CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 184: SO-CALLED CHIVALRY AND TENDERNESS

With the certificate, he wouldn’t have to stay in the dormitory anymore. He could move in openly and share a bed with his wife. But now...

He had to endure.

Taking a deep breath, he released Yi Chichi and said, "Put the money away, I’ll take you for a walk by the sea."

"Okay."

Five minutes later, the two of them walked out the door hand in hand.

On the way, they ran into Lin Qiu Ping who was heading home, carrying a roll of fabric that was plain with printed patterns.

Wen Shi’s eyes lit up when he saw it, "Old Lin, where did you buy this fabric?"

"I asked someone to buy it for my wife."

His gaze fell on Yi Chichi’s face, and he smiled, "Going for a walk?"

"Yes."

Wen Shi grinned, showing his big white teeth, "Chichi’s been here for a few days, and I haven’t had time to accompany her. Today I have time to take her out for a stroll."

"Sure, go ahead. Just stick to the rules."

"Understood."

Lin Qiu Ping responded and said, "Hurry along then, I’ll head home first."

As he was about to leave, Yi Chichi quickly reminded him, "Commander Lin, sister-in-law went out to gather shellfish."

"Gather shellfish?"

Lin Qiu Ping stopped in his tracks, "When did she go?"

"It’s been over an hour."

"I need to go find her."

Before he finished speaking, he left hurriedly, feet moving swiftly.

Watching his back as he left, Yi Chichi remarked, "Their revolutionary affection is really strong."

"Sister-in-law has done great things for Old Lin."

They grew up together, so of course, their bond is strong.

Looking around, seeing that the nearest person was several meters away, he quietly made a vow, "Rest assured, our relationship will be just as good in the future."

Yi Chichi believed him. Their current state can be described as mutual pursuit.

She was willing to put her heart into it, and Wen Shi was even more so.

Straightforward, biting words—what’s the fear? As long as those words aren’t directed at her.

Even if they were straightforward and biting, it didn’t matter; she could respond in kind.

It’s all about treating others as they treat her—a sense of fairness.

After leaving the residential area, they strolled to the beach.

They found that it was really crowded.

Yi Chichi didn’t know many people. In the days she’d been here, apart from Yang Qing, whom she met on the bus, there was Ji Jian and Yu An, wife of both the neighbor Mo Yanbai and Political Commissar Mo.

The rest, she didn’t know.

But, Wen Shi knew many people, so they greeted many as they went.

At such times, what Yi Chichi needed to do was smile at the people Wen Shi introduced her to and greet them.

For men, it was their surname and position; women were all addressed as sister-in-law.

Along the way, everyone they met seemed familiar.

Yi Chichi remarked, "...Feels like taking a walk was a wrong decision."

Wen Shi spotted a scallop with his sharp eyes and dashed over to pick it up and handed it to her, "Here for you. The shell color is quite pretty."

It was a purple scallop, indeed with a nice color.

Yi Chichi happily accepted it, but said, "We didn’t bring a bucket, nor tongs. What’s the point of taking it back?"

"...To keep for fun?"

He looked hesitant.

She couldn’t help but laugh, "I have no such hobby."

"Then what hobbies do you have?"

Maybe it was the good atmosphere, or perhaps the evening sunset was too beautiful. Yi Chichi blurted out, "I’d like to wrap you around my finger."

Then, she saw Wen Shi blush. The blush spread from his face to his neck, and in his eyes was a tempting gleam as though covered with a layer of water vapor.

She was momentarily stunned, quickly realizing he misunderstood, and explained, "Like playing with beads, you know, that kind of wrapping."

The explanation just made it sound worse.

Wen Shi raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "I’ll let you play to your heart’s content tomorrow."

There was no way to continue that conversation.

So, they continued their walk.

As they walked, a coconut tree entered their view. Just as she was about to speak, two coconuts fell down, landing on the sand.

Fortunately, no one was underneath them. It was a close call without any danger.

"Lucky indeed, scoring two free coconuts."

Wen Shi hurried over to pick up the coconuts, "I’ll crack them open for you to drink when we get back."

"Okay."

Yi Chichi looked at the coconuts and realized these two were quite large, each several pounds.

"By the way, how’s Old He and Comrade Xiao Zhang doing?"

"Old He’s going to marry into her family."

Thinking of He Yunsong, who ran to please the old man right after work without even returning to the dormitory, Wen Shi sighed, "That spineless thing. Used to have a stiff mouth, now it’s soft, spouting sweet words like they cost nothing."

Yi Chichi was occupied with Old He marrying into the family and didn’t pay attention to the later words, instinctively asking, "Why is he suddenly marrying into the family?"

It must be something Wen Shi said; otherwise, Old He wouldn’t have made such a decision.

Sure enough, Wen Shi’s answer confirmed her thoughts.

He said, "He feels inferior, thinking he’s unworthy of Comrade Xiao Zhang since he has no family. I told him that marrying into her family means having a wife and a grandfather; he would have family and wouldn’t feel inferior anymore."

Yi Chichi, ...What kind of strange advice is that?

The key point was that it actually worked.

He Yunsong was indeed persuaded to marry into her family.

"You two think in equally bizarre ways."

They truly were good brothers—one dared to speak, the other dared not only to listen but also to act.

Wen Shi took it as a compliment, smiling as he explained, "You have to take an unconventional approach with him. Reasoning doesn’t work; when he’s stubborn, he can drive people crazy."

Not wanting to continue on that topic, he pretended to be dissatisfied and complained, "Stop worrying about him, pay more attention to me."

Yi Chichi, ...But they were together all the time, how could she pay more attention?

Thinking for a moment, she said, "Are you wearing your uniform for the certificate tomorrow?"

"Yes."

For important moments, one must wear a uniform, "What about you? What are you wearing?"

"Trousers."

A dress was impossible; she didn’t even bring an outdoor dress. The only dress was for sleeping, loose-fitting like a sack, just suitable for indoor wear.

"...Maybe I should’ve bought you a Blazy dress."

As he said this, he used a negotiating tone, "Shall we buy a few when we go to the Friendship Store?"

"No."

Yi Chichi decisively refused, giving logical reasons for not buying a dress.

"I wouldn’t be able to wear it. Back in Kao Shan Village, even if I’m not working in the fields, I’ll be busy with the medicinal fields and handling herbs, wearing a dress would be inconvenient."

"Unless you don’t go back and stay here."

"What about your mother? What about my grandpa and the others?"

With those two questions, Wen Shi was crestfallen but quickly perked up again, "What if I transfer back?"

Yi Chichi’s eyes widened in disbelief, "Are you crazy? Are you really not afraid your superiors will kill you?"

Having worked hard to recruit people from the Southwest, then quickly wanting to return after a short time—there’s no way the superiors would approve that transfer.

Wen Shi sighed, "You haven’t even gone back, and I already can’t bear it."

Glancing at the sun about to drop into the clouds, he lamented with a worried face, "Perhaps this is what’s described as a tender-hearted hero in the storybooks."

"Wrong comparison."

Yi Chichi coldly refuted him, "You’re not a hero, and I’m not gentle. We are aspiring young people striving for our ideals and goals."