jdhmnovel Chapter 217 Support her
Chapter 217 Support her
Sleeper cars aren't for just anyone; if you don't have a work permit or any social standing, you can't even get a berth door.
Of course, money is also a very important factor.
Just like back then, when she went on a business trip to Haishi, she had to sit in a hard seat for so long because the factory had a limited budget.
Qiao Manman quickly tidied the bed and sat down. In the dead of winter, there was no point in changing the sheets and blankets since she couldn't take off her heavy winter coat.
Lu Yuan was the same; he wasn't pretentious at all.
The two bought a middle bunk and a lower bunk, and now they sit on the same lower bunk, silently watching the scenery rushing past the window.
After a long while, Lu Yuan asked softly, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?"
Qiao Manman shook her head: "I have no appetite!"
She thought she had hardened her heart after her time travel, but unexpectedly, she still couldn't bear the separation.
This was true when I left Qingshan Brigade and Yang County, and it was also true when I left the capital.
Lu Yuan didn't try to dissuade them. He took out an insulated lunchbox from his package, which contained egg drop soup that Aunt Zhou had made for them.
Unscrew the lid and pour it into an enamel mug. The red tomatoes, yellow frangipani, dark green cilantro, and black seaweed make it look delicious!
Lu Yuan said gently, "It's cold in the car, have some soup to warm yourself up!"
Qiao Manman hummed in agreement, held the enamel mug in her hands, and took a small sip.
Once she started drinking, she couldn't stop. Qiao Manman finished all the soup and returned the enamel mug to Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan didn't mind, poured himself half a cup, and ate it with a steamed bun to fill his stomach.
After eating and resting for a while, it got dark, and the carriage was lit up with dim yellow lights.
As the train pulled into the station and people around her got off, Qiao Manman put the enamel mug and thermos into her spatial storage, placed them in the sink in the villa, and cleaned them with her consciousness.
Then he took out the half-knitted sweater and skillfully began knitting. It wasn't until late at night that he climbed onto the middle bunk, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
Taking a sleeper berth is obviously much more convenient than a hard seat. Not only can you get out of bed and move around at any time, but you also don't have as many strange passengers around you.
Everyone remained quiet, respectful, and harmonious. Even when arguing, they kept their voices down, trying not to disturb others.
Two days later, Qiao Manman arrived at her destination. Looking at the snow-covered landscape outside the window, she felt both excited and bewildered.
Lu Yuan gently took her hand: "Don't be afraid!"
Qiao Manman hummed in agreement and took out two red scarves from her spatial storage, one for herself and one for Lu Yuan.
And then there are the hats, the Lei Feng hats worn in Northeast China. Wearing them on the two of them doesn't diminish their good looks at all, but the red and green outfit is just... well, let's just say it looks ridiculous.
Qiao Manman laughed and slung her canvas bag over her shoulder, while Lu Yuan helplessly carried his large bundle and rattan box, following behind everyone as they got off the bus.
The weather in Northeast China is truly cold, dropping to minus 20 or 30 degrees Celsius, where water freezes instantly.
They had only been out of the car for a few seconds when a layer of frost formed on her eyelashes. Qiao Manman felt her eyelids were heavy, but Lu Yuan thought his wife looked even more beautiful.
The two followed each other to the exit, where they saw Lu Yifeng and Wei Hanpeng standing next to the jeep, waving to them with smiles.
"Boss, sister-in-law!"
"Sigh!" This time, Qiao Manman answered with a straight face, asking them, "How long have you been here?"
"About an hour!" Lu Yifeng said, then complained to Lu Yuan, "Boss, your wife stole your lines!"
Lu Yuan put the luggage in the car and said with a smile, "We're in the same boat!"
"Oh, I see, I know you two got your marriage certificate. No need to show off like that. The boss needs to see you, let's hurry back to our base!"
The group got into the car and drove through the snow and ice. The car wasn't going fast, but it was driving very steadily.
Qiao Manman said gratefully, "Thank you so much for picking me up. Here, these are some pastries I brought from Kyoto. You two can share them!"
"Okay, thank you, sister-in-law!" Wei Hanpeng didn't turn around, focusing on driving. Lu Yifeng took the oil paper package, unwrapped it, pinched off a piece of jujube paste pastry, and took a bite: "So sweet!"
"Damn you, you sneaky little devil! You ate my pastries while I was driving. You just wait, Lu, when we get to the family compound, I'll show you what I'm made of!"
Lu Yifeng stuffed the jujube paste pastry into his mouth: "I'm not giving it to you, I'm not giving it to you, go ahead and try to take it from me, hey!"
As the group chatted and laughed, Qiao Manman's tense emotions gradually relaxed.
The residential compound is neither too far nor too close to the station, and the road conditions are bad; it took the car three hours to get there.
Lu Yuan said, "The station is closer to the county town, but there are no trains from there."
That's why they need to get off in the city and transfer to other modes of transportation.
“The soldiers go out to buy supplies every day, and their families can come along for a stroll.”
However, it's cold in winter and snow can easily block the mountains, so everyone stocks up on enough food for the whole winter and tries to stay home as much as possible.
Before going to Yang County, I had someone buy a truckload of coal briquettes, as well as potatoes and cabbage. If you want to cook, we can do it at home. If you don't want the hassle, you can eat at the canteen. Either way is fine!
Qiao Manman intertwined her fingers with his and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll wait for you to come back. Let's have a small banquet and invite everyone to dinner!"
Lu Yuan raised his hand and pinched her little face, feeling very reluctant. His wedding night was going to be postponed indefinitely.
Soon, the car stopped at the entrance of the family compound.
Qiao Manman got out of the car and took out a letter of introduction and marriage certificate: "Hello, I am Lu Yuan's newlywed wife!"
The young soldier on duty raised his hand in salute: "Hello, sister-in-law!"
"Your sister-in-law is so beautiful, she's a perfect match for our Battalion Commander Lu!"
Qiao Manman smiled, feeling a little embarrassed. She pulled a handful of fruit candies from her pocket: "These are my and Lu Yuan's wedding candies. Have some and share in the joy!"
"Thank you, sister-in-law!" After checking Qiao Manman's documents and luggage, the young soldier let the car pass.
Qiao Manman asked, "Why don't you go and report back from your leave first, and I'll go to the new house by myself?"
"It's alright, I'll take you there first!"
Lu Yuan thought to himself, since the leaders were willing to wait for him to come back from so far away to do the task, the task must not be as urgent as he had imagined.
If he doesn't take his wife there, the women in the family compound will definitely gossip behind his back, saying that their relationship is not good, that Qiao Manman used tricks to climb the social ladder, and that she is being embarrassed.
Of course, it's also because it's getting dark. The sun sets around 4 PM here, and it's already 3:30 PM. I doubt the leaders will let him leave today.
"Sister-in-law, the small courtyard in front is where officers at the regimental level and above live. The building in the back is where officers at the battalion level live."
The apartment that Battalion Commander Lu applied for is unit 201 in building 2. It's a corner unit with no obstructions, so it gets several hours of sunshine every day.
However, because there's no shade, it's usually quite windy. Although the residential compound has heating, it's not burned very vigorously to conserve energy.
This is why leaders prefer to live in small courtyards. They can heat their own kang (heated brick bed) to keep the house warm.