Fei Ni couldn't bear to listen any longer. "Can't you speak properly?"
"Do I need to be so formal in my own home? That would be like wearing shoes to bed. You don't need to hold back when talking to me."
Fei Ni felt embarrassed for him. "But you can't just say anything that comes to mind."
Fang Muyang smiled at her. "What did I say?"
Fei Ni was too embarrassed to repeat his words. She could only continue knitting in her hands, ignoring him.
The entire bed was surrounded by quilts. Though it was autumn, it felt stiflingly hot. Fei Ni had also drunk the hot milk powder Fang Muyang prepared for her, and she felt warm from head to toe. Wearing only a thin layer, she sat knitting long underwear for Fang Muyang while he sketched something beside her.
The heat made Fei Ni restless; even the music from the radio couldn't calm her, though it was a soothing melody.
Fei Ni thought that Fang Muyang, who hardly seemed bothered by the cold, must be sensitive to heat. He was probably even hotter than she was.
She was about to suggest removing the quilts when Fang Muyang said to her, "This is the low cabinet we're going to build. See if there's anything you're not satisfied with."
Just as Fei Ni had imagined, she said it was fine.
"Then I'll build it according to this drawing." Fang Muyang patted her back. "Stop knitting. If you want to keep listening to the radio, lie down here for a while. I'll go downstairs to check the materials for the low cabinet and won't take up your space."
"Didn't you say we'd build it on Sunday?"
Fang Muyang grinned at her. "Someone from my training class heard I married a talented and beautiful wife and insisted on coming to see you. I'd love to show them how lucky I am to have married you, but I can't have them standing around. At the very least, I need to make a couple of stools for them to sit on. If I only work on Sundays, winter might arrive before the stools are finished." Their home only had two chairs; if another visitor came, they'd have to sit on the camphor wood chest.
"Talented and beautiful? You really know how to flatter me."
"That doesn't make sense. I'm not from your hat factory—where would I get a hat to give you?" Fang Muyang stood up and pinched her cheek. "You're tired. Get some rest."
"I'm not sleepy. Take down these hanging quilts. I won't listen to the radio anymore." The weather was so cold, yet Fang Muyang still wore thin trousers. She needed to finish knitting the other leg quickly so he could wear them soon.
Fang Muyang wiped the sweat from her forehead with his hand. "It is hot. We'll listen tomorrow then. I'll definitely bring you new earphones tomorrow."
The next day, Fang Muyang indeed bought Fei Ni a pair of earphones, so she no longer needed to cover herself with quilts to listen to the radio. With no eggs left at home, Fang Muyang went to the morning market early and bought two jin of free-range eggs from farmers who came from the distant suburbs to sell in the city. He continued making steamed egg custard for Fei Ni.
Since eggs had been rationed, Fei Ni had never eaten so many eggs in such a short time.
Her colleagues said her face had rounded out a bit after marriage, citing it as evidence of her marital happiness.
If one were to judge marital happiness by weight changes after marriage, then Fang Muyang must be unhappy, as he had grown thinner than before the wedding. In the days since his return, despite Fei Ni's persistent efforts, Fang Muyang had gained a few pounds but still couldn't compare to his pre-marriage self.
Fei Ni decided to let Fang Muyang eat better.
Early Monday morning, Fei Ni told Fang Muyang to come home early because she had something important to ask for his help with.Fang Muyang asked Fei Ni if that matter was over.
Fei Ni was very alert: "Why are you asking about this?"
"If we don't eat crabs this year, we won't get to eat them anymore. Crabs are cold-natured, so if you haven't finished yet, I'll wait before buying them."
Fei Ni said: "Let's buy the crabs in a couple of days."
When Fang Muyang returned that evening, he finally learned that the important matter Fei Ni had asked him to handle was slicing pork. She wanted Fang Muyang to slice the pork into thin pieces. Having worked as a carpenter before, Fang Muyang was quite skilled with a knife, and every slice of pork satisfied Fei Ni.
The sesame paste, fermented tofu, shrimp sauce, potatoes, and cabbage had all been prepared on Sunday. Only the pork was freshly bought. Fei Ni had originally wanted to buy beef or mutton, but they were too difficult to obtain, so she had to make do with pork.
She prepared the dipping sauce and asked Fang Muyang to light the alcohol stove to boil the pot base. She herself didn't dare to light the alcohol stove.
Once the pork slices were cooked through, Fei Ni fished them out and placed them in Fang Muyang's bowl. She told him she didn't particularly like pork and preferred eating potato slices and cabbage from the hot pot.
"Are you a rabbit? Why are you only eating vegetables?" Fang Muyang laughed as he scooped the meat from the pot into Fei Ni's bowl.
Fei Ni was somewhat displeased. "Didn't I tell you? If I want to eat, I'll help myself."
"Then why did you serve me?"
While they were talking, someone knocked on the door. Fei Ni immediately stopped speaking and quickly scanned the room, her first instinct being to check the pillows on the bed. Following Fang Muyang's advice, she had placed her pillow next to his during the day.
Fang Muyang held Fei Ni's shoulders, telling her to keep eating while he went to answer the door.
The visitors were Deputy Director Chen from the neighborhood committee and a young woman. On Fei Ni's floor, a female comrade had given birth to a second child without waiting the required four-year interval after her first. Director Chen believed this indicated insufficient family planning education and decided to personally visit to provide guidance.
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