bookbashuk Chapter 40 Four Rumors
Chapter 40 Four Rumors
Lin Weiwei paused for a moment, then took it, saying, "Thank you."
Su Wanwan also felt cold, but she was too embarrassed to say so.
Bai Rongbei glanced at her, took off his coat, and draped it over her shoulders.
His coat still carried his body heat, it was warm.
Su Wanwan whispered, "Thank you..."
Back at the family compound, Bai Rongbei said, "We'll start fixing the toilets tomorrow. Si'an and I have taken three days off to try and get it done in one go."
"We'll help!" Lin Weiwei raised her hand.
"Okay." Bai Rongbei nodded. "Get some rest."
They each went back to their rooms.
Lin Weiwei and Su Wanwan entered their room, closed the door, and both breathed a sigh of relief.
"Today was really tiring." Lin Weiwei collapsed on the bed. "The car ride was tiring, shopping was tiring, and I even ran into some thugs..."
Su Wanwan carefully took off the dress and folded it neatly: "But the dress is really pretty."
"Yes." Lin Weiwei sat up as well, touching her red dress. "Bai Rongbei is really willing to spend money... forty or fifty yuan."
"Mmm," Su Wanwan said softly, "He... is fine."
Lin Weiwei looked at her and suddenly smiled: "You've fallen for her?"
Su Wanwan blushed: "What nonsense are you talking about!"
"I'm not making this up." Lin Weiwei leaned closer. "Look at you today, constantly peeking at him, thinking I didn't see you?"
"I didn't..." Su Wanwan retorted, but her voice grew softer and softer.
Lin smiled and lay back on the bed: "Actually, Bai Si'an is quite nice. Although he's a bit dull, he's caring. Look, today, he even put his coat on me."
Su Wanwan lay down as well, looking at the ceiling: "Yeah... those two brothers aren't actually bad."
"It's just that our thinking is too old-fashioned," Lin Weiwei said. "We always feel that women should do housework."
"Take it slow," Su Wanwan said. "The fact that they're willing to help us fix the toilet is already an improvement."
"That's true." Lin Weiwei yawned. "Go to sleep, we still have work to do tomorrow."
"Um."
The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.
In the next room, Bai Rongbei and Bai Si'an had just lain down.
"Brother," Bai Si'an suddenly spoke up, "you...spent a lot of money today."
"Mm," Bai Rongbei responded.
"That remittance certificate you have... was it sent by Mom? The one she sent you to buy a watch."
"Um."
Bai Si'an was silent for a moment: "If Mom knew you didn't buy a watch, but bought your wife a dress instead..."
"She's happy," Bai Rongbei said.
Bai Si'an listened without arguing, then went to his room, took out the money, and handed it to Bai Rongbei.
"Brother, here you go."
Bai Rongbei was taking off his military jacket and hanging it on the back of his chair when he heard the sound. He turned around, saw the money in Bai Si'an's hand, and frowned slightly: "What are you doing?"
"The money for the dress." Bai Si'an pushed up his glasses, his tone firm. "It's for my wife's clothes, I can't let you pay for it."
Bai Rongbei didn't take it, turning around to pour water into the basin: "No need."
"I need it." Bai Si'an put the money on the table and pushed it forward. "Lin Weiwei is my wife, so it's my responsibility to buy it for her. But I don't have any coupons, so forget about the coupons, you have to have the money."
Seeing how serious his brother was, Bai Rongbei accepted the money. "Alright, if you're going to pay for your wife yourself, then I'll take it. Time for bed."
After exchanging only a few words, the two brothers went back to their respective rooms.
Bai Si'an opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.
He remembered Lin Weiwei twirling around in her red dress today, her eyes bright and her smile especially happy.
That dress was bought by his brother.
Although Bai Rongbei said he wouldn't mind, Bai Si'an just couldn't get over it.
Lin Weiwei is his wife.
Buying her clothes and making her happy is his responsibility as her husband. Even if he is her brother, he doesn't need to pay for it for her.
Bai Si'an rolled over and faced the wall.
His right leg throbbed slightly, and he gently rubbed his knee.
Toilet repairs are tomorrow, so I need to do a good job.
Lin Weiwei needs to know that although Bai Si'an has difficulty walking, he can still live a good life.
I can make her live a good life.
……
At the same time, Wang Xiuying was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) in Zhang's house, holding a bowl of jujube tea in her hand.
Sitting across from Zhang's wife at the kang table were two other women from the family compound: a tall, thin Aunt Li and a round-faced Sister Zhao.
The room was lit by a kerosene lamp, casting a dim, yellowish light.
"If you ask me, Commander Bai and Technician Bai really dote on their wives," Wang Xiuying said with a smile, taking a sip of tea. "Did you see those two dresses today? They're made of Atlas silk, and they're quite beautiful."
"I saw it! I saw it!" Sister Zhao slapped her thigh. "I saw it when they came back this afternoon. That material, wow, it even reflects light in the sun!"
Aunt Li curled her lip: "It's pretty, but it's too eye-catching. Why would anyone wear something so flashy in a place like ours?"
"She's young," said Sister Zhang with a smile. "It's normal for young girls to like to look pretty."
Wang Xiuying put down her teacup and said casually, "That's true. But, I heard..."
She paused, then lowered her voice.
The other three immediately moved closer.
"What did you hear?" Sister Zhao asked.
Wang Xiuying glanced towards the doorway and said in an even softer voice, "I heard that the Bai brothers' marriage is... a bit strange."
"What do you mean?" Aunt Li's eyes widened.
"It's just... think about it," Wang Xiuying lightly traced names on the table with her finger, "Didn't they hold their group wedding together? But today I saw them go to the regimental headquarters to get their marriage certificate. Regimental Commander Bai handed the certificate to Lin Weiwei, and Technician Bai handed the certificate to Su Wanwan."
Aunt Zhang was stunned: "This...isn't that right? Isn't Commander Bai's wife Su Wanwan? And isn't Technician Bai's wife Lin Weiwei?"
"Yes!" Wang Xiuying clapped her hands, "But why did it turn out the other way around when we got the marriage certificate?"
The room was quiet for a few seconds.
The wick of the kerosene lamp crackled.
Sister Zhao suddenly realized: "You mean...they changed people?"
"I didn't say that," Wang Xiuying quickly waved her hand, but a meaningful smile appeared on her face. "I just find it strange. And think about it, on their wedding night, didn't they stay in the same courtyard? Two rooms, door to door..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already quite clear.
Aunt Li gasped, "No way? This...this is indecent!"
"Oh dear, you can't say that," Wang Xiuying said, feigning concern. "They're a legally married couple now, they've got their marriage certificate. It's just... the process was a bit... you know."
Aunt Zhang frowned and didn't say anything.
She was an elderly resident of the compound and didn't usually gossip. But Wang Xiuying's words did make people uneasy.
"If that's really the case," Sister Zhao lowered her voice, "then it's really...tsk tsk, city girls are so open-minded."
"Who can argue with that?" Wang Xiuying sighed. "But let's just talk about it privately, don't spread it around. They're a proper couple now, if we talk too much, it won't have a good impact."