Chapter 74: Educated Youth Who Abandoned His Wife and Child – 5

Perhaps feeling a bit shy, Su Mingyue picked up a piece of braised pork and held it up to Shen Xiuyan’s mouth. “Brother Shen, you eat too.”

Shen Xiuyan raised an eyebrow, then smiled and took a bite directly from her hand.

That simple act turned the tips of Su Mingyue’s ears red once more.

She lowered her head and thought to herself, Brother Shen is really handsome. And now this handsome man is hers?

The more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t help grinning like a fool.

Suddenly, a different kind of sweet aroma wafted by her mouth. Looking down, she saw—it was a big twisted fried dough stick.

Thinking she was so happy from the meat that she’d gone silly, Shen Xiuyan quickly pulled out the treat and said, “Don’t worry, there’s more—try this too.”

Su Mingyue took a bite. Sweet and fragrant, even better than candied fruit.

“It’s delicious.” Her eyes curved like crescent moons.

“As long as it tastes good.” Shen Xiuyan placed the rest of the treat in her hand and said dotingly, “Don’t rush. Eat slowly. From now on, Brother Shen will buy it for you often.”

Just look at how his fair, beautiful wife had become a little pitiful thing in this place. A simple fried dough stick could make her so happy.

Don’t ask why—he just felt sorry for her.

Su Mingyue ate half of the dough stick and a small bowl of meat, then refused to eat anymore no matter what he said.

Shen Xiuyan thought for a moment and decided to let her take the rest home for dinner. He didn’t press the issue further.

He packed up the lunchbox and dough stick, then pulled something from his coat and handed it to her.

Su Mingyue took it with confusion. “What’s this?”

“Open it and see.” Shen Xiuyan’s handsome eyes sparkled with a smile.

Curious, Su Mingyue opened it, and with one glance, she froze.

Snowflake Cream!
It was Snowflake Cream!

Women are born to love beauty. Since the product came out, it had practically become legendary in her village.

When she last went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, she and her girlfriends went specifically to see it.

There had been a crowd of girls around the counter, but when they heard the price—five yuan—it scared off most of them.

In the end, no one dared to buy it.

Ever since, every woman in the village and even in the city dreamed of owning a bottle.

The only difference was that some lucky city women might get it as part of their wedding dowry.

But village girls? No way something so flashy and impractical would be included in a dowry.

She stared in disbelief at the Snowflake Cream in her hands, flipping it over again and again, her heart trembling.

What did Brother Shen mean by this?

He bought food, and now he’s giving her Snowflake Cream…

Could it be… is he…

Seeing her silent, Shen Xiuyan thought she didn’t recognize the item and explained, “This is Snowflake Cream. It’s used to protect the skin. Didn’t you want to become fairer? Just use this often.”

It wasn’t very effective, but it was better than nothing.

In this era, if Su Mingyue wanted to lighten her skin, she’d mostly have to rely on staying out of the sun. Who knew when truly effective whitening products would even exist.

“I… I recognize it…” Su Mingyue’s voice grew smaller and smaller. “It’s just… I mean… you giving me this… does it mean… does it mean you want to marry me now…?”

Her voice trailed off into a whisper.

You couldn’t blame her for overthinking it—this Snowflake Cream was good enough to be part of a dowry!

Shen Xiuyan hadn’t expected her to say something like that. His eyes widened.

Wow, this is intense!

But intense or not, this was the wife he’d searched for across lifetimes. If she was willing, he’d marry her on the spot.

Shen Xiuyan cautiously asked, “Would you be willing?”

Then quickly added, “Of course, if you’re not thinking that way, don’t feel pressured…”

“I’m willing—” Su Mingyue interrupted him before he could finish. Then, realizing she’d been a bit too forward, lowered her head in embarrassment.

Shen Xiuyan was so excited he jumped to his feet.

She said yes. She actually said yes!

He felt like a cow had walked to the South Pole—utterly legendary.

A true winner at life.

He’d thought he would have to date her slowly, like boiling a frog in warm water, and bring up marriage later. Who knew it would happen so easily.

Of course, Shen Xiuyan was overthinking. He hadn’t lived through the 1970s and ’80s yet, so he didn’t really understand the mindset of that era.

Marriage back then was simple and pure.

It wasn’t about family background. If two people liked each other and had a decent understanding, getting married was the natural next step.

Besides, Su Mingyue wasn’t that young anymore—she was already twenty.

In the village, girls were often mothers by eighteen or nineteen. It was perfectly normal for her to start thinking about marriage.

But Shen Xiuyan didn’t know that. He gave all the credit to the Snowflake Cream.

So, he held Su Mingyue’s hand and said, “From now on, you’ll have all the Snowflake Cream you want. We’ll use one bottle and throw another away.”

Su Mingyue burst into laughter, all her tension disappearing.

She smiled at him and said, “Dummy, how can you be so bad at managing a household?”

Shen Xiuyan grinned as he held her hand. “Yes, yes, I’m bad at it. But now I have you. I’ll listen to you in everything.”

The two of them were completely wrapped up in each other, their affection at an all-time high.

Seeing that it was getting late, Shen Xiuyan stood up. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

Now that they were officially a couple, Su Mingyue didn’t shy away anymore. She walked openly at Shen Xiuyan’s side.

They chatted and laughed all the way back, clearly close and comfortable with each other.

People coming and going on the village road stared in disbelief at the pair.

Had they ever even spoken before?
Did Heiniu really have her eyes on Shen Xiuyan?

And so bold about it???

Tsk tsk, overestimating herself much?

Shen Xiuyan was an educated youth from the city, handsome despite being a bit frail. Girls lined up to pursue him.

And Heiniu? Really? Her?

Some people were just watching the drama, thinking they might soon witness the Brigade Leader’s family become the village’s laughingstock.

At that moment, a girl saw the scene in front of her and angrily yanked at the basket in her hand.

She, too, had fallen for Shen Xiuyan from the very first time she saw him.

She was known as the prettiest girl in the village, yet even she had never dared get so close to Shen Xiuyan. How did Heiniu have the nerve?

Her friend, who also liked Shen Xiuyan but said nothing due to her poor family background—her father would never let her marry someone who couldn’t do farm work—still couldn’t help fanning the flames.

“Huaizi, look at that Heiniu, so shameless. Clinging to Shen Xiuyan in broad daylight!”

Another chimed in, curling her lip. “Exactly. Can’t you see Shen Xiuyan’s already getting annoyed?”

A girl following behind them timidly said, “It doesn’t really look like Comrade Shen is annoyed… I think he actually seems pretty happy…”

The person in front turned around and rolled her eyes at her. “Everyone knows Heiniu is your friend. Of course you’re going to speak up for her.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

The others echoed the sentiment, but after saying that, they still turned to look again.

And honestly… it did seem like Comrade Shen wasn’t showing any impatience—if anything, his attitude seemed quite warm.

…

A brief silence hung in the air.

Well, now that was awkward.

But jealousy doesn’t lend itself to reason. “Come on, Huaizi, let’s go see what exactly she’s up to. Everyone in this village knows you like Comrade Shen, and yet that Heiniu still has the audacity to act so shamelessly. It’s like she’s slapping you in the face.”

The group headed toward Shen Xiuyan, but he didn’t seem to notice them at all.

Huaizi cleared her throat and called out sweetly, “Brother Shen, what a coincidence!”

Her voice was so soft and delicate it could almost drip water.