T.N: It was really hard to stop myself from naming this chapter “My cabbages!!”
The two chatted for a few more words until Shu Ran nudged Xu Shen, who was staying by his side: “There’s still a fire burning in the stove… Go and take a look. Be careful not to burn the house down.”
“It can’t be burned,” Xu Shen reassured him. “The stove is far away from the firewood pile.”
“Just in case…” Shu Ran said. The house was an important property!
“I can’t deal with you…” He was right though, as there wasn’t much water in the pot to begin with, and it was probably already boiling. So Xu Shen touched his wife’s face and went down to watch the fire.
Not long after, he fetched the water to the bathroom and came in to call Shu Ran: “Wife, it’s ready.”
Shu Ran lay there for a while, feeling dazed, and reluctantly groaning a few sounds: “Oh…”
Now that Zhou Hui was married, the door of the two men’s bedroom was wide open without restraint, feeling quite liberating… And Shu Ran had already taken off his trousers, lying carelessly on Xu Shen’s bed.
“If you don’t get up, I’ll carry you.” Xu Shen leaned against the door, admiring the beautiful scenery.
“That’s it…” Shu Ran got up with bare legs. When passing by Xu Shen, he suddenly groped the other person and immediately ran away.
Xu Shen was known as the only good fighter in Nanshi, so it goes without saying that his reactions were fast. Most people couldn’t touch him at all… But he was never defensive against Shu Ran and… He was groped so hard that he suddenly took a deep breath.
“What?!” Xu Shen was stunned, and so was Shu Ran.
This guy was quite… sensitive.
In fact, Shu Ran only dared to do that because he was drunk. After acting wildly, he quickly ran into the bathroom and locked the door, very afraid that Xu Shen would break in and torment him until morning.
Xu Shen calmed down, picked up the watch on the bedside table, and looked at the time… It was almost midnight, and definitely not the time to act like a rogue… Otherwise, he might really contemplate breaking the bathroom door!
After washing up, Shu Ran came out and saw a bucket of cold water at the door, which was obviously placed there by Xu Shen for his own use.
“Is there no hot water left? You didn’t boil just a little, did you?!” Shu Ran asked.
“Yeah, only boiled a little bit.” Xu Shen said. “The less water it’s in the pot, the faster it boils… Besides, I don’t need it. Cold water is more suitable for me.”
Shu Ran nodded guiltily: “Indeed… Then go ahead.”
He was really hoping that a bucket of cold water could save his ass after what he had done…
It had been a long day of running around… After Shu Ran took a hot bath, his whole body went soft and relaxed, thinking that Xu Shen was so considerate… Shu Ran rubbed his forehead and sighed softly, laying down on the bed to dream about setting up the factory for a while… But soon enough, his mind could no longer move and he truly fell asleep.
“Shu Ran? Wife?”
More than ten minutes later, Xu Shen came over and found that Shu Ran was already asleep. He smiled while kissing him, turned off the light, and went to sleep next to him.
On the first day without Zhou Hui, the two slept freely for half a day, fully enjoying the pleasure of being free.
Especially Xu Shen, who has never been controlled by anyone in his life.
He couldn’t help but feel glad… Glad he didn’t end up marrying a hardworking wife but Shu Ran, a strange man with a mouth full of equally strange words.
No wonder Zhou Hui said that men were lawless if there was no one to care about them… Even after waking up, they still wanted to kill some time, refusing to get up. You put your hands on me, I put my hands on you… Before they knew it, it was almost eleven.
“Brother Shen, get up, I’m hungry!” Finally, Shu Ran made up his mind, got up in one fell swoop, and rushed out before Xu Shen could compete with him for the bathroom.
“Slow down, I’ll go downstairs!” Xu Shen took his time and didn’t hurry like him. He got up, straightened the blanket on the bed, and turned off the electric fan. The curtains in the bedroom were also opened, making the room brighter.
There was no livestock at home, no noise, and not many neighbors around, so the yard was quiet.
After Xu Shen washed up on the first floor, he put a towel around his neck to wipe away sweat and went into the kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles for his delicate wife. Seeing that there were no vegetables left, he lit the fire and went to the field behind his house to pull two cabbages grown by the neighboring aunt.
Not long after he moved there, Xu Shen gave the aunt some help, and in exchange for that, she asked him to go pick whatever vegetables he liked from her fields. Since he lived alone, Xu Shen usually didn’t touch her vegetables. If nothing happened, he could always buy some and he had enough to eat anyway.
But for the sake of his family, Xu Shen really had no principles, willing to do anything.
“I asked you, where did you go?!” Shu Ran couldn’t find anyone, anywhere. As soon as he walked to the door, he saw Xu Shen coming back with a bunch of cabbages in his hand, smiling.
“Where did those come from?!”
“Stolen!” Xu Shen started laughing.
“…”
Shu Ran thought for a moment… “Then come in quickly and don’t let anyone see you!”
Xu Shen really didn’t expect him to say that… He was surprised and explained at the same time: “I’m just teasing you… It was grown by the neighboring aunt. She lets me pick them.” It’s just that he has never picked them before…
“Oh, then give it to me to wash.” Shu Ran took the cabbages from his hands.
“What if it was really stolen?” There was a well in Xu Shen’s yard, and he asked while removing the cover and putting down the bucket to draw water. He looked at Shu Ran and continued: “Would you condemn me?”
“Ah?!” Shu Ran was playing with the cabbages in an aluminum basin, completely stunned: “Oh… No.”
“Why?!” Xu Shen picked up a bucket of water and poured it into the aluminum basin, surprised by his answer.
Shu Ran pinched his forehead and analyzed: “I think you… You wouldn’t do such a thing unless you had to.” After a pause, he continued: “Even if you did it, I still won’t condemn you privately.” This was coming from a personal perspective.
Xu Shen smiled: “Wife, it sounds like you quite appreciate me!”
Shu Ran was about to say “nonsense”… But when the word reached the edge of his mouth, he swallowed it back.
“Is there something wrong with you?! Asking for praise so early in the morning?” Shu Ran glanced at Xu Shen and asked with a smile.
“No!” Xu Shen laughed even while being scolded. He put down the bucket and went to prepare the noodles. He only heard Shu Ran shout at him from behind: “Don’t put the noodles in so early! I like softer vegetables!” If he added the noodles too early, the vegetables won’t be cooked properly…
“I got it!” Xu Shen actually liked his vegetables raw, just barely thrown in boiling water… But after marrying a wife, he no longer had any human rights, and now everyone in the family had to listen to Shu Ran!
If he had to eat raw food, then let it be raw! And if he wanted cooked food, then it would be cooked!
After eating, Xu Shen said to Shu Ran: “I’m going to Kaizi and the others to discuss the factory. I have to go to the coast and look for businesses soon, so I can stop by and ask around. Would you come with me?”
Shu Ran put away the dishes and chopsticks for the two of them: “Are you asking me whether I’m coming to the Chen house with you, or whether I’ll accompany you to the coast?”
Xu Shen thought for a moment: “Both.”
Going back and forth to the coastal area would take at least a week, even up to half a month… Xu Shen couldn’t bear to leave Shu Ran alone at home.
“Let’s go to the Chen house first.” It was he who suggested setting up a factory, so Shu Ran definitely needed to go as a consultant. The coast thought… “I’ll think about it later. Let’s first see how the talks with everyone go.” Shu Ran thought in his heart.
It was already past noon, and Chen Sen was the only one at home. Apparently, Chen Kai was cooped up in his bed. He had hurt both his self-esteem and face last night and was still in a bad mood.
“He drank another two ounces of white wine after getting home, then passed out drunk.” Chen Sen didn’t seem to be in a high mood either.
Shu Ran kicked Xu Shen, silently asking him to speak.
Xu Shen nodded, then told Chen Sen about their idea to set up a factory. In the life they had before, doing business was a very rough and simple matter… Especially for Chen Sen’s father. He didn’t pass on any business experience to his sons at all, otherwise, things would have been so much easier.
So Chen Sen said after listening to him: “I have no idea how to do that. I can only pay for it.”
“Just pay. You don’t have to worry about anything else.” Xu Shen said.
“Who says there’s no need to worry about it? Brother Sen knows so many people… The first batch of workers in the factory must be our own men.” Shu Ran interrupted them.
Chen Sen and Xu Shen had so many “little brothers”… Wouldn’t it be great if they could be assigned to work in a factory? In those days, if one could get a serious position and receive a wage, Shu Ran felt that no one would choose to be an idle gangster.
The reason why so many people didn’t have a serious job was precisely because there were not enough opportunities!
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many people going south to work in the 1980s and 1990s, just because there were more jobs in the coastal areas. There were also not many factories in Nanshi… And even if they were, their scale and positions were very limited.
If their factory could be run, it would definitely attract attention and jealousy, so it was better to use their own people.
When Chen Sen heard there was something he could do, he immediately became excited: “This is no problem, I can take care of finding people!”
“Yes, Brother Sen is now in charge of people!” That aspect was actually really important, so Shu Ran continued: “Call Brother Kai. He often runs around, so we should ask him to find the factory site. Once he finds a suitable one, we will rent it. Let Brother Fan apply for the certificate.”
Xu Shen watched Shu Ran speak with a smile, waiting until the other party finished speaking before saying: “Buy machinery and equipment. Hire a master. I’ll take care of these.”
Chen Sen nodded: “The two of you can do more work.”
The last step was to see how much money everyone could spend to set up the factory and how to share the shares. That could only be discussed after Chen Kai and Jiang Fan arrived.
“I don’t have much money on hand, but I can borrow some from my mother. By the way, Shu Ran,” Chen Sen thought about his mother and happily reported: “The tea packaging you designed for my family has been used in the shop and the response is very good! The same tea, but with new packaging, sells better!”
“Really?” Shu Ran smiled: “That’s good, you can always come to me if you need anything.”
Chen Sen smiled and nodded, but then frowned: “I guess other tea shops will do the same soon…”
“Don’t worry!” Shu Ran was full of confidence. “If it is copied, I’ll just design a new one!”
After Chen Kai got up, they planned to find Jiang Fan together and find a teahouse to chat… But as soon as they met, Jiang Fan asked Shu Ran to take them all to get a haircut: “I can’t just let you two be handsome! We also want to be handsome!”
In order to allow Jiang Fan to talk about business with peace of mind, Shu Ran had no choice but to agree, whispering to Xu Shen: “I didn’t know that Brother Fan was so bitter?!”
“Well…” Xu Shen nodded: “Jiang Fan is a mensao1Outwardly cold or serious but deep and passionate inside, while Chen Kai is the complete opposite.”
“Then what about you?” Shu Ran asked smoothly.
“…” Xu Shen quickly glanced at him, kicking the ball back with a weak smile: “I’ll have to ask you that… Only you know.”
Shu Ran thought about it for a moment… Didn’t the translation mean that he was like that only for him… Tsk, stop it! It’s broad daylight!
And so, a big group of people went to “Fang Fang’s Barber Shop” to patronize the lady’s business, doing nothing serious all afternoon.
After Chen Kai got a new hairstyle, he instantly became cheerful.
Handsomeness could cure all the bad moods of a smelly man! “Hey, I would only cut my hair like this from now on!”
When the topic of setting up a factory was mentioned in the teahouse, everyone responded positively, holding back a sigh of relief and wanting to work hard and become famous.
It was just that they didn’t know how to do it and had no direction!
Unlike Shu Ran who knew the future development of the global situation.
“Although I have a pretty good life, I know that many people look down on me from the bottom of their hearts…” Jiang Fan said with a self-deprecating smile: “My family is from the capital, but my dad thinks I’m an embarrassment and won’t let me go back! In two years, my brother will be transferred… No, I don’t want to go with him.” Because his sister-in-law didn’t like him either…
When it came to family, Shu Ran felt particularly empathetic and took a breath to comfort Jiang Fan: “Brother Fan, believe in yourself, you can definitely do it! Our plan is very stable. We will make a good turnaround in the future and let those guys who look down on others have a good look.”
“Hey…” Jiang Fan scratched his head in embarrassment, remembering that Chen Kai was also in a bad mood last night, and now Shu Ran comforted them both with ease… He could only sigh with emotion: “Your temper is the best among us… Like a little red in the green bushes2Chinese Idiom: 万绿丛中一点红, pinyin wàn lǜ cóng zhōng yī diǎn hóng, translates to “There is a little red in the green bushes, and a red flower in the large green leaves is very eye-catching.” The metaphor highlights the most wonderful point in many things, which is enough to attract people’s attention. From Song Wang Anshi’s poem “Pomegranate”.”
The others didn’t have such a comforting personality. When they were really hurt, they cheered up by giving someone a punch!
How could Shu Ran be so gentle and carefree?
Xu Shen joked: “Got back and stayed up all night to read?”
Jiang Fan replied: “I know an idiom for everything.”
“Okay, shareholders, please be quiet! Next, I will assign tasks to everyone.” Shu Ran knocked on the table to interrupt their bickering, then carefully arranged what everyone had to do. “Okay?”
“No problem.” The big guys nodded.
“Furthermore…” Shu Ran thought for a while and solemnly declared: “I am only coordinating and planning, and have no intention of monopolizing power. If you have any different opinions, you can always put them forward for discussion…”
Four unified voices interrupted him: “Stop talking nonsense!”
“Then the problem of sharing the profit…” Shu Ran was still used to doing things in an orderly manner, so he continued: “We should definitely sign a detailed contract…”
“Brother Shen!” Chen Kai looked at Xu Shen impatiently: “Hurry up and take care of him!”
They didn’t need this! If a dispute really arose, no amount of money could be used to buy out their brotherhood.
“…” Xu Shen was in a dilemma, thoroughly caught in the middle. He had been with Chen Sen and the others for so long, so he still had a little bit of trust in them, but he also didn’t want to refute Shu Ran’s work ethic…
Jiang Fan leisurely drank his tea, mumbling: “Don’t embarrass him. Do you really think he dares to say anything?!”
Now Shu Ran felt very embarrassed: “How about we vote? Those who don’t want to sign a contract, raise your hands!” He didn’t raise his hand, and Xu Shen didn’t dare raise his either, but everyone else did…
Shu Ran sighed: “Three to two, okay… I’ll do as you say.” It wasn’t good for two people to stick to a different idea, so there was nothing he could do. Even though Shu Ran was sure that the factory would expand in the future and become more and more profitable, he didn’t love money at all… So let’s just do whatever everyone wants!
Shu Ran had this confidence because he had done it before… The others only dared to be so bold because they were young and energetic, only relying on their courage.
After leaving the teahouse, everyone took the time to do their tasks.
Xu Shen discussed with Shu Ran again: “The day after tomorrow, a convoy will go south and collect goods. I’m getting ready to leave. If you want to come with me…Should we tell our sister?”
He might have been full of words, but the business model of the factories along the coast was already very mature, so it was necessary to go and take a look. Shu Ran accepted: “Let’s go tomorrow. I want to draw some women’s clothing designs for my sister in the evening.”
They were probably going to be out for a while, without knowing when they would come back. Shu Ran was still thinking about Zhou Hui’s desire to run a tailor shop after getting married.
“Yeah.” Xu Shen also didn’t know how long it would take. If he went by previous experiences, it would be at least half a month. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have wanted to take Shu Ran with him. Xu Shen thought about all these things, sighing secretly. He was about to take his wife and live a new life the day after tomorrow… His heart was touched, and more importantly, he was looking forward to it. When he got married, he thought that his wife would be raised at home, never expecting that he would be able to guide him in doing things and share the pressures of life.
After returning, Xu Shen was responsible for packing both their luggage for the trip south, while Shu Ran sat comfortably at his desk, sketching. Soon enough, some simple and beautiful clothing styles from his memory appeared on the paper.
“It’s still a bit unprofessional… When I go to the coast, I can find a master and learn from him…” Shu Ran thought.
He was quite proficient at drawing, a skill that was deliberately practiced in order to draw scenes as a director in the future. At that time, it was just a small hobby of his, something he never shared with anyone.
But it turned out that it was not a waste of time to learn the structure of the human body…
Compared to practicing calligraphy only to show off, Shu Ran preferred to draw, with time fleeing by whenever he was immersed in it.
The talented man came back to his senses only after a pleasant scent wafted into his nose… Xu Shen must have been cooking downstairs.
Shu Ran put down his pen, stretched a little bit, and hurried down to help, even when the only thing he could do was the trivial matter of taking care of the fire. It was one thing that Xu Shen was willing to take care of him… But he couldn’t take it for granted. He needed to do his share.
“Why didn’t you call me?!” Shu Ran sat down on a stool, picked up some bark, and threw it into the stove.
Xu Shen noticed that his wife wanted to help, so he said hurriedly: “It’s very hot in here. Get out.” It was just a fire. He could do it by himself.
“No.” Shu Ran said.
“…”
Xu Shen had no idea what to do with him… “Then at least sit further away, you’ll be sweating from the heat.”
Shu Ran accepted this proposal and moved his stool to a windy place near the door, accompanying Xu Shen to prepare dinner.
“My cooking is very rough, please don’t dislike it.” This was the first time Xu Shen seriously cooked for Shu Ran. Since Zhou Hui had taken care of it in the past, he wanted to remind Shu Ran not to have high expectations.
“It doesn’t matter, it’s nice to have something to eat.” Shu Ran picked up the chopsticks and said: “How can I have demands?!” Since he didn’t lift a single finger for that meal…
“You can have demands…” Xu Shen looked at him with gentle eyes. “Demand for me to improve my skills.” But if Chen Kai or someone else disliked it, then it wouldn’t work! Xu Shen will probably slam the bowl in their faces!
Shu Ran smiled, took a bite of stir-fried vegetables, and said: “The taste is good.” It was stewed, the vegetables were very soft, and the details were perfect.
“Thank you for the compliment.” Xu Shen felt pleased.
He really liked Shu Ran. Regardless of whether he was his wife or not, the more they got along, the more he realized that even as friends, Shu Ran could make people like him very much.
He had a smart mind and a good personality. He never wavered when he decided something, giving him a firm sense of strength. That type of temperament could easily attract people, making him appear quite manly.
Also, Shu Ran stood up for his sister, which was also a very manly thing to begin with!
Zhou Hui’s happy marriage was something worth celebrating. Although the two of them remained calm, they felt itchy in their hearts, with a premonition that something was going to happen.
It might have been too late last night to do anything, but today there were no obstacles. Even Shu Ran took the initiative to wash up early, without being urged.
Xu Shen couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth when he looked at his wife’s frank behavior…He was so cute.
So they got to know each other very warmly that night, becoming much more comfortable without Zhou Hui around. Both of them went pretty crazy, and they would have been even crazier if they weren’t afraid that the neighbors would hear them and think they were fighting…
After the fun, everyone was extremely satisfied.
Shu Ran rested softly against Xu Shen, thinking that being alone might be just another kind of freedom… If Xu Shen had a happy and complete family, then he most likely wouldn’t have let them down by choosing him…
People like them were guilty of sticking together, but fortunately, they were all alone, so no one was worried about them.
The next morning, Xu Shen went with Shu Ran to see the freshly married Zhou Hui. In addition to the designs he had drawn overnight, he also brought some vegetables and fruit biscuits, the standard items for visiting relatives in those days.
Zhang Yunsheng was still on his wedding leave, and the couple happily entertained them for lunch, making the atmosphere very harmonious.
Now that Xu Shen felt safe, he no longer wanted Shu Ran to come out to his sister. Instead, he felt that it didn’t matter whether he told her or not… Shu Ran wound’t leave him anyway.
Saying it now would only make everyone unhappy.
In Zhou Hui’s room, Shu Ran gave her the design drafts: “Sister, you said you wanted to open a tailor shop. These are some of my ideas… You can use them if you want.”
“Let me have a look.” Zhou Hui quickly wiped her hands. She liked them very much: “Hey… Although it’s simple, it looks very good.” Shu Ran’s designs were very different from the popular styles they knew, making them seem very fashionable.
“As long as you liked it…” Shu Ran continued: “There is another thing I want to tell you today.”
Zhou Hui’s eyes were glued to the designs: “What?”
It wasn’t until she heard Shu Ran say: “Tomorrow I will go south with Brother Shen to run the business, and I may come back late” that she raised her head, fully surprised: “You are running the business with Brother Shen?! Don’t you want to join a work unit?”
Shu Ran hummed: “I want to help Brother Shen.”
Running a business outside was very hard, with no fixed meals. Zhou Hui’s first reaction was to disagree, but thinking about it, he was helping Xu Shen and not someone else, so she had no reason to oppose it.
“Have you discussed this with Brother Shen?”
“It’s been discussed, sister.”
“Then you have to be careful outside…” Zhou Hui sighed and stopped trying to persuade her brother. She warned him one by one: “Listen to Brother Shen, work diligently, and don’t be squeamish.”
“Yeah.” Shu Ran said.
“It’s not easy to eat on the road, let me bake some pancakes for you.”
Zhou Hui immediately put down what she was doing and went to the kitchen to bake pancakes. In order to prevent them from spoiling easily, she put a lot of oil in them, hoping the two men would have enough to eat on the road.
Eating dry steamed buns won’t make you feel full… It was still the oil that was the best!
Shu Ran felt relieved when he saw that Zhou Hui and his brother-in-law were living a good life together. They took a large bag of pancakes and left, going to meet the brothers who were leaving tomorrow.
As usual, they had to have a small meeting before setting off.
It was all men’s talk about big cars, but there were still some things that needed to be explained, so Xu Shen said: “I’ll also go on this trip.”
Someone immediately asked: “Who is Brother Shen going to drive with?”
Naturally, they all wanted to drive with Xu Shen.
However, Xu Shen answered: “I’ll drive alone, no one needs to follow me.”
He only wanted to take his wife with him! If they were sharing the car with someone else… It would be inconvenient to even hold hands!
“You don’t want anyone to follow?” The person who spoke this time was the little brother they’d met in the dance hall, named Li Jie: “It’s more than thirty hours of driving… You need to switch drivers!”
The road was not a highway… The conditions were not that good, and everyone needed to walk very carefully. Both people and cars had to take care of each other for more than thirty hours.
“It’s nothing.” Xu Shen pointed at Shu Ran: “He’ll drive with me.”
Li Jie was delighted when he saw who he was pointing at. Wasn’t that his brother-in-law?
“It turns out you want to take care of the little… cough! Brother Shu Ran, okay?”
Since Xu Shen wanted to take his brother-in-law for a ride, what else could they say?!
Usually, there would be two drivers taking turns while driving one of their trucks. Shu Ran understood this knowledge, but he was confused by their conversation: “Brother Shen, what nonsense are you talking about?! Me?! I can’t drive a truck…”
“Keep your voice down.” Xu Shen said. “I won’t let you drive.”
“So you want to drive alone?!” Shu Ran’s scalp exploded while thinking about it, so he firmly objected: “That won’t work! You need to find someone to follow you!”
Xu Shen shook his head: “No, it’s not like I’ll be driving all the time… I’ll take a break in the middle.”
“It’s not enough to rest!” Shu Ran glared at him.
“…”
Seeing that his wife was really angry, Xu Shen explained in a soft voice: “It’s such a small space… What do you think is the chance that others won’t notice anything?”
There was such a risk, so Shu Ran said: “Then try to cover it up.”
“Some things cannot be concealed…” Xu Shen glanced at him sideways, convinced that every look and movement of his were way too obvious.
But it was really dangerous to drive such long distances alone. Shu Ran couldn’t agree to it no matter what Xu Shen said, so he tried to suggest: “How about I ride in someone else’s car?”
Xu Shen raised his eyebrows and stared at Shu Ran as if he couldn’t believe that his wife’s warm and sweet mouth could say such cold words: “No, you can only share the car with me!”
“Then find another driver!” Shu Ran glared back.
The two of them stared at each other, neither of them giving in… It was probably the first time since their marriage that they had a disagreement. If there was an elder in their family, they could ask for advice… But since there were only two people in their family, they didn’t even meet the conditions to cast a vote when they had a problem.
“How about tossing a coin to decide?” Xu Shen took out a five-cent copper coin from his trouser pocket and looked at his wife: “Heads or tails?”
“Heads.” Shu Ran did not hesitate.
Xu Shen threw it out and opened it. It was heads… Even God was on his wife’s side, making him regret it. Alas, he forgot to mention that they should do two out of three best games…
“It’s really heads!” Shu Ran smiled proudly, reached out to snatch the lucky coin from Xu Shen’s hand, and kicked him: “Go quickly and choose a driver you think is suitable!”
That was Shu Ran’s biggest concession. He said: “Don’t worry too much. Some people are naturally slow.” In fact, it was enough to just pay a little attention.
“Yeah…” Xu Shen knew, but how come Shu Ran also knew there was such a slow person on his team?! At first, he just wanted to get a chance to be alone with his wife and share a few sweet words whenever he was tired…
But Shu Ran knew more than he thought?! He never gave him an opportunity at all!
So in the end, Xu Shen did not choose Li Jie, who was his right-hand brother… That boy was very smart and flexible, so if he chose him, he would be doomed. He chose Wang Gouxiong3His name, 王狗熊, literally translates to ” Wang the black bear”… That was his real name… When Shu Ran heard the introduction, he was petrified… Pfff… He needed the strength of a boss in order to hold back his laughter!
No, why would anyone give their child such a name?!
He didn’t mean it in a negative way, it was just too cutesy!
But it turned out that Shu Ran was the only one making a fuss there, and everyone else was used to it a long time ago.
“Xiong Xiong,” Xu Shen said: “Then you drive over to my house and pick us up tomorrow morning.”
Wang Gouxiong smiled happily: “Okay, Brother Shen!”
He was the slowest existence in the transportation fleet, completely oblivious to any disturbances. He just really admired Xu Shen very much, never expecting to be able to ride with him on that trip… And so, he was extremely happy.
The rest of the brothers were also very envious when they heard that Xu Shen picked Gouxiong as his spare driver.
Especially Li Jie who was also very puzzled… Didn’t he say there was no need to follow him?
Why did he choose that bear again?!
…………
They needed to start driving very early. Except for occasionally waking up at eight in the morning, Shu Ran had never had to wake up so early before. It felt like even the birds in the trees outside were still dreaming…
Five in the morning was indeed too early. Xu Shen carried his luggage and dry food in one hand, and his wife in the other, rubbing and coaxing him: “You can sleep in the car later, be good.”
“Uh-huh…” Shu Ran tried to wake up.
The moment he was carried downstairs by Xu Shen, Zhou Hui’s instructions suddenly rang in his mind… How did that sentence go? Be diligent when going out and don’t be squeamish…?
Shu Ran took it seriously, never wanting to become a delicate person. He quickly stood up straight and took the dry food from Xu Shen’s hand: “I’ll get it.”
“You can have it whenever you want.” Xu Shen looked at him funny.
Shu Ran’s face felt hot, and all of a sudden, his sleep bug disappeared without a trace.
Brother Bear4I’m going to keep calling him Brother Bear, it’s too funny! was already waiting in his truck, parked right outside the gate. When he saw them, he immediately poked his head out and shouted: “Brother Shen! Brother Shu Ran! Good morning!”
“Good morning, Brother Bear.” Shu Ran pointed to the bag of dry food in his hands: “Have you eaten already? We have pancakes.”
“Hehe, no need. I came after eating.” Wang Gouxiong answered.
“You can put your things here.” The front of the large truck was very spacious, with a co-pilot seat that could accommodate two people and an additional space in the middle. Xu Shen was carrying two military water kettles on his back, and he immediately took them off, placing them neatly.
Neither he nor Shu Ran had breakfast. So they took out the pancakes, turned on the kettle, and ate while the truck was on the road.
Despite the hot weather, the pancakes were still quite soft, tasting delicious. Since the seats were limited, the two of them stuck together without hesitation, occasionally exchanging sweet glances.
Xu Shen appreciated the hard work of his truck-driving brothers, so he spent a huge sum of money to install an oscillating fan in each car, otherwise the car would heat up and cause problems in the hot weather.
The summers of that era were not so hot and scary… Shu Ran was enjoying the breeze from the window while eating Zhou Hui’s pancakes. He felt really okay right now, but he didn’t know what would happen at noon. After breakfast, Xu Shen asked his wife in a low voice: “Do you want to sleep for a while?”
Shu Ran looked at him: “You have a shift, so you should rest first.” After that, he patted his shoulder: “Brother Ran will lend you his shoulder to lean on.”
When Chen Kai claimed the “brother” title at a young age, he ended up being violently beaten by his real brother… While Shu Ran only amused Xu Shen into giving him a deep look.
The protocol was to rotate drivers every three hours, so Xu Shen did not refuse his wife’s kindness. He thought about it and said: “Okay, then I’ll close my eyes a bit.”
Shu Ran just wanted to lend his shoulder, but Xu Shen leaned directly into his arms, going to rest with his eyes closed.
Shu Ran glared, this Xu Shen was way too brazen… But driving a truck for a long distance was really hard, and Shu Ran was reluctant to push him away.
When Brother Bear saw this scene, he didn’t think much about it.
The space in the car was limited, and the brothers often slept around like that, crooked, folded, and piled on top of each other, so no one really cared about it.
Shu Ran soon discovered that Xu Shen was truly asleep. He lowered his head and saw that his eyelashes were quite long, almost poking Shu Ran’s neck. Being able to sleep in such an environment only showed that Xu Shen was really neither squeamish nor picky.
The scenery outside of the car was boring. Shu Ran stared blankly at first, replaying the plot of his peerless masterpiece in his mind. Along with the car’s shaking, he gradually tilted his head… When he became conscious again, he found himself leaning in Xu Shen’s arms, having completely switched positions with him.
“Are you awake?” Xu Shen asked Wang Gouxiong to stop the car and go out for a bathroom break: “Want to go together?”
Shu Ran rubbed his forehead and got out of the car with stiff hands and feet. He felt that he must have slept for a long time, but still had the energy to be angry: “You have been holding it in until now? Why didn’t you wake me up?!”
Xu Shen found a place where Wang Gouxiong couldn’t see them and stood there. He smiled softly and answered: “Looking at you, sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to shout.” He actually wished to keep holding him in his arms, cradling Shu Ran to sleep…
“Hiss,” Shu Ran also stopped and said: “Don’t do this next time. I’m the one who would have to take care of you when you get sick.”
“I know.” Xu Shen looked back at the large truck parked on the roadside, and then quickly kissed the corner of Shu Ran’s mouth.
Shu Ran glanced at him sideways.
Xu Shen: “I used to think that life was very bitter, but I never thought it could also be sweet.”
Shu Ran saw the bright smile on Xu Shen’s lips, so he smiled too.
The sun was out and it was very hot during the day, so everyone was already sweating profusely. Back in the car, Xu Shen and Wang Guoxiong changed seats. Shu Ran spoke: “Brother Bear, you have worked hard at driving. You can take the co-pilot seat and lie down to rest. I can sit in the middle.”
Wang Gouxiong smiled happily, showing his two white front teeth: “You are so polite!”
“Are you hungry?” Shu Ran took out the pancakes and introduced: “My sister baked them. They are delicious. You can try it.”
There was a lot of oil baked in it… Wang Gouxiong had smelled the fragrance in the car before, so now he accepted them happily: “Okay, let me have a piece!”
He was afraid his hands were dirty, so he asked Shu Ran to set aside a piece for him, but Shu Ran quickly replied: “It doesn’t matter, don’t pay attention to it…”
Brother Bear took the pancake, bit it with a smile, and looked at Shu Ran: “We are used to being rough, but you look very meticulous. You are a gentle person.”
“There are gentle people everywhere… Everyone is the same. Shu Ran then turned around and asked Xu Shen: “Brother Shen, am I gentle?”
Xu Shen laughed and said: “Forget about it.” He was indeed gentle… Gentle at being sly. There was nothing wrong with sly people, and Shu Ran also did it quite smoothly.
“Really? I thought I was right…” Brother Bear was very obedient to Xu Shen and listened to all his words, so now he was a little shy to admit that he had misjudged his brother-in-law.
After Shu Ran entertained Wang Gouxiong throughout his meal, he started to observe Xu Shen’s driving skills, hoping to also be able to drive alone in the future. In this way, there would be no need to toss a coin and cause conflicts…
“Want to learn?” Xu Shen saw Shu Ran’s interest, so he deliberately drove in a very standard manner, even breaking the entire process into pieces, and explaining it to him.
Wang Gouxiong wanted to say that he had never seen such a gentle Brother Shen before, but he was really slow and afraid to think wrongly again. So he just occasionally chimed in, full of enthusiasm. In Wang Gouxiong’s eyes, the relationship between Xu Shen and Shu Ran couldn’t be more pure. It was just an older brother-in-law teaching his younger brother-in-law how to drive a fast car5(◔_◔) I’m sorry, but Brother Bear is just so innocent… If you keep in mind that BL metaphor about what “driving” means, this whole sentence feels like a sexual innuendo :))…
In that way, three hours per shift, shift after shift, they finally arrived at the gathering point, which was a service area, before it got dark. The group planned to spend the night there. The current “service area” was not as convenient as the service areas of future generations. It was just a simple gathering place for passing drivers who wanted to drink some tea and have a light meal.
There was also a small car repair shop and a public toilet.
For the entire journey, Shu Ran relieved himself in nature. When he saw that he wanted to go to the public toilet, Xu Shen gave his wife a distressed look: “It’s best not to go. I’ll take you to a corner that’s better than that.”
Shu Ran understood instantly, remembering his own nightmarish experience of going to a public restroom in a scenic spot during one of his trips, so he hurriedly listened to Xu Shen’s advice.
After the two came back, they went to the restaurant to eat a bowl of hot wonton noodles… As expected for a “service area”, everything was very expensive.
Xu Shen also paid for the rest of the brothers to come and have a meal. They all took turns to fill their bellies, afraid to leave any truck unattended. There were gas thieves everywhere, keeping an eye on their gas tanks.
There would also be manned patrols and someone to stay vigil at night, so being a truck driver was in fact a very hard, stressful, and tiring job.
The brothers who were going to keep watch directly spread out a mat next to the fuel tank… Before it was their turn, everyone could sleep in the car, under the blowing fan.
In Shu Ran’s truck, it was Wang Gouxiong’s turn to guard the fuel tank in the first half of the night. After Shu Ran and Xu Shen finished their meal, the two of them returned to the car. Since it was now dark, the lights were off and it was finally convenient to hold hands and kiss.
“Were you tired today? Did you eat well?” Xu Shen asked while holding his wife’s waist, lost in a very complicated mood… He originally thought that he was capable enough and could give Shu Ran a good life, but in the end, his wife still wanted to accompany him in running around…
“I did nothing all day…” Shu Ran answered. “I should be the one to ask you if you are tired.”
“Are you really not tired?” Xu Shen pressed his ear closer to him, to confirm carefully.
“Yeah.” To be honest, Shu Ran felt that sitting in a truck was quite easy, at least easier than fighting Xu Shen for a couple of rounds…
Xu Shen laughed softly after hearing that comparison. What kind of strange comparison was that?!
“Facts!” Shu Ran also laughed and coughed softly: “Brother Shen, go to sleep quickly. You have to keep vigil in the second half of the night.” In fact, he wanted to take Xu Shen’s place, but Xu Shen refused.
With two pairs of long legs squeezed together in such a small space, it was difficult to fall asleep.
Xu Shen held Shu Ran’s hand, intertwined their fingers, and rubbed his palm. It was so comfortable and touching that even if it was only for this moment, Xu Shen still felt it was very exciting and totally worth it.
