“Thank you, ma’am!”
“No need to thank me. We’re all military families it’s only right to look out for each other!”
“You’re so kind, ma’am. What’s your surname? The person I’m looking for could it be someone from the same place?”
“Most likely. There’s only one military district this train passes through! My surname’s Zhuang, and my husband is the head cook at the 1st Regiment, 1st Battalion.”
Madam Zhuang shifted over a bit, making room for a pregnant woman who had just squeezed onto the bus. “Who are you looking for? As long as it’s someone from the 1st Regiment, I probably recognize them.”
“I’m looking for Captain Li Jianjun of the 1st Regiment. He’s my brother-in-law.”
“Li Jianjun?”
“Yes, that’s him!”
“I know him. Honest man, trains like there’s no tomorrow but has a lot going on at home…”
She paused mid-sentence, then noticed the bag of apples in Lin Yinyin’s hands and changed the subject. “Your sister is she very gentle, with dimples when she smiles?”
“Yes. My sister’s name is Lin Huizhi.”
“Then that’s her. I remember her good person, sincere with others, reliable but too soft-hearted. She always thinks she should endure things quietly.”
Lin Yinyin’s heart sank. Madam Zhuang’s words clearly hinted at some story.
Just as she was about to ask more about her sister, the bus suddenly slowed. With the driver honking, two military green jeeps overtook them from behind.
One of the men in the front passenger seat of a jeep glanced at Lin Yinyin through the bus window, mouth dropping open in surprise, almost dropping his military cap.
“Look at that jeep! Definitely heading to the military compound!”
Two girls carrying cloth bags whispered to each other, eyes full of envy. “Only officers above the battalion level get that treatment. We’re stuck on the bus, can’t compete!”
Lin Yinyin understood no matter where you are, the principle of “some have it easier than others” applied.
Officers looked glamorous, but every bit was earned through sweat and blood. Like Li Jinye his arm wound from a gunshot… wait, why was she thinking of him?
She shook her head. She was in Ji Province now, hundreds of miles away it was unlikely they’d meet again.
“Ji Province Military District! Those getting off, move to the doors!”
Lin Yinyin followed the crowd, and looked up at the imposing military gates, soldiers standing perfectly at attention.
She straightened her clothes and politely approached the guardhouse. “Comrade, hello! I’m looking for Captain Li Jianjun of the 1st Regiment. I’m his sister-in-law, here from my hometown to visit.”
“Comrade, please wait. I’ll have someone confirm.”
“Wait!”
Suddenly, a sharp female voice rang out behind her. “Li Jianjun doesn’t have a sister-in-law!”
Lin Yinyin turned to see a girl in a floral jacket standing with her hands on her hips. Round face, small eyes, high cheekbones, and full of disdain in her gaze.
Li Jianying had just returned from the hospital. From a distance, she spotted Lin Yinyin at the gate neat, pretty, wearing coarse cloth shoes. She sneered.
Pretty? So what. Still looks like a poor country bumpkin!
“Country bumpkin, what are you staring at? My family doesn’t have a relative like you don’t come here pretending to visit and take advantage!”
Lin Yinyin frowned this had to be her sister’s younger sister-in-law. Sharp and sour-looking, clearly not someone decent.
But she wasn’t afraid.
“Whether I’m a relative or not, ask Captain Li yourself.”
She turned to a young soldier. “Please inform him I’m here to see Li Jianjun.”
“Inform him? Why should I?”
Li Jianying stepped forward, deliberately bumping Lin Yinyin’s gift bag. An apple rolled out.
“My brother isn’t home, I don’t know you. Leave, don’t get in the way!”
Spittle flew from Li Jianying’s mouth onto Lin Yinyin’s hand, dripping with disgust.
Lin Yinyin bent down, picked up the apple, and brushed off the dust. Luckily, the peach cookies and canned goods were in her space, or she’d be upset if they broke.
She stood straight, eyes cold. “I’ll say it again. I’m Lin Huizhi’s sister. I’m here to see Li Jianjun. Are you Li Jianjun? If not, don’t spout nonsense here!”
“You dare scold me?!” Li Jianying shouted in anger.
“I knew it the useless old hen would eventually come leech off my family. I’ll tell you: all her family is dead. We don’t know you. Now scram!”
She turned to the guard, Xiao Zhang. “Comrade Xiao Zhang, you’re responsible for guarding the gate! How can someone without credentials just be let in? What if they’re a spy?”
“‘Useless old hen’? ‘Her family’s all dead’?” Lin Yinyin clenched the apple. That’s the so-called happy life her sister talked about? That’s the harmonious family life?
She took a deep breath, turning back to Xiao Zhang. “Comrade, fighting inside the military compound is against regulations. But we’re outside the main gate does your authority extend here?”
Xiao Zhang froze, unsure. He thumped his rifle stock on the ground instinctively. “This is outside the compound, but jurisdiction”
Before he could finish, Lin Yinyin spun around, grabbed Li Jianying’s collar with her left hand, and slapped her face with her right.
“Smack!”
Madam Zhuang swallowed hard. She had been soft and gentle with this girl all the way here why was she suddenly so fierce?
She recognized the round-faced girl Lin Yinyin’s sister’s sister-in-law. Didn’t look like a good person.
“Smack!” Another slap landed. Li Jianying finally reacted.
“You hit me! How dare you hit me! I’ll fight you!” She reached to grab Lin Yinyin’s face.
Lin Yinyin was ready. She dodged, pushed her knee into Li Jianying’s thigh, and while Li Jianying bent in pain, delivered two more slaps.
“Dare insult my sister? Smack!”
“Cursing my family? Smack! Smack!”
Li Jianying was stunned.
So were guards Xiao Zhang and Xiao Zhao.
Quickly, they separated the two women, one on each side.
Li Jianying’s hair was messy, her lip bleeding. She pointed at Lin Yinyin, crying, “Arrest her! She hit someone! She violated regulations by hitting a military family member!”
Lin Yinyin straightened her wrinkled clothes, unimpressed. “I asked earlier this is outside the military compound. Your regulations don’t apply here. This is just two civilians engaging in unrestrained friendly ‘discussion.’”
“Friendly discussion?” Madam Zhuang’s lips twitched.
Li Jianying was also speechless. She forgot to cry, glaring with her small round eyes. “Friendly discussion? You’ve swollen my face! I’ll sue you for intentionally harming a military family member!”
The spectators began murmuring.
“What’s wrong with military families? We’re military families too, but we can’t just insult people. I heard what she said it was terrible.”
Another agreed, “Exactly. ‘All her family’s dead’ that’s vicious. And this little Lin looks so refined, but she only acted because she was provoked.”
Madam Zhuang pulled a fellow bystander aside. “I just left the compound not long ago. How come I didn’t know there was such a gem of a person here?”