How ridiculous I was. I really didn't dare mention it to Cheng Ying. The most beautiful you ever looked to me was when you were wearing that floral cotton padded jacket, and that image has stayed in my mind for years; Chi Wu was too embarrassed to admit it.

Cheng Ying thought about the clothes Chi Wu had brought back for her back then. "Oh, I forgot you like flowery things."

Chi Wu: "I don't like flowers. You misled me into this."

Cheng Ying: "You just like flowers."

Chi Wu: "I don't like flowers. Yingzi, I’ll go pick out clothes with you tomorrow. I don't like flowers." This absolutely had to be declared, or he would be the one suffering in silence. His own taste had long since adjusted.

Cheng Ying hooked her little finger through the waistband of Chi Wu’s pants, hooking his underpants inside. "Look at these flowers."

Chi Wu lowered his head to look at his exposed waist with Cheng Ying, his face turning ugly. "Grandma prepared those. They’ve all been like this for years."

Cheng Ying burst out laughing. "I thought you just liked flowers!"

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying with a blush and panic. "You prepared these for me?"

Cheng Ying chuckled quietly. "How are they?"

Chi Wu wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed; it was a mix of anger and shame. He was ashamed that his wife had been preparing his underwear for so many years. He was angry that his wife was too much, held grudges too easily, and was too petty. He had only sent the wrong clothes a couple of times, maybe just one or two flowery shirts. And yet, Cheng Ying made him wear flowery underpants for so many years—what kind of person was she? Could you provoke a wife like this? Without a word, she had tormented him for years. Chi Wu gritted his teeth and walked away.

It was too hot in the room; Chi Wu went out into the winter chill for some cold air.

Watching Chi Wu’s reaction, Cheng Ying laughed so hard she forgot everything else. Chi Wu stroked his waistband, smiling reservedly in the courtyard, a subtle, repressed smile. What exactly he was thinking, perhaps only Chi Wu knew.

Maybe he had been too isolated for too long; a noisy crowd was still unsettling for Cheng Ming. Late at night, Cheng Ming wandered over to the front. "Why are you so excited you can't sleep?"

Chi Wu sat on the stone bench, looking at Cheng Ming. His retort was sharper than Cheng Ming’s. "Why aren't you excited, yet you can't sleep either?"

Cheng Ming felt like he was asking for trouble talking to Chi Wu. "Can I keep you company? Got any cigarettes?"

Chi Wu: "I never smoke; Yingzi doesn't like it. What, seeing me about to get married makes you miss your own wife? Bring your girlfriend home. Whether you get engaged or married is up to you."

Cheng Ming: "Marriage? You think it’s as easy as you make it sound! If I don’t get married, it’s all your and Yingzi’s fault for delaying things."

Chi Wu: "Is that any way to talk? Am I tying your legs so you can't go to the Civil Affairs Bureau?"

Cheng Ming snorted. "So what? It is your fault! Everyone around me is getting apartments from their work units and getting married, or getting married while renting. Look at the mess you two are making. How can you expect someone like me, just watching the excitement from the sidelines with no house and no job, to have the nerve to mention marriage?"

Chi Wu was delighted now. Everyone likes a bit of praise, and compared to Cheng Ming, he could certainly be considered a successful person. "Then you should thank me. Your future achievements will be due to our good guidance from the sidelines. Like Mencius moving three times, you don't need to move; you've already met such good neighbors."

Cheng Ming felt annoyed watching the smug Chi Wu. "Hmph. How about it? Should I find someone to throw you a party to celebrate your upcoming marriage?"

Chi Wu: "No, please don't. Yingzi doesn't like a big fuss. Besides, we really don't have time. I’m just home for the New Year; I leave after the fifth day of the first lunar month."

Cheng Ming didn't hold Chi Wu in very high regard; they were both university graduates, but he wasn't as busy as Chi Wu. "That busy?"

Chi Wu: "Can't be helped. It’s not easy being a successful person. You think the envy you feel comes for free? I don't even have time to take my wife out to have fun. It’s tough being a man!" He sounded so emotional, which made Cheng Ming even more uncomfortable—was he deliberately trying to put him down?

Chi Wu: "Yingzi getting married so hastily is actually her accommodating my schedule."

Cheng Ming wasn't very eager to continue the conversation. "Why the rush to get married?"

Chi Wu: "Ah, can't be helped. I have expectations weighing on me. If you and your older brother had gotten married sooner, maybe Yingzi and I wouldn't be in such a hurry." Chi Wu relaxed then. He understood the real reason why Yingzi was rushing the wedding.

Cheng Ming glanced at the light on in the east room and understood. "You two were going to end up like this eventually anyway. Even without getting married, you were living as a couple."

Chi Wu: "That’s true, but I’d rather have the certificate with Yingzi. It puts my mind at ease. It makes me happy regardless of why Yingzi wants to marry; as long as the person she wants to marry is me, that’s all that matters."

Cheng Ying, who had come out looking for Chi Wu, happened to hear this. She had heard Chi Wu say similar things before, but it had never affected her as deeply as it did now. Hearing it now made her heart ache. She just wanted to tell Chi Wu, I'm marrying you for you.

Cheng Ming pouted. "Is your wife going to run away? Given your situation, even if the Queen Mother of the West descended and created a silver river, Yingzi could conjure up an airplane and fly right to you."

Chi Wu was extremely pleased to hear this, completely dismissing Cheng Ming’s sarcasm. "Yingzi might actually do that. I'm the one afraid she’ll run off." Cheng Ming looked at Chi Wu, patted his rear, and walked away. His own grandmother was afraid Chi Wu would run away, something she had mentioned to him more than once. How could he possibly tell Chi Wu that? Let the man revel in his fantasy.

He wondered what those two had been talking about; even at this stage, they still had such worries. Ah, they were just too young. Being an older bachelor like himself wasn't so bad after all. Cheng Ming’s momentary sense of loss was instantly cured.

But he thought that saving money was paramount for a wife. Looking at his own mother's behavior, if she told his wife to live with her and take turns doing the chores, Cheng Ming realized that would be the beginning of his own unhappiness. That was absolutely unacceptable. Cheng Ming’s protective feelings for his future wife started developing right then, especially after watching his mother’s actions during the winter break when she was setting up blind dates for his older brother. Cheng Ming saw it clearly at home: a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law were opposing forces, never on the same path. No wonder his mother had always maintained a lukewarm relationship with his grandmother over the years. Cheng Ming realized it wasn't that his mother was bad or his grandmother was bad; it was that those two types of people simply could not live together harmoniously. For the happiness of the latter half of his life, saving money was essential, and negotiating with the work unit to get a separate apartment was even more important.

If Cheng Ying knew what Cheng Ming realized, she would definitely tell him, You have it good in this era; at least you don't have to buy a house. There’s still the possibility of getting one assigned by the work unit. If this were later, a lifetime of wages put together wouldn't even be enough to buy a single house. Back then, you wouldn't even have the option to keep those two types of beings from living together; you couldn't just tell your wife to reject your own mother, could you? You’re dreaming big, kid.

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ming, who was walking away with his hands behind his back, pretending to be quite important. "Hey, let's chat a bit longer." Being alone in the courtyard cooling off was pretty dull. He had no one to show off to.

Cheng Ying called from behind, "If you can't sleep, neither can others."

Chi Wu turned around, coughed a little, feeling slightly awkward.

Cheng Ying: "Well, the world hasn't changed much. Those without wives are wandering around outside, and now those with wives are wandering around outside too."

Chi Wu spat inwardly, thinking, Do you want me to be your wife? Otherwise, why would I be out here? But he dared not say such things; they remained only in his mind. "I’m just too excited to sleep."

Cheng Ming was already turning the corner but still let out a small laugh. "When I said you couldn't sleep earlier, why didn't you admit it then?"

Cheng Ying: "I’m excited and can’t sleep either."

He genuinely didn't know how to continue this conversation. How could two people about to be married seem so estranged? Could near-hometown apprehension apply here?

Chi Wu: "How about I go to the back and bring out some wine? A small drink and I'll sleep soundly."

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu and wondered if he really needed alcohol. If he wasn't being restless, she could lie down and fall asleep instantly. "No need, it’s too much trouble. Besides, if I drink and fall asleep, do you know the consequences if you drink?"

Chi Wu felt his composure after drinking was quite good; at least his intelligence remained high when drunk, and his courage was fine too. "I'm fine when I'm drunk."

Cheng Ying: "Yes, singing the national anthem—what great composure! So patriotic! Forget it, we have the whole family here. If you won't let me off, you should at least let the old lady off. Let's just quiet down and sleep. Don't we still have to go pick out clothes tomorrow?"

Chi Wu: "I still have to pick out my underpants." This was important. Chi Wu had never imagined wearing anything too sexy on his wedding night, nor had he thought he’d be wearing the flowery underpants his wife disliked. This mental leap was quite significant.

Cheng Ying looked up at the sky, lamenting that the moon wasn't perfectly round, perhaps slightly overcast. "Those aren't so bad, actually. Not that ugly. At least they’re suitable for a modest home and wife."

Chi Wu’s face was so dark you couldn't tell; was it too dark, or was the light too dim? "Can you just forget about it?"

Cheng Ying: "Alright, let's go. I'll pick out your underpants tomorrow."

Chi Wu felt he shouldn't have mentioned the word 'underpants.' Whether flowery or not, it made him conflicted.

When they went to bed, Cheng Ying was contemplating the issue of buying an airplane. Wouldn't that be too ostentatious? And at this time, could such things be privately traded? She really needed to inquire.

Finally, Cheng Ying told Chi Wu: "I thought about it. Buying an airplane is really useless for our family. The yard isn't big enough. Even if we had a helicopter, we'd need a landing area, right? We’re surrounded by power lines. If you don’t really want it that much, let’s just drop it."

Chi Wu’s face turned bright red. He instantly covered Cheng Ying’s mouth with his own, hugging her tightly. Cheng Ming, you unlucky kid, what nonsense did you spout? But inside, he was ecstatic because, by sheer thought, his wife was considering the possibility of buying an airplane. What a wonderful wife!

Before falling asleep, Chi Wu was in an explosive mood. Cheng Ying felt it was alright; this man was quite easy to placate; he was cheered up in just a couple of sentences. If there really were a Queen Mother of the West specializing in randomly splashing water downwards, she would just buy the plane then. It wasn't impossible, was it?