The door was pushed open from the outside. The entrant was dressed in a military-green uniform, standing tall and strong, vigorous and upright. His healthy wheat-colored skin, cold and firm face with clear angles, a pair of sharp eagle-like eyes, bright and spirited. The cold aura around him froze Xu Zhaodi like a wax figure.

Xu Zhaodi was struck still, at a loss for what to say.

This level of attractiveness, it falls perfectly into her aesthetic.

The spectacle before her was leagues beyond the pretty-boy naive youth she was used to seeing.

Who knows what the previous tenant was thinking, getting hung up on just one person?

However, she wasn't going to fall for him just because he was handsome the first time they met or put herself out there for his favor.

At this point, proposing a divorce was impractical. In an era where even taking a step forward was difficult without an introduction letter and certification, all she could do was find a place for herself to settle down.

More importantly, how was she going to tide over the difficult times, improve her current living conditions, and not have every meal filled with worry?

Chen Jianguo looked at Xu Zhaodi, her hair soft and glossy down to her waist, with a puzzled and frowning gaze.

It wasn't right!

This was far from normal!

The entire living room was completely changed. The messy garbage piled up in the corner was gone and even the previous odd smell was no more. The moment he opened the door, he was greeted by a faint scent of laundry detergent.

The person in front of him no longer appeared disheveled, her clothes neat and clean. Her greasy, filthy hair was now smooth, and her double-chinned face seemed fairer than before.

Seeing such a clean room was a first-ever experience since they moved into this small house.

Was it because of what happened during the day, that she was afraid and decided to pull back from the brink for the time being?

Is she trying to make amends with him, only to go back to that sent-down youth again?

A bad premonition washed over Chen Jianguo's heart, as they shared a glance.

Xu Zhaodi felt somewhat awkward, her hands and feet don’t know where to put, for a moment, she was at a loss for words.

Chen Jianguo cast a nonchalant glance at Xu Zhaodi, directly walked towards the kitchen, upon seeing the vegetable basket in the corner and the cleaned kerosene stove, he was rather puzzled.

Is she planning to have a meal with him?

Looking at the man standing at the kitchen door with his back facing her, Xu Zhaodi was momentarily stunned.

How should she initiate the conversation?

Just when Xu Zhaodi didn’t know what to do, Chen Jianguo, unusually, initiated a conversation,"I'm going to make corn dumpling soup, do you want to eat?"

The tone was as cold as ever.

Xu Zhaodi was taken aback, her mind in a mess for a moment.

She paused then said, "Yes."

A few minutes later, the sound of sizzling cooking came from the kitchen.

Following that, the living room was filled with the sweet scent of cabbage.

Taking advantage of this moment, Xu Zhaodi retreated to her room and wiped her wardrobe from the inside out until it was spotlessly clean, until the smell of the kerosene was no longer noticeable.

The cabinet still needed to be aired out for a few days before she could put clothes in it, otherwise, the smell would reemerge.

Chen Jianguo placed two bowls of corn dumpling soup on the living room's dining table, where there was also a Western porcelain pot containing half a pot of corn dumpling soup. On the other side was a plate of fried bok choy interlaced with a few strips of red hot pepper.

The two sat upright in front of the dining table, neither making a move to pick up their chopsticks.

This was the first time Chen Jianguo had carefully examined Xu Zhaodi. Before, she would never spend extra time looking at him, whenever she opened her mouth, it was full of cursing, and she was rude and uncivilized.

Now, the person in front of him was quiet, the pair of eyes that used to be full of maliciousness were clearly defined, clean and clear, it's as if she had become a whole new person.

Chen Jianguo became aware of the change in his mind, but he still said coldly, "Eat, let's talk after you finish eating."

Talk?

These two words made Xu Zhaodi's heart rise to her throat.

It wasn't that she was scared, after all, in this era, marrying a soldier would at least make sure she could eat.

It wasn't that she was incapable, but doing business in this era was also difficult.

Whoever was poor was considered honorable, even if they had good business ideas, they dare not blatantly go about it.

Xu Zhaodi was very hungry, her mind was in a mess and she didn't know what he wanted to talk about, the chopsticks were in her hand, and swallowing the corn dumpling soup really choked her.

Who says that anything tastes good when you are hungry enough?

Used to eating all kinds of delicacies, now she's so hungry that her back and chest felt glued together, this corn dumpling soup was also hard to swallow.

The usually strong Little Xu was unable to hold back her tears.

But she knew, she couldn't cry.

Being able to relive a lifetime is a divine gift. She must learn to treasure this opportunity and live her life to the fullest.

Xu Zhaodi holds her chopsticks, eating at a leisurely pace, which even appears a tad elegant.

Chen Jianguo looks utterly bewildered. Has she had a startling revelation or undergone a personality change?

Normally, she devours her food like a ravenous wolf, smacking her lips so loudly in her room that one can hear it clearly. Why is she so composed today?

The atmosphere at the dining table is a bit eerie. Xu Zhaodi quietly eats her meal with her head lowered, yet she can't shake off the feeling that Chen Jianguo is fixated on her.

A growing sense of unease wells up within Xu Zhaodi.

She slowly raises her head, only to see the person opposite her sitting upright, chomping down on his bowl of cornmeal soup heartily.

It is clearly bland, but the manner in which he voraciously eats gives one the impression that his bowl is filled with finely-grained rice mixed with meat.

If it were not for the fact that they were both eating the same food, Xu Zhaodi might believe it to be true.

After finishing two bowls of cornmeal soup, half a plate of cabbage also disappears into Chen Jianguo's stomach.

When he eats the cabbage, he only eats from his side of the plate. Once finished, a clear boundary is left on the plate, the rest of the cabbage remaining intact and neat, as though a knife has sliced it down the middle.

From this, it can be seen that this man possesses good manners and respects his dining partner.

After he finishes eating, he continues to sit opposite Xu Zhaodi, watching her.

Cold sweat forms in Xu Zhaodi's heart; how can she continue eating under such circumstances?

However, in order to fill her stomach, she grits her teeth and manages to finish a bowl of cornmeal soup, takes a few bites of cabbage, then sets her chopsticks aside.

Chen Jianguo spotted a bowl of dough soup in the foreign porcelain basin and reminded, "There's still some left in the basin."

"I've had enough, I'm full."

Chen Jianguo's eyelid twitched uneasily. Normally, she could eat a lot more than he could. The coarse grain steamed bread brought back from the canteen weighed half a jin each, yet she was able to devour three in one meal.

What was going on today?

Had the sun started rising from the west?

Well, he decided to not mention any of that.

In the spirit of being responsible to both parties, Chen Jianguo cut straight to the chase, "Do you plan to divorce me and then follow him, or are you going to dishonorably sneak away and return to him?"

Xu Zhaodi briefly lost herself, failing to process the implication of his words. The color in his pupil instantly turned cold, a hint of scorn played on his lips, followed by, "If you plan to divorce, let's go back together the next time we visit our hometown. I'll explain everything in front of villagers. It's for the best for both of us."

You should know, in this day and age, divorcing without good reason would lead to being drowned in public critiques.

And even more so for Xu Zhaodi, who openly courted the educated youth.

Totally unexpected. They'd been married for half a year and she was already considering cuckolding him.

Indeed, if one's heart isn't all in, marriage is merely a sham.