‘This should be a solid enough way for him to save face,’ Wen Yan thought.
Jiang Baizhou’s muddled brain gradually regained its reason.
His Adam’s apple trembled, and he had to clench his jaw to keep from laughing out loud.
‘How on earth could she say something so perfunctory and half-hearted in such a deadpan tone?’
It was obviously a lie, yet the person speaking somehow seemed sincere.
It was the kind of nonsense where you knew she was making it all up, but you could still feel her genuine, clumsy attempt to placate you.
A smile bloomed in Jiang Baizhou’s eyes.
As for why Wen Yan suddenly didn’t want a divorce, he decided he didn’t want to press the issue.
After all, this was the outcome he wanted.
“Alright.
We won’t get a divorce.”
[Ding!
Initial task complete.
The Military Spouse Support System is officially activated.
You are not just the person behind a soldier, but an independent individual.
Pursue your own dreams without reservation, and this system will provide you with the best possible assistance.]
[Distributing rewards…]
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
“Jiang Yingzhang, the Political Commissar wants you and Comrade Wen to come over.”
They both turned their heads at the same time, their thoughts immediately going to the divorce telegram.
Wen Yan grabbed Jiang Baizhou’s arm.
Her pupils were dark and bright, her lips pressed together, her small face serious and carrying a hint of a “threat.”
“You promised not to divorce me, and you can’t go back on it.
A true man’s word is his bond!
A soldier must be loyal to his country, his family, and his honor!”
Jiang Baizhou looked down.
Her fair, delicate fingertips were flushed red from the force of her grip.
At the base of her clean, rounded nails, pale white crescents were visible.
They were hands completely different from his own.
His eyes darkened, and a faint smile spread across his face.
‘Is she nervous?’
‘She’s really laying it on thick.’
“Don’t worry, I won’t go back on my word.”
If he were to say Wen Yan was madly in love with him, he’d have to be crazy.
But he was also certain that, right now, Wen Yan genuinely did not want a divorce.
Once she had his assurance, Wen Yan’s hand immediately let go, without a moment’s hesitation.
Jiang Baizhou stood up.
“I’ll go out and ask what’s going on.
You stay here and warm up by the fire.
I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Wen Yan cupped her hands around the stone stove, earnestly warming herself.
She shuffled her feet a little closer.
The woman who had just been “professing her love” was now directing all her affection toward the fire.
Jiang Baizhou didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
He felt he wasn’t even as appealing as that fire.
He walked toward the door and, on his way, placed Wen Yan’s hat back on her head.
Wen Yan looked up.
“It’ll be drafty when I open the door.”
Their room had poor insulation; opening the door would let half the warm air escape.
“Oh, thanks.”
As she said thanks, Wen Yan pulled the hat down, tightened her scarf, and bundled herself up until she was airtight.
Then she turned sideways, putting her back to the door.
She was quite receptive to advice.
Jiang Baizhou’s smile deepened.
Wen Yan’s every action was unexpected.
‘Shouldn’t most people say something like, “It’s fine,” or “Don’t worry about it”?’
“Jiang Yingzhang?”
“Coming.”
Jiang Baizhou turned, opened the door just a crack, and quickly shut it again.
He spoke to the young soldier outside.
Inside, Wen Yan warmed herself by the fire and took the opportunity to check the rewards from the system.
[Initial reward complete: one Basic Life Starter Pack, a Complete Guide to Woodworking, and a 3D map.]
Wen Yan quickly scanned the description.
The Basic Life Starter Pack contained ten pounds each of flour, rice, millet, soybeans, cornmeal, eggs, and raw cotton.
It also included three boxes each of tooth powder, soap, clam oil cream, vanishing cream, and frostbite ointment.
All of it was stored in the system inventory, which for now could not hold any external items.
The other two items were self-explanatory.
There were two missions.
[Please assist the Reclamation Team in improving their living environment by creating farm tools and other wooden products.
This is a long-term mission, and rewards will be distributed in stages.]
[Please help the Agricultural Reclamation Advance Team avoid the swampland to reduce casualties.]
‘The advance team must be the ones who survey the terrain before reclamation begins,’ she thought.
‘I’ll ask Jiang Baizhou about it later.’
Wen Yan silently warmed herself by the fire, studying the Complete Guide to Woodworking in her mind.
A cold draft blew in with a CREAK.
She didn’t move, only turning around after she heard the door close.
The first thing Jiang Baizhou saw upon entering was Wen Yan spacing out by the fire.
He quickly shut the door.
He stomped his feet and shook his head by the entrance, holding a metal thermos with a faded design as he spoke:
“I got some hot water.
Warm yourself up with this.
Someone will bring your luggage over in a little while.”
“I’ll make some roasted flour paste to tide you over.
You must be hungry after the long journey.
I don’t know if there’s any food left in the cafeteria at this hour.
I’ll find you something else to eat after we get back from the Political Commissar’s office.”
“We’ll go to the Political Commissar’s office in twenty minutes.
Don’t worry, just let me do the talking.”
Jiang Baizhou set the thermos on the floor, then turned to get his enamel mug, asking Wen Yan if she minded.
Wen Yan pulled her thoughts away from the system data and shook her head, saying she didn’t mind.
Jiang Baizhou hummed in response, feeling a secret, indefinable sense of pleasure.
Still, he first poured some hot water into the mug to rinse it out, then tossed the water onto the floor.
Then, he took a small brown paper packet from his pocket and carefully poured all of the brown powder from it into the mug.
‘It looked exactly like a poisoning scene from a TV drama.’
Soon, Wen Yan was cradling the warm, paint-chipped enamel mug in her gloved hands, blowing on the steam rising from it.
Inside the mug was the roasted flour paste, which gave off an oily aroma.
Its color after being mixed with water wasn’t pretty at all, but it smelled wonderful.
Wen Yan took a sip.
The fragrance of wheat, combined with the texture of soft, fine grains, sent a trail of warmth all the way down to her stomach.
In 1958, this small handful of roasted flour paste was incredibly precious, no less so than lobster or abalone would be to future generations.
Wen Yan watched as Jiang Baizhou went out and came back in again, this time carrying firewood and dry grass.
Because they ate from the communal pot, the heated brick bed wasn’t connected to the cooking stove; its fire pit was directly underneath.
Wen Yan watched Jiang Baizhou start the fire and add wood to it.
In the flickering firelight, his features were clearly defined.
His eyelashes were long enough to cast shadows, and he had a high-bridged nose, thin lips that were slightly pursed, and a sharp jawline.
His eyes were gentle when he smiled, but held a hint of aloof seriousness otherwise.
‘Handsome!’
‘Couldn’t see his build, though; it was hidden under his padded cotton jacket.’
‘But his legs were incredibly long!’
‘His hands were nice, too.’
‘Even the veins that popped out on the back of his hands when he exerted himself looked better than anyone else’s.’
Wen Yan’s gaze was so open and direct that even with his back to her, Jiang Baizhou’s muscles tensed.
‘He’d only been doing reclamation work lately, with almost no training besides push-ups.’
Wen Yan looked him over twice with a gaze of pure appreciation.
He was handsome, and on top of that, he had the ability to handle everything so capably.
That was a huge plus.
‘Appreciation over.
Gaze retracted.
Time to study.’
As he tended the fire, Jiang Baizhou’s tense muscles relaxed slightly, and he let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.
Amidst the CRACKLE of the burning firewood, Wen Yan managed to read three pages of the Complete Guide to Woodworking.
Her pace was not slow.
In her past life, she had been a mechanical engineer who spent all her time in a laboratory.
She was used to dealing with all sorts of manual tools and machinery and had even dabbled in woodworking.
The information provided by the system was very detailed and perfect for learning.
Fifteen minutes later, Jiang Baizhou took the enamel mug Wen Yan had finished with.
Out of habit, he poured hot water into it and swirled it around.
The clear water became tinged with a sheen of oil and a faint color.
He blew on it a few times and, unafraid of the heat, began to drink it down.
GULP, GULP.
As soon as he started, he realized his mistake and looked over at Wen Yan.
He really hadn’t done it on purpose; it was just a subconscious habit not to waste even a single drop.
“I didn’t mean to—”
Wen Yan looked up at him, her face a picture of dawning comprehension.
“That’s a good idea,” she said, as if she’d just learned a valuable lesson.
“No waste.”
His embarrassment felt pointless.
He just casually agreed, “Right.”
‘Sigh…
it seems like I’m the only one with improper thoughts…’
After that little interlude, the two of them left together to see the Political Commissar.
Bai Shanshan was pacing back and forth outside.
Her eyes met Wen Yan’s, her face a mask of anxiety.
It was obvious who she was waiting for.
‘All unfavorable factors must be nipped in the bud.’
Wen Yan immediately turned and asked in a crisp, loud voice, “Jiang Baizhou, do you want to divorce me?”