When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 73: Chapter 45: The Scorned Wife of the 50s

However, the little one clutched the box, his dark eyes flitting between his father and mother, ready to push it forward the moment they spoke.

”Sister-in-law, just think of it as helping us use some of this up. We have too much at home. My mother-in-law packed the trunk so full, and we can’t just let it all expire, can we?”

Sister-in-law Tan shot her a look. ”Come over for dinner later. I’ll make you some sauced, hand-pulled noodles.”

Knowing their mother had agreed, the children all smiled and bowed to Zhu Yun. ”Thank you, Auntie!”

Mr. Tan was also delighted and said to Chu Shenyu, ”I’ll have your sister-in-law whip up a couple more dishes, and we can have a drink or two!”

Once the Tan family closed their door, Zhu Yun and Chu Shenyu exchanged a look and began hauling everything from the trunk into their courtyard.

Mrs. Chu really had stuffed their car with things—all gifts from wedding guests. There were eggs, notebooks, fountain pens, books, fabric, candy, pastries, fruit, and more, cramming the trunk to the brim.

It took them several trips back and forth to unload everything. By the time they were done, the sky had grown completely dark.

Shining a flashlight, Chu Shenyu finally saw what his little squirrel of a wife had been working on. ’This cellar she dug is actually quite something.’

After neatly storing the two sacks of grain, he climbed out with the flashlight.

”If we just leave the grain here, it’ll get damp and attract pests. We should build some shelves along the wall and store the grain in crocks.”

Zhu Yun nodded. ”I’ll talk to the purchasing department tomorrow and have them buy a batch of jars and small crocks. We can put them in the side room, and I’ll just say I’m experimenting with pickling vegetables.”

”I’ll also pick up some more on market days. We have so many rooms in this house, who would really go and count them to see if a few go missing?”

”We’ll also need to buy some vegetables to dry out...”

Chu Shenyu wasn’t too concerned about the details. To him, it felt like playing house with his wife, simply for the sake of making her happy. ”It’s the busy farming season,” he said, ”so I applied to visit the communes to do maintenance on the farm equipment. That means I’ll have a car for the next two weeks. I can trade for some grain with the villagers each day. I promise I’ll fill this cellar up for you!”

He wouldn’t trade for much at a time, so as not to attract attention, but over the course of two weeks, he could gather a substantial amount.

Zhu Yun’s heart swelled with emotion as she looked at his earnest face.

’It’s so rare to find someone in this world who will humor your crazy ideas without asking why. Even if, to him, I’m just a delicious meal he’s trying to earn... well, at least he’s willing to put in the effort, isn’t he?’

Sister-in-law Tan was already calling for them from over the wall.

They closed up their house and went next door.

Since they both had to work the next day, and with Sister-in-law Tan keeping a strict eye on him, Mr. Tan regretfully had to stick to just two small cups of liquor with Chu Shenyu. He smacked his lips, grumbling that he’d barely had enough to taste it.

Chu Shenyu just smiled without taking the bait. Once he saw Zhu Yun was full, they thanked Sister-in-law Tan and drove back to the staff apartments.

As they walked upstairs, Zhu Yun caught the faint scent of alcohol in the air. It suddenly dawned on her, and she earnestly whispered, ”From now on, no drinking and driving. You hear me?”

Chu Shenyu’s eyes shone as he looked at her. ”I know. It won’t happen again. I’m a married man now—I have to be responsible for my safety!”

The moment they were through the door, he pulled her into an impatient embrace, his hot breath brushing against her ear. ”Honey,” he murmured, his voice laced with a hint of drunkenness, ”I’m so happy today...”

The man was more enthusiastic than a husky. Zhu Yun was never one to resist temptation, especially when faced with such a handsome man who seemed ready to give her his entire heart. With a little token resistance, she let him make up for their lost wedding night.

Chu Shenyu was a novice driver, with all the eager excitement of someone who’d just gotten his license. He spent the better part of the night alternating between theory and practice, exploring ways to please his wife.

Zhu Yun couldn’t take it anymore—his spouting theory while putting it into practice, his deadpan lechery. She retaliated with a flurry of her own bites and scratches.

This, of course, only spurred him to abandon theory and dive straight into practice.

Having finally feasted to his heart’s content, Chu Shenyu felt refreshed from the inside out. Gazing at his wife sleeping peacefully in his arms, he was filled with an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

Zhu Yun lazily opened her eyes and shot him a glare completely devoid of any real heat.

But Chu Shenyu simply took it as a flirtatious glance. He smiled and patted her back. ”How about you skip work today? I can call in sick for you and bring you back some food.”

Zhu Yun shook her head. ”It’s the beginning of the month tomorrow. The cold drinks and pastries are rewards for the staff, and they’ll be redeeming them soon. I need to get more prepared in advance.”

Chu Shenyu gave her a resigned kiss on the forehead. ”Well, don’t wear yourself out.”

”Of course not. What else are apprentices for?” Zhu Yun said, raising an eyebrow with a light laugh.

Chu Shenyu gave her a ride to the cafeteria on his bicycle. After they ate, he finally left, turning to look back at her every few steps.