The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 59

Chen Che thought for a moment before suggesting a figure: “Twenty yuan?”

Earning twenty yuan in a single day was already an extraordinary feat for the time. However, Song Mingyue had earned far more than that today. She smiled with innocent pride, her eyes bright and spirited. “Commander Chen, do you really have so little faith in your wife?”

Chen Che was genuinely incredulous. Although he rarely fretted over money, he knew well that twenty yuan was a full month’s salary for many workers. Even as a high-ranking officer, his monthly pay was only around eighty or ninety yuan.

The fact that Song Mingyue could earn such a sum in a single day filled him with pride. “Yueyue, you are truly amazing,” he said warmly.

He sounds like he’s coaxing a child, Song Mingyue thought, yet a sense of deep satisfaction washed over her. She placed several pieces of meat into his bowl. “This is your reward. Eat up.”

The Commander, who usually preferred strong, savory flavors, found it impossible to refuse her hospitality. He finished the meal feeling thoroughly content.

It was a good day.

After Song Mingyue showered and went to bed, Chen Che stayed in the study to read for a while. Eventually, unable to resist, he pushed open the bedroom door.

The bed was covered with a cool bamboo mat. Song Mingyue wore her pajamas, revealing her fair, slender legs as she held a novel. Occasionally, she would let out a soft laugh at the story. Seeing Chen Che enter and remain standing near the door, she looked up from her book, puzzled. “Are you finished with work? Why haven’t you come to bed?”

Did she have any idea? He was a healthy man, and they were legally married! Seeing her like this, even Chen Che’s formidable self-control began to vanish like smoke.

But tonight was not the night.

In this era, contraceptive options were limited and usually involved the woman getting an IUD—something Song Mingyue was unwilling to do. She had communicated clearly with Chen Che: she did not want children yet, but she wouldn’t undergo medical procedures herself. She gave him two choices: they could only be intimate during her “safe period,” or he could get a vasectomy.

In truth, Chen Che didn’t want children yet either. For the past two years, he had been working with toxic chemicals that might affect a child’s health. Thus, he had resolutely decided to get the procedure. However, he was a busy man. His work schedule was so packed that he simply hadn’t found the time to visit the hospital.

Song Mingyue wasn’t in a hurry; after all, he was the one who should be anxious. Until he had the procedure, she had no intention of being intimate outside of her safe window.

Their views on children weren’t entirely aligned. Since marrying her, Chen Che had dreamed of having at least one child. He loved children, but current conditions didn’t allow for it. He had already decided that once this current experiment ended, he would take Song Mingyue to Pingcheng to work, where they could recover their health before starting a family.

Song Mingyue, however, had never considered motherhood. In her previous life, she had been a staunch “DINK” (Double Income, No Kids). Her original family had been a mess, and she had no desire to pass on that bloodline. While her parents and brother in this life were wonderful, medical conditions in the 1980s were still backward. The physical toll of childbirth was unpredictable. Most importantly, her ambitions lay in her career, not the domestic sphere.

Seeing the heat in his gaze, she quickly realized what he was thinking.

It was a good day. Song Mingyue felt a flicker of desire herself. She huffed and moved over, leaving half the bed for him. If he hadn’t been so passive about the vasectomy, they wouldn’t have to restrain themselves now. In her mind, it was all Chen Che’s fault.

Losing interest in her novel, she closed the book and turned toward the wall. “Turn off the light and go to sleep.”

“Yueyue, are you upset?” Chen Che walked to her side, his voice tender and magnetic.

Song Mingyue couldn’t help but ask, “When are you actually going to get the surgery?”

As she spoke, she turned back toward him. Their eyes met, and the air instantly grew thick with tension. Neither spoke; she could hear his heavy breathing. Before she could say another word, Chen Che leaned in and kissed her.

Things quickly spiraled out of control. Song Mingyue gasped for breath, whispering, “Don’t… don’t finish inside. It’s my fertile window.”

“Mm,” Chen Che grunted. There was no trace of his usual serious, stiff demeanor. In this moment, he only wanted to possess her completely.

Beauty truly is a distraction, Song Mingyue reflected deeply afterward. She resolved there would not be a next time—until he got that surgery, they wouldn’t be “communicating” like this again!

The next morning, Song Mingyue looked even more radiant. Her main task for the day was to scout the local clothing stores to see what was selling.

Moshi was a small city. Most clothes in the shops still carried the drab, lifeless shadows of the 1970s. But she knew this wouldn’t last. The coming decades would be a period of rapid national development, and people’s aesthetics would become bolder and more vibrant every year. No matter how small Moshi was, once the big cities modernized, it would soon follow.

To predict what would be popular in Moshi, she needed to see what was trending in the major cities. Within a year, those fashions would sweep the country. She decided she needed to make a trip to a metropolis soon.

Most people’s first choice would be Guangzhou due to its proximity to Hong Kong and its booming markets. However, Song Mingyue wanted to go to Shanghai. Shanghai had always been the capital of fashion, and more importantly, having lived there for a long time in her previous life, she was deeply interested in its history.

Of course, that was a plan for the future. Currently, they hadn’t earned nearly enough for such a trip. Her goal was to reach a thousand yuan before revisiting the idea.

As luck would have it, everything began to fall into place. After dinner, Zhou Chun arrived at her house on his bicycle. Chen Che was still working overtime, so Song Mingyue was home alone, pondering her next business move, when she heard Zhou Chun’s hearty laughter from the courtyard.

She greeted him warmly and poured him a glass of water. Zhou Chun looked around, noted Chen Che’s absence, and asked, “Commander Chen isn’t home yet?”

“They’re busy these days. He has to work late.”

Zhou Chun sighed. “He truly works hard.” This was what he admired most about Chen Che—with his talent, he could easily find a job that was both easier and more lucrative, yet he chose the path of greatest pressure.

“I won’t beat around the bush, Comrade Mingyue,” Zhou Chun continued. “Do you still have a source for those watermelons? We plan to provide them to the workers twice a week for the next two months, in even larger quantities than today. Can we source them through you?”

This was incredible news. Earning over a hundred yuan in one trip was great, but a recurring contract meant the money was practically waiting for her.

Song Mingyue immediately agreed. “Absolutely. I know which villagers have the best crops.”

“Good. Then I won’t bother looking elsewhere. I’ll leave this to you. The next batch can be delivered in a couple of days.”

“Director Zhou, thank you so much.” Song Mingyue knew that while anyone could do procurement, he was giving her this opportunity out of personal friendship.

Zhou Chun waved it off. “Don’t mention it. The workers all said the melons you brought yesterday were delicious. Just keep to that standard.”

“You have my word. I’ll personally ensure the quality.”

Zhou Chun trusted her; after several interactions, he had a very high opinion of Chen Che’s wife. Since Chen Che wasn’t back yet and Zhou Chun had things to attend to at home, he hopped back on his bike and left.

Song Mingyue’s heart was pounding. She hadn’t expected things to move so smoothly. She hurried over to Zhang Jingjing’s house, eager to share the news.

From a distance, she saw the lights on at Jingjing’s. She quickened her pace and called out, “Jingjing! I have great news!”

However, upon entering, she sensed an odd atmosphere. Usually, the lively Jingjing would have rushed out to meet her. Today, she emerged from behind a door curtain with a forced smile. “What’s the news?”

Jingjing’s husband, Lao Yu, was sitting at the square table. He looked awkward and blushed when he saw Song Mingyue, giving a stiff greeting. Song Mingyue nodded back as Jingjing pulled her into the bedroom. “What is it?”

“What’s wrong with you and Lao Yu?” Song Mingyue asked.

“Nothing.”

“You don’t look like ‘nothing’ is wrong. Did you have a fight?”

At the question, Jingjing’s eyes welled with tears. “Mingyue… I thought he would support me. He said he did, but as soon as I actually went out to work, he got angry.”

“Support what?”

Jingjing started to sob. “The… the business.”

Song Mingyue hadn’t expected this. In this era, a stable job was often seen as superior to “showing one’s face” in trade. It wasn’t surprising Lao Yu felt this way; not everyone was as unconditionally supportive as Chen Che.

Song Mingyue felt a pang of regret. If Jingjing hadn’t met her, she might have lived a peaceful, simple life in the Women’s Federation. “It’s my fault for not thinking this through, Jingjing. If you don’t want to do it, don’t. I’ll go talk to Lao Yu.”

Jingjing’s tear-filled eyes widened in panic. “Mingyue, what do you mean? Are you not going to take me with you anymore?”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but Song Mingyue didn’t want to cause marital strife. But Jingjing grabbed her hand tightly.

“I know what you’re going to say,” Jingjing said, her voice trembling but firm. “But you told me—if you want to do something, you have to go do it. All my life, I’ve relied on my parents or my husband. Selling those watermelons was the first time I earned money through my own hard work. I love that feeling. Mingyue, please don’t leave me behind, okay?”

Her eyes were clear and sincere through the tears. Song Mingyue found it impossible to say no.