The first thing Lu Heng did upon returning to Beijing was to file his marriage application.
While the application was being processed, Lu Heng took Qiao Qingqing to the department store to purchase everything they would need for their marriage. The department stores in the big city were truly different—they had everything! Qiao Qingqing used up all the vouchers she had pilfered from the Shi family, yet there were still items she couldn’t find. Fortunately, Lu Heng’s pockets were well-stocked with money and vouchers.
After a massive shopping spree, the two of them didn't return home until dusk. They came back with a cart overflowing with supplies: furniture, a sewing machine, a bicycle, and piles of various fabrics. They even bought two wristwatches, one for a man and one for a woman.
Qiao Qingqing knew she was buying too much at once. If the Lu family hadn't been destined for ruin, or if she didn't possess a spatial dimension, she wouldn't have purchased so much. But since she and the Lu family would be spending the next ten years in Heyu Village, they had to have their supplies fully prepared. The Supply and Marketing Cooperatives in the county and the towns were simply no match for the department stores in Beijing, which offered an abundance of everything. The clerks there were also well-informed, so even though she bought a mountain of goods, it didn't draw any unwanted attention.
When Shi Meiyun saw the cartload of items they brought back, she was stunned for a long time.
"Why did you buy so much? We already have many of these things at home. Even if you needed them, you should have waited until you got to the base and applied for family housing." Shi Meiyun looked at her son with a hint of reproach, feeling that he didn't know how to manage a household.
Lu Heng didn't intend to explain, but Qiao Qingqing coughed slightly. "Actually, Auntie, it was my idea to buy these."
Shi Meiyun paused, then suddenly looked at the wardrobe on the cart and praised it: "This style is lovely, and it even has a mirror on it—that’s quite rare."
She immediately turned to Qiao Qingqing and said, "It’s fine, don't worry about it. Even if you go to the base, that place is remote, and it won't be easy for you to buy things. It's good to buy them now and just transport them there later."
Lu Heng wanted to remind his mother that transporting goods such a long distance would be far more troublesome than just buying them near the base. Qiao Qingqing had the foresight, and though Mother Lu didn't know the truth, she still didn't blame her. This made Qiao Qingqing like her even more.
Over the next few days, Qiao Qingqing dedicated herself to converting all the money and vouchers she had into supplies. Even Lu Heng’s savings were snatched up by her. Seeing her daughter-in-law so keen on shopping, Shi Meiyun—though not entirely in agreement—thought of how the child had been abused in the past, never fed or clothed properly, and forced to serve the Shi family at such a young age. Her heart softened completely. Consequently, Shi Meiyun handed over the money and vouchers she had saved for years.
When Qiao Qingqing received that thick stack of currency and vouchers, her cold, hardened heart was warmed once again. She couldn't help but ask Mother Lu, "Auntie, why are you so good to me?"
Shi Meiyun said without a second thought, "You are my daughter-in-law; if I’m not good to you, who would I be good to? Besides, more than half of these funds were given to me by Lu Heng in the past, so it is only right that I give them to you."
She had been a daughter-in-law once herself. Back then, the Old Madam had treated her like her own daughter, so she had never suffered the slightest grievance after marrying into the Lu family. Even though she only gave birth to Lu Heng, neither the elder nor the Old Madam had ever complained about her or spoken a single harsh word. Now that she was a mother-in-law herself, she wanted her daughter-in-law to be as carefree and happy as she had been in the Lu family.
"You suffered so much at the Shi family. They wouldn't even let you eat your fill, so it’s understandable you couldn't get any money or vouchers to buy things. It’s only natural that you can't control yourself now," Shi Meiyun said with great open-mindedness.
Qiao Qingqing felt warmth in her heart. Although it was a misunderstanding, it truly allowed her to experience what it felt like to be cherished. In that moment, she envied Shi Lanlan from her past life. To be able to marry into the Lu family and have such a wonderful mother-in-law—even if they were to be sent to a cattle shed, it would be a fate she could accept with joy.
Under normal circumstances, Qiao Qingqing would never have taken the money from Mother Lu. However, these were special times; the Lu family was about to fall, and once they left, they would be gone for ten years. Money and vouchers would be useless, so she had to turn them all into supplies. Therefore, she did not decline and went on another massive shopping spree with the funds.
The items they bought were temporarily stored in the warehouse in the backyard, and when that was full, they were piled up in the yard until it was brimming. Seeing this, Lu Heng broke into a cold sweat. With this much stuff, he feared he might have to hire an entire train to get it to the base. He regretted not stopping Qiao Qingqing during her frantic shopping. Primarily, they weren't very close, and given her unique experiences, he worried that if he stood in her way, it would lead to misunderstandings in her sensitive heart. Furthermore, whenever Qiao Qingqing said she wanted to buy something, her aura became intimidatingly strong. Lu Heng wasn't good at dealing with women, and the Lu family had a tradition of cherishing their wives, so he could only indulge her in silence.
Just as Lu Heng was secretly calculating how to subtly remind Comrade Qiao Qingqing that they would be destitute if they kept buying things... Lu Heng’s marriage application was approved! The report had taken five days to process, and his fiancée had spent those five days in a shopping frenzy. Lu Heng felt quite helpless.
The next day, the two of them took the necessary documents to register their marriage. Nowadays, weddings were simple and did not require elaborate ceremonies. However, since they were getting married, they felt they at least needed a wedding photo. Thus, Lu Heng wore his military uniform, and Qiao Qingqing wore a set of clean, brand-new clothes. They stood side-by-side in front of the lens and had their first black-and-white portrait taken. Qiao Qingqing asked for two copies, so they would each have one.
Afterward, they went to the relevant office. Lu Heng’s direct superior was at the base, but their division commander happened to be in Beijing. So, Qiao Qingqing followed Lu Heng to meet this high-ranking leader.
Just as they reached the entrance, they saw a middle-aged man, about the same age as Father Lu, walking out in a hurry. Lu Heng’s expression sharpened. He quickened his pace, stepped forward, and gave a standard military salute. "Greetings, Commander!"
Qiao Qingqing was startled. Was this the high-ranking leader they were looking for? She hurriedly followed and gave a somewhat unpolished military salute as well.
The leader glanced at Lu Heng, clearly recognizing him. "Comrade Lu Heng, I have an urgent matter to attend to and must leave immediately. Can your signing wait until tomorrow?"
Lu Heng naturally had no objections, and the two watched as the leader got into his car and drove away. At that moment, Qiao Qingqing’s brow furrowed tightly as she frantically searched her memories of her past life. Suddenly, her face changed slightly. A dark glint passed through her eyes, and she began walking toward the steps below.
"Oh!"
A sharp cry of pain rang out behind her. Lu Heng turned around in an instant, his instincts on high alert.
Qiao Qingqing was sitting on the ground in a disheveled heap, one hand clutching her right ankle. As she looked up and met his gaze, she offered a bitter smile: "Comrade Lu Heng, I’ve sprained my ankle. Could you take me to the hospital to get it checked?"
Qiao Qingqing was doing this on purpose.