Free Web NovelChapter 74: Chapter 45: 1950s Wife from the Hard Times (45)_3
Zhu Yun made three batches of popsicles in one day. Each time a batch was ready, she sent them to the co-op and the various cafeteria consignment points. She aimed to stuff every available freezer full of popsicles.
While directing her apprentice in making the popsicles, she also made a number of pastries, like egg tarts, sponge cakes, egg rolls, small cakes, sachima, fruit candies, and more, arranging them in the refrigerator.
She didn’t have a moment to spare all day. Her apprentice even brought her lunch and, while he was at it, passed on a message from Chu Shenyu.
"Master, your husband said he has to go to the countryside and won’t be back until tonight. He asked you to save him some dinner."
Zhu Yun nodded. By the time she finished arranging the next day’s work schedule and looked up, she realized someone had turned on the lights in the room. Outside, the world was already cast in a dim, yellow twilight.
Her apprentice, ever so perceptive, had already brought over two dinner portions.
Zhu Yun smiled and praised him. She picked up the lunchbox, packed a bag of sachima for her husband to take on his trips, paid with money and ration coupons, and headed home.
Yesterday, she had brought back two large baskets of eggs from her mother-in-law’s house. Food spoiled quickly in the summer, so she stored them at the cafeteria as usual, planning to slowly take them back once she was no longer in charge of the place.
When she got home, Chu Shenyu was just coming out of the bath.
He was wearing a pair of baggy shorts, his muscular torso exposed, as he casually towel-dried his hair.
Seeing her return, his long, narrow eyes lit up, and he immediately went into full-on husky mode, lunging toward her affectionately.
Zhu Yun laughed and dodged him, handing over the things in her hand. "You’ve been out running around all day, aren’t you hungry? *I’m* starving."
Chu Shenyu accepted them with a helpless smile. Just as he was about to speak, his wife went into the room, grabbed a change of clothes, and headed for a bath.
If one had to name the most useful thing from the Space-Time Administration Bureau, it would be the art of getting along as a married couple.
The ultimate killer of romance is a long marriage. The dreaded three-year hump, the seven-year itch—to put it bluntly, it all comes down to a man and woman living under the same roof, revealing their truest, most unfiltered selves to their loved one.
Even the most beautiful flower loses some of its appeal when you know it’s fed with organic fertilizer and you can smell the potent aroma of... nature’s cycle.
That’s reality. It’s the cruel blade of time that no one can withstand.
Zhu Yun had been out all day, covered in a fine layer of dust and a thin sheen of sweat from the heat. ’She even found herself a bit gross, so how could she possibly let him get a close-up experience?’
’When a man loves you, these things are trivial. But when that affection has been worn down by the daily grind, they become the "incriminating evidence" of a plain, worn-out wife!’
After dinner, Chu Shenyu dutifully went to wash the lunchboxes, then brought over a plate of sliced watermelon and two forks. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
He reported his accomplishments as if seeking praise. "Honey, the commune I went to today grows rice, so I went ahead and bought a hundred jin. I used the excuse that our family moved here from the south and it was a gift of respect for the elders."
"I also ordered some wooden shelves from the village. They’ll be ready in a couple of days..."
Zhu Yun chuckled, unable to resist patting his head. She grabbed his ears with both hands and gave him a peck on the lips. "Comrade Chu Shenyu, you’ve done well. Keep up the good work. Let’s try to get that cellar filled up soon."
"I’m counting on it for the winter!"
Chu Shenyu hugged his soft, fragrant wife, his laughter muffled. "You really think you’re a little field mouse, huh? They say roasted field mouse is especially delicious. I’d quite like to find out if our family’s little field mouse is tasty under the skin..."
Zhu Yun’s face flushed red. She pursed her lips and whispered, "Um, doing it too often isn’t good for your health."
Chu Shenyu shot her a look from his long, narrow eyes. "Honey, are you questioning my stamina?"
He didn’t give her a chance to argue, forcefully serving up the main course!
The machinery factory was highly efficient. Early in the morning, the results of the previous month’s employee competition were posted on the bulletin boards in each factory area. Any member of a team that made the list could take a certificate issued by their director to claim a cold drink coupon.
Just like when hiring announcements were posted, the bulletin boards were instantly packed solid with people.
At this point, most people were just there to watch the excitement. The men were generally broad-minded about it; those who made the list were nonchalant, and those who didn’t were slightly disappointed but just laughed it off.
Family members collected the cold drink coupons on their behalf and generously gave one to each of their children. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
The children happily gathered their friends and went to the co-op or the nearest cafeteria to redeem their cold drinks.
When they returned slowly, holding their popsicles, licking them and smacking their lips with an expression of endless enjoyment, they were truly the envy of everyone around them.
But kids will be kids, and they had perfectly mastered the adult art of humble-bragging. "I wanted a red bean popsicle, but my mom *insisted* on giving me a coupon for an ice cream bar. She said it’s made with pure milk and eggs, so it’s super fragrant, sweet, and nutritious. It’s delicious, I guess, but it doesn’t really quench your thirst..."
"My mom and dad both got coupons, so they told me and my brother to just eat them all summer. Are we supposed to eat these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? We want to eat watermelon, too..."
The other, less fortunate children around them were so tempted they started wailing, "Mama, I want a popsicle!"
