After Staff Officer Lin left, Qiao Lanshu went to bed to rest.
She had already been hospitalized for two days. She had caught a cold after being chilled, but she was much better now, and she could not stay in the hospital forever.
So, the next day, she took ten yuan and asked one of the hospital nurses to help her buy a padded jacket.
Although the Supply and Marketing Cooperative sold cotton and cloth, ready-made clothes were relatively scarce. Clothes in a petite size like hers were even harder to find.
Thus, the nurse simply said to her, “How about this? I’ll charge you five yuan, and you don’t need to give me any cotton coupons. I’ll give you a set of the padded jacket and trousers I just finished making for myself. They’re a little big, though. You can make do with them, right?”
The officers in the army took exceptionally good care of Qiao Lanshu.
And Qiao Lanshu was from the south, still young, and spoke in a gentle, soft voice. Thus, even the doctors and nurses treated her with considerable care.
So, when she heard the nurse say this, Qiao Lanshu was extremely grateful. “All right. Thank you so much, Sis.”
Being called “Sis” over and over made the nurse happy, so she said, “I’ll give you two pairs of socks as well. It’s cold here. You can’t get by without thick socks.”
Qiao Lanshu thanked her repeatedly again.
The weather was not yet very cold, but when winter truly arrived, a padded jacket and thick socks alone would not be enough.
By then, however, Qiao Lanshu might not still be here.
She felt somewhat dejected.
She liked Qin Yuanzheng, but judging from Qin Yuanzheng’s attitude, he seemed to regard her only as a child.
Wearing the padded jacket, padded trousers, and thick socks the nurse had brought her, Qiao Lanshu packed her things and completed the procedures for leaving the hospital.
Her cold was much better, though she still had a constantly running nose and spoke with a heavy nasal tone.
The padded jacket and trousers were a little too large. She rolled up the trouser legs and sleeves twice, then braided her long hair into two glossy black plaits. Only then did she pick up her bundle and leave the hospital.
Before leaving, she specifically instructed the nurse, “Sis, if Regimental Commander Qin comes looking for me, tell him that I’ve gone to stay at the guesthouse.”
The nurse smiled and agreed.
Qiao Lanshu was afraid Qin Yuanzheng would come and be unable to find her, so when she left through the hospital’s main gate, she repeated the same message to the gatekeeper.
She first carried all her things to the guesthouse and used her letter of introduction to get a room.
Then, taking advantage of the fine weather and bright sun, she hurried to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy things.
She would still have to stay here for a few days, so she needed to buy daily necessities such as towels and washbasins, as well as some food.
In fact, her hands and face, and even her lips, were somewhat dry and itchy. But she had no coupons for skincare products, and she did not know what the people here used to rub on their faces.
Thinking this, she walked toward the Supply and Marketing Cooperative not far away.
Fortunately, the guesthouse, Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and hospital were not far from one another. She could reach them after walking for about half an hour.
When she was nearing the entrance of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, she suddenly stopped, her eyes fixed on one direction.
Sun Mingyong was wearing the uniform of a Food Factory worker, and beside him was a young woman dressed in the same uniform.
The woman was holding the hand of a boy of about five or six.
The two of them came out of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, both carrying things in their hands.
Sun Mingyong was from Yangcheng. He had come north at the age of fifteen, penniless and without anyone to rely on.
Through his deceased father’s connection with the Qiao family, he had received financial support from Father Qiao. Over the years, the Qiao family had probably sent him more than a thousand yuan in money and grain.
That was no small sum.
After so many years apart, Sun Mingyong had grown a little taller, but his features had not changed much.
Qiao Lanshu’s expression darkened as she stared fixedly at Sun Mingyong. As soon as they left the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, she immediately followed behind him, tailing them all the way to the Food Factory’s Dormitory Area.
Sun Mingyong sensed that someone was behind him, so he turned to look. His heart immediately leaped, and he instinctively called out, “Lanshu…”
Sun Mingyong’s wife turned to look at him. “Huh? What did you say?”
Sun Mingyong smiled. “Oh, I said I forgot some reference books at the factory and need to go back to get them. You two go home first. I’ll be back soon.”
His wife did not suspect anything. She nodded and said, “Then hurry. I’ll go back and cook first.”
Sun Mingyong nodded, then turned and strode over.
Qiao Lanshu stood outside the gate of the Food Factory’s Dormitory Area. It was lunchtime, when everyone was eating.
Sun Mingyong and his wife both worked at the Food Factory. They had taken advantage of their lunch break to come out and buy things, then bring their child home for lunch.
He walked up to Qiao Lanshu and looked left and right. Only after confirming that no one was nearby did he ask in a low voice, concerned, “Shushu, what are you doing here?”
Qiao Lanshu sneered. “Why do you think I’m here?”
Sun Mingyong pretended not to understand. “Since you were coming, why didn’t you write to me beforehand? Or you could have sent a telegram. I could have gone to pick you up. This place isn’t like Yangcheng. The climate here is dry and cold. You’re a girl—you won’t be able to adapt.”
As he spoke, he took a Big Unity note from his pocket and held it out to Qiao Lanshu. “Lanshu, take this and buy yourself something. You’ve never suffered hardship since you were little. Don’t wrong yourself here, either.”
Qiao Lanshu had not wanted the money at first, but then she changed her mind. This was all her father’s money. Why shouldn’t she take it?
She accepted the money and said, “How can ten yuan be enough? It’s so cold here. I need to buy some good things. You said it yourself—I can’t let myself suffer.”
Sun Mingyong’s expression darkened, but he did not say anything. Instead, he took all five Big Unity notes from his pocket and handed them to Qiao Lanshu. “Sixty yuan. Is that enough?”
Qiao Lanshu accepted all sixty yuan. Only then did she look at Sun Mingyong and say with an ambiguous smile, “All right, Sun Mingyong. I remember that when you left home, you didn’t even have a single one-fen copper coin in your pocket. My father bought your train ticket, and my father found someone to exchange grain coupons for you. The clothes and shoes you wore were all made from cloth our family gave you… And now you’re handing out Big Unity notes just like that. Looks like you’ve become quite well-off.”
Hearing Qiao Lanshu’s words, Sun Mingyong knew she was mocking him.
But he did not want to make a scene now.
After all, the woman he had married was the daughter of their Food Factory director.
Without that connection, he would not have been able to find work at the Food Factory—much less the easy job in the Business Department, where he dealt with cadres from various departments all day long.
Sun Mingyong looked around. Only after making sure no one was there did he reach out and grab Qiao Lanshu by the arm. In a low voice, he said, “Lanshu, this isn’t the place to talk. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? The state-run restaurant here serves local dishes. I’ll take you there to eat.”
Qiao Lanshu broke free of his hand. She was not tall and did not have much strength.
So, in her anger, she jumped up and slapped him across the face.
It did not hurt very much, but it still left Sun Mingyong stunned.
Qiao Lanshu’s expression was cold and severe. “Sun Mingyong, even now, you still aren’t going to explain yourself to me?”
She did not hate Sun Mingyong for marrying someone else. After all, the two of them had never had much of an emotional foundation.
What she hated was that Sun Mingyong had clearly already started a family and had a child, yet he had continued to string her along and deceive her family. He had accepted every bit of the money and ration coupons Father Qiao sent him.
In the past, she had even wondered: Could someone serving as a cadre in the army really be that poor?
Now she knew. He had been using her family’s money to support his wife and child!
Sun Mingyong covered his face but did not lash out.
He merely frowned and said with a dejected expression, “Lanshu, you’ve lived in fine clothes and eaten well since you were little, and both your parents are capable. You’re a young miss—what do you understand? You have no idea how hard things have been for me. When I first came here, I didn’t even have a place to live. I could only stay in a cave dwelling! The army wouldn’t take me, and I couldn’t find work either. Do you know how difficult things were for me? I almost froze to death in the heavy snow. Do you know that?”
Qiao Lanshu found it laughable. She had lived under the watch of a stepmother—how good could her own life have been?
Sun Mingyong had only almost frozen to death. He had not actually died!
She looked at Sun Mingyong coldly. “So what? You took the money my father gave you, pretended to be the young master of a wealthy southern family, and came here to deceive someone into marriage, is that it?”
She pointed at Sun Mingyong. “Just you wait. I’m going to report you to your work unit right now! I’ll make sure you lose your job and go to the Labor Reform Farm to clear land!”
This time, Sun Mingyong was genuinely afraid.
He seized Qiao Lanshu’s hand, a trace of viciousness flashing in his eyes. “Qiao Lanshu! What exactly do you want? Are you trying to ruin me?”
Of course, Qiao Lanshu had not meant it literally. Even if she wanted to report Sun Mingyong, she would not do it now.
She was no match for Sun Mingyong.
In her past life, if she had not escaped and received help from the Women’s Federation, Sun Mingyong would never even have admitted to deceiving her into marriage!
Qiao Lanshu thought that this time, she would send Sun Mingyong to the Labor Reform Farm all the same!
A gentleman could wait ten years to avenge himself.
Sun Mingyong was gripping her, and her arm hurt so much that tears came to her eyes.
She took advantage of the situation and pretended to look extremely aggrieved. “I came all the way here to find you, thinking that I could follow you into the army. Then I discovered that you were deceiving me. Do you know how sad I am?”
When Sun Mingyong saw her crying, the strength in his hand eased somewhat.
After all, he truly had liked Qiao Lanshu very much in the past. Qiao Lanshu was well-behaved and quiet, and she was beautiful.
When he had followed his father to the Qiao family’s home for the first time as a child, he had already secretly fallen for Qiao Lanshu.
He had once imagined marrying Qiao Lanshu as an officer and bringing her home.
But the army had not accepted him, so he had been forced to seek another way out.
Otherwise, as a poor young man without the support of a family, he would not even have been able to find work. The Qiao family would certainly have looked down on him.
He did not want to spend his whole life living under the Qiao family’s shadow and watching the expressions on their faces.
He took out a handkerchief and wiped Qiao Lanshu’s tears.
“Don’t cry, Lanshu. I really did have my difficulties. This time, I was the one who failed you. I’m truly sorry. Whatever you want, just name it. But please, whatever you do, don’t report me. It took me so much effort to get this job. Don’t ruin my future, all right?”
Qiao Lanshu glanced disdainfully at his handkerchief and did not take it. She said, “Since we’re ending things, then let’s end them cleanly. Over the years, my father has sent you at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, yuan in money and ration coupons. Give me one thousand yuan and five hundred National Grain Coupons, and we’ll consider the matter settled.”
Sun Mingyong: “…”
His face darkened. “One thousand yuan and five hundred grain coupons…”
Qiao Lanshu glared at him. “Don’t tell me you refuse to pay the money back!”
Qiao Lanshu’s eyes were black and bright. Even when she glared at someone, she did not look angry; she was simply unbearably cute.
Sun Mingyong stared straight at her face, swallowed, and then said, “No. I mean, I can scrape together one thousand yuan, but five hundred National Grain Coupons will be difficult. At most, I can give you two hundred National Grain Coupons and three hundred local grain coupons. Would that work?”
Money was merely an external possession. As long as he could keep his job and his marriage remained unaffected, he would be able to earn the money back soon enough.
For now, all he had to do was placate Qiao Lanshu and then put her on a train heading south. After that, everything would be fine.
Sun Mingyong immediately said, “Two days. At this time two days from now, come to the back gate of the North City Food Factory. I’ll give you the money and grain coupons there. All right?”
Qiao Lanshu nodded. “All right.”
Then she turned and left.
Sun Mingyong still wanted to say something to her, but he did not dare follow.
With a dark expression, Qiao Lanshu left the Food Factory’s Dormitory Area and returned to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy things.
She was thinking that as soon as she got the money and grain coupons, she would immediately write a letter reporting Sun Mingyong!
That bastard could forget about having an easy life for the rest of his life!
……
Using the sixty yuan she had taken from Sun Mingyong, Qiao Lanshu bought some washbasins, towels, soap, toothbrushes, and other daily necessities at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Then she had wanted to buy some fresh fruit and vegetables. After all, she had not gotten to eat any of those things during her two days in the hospital.
But when she went over to look, there were hardly any fresh vegetables or fruit.
The place was full of all kinds of canned goods.
With a troubled expression, she bought a radish and several potatoes, then bought some biscuits and noodles before carrying everything out of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
On her way back to the guesthouse, she passed the building of the county’s textile factory. Then she saw Qin Yuanzheng accompanying a female textile worker. The woman was also holding a boy’s hand, and the three of them were walking along the roadside, apparently heading somewhere.
This scene seemed strangely familiar.
Qiao Lanshu thought of how she had just encountered Sun Mingyong: the harmonious appearance of a family of three.
Qiao Lanshu: “…”
When she had seen Sun Mingyong’s family of three, she had felt nothing but anger.
But now, seeing Qin Yuanzheng’s family of three, she inexplicably felt a tightness in her chest.
Before she could react, tears began to fall on their own.
Qiao Lanshu wiped the corners of her eyes and walked toward the guesthouse with her head bowed, carrying her things dejectedly.
So Qin Yuanzheng had not only married by this time—he had a child as well?
But in her past life, Qin Yuanzheng had told her that he had always been unmarried and had never married.
He had never had a child, either.
What exactly was going on?
……
Qin Yuanzheng had not actually intended to meet Wang Huiping so soon, but whenever he went to the Command Headquarters Building, he passed by the textile factory.
Today, it had simply been a coincidence. He happened to encounter Wang Huiping and her son outside the textile factory. Since they had met, he walked with them for a while and spoke with them for a bit.
The feeling of being with Wang Huiping was actually rather flat. He could not say that he liked her, but he could not say that he disliked her, either.
When the two of them talked, Wang Huiping accommodated him, and the child was quiet, so everything felt more or less all right.
But it was only all right.
Qin Yuanzheng escorted Wang Huiping and her son back to the textile factory, then went to the mining district to take care of some business.
When he returned in the afternoon, he habitually turned toward the hospital, driving to the hospital entrance.
As it turned out, the nurse told him that the young girl’s illness had improved and she had been discharged. She had gone to the guesthouse.
Could a young girl like her really stay at a guesthouse alone?
Was it safe?
Frowning, he drove to the guesthouse as well.
When he reached the registration desk and asked about her, the clerk immediately said, “Comrade, are you looking for Comrade Qiao Lanshu? She’s in Room 203 on the second floor. Here’s the pass. Take it.”
Qin Yuanzheng accepted the pass and was about to go upstairs when the clerk suddenly spoke again.
“Oh, right. That young girl came back crying this afternoon. Her eyes were swollen from crying. When I asked if something had happened, she wouldn’t say a word. You’re her friend, right? Go upstairs and ask her. A young girl all alone away from home—it’s pitiful…”
Qin Yuanzheng stopped mid-motion, and his expression instantly darkened.
“She cried?”