“I’ll go!” His voice was unusually resolute. “Uncle Gu, thank you! If I, Lin Xiangyang, don’t make something of myself, I won’t have the face to come back and see you! And I’ll never burden my family again!”
He stood up and bowed deeply and solemnly to Gu Tingzheng.
Zhang Guilan, who hadn’t shed a single tear since her son’s incident the day before, wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.
Gu Tingzheng gave a slight nod and said nothing more.
His gaze swept past the little girl beside him. She had been holding the osmanthus cake in her hand for a long time without taking a single bite.
This girl… why was her reaction even stronger than the person involved?!
…
Lin Xiangyang set off three days later.
Carrying the letter of recommendation from Gu Tingzheng and the identity certificate letter issued by the brigade.
Carrying the camphorwood chest his mother had stuffed over and over, along with all the family’s savings.
Lin Xiaojiao didn’t go to see him off, habitually lingering next door instead.
“Uncle, I want milk tea again,” she sprawled on Gu Tingzheng’s sofa.
The man looked up from a pile of documents, not impatient at all. “Wait.”
Lin Xiaojiao continued her lazy sprawl.
Swinging her little feet.
Admiring the man’s increasingly skillful brewing technique.
Tsk tsk, these hands that held guns could hold a teacup so elegantly too…
“Why didn’t you go see your brother off?”
“Didn’t want to.” Lin Xiaojiao propped her chin on her hand. “Uncle, don’t you think—”
She blinked her big eyes. “Farewells are sad enough already. Why rub salt in the wound by lingering in that uncomfortable mental space?”
Gu Tingzheng’s hand paused slightly.
This girl always had some strange ideas.
“Nonsense.”
He shook his head with a light laugh.
His gaze swept over the girl’s completely unguarded sitting posture, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression darkening:
“Sit properly!”
Did she still think of him as just a man?
Lin Xiaojiao clearly didn’t understand the situation.
Why did Uncle get serious in an instant?!
Was he upset she didn’t go to see her brother off?!
She simply knelt on the sofa, leaning her entire upper body on the table.
Only a few teacups separated her from him.
“Why are you scolding me, Uncle?!”
Her tone carried an unconscious coquettishness and grievance.
Gu Tingzheng instinctively licked his back teeth.
Put down the milk tea cup he was filtering.
Leaned forward.
Reached his right hand across the table.
Somewhat roughly, he pulled the girl’s collar back into place.
Lin Xiaojiao’s face instantly flushed red—
So damn embarrassing!
She shouldn’t have altered the neckline of her sailor shirt for the sake of coolness…
…
Life returned to peace, and she clung to Gu Tingzheng even more.
Even her mother hesitantly reminded her:
“Be mindful of boundaries. Don’t give people reason to gossip.”
Lin Xiaojiao didn’t care at all. After what happened with Xu Deyou, her reputation in Xinglong Village and the surrounding area was already ruined.
She wasn’t afraid of it getting a little worse.
Summer vacation was nearing its end.
Gu Tingzheng still treated her like… a daughter, doting on her as always.
But Lin Xiaojiao knew.
He didn’t belong here.
He would leave sooner or later.
She just didn’t expect that day to come so soon.
…
Lin Xiaojiao was awakened by the creaking sound of an old door opening.
In her daze, she heard that familiar, bone-deep pleasant Mandarin voice:
“…Yes, urgent military affairs. Must leave immediately…”
Lin Xiaojiao instantly woke up.
All sleepiness vanished.
She didn’t even have time to think, abruptly got up, kicked off the blanket, and rushed out of the room.
In the main hall, Lin Yunli was talking with Gu Tingzheng.
Her sudden appearance froze the air instantly.
Gu Tingzheng turned his head. Under the dim yellow light, the young girl stood with her hair loose, her cool nightgown looking rather thin in the deep night.
His gaze drifted downward—the girl was actually barefoot, standing on the brick floor.
The man’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He was about to say something.
Suddenly, the girl a few steps away rushed forward, almost crashing into his arms.
The little girl buried her face in his chest, her thin arms tightly wrapping around his waist.
Gu Tingzheng’s body tensed abruptly.
His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched tightly, veins faintly visible on the back of his hands.
He could feel the girl’s dependence and grievance, like a fledgling bird.
It took nearly all his self-control not to embrace her in return.
Lin Yunli watched his daughter’s untimely behavior and wanted to say something.
In the end, he simply turned his face away.
Lin Xiaojiao admitted she was being sentimental.
She didn’t hold back.
It was the first time she had seen him in military uniform.
So many words were no longer appropriate to say.
She pressed herself against his chest like this, feeling his heartbeat through the crisp military uniform.
The silence made the night even quieter.
After a long while, the man’s hands, which had been clenched and then relaxed, took hold of the girl’s arms.
His calloused fingertips brushed quickly over her cold arm.
Like a silent comfort.
And a farewell.
Then, he gently pulled her arms away.
Tenderly, yet firmly.
Just as he resolutely turned to leave—
A low, almost accusatory voice came from behind him:
“I always said… farewells are the worst…”
The man’s departing figure paused ever so slightly.
He didn’t look back.
He didn’t even say “goodbye.”
Moments later, the roar of an engine faded into the distance.
Lin Yunli sighed.
“Go to sleep, it’s late.”
…
With Gu Tingzheng’s departure, Lin Xiaojiao visibly deflated.
She lost interest in everything.
That night, Gu Tingzheng had left a key with Lin Yunli, saying that his family would arrange for someone else to come later to continue repairing the house. He asked Lin Yunli to keep an eye on things and also left the use of the side room to Lin Xiaojiao.
But Lin Xiaojiao never set foot in it again.
The start of school was approaching.
At the dinner table, Lin Xiaojiao poked at the dough drop soup in her bowl, taking a bite only after a long while.
With Gu Tingzheng gone, the family’s meal standards had dropped significantly.
“Xiaojiao, how about I go to school with you?” Lin Xianghua spoke lightly, as if it were nothing.
Zhang Guilan put down her bowl and chopsticks. What was going on with everyone in the family lately?!
“Your dad supports you, give it another try for a year!” As the head of the family, Lin Yunli spoke first.
“So, from now on, Xiaojiao, you’ll have to teach your brother. I haven’t touched a book in two years—it’s all gone back to the teacher!” Lin Xianghua said casually.
But Lin Xiaojiao couldn’t hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
She knew her older brother must have heard it that afternoon.
Heard the gossip from those busybodies at the village entrance.
Her brother wanted to accompany her, to protect her.
“Big brother, I’ll be really strict!” She blinked away her sentimental tears.
…
The last bit of mosquito repellent had been used up.
Summer had passed.
Once again, Lin Xiaojiao shook off the haunting figure in her mind.
“Lin—Xiang—Hua—” she roared, “How could you get every single one wrong?!”
Zhang Guilan was no longer surprised—her daughter had inherited her temper.
The eldest son of the Lin family appeared, looking a bit foolish. “If my English had been a little better, I wouldn’t have come back to be a work recorder back then, heh.”
“I don’t care, you’re not sleeping until you memorize all the vocabulary in this unit!”
Sorry, but if I don’t torment you, I’m afraid I’ll have too much free time and start overthinking again.
Even an empty bottle reminds me of him.
Lin Xiaojiao silently apologized to her older brother in her heart.
…
That day, when the siblings returned from school, the atmosphere at home felt strange.
Zhang Guilan seemed hesitant to speak.
“Mom, where did all these gift boxes come from?” Lin Xianghua was the first to ask.
“Someone from next door came by. They said it was to thank your dad for helping look after the house earlier.”
Lin Xiaojiao’s heart skipped a beat.
“I’ll go check!” She turned to head out the door.
“Come back!” It was her father, Lin Yunli, who stopped her. “It’s not Staff Officer Gu.”
Lin Xiaojiao withdrew her foot.
“Xiaojiao, their family is different from ours.”
For the first time, Lin Xiaojiao saw exhaustion on her father’s face—not even when her second brother left had he looked this weary.
“Good child, you understand.” Lin Yunli couldn’t bring himself to say more.
Lin Xianghua patted his sister’s shoulder. “I didn’t understand a problem from class. Help me take a look.”
“Okay.” Lin Xiaojiao nodded.
She glanced back at the somewhat glaring gift boxes before heading toward the back room.
…
Winter break had arrived, and the New Year was fast approaching.
Lin Xiaojiao had already been in this world for over half a year.
From initial discomfort to now barely managing, heaven knew how she had gradually bowed to reality.
If nothing else, just being able to apply such greasy face cream without blinking was proof enough.
There was no choice—unless she wanted her skin to chap.
Reality was stronger than will.
“Mom, Dad! A letter from Second Brother!”
Lin Xianghua held the envelope, his hands trembling.
Apart from sending a telegram to report his safe arrival when he first reached Shenzhen, Lin Xiangyang had sent no news since.
The family had been worried, but there was little they could do.
A single letter from home.
Short on paper, long on sentiment.
After hearing her eldest son read it aloud, Zhang Guilan repeatedly dabbed the corners of her eyes with her apron.
Lin Xiangyang said he was doing well there. Because he was quick-witted, he had been taken under the wing of Gu Tingzheng’s comrade-in-arms and was helping with import and export trade.
He had also wired three hundred yuan back, saying he wouldn’t return for the New Year. He would come back once he had truly established himself there.
He told the family not to worry about him.
Three hundred yuan was a huge sum in those days—almost equivalent to Lin Yunli’s annual salary.
Even though Lin Xiaojiao had little concept of money, she knew her second brother must have genuinely earned some.
“Mom, don’t cry! Second Brother is capable. Don’t worry about him!” she tried to comfort her mother.
“It’s still thanks to Gu—” Zhang Guilan swallowed the name on the tip of her tongue. “Alright, alright, everything’s fine. I’ll go cook for you all.”
A pang of sorrow flashed through Lin Xiaojiao’s heart.
Had that name become taboo in their home?
The New Year was approaching. Where was he? Was he doing well?
…
Somewhere on the southern battlefield.
Gu Tingzheng had just returned from the front lines.
“Regiment Commander, we’re out of compressed biscuits. Please make do with this for now. Supplies will arrive once this route is cleared.” Communications officer Chen Cheng handed over a grass cake.
Gu Tingzheng took it and washed it down with a few gulps from his canteen.
“Regiment Commander, you’re really something…” Chen Cheng said admiringly, giving a thumbs-up.
The texture of this grass cake was practically grating on the throat.
Gu Tingzheng forced a slight smile.
It truly was awful.
If given to his little girl, she’d probably cry eating it…
He couldn’t help but glance at the moon in the sky.
The New Year was almost here.