"What are you doing? I'm just feeling a bit unwell, why are you acting like I'm dying?"
Just as Chen Yang was trembling with fear, Shen Xue, who had been resting in bed, woke up with a dazed expression.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Chen Yang, tears streaming down his face.
"Xue'er, you're awake. It's good that you're alright, it's really good that you're alright."
"I will never lose you again. I can't live without you, really. Please don't leave me, okay?"
Looking at the awakened Shen Xue, Chen Yang, without any regard for his own manly tears and snot, pulled her into his embrace.
As he smelled the unique fragrance emanating from her hair, he finally felt a sense of relief.
When Shen Xue fainted just now, he truly felt like he had fallen into hell. It reminded him of the pain of losing her in his previous life. Having been given a second chance at life, he never wanted Shen Xue to experience any suffering again.
Feeling Shen Xue's frail body, Chen Yang couldn't help but feel heartache.
"I just felt my vision go black. It's not a big deal. Recently, whether it's lighting the stove or standing up to wash clothes, I've been feeling dizzy with my eyes blackening."
"Today, I must have been bending down too long while cutting rice. When I stood up, I felt the world spinning. I'm much better now. Why are you acting like a child? Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine."
Shen Xue gently wiped away the tears from Chen Yang's eyes, as if comforting a child.
At that moment, she felt like she had truly entered the heart of the man in her arms.
She could feel the fervent, sincere love and tenderness that filled his heart.
An indescribable sense of happiness filled Shen Xue with joy. She had never imagined that he would love and care for her so deeply.
"Daddy, is Mommy sick?"
"I heard the doctor say that if you're sick, eating candy will make you better."
"Mommy, eat candy, it's sweet."
As they were both immersed in their emotions, their daughter, Nuo Nuo, who had been too afraid to speak, finally said in a soft voice.
Her small hands were filled with the White Rabbit milk candies that Chen Yang had bought for her.
"Silly girl, Mommy is an adult, not a child. Mommy doesn't eat candy. Keep it for Yan Yan."
Shen Xue stroked her daughter's little head, feeling a wave of warmth. Although she knew the milk candies were expensive, didn't this also show how much Chen Yang doted on their little one?
In the past, Chen Yang had always been indifferent towards her and their daughter. His heart was set on getting into university and returning to the city, leaving no room for them.
But now, she felt like her man had completely changed.
His heart was filled entirely with her and their child!
This feeling made Shen Xue almost suffocate with happiness.
"You, you're probably anemic. I told you not to skip meals and to do so much heavy work. How can your body withstand this in the long run?"
"I bought a pound of milk candy. Yan Yan will only taste a little, and she's not allowed to eat much, or she'll get cavities. You try a few first, and I'll make you a cup of malted milk to replenish your strength."
Chen Yang took off his daughter's little shoes, lifted her onto the bed, and casually peeled a milk candy, placing it in Shen Xue's mouth.
"Is it sweet?"
Looking at the woman and child on the bed, his heart was filled with endless tenderness. He was determined to give them a good life.
"Sweet."
As the White Rabbit milk candy melted in her mouth, Shen Xue felt that she had never tasted anything so sweet in her life.
"Where did you get the money to buy malted milk? I heard a can costs three to four yuan."
"Chen Yang, we are poor, but we are honest and upright. You are going to university in the future. I won't allow you to do anything illegal or against the law."
However, when Shen Xue saw Chen Yang take out the can of malted milk from the basket, her eyes instantly reddened.
She had only given Chen Yang two yuan, which wasn't even enough for one can of malted milk. She couldn't help but worry that Chen Yang might make a mistake.
In those days, if one's reputation was ruined, they were finished. Forget about going to university; even returning to the city was a distant dream. Even in the countryside, they would be gossiped about.
"What are you talking about? Don't you know what kind of person your husband is? How could I do anything illegal?"
"Didn't I go pheasant hunting yesterday? On the way, I saw a rotten tree stump with a patch of mushrooms growing on it. I picked them all this morning and took them to the city."
"Our auxiliary food store often collects New Year's goods, right? The store manager happened to think the mushrooms I brought were of good quality, so he bought them to dry and distribute to factory leaders as New Year's gifts.
"So, one jin for two mao, plus the dried mushrooms I picked yesterday, I sold them for over ten yuan. That's how I bought the milk candy and malted milk, thinking of replenishing your and the child's strength."
Chen Yang naturally dared not mention that he had been setting up a stall. After all, in those days, doing business was considered speculation and profiteering by everyone. Even most customers in the city wouldn't look directly at stall owners.
If Chen Yang said he was doing business with a public entity, it would be different. Ordinary state-run large stores would also purchase some local products from various villages and communes, so it wasn't considered speculation and profiteering.
Of course, private business dealings like Chen Yang's with public entities were rare, but it was still better than setting up a stall.
"Then, then don't do it again."
"This back mountain, if you really think about it, belongs to the state. If you sell the state's things to the auxiliary food store, and if someone wants to retaliate, they could accuse you of undermining socialism, and you wouldn't be able to shake it off."
Shen Xue's face turned red with anxiety. She truly didn't want Chen Yang to have any mishaps.
"Alright, you can rest assured. No one knows about this. You're all working during the day, and no one sees me carrying things to the city."
"Even less so in the county town, where no one knows who I am. It's fine."
"Look at what I brought back. See? Ten jin of white flour and twenty jin of rice. That's enough for us to eat for a month. From now on, we'll have rice meals every day, no more porridge."
"And look at this. A whole jin of pork. I cut it at the meat counter of the food factory. A big fat pig was slaughtered this morning, it's very fresh."
Chen Yang handed Shen Xue the mixed malted milk, then, as if presenting treasures, took out items one by one from the basket and placed them in the cabinet.
"You, you bookworm."
"You didn't even buy fatty pork when you bought meat. This lean meat is like firewood, what's so delicious about it?"
Shen Xue was somewhat dazed as she looked at the bags and bags of food Chen Yang took out.
How long had it been since she had seen such good white flour? How fragrant would noodles made from this flour be?
And this white, glistening rice, the rice缸 at home probably couldn't hold so much rice.
She was so preoccupied that she forgot to criticize Chen Yang for speculation and profiteering. Instead, she instinctively nagged him about not knowing how to manage a household, not even buying fatty pork when buying meat.
"Mommy, Daddy said he'll make noodles for Yan Yan and Mommy, with shredded meat, it'll be delicious."
Just then, the little one provided perfect support. Hearing her daughter's words, Chen Yang was naturally happy and saved the trouble of explaining.
"Also, this is a special gift for you."
"I'm going to cook now. You wait to eat 'firewood' stewed noodles. Don't drool with envy later, haha."
Chen Yang handed the buffalo horn comb wrapped in brown paper into Shen Xue's arms and nimbly carried the meat and flour towards the kitchen.
Holding the smooth and delicate buffalo horn comb, and looking at the man's tall and straight back, Shen Xue suddenly felt a soft spot in her heart being deeply touched.