Fang Muyang was quite enthusiastic about making furniture, spending more time on it downstairs each day than he did sleeping.
Aside from mealtimes, Fei Ni rarely saw Fang Muyang.
Soon, two chairs appeared in Fei Ni’s home. The clear varnish on the chairs had dried, and after airing them out, they were ready to use.
The chairs were simple in design, but Fei Ni liked them very much—though this had nothing to do with the small carved figure of her on the backrest. It was so tiny that one wouldn’t notice it without looking closely.
Their neighbor next door came over to admire the chairs. "Fei, your husband is so skilled. Someone asked to borrow my coupons today to buy an electroplated folding chair. Honestly, if you don’t have coupons, why chase after trends? Making your own chairs like this is both sturdy and economical."
The implication was that Fang Muyang’s chairs were still a step below electroplated chairs—a second choice for those who couldn’t afford the latter.
Fei Ni smiled and said, "I think she should still buy the electroplated chair. You can buy those anywhere—it’s just a matter of saving up enough coupons. But chairs like ours aren’t something just anyone can make. Looking simple and being simple to make are two different things." She wasn’t defending Fang Muyang; she was just standing up for her own taste.
Her lack of modesty led Wang Xiaoman to assume she was sour grapes—after all, electroplated chairs were available everywhere, but you needed both coupons and money. Who would make their own chairs if they could afford an electroplated one?
However, Wang Xiaoman only said, "You two are so close," implying that Fei Ni’s judgment was clouded by affection, preventing her from seeing the truth.
After making two chairs, Fang Muyang set his sights on building a sofa.
Fei Ni wasn’t in favor of making a sofa, as it served the same function as chairs. With chairs already in place, there was no need for a substitute. Besides, the sofa would take up too much space. If they added a low cabinet later and then a piano, the room would become too cramped.
Fang Muyang asked Fei Ni, "When do you plan to buy a sofa?"
Fei Ni remained silent. The money she had in the bank was enough for a piano, but the noises from next door reminded her just how thin the walls were. Whatever she played would be heard by others. Even if she bought a piano, she’d only be able to play a few pieces throughout the year. Not long ago, someone at the factory had been publicly criticized and lost their bonus for listening to Yao Li’s songs at home—reported by none other than their neighbor. Spending so much on a piano only to leave it untouched would be even more frustrating. Because of this, she hadn’t yet made up her mind about buying one.
"How much more do you need for the piano?"
"It’s not about the money." Though it was somewhat related—if she had a few thousand to spare, she wouldn’t mind buying a piano just as decoration.
Fei Ni suggested to Fang Muyang, "Why don’t you make the low cabinet first? We really need one. We can talk about the sofa later."
A low cabinet was essential—it could serve as both storage and a desk or dining table. Using the sewing machine as a dining table was too narrow; their hands often bumped into each other during meals.
But Fang Muyang didn’t listen to Fei Ni. Instead of making the low cabinet, he started on the sofa first. By the time Fei Ni found out, he had already worked through the night to assemble the sofa frame.
On Friday evening, Fei Ni brought food home from the cafeteria and sat across from Fang Muyang for dinner.
There were three dishes: potatoes, cabbage, and ribs. The ribs were in one lunch box, while the potatoes and cabbage shared another.When Fei Ni reached for the cabbage, her chopsticks once again bumped into Fang Muyang’s. If they had a low cabinet, this wouldn’t be a problem. Every time, it was her chopsticks that withdrew first. She hated it. This time, she didn’t pull back, and neither did Fang Muyang. Instead, he snatched the cabbage from under her chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
Fang Muyang placed a piece of spare rib in Fei Ni’s bowl. Fei Ni said, “I can serve myself.”
“It’s been a while, and I haven’t seen you take any.”
“Mind your own business. If others see you like this, they’ll think our family never has enough to eat, and they’ll pity me along with it.”
As they reached for the dishes, their hands brushed against each other again. Fei Ni couldn’t help but say, “Let’s put the sofa aside for now. Even though you’ve built the frame and have the springs, we still don’t have the sofa fabric or cushions. Let’s build the low cabinet first.” He had wood and springs, but for the sofa fabric, even if he had the money, he couldn’t buy it without cloth tickets. Fei Ni knew his situation well—he had to use the cloth tickets she painstakingly gathered just to buy a pair of pants. Where would he get extra for a sofa?
Fang Muyang remained silent, and Fei Ni took it as a sign that he had listened to her.
Fei Ni asked him, “Did you buy the woolen fabric with the cloth tickets I gave you?” She had planned to use the fabric to make Fang Muyang a pair of pants, but he said he would buy it himself. Not only had she given him the cloth tickets, but she had also given him the money to buy the fabric.
“I bought a pair of pants a couple of days ago. Let’s not make them for now.”
“Those pants of yours…” It was better not to mention them. He had bought those pants secondhand from a consignment store—they were too loose, and she had to alter them for him. After the alterations, they fit well, but they were too thin for the current weather. Fei Ni added, “If you haven’t bought the fabric yet, give me back the cloth tickets. I’ll buy it for you.”
“I’ve used the cloth tickets. Didn’t you say the sofa needs fabric?”
“Are you saying you used the cloth tickets I gave you to buy sofa fabric?” Fei Ni’s voice involuntarily rose.
Fang Muyang served her another bite of food. “You’re so clever. We’ll talk about the pants when the other half of the manuscript fee comes in.”
Fei Ni was infuriated by his calmness. “Fang Muyang, how could you do this? Who gave you permission to use my cloth tickets for something else?” His legs were long, so making pants required more fabric. The cloth tickets she had exchanged with an elderly woman weren’t enough, so she had secretly bought more from someone else with her own money—all so he could dress decently. But instead of making pants, he insisted on making a sofa they didn’t even need. She had wanted him to build the low cabinet first.
Of course, that wasn’t the most important thing. What mattered was that Fang Muyang claimed to listen to her, saying all the right things, but in reality, it wasn’t like that at all. He completely ignored her words.
Fang Muyang kept the same tone. “Don’t be angry. I’ll pay you back later, alright?” He served her another piece of spare rib. “Have some more.”
“Your monthly allowance is even lower than my salary. You can only afford to buy secondhand pants. What are you going to pay me back with? You’re all talk.”
She didn’t know who started the rumor, but someone said her husband had nothing to his name, but he was tall and sturdy. He looked thin, but he was strong—he could move lumber and build furniture all by himself. Today, after work, while she was showering in the bathhouse, someone mentioned her, saying she had chosen her husband because he was tall and strong. From their laughter and tone, she was forced to infer a deeper meaning.
She would rather people said she married for money or a house.Someone asked her how much height difference there was between her and her husband, saying that too much difference between a man and a woman wasn't necessarily a good thing. It was fine during the day, but at night... This remark likely carried another meaning, though she didn't catch it—but if it weren't suggestive, no one would have laughed.
She kept her mouth shut, not uttering a single word.
She couldn't afford to get angry either, because Fang Muyang was indeed tall and strong—that was a fact. If she lost her temper, others would only say she was overreacting because the comment had hit a nerve. Besides, arguing with someone while bathing would only make things more awkward. A person without clothes on has no right to get angry. By staying silent for a minute and not engaging, the conversation would naturally shift to other topics. If she couldn't bear it and lashed out, everyone in the bathhouse would stare, and under those gazes, everything would become even more exposed. The next time she came to bathe, those same eyes would follow her, searching for traces left by that tall, strong man on her body. Unless she stopped going to the public bathhouse altogether—but her home had no bathroom, so where else could she go?
Her silence indeed led to a change of subject.
Someone else told a few people to be more serious, saying there were unmarried women in the bathhouse and they shouldn't talk about everything.
The implication was that if it were only married women like Fei Ni, they could speak freely.
She had married voluntarily, but she hadn't expected this side effect. Before she was married, no matter how crude others' jokes were, they rarely targeted her. But once she married, people assumed she had transformed into a different person overnight.
She thought things would be better once she returned home, but he didn't let her relax either. The embarrassment she faced at the factory now resurfaced in her mind. Did she marry Fang Muyang for his height and strength? The more she thought about it, the more ashamed she felt. Only his height was visibly apparent. She resented him for being so tall—not only did it waste fabric, but it also fueled the rumors.
Normally, even if she scolded him, she wouldn't attack his weaknesses.
She regretted it as soon as she said it. She had been in the right; why bother mocking him with that remark? One shouldn't attack others' shortcomings, especially not his low income. He had many irritating traits, but it wasn't his fault that his talent couldn't be converted into practical benefits.
Fei Ni's words caused a brief silence. But she didn't want to apologize—he had been in the wrong first.
Her lips parted and closed, but in the end, she didn't say a word.
It was Fang Muyang who spoke first: "Don't I still have my manuscript fees? When I get the other half, I'll give it all to you, okay?" Fang Muyang didn't seem bothered by having this fact pointed out. He reached out to touch Fei Ni's shoulder, trying to comfort her, but she dodged, and his hand brushed her neck.
She immediately stood up.
"Keep it for yourself." Fei Ni stood and went to open the camphor wood chest, pulling out a bundle. She took the money inside and placed it directly in front of Fang Muyang. "You manage your own money. I shouldn't interfere. Consider the cloth tickets a gift from me—no need to pay me back."
She had overstepped in managing him, exceeding the boundaries of their relationship.
Fang Muyang didn't take his money but instead picked up two lunch boxes.
"Why are you taking mine?"
"I ate your ribs, so naturally, I should wash the lunch boxes."
Fei Ni snatched the lunch boxes back. "From now on, we'll each eat our own meals."The two entered the water room one after the other. Fang Muyang only rinsed his lunch box with water, making no effort to scrub it with his hands. Under normal circumstances, Fei Ni would have insisted he use dishwashing powder, and he usually did use it—though he always added too much. But now, they each minded their own business.
Water splashed onto his sleeves, but Fei Ni pretended not to notice, because they were each taking care of their own affairs.
They had always washed their own lunch boxes separately, but in Wang Xiaoman's eyes, it seemed like a sign of affection. Two people who hadn't even bought bowls yet insisted on washing their lunch boxes together—how nauseatingly sweet.
Wang Xiaoman had recently developed a distaste for rich flavors and couldn't stand such a cloying scene. Without even glancing at Fei Ni and her husband, she left with her freshly washed bowl.
Fei Ni was also partly to blame for the spread of rumors. If she had left all the lunch box washing to Fang Muyang, others would have assumed she was with him because she valued his diligence and hard work—after all, he could build furniture and even take on the task of washing lunch boxes. But she insisted on going with him.
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