The Big Iron Pot

"Sui Sui, are you not used to living here alone? Why don't you go back to the dorm and live with us?"

Xu Sui was making the bed and didn't take the matter to heart.

"It's alright, let them look. They have eyes on other people's bodies, we can't expect them not to look."

"Anyway, it doesn't affect me much, so let them be."

It's nothing more than the gossip about her. If it's false, she can't stand being treated like this.

Unfortunately, those rumors were true, so I could only ignore them and let them fade away over time.

Du Yue and Qiu Ju both looked at them with admiration.

If it were them, they really couldn't stand it and would never want to live in a place like that.

But speaking of which...

Apart from the slightly outdated furniture, Sui Sui's house is quite nice. It's just the two of them living there, and the two-bedroom apartment is about 30 to 40 square meters, which is quite spacious.

If only they could marry a military officer in the future and be allocated such a spacious and nice house.

Of course, the size and quality of the house allocated mainly depended on the rank of Political Commissar Qin, and not everyone was as lucky as Sui Sui.

……

In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed.

Qin Yunzhou's condition has stabilized and he is ready to be discharged from the hospital.

Based on his identity, the military used their connections to buy him and Xu Sui two adjacent sleeper tickets.

They even sent someone to drive them to the train station.

It's a train ticket for tomorrow noon.

Qin Yunzhou has returned to the family compound from the hospital. This is the first time he has spent the night here, and it is also the first time he has slept in the same bed with Xu Sui while he is sober.

The dim yellow light was rather dim, barely illuminating the room.

The only thing in the whole room that was brand new inside and out was the bed; all the other tables, chairs, and cabinets were old and worn with peeling paint.

However, everything inside was very clean, and it was clear that it had been carefully cleaned.

Qin Yunzhou sat on the bed, watching Xu Sui bustling in and out, carrying water and basins, and couldn't help but look at her.

The air is hot and dry on summer nights.

She wore a simple black long dress with a simple white shirt, and her hair was tied up with a chopstick, revealing her bright and beautiful face, like a pretty pink rose.

The wooden chopsticks stuck in her jet-black hair looked like a hairpin at first glance.

A simple outfit is enough to attract the attention of many people in the corridor of the tenement building.

Qin Yunzhou has excellent hearing; even sitting indoors, he can hear the neighbors talking in the hallway.

Some people made sarcastic remarks about Xu Sui's outfit and said it to her face.

Xu Sui didn't tolerate it at all, shutting the other party down with a few words, leaving them speechless.

Some people even asked him if he had broken his leg and was leaving the army.

Xu Sui also got into an argument with some people in order to defend him.

She's a fierce arguer; even some tough older women can't out-argue her and are quickly driven away by her arguments.

Qin Yunzhou could hear most of the commotion outside. This was the first time that someone other than his comrades-in-arms had stood up for him, spoken up for him, and argued with others on his behalf.

He couldn't quite describe how he felt, but he felt that Xu Sui was no longer the selfish, cold-hearted, and heartless Xu Sui she used to be.

She became vibrant and beautiful, attracting everyone's attention.

At this time.

The water is finally boiled.

Xu Sui washed herself first, then carried the basin, lifted the curtain, came in, placed it in front of Qin Yunzhou, wrung out the handkerchief, and handed it to him.

"You wash your face first, I'll go and pour the hot water from the stove into the thermos."

The train ticket is for tomorrow at noon, but the military base is still some distance from the train station.

Although the military sent vehicles to take them there, they still had to get up early to prepare some food so they wouldn't be hungry on the train. Of course, there were also boxed meals sold on the train, but those boxed meals were not only expensive, but also tasted mediocre.

It's better to eat at home first and then go.

"Thank you." Qin Yunzhou nodded, took the handkerchief to wash his face, and then slowly moved his legs into the basin to wash his feet.

He can manage to do these simple things on his own, without needing anyone else to help him.

You can't lift the basin to pour water.

He can walk with a cane, but only occasionally; otherwise, it will only have the opposite effect.

"You're welcome, I'm going out now." Xu Sui turned around and carried the thermos to the large kitchen in the middle of the corridor.

This large kitchen is for public use and cannot be occupied indefinitely.

Her hot water was ready and needed to be taken down.

In no time, the thermos was filled with boiling water. Xu Sui put away her large iron pot, picked up the pot in one hand and the thermos in the other, and was about to go back into the house.

Wang, who lived across the street, suddenly called out to her, and she rubbed her hands together apologetically.

"Sui Sui, you're going back to your hometown tomorrow. Do you still want this big iron pot and thermos?"

She has many children and has to send money back to her hometown every month, so life is very difficult. She has just come to join the army and has no money or ration coupons. The family's big iron pot has not been bought yet.

I've been so worried about this that I haven't been able to sleep for several nights.

Someone gave her a suggestion: don't buy it yet. Wait until Xu Sui and Political Commissar Qin's family across the street are going back to their hometown, then ask them. Maybe you can get a nearly brand-new large iron pot at a second-hand price.

She waited and waited, and finally got to speak to Xu Sui alone.

Upon hearing this, Xu Sui knew what these people were up to. More than one person had approached her about this matter openly or secretly over the past few days.

"Look at what you're saying, sister-in-law. Of course I want them. These are all brand new and haven't been used much. I plan to send them all back to my hometown."

Sister-in-law Wang's expression changed, and her voice sharpened, "Send it back?"

"How much would that cost in postage? I remember your hometown is quite far away, right? Such heavy and numerous items, it's more cost-effective to sell them to me for a lower price than to send them there."

"Sui Sui, you are still young. You need to think things through carefully. Being a wife is different from being a young girl. You have to be careful with everything, from firewood and rice to oil and salt, in order to live a good life and be a good wife."

"If you spend money so recklessly, you'll suffer the consequences later. Don't blame your sister-in-law for being rude; she's only doing this for your own good."

Xu Sui said in a serious tone, "I'm sorry, sister-in-law, I don't like hearing you say that."

"My spending money extravagantly is my own private matter and has nothing to do with my sister-in-law."

"Besides, I don't think I'm extravagant with money. These days, it's so hard to buy a big iron pot. You need industrial ration coupons and money. Even your family has been living in the family compound for several months and still can't afford a big iron pot."

"I'm a very frugal person. Sending these things back will cost money, but it will also save me a lot of trouble."

"Besides, I haven't used this big iron pot much. Sister-in-law, you can have it if you want it. I'll give you a discount. Give me thirty yuan and ten industrial coupons."

Upon hearing this, Sister Wang's face turned ugly, and she felt a lump in her throat, her expression instantly darkening.

"Xu Sui, you're robbing me! The supply and marketing cooperative only sells brand new ones for thirty-three yuan and ten industrial coupons. How come your used pot is so expensive? Be careful, or I'll report you for speculation."

"Besides, we're neighbors. Why do you need industrial permits? How about this, give me a discount. I'll give you fifteen yuan, and I won't report you."