, only thinking that Ji Nanxi was resourceful and knew how to manage a household.
“Alright, we’ll go together. But the scrap station is messy. Stay close to me and don’t wander off.”
“Got it, hubby!” Ji Nanxi playfully winked at him.
Lu Zhiyan’s ears warmed slightly at her calling him “hubby.” Seeing her lively expression, the tension that had been tightening his nerves for days completely relaxed.
Suddenly remembering something, he took out a small, carefully wrapped package from his backpack.
“For you.”
“What is this?” Ji Nanxi asked curiously as she took it.
“Open it and see.”
Ji Nanxi untied the string and peeled back the oiled paper. Inside were several pieces of fruit hard candy wrapped in transparent cellophane, in vibrant colors, along with two tin boxes printed with delicate patterns—one containing snowflake cream and the other clam oil.
“I passed by the service center and saw some new stock, so I bought a few things.”
Lu Zhiyan’s tone was casual, as if he were talking about something trivial, but his averted gaze and slightly reddened ears betrayed a hint of unease.
He remembered hearing from his comrades before that women liked these things.
Ji Nanxi looked at the items in her hands, which were considered quite refined for this era, and felt as if her heart were filled with honey.
The fruit candy was one thing, but snowflake cream and clam oil were absolute rarities on this resource-scarce island.
Lu Zhiyan must have been exhausted from his mission, yet on his way back, he still remembered to bring these for her.
“Thank you.”
Ji Nanxi looked up, her eyes slightly red, her voice soft.
Seeing her reddened eyes, Lu Zhiyan’s heart tightened, thinking he had bought the wrong things. “You don’t like them? Next time—”
“I do!”
Ji Nanxi quickly interrupted him. She picked up an orange fruit candy, unwrapped it, but instead of eating it herself, she swiftly popped it into Lu Zhiyan’s slightly parted mouth as he spoke.
The sweet, refreshing taste of orange instantly melted in Lu Zhiyan’s mouth, rushing straight to his head.
He hadn’t expected Ji Nanxi to do something like this. Frozen in place, he held the candy in his mouth, staring wide-eyed at the woman smiling brightly before him.
“Is it sweet?”
Ji Nanxi tilted her head and asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Lu Zhiyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently, the sweetness of the candy seeming to flow through his bloodstream to every limb.
Looking at her smiling lips so close to his, Lu Zhiyan’s gaze suddenly deepened.
He suddenly reached out and grasped Ji Nanxi’s wrist, which still held the candy wrapper.
Under Ji Nanxi’s surprised gaze, Lu Zhiyan leaned in slightly and, with the sweet scent of orange candy, kissed her lips.
The kiss was initially a bit clumsy, tentative and cautious.
But upon sensing Ji Nanxi’s lack of resistance, it quickly deepened, becoming fervent and urgent.
As if through this kiss, Lu Zhiyan wanted to convey all the tenderness he had nowhere else to place.
The glow of the kerosene lamp gently flickered, casting the silhouette of the two tightly embracing on the wall.
Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.
It felt like an eternity before Lu Zhiyan pulled back slightly, breathing heavily.
His forehead still pressed against Ji Nanxi’s, their breaths hot, his gaze locked on her misty eyes.
“Nanxi,” his voice was hoarse, “I—”
“I know.”
Ji Nanxi’s cheeks flushed crimson, her breathing unsteady, but she actively wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her burning face in the crook of his neck, which carried the clean scent of soap. Softly but clearly, she said, “Lu Zhiyan, it’s time for us to consummate our marriage.”
Not Regimental Commander Lu, not hubby, but calling him by his full name—Lu Zhiyan.
That sound, like a final confirming seal, was heavily stamped upon each other’s hearts.
Lu Zhiyan tightened his arms, drawing her deeper into his embrace as if cradling a precious treasure.
He closed his eyes, his chin gently brushing against the top of her head, and let out a low, solemn murmur from deep within his chest, “Mm.”