Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 42

Ye Fangfei packed the money and ration coupons into her cloth bag. Her clothes were still relatively clean, so she didn’t bother changing.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Chen Qian stood up with a smile. She was a naturally curious person and treated Ye Fangfei like a close friend, so she asked right away, “Fangfei, how old is your husband? What does he do in the military?”

“He’s about five years older than me, twenty-five this year. After we married, he left and hasn’t been back in the past two years. He rarely mentions work in his letters, so I honestly don’t know what he does in the military.”

It wasn’t that Fangfei was hiding anything—she genuinely didn’t know Shen Zhanxun’s position. The records she had said he became a battalion commander at twenty-five, but he never spoke of it. Even her family didn’t know his exact rank. So she could only give this vague answer.

Chen Qian nodded thoughtfully. She guessed correctly—Fangfei’s husband was probably just a regular soldier, at most a squad leader.

Realizing she might have asked too many questions, Chen Qian quickly explained, “I just saw you pull out all those ration coupons, and since they’re from the military district, I couldn’t help asking. Don’t take it the wrong way—I’m usually not like this.”

Fangfei paused for a moment, then laughed. “What are you thinking? We were just chatting. We’re friends—of course, we should know a little about each other’s families! Otherwise, what kind of friends are we?”

“As for all these coupons, they were probably collected by my husband over time. We don’t usually have this many,” Fangfei added with a smile. She thought about it, Shen Zhanxun used to send a portion of his allowance to her parents every month, and her in-laws occasionally pulled some out as well. Adding it all up, it was quite a sum.

Though she didn’t know his exact salary, the amount he could send monthly suggested his benefits weren’t low.

Seeing Fangfei so happy, Chen Qian wasn’t upset at all. She looped her arm through Fangfei’s and laughed as they walked out of the house.

Fangfei told her in-laws, who were washing pork intestines, “Dad, Mom, Chen Qian and I are going out to buy some things. We’ll be back later.”

“Go ahead, go ahead,” Sun Xiujun said with a smile, nodding at Chen Qian. Then she looked at Fangfei. “A few days ago, Zhanxun sent some money and coupons. They’re in the drawer of my room. Take them and buy some clothes.”

“Mom, no need. He also sent me money and lots of coupons. That’s enough for me,” Fangfei said, trying not to laugh. She couldn’t help but imagine Shen Zhanxun, clever as he was, never expecting his mother to tell his wife everything.

Leaving the backyard, Chen Qian commented, “Your in-laws seem really easygoing. And your little brother-in-law—he’s adorable too.”

“Yes, they’ve all been very kind to me,” Fangfei nodded solemnly.

They went to the supply station, but unfortunately, the dress Chen Qian had mentioned was just sold. The rest didn’t catch Fangfei’s eye, so they moved on to the department store. Here, the selection was dazzling—far more than the supply station—but the prices were higher.

Fangfei bought a sky-blue collared dress for herself and a light pink one of the same style for Shen Cuijuan. She also picked up a white blouse and a dark green pleated skirt. The salesperson said the skirt had just arrived that morning—a new southern style.

Fangfei liked it at first sight. Though a bit pricey, she bought it without hesitation. Chen Qian also guided her to the third floor, where they bought two pairs of pearl-white mid-heeled shoes.

Handing over the money, Fangfei felt a pang of guilt—but quickly dismissed it. This was money she had worked hard for. Isn’t the point to living a little better? Otherwise, what’s the point of earning it?

Seeing Fangfei splurge, Chen Qian felt a little envious. Her salary was long gone, and she had been relying on her parents these past few days. Still, she couldn’t resist buying a pair of white shoes just like Fangfei’s.

Fangfei had wanted to buy clothes for her parents and in-laws, but they were out of ration coupons.

Chen Qian said mysteriously, “I’ll take you somewhere that doesn’t need coupons.”

“Like the free market?” Fangfei asked.

Chen Qian nodded. “Yes. There’s a lot there, though the clothing styles aren’t as nice as the department store.”

“Let’s go see,” Fangfei said, intrigued. She had planned to open a clothing store when she first crossed over. It was a simple, practical business that would be popular twenty years later and suitable for a girl to start. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the sourcing channels, so she started with what she knew—desserts.

“Wow, so many people,” Fangfei said in surprise. Even in the afternoon, the free market was busier than the morning vegetable market.

Chen Qian wiped sweat from her brow. Spotting a man about to reach into Fangfei’s bag, she shouted, “Hey! What are you doing?”

The bold thief didn’t run, smirking. “What’s the big deal, lady? Don’t scare me—I might have to claim damages for my medicine.”

Chen Qian, having worked nearly two years at the supply station, wasn’t intimidated. Her eyes narrowed, ready to scold.

Fangfei, wanting to avoid unnecessary trouble, tugged at Chen Qian’s sleeve and said to the thief, “You want her to pay for your medicine? Do you know who her father is?”

The thief froze. “Who?” he asked, curiosity piqued.

Fangfei looked him up and down, her tone sharp and haughty. “You said we owed you medicine money, right? Let’s go to the police station and settle it. You’ll find out who her father is there.”

The thief, seeing her confident demeanor, knew he’d hit a wall. People like him hated dealing with the police. Swearing under his breath, he immediately caved. “Alright, ladies, I was joking. Carry on.”

Chen Qian was stunned, unable to react before the thief disappeared.

“Did that really work?” she laughed, slapping the bike seat, all pretense of being ladylike gone.

“Fangfei, the way you bluffed just now was so serious, I almost believed it,” Chen Qian said, doubled over laughing.

Fangfei raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t bluffing?”

“You told the thief that if he wanted to know who my dad is, the police would tell him. That’s clearly a bluff!”

Fangfei smiled and winked. “I said it, but I wasn’t bluffing. He wanted us to pay for medicine, so I suggested the police get involved. At the station, they’d ask about our families anyway. He’d find out your dad’s identity naturally. What’s wrong with that?”

Chen Qian had nothing to argue with. When she thought about it, Fangfei’s words made perfect sense. The combination of her tone and expression was enough to scare the thief off.

Chen Qian giggled. “Fangfei, you’re brilliant! Who would think of that?”

Fangfei curved her lips into a smile as they wheeled their bikes further in.

Chen Qian tapped her arm and said, “Next time, don’t ask if I know my dad. Just say it’s my brother—because he really works at the police station.”

“Ah, so that explains it,” Fangfei teased. “You should’ve told me earlier. If I’d known your brother works at the station, I’d have been even more confident.”

“Ha ha ha… Fangfei, you’re just too much fun!”