Su Yemang’s heart skipped a beat “thump, thump, thump” not just from the warm afternoon sunlight, but from the intensely intimate atmosphere.
She looked up and met Xiao Ye’s gaze. “You want to know?”
Xiao Ye, caught by her amber eyes, couldn’t resist and kissed her.
“You…”
Flustered, Su Yemang stepped back and glanced toward the door.
Xiao Ye licked his lips. “Don’t worry, there’s no one here right now.”
Then he suddenly became serious. “I owe you thanks, Professor Su Yemang. I’ll make a Southern style hotpot at home for you to try.”
He said it and was about to leave; Su Yemang just froze.
Hotpot?
The kind he used to make Southern spices, Northern dipping sauce…
Around 6 p.m.
Sure enough, Xiao Ye was bustling in his kitchen, the aroma of rich Sichuan spices wafting toward the Su family home. Both mother and son practically salivated.
When Su Yemang and Xiao Ye had been dating, he often made her Southern style hotpot.
She hadn’t smelled this aroma in five years…
After 7 p.m.
He arrived at the Su home with a large bowl of hotpot.
Tender pork slices, beef slices, tofu skewers…
The aroma was so strong that Su Yixin spun around on the spot.
He got so excited while eating that he spilled sesame paste onto Su Yemang’s cotton slippers…
At 8:40 p.m.
Su Yemang went to return the bowl, wearing a pair of flimsy slippers.
Xiao Ye opened the door with a “click” and noticed her feet semi transparent slippers.
Instantly, he was furious.
Not only was she wearing flimsy slippers, but she also had frostbite on her feet?
Early December.
Heavy snow had fallen again.
Xiao Ye gritted his teeth. “Su Yemang, do you not take care of yourself at all?”
Su Yemang blinked. “Huh?”
He gave a sharp look at her feet, motioning for her to see.
Still confused, her pupils widened. “What now?”
Xiao Ye’s mouth twisted. “Su Yemang, are you trying to force me to take action?”
With that, he scooped her up horizontally…
“Xiao Ye, what are you doing?”
Su Yemang pounded his chest. “Put me down, Xiao Ye!”
“Don’t move, Su Yemang.”
Holding her, he glanced outside to make sure no one was passing by, then carried her back to the Su house.
He plopped her onto the living room sofa and bent down to press on her feet.
Checking the rooms, he saw the Su home was quiet Su Yixin seemed absent, or perhaps asleep.
Only then did he relax and place his hands on her feet…
The moment their skin touched, Su Yemang went silent.
Xiao Ye’s face darkened. “Frostbite and you’re still wearing flimsy slippers? Don’t want your feet?”
Su Yemang shrugged. “I just washed them… forgot…”
Xiao Ye gritted his teeth. “Remember how much it hurt when they used to get pus filled? Forgotten?”
He pulled Frostbite Ointment No.1 from his pocket and applied it to her toes.
Su Yemang stayed still, wrapped in the familiar care that enveloped her like a shield.
It reminded her of that winter night in 1970, during a torrential downpour. Nine out of ten of her toes had frostbite the size of purple sweet potatoes, and Xiao Ye had scolded her while gently applying Frostbite Ointment No.1.
Su Yemang turned her head, eyes already red.
Looking up, Xiao Ye was staring at her.
“Why are you crying?”
Instantly embarrassed, Su Yemang grabbed a pillow to hide her face.
Through her fingers, she stole a glance at Xiao Ye.
The light in the room was dim, and the pillow was semi transparent.
The shape of a man’s shirt could be faintly seen inside.
Suddenly, Xiao Ye leaned closer. Su Yemang startled and stepped back, yet a strange flutter tickled her heart.
His gaze was dark, focused on the pillow in front of him.
For a moment, he froze, eyes wide in disbelief.
After a moment, his features softened, and he carefully reached out to touch the pillow.
As Xiao Ye’s gaze fell while asleep, Su Yemang swallowed nervously.
Oh no she had grabbed that pillow out of habit.
Inside it was stuffed with Xiao Ye’s clothes… she had been sleeping on it for five years.
She quietly shifted the blanket, trying to cover the pillow.
Xiao Ye raised an eyelid. “Still covering it?”
Su Yemang smiled nervously. “What’s the matter?”
Xiao Ye lifted his arm, went around her, and took the pillow out.
Su Yemang reached out, whispering, “Give it… back.”
Xiao Ye pressed his knee against her, opening the pillow.
Inside was a lake blue shirt he had worn.
It was faded in places with a scorched yellowish patch.
This was from five years ago, when Xiao Ye had been burned while putting out a fire at the village primary school.
“I thought I’d lost it,” Xiao Ye said in a low voice.
Su Yemang’s mind went numb.
She didn’t dare open her eyes, her heart pounding.
When she finally looked, Xiao Ye was gently running his fingers over the burn marks on the shirt, tracing them slowly…
It felt like he was scratching at the very tip of her heart.
“Enough!”
He raised his head and looked at her.
His eyes seemed to say everything, and yet nothing at all.
“It’s nothing to be surprised about just an old, ruined shirt!” Su Yemang said, her nose tingling.
Xiao Ye froze, the light in his eyes dimming, gradually falling to her bare feet.
After a moment, he quickly stood and left, crossing the Su family living room to return home.
“Creak…”
Su Yemang heard the door next door open and remained stiff in place.
At the Xiao residence, a kerosene lamp illuminated his long legs.
Xiao Ye was awkwardly threading a needle…
Ten minutes later,
he held up a pair of shortened men’s wool socks.
He tossed the brand new socks to Su Yemang.
“They were issued by the unit. I can’t wear them all.”
Su Yemang looked at the rough stitched edges. “Did… you sew these?”
Xiao Ye frowned. “Don’t overthink it. Someone from the cultural troupe helped me.”
Su Yemang pressed, “Who from the cultural troupe?”
Xiao Ye lifted an eyelid, saying nothing.
After a moment, he spoke in a low voice:
“First, tell me why did you stuff my clothes in your pillow?”
Su Yemang remained silent.
Xiao Ye stared at her, still saying nothing.
The room seemed paused, as if someone had hit the pause button on the air itself…
Outside, it was a perfect winter day in the military district.
Rows of pine trees swayed, dark green needles rustling.
Su Huai was still in the excitement phase of being a new recruit, humming a tune even while carrying a basin to the communal wash area.
On his first solo outing, he ran into a scene.
Turning a corner, he saw a noisy crowd ahead.
A man in a Zhongshan suit was blocking the path of a tall woman.
As he approached, he recognized her.
It was the beauty often spoken of in the compound, Yun Ruo, with her exotic looks.
The man in the Zhongshan suit snapped, “Yun Ruo, why are you acting innocent? That day in the logistics department’s small grove, weren’t you the one who took the initiative?”
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
“What… can’t be?”
“Yun Ruo, is she really that kind of person?”
“Well, isn’t she? She’s over thirty and still unmarried of course she’s pent up.”
“No wonder Officer Wang got fired. He must have really been involved with Yun Ruo.”
Yun Ruo’s face darkened. “Officer Wang, what nonsense are you spouting with that foul mouth?”
Officer Wang pretended to be shocked. “Nonsense? Last Wednesday night, you and I were in the grove behind the logistics department forgot?”