Fei Ni pointed to the enamel basins under the bed: “These two basins are yours.” The basins were stacked together – the bottom one was what Fang Muyang had used before, and the white enamel basin on top was new, one Fei Ni had bought for him. Inside were a new enamel toothbrush holder, toothpaste, towel, and soap.

Next to the basins was a pair of new black foam slippers. Fei Ni told Fang Muyang that she had bought these things with the money he had left her before leaving, using industrial coupons she had saved up. After buying these items, there weren’t enough coupons left to buy cookware, but she didn’t need those anyway.

Fei Ni told Fang Muyang that if he got any industrial coupons in the future, he should repay her first. She only received two industrial coupons per month.

Fang Muyang agreed.

Fei Ni added that he could repay her anytime – there was no rush.

Of the two thermos flasks her second sister had given her, Fei Ni gave one to Fang Muyang.

“I made you pajamas – they’re under your pillow.”

She had used the leftover blue and white checkered fabric from making the quilt cover and sheets to make him pajamas. She knew that sharing a room, she would be the one feeling awkward if he wandered around without proper sleepwear.

Fang Muyang pulled back the bed curtain and moved the pillow to find a neatly folded set of blue and white checkered pajamas. The quilt and sheets had the fresh smell of having been sun-dried, probably just in the last couple of days.

Besides the pajamas, there was also a fleece shirt and a sweater that Fei Ni had bought for him.

“Did you spend all the money I gave you on me?” At the training center, he had no salary, only a limited monthly allowance that was far less than what Fei Ni earned as a formal worker with several years of seniority. He knew the money wouldn’t last long. Not only had he contributed nothing to their home, but he had also used up many of Fei Ni’s industrial coupons.

Fei Ni replied, “It’s your money – who else would I spend it on? Besides, I haven’t used it all up.” Privately, she thought, who told you to come with nothing? She would have liked to spend Fang Muyang’s money on decorating their new home, but she could hardly buy carpets with his money when he didn’t even have a decent towel. His travel bag had been so flat, probably containing almost nothing. Now the weather was getting colder, and he naturally needed clothes. Even if he didn’t mind wearing his current outfit despite its condition, he couldn’t wear it into winter. There would be many more expenses to come. In short, his limited funds could only be spent on his necessities. Fortunately, he could earn some extra money from his illustrations; otherwise, she might have had to lend him her own money.

From Fei Ni’s expression, Fang Muyang could tell that very little of his previous money remained.

Fei Ni had indeed married him for the house, and besides the house, she had gained nothing else. It was hard to say whether she had come out ahead or behind in this arrangement.

Fang Muyang decided to ensure Fei Ni wouldn’t lose out so much in the future.

His fingers traced the ginger-yellow quilt on the bed, admiring the stitching while imagining her making it.

Fang Muyang was self-aware: “Since I can’t contribute much financially for now, I can at least contribute physical labor. Whatever needs to be done around the house, just tell me directly.”

Fei Ni agreed, though there wasn’t much physical work to be done in their home, since they ate at the cafeteria and didn’t even need to buy rice or flour. However, making furniture could count as physical labor.

Since the room had no private bathroom, they had to use the communal washroom.

Fang Muyang finished his ablutions quickly. He was used to taking cold showers daily, but having bathed at the bathhouse today, he only washed his face, brushed his teeth, and rinsed his feet.

Fei Ni was different from Fang Muyang. The factory bathhouse was only open three days a week, and when she couldn’t bathe there, she would give herself a simple wash in her room. To avoid Fang Muyang during her wash, she specifically asked him to thoroughly clean his travel bag and its contents.

Just as Fei Ni was about to button up, she heard someone pushing at the door. She had locked it before washing it, thinking that Fang Muyang would take some time with his several items to wash, but hadn’t expected him to finish so quickly.

“Wait a moment.”

In her haste, she forgot to dry her hands and tried to button up with wet hands. By the time she realized it, her clothes already showed finger marks. She wiped her hands and hurriedly fastened the buttons.

Fang Muyang didn’t ask why Fei Ni took so long to open the door – one look at her shirt told him everything. Her shirt buttons were misaligned, and her face was slightly flushed.

“Why did you finish so quickly? Did you clean everything properly?”

Fang Muyang apologized promptly: “I was wrong. I should have come back later.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I understand. If you want me to come back later, you can just tell me directly. Even if I’ve finished washing things, I can take a walk downstairs.” Fang Muyang showed great understanding, “Next time, just tell me how long you want me to stay out, and I won’t return a minute early. In your house, you can ask me to do anything – if I don’t listen, you can throw me out anytime.”

He said this while looking straight into her eyes, appearing very sincere, making Fei Ni somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze.

Fei Ni replied politely: “Although it’s my house, you have the right to use it too. When you say it like that, it sounds…” Like she was exploiting him.

But Fang Muyang disagreed: “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even have a bed. I can’t guarantee anything else, but in this small house, everything is up to you. Don’t feel awkward about telling me what to do. If you want me to leave, you don’t even need to give me a reason.”

Though he said this, his feet didn’t move. He smiled and pointed at the buttons on his shirt. His eyes fell on Fei Ni’s misaligned buttons – hers were much smaller than his fingernails. Fang Muyang noticed that the mole on her collarbone appeared redder from the water.

Fei Ni didn’t understand at first, and Fang Muyang smiled, saying, “Your buttons are misaligned. But it doesn’t matter since we’re going to sleep anyway.”

Fei Ni looked down at her shirt and saw that they were indeed wrong. She reached to undo the first button but suddenly remembered Fang Muyang’s presence and turned her back to him.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. What should have been a simple matter became more flustering with each mistake, and by the time she had properly buttoned up, Fei Ni’s face was completely red.

“Do you need help?”

“I’m done.” She wasn’t that helpless.

Seeing she had finished with the buttons, Fang Muyang went to open the door.

It was their neighbor Wang Xiaoman, coming to borrow iodine.

“You must be Xiao Fei’s husband,” Wang Xiaoman smiled and introduced herself, “I’m your neighbor. Fei Ni’s brother works in our publicity department.”

Fang Muyang immediately understood – this was the person who had received the television voucher he had obtained. He smiled politely.

Wang Xiaoman only needed a few glances to notice the hole in Fang Muyang’s pants, immediately concluding that his workplace and position couldn’t be very prestigious. Yet these worn clothes didn’t make him appear shabby; like the man himself, they carried a certain dignity.

Fang Muyang had never minded being scrutinized. It was Wang Xiaoman who became uncomfortable looking at him directly after a few glances – after all, he was a young man, and not bad-looking. Although Wang Xiaoman generally disliked Fei Ni, she had to honestly acknowledge Fei Ni’s good qualities and felt that Fei Ni had married beneath herself with this man. A woman’s face should correspond to a man’s career, and besides, this man’s face wasn’t particularly appealing – few leaders would consider it a trustworthy, reliable face. His only advantage seemed to be his height.

Fei Ni found the iodine and gave it to Wang Xiaoman, who accepted it while her eyes darted between Fei Ni’s face and shirt. She smiled and said, “Did I interrupt something? If I’d known, I would have borrowed from someone else. You two carry on – I’ll leave now.”

After Wang Xiaoman left, Fei Ni went to empty the basin of water, but Fang Muyang stopped her, “Let me do it.”

“I can do it myself.”

“If you go out, others might misunderstand again.”

“Misunderstand what?”

“Didn’t our neighbor just misunderstand? I don’t mind, but I worry you might feel embarrassed.”

“What did she misunder…” Fei Ni finally caught the implications in Wang Xiaoman’s words.

Fang Muyang consoled her: “We’re married – what she thinks doesn’t affect us. It would be more troublesome if she knew we sleep in separate beds.”

“She can think whatever she wants. Besides, how would anyone but us know?”

“You’re so clever – outsiders certainly won’t notice.”

Fei Ni suspected he was being sarcastic but didn’t respond.

Seeing Fang Muyang go to the washroom to empty the water, Wang Xiaoman closed her door and complained to her husband: “Fei Ni’s husband just got back and he’s already waiting on his wife, helping her bathe and emptying water. You won’t even let me pour your foot-washing water – you should learn from him.”

“A man acts that way only when he has no ability. If he didn’t do such things, who would marry him? Don’t compare me to men like that.”

“You have the ability? If you’re so capable, why are we still neighbors with them? Why are we living in the same kind of housing?”

“Look at the size of your house compared to theirs. Didn’t you just say the other day how shabby their place was? Now you’re envious? If you had married someone like him, you’d only regret it now.”

Fei Ni didn’t know that Fang Muyang’s return had sparked a small argument next door. His breathing kept her awake, so she had to wear headphones and listen to the radio, finally falling asleep late at night.

When she woke up and poked her head out from behind the curtain, Fang Muyang was already dressed and sitting on her camphor wood chest, pen in hand, drawing something.

Fang Muyang saw her too, “It’s still early, go back to sleep.”

“Don’t you think that’s not very convincing?”

Fei Ni closed the curtain again, and by the time she came down dressed, Fang Muyang was already cooking noodles on the alcohol stove.

When Fei Ni returned from washing up, Fang Muyang asked her, “Where are our bowls?”

“We don’t have any bowls yet. Don’t you have your lunch box?”

The noodles ended up being served in two aluminum lunch boxes, with half an egg each.

Fei Ni sat on the camphor wood chest, using the sewing machine as a table, eating the plain noodle soup Fang Muyang had made.

Fang Muyang asked Fei Ni, “How did I do with the eggs?”

“Very well.”