Chapter 17: Military Marriage 6
Ning Yan's eyes kept darting over Xiao Nian. She truly couldn't tell without him taking off his clothes; this man only looked thin, but his entire body was packed with lean muscle.
Especially his legs, tsk tsk tsk.
She simply tossed the towel onto the chair, leaned close to the man, and reached out to pull off his sleeveless undershirt.
Xiao Nian wrapped his arms around Ning Yan's waist, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.
The man was forceful and fierce.
The kiss was passionate and long, and the next second, Ning Yan was carried by the man onto the bed.
The man pressed down on her, his hot breath caressing Ning Yan's delicate skin: "Yanyan, I can't hold back anymore."
Ning Yan's hands were on his back: "Who told you to hold back?"
Her slip nightgown was quickly tossed aside. Ning Yan looked at the lamp cord by the bedside and reached out.
But her wrist was quickly seized by Xiao Nian.
Ning Yan pouted playfully: "What are you doing? I want to turn off the light."
Xiao Nian's voice grew a little hoarse, "No, wife. I want to look at you."
And so, that night, the light in Captain Xiao's house stayed on all night.
Early the next morning, Xiao Nian stealthily placed the soiled bedsheet from last night into a bucket, washing away the bloodstains bit by bit and hanging it out in the yard to dry.
Next door, the Bai family was stirring again.
"You dead girl, didn't you used to exercise for an hour every morning? Why haven't you been practicing these past two days?"
"Oh, Mom, aren't you annoying? No matter how well I dance, I'm just a lead dancer. Just let me sleep a little longer."
Bai Tuanzhang and his wife had one son and two daughters. Their son also joined the army, but he was in the military region in the capital, and his wife followed him after marriage.
Their youngest daughter had just started junior high and usually stayed at school, returning once a week. Now, only the old couple and Bai Moli remained at home.
Bai Tuanzhang had also been in a foul mood these past few days. The marriage he had arranged for his daughter was actually ruined by her. If she had found someone better than Qu Muyang, he wouldn't have been so angry. But she fell for Zhou Hongjun, who was inferior to Qu Muyang in every way, and was caught red-handed. He felt utterly disgraced.
So, these past two days, he had spoken very little at home.
The neighbors argued for a couple more sentences before quieting down. Having heard nothing useful, Xiao Nian went to get firewood to make breakfast.
Ning Yan had truly been tormented badly last night. Even when the food was cooked, she didn't want to eat. Xiao Nian had no choice but to keep the food warm in the pot, then quickly left for work.
Ning Yan slept until past ten before getting up. She ate the breakfast Xiao Nian had prepared, washed the dishes, and then went to the yard to stroll around and stretch her limbs.
There were many cowpeas and cucumbers in the yard, and many eggplants had grown as large as soup bowls. There were also small chili peppers. If these weren't picked soon, they would all become overripe.
Anyway, there was still some time until noon, and since she was idle, Ning Yan went back inside to sleep again.
Xiao Nian ran back at noon. The house was quiet. He first went into the kitchen to check; the food in the pot had been eaten, which meant his wife had gotten up.
Only then did he tiptoe into the bedroom.
Ning Yan was sleeping soundly. It wasn't that she was being delicate; it was because Xiao Nian had too much stamina and was too good at tormenting her. After they were done, he even pulled her into conversation. They hadn't really slept all night, and she was truly exhausted and sleepy.
Xiao Nian stealthily kissed his beautiful wife's face, then left the room, closing the door behind him, and quickly prepared lunch.
He steamed rice, picked some eggplants and small chili peppers from the yard. He made stir-fried eggplant with small chili peppers, garlic cowpeas, and a plate of fresh cucumber. That was lunch.
There was no meat at home, which was a pity for his wife.
After the food was cooked, Xiao Nian directly carried the meal into the room, coaxed Ning Yan awake, and after they finished eating, it was almost time for him to go back to work. "You should go quickly. I'll take care of the dishes."
Xiao Nian: "If you don't want to do it, just leave them in the pot. I'll wash them when I get back. You can continue sleeping this afternoon." That way, she'd have energy to be with him tonight.
Ning Yan waved her hand, "You go quickly. Don't cook at noon anymore. Just buy something back."
He'd be busy all morning and wouldn't even get a nap.
She didn't want to live like a nanny, but she also didn't want her man to be busy like a spinning top. So, for things that could be solved with money, there was no need to make things difficult for themselves.
Xiao Nian smiled like a blossoming flower; his wife was concerned about him.
"Okay, I'll come back early tonight and harvest all the vegetables in the yard. We'll dry what needs drying and pickle what needs pickling, so nothing goes to waste."
Ning Yan: ...He's really so virtuous. She had hit the jackpot again, picking such a good man.
In the evening, Xiao Nian took a chair and placed it at the kitchen door, letting Ning Yan sit there and watch him work.
He picked the old eggplants and cowpeas. There were too many cucumbers to eat, so he pickled the tender ones into salted cucumbers. He really didn't know how to eat the old cucumbers, probably only by slicing and stir-frying them.
Just as he finished picking these, the next door became lively again. Bai Moli had returned.
"What did you say? You want to get married? I don't agree! Don't even think about it! A country bumpkin from the countryside wants to marry my daughter, Bai Wenshan's daughter? He's dreaming!"
Xiao Nian immediately pricked up his ears, his movements slowing down.
"What's wrong with being from the countryside? Grandpa isn't from the countryside either! If you count back three generations, no one can say anything about anyone else; we're all country bumpkins!
Besides, Hongjun is only 24. He'll definitely get promoted in the future. He's already a company commander and has even joined the special forces. He'll be more promising than you! Who are you looking down on?"
Bai Wenshan was so angry that he grabbed the feather duster from inside and chased Bai Moli all over the yard!
Ning Yan's eyes lit up as she listened, wishing she could stand on a chair and peek into the neighbor's yard.
Xiao Nian found his wife's expression adorable. He put down the basket in his hand, walked over, pressed her against the wall, and kissed her in his arms.
Her skirt was already lifted by him, scaring her into quickly pushing him away.
Although their courtyard wall was high, if someone deliberately looked in, they could still see.
Seeing that the neighbors weren't saying anything he wanted to hear, Xiao Nian simply carried his wife into the house.
Accompanied by the shouts and curses from next door, the two in the small room were full of passion.
When winter first arrived, as a neighbor and Zhou Hongjun's direct superior, Xiao Nian did indeed receive an invitation. Bai Moli and Zhou Hongjun were going to hold their wedding, scheduled for a little over twenty days later.
Due to the special circumstances of Zhou Hongjun and Bai Moli, Zhou Hongjun was excluded from a mission that would have promoted him. Xiao Nian went himself.
That trip lasted almost two months. With the New Year approaching, there was still no news from Xiao Nian.
During this time, Ning Yan represented the couple and attended Bai Moli and Zhou Hongjun's wedding.
As expected of a Tuanzhang's daughter, the banquet was quite lavish, with Twelve dishes, half of which were meat dishes, and a total of ten tables were set.
Ning Yan was not one to let good food go to waste.
She ate heartily while watching the couple toast the leaders.
After eating her fill, she went home.
On the day of Xiao Nian, Ning Yan went to the city to buy New Year's goods with a few wives from the family compound. Sister Zhou said she had nothing to do and could knit a new sweater for Xiao Nian, so she bought a full five jin of yarn and brought it back.