"What?"
Meng's mother stood up in shock, her face filled with disbelief. "Yingying, why do you suddenly want to join the army camp? And that place is in the northwest—it's too far away. I've heard it's all Gobi desert and barren land, and life there is extremely tough. Are you sure you can endure such hardship?"
Meng Ying quickly pulled her mother back to sit down. Her mother was still the same—always rushing into a frenzy at the slightest trouble, making a fuss. After calming her down, Meng Ying spoke up: "Lu Tingzhou wants a divorce."
"What??"
A chorus of surprise and disbelief echoed from outside. Meng Ying turned to look and saw three people piled at the doorway, their sun-darkened faces all showing shock and anger.
"That scoundrel Lu Tingzhou!" Meng's father had just returned from the fields, still holding a hoe in his hand. Hearing the word "divorce," he couldn't hold back any longer and turned to go settle the score with Lu Tingzhou.
Meng Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had originally planned to first calm Meng's mother, explain the whole story clearly, and then tell them. But now that they had all heard, she could only hurriedly grab hold of her father.
"Dad—what are you doing? Where are you going to find him? Lu Tingzhou is in the northwest. Do you think you can just pedal your feet and fly there?"
Meng Ying mercilessly exposed her father's impulsiveness.
Meng's father also realized he had acted rashly, so he sheepishly put down the hoe and entered the room.
"What's going on? Lu Tingzhou wants a divorce?"
Meng Ying: "To be precise, I wanted to divorce him, but now I regret it, so I want to join him at the army camp."
She slowly explained the whole story to them. Meng's father, his dark brows furrowed, sat on a small stool and pondered for a while before finally saying, "Yingying, what you did was particularly impulsive. Don't you know how those village gossips love to spread rumors about you when they have nothing better to do? They're just jealous that you don't have to work and can sleep in every day."
Meng Ying also knew that the original owner had been too dramatic, so she nodded seriously and obediently admitted her mistake.
Seeing her look of remorse, everyone found it hard to blame her too much. After all, she was their own daughter. If she made a mistake, she had to take responsibility. This trip to join the army camp might also help nurture their relationship.
Although Meng Ying had acted impulsively in this matter, wasn't Lu Tingzhou completely blameless either? Married for three years, and they hadn't even seen a trace of him, leaving their Yingying alone at home, lonely and isolated. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken those idle rumors to heart.
Meng's mother sat to the side, her brows tightly knit, her face full of worry. "But you still shouldn't go to the army camp. That place is really too harsh."
Meng Ying: "Mom, Lu Tingzhou is a regiment commander, an officer. How could I suffer when I go there? Don't you know your own daughter? I'm not cut out for hardship. If it really becomes unbearable, I'll just come back."
"But—"
Meng's father tapped his tobacco pipe. "Alright, let's listen to Yingying. Going to the army camp might be good. What kind of married couple never sees each other? This is a chance to build their relationship."
He paused, then looked at Meng Ying.
"Daughter, this trip will take two days and one night by train. Do you want your dad to go with you?"
Meng Ying felt a warmth in her heart. The original owner's parents truly poured their hearts out for this girl, willing to give her the best of everything. Over the years, she hadn't helped the family much, yet they could still treat her this way.
At this thought, Meng Ying's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at her father. "Dad, there's no need. The journey is so long. Not only would it cost extra for you to come with me, but more importantly, there might not even be a place to stay when we get there. I can manage on my own."
Seeing her determined expression, the Meng family exchanged glances, their hearts filled with both affection and worry. Finally, they sighed.
Meng's mother advised, "Then be careful on the way. Don't talk to strangers, and send a telegram home when you arrive so we can rest assured."
Meng Ying nodded. Sensing the heavy atmosphere, she urged her mother to join her in the kitchen to prepare the rabbits for lunch.
Seeing that the two rabbits were quite large, Meng Ying took one out and asked Meng Qing to skin it and cut it into pieces. She planned to make braised rabbit.
Watching her move with practiced ease, Meng's mother suddenly felt a little more confident in her. Being able to cook was a good thing—she could prepare her own meals when she got there. They hadn't quite figured out Lu Tingzhou's temperament, and a mother's heart aches when her child travels far from home. She feared her daughter might suffer hardships there. If she had cooking skills, at least she wouldn't starve. With these thoughts, Meng's mother grew sentimental again, her eyes moistening. She quickly turned away.
For lunch, everyone ate until their bellies were round. The two little ones ate with great delight, having never tasted such delicious meat before. They buried their heads in their bowls, devouring the food eagerly.
Meng Qing didn't even look up as he ate. "Sis, your cooking is as good as a restaurant's."
The Meng family was considered relatively well-off in the village, thanks entirely to Meng's father and Meng Qing's carpentry skills. They could make furniture and other items to supplement the family's income. In fact, they had earned quite a bit of money over the past few years, which was why they had been able to raise Meng Ying so well.
Occasionally, they would dine out in town. Meng Qing had eaten at restaurants a few times and felt the flavors couldn't compare to his sister's cooking.
Meng's father and mother ate more reservedly, but the satisfaction on their faces was unmistakable.
After the meal, Meng's mother couldn't bear to let her daughter leave so soon, so she pulled her into the room for a heart-to-heart talk.
Meng Ying said, "Mom, don't worry. I promise I won't let myself suffer there. I'll live even better than I do at home. If Lu Tingzhou treats me poorly, I'll call you right away, and we'll deal with him together."
Meng's mother laughed and pinched her cheek. "You—Lu Tingzhou is already a regiment commander. Your father and brother's strength wouldn't be enough to withstand two kicks from him. When you get there, eat and drink as you please. If he treats you poorly, just come back. Your father and I can still support you."
As she spoke, she took out three ten-yuan bills from the cabinet and handed them to her. "This is from me. Your father and I discussed it—keep it for the journey. I know you have money, but it's better to be prepared when traveling. It's not much, but take it for now."
Seeing the crumpled ten-yuan bills, Meng Ying's heart melted. Her eyes grew moist. Her mother was truly wonderful.
"Mom, how can I take this from you?"
Hearing this, Meng's mother grew displeased and quickly stuffed the money into her hands. "Take it! I'm your mother. It's only right that I give it to you."
Seeing that her mother would get angry if she refused again, Meng Ying had no choice but to accept it. She resolved to send money home once she made a fortune.
Early the next morning, Meng Ying got up. Meng's father and brother also arrived early in the village to pick her up and take her to the train station. The station was bustling with people, packed to the brim.
This was the era when the spring breeze of reform and opening-up swept across the land of China. The economy was beginning to recover, especially in the southern regions, so many people started heading south, and trains were the best means of transportation.
Meng Ying, shielded between her two relatives, didn’t suffer much from the crowding. Finally reaching the ticket checkpoint, the three of them smoothly passed through.
Inside the carriage, Meng Qing found a seat for her younger sister and placed the luggage on the overhead rack. Fortunately, the ticket she had managed to secure was by the window, allowing Meng Ying to rest against it for a while.
After everything was settled, Meng Ying waved goodbye to the two, her eyes filled with reluctance.