Fei Ni couldn’t bear to listen anymore. “Can’t you say something proper?”

“Do we need to be so formal in our own home? What’s next, wearing shoes to bed? You don’t need to be so reserved when talking to me.”

Fei Ni felt embarrassed on his behalf. “But you can’t just say everything that comes to mind.”

Fang Muyang grinned at her. “What exactly did I say?”

Fei Ni couldn’t bring herself to repeat his words, so she just continued her knitting, ignoring him.

The entire bed was surrounded by quilts, and although it was autumn, it felt stifling. Fei Ni had just drunk the hot milk powder Fang Muyang made for her, and she was warm from head to toe. Wearing only a single layer, she sat knitting thermal pants for Fang Muyang, while he sat beside her drawing something.

Fei Ni was uncomfortably hot, and even the music from the radio couldn’t calm her, despite its soothing melody.

She thought that Fang Muyang, who usually didn’t fear the cold, must be sensitive to heat, so he was probably even hotter than she was.

Just as she was about to suggest taking down the quilts, Fang Muyang said to her, “This is the low cabinet we’re going to make. See if there’s anything you’re not satisfied with.”

Just as Fei Ni had expected, she said it looked fine.

“Then I’ll build it according to this design.” Fang Muyang patted her back. “Stop knitting. If you want to keep listening to the radio, just lie down here for a while. I’ll go downstairs to look at the materials for the cabinet. I won’t take up your space.”

“Weren’t we going to build it on Sunday?”

Fang Muyang smiled at her. “Some people at our training center heard I married a wife who’s both talented and beautiful, and they want to come see you. I’d love to show them how lucky I am to have married you, but we can’t have them standing around – we need to make at least two stools for them to sit on. If we only work on Sunday, winter will arrive before the stools are finished.” They only had two chairs at home, and any additional visitors would have to sit on the camphor wood chest.

“Talented and beautiful? You know how to flatter me.”

“That’s not logical – I don’t work at your hat factory, so how could I put a hat on you?” Fang Muyang stood up and pinched her cheek. “You’re tired too, get some rest.”

“I’m not sleepy. Take down these hanging quilts – I won’t listen to the radio anymore.” The weather was getting so cold, and Fang Muyang was still wearing just a single layer of pants. She needed to finish knitting the other leg quickly so he could wear them soon.

Fang Muyang wiped the sweat from her forehead. “It is quite hot. Let’s listen tomorrow – I’ll bring you new earphones then.”

The next day, Fang Muyang indeed bought Fei Ni a pair of earphones, so she could listen to the radio without being smothered by quilts. With no eggs left at home, Fang Muyang went to the early morning market and bought two jin of farm-fresh eggs from a farmer who had come in from the distant suburbs, continuing to make steamed egg custard for Fei Ni.

Since eggs had been rationed, Fei Ni had never eaten so many eggs in such a short time.

Her coworkers said her face had become a bit rounder after marriage, taking this as evidence of her marital happiness.

If marital happiness were to be judged by post-wedding weight changes, then Fang Muyang must be unhappy, as he was thinner than before the wedding. In these days since his return, despite Fei Ni’s persistent efforts, although Fang Muyang had gained a few jin, he still couldn’t compare to his pre-marriage weight.

Fei Ni decided to make sure Fang Muyang ate better.

Early Monday morning, Fei Ni told Fang Muyang to come home early, saying she had something important she needed his help with.

Fang Muyang asked Fei Ni if that matter was finished.

Fei Ni was immediately alert: “Why are you asking about that?”

“If we don’t eat crab this year, we’ll miss the season. Crab is cooling in nature – if you haven’t finished, I’ll wait a while before buying any.”

Fei Ni said, “Let’s buy crabs in a few days.”

When Fang Muyang returned that evening, he discovered that the important task Fei Ni needed help with was slicing pork. She asked him to slice it very thin. Having worked as a carpenter, Fang Muyang’s knife skills weren’t bad – every slice met with Fei Ni’s approval.

The sesame paste, fermented tofu, braised shrimp oil, potatoes, and cabbage had all been prepared on Sunday; only the pork was freshly bought. Fei Ni had wanted to buy beef or lamb, but they were too hard to find, so she had to make do with pork.

She prepared the dipping sauce and asked Fang Muyang to light the alcohol stove and bring the pot to a boil. She didn’t dare light the stove herself.

When the pork slices were cooked, Fei Ni scooped them out and placed them in Fang Muyang’s bowl, telling him that she didn’t like pork and preferred the potato slices and cabbage.

“Are you a rabbit? Why do you only eat vegetables?” Fang Muyang laughed as he scooped the meat from the pot into Fei Ni’s bowl.

Fei Ni was a bit annoyed. “Didn’t I tell you? I’ll take what I want to eat.”

“Then why do you keep serving me?”

Just as they were talking, someone knocked on the door. Fei Ni immediately stopped speaking and quickly surveyed the room, her first reaction being to check the pillows on the bed. Following Fang Muyang’s suggestion, she had brought her pillow down during the day and placed it with his.

Fang Muyang steadied her shoulders, telling her to continue eating while he went to answer the door.

The visitors were Deputy Director Chen from the street committee and a young woman. On Fei Ni’s floor, there was a woman who had had a second child without waiting for the required four-year interval after her first birth. Director Chen believed this showed inadequate family planning education and felt it necessary to personally visit to spread awareness.