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After the wedding, everyone helped decorate the new house and then tactfully dispersed.

Inside the dugout, red candles flickered.

Although the conditions were simple, the decorations included the character for "happiness" and new bedding, making it quite cozy.

Su Ning and Qin Xuemei sat on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to say.

Suning spoke first, "You must be tired after a long day, get some rest."

"Mmm." Qin Xuemei blushed.

The two blew out the candles and lay down.

In the darkness, they could hear each other's breathing.

Qin Xuemei was very nervous.

Although she was already married, this was the first time she had been so close to a man.

Su Ning sensed her nervousness and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," Qin Xuemei said softly.

Su Ning turned around to face Qin Xuemei.

At such close range, one could naturally see her blushing face.

“Xuemei,” Suning said, “from today onwards, you are my wife.”

"Yes." Qin Xuemei nodded.

"Next comes the wedding night. Can you accept that?"

"Ah."

"Xuemei, I promise I will treat you well." Su Ning said earnestly, "Although I may not be able to give you wealth and luxury, I will do my best to make you happy."

“I don’t want wealth and fame,” Qin Xuemei said. “I just want to be with you and plant trees in Saihanba, that’s enough for me.”

Su Ning smiled and reached out to pull her into his arms.

Qin Xuemei's body stiffened for a moment, but she quickly relaxed.

Although Qin Xuemei had no experience, she had heard some things about it.

You know, when girls are together, they also secretly talk about some embarrassing things.

Moreover, this kind of thing is human nature; once you reach a certain age, it's unavoidable to even fantasize about it.

Boys sometimes have embarrassing dreams, and girls sometimes have similar dreams.

Qin Xuemei lay in Su Ning's arms, her face still flushed, but she felt a little uneasy.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke, "Suning..."

"Ok?"

"You...you used to be..." Qin Xuemei didn't know how to ask.

"What is it?" Su Ning was a little confused. Could it be that she hadn't performed well just now?
"You... how could you have so many..." Qin Xuemei's voice grew softer and softer.

Su Ning understood, but couldn't help but smile smugly, "You mean, how would I know these things?"

"Yes." Qin Xuemei nodded.

“It’s innate,” Su Ning said. “Men are born with a natural understanding of these things.”

"Really?" Qin Xuemei was skeptical. "But...but you're too good at it..."

She blushed even more as she recalled what had just happened.

Su Ning hugged her tighter. "Xue Mei, I promise you, you are the first woman I've ever been with in this world."

"Really?" Qin Xuemei looked up at him.

“Really.” Su Ning said with certainty, “When I was fighting in Korea, all I thought about was how to survive and how to win the war. After returning home, I threw myself into my work. I didn’t have time to think about these things, and there were no women around me.”

"Then how did you..."

"It's probably instinct!" Su Ning said. "Besides, I'm thirty-three years old, not some greenhorn. Even if I haven't eaten pork, I've seen pigs run. Besides, some things you don't even need to be taught."

Qin Xuemei thought about it and felt that it made sense.

Su Ning was more than ten years older than her and had experienced the brutal war. On the battlefield, one of the ways to relieve emotions might be chatting. Those married comrades would definitely boast about this kind of thing, so Su Ning definitely knew more than her.

Qin Xuemei actually believed it; she was simple-minded and didn't think of anything else.

Moreover, Su Ning spoke with such certainty and sincerity that she had no reason to doubt him.

"Will you... do this again in the future?" Qin Xuemei asked softly.

"What?" Su Ning teased her.

"It's...it's just like that..." Qin Xuemei buried her face in his chest in embarrassment.

"Do you like it?" Su Ning asked.

Qin Xuemei didn't speak, but nodded slightly.

"If you like it, that's good." Su Ning said, "We'll be husband and wife in the future, so this kind of thing is normal. As long as you like it, I'll do it more often."

"You...you're not allowed to say that!" Qin Xuemei pounded his chest.

Su Ning smiled and took her hand. "Okay, I won't say anything. Let's go to sleep. I want you to be the happiest woman in the world."

"Mmm." Qin Xuemei snuggled closer to him.

After a while, she remembered something else, "Su Ning..."

"what happened again?"

"You said...you said I was your first woman in this world. Then...and after that?"

"From now on, you'll be the only one." Su Ning said earnestly, "In this life, you'll be my only wife."

"Then...then you can't lie to me."

"I'm not lying to you," Su Ning said. "I, Su Ning, keep my word."

Qin Xuemei was satisfied and happily hugged him, "Then you must always be good to me from now on."

"I'll always be good to you," Suning promised.

"They also need to teach me how to plant trees and how to cultivate seedlings under full sunlight."

"I'll teach you everything! My whole being belongs to you."

"You also need to work with me to turn Saihanba into an oasis."

"Okay! Listen to you."

The two of them talked like that, taking turns speaking, until their voices grew softer and softer.

Qin Xuemei gradually fell asleep in Su Ning's arms.

She slept soundly and peacefully.

Because the people I love and trust most are by my side.

Although she still had some doubts, Qin Xuemei chose to trust Su Ning.

Trust Suning's words and promises.

I believe in their future as a couple.

Looking at Qin Xuemei's sleeping face, Su Ning felt a surge of tenderness in her heart.

This girl simply entrusted her entire life to herself.

I can't let her down.

Although there are some things I can't tell her the truth.

But my love for her is real; my desire to protect her is real; and my determination to spend my life with her is real.

Outside the dimly lit dugout, the night in Saihanba was quiet and beautiful!

But the two people in the new house felt warm inside, because they were finally together.

From this day forward, we will weather the storms together and share both joys and sorrows.

A smug Su Ning gently kissed Qin Xuemei's forehead and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow is another new day.

They will continue to plant trees and continue their efforts.

But from now on, it will be the two of them together.

Fight side by side, move forward hand in hand, until the desert turns into an oasis, until we grow old together.

……

After their marriage, Su Ning's kindness towards Qin Xuemei stunned everyone.

The most obvious example is cooking.

Suning rarely cooked before, and always ate in the cafeteria, since a bachelor like him didn't need to.

So no one knew that Suning's culinary skills were so high that they were beyond everyone's comprehension.

Now, Suning personally cooks for Qin Xuemei every day.

After all, Suning, who works in a management position, isn't too busy, and with the discovery of the full-light seedling cultivation method, he can just proceed with the afforestation step by step.

For breakfast, Suning gets up early to cook millet porridge, steam white flour buns and cornbread, and sometimes fry an egg...

The eggs were obtained through a trade with a villager from the lower reaches of the dam; they were extremely precious.

Of course, it won't exceed my normal salary level; it's just to make my simple life a little more refined.

Moreover, the white steamed buns were all given to Qin Xuemei, while Su Ning still ate cornbread.

"Xuemei, breakfast is ready." Su Ning brought breakfast to the table.

Qin Xuemei was surprised when she saw it. "There are eggs too? Where did they come from?" "I exchanged them with someone from my hometown." Su Ning said, "You work hard and like to be on the front line, you need to replenish yourself."

“You’re tired too! Why aren’t you eating?” Qin Xuemei asked, touched.

"I sit in the office all day, and I'm not tired at all."

Qin Xuemei cut the egg in half, saying, "Half for each of us."

"Eat up! You need to be healthy to have more children."

"Hmph! You think I'm some kind of old sow?"

"Hehe, if there were such a beautiful old sow, I wouldn't mind having a cross-species romance."

"Pah! You're so mean! You're not as innocent as I imagined."

"Eat quickly! The eggs will taste fishy when they get cold."

“If you don’t eat, I won’t eat either,” Qin Xuemei insisted.

Su Ning could only take a small bite as a symbolic gesture, and then gave the rest of the eggs to Qin Xuemei.

If Qin Xuemei is at the camp, Su Ning will also prepare lunch.

Knowing that Qin Xuemei is from Guangxi and loves to eat rice, we tried our best to get some rice, even if it was mixed with cornmeal, so that we could make rice balls.

The most impressive thing is that Suning can use northern rice flour to make an improved version of snail rice noodles. The pungent smell made Qin Xuemei cry while eating it, but of course, the tears that flowed were tears of happiness.

"Suning, how do you know how to make snail rice noodles?"

"When the Korean War entered a stalemate, we all had to hide in underground bunkers. When we were bored, we liked to miss the food from our hometowns. Our comrades came from all over the country, and the food in each place was naturally different. So I secretly memorized these specialties. I never thought I would marry a beautiful young woman from Guangxi."

"Suning, you're amazing!"

"Xuemei, I'll fatten you up! That way no one will want to take you away from me."

"Su Ning, I will be your wife for all eternity." Qin Xuemei said, her smelly little mouth close to hers, moved with emotion.

"Okay. We have rabbit meat today, I'll make you some soup for lunch tomorrow." Su Ning brought the soup to the table.

"Where did the rabbit come from?" Qin Xuemei asked.

“I got a share of what Da Kui made,” Su Ning said.

Dinner was even more lavish.

Suning always comes up with new ideas, even with limited materials.

Today we'll stew a dish, tomorrow we'll stir-fry a dish, and the day after tomorrow we'll make dumplings.

Suning always manages to create exquisite delicacies using limited ingredients, after all, the ingredients themselves are delicious.

Old Wei exclaimed in admiration, "Director Su, your skills are even better than mine. How come I've never seen you do this before?"

“I didn’t have a wife before!” Su Ning laughed.

"Hahaha..." Everyone laughed when they heard that.

Besides cooking, Suning also treated Qin Xuemei exceptionally well in other ways.

Qin Xuemei is busy with work and often spends the whole day at the nursery.

Suning would bring her water and food, and they even added brown sugar to the water.

"Take a break and have some water." Su Ning handed her the water bottle.

"I'm not thirsty yet," Qin Xuemei said.

“You have to drink even if you’re not thirsty. It’s dry up here, so you need to drink more water,” Su Ning insisted.

Qin Xuemei had no choice but to take the kettle.

Suning also respects Qin Xuemei's opinions on work-related matters.

Although he is the manager, he never acts arbitrarily.

"Xuemei, what do you think of this seedling transplanting plan?" Su Ning asked her, holding up the plan.

Qin Xuemei looked at it carefully and said, "I think it's okay. But could the amount of water be adjusted? We can water more in the early stages and gradually reduce it later."

“Okay, I’ll do it your way.” Su Ning immediately made the changes.

Sometimes Qin Xuemei's opinions differed from Suning's.

Suning will not forcefully deny it, but will seriously discuss it and lay out all the advantages and disadvantages.

"I think the scale of full-light seedling cultivation can be expanded further," said Qin Xuemei.

“But water is scarce, and we’re worried about not having enough water if we expand,” Su Ning said, expressing his concerns.

"We can improve the drip irrigation system and increase water use efficiency," said Qin Xuemei.

Suning thought for a moment and said, "You're right. Let's try improving the system and then expanding it."

This respect deeply moved Qin Xuemei.

I know that in many places these days, husbands are chauvinistic and have the final say.

But Suning is different; he treats his wife as an equal partner.

Needless to say, their daily lives were even more difficult; they even had to fetch water to wash their feet.

Every night, Suning would prepare hot water for Qin Xuemei to soak her feet.

"It's cold on the dam, but soaking your feet will warm you up," Su Ning said.

"You should soak too," Qin Xuemei said.

"You soak first, then I'll soak," Su Ning said, repeating her usual phrase.

"Together."

"Hey, okay!"

These little moments in life are seen by everyone, and they are admired in their hearts.

Meng Yue once said to Qin Xuemei, "Xuemei, you are so lucky. Director Su is so good to you."

Qin Xuemei laughed, "Yes! I never expected to marry such a wonderful man. There's nothing Su Ning can't do."

"How can he be so good?" Meng Yue asked curiously. "He can cook, he's considerate, and he respects you. I've never met a man like him."

“He said it was only right,” Qin Xuemei said. “He often said that husband and wife are equal and should take care of each other.”

“Equal…” Meng Yue sighed, “It’s easier said than done. Director Su has truly achieved it.”

Ji Xiurong also said, "Xuemei, you really married the right person. A man like Director Su is hard to find even with a lantern."

Shen Mengyin was even more envious, saying, "I wish I had half the happiness of Xuemei."

Upon hearing this, Sui Zhichao quickly said, "Mengyin, I can be good to you too!"

"You?" Shen Mengyin glanced at him. "You should learn to talk less first."

Everyone laughed.

Even Feng Cheng exclaimed, "Director Su is truly amazing to Technician Qin. Such a couple is truly enviable."

Zhao Tianshan also said, "Yes! It's not easy to have such feelings in a harsh place like Saihanba."

Da Kui looked at Ji Xiurong and thought to himself that he should also treat Ji Xiurong well.

Although Ji Xiurong hasn't accepted him yet, he will try his best.

Qin Xuemei herself lives in happiness every day.

She used to think that being in Saihanba meant enduring hardship and making sacrifices.

But now she feels that there is sweetness in bitterness.

It turns out that simple things can be made into a sense of ritual, making life more interesting.

Now I have someone who cares about me and is by my side.

She has someone who understands her, loves her, and respects her, and fights alongside her.

Although this kind of life is not materially wealthy, it is spiritually fulfilling.

Qin Xuemei often said to Su Ning, "Su Ning, marrying you was the best decision I ever made in my life."

"Marrying you is the greatest luck of my life."

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

Su Ning knew in his heart that his kindness to Qin Xuemei was not just because he loved her.

It is also because he came from a later era that he inherently held the concepts of respecting women and gender equality.

In this day and age, many men feel that doing housework and taking care of their wives is shameful.

But Suning doesn't think so.

I believe that loving someone means treating them well.

It doesn't distinguish between what should and shouldn't be done.

Moreover, in a place like Saihanba, mutual support and warmth are even more necessary.

I just did what I was supposed to do.

But in other people's eyes, this is seen as "being spoiled rotten".

However, Su Ning didn't care about other people's opinions; all he wanted was for Qin Xuemei to be happy.

Because Qin Xuemei is his wife, the person he wants to spend his life with.

If he doesn't pamper Qin Xuemei, who will he pamper?

And spring in Saihanba is warmer and sweeter because of their love!
And their lives, like those saplings, thrived under the nourishment of love.

...(End of chapter)