In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Married life unfolded peacefully and warmly, just as Yang Guangming had predicted and hoped.

There are no earth-shattering waves, only the quiet, everyday happiness of a gentle stream.

Lin Jianyue is not a shrewd, meticulous, frugal, or controlling person. She has a natural tranquility, obedience, and an almost unconditional trust in Yang Guangming.

Unlike many wives of this era who take it for granted that their husbands should hand over all their wages and that she should take charge of the family finances and carefully plan how to use every penny, she did not.

As for Yang Guangming, in order to more easily access the supplies in the refrigerator, he wouldn't proactively ask for them. Lin Jianyue knew that he had money and coupons, so it wasn't surprising that Yang Guangming could occasionally bring home some good things.

Lin Jianyue originally wanted to hand over her salary to Yang Guangming for safekeeping and management, but Yang Guangming refused and told her to keep it for herself.

Lin Jianyue's salary wasn't high, and Yang Guangming would occasionally slip her some pocket money, letting her spend it however she wanted and buy whatever she wanted.

Lin Jianyue enjoyed Yang Guangming's pampering and found it wonderful—relaxed, stress-free, and free from the hassle of managing household finances. She wasn't materially demanding and trusted Yang Guangming to handle everything.

Lin Jianyue wouldn't squander the pocket money that Yang Guangming insisted on giving her; she would usually save it up.

Lin Jianyue initially only asked about some of the "rare" items that occasionally appeared in her home, such as high-quality Jinhua ham, rare large yellow croaker, and even some particularly precious off-season fruits and vegetables.

Yang Guangming always explained things lightly with reasons such as "I got it through a friend's special channels," "I helped a food company or a fellow villager in the suburbs and they gave me a thank-you gift," or "It's an occasional special benefit from the factory."

These reasons are reasonable and not entirely unreasonable in an era of widespread scarcity of resources, but where interpersonal relationships and informal channels of communication do exist.

Lin Jianyue was not the type to pry into things, and seeing that Yang Ming spoke frankly, she got used to it after a few times and stopped asking about the source.

All she knew was that living with Yang Guangming meant a much more comfortable and prosperous life than when she lived a rationed life at her parents' home or with Feng Xianghong. The dishes on the table were always more plentiful and oily than those at her neighbors' homes.

This gave her a real sense of satisfaction and peace of mind.

She didn't care where these things came from; what mattered to her was that Yang Guangming had the ability and connections to make their family live well, and that he was willing to make sacrifices for her and for their shared little family. That was enough.

This feeling of being cared for and cherished made her feel incredibly happy.

Yang Guangming was thus spared the trouble of fabricating complicated reasons, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He can more freely, according to actual needs and timing, take out the appropriate amount of supplies from that magical refrigerator space, and gradually improve the family's life.

The family has almost never run out of rice, flour, cooking oil, meat, and eggs. Their quality of life has not declined since the start of married life and the addition of another person to supervise them. On the contrary, it has always been maintained at a relatively high level, which makes the neighbors envious and talk about it in private.

This gives Yang Guangming more confidence to build their new life.

Every morning, just as dawn breaks, the two of them get up together.

Sometimes Yang Guangming would make a simple breakfast using the ingredients he had on hand, such as cooking rice porridge or frying an egg. When the weather was bad or he got up late, he would go to a breakfast stall with Lin Jianyue and then go to work.

At noon, they usually have lunch at their respective company canteens.

After getting off work in the evening, if Yang Guangming doesn't have to work overtime, he will go home on time and cook dinner with Lin Jianyue.

In the cramped corridor, several neighbors were busy with their own tasks, the clatter of pots and pans filling the air with the aroma of cooking oil, creating a vibrant atmosphere of daily life.

The two of them divided the work: one washed and chopped the vegetables, while the other cooked. They would occasionally exchange a few words in hushed tones, and their cooperation became increasingly tacit.

Under the tutelage of her mother, Gao Jingyi, Lin Jianyue can cook some simple home-style dishes, such as stir-fried vegetables, braised tofu, and winter melon soup. Although her skills are not superb and she sometimes falls short in controlling the heat, the dishes are refreshing, delicious, and have a good balance of saltiness.

Yang Guangming would occasionally show off his skills by cooking a few of his signature dishes, such as sweet and sour pork ribs, braised prawns, or making a complicated lion's head meatball. These dishes would always elicit Lin Jianyue's surprised and admiring praise, who would say that he "tastes even better than a restaurant chef."

At this moment, Yang Guangming would always smile smugly, but inwardly he was grateful that the life skills he had accumulated in his previous life were finally coming in handy.

After the meal, after washing the dishes, the two of them would either stroll along the path lined with sycamore trees in the residential area to digest their food, watching the lights of every house and listening to the radios coming from each household.

Or they might huddle together in a small room, one reading magazines and sketching, the other looking at factory documents or listening to news and revolutionary songs on the radio.

They would occasionally exchange a few words in hushed tones, sharing their observations of the day, interesting stories from the factory, or their opinions on a particular book or news item.

There are no grand, passionate moments, no endless arguments, only a gentle, flowing affection and a tranquil peace of shared hearts.

On weekends, the two would go back to the Shikumen to visit their parents, have a home-cooked meal, listen to their mother Zhang Xiuying chat about everyday matters, and play a game of chess with their father Yang Yongkang.
Or visit Lin Jianyue's parents in the military compound, chat with Lin Weihao about current events, and listen to Gao Jingyi inquire about their daily lives with concern.

Both sets of elderly people were quite satisfied with their peaceful and harmonious life and felt at ease.

Happy times always fly by, like a wound-up toy. The air in Shanghai began to carry a biting chill, and the north wind howled through the alleyways.

In the midst of a busy and fulfilling life, time flies by and it's already the twelfth lunar month. The streets are beginning to show signs of preparing for the New Year, with occasional bursts of firecrackers. And the number of people buying New Year's goods in the food stores is gradually increasing.

That noon, Yang Guangming finished his lunch at the factory canteen and walked out with the bustling crowd.

As he approached the cafeteria entrance, he caught a glimpse of a somewhat familiar figure standing by the bulletin board not far away, leaning slightly against the wall, seemingly looking in his direction with a complex expression.

He looked closely and was slightly taken aback, his steps unconsciously slowing down.

It was Shen Meiyu. She was wearing a brand-new set of work clothes, with a gray woolen scarf around her neck that looked a bit pilled. Her face was red and dry from the winter wind, and you could even see some cracks.

Shen Meiyu was looking at him with a complicated expression, her eyes seemingly a mixture of surprise, a hint of embarrassment, a touch of feigned composure, and a few unspeakable feelings of melancholy.

Yang Guangming was surprised.

Wasn't Shen Meiyu sent to work in the Jiangwan Commune in the suburbs? Normally, most educated youth returning to the city to visit relatives would do so around the Spring Festival, and there's still some time before then. How could she suddenly appear at the Hongxing State-Owned Cotton Mill?
Moreover, judging from her appearance, she was wearing the work clothes commonly seen in factories, and her demeanor did not seem like that of someone who had come on short notice.

His mind raced with thoughts, but his feet never stopped.

Since we've seen each other and are just "ordinary classmates," it's only polite to greet each other when we bump into each other at the factory; otherwise, it would seem too deliberate.

Before Yang Guangming could even speak, Shen Meiyu had already come forward, forcing a seemingly relaxed and natural smile on her face, her tone carrying a deliberately crafted familiarity as if she were bumping into an old classmate:

"Guangming, what a coincidence, you just finished eating?" Her gaze quickly swept over his brand-new, crisp woolen overcoat.

"Hmm." Yang Guangming nodded, looking at her calmly as if she were any ordinary colleague. "Yes, I just finished eating. You... are you here at the factory on business? Do you need to see someone?" He asked, following up on Shen Meiyu's question, giving her room to explain.

Shen Meiyu smoothed her wind-blown, somewhat dry and yellowish sideburns, and before Yang Guangming could ask further questions, she began to speak quickly, as if she had prepared her story in advance:

"I'm not here on business. I've already returned to the city and am now working at our Hongxing State-owned Cotton Mill."

She paused, seemingly observing Yang Guangming's reaction. Seeing that he merely raised an eyebrow slightly without much further expression, she continued, trying to keep her tone calm, as if stating a fact that had little to do with her own life:
“I performed quite well in the commune. I was active in labor and able to unite the commune members.”

It just so happened that the factory had a few openings for young people who had been sent to the countryside to return to the city, and our commune recommended me.

The paperwork was just completed the day before yesterday, and now I've been officially assigned to the workshop as a spinning apprentice.

She deliberately emphasized "good performance" and "recommendation".

She tried to sound calm, as if stating a given fact, but a hint of tension and inquiry flickered deep in her eyes, as if she was waiting for Yang Guangming to say something or reveal some emotion.

Sunshine Ming understood perfectly.

Based on his understanding of Shen Meiyu's personality and her past behavior, things could never have turned out as easily and effortlessly as she described.

Behind phrases like "performed well" and "made it into the quota" lies her active maneuvering, networking, or perhaps some special opportunity.

He was well aware of the difficulty and fierce competition involved in obtaining a job offer from a village relatively close to the city and returning to work in a key unit like the Hongxing State-owned Cotton Mill, which offered good benefits and high salaries.

Achieving this goal is not something that can be easily accomplished simply by "performing well".

But he had no intention or interest in investigating the details.

Their relationship is now a thing of the past, and the boundaries between them are clearly defined.

How she went to great lengths to come back is her own skill and choice, her way of finding a way out for herself. As long as it doesn't affect his life, it has nothing to do with him.

His entire focus now is on his family and career.

So, he gave a perfectly appropriate polite smile, the kind you'd give to a classmate or colleague—neither too overbearing nor too impolite—and said:

"Oh, that's good news. Congratulations. Being able to return to the city and having a stable job is much better than staying in the countryside."

His tone was calm, with formulaic politeness and a hint of imperceptible aloofness. There was little genuine joy in his voice, nor any sign of displeasure. It was as if he were hearing ordinary news from an acquaintance.

Seeing his calm, polite, and distant reaction, Shen Meiyu's eyes dimmed almost imperceptibly, a hint of disappointment flashing across them, but she quickly regained her composure, forcing a smile onto her lips:

"Thank you. From now on... we'll be colleagues, working in the same factory. Please... please take care of me."

She paused slightly when she said the word "colleague".

"Let's learn from each other and make progress together," Yang Guangming replied casually, using a cliché that's unlikely to go wrong these days.

He glanced at his watch, feigning a hurry, and said, "I'll head back to my office now; I have a meeting to prepare for this afternoon. Goodbye." He gave her a slight nod in farewell.

"Goodbye." Shen Meiyu stood there, watching Yang Guangming's tall and straight back as he turned and left without any hesitation. In the thin winter sunlight, his back looked particularly firm and distant.

She pursed her slightly chapped lips, the winter wind making her wrap her slightly bulky old cotton-padded coat tighter around her. Her eyes held a complex and unreadable mix of emotions: relief, loss, a hint of regret for the past, and perhaps also a sense of bewilderment and uncertainty about the future.

She stood there for a while, until Yang Guangming's figure disappeared at the entrance of the factory building, before turning around and walking towards the noisy workshop.

Yang Guangming strode towards the factory building, his steps steady, his heart calm and unperturbed, and he didn't even think about Shen Meiyu anymore.

Shen Meiyu's sudden appearance was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples for a moment, but it quickly sank to the bottom, and the lake returned to calm.

Shen Meiyu's return to the city may bring some unnecessary encounters or eye contact in the future, but it will not have any substantial impact on his and Lin Jianyue's stable, warm, and trusting life.

He knew clearly what he wanted, what he cherished, and he had enough wisdom and ability to protect the hard-won happiness he had earned. (End of Chapter)