Living like a widow? My rough neighbor is coaxing me to have a baby every night.

In the early morning, the first rays of sunlight shone through the dappled windowpane onto the pile of "big unity" sheets spread at the foot of the bed.

Qin Rushan had been awake for a long time; his biological clock, honed by years of driving cars, was more accurate than an alarm clock.

He turned to the side, his rough, large hands supporting his head, his eyes fixed on his still-sleeping wife in his arms.

Li Xianglian was fast asleep, her small face, no bigger than a palm, was rosy, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyelids.

Recalling their passionate lovemaking last night, Qin Rushan's Adam's apple bobbed violently. In the end, he couldn't bear to torment her, so he quietly rolled out of bed.

He was shirtless, and his strong muscles looked oiled in the morning light, exuding explosive power.

He first stuffed the messy pile of money from last night into the innermost layer of the large red lacquered cabinet and locked it.

Soon, the sound of the bellows being pulled could be heard from the kitchen.

Although Qin Rushan looks tough, he is quite capable when it comes to housework.

In just half an hour, a pot of thick millet porridge, two peeled hard-boiled eggs, and a dish of finely chopped pickles drizzled with sesame oil were placed on the table.

Li Xianglian was awakened by this fragrance.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and got out of bed, feeling a little sore in her waist and legs. Looking down, she saw the gold ring on her hand gleaming brightly in the sunlight.

She smiled, feeling sweeter than if she had eaten honey.

"You're awake? Perfect timing, the porridge is just cooled to lukewarm, hurry up and wash your face and eat."

Qin Rushan changed into a clean blue work uniform and was sitting on a small stool tying his shoelaces. When he looked up and saw his wife, his eyes softened instantly.

Li Xianglian quickly finished washing up, sat down at the square table, took a bite of an egg, and looked at Qin Rushan, asking, "Brother Shan, are you going to the team later?"

"Well, we need to talk to Lao Xu about how to sell that batch of goods, and we also need to get the truck serviced."

Qin Rushan picked up a steamed bun and swallowed it in a few bites. "You stay home and rest. You were up a lot last night, so get some extra sleep. There's money in the cupboard. If you want to eat or buy something, go to the market yourself. Don't try to save me any money."

Li Xianglian swallowed her porridge, her big eyes darted around, and she put down her chopsticks, saying, "Brother Shan, I want to go to the team with you."

Qin Rushan was putting on his coat when he heard this, and he paused, his thick eyebrows furrowing into a knot: "What are you going to the team for? It's full of rough men who swear all the time, and the smell of engine oil is unbearable. You're more comfortable staying at home."

Li Xianglian grabbed his sleeve and told him everything about Xiao Lan.

"Brother Shan, Sister Lanzi has found a way to make money. She makes those trendy hair ties from scraps of Dacron fabric."

Li Xianglian's eyes sparkled with hope. "I tried it yesterday. I'm quick, and Sister Xiao Lan said that at this rate, I could earn at least a dollar a day!"

"How much?" Qin Rushan stopped buttoning his shirt, wondering if he'd plugged his ears with donkey hair. "One yuan?"

"Um!"

Li Xianglian nodded vigorously, "Those Sister Liu and Aunt Hua earned forty cents each in one afternoon. I have fine needlework and quick hands. Brother Shan, he makes thirty yuan a month, more than a restaurant waiter!"

In the 80s, what did thirty yuan a month mean? That was the salary of a regular state-owned enterprise worker!

Qin Rushan's expression was not as happy as Li Xianglian had expected; instead, it darkened.

He plopped back down on the stool and snorted, "One yuan? Didn't you count how much your man earned on this trip last night? A little over a thousand yuan isn't enough for you, why do you have to go through all that trouble?"

"Brother Shan, this isn't about money..."

"This isn't about money!"

Qin Rushan raised his voice, "I, Qin Rushan, brought home a wife to cherish and enjoy, not for you to work as a seamstress for someone else! I'm not dead yet, I don't need you to wear those fingertips in this sweltering heat!"

In the eyes of a traditional, rough man like him, the reason he braves the wind and snow, even risking his life, is to come home and see his wife looking fair, tender, and carefree.

Making his wife go out and do manual labor to earn money is a slap in the face for Qin Rushan!

Li Xianglian knew this man was stubborn, so she didn't argue with him.

She went around behind Qin Rushan, her two slender white hands climbed onto his shoulders and gently kneaded them, pressing her whole body against his back.

"Brother Shan..."

She used her "trump card".

This man is a sucker for this kind of thing.

Her voice was sweet and soft, "I know you feel sorry for me. But when you're out driving, I'm all alone at home, feeling anxious, with no one to talk to. If Niu Guihua comes to cause trouble again, I won't have anyone to help me in this yard."

Feeling the man's stiff back relax slightly, Li Xianglian pressed her advantage: "In the backyard of the transport team, with Sister Xiao Lan there and all those other women, it's lively, and I can learn some skills. Besides, making hair ties is sitting down and doesn't require much effort, and I can earn some pocket money myself. Isn't that great?"

Qin Rushan couldn't stand her coquettish manner the most.

Every time she called out "Brother Shan" in a soft voice, his iron heart would melt into a puddle of water.

He remained silent for a long time, recalling the day Niu Guihua came to his door and made a scene, and how A-Lian had indeed suffered injustice by facing it alone.

If we really let her go to the team, right under our noses, it would be better than having her locked up at home alone.

"Can you really earn a dollar?" Qin Rushan turned around, put his big arm around her waist, and asked somewhat uncertainly.

"Sister Xiao Lan said it herself, would she lie to me?"

Seeing that he had relented, Li Xianglian beamed with joy. "She said it's called 'individual businesses taking the lead.' As long as we do well, the supply and marketing cooperatives will all have to order from us!"

Looking at her greedy expression, Qin Rushan sighed helplessly and tapped her forehead with his rough finger: "Alright, alright, you can go. But let me make this clear: you're going to kill time, not risk your life. If you tire out even one finger, I'll drag you back and lock you in the house right now, you hear me?"

"I heard you! I promise I won't get tired!" Li Xianglian beamed, gave him a big kiss on his dark red face, and happily went to clean up the dishes.

As Qin Rushan watched her retreating figure, he still felt a little uneasy.

The world has really changed. Not only can middlemen like him make a lot of money, but even making a hair tie can earn more than a factory worker.

He touched the keys in his pocket.

Since his wife wants to stand up for herself, he has to pave the road outside even smoother.

Those digital watches and calculators need to be sold off as soon as possible.

Once we've saved enough money, we'll open a decent shop for my wife in the most bustling area of ​​this county, so she won't have to rely on Xiao Lan's small workshop.

Qin Rushan's wife is determined to be the biggest individual business owner in the county, the first "ten-thousand-yuan household"!

As the sun rose higher and higher, it baked the asphalt roads of the county town until they shimmered with a hazy light.

Once he left home, Qin Rushan never let go of his hand.

Although the social atmosphere has opened up a bit these days, when men and women are seen pulling and tugging on the street, apart from young lovers, what married couple doesn't walk a meter apart, one in front of the other?

Passersby and workers on bicycles all glanced this way, intentionally or unintentionally.

Li Xianglian was thin-skinned and felt her face burning, as if she were being roasted over a fire.

She tried to pull her hand back, but couldn't.

They tugged again, but the large, iron-like hand didn't budge.

"Brother Shan..." Li Xianglian pleaded softly, "Let go quickly, we still have to go to the team, people will laugh at us if they see us."

Qin Rushan didn't stop walking. Instead, he pulled that restless little hand to his waist, and the two of them pressed even closer together.

He turned his head to the side, raising a thick eyebrow. He had the infamous "King Yama" look that was known throughout the surrounding area, but now a wicked smile was hidden in his eyes: "A joke? Who dares to laugh at me? I'll make anyone who dares to say another word swallow their teeth."

"It's not that I'm afraid of what people will say..." Li Xianglian lowered her head, staring at her toes, "In broad daylight, pulling and tugging at each other, it looks like...like hooligans."

"rogue?"

Qin Rushan suddenly stopped.

When he stopped, Li Xianglian almost bumped into him.

The man turned around, his tall figure blocking the blinding sun and casting Li Xianglian entirely in shadow.

He deliberately put on a stern face: "Li Xianglian, are you looking down on me?"