Rebirth: Sensational Military Wife in 70s...

Chapter 10: Alone Together and Confiding

As the door opened, a delicate jasmine fragrance wafted through the room. The white curtains fluttered gently, and on the desk directly facing the door, a pot of jasmine flowers was blooming beautifully.

So, that was where the fragrance was coming from.

Lu Weiguo stepped into the room for the first time, and the difference from the male soldiers' dormitories was stark. Shi Tingyu's room exuded an air of elegance and subtle fragrance, just like her.

He didn't sit on the bed but instead pulled out the chair at the desk and sat facing her.

Just a week ago, they were strangers meeting for the first time. Now, a week later, they were officially a family on the household registration book.

This sudden change made their interactions feel both strange and subtly profound.

They sat in silence for a moment.

Lu Weiguo felt he needed to say something, and his gaze fell on a plaster bust on the desk, piquing his curiosity.

"Is this a foreign figure?"

Shi Tingyu was momentarily taken aback, almost not understanding the question.

Despite the plaster bust of David being a common sight in later generations, the original statue by Michelangelo was rarely seen in her time.

"Oh, this is David, a sculpture by Michelangelo," Shi Tingyu explained.

Lu Weiguo looked puzzled.

Shi Tingyu continued, "It's a prop I used when painting."

Now Lu Weiguo understood.

"You can paint?" he quickly picked up on this new topic.

His encounters with people who painted were limited to those in the propaganda office who drew posters and slogans, mostly featuring soldiers or workers in uniform with exaggerated, idealized expressions.

"Yes, painting is my profession."

Lu Weiguo hadn't expected Shi Tingyu to be a professional painter. Could she be an artist?

His mind raced with various thoughts.

She was immersed in refined art, while he was accustomed to the practicalities of military life.

Would this difference create issues in their future interactions?

Seeing Lu Weiguo's prolonged silence, Shi Tingyu, pondering their recent exchange, guessed his unease.

"Painting was something I did before returning to the country. If you have time, I can paint a portrait for you."

For some reason, Lu Weiguo felt more relaxed. Even if their professions were unrelated, his comrades had married women from diverse fields—cultural troops, teachers, doctors. Despite the differences, they all led happy lives.

Seeing Lu Weiguo's demeanor lighten, Shi Tingyu shared her thoughts, "Having spouses in different fields can be beneficial. It fosters admiration for each other, which..."

She hesitated to mention that it would benefit their emotional harmony given the current climate.

Even without her finishing, Lu Weiguo grasped her meaning. A brief look of embarrassment crossed his face, which Shi Tingyu noticed.

She didn't claim to be able to read minds like a psychologist, but she enjoyed observing people.

Painting wasn't an insular activity; she liked watching people in busy parks or streets. She saw a world in every flower and tree and felt each person was the protagonist of their own life story, with their own experiences of joy and sorrow unfolding constantly.

Her keen observations lent a lifelike quality to her paintings.

She also enjoyed studying plants, landscapes, and weather—anything that could inspire her art.

Noticing his discomfort, Shi Tingyu switched topics.

"Do we need to visit your parents?"

Lu Weiguo's expression softened at the mention of family. "I don't have any time off right now, so we won't visit them for now."

"Do you have annual leave this year?" Shi Tingyu asked. "If so, we can visit during the New Year."

"Depends on the end-of-year arrangements," Lu Weiguo replied, then reached into his pocket and pulled out something.

Shi Tingyu looked closely and realized it was a savings book.

Lu Weiguo handed it to her. "This is the money I've saved from my time in the military, aside from the 120 yuan I give my parents each year. The rest is for your dowry and setting up our new home. There's 8,000 yuan here."

Shi Tingyu took the savings book without pretense and was shocked by the amount.

Given that their family had saved money through the combined efforts of three working adults with high salaries, Lu Weiguo's savings were impressive. With a monthly salary of 101 yuan, even accounting for promotions, it was remarkable he had saved this much.

They hadn't discussed the dowry or the marriage preparations. Shi's parents had given their daughter all their possessions, leaving her to manage.

Lu Weiguo had noted the customs and was prepared. He didn't understand all the traditional wedding practices but was determined not to let Shi Tingyu lack anything.

"Do you have time later? The housing for military families and the marriage report have been processed. I'll take you to see the house, and we can buy anything you need."

Shi Tingyu's eyes brightened at the mention of the new house.

"What kind of house did you apply for?"

"A two-bedroom apartment with a small yard," Lu Weiguo said, adding, "We could have had an apartment in a high-rise, but it would take longer."

Shi Tingyu was delighted. "A small yard is perfect. It's spacious, we can grow some vegetables, and we won't have to share a bathroom or have a cramped kitchen in a corridor. It's much better."

Modern high-rise buildings often had narrow kitchens and shared bathrooms, which made living conditions less comfortable.

Lu Weiguo's worry eased seeing her satisfaction. He had feared she might prefer high-rise apartments like other military wives.

The two then set off to visit the military family housing.

The research institute's family housing was not far from the military camp's family quarters. Since Shi Father worked at the weapons research institute, which was part of the Jinling Military District, the family quarters were nearby.

It took them about twenty minutes to walk there.