"That's our regimental commander's wife! Pretty, isn't she?"
"But let me tell you, our regimental commander's wife isn't just pretty—she's talented at a lot of things."
As they were talking, a sharp-eyed young soldier noticed Jiang Si taking the driver's seat of the jeep.
Soon after, the jeep started up.
Watching the dust kicked up behind the vehicle, the soldiers inside were left utterly stunned.
"She's driving! She actually knows how to drive!"
"I told you, our regimental commander's wife can do a lot!"
"Driving is nothing—she also paints beautifully and plays chess, all kinds of chess."
As for what else could or couldn't be said, He Ping kept his lips tightly sealed.
While everyone else was cheering excitedly, Su Wanwan, sitting in the back row, remained silent.
Glancing in the direction the jeep had gone, she sneered inwardly.
She couldn't wait to see whether these two would still be smiling after that matter came to light!
Unaware of what had happened on the transport vehicle, Jiang Si was already nearing the provincial department store, ready for a shopping spree!
There was no helping it—the house they’d been assigned was just an empty shell.
Well, not entirely. Since Huo Tingzhou was a full regimental commander, according to the military’s current furniture allocation policy, they could claim some items with their marriage certificate.
They were entitled to:
1–3 drawer desks, 1 dining table, 2–6 wooden chairs, 2–6 square stools, 1 double bed, 1 single bed, and 1 bookshelf.
They could choose either a cupboard or a bedside table, but only one of each.
These were all the items they could get, though most were secondhand.
A joke had once spread through the military housing complex because of these old furnishings—a newlywed couple’s double bed had collapsed in the middle of the night!
The wife was so embarrassed she didn’t leave the house for months.
Knowing Jiang Si wouldn’t be comfortable using someone else’s furniture, Huo Tingzhou decided it was better to buy everything new.
Jiang Si agreed, but large furniture items required ration coupons at the time.
Most couples opted to hire carpenters—cheaper and coupon-free, though the wait could be long.
For a full set, it would take at least a month.
"Do we have enough coupons? If not, we can buy fewer items now and get the rest later when we’ve saved up."
"Should be enough for the big pieces."
"Where did you get so many coupons?" Jiang Si was surprised.
This man was like a treasure chest—whatever she needed, he seemed to have it.
Huo Tingzhou rubbed his nose, slightly awkward.
"Some I borrowed, some I traded for with other coupons, and some I’ve saved over the years."
Truthfully, he hadn’t been sure whether or when they’d marry, but he’d prepared in advance.
That way, if she ever turned back to him, he wouldn’t be empty-handed.
"Let’s go, we’ll check the furniture on the third floor first."
"Mm."
Since Huo Tingzhou had scouted the store the day before, selecting furniture went quickly.
It also helped that styles were fairly uniform at the time.
After asking about the layout and size of their assigned house, Jiang Si settled on two double beds—one for each of the two downstairs bedrooms.
The smaller attic room would get a single bed.
Each bed came with two bedside tables; she often drank water at night and needed somewhere to place things.
For the wardrobe, she chose a five-door one—her clothes wouldn’t fit in a three-door!
Thankfully, Qiongzhou Island winters didn’t require thick quilts, or even the five-door might not suffice.
She picked out a vanity with a mirror—with all the face cream she’d bought, she needed storage space.
The chest of drawers she selected had two small compartments on top for sewing supplies and five larger drawers below for undergarments, scarves, and hats.
One chest felt insufficient, so with coupons to spare, she bought two.
Placed side by side, they’d perfectly support a large camphorwood trunk.
The living room was rectangular, so she chose a square dining table with six chairs, plus four benches for extra seating.
Jiang Si hesitated over whether to buy a sofa and coffee table.
Huo Tingzhou reassured her, "Get them. It’s fine."
Reading her concern, he added, "Division and corps-level officers have sofas provided, and many regimental commanders buy their own. We can too."
"Alright then."
She nodded, selecting a three-seater sofa with two armchairs and a simple solid wood coffee table.
Next came two three-drawer desks, a writing desk, a cupboard, a shoe cabinet, a coat rack, a washstand, and a small kitchen table—one of each.
Jiang Si clapped her hands. "That should cover it. Could you tally it up, please?"
"Y-you want all of these?"
The salesclerk was dumbfounded. Most well-off couples bought the "72-leg" furniture set at most for weddings.
This woman was getting two sets’ worth!
Jiang Si confirmed—did she look like she was here to play games?
After a flurry of abacus calculations, the clerk arrived at a staggering total.
Huo Tingzhou confirmed the pickup time and promptly paid at the cashier.
Next, they headed to the "Four Big Items" section for weddings.
On the way, Jiang Si had told him she only needed a bicycle—she either had the rest or didn’t need them.
Huo Tingzhou obliged, spending 158 yuan and a bicycle coupon on a Phoenix-brand 26-inch semi-chain bicycle.
When he moved toward the textiles counter, Jiang Si stopped him.
"No need for bedsheets, quilts, or pillows."
"Third Uncle already mailed all my things—they should arrive in a couple of days."
As for the pots, pans, and appliances in her secret stash, she wouldn’t bring those out.
Those were technically "lost" items from the Jiang family, and she wasn’t risking trouble over them.
Huo Tingzhou suggested, "Then how about tailoring two new outfits for you?"
Weddings called for new clothes.
Jiang Si almost retorted—Do I not have enough clothes already?
But then she thought, Why not?
They spent the entire morning shopping until even their scalps tingled with exhaustion.
"Think we’ve got everything?" Jiang Si asked.
Huo Tingzhou pulled out a notebook and flipped through it.
"Just some small items left—we can get those at the military commissary back home."
Jiang Si slumped into a "Ge You lying down" position, then suddenly sat back up.
"Hey, we’ve been shopping so openly—have you even told your family about our marriage—"
