“Can you do something about your wife?”
Even though Jiang Baizhou didn’t know what had happened, he agreed readily.
“Sure!”
Li Tuan was taken aback for a moment, looking at Jiang Baizhou suspiciously.
“Really?”
Jiang Baizhou casually pulled over a stool and sat down opposite Li Tuan.
“Really.
It’s just…”
“Just what?”
Li Tuan’s eyes narrowed, a hint of danger in them.
‘Is this brat trying to pull one over on me?’
Jiang Baizhou frowned, looking troubled.
“Li Tuan, the thing is, I don’t know how to do that.”
He started counting on his fingers for Li Tuan.
“You see, even though I’ve been married for two years, I never met my wife during that time.
This is only the second day we’ve seen each other, and you’ve already called me over here.
I really do want to rein her in, but I don’t know where to start.”
“What if I’m too strict and my wife runs away?
Can you compensate me with another one exactly like her?”
‘Like hell I will!’
“Li Tuan, you and your wife have been married for so many years.
Why don’t you pass on some of your experience to me?”
A guilty blush flashed across Li Tuan’s dark face for an instant.
The more guilty he felt, the more upright his gaze became.
He complained internally: ‘What experience do I have to pass on!’
‘It’s a sunny day if my wife doesn’t yell at me.’
‘But I can’t let these little brats under me know that.
As a leading cadre, I have to maintain my dignity.’
“AHEM, alright, I was just saying.
I’m not asking you to actually do anything.
Comrade Wen Yan is quite motivated.
She’s only been here for two days…”
Li Tuan paused, changing the word “causing trouble” to “taking action.”
“She’s only been here for two days, and she’s already accomplished a lot.”
Jiang Baizhou leaned in a little closer and asked curiously, “What all has my wife been up to?”
And so, Jiang Baizhou learned from Li Tuan what Wen Yan had done that day.
He ignored the part about her demanding funds for the clogged toilets and focused only on the frostbite medicine.
A warmth spread through his heart, like a hot spring on a spring day, so comfortable that even his bones felt lazy.
Wen Yan was earnestly doing every single thing she had promised to do.
Jiang Baizhou himself was a smooth operator; most of the time, he spoke and acted with a specific goal in mind.
But Wen Yan was different.
“Hey, hey, hey!
What are you grinning about, showing off all your teeth?”
Li Tuan rapped on the table.
Jiang Baizhou snapped out of it.
“Was I smiling?”
Li Tuan pursed his lips.
“You call that not smiling?
If your mouth got any wider, they’d be able to see your buck teeth all the way from Beijing City.”
Jiang Baizhou licked his front teeth.
‘They’re not that big.
What nonsense.
Wen Yan even said I was handsome this morning.’
Jiang Baizhou’s mind was already racing.
‘Since Wen Yan is putting in so much effort, I can’t be the one to drag her down.’
“Li Tuan, look.”
“Look at what—wait, what are you doing?
Get your stinky feet off of there!”
When Jiang Baizhou set his mind to something, he almost always succeeded.
In the end, Li Tuan did end up looking at Jiang Baizhou’s feet—or more accurately, his medicated feet.
The story of applying the medicine yesterday was edited and embellished by Jiang Baizhou, transformed into a moving tale of deep marital affection and the selfless contribution of a medicinal formula.
After listening, Li Tuan was silent for a long while.
“If I had known, my attitude today would have been better!”
“You don’t think I’ve disheartened Comrade Wen Yan, do you?”
Jiang Baizhou put his shoes back on and said with a sincere expression, “Of course not.
Comrade Wen Yan is very magnanimous; she won’t dwell on things like this.”
Li Tuan felt a little better.
“Good.
Regardless of whether the medicine works or not, I’ll deduct the cost of the herbs from your salary to reimburse Comrade Wen Yan.”
Jiang Baizhou: “…”
‘You’re still a bastard!’
‘No wonder you’re the leader!’
‘You little brat, don’t think I don’t know you’re full of it!’
Jiang Baizhou knew when to advance and when to retreat.
He gave an appeasing smile and a thumbs-up to Li Tuan.
“I knew you were wise and brilliant, Li Tuan.
My little schemes could never fool you.”
Li Tuan said dismissively, “Cut the crap!”
Jiang Baizhou shamelessly suggested:
“Li Tuan, why don’t we arrange for a few people to test the medicine?”
“Done!”
After they had settled the matter of the medicine, Li Tuan brought up official business.
“Get ready.
The day after tomorrow, you’ll lead a team out to survey and map the area for land reclamation.
We need to finalize this year’s reclamation acreage.”
Hearing that it was a mission, Jiang Baizhou immediately stood up, his expression turning serious.
“Yes, sir!”
*
[Reminder: Reduce swamp damage for the reclamation advance team.]
Wen Yan, who was on a sled, suddenly heard the system’s reminder and immediately realized the advance team was probably about to be sent on a mission.
The sled soon entered the Reclamation Team’s grounds and came to a stop.
Xiao Zhao enthusiastically helped Wen Yan carry her purchases back.
Along the way, a soldier who saw them came over to lend a hand.
Bai Shanshan had already gone back.
It was so cold she didn’t want to say anything.
To sum it up in one sentence: ‘Whatever!
Let it all burn!’
Jiang Baizhou, who was already at home lighting the fire, heard Wen Yan’s voice and came out.
He saw Xiao Zhao and another soldier carrying her things.
“You’re back.
Just put the things on the ground.”
Xiao Zhao and the other soldier put the things down and left immediately.
Wen Yan didn’t even have time to try and stuff some candy into their hands.
Inside, Jiang Baizhou picked up the items and set them aside.
“It’s fine.
I’ll thank them tomorrow.”
Wen Yan took off her frost-covered scarf and let out a breath.
“Okay, then.
It’s still so cold.”
There was warmth inside the house.
Wen Yan, who had just come in, sat down by the stone stove.
Her frozen ears and fingertips felt tingly and itchy.
“Here’s some warm water.
Drink it slowly.
Don’t get too close to the fire, the heat will make the itching worse.”
Wen Yan took the enamel mug, cradling it in her hands.
She said with a slight nasal tone, “They’re already itching.”
The light nasal tone sounded like she was pouting coquettishly.
Jiang Baizhou immediately pulled a small stool over and sat opposite Wen Yan.
“Give me your hands.”
Wen Yan placed the mug on her lap.
Her dark eyes looked at Jiang Baizhou as she obediently and sweetly held out her hands, pale palms facing up.
‘At that moment, Jiang Baizhou felt he would give her anything she asked for.’
He supported Wen Yan’s hand with his left hand and gently rubbed her fingertips with his right.
Soon, blood began to return to her pale fingertips.
The itching and tingling sensation instantly intensified, feeling both good and unbearable at the same time.
But after a few seconds, the tingling itch receded like a tide.
Wen Yan bared her small white teeth, fighting the instinct to pull away.
“Okay, okay, it doesn’t itch anymore.”
Jiang Baizhou’s lowered eyelashes hid a trace of regret.
‘Being too professional at this isn’t always a good thing.’
Nevertheless, he immediately let go of her hand and stood up.
“Go wash your hands.
I’ll set up the table.”
Wen Yan agreed.
Turning around, she noticed the house now had a kang table, two small stools, and a cabinet.
“You went to the logistics department to get a table?
That’s great!
I didn’t have time to go today.”
Jiang Baizhou placed the kang table on the kang and began setting out the food.
“I stopped by on my way back.”
Wen Yan got up happily to wash her hands.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted washed socks and a pair of men’s briefs with a hole in them, hanging to dry in a corner.
A slightly embarrassed look crossed Jiang Baizhou’s face.
He quickly changed the subject, calling out, “Let’s eat.”
“Coming.”
Wen Yan averted her gaze and turned around.
“I brought some white cotton cloth.
I’ll make you some underwear.”
The veins on the back of Jiang Baizhou’s hand, the one holding his chopsticks, bulged.
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
‘How on earth did Wen Yan end up with such a straightforward personality?’
The thought passed in a flash.
Jiang Baizhou had already looked up calmly, though a closer look might have revealed a hint of shyness (mixed with indignation).
“You’ll make them for me?
One pair is enough.”
Wen Yan thought for a moment.
Although she’d never made them before, it probably wasn’t too difficult.
She looked up, her gaze landing on the area where Jiang Baizhou’s underwear would be.
“Alright.
I’ll measure you for them tonight.”
“Measure…
me?”
Jiang Baizhou’s throat went dry.
‘Is she thinking what I’m thinking?’
Wen Yan stated it as if it were obvious.
“Of course.
How else would I know if they’ll fit you?
Don’t worry, my hands are very steady!”
Jiang Baizhou’s smile was a bit stiff.
‘Hands?
Steady?’