"Brown sugar replenishes your vitality. It's good for everyone—men, women, young, and old."
Su Tang smiled as she placed the items on the counter, counted out the ration tickets, and handed them to the clerk.
Just as she was about to leave, she saw the candy in a jar on the counter. After a moment's thought, she had the clerk grab a large handful for her.
"You bought so much candy... aren't you afraid Brother Lu will give you a hard time?"
Zhang Cui held her child and looked at all of Su Tang's bags, genuinely worried Lu Xiao would scold her when she got back.
Su Tang glanced around before slipping a piece of candy into Zhang Cui's mouth.
"He wouldn't dare."
'Let him say what he wants. It's my own money.'
'It was from all the different ration tickets my parents specially got for me before I came to the Northwest.'
'But she was worried Zhang Cui would criticize her for her capitalist ways, so Su Tang kept quiet.'
Su Tang and Zhang Cui walked toward the family courtyard, carrying their numerous bags. The Northwest wind whipped sand against their faces, leaving a slight sting.
'Good thing I brought a scarf, or my face would be in for it.'
Holding her child, Zhang Cui was getting a little breathless, so Su Tang offered to carry some of her bags.
"Sister, what'd you buy all this brown sugar for? Can Brother Lu really drink it all?"
Zhang Cui couldn't help but ask again. Su Tang smiled. "Like I said, it's nourishing. His training is so exhausting, so it'll be good for him."
'Actually, she had a little ulterior motive: she was thinking she could mix the brown sugar with hot water and drink it like milk tea.'
'But if she admitted it was for herself, she'd definitely be criticized for having the airs of a spoiled young lady.'
'Using Lu Xiao as an excuse was just too convenient.'
Back home, Su Tang put her things down and began to get the kitchen in order.
The "kitchen" was really just a small earthen stove with a few enamel basins beside it.
She took out the coarse grains she'd bought from the service station, planning to make some porridge and stir-fry some cabbage.
Just as she was busy, the door opened with a CREAK, and Lu Xiao walked in.
He had just finished training and smelled of sweat. His expression was as cold and stern as ever.
Su Tang glanced up at him and pointed to the candy on the table. "I bought some candy. Have some."
Lu Xiao didn't speak. His gaze fell on the bag of brown sugar on the stove, and his brow furrowed slightly. "You bought this much brown sugar?"
"I didn't use your ration tickets. I have my own."
That's what Su Tang said, but inwardly she was a little nervous, afraid he would say she was being wasteful.
Lu Xiao said no more. He turned to pour himself some water.
"You shou—"
He hadn't even finished speaking when a commotion erupted outside, followed by a knock on the door.
Su Tang went to open the door and found Hu Lili standing there, her eyes filled with undisguised hostility.
"I'm here for Brother Xiao."
With that, Hu Lili tried to shoulder past Su Tang and go inside.
Su Tang staggered back half a step, the doorframe digging painfully into her lower back.
She gripped the doorframe to steady herself and stared at Hu Lili. 'So she's decided to pick a fight with me, has she?'
"Your Brother Xiao just got back from training. He's all sweaty."
Su Tang leaned casually against the doorframe, her long fingers curled as she tapped lightly on the door. Her gaze flicked to Hu Lili's knuckles, which were white from how tightly she was clenching her fists.
Her calm demeanor made Hu Lili look like she was desperately throwing herself at him.
"Why don't you go to the boiler room and fetch a basin of hot water? He hates feeling all sticky."
Hu Lili's face flushed, and the red ribbon at the end of her braid bobbed. "I brought some flatbread for Brother Xiao."
She held up a round flatbread wrapped in oil paper. It smelled incredible; you could tell it was packed with good ingredients.
"I was afraid Brother Xiao would be starved to death by a delicate lady like you."
Her words were clearly aimed at Su Tang, but Su Tang wasn't one to back down.
"Well then, I guess we'll have to trouble you to bring him food every day."
'That would save me the trouble of cooking, too.'
Just as Hu Lili was about to say more, Lu Xiao suddenly walked out of the room.
He was drying his hair, and water droplets slid down his neck and into his collar. His icy gaze swept over the flatbread in Hu Lili's hand.
"That won't be necessary. The food Su Tang makes is plenty. Don't bring me things like this in the future."
"It gives people the wrong idea."
His voice held not a trace of warmth. Su Tang's lips curved into a smile.
Hu Lili's face instantly turned deathly pale. She stared fixedly at Lu Xiao, then shot Su Tang a venomous glare before slamming the flatbread down on the table.
The flatbread fell to the floor.
"Brother Xiao, don't be fooled by this city girl! She doesn't belong here at all!"
"She'll drag you down with her!"
With that, she turned and ran away crying, leaving a mess in her wake.
Su Tang bent down to pick up the oil-paper package. Sesame seeds and grit were stuck to the flatbread.
She turned to Lu Xiao and teased, "What do you say we sift out the grit? We could probably still make some toasted sesame salt."
"It'd be a shame to waste it. It smells quite nice, too."
Lu Xiao watched her carefree act, his eyes darkening. In the end, he simply took the oil-paper package from her and tossed it into the stove.
The flames instantly shot up, burning Hu Lili's heartfelt gesture to ashes.
"Don't stand in the doorway next time."
He said it in a low voice, his gaze falling on the spot on her lower back where she had been knocked.
"Does it hurt?"
Su Tang froze. This was the first time Lu Xiao had ever shown concern for her.
"It doesn't hurt."
Lu Xiao turned and reached for the first-aid kit hanging on the wall.
The tin box's corners were worn shiny. It opened with a soft CLICK.
That's when Su Tang noticed a fresh scrape on his forearm, the newly formed scab still caked with dirt from his training.
"You're hurt again?"
'This guy... how does he get hurt every single day?'
Lu Xiao's movement paused, his hand freezing in mid-air as he pulled out half a roll of bandages. He shook his head.
"Just a scratch."
He averted his gaze, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught Su Tang's look of concern, which made him want to run.
"We're out of safflower liniment. I'll go to the clinic and get some."
Lu Xiao didn't say much more. He just said he was going to get the medicine, but as he turned, he knocked over the thermos.
"Alright, stop fussing. I'm not a porcelain doll."
Su Tang stopped Lu Xiao and bent down to pick up the thermos.
Thanks to Hu Lili's scene, her food had burned.
"Just a minute, I'll start over."
Su Tang turned to wash the rice, only to find Lu Xiao lingering by the stove, his eyes flicking to the brown sugar on the counter.
"Want some?"
She teased him, dangling the bag of brown sugar in front of him. Lu Xiao turned his head away and started to leave.
Seeing he couldn't take a tease, Su Tang quickly stopped him.
"I'll make some for you."
Su Tang spooned two scoops of brown sugar into a coarse porcelain bowl. The moment the boiling water was poured in, a sweet aroma spread through the cramped kitchen.
Lu Xiao stood by the stove, watching the dark foam bubbling up in the bowl.
'In all his years as a soldier, he'd never really eaten candy, let alone brown sugar. He'd always felt that sweet things just didn't belong in the harsh, gritty landscape of the Northwest.'
'But when he looked at Su Tang, the word "sweet" came to mind. So he wanted to taste it, to know what sweet really was.'
'Was the brown sugar as sweet as she was?'
"Let it cool for a bit, or you'll burn your mouth."
Su Tang pushed the bowl in front of him and turned to scrape out the burnt pot.
The metal spatula made a harsh SCRAPING sound against the charred bottom of the pot.
Lu Xiao suddenly reached out and took the spatula from her hand. "Let me."
"It's not like I can't do it."
Su Tang said with a smile, watching as Lu Xiao deftly finished the job.
Lu Xiao glanced at her before looking away again.
'Her hands were so fair and smooth; you could tell at a glance she'd been pampered her whole life.'
'He couldn't have her come all the way to the Northwest just to do his laundry and cook for him.'
'They were... just a husband and wife in name only, after all.'