Widow Village, Aunt Hui’s House
Using the dried noodles, lettuce, and salted dried fish that Aunt Hui already had at home, Lin Xizhi cooked a small pot of noodle soup and a plate of pan-fried shredded fish.
Wrapping the fish in fresh lettuce leaves was Aunt Hui’s favorite way to eat it.
But after Lin Xizhi placed the dishes on the table, Aunt Hui made no move to pick up her chopsticks.
Instead, she pulled a worn brick-red cloth pouch from inside her clothes.
She unfolded it and took out an unusually long silver needle.
She repeatedly inserted the needle into the dried fish and the noodle broth.
Sitting quietly beside her, Lin Xizhi watched with a faint smile as Aunt Hui tested the food for poison.
After examining the silver needle several times and finding nothing unusual, Aunt Hui finally put it away with a cold expression.
Seeing that she still had no intention of eating, Lin Xizhi smiled.
“If you’re still worried, I can eat first. If there’s anything wrong with the food, I’ll be the first one affected.”
Aunt Hui said nothing.
She simply picked up a lettuce leaf, placed some shredded fish inside, wrapped it into a neat little bundle about the size of a wonton……and silently took the first bite.
As she chewed, however, she slowly frowned.
Her bronze-colored face carried an unmistakable air of sternness.
Lin Xizhi feared nothing more than seeing her master frown.
She immediately grew nervous.
“Master… what’s wrong? Doesn’t it suit your taste?”
Aunt Hui lifted her icy gaze toward Lin Xizhi and demanded in a deep voice,
“You cried while cooking.”
Lin Xizhi froze.
Her master wasn’t wrong.
She had cried.
Returning to this long-forgotten stone cottage…
Seeing the familiar surroundings…
Picking up the kitchen knife her master had forged with her own hands…
Everything had become peaceful once more.
She simply couldn’t hold back her tears.
But she also knew that her master hated seeing people cry.
So she had quickly wiped them away.
Who would have thought…
A few tears had still fallen onto the lettuce.
Master really is Master…
Her tongue was as sharp as ever.
A deep sense of joy at what she had regained suddenly welled up inside Lin Xizhi.
Her nose stung once again.
At that moment, Aunt Hui abruptly slammed her chopsticks onto the table.
Her thin lips tightened like the edge of a blade.
Then she spoke in a voice as hard as iron.
“Don’t think that shedding a few crocodile tears will make me pity you.”
“Life is hard for everyone these days.”
“There are plenty of people who’ve been forced to leave their homes.”
“If the Sea Guard rescued you…”
“Then go ask the Sea Guard to take you in.”
“I don’t need anyone here to wash clothes or cook.”
“I can’t afford to feed you.”
“Leave.”
With that, she suddenly stood up, strode over, grabbed Lin Xizhi by the collar like a chick…
…and threw her out the door.
“Let her go!”
Song Zhuowei suddenly appeared outside Aunt Hui’s house.
He casually tossed aside his bicycle and immediately caught Lin Xizhi before she hit the ground.
Still furious, Aunt Hui snapped,
“You came at just the right time!”
“Take her back to your Sea Guard!”
Then she slammed the wooden door shut.
A moment later, the bolt slid firmly into place.
She had completely shut them out.
Song Zhuowei glared fiercely at the door.
Had he not been worried about frightening Lin Xizhi…
Given his usual temper, he would already have kicked it down.
Every single one of those stubborn widows in Widow Village was stranger than the last.
“What were you thinking?”
Song Zhuowei demanded angrily.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay in the clinic and rest?”
“Why are you running around?”
Being scolded so suddenly, Lin Xizhi instinctively wanted to tell him to leave her alone.
But just as the words reached her lips…
She suddenly remembered something.
Song Zhuowei was the kind of person who responded to softness, not confrontation.
She swallowed the words back down.
Instead, she lowered her head dejectedly and spoke softly.
“I overheard people at the clinic saying that Aunt Hui from Widow Village possesses extraordinary medical skills and specializes in treating difficult illnesses.”
“My health has been poor since I was born.”
“Western medicine has never really helped.”
“It has to be treated slowly with traditional medicine.”
“So…”
“I thought if I came here and helped wash her clothes and cook for her…”
“…she might be willing to help me.”
Song Zhuowei suddenly understood.
Dr. Zhang had indeed said that Lin Xizhi’s body had been severely weakened.
Medicine alone might not be enough.
And Aunt Hui was the most famous female physician in the surrounding area.
The only problem…
Was her eccentric and solitary personality.
She wasn’t easy to get along with.
Ever since Song Zhuowei could remember, Aunt Hui had lived in seclusion in Widow Village.
She usually kept entirely to herself.
She earned work points by supplying medicinal herbs to the clinic.
Occasionally, when particularly difficult cases appeared, Dr. Zhang would invite her to make house calls.
But Aunt Hui didn’t treat everyone.
Whether she accepted a patient depended entirely on her mood.
Yet once she agreed to take a case…
No matter how strange or difficult it was…
She always cured it.
Lin Xizhi’s health truly was in terrible condition.
Perhaps…
Aunt Hui really was her best hope.
Thinking this through, Song Zhuowei quietly made up his mind.
Nevertheless, he still frowned and sternly lectured her.
“You’re far too naïve.”
“You actually believed rumors without thinking?”
“You’ve only just arrived here.”
“You don’t even understand Widow Village, let alone Aunt Hui’s personality.”
“And yet you dared to come to her house and cook for her?”
“Weren’t you afraid she might be dangerous?”
“Dangerous?”
Lin Xizhi looked up at him.
Her eyes sparkled.
“Captain Song…”
“How could there be dangerous people?”
“With your Sea Guard protecting Shajing Commune, the only troublemakers within dozens of miles are the sea pirates.”
“What other bad people could there possibly be?”
“You don’t have to be modest.”
“I’ve heard all about your Sea Guard.”
“They’re incredibly capable.”
“Anywhere your team is stationed…”
“Public safety is guaranteed.”
“I won’t run into bad people again.”
Song Zhuowei unconsciously straightened his back.
Of course he knew the Sea Guard he commanded was powerful, disciplined, and respected throughout the region.
But that wasn’t an excuse for her to wander around carelessly.
He emphasized sternly,
“We may be capable.”
“But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stay alert.”
“Don’t go running around again.”
“The commune has already approved placements for all of you.”
“The four members of the Pei family have been assigned to a different production brigade.”
“You’ve been assigned to First Brigade.”
“Come on.”
“I’ll take you to the educated youth dormitory.”
Lin Xizhi was just about to answer, “Alright.”
But when she moved…
She realized Song Zhuowei was still supporting her.
She was still leaning lightly against his broad chest.
He made no move to leave.
Instead…
His eyes kept drifting toward Aunt Hui’s wooden door.
As though he were secretly plotting something.
Lin Xizhi decided not to rush.
She calmly watched his profile, curious about what he intended to do.
A moment later, Song Zhuowei muttered,
“Let me warn you first.”
“The female educated youths on our team all used to be classmates.”
“They tend to stick together.”
“When you live with them…”
“You’ll have to be patient.”
“And don’t go crying and complaining over every little thing.”
“Otherwise I’ll transfer you to another brigade with much tougher work.”
“Besides drying fishing nets and salted fish every day…”
“You’ll also have to go out to sea with them.”
Pretending to be frail, Lin Xizhi replied,
“Really?”
“If that’s the case…”
“Then I definitely can’t stay there.”
“My body won’t be able to handle it…”
She coughed weakly.
“Cough… cough…”
“How can that be?”
Song Zhuowei immediately objected.
“You’ve come here as an educated youth.”
“If you don’t stay in the dormitory, where else would you live?”
Finally withdrawing the hand supporting her waist, he instead grabbed her wrist and began pulling her away.
“Comrade Lin Xizhi!”
“You must obey the organization’s arrangements!”
Feeling that he wasn’t actually using much force, Lin Xizhi easily slipped free.
She threw herself back against Aunt Hui’s wooden door.
Her shoulder blades struck it with a heavy thud.
Just hearing the sound made it seem painful.
Creak.
The wooden door suddenly opened from inside.
Caught off balance, Lin Xizhi stumbled backward once more.
She couldn’t help worrying.
With this porcelain-doll body…
A few more bumps like this and I really might shatter.
Fortunately…
Someone caught her again.
Although Aunt Hui’s hands were dry and bony…
They were astonishingly strong.
After steadying Lin Xizhi, she gave her a firm push back onto her feet.
“Thank you…”
Lin Xizhi turned to express her gratitude.
But before she could finish speaking…
She saw Aunt Hui suddenly raise a feather duster……and swing it straight at Song Zhuowei!