The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 49

Chen Che walked ahead pulling the cart, while Song Mingyue and the other two followed behind, their pace unable to match his long strides.

Pei Xiaoyu had never seen a soldier so handsome and high-spirited. He had a presence that was even more striking than she had imagined. She whispered to Song Mingyue, “Is he really your husband?”

Mingyue gave a soft “mm-hm,” but it was Zhang Jingjing who jumped in to explain. “Commander Chen is the face of our entire compound! Xiaoyu, don’t you think he’s exceptionally dignified?”

“Yes,” Xiaoyu said directly. “He’s better looking than any People’s Liberation Army brother I’ve seen in books.”

Song Mingyue was in a good mood, especially recalling the moment Chen Che appeared at the commune. Everyone’s gaze had been drawn to him like a magnet; he was the center of attention. Although Chen Che himself disliked being stared at, Mingyue felt a sense of pride seeing her partner so highly regarded.

Once they returned to the compound, Jingjing invited Xiaoyu to her place. “Yueyue, you and the Commander are still in your honeymoon phase. It’s inconvenient to have a third person at your house. Let Xiaoyu stay with me.”

Mingyue’s house had already hosted guests before, so one more didn’t matter. Besides, Jingjing only had one bed, meaning Xiaoyu would have to sleep on the floor there. “It’s fine, Jingjing. She’ll stay with me. It’ll be easier for you to come over tomorrow morning too.”

Chen Che’s home was indeed much cleaner and more organized than Jingjing’s. Jingjing was a bit of a slob, and her husband, Old Yu, wasn’t any better; clearing out a room at their place would take half the day.

Ultimately, Pei Xiaoyu followed Mingyue home. Mingyue held the girl’s hands, sensing her nervousness. No matter how successful Xiaoyu might become in the future, right now she was just a teenager who had rarely left her commune.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Mingyue reassured her. “Who knows? One day you might be living better than most of the people here.”

Xiaoyu didn’t quite believe her, but Mingyue’s sincerity helped her relax. She felt incredibly lucky to have met these two women when she was at her lowest point.

Chen Che remained silent throughout the walk. Once home, he changed into a blue shirt and rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong, tan forearms. “You haven’t had dinner yet, have you? I’ll cook some noodles for you,” he said gently.

Xiaoyu stared open-mouthed as Chen Che headed into the kitchen. Soon, smoke was rising from the stove. This sight completely shocked her worldview.

Mingyue, who was genuinely hungry, started taking inventory of the watermelons. Noticing Xiaoyu standing dazed in the main room, she pulled her down to sit. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Sister Mingyue… your home is so different,” Xiaoyu whispered.

“How so?”

In Honghe Commune, women did all the cooking and housework. Xiaoyu’s mother had worked like a beast of burden for the Pei family, while her biological father would just lie down the moment he got home. The idea that “women work as a matter of course” was a law of nature there.

Mingyue immediately countered this to instill the right values in the future entrepreneur. “Who says women have to do everything? Why should it all fall on us? Xiaoyu, don’t ever think that way. We promote equality between men and women now. Boys and girls are the same.”

She glanced toward the kitchen. “I’m not a good cook, so he handles the meals in our house.”

For the first time, Xiaoyu saw what a healthy marriage looked like—a partnership rather than a woman’s selfless sacrifice for a man. A seed of equality was planted in her heart.

Ten minutes later, Chen Che brought out two bowls of noodles. The aroma hit them first, and when Xiaoyu saw a poached egg floating on top, she practically started drooling. Mingyue pushed the bowl toward her. “Try it.”

“Thank you,” Xiaoyu said.

Mingyue looked up at Chen Che. “Thank you.”

For that one “thank you,” Chen Che felt all the afternoon’s labor was worth it.

After eating, Zhang Jingjing arrived, and the three of them finalized the watermelon plan. Mingyue sliced one melon to demonstrate. “Tomorrow will be hot. We’ll chill some melons in the well first for a better taste. The other half, we won’t slice; we’ll sell them whole with spoons so people can scoop them out and eat them.”

Jingjing and Xiaoyu were amazed; they had never realized there were so many ways to market a simple fruit.

While they were talking, Zhao Xing stopped by to discuss tomorrow’s performance. Seeing them planning a street stall, she looked disgusted. “Is this necessary, Mingyue? You’re not short on money. Why show your face in public to earn ‘dirty’ money?”

In this era, the stigma against “speculators” and small private businesses was still strong. Zhao Xing, always arrogant, found it beneath them. “Don’t forget, our most important task is the performance. Everything else can wait.”

Mingyue handed her a slice of melon. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

The group stayed up until 10:00 PM, chatting excitedly until Jingjing’s husband came to fetch her. Mingyue summarized the plan: “That’s the process. Think it over tonight. Tomorrow morning, we put the melons in the well and get ready.”

Everyone was confident, especially Xiaoyu. This was a world she had never dreamed of entering, and she was determined to give it 120% effort.

After the crowd dispersed, Chen Che emerged from the study. He had been able to see Mingyue through the shared wall, watching her command the room with her plans. For a moment, a terrifying thought struck him: Mingyue doesn’t just belong to me. She has a much wider world to conquer.

The thought made him uneasy. He resolved that no matter what happened, he would never let go of her hand.

Xiaoyu, seeing Chen Che, shyly pulled at Mingyue’s sleeve. “Sister Yueyue, where should I sleep tonight?”

“I told you, with me.”

But to Xiaoyu, a husband and wife belonged in the same bed. She adamantly refused. “I won’t sleep in your room. I can push a few stools together out here.”

She was stubborn, likely influenced by something Jingjing had whispered to her. Eventually, they reached a compromise: Xiaoyu took Chen Che’s small bed, and Chen Che… moved into Mingyue’s room.

Mingyue hadn’t quite decided how to handle the “cold war” with Chen Che, but she found that focusing on her career was the best medicine. Her anger had mostly dissipated.

When Chen Che entered, Mingyue was facing away from him, practicing her music on a sheet of staff paper. Since the walls were thin, she “practiced” silently at night by reading the notes.

Chen Che didn’t dare disturb her, knowing how nervous she was about the competition. He silently brought her a glass of water. Mingyue took it instinctively and, seeing him, said, “It’s late. You should get some rest.”

“Mm.” Chen Che sat down beside her, and Mingyue moved over to make room.

“How is the practice going?” he asked.

“I’ll ‘play’ a section for you.” Mingyue moved her fingers across the paper, lost in the music. “I think I’ve got it. I just hope nothing goes wrong.”

Chen Che watched her fingers intently, fascinated by the sheet music. “You remember the rhythm just by looking at these?”

Mingyue laughed. “Yes. These are the basic notes.”

With the big day looming, Mingyue ended up spending half the night teaching Chen Che how to read music. She felt a little crazy, but the tension between them was melting away.

As they lay side by side, Mingyue going over the details of both the dance and the business in her head, Chen Che suddenly whispered, “Yueyue… can I kiss you?”

Mingyue: “…” Does he really need to ask?

She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the corner of his mouth. “I have a big day tomorrow. You’ll have to be patient.”

Chen Che pressed her down and kissed her deeply until he was satisfied. He felt a sense of relief—they were officially reconciled.

The next morning, Chen Che acted as free labor, lowering the melons into the well to chill. After a quick breakfast, he prepared for work.

Before he left, Mingyue suddenly asked, “Chen Che, will you come to see my performance today?”

Chen Che paused. For Mingyue, today was monumental. For him, it was a day of endless data calculations at the lab.

He turned back. “Is it at the City Workers’ Cultural Palace? I’ll try my best to make it.”

“I was just joking,” Mingyue said with a sweet, supportive smile. “Your work is more important. It’s okay if you can’t make it.”