The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 24

At six o’clock in the morning, the compound’s loudspeakers blared to life as usual. Song Mingyue wanted to cover her ears and keep sleeping, but as luck would have it, the song playing was none other than the Guerrilla Song—the very one Chen Che had roared at the top of his lungs last night.

Hearing the lyrics, she couldn’t help but recall the previous night’s events. No wonder Chen Che sang it so fluently; it was played on loop in the compound.

She closed her eyes and rolled over, her body feeling soft and weak, as if she had been the one drunk and making a scene. She suddenly thought of a famous dramatic line: You accompany him to watch the stars and the moon, but you’ve never watched the snow, the stars, and the moon with me.

Wait, what was so great about stars and the moon anyway!

A knock sounded at her door. She didn’t have to wonder who it was. Chen Che had paced back and forth in the hallway for quite a while before finally summoning the courage to knock. Receiving no answer and assuming she was asleep, he whispered, “I’m going to work now.”

Unexpectedly, the door swung open. Mingyue stood there, leaning against the frame, her lips curved in a slight smirk. She looked lazy and relaxed from her sleep, but her eyes were sharp. Her first words were a pointed question: “Is the song playing right now… familiar to you?”

Chen Che’s eyes immediately landed on her floral camisole. Her hair was messy, yet she possessed an indescribable beauty.

See no evil, he thought, quickly averting his gaze. But his peripheral vision caught her slender, snow-white arms. A strange heat rushed to his face. His voice turned husky as he gripped his fingertips. “Did I… disturb you last night?” he asked seriously.

Waking up this morning, Chen Che felt physically uncomfortable, but his mind was a complete blank regarding the previous night. He had no memory of how he got home or how he ended up in bed.

Mingyue felt a twinge of disappointment. But then again, if the serious and upright Comrade Chen Che knew how “unrestrained” he had behaved, he would probably have a mental breakdown.

She didn’t explain. Instead, she left him with a meaningful, enigmatic expression. “Aren’t you going to work? Go on then.”

Let him spend the day guessing.

On his way to the base, Chen Che overheard two women talking by the road.

“Did you hear someone singing last night?” one asked. “It was like ghosts howling. If I didn’t know this place was guarded, I’d have thought a hoodlum had broken in.”

“I heard it too! My husband slept right through it and told me I was hallucinating.”

“Who was it? So uncivilized, waking people up in the middle of the night.”

Seeing Chen Che approach, they stopped and greeted him warmly. “Off to work, Commander Chen?”

Chen Che nodded and walked past them. It seemed like a very ordinary morning.

Zhang Jingjing had finally made up her mind. She ran to Mingyue, excitement in her eyes, to tell her she was going to prepare seriously for the city’s cultural competition.

“That’s the spirit!” Mingyue said happily. “It’s a great opportunity. Practice hard—the result doesn’t matter as much as giving it your all.”

“My husband said the same thing. He asked why I, who used to love being in the spotlight, became so timid. Mingyue, thank you. I wouldn’t have realized it without you.”

“Don’t mention it. I’ll get you a dance costume for the competition. You’ll look beautiful. Even if you don’t win a prize, you won’t lose in terms of presence.”

Zhang Jingjing blushed slightly. “The competition isn’t until next month. I plan to practice for a few hours every day. When I’ve improved, can I dance for you?”

“Of course. It would be my honor.”

The custom clothes and the four-piece bedding set were ready. When Mingyue brought them home, Yin Xiumei was waiting for her at the door. “Mingyue, where have you been? I’ve drafted the guest list for the wedding feast. Come see if it’s alright.”

Mingyue pulled a dress out of her bag. “Auntie Xiumei, I had a dress made for Shuangshuang. See if it fits?”

Shuangshuang was Yin Xiumei’s beauty-loving daughter. The little girl adored Mingyue, following her around and calling her “Fairy Sister.” Yin Xiumei scolded her for the nickname, but Shuangshuang just hid behind Mingyue, declaring she wanted to be a fairy when she grew up.

Yin Xiumei put down her notebook and beamed as she held up the dress. “Mingyue, I can’t believe you remembered. I’ll accept it then. But for your wedding, I’m going to give you a big gift in return.”

“No need, Auntie. Actually, I want to keep the wedding simple.”

“Simple? I promised the leadership I’d organize a grand event for you!”

Mingyue invited her inside, poured her some water, and spoke sincerely. “Auntie, marriage is between two people. You know Chen Che; he’s not one for crowds. I’m not very close with many people in the compound yet, either. Right now is a critical time for his career, and I don’t want the wedding to distract him.”

She sounded like the perfect, caring wife. In reality, Mingyue just didn’t want the exhaustion of a big party, nor did she want to deal with the social debts that come with inviting strangers.

Yin Xiumei was moved by her “thoughtfulness.” “Alright then. Ask the Commander what he thinks when he gets back tonight.”

“No need to ask,” Mingyue promised confidently. “I know his thoughts.”

“Fine. I’ll report this to the leadership.” Before leaving, Yin Xiumei mentioned the night school. “I checked—they’re full right now. The next enrollment is in September. But Mingyue, are you sure you want to go?”

“Yes. I can’t stay home forever. I want to find something to do.”

Her main reason was networking. While the compound was a good starting point, Mingyue wanted to pursue things most people here wouldn’t understand. Night school would have people from all walks of life—likely some kindred spirits. She hadn’t forgotten her promise to make a name for herself and bring her mother, Wang Yufen, to enjoy a good life.

The 1980s were full of opportunities. She believed in her own ability and intelligence, but she knew she shouldn’t rush.

Yin Xiumei, thinking Mingyue was just worried about work, suggested, “The Women’s Association is short-handed. After the wedding, I can get you a spot. The pay isn’t high, but it’s enough for household expenses.”

“Thank you, Auntie, but I still want to go to night school. Getting more education is always good.” Mingyue didn’t look down on the job, but her personality wasn’t suited for managing the trivial neighborhood disputes of the compound.

The wedding day drew near. Following Mingyue’s wishes, the plan was now a simple dinner with close friends and family. Chen Che followed Mingyue’s lead—if she wanted grand, he’d go grand; if she wanted simple, he’d go simple.

However, he privately gave Yin Xiumei 300 yuan. He asked her to help commission a custom embroidered wedding outfit for Mingyue. It was popular in Mocheng for brides to wear embroidered suits, but most families couldn’t afford to buy them and rented them instead. Chen Che knew Mingyue wouldn’t like wearing something others had worn, but he felt awkward buying it for her himself since tradition usually dictated that elders should prepare it.

He also asked Yin Xiumei to find a skilled carpenter. Mingyue had liked the “Simmons” (inner-spring) mattress at the hotel, so he wanted to have a new bed frame made and buy a mattress for her. Even though the marriage was “fake,” he treated it with the utmost sincerity.

The photos from the studio were ready. Chen Che took a half-day off to pick them up with her. The photographer was so pleased with the results that he had printed an extra copy. He asked if he could put Mingyue’s photo in the window as a sample.

In the future, this would require a modeling fee, but in this era, being a “sample model” was a point of pride. Mingyue didn’t refuse.

Chen Che stared at the photos intensely. The photographer had to call his name three times to get his attention. “Comrade, is your wife so beautiful she’s stolen your soul?” the man joked.

Chen Che turned red to his neck. When the photographer asked about the window display again, Chen Che simply looked at Mingyue. “I listen to her.”

Chen Che himself looked great in the photos. His simple white shirt and black trousers, combined with his long limbs and disciplined posture, gave him a “forbidden” charm. But compared to Mingyue’s radiant smile, he looked a bit stiff.

He didn’t mind. He looked at the photo of them together and, for once, his lips curled into a smile. Mingyue truly looked wonderful.

As they left the studio, he asked her to wait a moment. When she asked why, he stammered, unable to come up with a lie. Mingyue laughed. “Comrade Chen Che, you really aren’t a good liar. Go on, I’ll wait here.”

He went back in to ask the photographer if he could print a few smaller versions—the kind that fit in a wallet. He pulled out five yuan. The photographer was easy-going: “I can do that. Consider it a gift for you and your bride. Come back in a few days.”

It was a good day, but when they got home and Mingyue began arranging the photos, Zhang Jingjing ran over with a devastated expression. “Mingyue, I can’t go to the competition. They won’t let me go. They’re making a scene with Auntie Xiumei!”