She couldn’t help but blink in surprise.
In the 1980s, bicycles were extremely rare. They couldn’t be bought with industrial coupons alone; one needed a special bicycle ticket to qualify for a purchase. The price wasn’t cheap either, making it unaffordable for ordinary families.
Even for cadre families, owning a bicycle wasn’t guaranteed. Those who could afford bicycles were usually units or organizations that bought them as important means of transportation.
“Whose bicycle is this?” Wen Ci asked curiously.
This was her first time seeing a 28-inch bicycle. It was much taller than the ordinary bicycles of later generations, and its glossy black paint shimmered like gold under the sunlight.
The soldier guarding the duty room was someone Wen Ci hadn’t seen before.
He glanced at Wen Ci. Despite his youthful face, his demeanor was exceptionally solemn. Holding a gun, he stood straight and replied, “It’s Regimental Commander Huo’s bicycle.”
“Huh?”
Wen Ci suddenly remembered that during their time on the train, Huo Jingyuan had mentioned that he would provide her with the traditional wedding gifts known as the “Three turns and one ring”.
At the time, Wen Ci hadn’t thought much of it. In the Northwest Military District, the “Three turns and one ring” seemed rather impractical. She didn’t know how to use a sewing machine, and the military district was so small that walking only took a few minutes.
Riding a 28-inch bicycle would be too ostentatious.
As for a watch, there were clocks at home and in the hospital.
Wen Ci took a sharp breath. Hearing the steady footsteps of a man, she instinctively looked up, her gaze locking onto him.
Huo Jingyuan was slightly taken aback when he saw Wen Ci. He had known she was going to Haishi and had planned to hide the bicycle at home to surprise her.
But now…
Huo Jingyuan looked at Wen Ci, his eyes softening with tenderness. His deep voice carried a gentle tone as he asked, “Weren’t you going to Haishi? Why are you back?”
“The bus’s tire broke.”
The new soldier in the duty room stared at Huo Jingyuan in disbelief.
How could he, of all people, witness the infamous “Living King of Hell” speaking so gently?!
“Did you buy this?” Wen Ci asked.
“It’s a surprise for you.”
Suddenly, an untimely cough echoed from the duty room. Wen Ci suddenly realized they were still outside, and her face flushed with embarrassment.
Huo Jingyuan shot a subtle glance at the source of the cough.
“Do you know how to ride it?”
Wen Ci shook her head. “Maybe a little.”
She knew how to ride a bicycle. Before the apocalypse, she had ridden shared bikes to school every day. However, the seat of the 28-inch bicycle was too high, and she might not be used to it.
“I’ll take you back.”
Huo Jingyuan walked over to the bicycle, folded the kickstand, and steadied the handlebars with both hands. He placed his right foot on the pedal and sat on the bicycle seat.
His long, straight left leg supported him on the ground. With a large hand, he patted the horizontal bar in front of him, his eyelids slightly lowered as he spoke unhurriedly, “Sit here.”
Wen Ci’s face turned red. The entrance of the family quarters was only a three-minute walk from home. There was no need for Huo Jingyuan to take her back on the bicycle.
Moreover, she could have sat on the rear seat.
But this man insisted on having her sit on the front bar.
Had he forgotten how much he had made her suffer last night?
At that moment, several men in dark green military uniforms, carrying notebooks, approached the duty room and greeted Huo Jingyuan. “Regimental Commander Huo.”
The smile in Huo Jingyuan’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by an expression that revealed no emotion. He nodded. “Are you here for a meeting?”
“We’re holding a meeting for the new family members.”
Then, their gazes fell on the beautiful Wen Ci standing nearby. As members of the family affairs office, they had already heard about Huo Jingyuan’s marriage.
With knowing looks, they asked, “And who is this?”
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