Rebirth: Sensational Military Wife in 70s...

Chapter 4: The Date

Shi Tingyu trusted her elder brother's judgment. Since Shi Mu Han had spent a lot of time with Shen Ziming and vouched for his character, she was confident that Shen Ziming was indeed a good person. With this assurance, she approached the upcoming date with a bit more confidence.

In the afternoon, Shi Mu Han took Shi Tingyu to a department store to buy clothes. However, after browsing through the store, which mainly offered clothes in colors like green, blue, black, and gray, Shi Tingyu lost interest. The styles were limited and didn't appeal to her.

"If you don't like anything, that's fine," Shi Mu Han said. "Our family is good-looking. With your appearance, you'd look great even in a burlap sack."

They ended up not buying any clothes but did pick up some other necessities.

When their parents, Shi Father and Shi Mother, returned home and learned that no clothes had been bought, they reprimanded Shi Mu Han.

In the current special period, even taking a day off was risky, as it could be used against them. Hence, Shi Mu Han had originally planned for Shen Ziming to come along, but Shen Ziming mentioned he needed to prepare a few things and would arrive a day later. He would first go to his aunt's house in Jinling and they had scheduled to meet at the state-run restaurant at noon.

The next morning, Shi Mother woke up early to help her daughter choose an outfit. Shi Tingyu smiled and reassured her mother, "Mom, you know I have a good eye for fashion."

After thinking it over, Shi Mother agreed, realizing her daughter, being an artist, was more skilled at matching clothes than she was. So, she decided to leave it to Shi Tingyu.

For the date, Shi Mu Han and Shi Tingyu were going together, while Shi Father and Shi Mother would go about their usual work. It was a sensitive time, and even a single day off could be problematic.

Shi Tingyu chose a white long dress with puffed sleeves from her wardrobe. It was much more stylish compared to the standard colors and styles available. She styled her hair in two braids with a thin fringe, creating a look that was appropriate for the current times yet still quite attractive.

When Shi Mu Han and Shi Tingyu arrived at the state-run restaurant at 11:30 AM, the scheduled meeting time was noon. Shen Ziming was known for arriving early, so this was a perfect time.

This was Shi Tingyu's first time visiting a state-run restaurant from this era. The restaurant had a large red double-door, with "State-Run Restaurant" written in bold red letters on the wall above, accompanied by a five-pointed star of the same color. The walls beside the door featured slogans: "Hard Work" and "Self-Reliance."

Seeing his sister stop and looking at the door, Shi Mu Han tugged on Shi Tingyu's wrist and said, "What are you staring at? We've been here many times before."

Shi Tingyu smiled and followed him into the restaurant.

It was lunchtime, and there were a few more people than usual, but not excessively crowded. People generally came to state-run restaurants only for formal meals. They chose a table on the right side of the entrance.

"I'll go order," Shi Mu Han said.

At state-run restaurants, menus were limited to what was available that day, written on a small blackboard. Shi Mu Han ordered four dishes and one soup, along with five portions of rice, based on the number of people.

Due to Shi Mu Han's military uniform and distinguished appearance, the service staff treated them a bit more favorably.

As Shi Tingyu watched her brother manage the arrangements, she felt a bit of anticipation for Shen Ziming. If he got along well with her brother, he must be a good person.

As for the idea of Shen Ziming and the original owner having mutual feelings, Shi Tingyu had no concerns. The original owner had only met Shen Ziming a few times and felt some initial attraction based on looks. Since there was no established relationship, Shi Tingyu felt no pressure about the potential awkwardness.

Eventually, the dishes arrived, but Shen Ziming did not show up. Shi Mu Han's brows furrowed slightly as he glanced at his watch. It was already past noon.

This was unusual. As a soldier, Shen Ziming should have had a strong sense of punctuality. Even if he couldn't arrive early, he shouldn't be late.

They waited as the food grew colder, but Shen Ziming did not appear. The restaurant staff, initially polite, started showing signs of impatience.

A staff member approached and said, "Comrades, are you going to eat or not? We'll be closing soon."

"Sorry, our guest might be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances," Shi Mu Han explained. He then turned to Shi Tingyu and said, "Let's start eating."

Shi Tingyu began eating, though the food was not as warm as it should have been. Her mood mirrored the coldness of the dishes.

Noticing her disappointment, Shi Mu Han placed a piece of pork rib on her plate and said, "You focus on your meal. I'll check with his aunt's place later."

Shi Tingyu comforted her brother, "Don't be upset. Given our current situation, it's not surprising if someone doesn't show up. If needed, I can just follow Mom and Dad to work elsewhere. There's no need to force a marriage."

Shi Mu Han patted her head and said, "Just eat. I can handle this."

At another table, two men in military uniforms were eating. One of them, significantly taller than others, kept glancing towards Shi Mu Han and Shi Tingyu's table. The other man, sitting across from him, kicked him under the table and said, "Focus on eating."

The man with the scarred face, having felt the kick, sighed and replied, "Forget it. I won't bother you with this."

After finishing their meal, the two men left the restaurant. As they stepped out, Feng Wei asked Lu Weiguo, "When are you going to get married?"

Lu Weiguo, who had seemed unbothered, responded, "I'm fine on my own."

"That's nonsense!" Feng Wei retorted. "You're 28 now. It's time to settle down and set an example as our battalion commander."

Lu Weiguo almost kicked him, "You're trying to lecture me on my personal life? Don't you have enough to worry about with the troops?"

Feng Wei, the instructor, was frustrated but continued, "If you don't solve this problem soon, the higher-ups will start asking questions."

Lu Weiguo, for once, admitted some truth, "You know how many times I've been on dates? They all run away as soon as they see me."