Late spring in April, just past six in the morning, the sun was slowly rising.
The entire compound was bathed in warm morning light.
Sunlight streamed through the patchwork glass windows of the main hall, falling on Xie Zhongming’s upright figure. Thinking about how Comrade Qiao had accepted the snow cream from his mother Huang Guilan but had not accepted his own, the sunlight suddenly made him feel a little dizzy. Yet he did not realize that the heavy feeling he sensed was not from the sun but from a vague sense of frustration he could not fully identify.
A weight rose in his chest.
Huang Guilan emerged from the kitchen and saw her son, full of masculine energy after morning exercise. She pulled him out into the vegetable garden outside the main hall.
“Lao Si, any news about Fat Girl?”
Huang Guilan thought Qiao Xingyue had refused the snow cream because she was too formal.
However, when the snow cream was presented to Qiao Xingyue by her, she accepted it. This showed that Qiao Xingyue clearly kept boundaries with her fourth son, wishing to maintain distance and avoid entanglement.
It was frustrating.
This girl clearly had no romantic feelings toward her fourth son. It had to be because he had a wife that she deliberately kept her distance from.
Before Xie Zhongming could answer, Huang Guilan said, “Lao Si, you need to divorce Fat Girl quickly. Why don’t you draft the divorce papers first and submit them?”
Huang Guilan did not want Fat Girl to remain missing. She just wanted to find her, make amends, and let her and Zhongming finalize the divorce. With no affection between them, being tied together served no one.
Xie Zhongming responded firmly, “Mom, Fat Girl’s disappearance is partly my responsibility. We should hold off on the divorce papers for now. I’ll continue searching for her.”
Over the past five years, he should not have only sent money to Tea Shop Village while ignoring Fat Girl.
“You always take responsibility for yourself. Clearly, this is Fat Girl’s mother’s fault. If she hadn’t driven Fat Girl away, she wouldn’t have gone missing. Listen to me. Let’s draft the divorce papers first, alright?”
If the fourth son did not divorce, it would only be because Huang Guilan wanted to match Qiao Xingyue with him.
Waiting indefinitely to see them together was unbearable.
Huang Guilan was anxious.
“Mom, I have my own plan for this matter.”
Behind the double doors of the main hall, Deng Yingying quietly stood.
She heard every word clearly. Clutching the wooden latch, her heart raced with unease. Was Aunt Lan so eager for Zhongming to draft the divorce papers because she wanted Qiao Xingyue as her fourth daughter-in-law? From what she observed, Aunt Lan’s gaze at Qiao Xingyue was like a gentle mother-in-law assessing a prospective daughter-in-law, satisfied with everything about her.
But Deng Yingying also wanted to marry Zhongming after his divorce. The last time she attempted to pursue him, Zhongming had refused. This time she could not let Qiao Xingyue ruin her plans.
After breakfast, Deng Yingying called Jiang Chunyan outside. The two mother and daughter walked along the raised earth paths between the self-sufficient farm fields outside the compound.
To the left, peas and broad beans had already been harvested by the logistics soldiers. On the right, corn stalks towered above head height, with newly formed corn cobs and green tassels swaying in the wind, releasing a fresh corn aroma.
The two women chatted as they walked.
“Mom, I feel like Aunt Lan wants Qiao Xingyue to be her fourth daughter-in-law. Zhongming doesn’t seem to dislike her and may even like her. We can’t just sit by.”
“What do you mean? Should we drug Xie Zhongming? Then we’d need to buy more breeding medicine from the veterinary station.”
“Mom, only as a last resort. I want Zhongming’s heart, not just his body.”
“Why are you so stubborn? Isn’t there a difference between getting a person and getting their heart? Even if you only get him, you can marry him and manage his money. His 168-yuan allowance per month alone will make your life comfortable.”
“Mom, I’m different from you.”
Deng Yingying knew Jiang Chunyan, when marrying a subordinate of Xie Shizhang, had used underhanded methods. Her father had little affection for her mother as a result.
“Yingying, even if you can’t marry Xie Zhongming, you must seize the opportunity to return to Jincheng Military District. Jiang Beiyang has liked you all along. Whoever introduces him to a match, he refuses. We must pursue both options. Understand? Jiang Beiyang’s 90-plus-yuan allowance is nothing to scoff at.”
Jiang Beiyang was Jiang Beiyang’s elder brother, one year older than Xie Zhongming, also raised in the compound, serving as a battalion commander.
Though his conditions were not as good as Zhongming’s, he was on the list of potential husbands for Jiang Chunyan.
Deng Yingying did not dislike Jiang Beiyang, but she preferred Xie Zhongming.
“Mom, let’s secure Zhongming first. If that fails, we can still consider Jiang Beiyang. His heart is only for me; he won’t marry anyone else.”
She was scheming for Zhongming while keeping a backup plan ready, a cunning move in that era.
Qiao Xingyue passed along the field path carrying a water jug for Xie Shizhang, who was harvesting peas and broad beans in the self-sufficient farm. She accidentally overheard Deng Yingying and Jiang Chunyan’s conversation while hidden behind tall corn stalks.
“Mom, I have a way to get Qiao Xingyue out of Aunt Lan’s house. Come over, I’ll whisper so no one hears.”
What followed, Qiao Xingyue did not hear.
At noon, Xie Zhongming ate at the unit, while Qiao Xingyue rode her bike to deliver lunch to Xie Shizhang in the farm three li away.
Seeing her not return after half an hour, Jiang Chunyan, sitting at the square table in the main hall, complained of hunger.
“Huang Guilan, Qiao Xingyue is just a servant. Can’t we start without her?”
Huang Guilan, holding her chopsticks, replied softly, “Chunyan, I repeat. Xingyue is not our servant. I treat her like my own daughter. No one eats until she returns.”
An’an and Ningning, hungry as well, immediately received corn cakes with meat wrapped inside from her.
“You two should eat first to tide you over.”
Jiang Chunyan protested, “Why can they eat and I can’t?”
“You know they are still kids,” Huang Guilan replied.
When Jiang Chunyan tried to grab a corn cake, Huang Guilan knocked it back with her chopsticks.
“Don’t act like a starving ghost. I said no one eats until Xingyue returns.”
Huang Guilan had never spoken like this to Jiang Chunyan, but since Qiao Xingyue arrived, she had learned to voice discomfort and refuse unfairness.
Deng Yingying tried to reason, “Mom, starving is no excuse. Xingyue works hard every day. We must wait for her.”
Jiang Chunyan grumbled, “She’s delivering food. Maybe she fell off her bike into a ditch.”
Huang Guilan, genuinely angry, slammed her chopsticks on the table. “Chunyan, shut that cursed mouth. If you speak again, move out. Do not curse Xingyue in my house.”
Worried, she looked outside. An’an and Ningning followed as Qiao Xingyue returned on her bike.
Seeing her slim figure dismount nimbly, Huang Guilan relaxed.
Just then, someone else entered the hall.
“Yo, Aunt Lan, having lunch? Perfect, I haven’t eaten. I won’t be polite.”
A man with a flat-top haircut, slightly overweight, tall and broad, with a red, coarse, pockmarked nose sat at the square table. Qiao Xingyue immediately recognized him.
Four years ago, shortly after giving birth to An’an and Ningning, she had encountered him while seeking shelter from rain in a broken temple. He had tried to harass her while she was weak and with her children. Fortunately, someone rescued her.
Now he was in the Jincheng Military District compound, wearing a uniform.
He immediately began eating, selecting only meat, without looking at Qiao Xingyue, likely not recognizing her. She had lost significant weight since then.
“Lan, who is he?” she asked quietly.
Huang Guilan whispered, “Jiang Chunyan’s second brother’s son, Jiang Yongqiang.”
Three years ago, Jiang Chunyan had arranged a logistics post in the military for Jiang Yongqiang, the red-nosed man, to repay a favor.
Jiang Chunyan nudged him, “Yongqiang, don’t just eat. Look at Xingyue.”
His lecherous gaze made Qiao Xingyue uncomfortable.
“She’s quite pretty. I heard you lost your husband and raise two kids alone. Date me. I can help raise them. My 26-yuan allowance is enough. You just…”
“You lecherous wretch! You dare think of Xingyue that way?” Huang Guilan grabbed his ear and yanked him up.
“Ah, Aunt Lan, it hurts. Ease up.”
“I was thinking of introducing Xingyue to you so you could help her, you bastard!”
“Nothing! Nothing at all!” Huang Guilan, who never swore, cursed while trembling with rage.
She grabbed a broom and chased Jiang Yongqiang outside. “If you dare come here again to pursue Xingyue, I will beat you to the ground.”
Qiao Xingyue held the trembling woman, “Aunt Lan, sit down and calm yourself.”
“Don’t worry, Xingyue. With me here, no one will marry you to a scoundrel.”
Nearby, Jiang Chunyan tried to persuade Huang Guilan to introduce Xingyue to Jiang Yongqiang, but Huang Guilan glared sharply.
“If this were your Yingying, would you agree?”
“Yingying is my daughter, Xingyue is your servant. How can they compare?”
“Xingyue is like my own daughter. Why can’t she compare?”
“Lan, I think you want to wait for your fourth son to divorce before marrying Xingyue. He’s a second-married man, and many women would queue for him. Why do you want to marry this widow?”
“You’re the widow.”
“Lan, you…”
“Mom,” Deng Yingying grabbed Jiang Chunyan’s arm. “If you argue with Aunt Lan again, we’ll pack and move out.”
Seeing Huang Guilan truly angry, Deng Yingying quickly placated her. “Aunt Lan, Xingyue is beautiful and capable. My cousin does not deserve her. I will scold my mother later for this crooked plan.”
At dusk, Qiao Xingyue was hanging laundry in the yard. Jiang Yongqiang entered carrying a bundle of brown sugar.
Jiang Yongqiang, 36, still unmarried, wanted to pursue this beautiful woman. He scrutinized Qiao Xingyue’s profile and suddenly remembered the widow he had encountered in the broken temple.
“Comrade Qiao, you can’t be that chubby girl, can you?”
He stepped forward, offering the sugar.
A strong hand caught the sugar, placing it in Jiang Yongqiang’s arms.
“Jiang Yongqiang, you old bachelor, trying to pursue Comrade Qiao? Are you itching for trouble?”
Xie Zhongming had just returned.
His voice was calm but authoritative, his icy gaze made Jiang Yongqiang take two steps back.
Six months ago, Jiang Yongqiang had followed a young woman, frightening her. Xie Zhongming had caught him and beaten him badly. Jiang Yongqiang remembered and ran.
Xie Zhongming then looked at Qiao Xingyue, assessing her, “Comrade Qiao, did Jiang Yongqiang bully you?”
“No,” Qiao Xingyue shook her head.
“Was it Aunt Jiang introducing him to pursue you?”
“Yes, it was her idea.”
“Don’t worry. With our Xie family here, Jiang Yongqiang dares not misbehave.”
At that moment, Qiao Xingyue felt warmth in her heart. Not only was Aunt Lan protecting her, but Comrade Xie treated her like family.
Xie Zhongming frowned slightly and asked, “Comrade Qiao, Jiang Yongqiang said you were a chubby girl before? Were you really overweight?”