When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: The 1950s’ Forsaken Wife (27)

’That makes sense,’ Zhu Yun thought. ’The male supporting character in a story always has it easy before he meets the heroine. She’s the source of all his troubles. No wonder she makes such a huge impression, leaving him caught between love and hate.’

”Why are you always so stone-faced, then? You don’t talk much, either. Every word from you is precious,” she asked curiously.

Chu Shenyu looked aggrieved. ”Even like this, I still get swarmed by women trying to arrange ’chance encounters.’ If I actually talked or smiled more, I’d be late for work every single day!”

Zhu Yun couldn’t help but laugh. It was true. He was the total package—the best-looking guy in the entire factory complex, educated, capable, and from a good family. More importantly, he was single. Naturally, he was the most eligible bachelor in the eyes of all the women.

”So, uh... Chef Zhu,” Chu Shenyu cleared his throat, ”let’s get married when I get back from my business trip.”

Getting married in this era was especially simple. You meet, and if both sides find each other suitable, the rest of the procedures follow in quick succession. Not to mention, they had already been intimate.

Zhu Yun nodded readily. ”Alright.”

”But let me make one thing clear first. I don’t have high standards for a partner. The single most important thing is absolute loyalty to the marriage!”

Chu Shenyu nodded solemnly. ”You can be completely at ease on that point, Chef Zhu. I’m twenty-six, and I’ve never had feelings for anyone before. From now on, you’ll be my only wife.”

”I’m a former soldier, and I intend to live by that code my entire life. Loyalty to my country and to my wife. I will never be a deserter or a traitor!”

”Even if you develop feelings for someone else?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chu Shenyu looked at her with a helpless expression. ”What does ’developing feelings’ even mean? I don’t believe in love at first sight. Liking someone for their looks is fleeting. It’s like when you women see a beautiful flower; you can’t help but adore it, but how long do you think about it after you’ve walked away?”

”No one can turn down beautiful things, but that isn’t life. Feelings that develop over time are more reliable. My life is simple—I just go back and forth between work and home. Besides my relatives, the only woman I’ll be in frequent contact with is my wife. Where am I going to find someone else to develop feelings for over time?”

”Keeping an appropriate distance from the opposite sex is a matter of courtesy, and of responsibility to myself and to my wife.”

Zhu Yun was left speechless by his words. She, on the other hand, was the type to do as she pleased, someone who would bet her entire life on love at first sight. ’After all,’ she thought, ’hadn’t she been the one to make a move on this handsome young man right in front of her?’

She gave a slightly guilty laugh. ”Alright, you pass. But from now on, you can’t call me Chef Zhu!”

Chu Shenyu’s ears turned a little red, and his eyes darted about. ”You’re right. We’re engaged now, practically husband and wife. I... I’ll call you ’Wifey’ from now on!”

’W-wifey?’

Zhu Yun was stunned again. That one word, so folksy yet so full of intimate joy, hit her with surprising force.

She couldn’t help but chuckle. ’I suppose this is what they call ’When in Rome,’’ she mused.

The soon-to-be-married couple walked awkwardly to her doorstep. ”I’ll make you something to eat in a minute. What time do you leave tomorrow?” Zhu Yun asked as she turned to unlock her door.

”I have to catch the seven o’clock bus, so I’m leaving at four with the cafeteria’s supply truck.”

”Then you should go home and get some sleep. Swing by my place before you go.”

Chu Shenyu nodded, left her with a quick, ”I’ll be good to you,” and then hurried away as if he were being chased.

Zhu Yun pressed her lips together to suppress a small smile.

She had a weakness for good looks, but she was also a realist. She might act on a momentary impulse, but she wouldn’t gamble on vague, uncertain things.

For instance, she liked his face, his competence, and his strong physique. She was confident about building a family and spending her life with him, but she had absolutely no excessive demands when it came to love.

’Letting things develop naturally, without agonizing over every little thing like some silly girl—now that is the good life!’

Her resolve regarding Chu Shenyu suddenly strengthened. ’It’s so rare to find someone so clear-headed.’

Back home, she changed into her homemade loungewear, tied her somewhat long hair up into a small topknot, washed her hands, and got busy.

Chu Shenyu was quite the glutton; he never turned down anything she cooked. It might also have been because she made such a wide variety of dishes that he always asked for a portion of everything whenever he came for a meal.

Two days and one night. That meant preparing at least seven or eight meals’ worth of food. It was mid-May and already starting to get hot; food wouldn’t last long in a warm train car.

After a moment of thought, Zhu Yun got to work. She fried meat, dough twists, and meatballs. She made some instant noodles, prepared various kinds of pickles, steamed a pot of buns, and boiled some tea eggs.

Once the fried foods, pickles, and tea eggs were done, she set them out to cool. The temperature at the foot of the mountain was low at night. After preparing the dough to rise, she went to bed. When she woke up, she started steaming the buns and also did her skincare routine.

When she heard a knock, Zhu Yun opened the door with her face covered in cucumber slices.

Chu Shenyu took one look and nearly jumped back. ”What is this?”

”I heard cucumbers are good for skin whitening. These came in through a special supply channel,” she said with a raised eyebrow, peeling the slices off her face and tossing them into the chicken coop.

Chu Shenyu was speechless. ’This woman’s obsession with her skin is really something else.’

He wanted to say that some things are just genetic and hard to change, unless you get a complete do-over. But then, an image of preserved egg tofu flashed in his mind. ’It seems she wasn’t naturally dark-skinned after all?’

”The buns are fresh out of the steamer. Have some now. They’ll last for two meals at most,” Zhu Yun said, pointing to the steaming buns. She then packed the rest of the food into a bundle, quietly running him through the contents.

”I didn’t pack much in the way of staple foods, just these fried noodles. They’ll last a couple of days. Just soak them in hot water, add a spoonful of pickles, a tea egg, and some of the cured meat.”

”I packed several kinds of pickles, with both meat and vegetables, so you can just buy some steamed buns to go with them.”

”The tea eggs will only be good for a day, so after that, you’ll have to buy food on the train. What I’ve prepared will fill your stomach, but it’s not the most nutritious. Once you arrive, make sure you eat a proper meal...”

The dim yellow light set off her gentle beauty perfectly, making her look like a delicate paper-cut silhouette. In that light, her dark complexion could be completely overlooked.

He was suddenly filled with the feeling of home, of having someone always watching over him, caring for him, and needing him.

This was different from family. This was a partner—someone with whom he could be completely intimate, share everything, and spend a lifetime, a person to whom he could entrust his entire self!

Chu Shenyu chuckled softly and couldn’t resist pulling her into his arms. ”Thank you. I’m only just now realizing that perhaps some things in this world really are predestined. Meeting you has been the greatest fortune of my life!”

Zhu Yun was stunned by the hug. The young man’s virile presence was overwhelming. Though all she could smell was the faint scent of soap, it inexplicably made her blush and her heart pound, sending her thoughts straying into improper territory.

Before she could dwell on it, he released her and took half a step back.

Time was tight. Chu Shenyu grabbed the bundle, said three words—”Wait for me”—and hurried away.

Zhu Yun touched her burning cheeks and resolved to get her skin in perfect condition before he came back. She was going to give him a big surprise!