Xie Zheng’s face showed displeasure. He gave the man sitting upright in the passenger seat a half-smile, then turned to Ruan Shujin, who looked innocently at him, and clenched his back teeth.
“What did you want to find him for?”
“Last night, an elder sister came with a child looking for someone named Xie Zheng. In the letter she gave me, I saw the name Cheng Xinfeng.”
No sooner had Ruan Shujin finished speaking than they saw Xie Zheng being sent off by Cheng Xinfeng. The car drove off, and Ruan Shujin tilted her head, staring at Xie Zheng, pointing at the tailpipe of the now-distant car.
“Him?”
Xie Zheng waved his hand, and Ruan Shujin didn’t press further.
He glanced at Ruan Shujin’s expression, cleared his throat, drawing her attention.
“The person you mentioned is Sister-in-law Yinglan. She’s Brother Cheng Xinfeng’s wife. She had to use my name to send the letter because of family reasons.”
Xie Zheng walked outside at a slow pace, his words clear and deliberate.
“Cheng Xinfeng comes from the mountains. His family is complicated—his father had more than one wife. His mother died early, so he naturally wasn’t valued much in that household. Thankfully, he had brothers for company and grew up through hardships. Initially, Cheng Xinfeng sent the letter in his own name, but the money inside never reached his elder brother. Once, when we went back to visit family, we realized this. Finally, we came up with this method.”
“Those people were unreasonable too. At first, they still tore the letter apart. I scolded them properly—they wouldn’t hide my letters again.”
Ruan Shujin gave a light “oh.”
Once inside the house, Cheng Xinfeng had already contacted Li Yinglan.
Cheng Xinfeng smiled straightforwardly, then looked at Ruan Shujin.
“Sister-in-law, you’ve really troubled yourself. Without you, my nephew would have been in trouble.”
“Anytime you need my help, just ask.”
Ruan Shujin nodded subtly.
Xie Zheng lowered his voice.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“You didn’t give me your contact info! I didn’t even know where to reach you!”
Ruan Shujin’s words reminded Xie Zheng. He had forgotten this detail. Thinking of the official orders, he didn’t elaborate further. After all, they wouldn’t be staying in Hushi for long; he and Cheng Xinfeng had to leave immediately.
Ruan Shujin turned and noticed Xie Zheng daydreaming. She bumped him with her arm.
“Anything you need to tell me?”
“Later.”
Ruan Dong invited everyone to sit. Xie Zheng jumped up, remembering he was half the host, and busied himself with pouring water and bringing a fruit platter.
Once seated again, Xie Zheng looked around the room.
“Cheng Xinfeng and I will leave with the main troop to Mengdu tomorrow. You should pack and take the train there. It’s a bit complicated along the way, so just bring necessities. I’ll arrange everything over there.”
“Sister-in-law Yinglan, relax. Come with us and don’t go back. I told you long ago to come with us—the people at that place are not suitable to stay with.”
Ruan Shujin pinched Xie Zheng, signaling him to stop talking. He understood and got up.
“Sit tight. I’ll prepare things and show you my skills today.”
Ruan Shujin followed.
Ruan Dong wanted to say something—his eldest daughter wasn’t used to kitchen work—but thought better of it.
Ruan Shujin’s eager following surprised Xie Zheng.
“Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you. I’ve grown a lot during my military years. I can make a full table of good dishes.”
“I’m not saying I don’t trust you. I just want to ask about Sister-in-law Yinglan.”
Ruan Shujin stood beside Xie Zheng. They worked well together—one picked vegetables while the other handled something else.
Xie Zheng thought for a moment.
“I entrusted Sister-in-law Yinglan to you. She won’t go back anymore. If she did, she might not even survive to return.”
Ruan Shujin’s hands froze.
“Such a ruthless family?”
“Not all of them, but most of them have step-parents. Cheng Xinfeng’s mother died early, his second stepmother has money, his third stepmother can coax him. They bullied the lonely eldest son. I told Brother Cheng before not to stay there. He refused, saying he wouldn’t live long and would rather die in that old house, to spite them. But he didn’t consider Yinglan and Minwa—motherless and orphaned—they couldn’t survive there.”
Xie Zheng’s hands paused, angered.
“You can’t always be stubborn. Your health comes first.”
He tilted his head, watching Ruan Shujin, who was clearly upset.
“Don’t be angry. Although the place is open, Brother Cheng is of an age where he married during wartime. If not for the second and third brothers’ intervention, he might have married again.”
Ruan Shujin sighed heavily.
“Will Sister-in-law Yinglan agree to come along?”
“Don’t worry. I know Cheng Xinfeng well.”
Ruan Shujin glanced slyly behind her, lowering her voice.
“Honestly, I feel like there’s something odd between Sister-in-law Yinglan and your friend.”
Xie Zheng made a shushing gesture.
“You’re clever—focus on the vegetables.”
Ruan Shujin knew he knew something but didn’t want to say it, so she didn’t ask more.
Li Yinglan, having received help, naturally couldn’t sit idle. She joined in the work.
Finally, Ruan Shujin pulled Li Yinglan aside, leaving the two men busy in the kitchen.
Li Yinglan tidied up and seemed much more spirited.
Ruan Shujin thought she should ask her.
“Sister-in-law Yinglan, what do you think—will you come with us to Mengdu?”
Li Yinglan nodded.
“Yes. For the child. I know my limits, so I won’t push.”
Ruan Shujin smiled, placing her hand over Li Yinglan’s.
“Then don’t worry. We’ll just team up and go together.”
Li Yinglan responded with a hum.
After breakfast, Xie Zheng busied himself with packing, though he was stopped—it had to be done today for tomorrow’s departure.
Ruan Shujin watched Cheng Xinfeng and Li Yinglan in the distance, then looked at Xie Zheng.
“So where exactly are we going in Mengdu?”
“Baoshi.”
Xie Zheng explained calmly.
“You’ll take the train from Hushi to Jindu, then to Kyoto, then to Baoshi. We’ll meet you there and take you to the garrison. Don’t worry—you’re military families, and someone will guide you all the way.”
Ruan Shujin nodded.
“Three to five days, I guess?”
“Yes. Prepare enough dry rations for a few days.”
“No problem.”
Ruan Shujin thought for a moment.
“When does the main troop leave? Will the accompanying families leave then?”
“In seven days. You can pack slowly. Someone will contact you. Yinglan doesn’t understand these things, so you’ll take the lead. We’ll trick Cheng Xinfeng into sending supplies to you.”
Ruan Shujin laughed at Xie Zheng’s words.
“No need for him to give me gifts. In that case, I’ll just take yours instead.”
Ruan Shujin continued:
“Good, seven days. The child’s health will stabilize by then.”
“But Xie Zheng, why did you leave so suddenly?”
“We didn’t decide. We were following orders.”
“Right.”
Before leaving, Cheng Xinfeng personally spoke to Ruan Shujin—a courtesy.
Handing the responsibility over to her was troublesome, but he had no choice. Li Yinglan had never left the mountains; the outside world was different. If forced, she and her child wouldn’t have sought him out.
Ruan Shujin looked at Cheng Xinfeng with unwavering determination.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you see us all safe.”
Her words made everyone laugh.
On the day Xie Zheng left, Ruan Shujin woke early, having barely slept, and got up.
Looking around, her little ones were thriving.
Downstairs, Li Yinglan had already gotten up and tied an apron, preparing breakfast.
Ruan Shujin was stunned.
“Sister-in-law Yinglan, why are you up so early?”
Li Yinglan grinned.
“Sister, it’s fine. I’m used to it. Before we leave, while things are complete here, I can show you my cooking skills.”
Ruan Shujin leaned against the wall, watching Li Yinglan.
“Sister, you really don’t mind working hard!”
Li Yinglan laughed softly.
“When I first started, it was exhausting. But after doing it so much, you get used to it.”
She glanced at Ruan Shujin.
“I’m the eldest. There are many younger siblings. Someone has to work, or no one eats. Married, I ended up with this kind of in-laws—still had to work. I didn’t want to, but women are born to do these things, right?”
Ruan Shujin sensed the sadness in Li Yinglan’s words and didn’t know what to say.
Li Yinglan had bottled up her feelings and happened to meet Ruan Shujin.
“Jin sister, you’re a good person. From the first time I saw you that night, I knew. Bad people’s eyes show it—but your eyes told me you’re a top-notch person.”
Ruan Shujin’s face warmed at the compliment.
Li Yinglan looked into the pot, then found a chair and sat beside Ruan Shujin, who didn’t know when she had sat down.
“When I married his brother, I was only sixteen. I didn’t want to, but I had no say. My parents thought I was old enough to eat at home. I saw several men a day. I didn’t understand but couldn’t stop anything.”
“Brother Cheng is good, but also not good.”
Li Yinglan stared at Ruan Shujin, unsure how to put some things into words, only sighing.
“Jin sister, sometimes being a woman really is a curse!”
“I… I… don’t know how I ended up living like this either.”
Ruan Shujin held Li Yinglan.
“Sister-in-law Yinglan, don’t doubt yourself—you’re amazing.”
Li Yinglan shook her head.
“No… I’ve made a grave mistake.”