“My An’an has been allergic to peanuts since she was little. It is a congenital hereditary condition.”
Qiao Xingyue told Huang Guilan about the two times An’an had suffered peanut allergy reactions since childhood.
Then she added, “Peanut allergies can be mild, causing full body rashes and itching, or severe, leading to swelling, breathing difficulties, and even suffocation or shock. If rescue is not timely, it is indeed very dangerous.”
“Aunt Lan, do not worry. When I cook in the future, I will definitely make sure not to add any peanuts or peanut based seasonings.”
In the past, only An’an had a peanut allergy.
Now An’an, Aunt Lan, and Comrade Xie all had peanut allergies, so she would be extra careful.
At this moment, the buns in the pot were done.
Qiao Xingyue lifted the steamer filled with buns off the coal stove.
Fragrant steam billowed out, filling the kitchen with an irresistible aroma.
But Huang Guilan’s mind was full of this coincidence. “How can it be such a coincidence that An’an is also allergic to peanuts like Zhongming and me?”
Qiao Xingyue also felt it was quite a coincidence and smiled as she said, “Aunt Lan, it seems this child has fate with your family.”
That night.
Huang Guilan was soaking her feet in the room.
She had not been sleeping well these past two days. Xie Jiang brought over a small low stool woven from bamboo, sat in front of her, and massaged the soles of her feet.
Seeing her lost in thought, Xie Jiang asked, “What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“Old Xie, do you think it is strange? Comrade Xiao Qiao’s eldest daughter An’an is actually like me and Fourth Son, allergic to peanuts since childhood. How can it be such a coincidence?”
Xie Jiang felt that the water in the foot basin was no longer hot, so he lifted the kettle and added some hot water.
“Do not move, be careful not to get burned. This just shows that our Xie family has fate with those children. Our family has never had girls, so just treat An’an and Ningning as your own granddaughters.”
“I think that works.” When Huang Guilan thought of how cute and sensible the two children were, her heart felt both sour and tender.
“Enough, Old Xie, no need to massage anymore.”
“I will massage a bit longer. Is the pressure okay?”
“It is good. After soaking my feet and getting this massage these past few days, my sleep has really improved.”
Whenever Qiao Xingyue came out of Grandma’s room, she would inevitably pass by Aunt Lan and Commander Xie’s room.
The door was slightly ajar.
Commander Xie was a dignified military district leader with tens of thousands of soldiers under his command. Any soldier who saw him would stand at attention and salute.
Yet at home, Commander Xie actually washed his wife’s feet.
He was truly a good man who doted on his wife.
Growing up in such an environment, the brothers like Xie Zhongming were surely also men who cherished their wives.
Just seeing such a family atmosphere made Qiao Xingyue, an outsider, feel relaxed and happy. She did not know what kind of incredible luck she had to find such a good employer to work for.
With a light and pleasant mood, Qiao Xingyue prepared to take An’an and Ningning to wash up and go to sleep.
Just then, she ran into Xie Zhongming returning from outside the main hall.
He was holding a mesh bag containing three stacked enamel basins, with the bottoms printed with fresh red paint reading Double Phoenix Brand.
Seeing her, he handed her the mesh bag. “Comrade Qiao, my mother asked me to bring these enamel basins for you. They were just bought from the department store.”
Qiao Xingyue took the bag. “Why buy so many?”
Xie Zhongming responded, “My mother said that women like cleanliness, and washing the face and feet should be done separately.”
Huang Guilan had said that basins for washing the face, feet, and underwear should all be separate, so she specifically asked him to buy three new enamel basins for Comrade Qiao.
It was just a bit awkward for him, a grown man, to talk with a woman about washing underwear.
“Anyway, my mother specifically told me to bring you three new enamel basins.”
Qiao Xingyue looked inside and saw new toothbrushes, cups, and Zhonghua brand toothpaste.
In the seventies, toothpaste was considered a luxury daily item for ordinary families, especially Zhonghua brand. One large box cost one yuan and two mao, enough to buy twenty big meat buns.
Most families used tooth powder or salt to brush their teeth.
Aunt Lan had asked Comrade Xie to buy her the most expensive toothpaste directly. Qiao Xingyue suddenly felt flattered and quietly resolved in her heart to work diligently for the Xie family.
“Comrade Xie, thank you so much, and Aunt Lan as well. I really do not know how to thank your whole family.”
“No need to be so polite.”
“By the way, Comrade Xie, I heard Aunt Lan say that you are also married. How come your wife did not come with you to accompany the army?”
Judging by Comrade Xie’s rank, his wife was fully qualified to accompany him.
She was only asking casually.
Seeing how Commander Xie doted on Aunt Lan, she assumed that Comrade Xie must also be a man who cherished his wife and would want her by his side.
By the time Qiao Xingyue realized she should not have asked this question, it was already too late.
Xie Zhongming’s brows pressed extremely low, his eyes devoid of warmth, and he did not respond for a long while.
The atmosphere between the two instantly dropped to freezing.
Even An’an and Ningning noticed that their uncle suddenly became cold, making them too afraid to make a sound.
At that moment, Xie Zhongming replied coldly, “Comrade Qiao, this is the second time you have inquired about my personal marital situation.”
Qiao Xingyue suddenly understood.
No wonder yesterday, when he entered the main hall and saw her at the Xie house, his eyes were full of suspicion and vigilance.
“Comrade Xie, I did not come here to work as a nanny because of you. I have always wanted to find work in the city that could support two children. It just happened that Aunt Tang from the same village introduced me. I truly have no designs on you.”
“I am just a widow whose husband has died, raising two children. I could not possibly have other intentions.”
He must not misunderstand and think she came here to seduce him.
This job was far too important to her.
At this moment, the outwardly calm Xie Zhongming replied coldly again, “Is that so? Comrade Qiao, I never said I suspected you of anything. Why are you in such a hurry to explain?”
Qiao Xingyue was momentarily speechless.
Indeed, Comrade Xie had not said he suspected her of anything.
She was just so eager to explain because this nanny job truly mattered too much to her.
She continued, “Comrade Xie, I only want to do my job well and have a stable income so the three of us can survive.”
“I truly have no improper thoughts about you.”
After saying this, she took An’an and Ningning by the hand and turned to go upstairs.
The Xie family’s two story house had the main hall, kitchen, toilet, Aunt Lan and Commander Xie’s room, and Grandma’s room on the first floor.
The second floor housed Qiao Xingyue and the two children, Xie Zhongming and Xie Mingzhe’s rooms, and a small terrace planted with flowers.
Xie Zhongming watched the mother and daughters go upstairs.
Thinking about how Comrade Qiao had lost her husband and had been struggling alone to raise two children, living a very hard life, the coldness in his eyes dissipated, leaving only traces of regret.
His cold questioning of Comrade Qiao earlier now felt like ice shards lodged in his own chest, making his heart ache.
He truly should not have suspected Comrade Qiao’s identity based solely on the limited information he had.
Even if he wanted to suspect, he should have ironclad evidence.
Soon, Xie Zhongming realized that his understanding of Qiao Xingyue was still far too superficial.
Recalling the aggrieved, indignant, yet resolute look in her eyes when she turned away with the children, he even felt that his direction of suspicion had been wrong.
After taking a deep breath, he went to Grandma Chen Suying’s room.
Grandma Chen Suying’s left side was paralyzed, but her right hand could still move freely. Due to facial paralysis, her speech was not very clear.
As soon as he entered, Grandma grabbed Xie Zhongming’s hand and said, “Zhongming, Xingyue, th those two girls, their eyes look so much like yours.”
“Grandma, Xingyue is just here to work at our house. Do not get mistaken. Those two girls have nothing to do with me. How could their eyes look like mine?”
“They do. Look carefully.”
Grandma Chen Suying always felt that the eyes of those two girls looked exactly like Xie Zhongming when he was little.
Xie Zhongming did not take it seriously.
Those two children were Comrade Qiao’s and her late husband’s. How could they possibly resemble him.
Impossible.
When he left Grandma’s room, he saw Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan both inside the toilet, with knocking and clanging sounds coming from within.
Upon closer look, the toilet water pipe was broken.
The rusted pipe kept leaking water. Xie Jiang had squatted there for a long time trying to fix it but failed.
“Dad, let me try.”
Xie Zhongming took the wrench from Xie Jiang’s hand.
Ordinary dormitories in the residential compound had one main valve per unit, but for senior cadres like Commander Xie living in a two story house, each household had its own main valve.
Xie Zhongming went to shut off the main valve and was about to squat down to fix the pipe when a tearing pain shot through his groin, causing him to straighten up halfway through squatting.
Yesterday, when Comrade Qiao had just arrived at the Xie house, she reminded him to go to the health department to have his stitches removed. Since the wound was infected, he did go once, but there were no male doctors present, only female doctors and nurses.
So neither the stitches nor the infection had been treated. Now, squatting down made his pants stretch tightly, and the wound naturally hurt.
Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan exchanged a knowing glance. Then Xie Jiang asked, “Fourth Son, has the wound down there not healed yet?”
In front of Huang Guilan, Xie Zhongming felt awkward but still had to answer, “It is just a bit infected. It is fine.”
Huang Guilan was anxious. Fourth Son had married a Chubby wife weighing over two hundred jin and still had not had a child. If this led to ending the family line, what would they do?
She urged him, “Fourth Son, why did you not go to the health department and let a doctor take a look?”
Just then, Qiao Xingyue returned from the yard after hanging the washed underwear to dry and heard this. She walked to the toilet doorway.
The toilet space was already small, and with three people inside there was no room left. She stood at the doorway and said decisively, “Aunt Lan, let me fix the pipe. After that, I will take a look at Comrade Xie’s infected wound.”
Xie Zhongming’s ears flushed red. He clenched his fingers and refused firmly, “Comrade Qiao, thank you, but no need. I will go to the health department tomorrow.”
Qiao Xingyue set down the enamel basin in her hands. “Comrade Xie, you already went to the health department today, did you not?”
Xie Zhongming, ears red, silently acquiesced.
Qiao Xingyue asked again, “Was it because the health department was full of female doctors, and you would not let them take off your pants to treat the wound?”
Huang Guilan glanced at her fourth son. His ears were not the only thing red now. His neck and face were flushed as well. As his mother, she knew him well. Since childhood, he had strong boundaries between men and women and was very proper around female comrades.
Huang Guilan gently persuaded him, “Fourth Son, in a doctor’s eyes there are only patients, no distinction between men and women. Being this shy delays treatment. If it really leads to ending the family line, what will you do? You and your wife live apart long term and have not even had a child yet. Since it is infected, let Comrade Xiao Qiao take a good look later.”
Xie Zhongming clenched his fingers even tighter.
At the mention of Chubby’s wife, his cold and rigid facial lines tightened.
“Mom, I will not have children with her.”
His cold voice carried obvious resistance.
Only then did Qiao Xingyue catch some information.
Why was Comrade Xie living apart from his wife long term?
It was obvious that he did not like his wife, perhaps even disliked her.
Could it be that Comrade Xie’s marriage was unhappy? Was it an arranged marriage? That did not seem right either. Commander Xie and Aunt Lan did not seem like parents who would force an arranged marriage on their son. They were reasonable and open minded.
In any case, Qiao Xingyue felt something was off.
She took the wrench from Xie Zhongming’s hand. “Let me fix it. If the pipe keeps leaking until tomorrow, who knows how much water will be wasted.”
“Comrade Xiao Qiao, can you fix water pipes too?”
“I will try. It should not be a big problem.”
Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan quickly stepped aside and came out of the toilet.
Qiao Xingyue went in, squatted in front of the pipe, unscrewed the elbow joint, and took a look. She quickly figured out the cause.
“The sealing ring is broken. Comrade Xie, do you have any old bicycle inner tubes at home? If so, also bring me a pair of scissors.”
“We do. I will get them.”
Xie Zhongming brought the scissors and the discarded bicycle inner tube. He watched as Qiao Xingyue cut out a rubber ring the size of a seal, placed it into the groove of the elbow joint, and tightened the pipe.
Her movements were as fast and smooth as when she performed surgery, fluid and efficient.
In just a few moments, the leaking pipe that he and his father could not fix was resolved by Qiao Xingyue.
He bent down to check and saw that it truly was no longer leaking.
The dim light cast shadows that illuminated Qiao Xingyue’s focused brows and eyes, her jet black braided hair, and the fair, jade like skin of her neck beneath the braid.
Xie Zhongming was about to straighten up.
The next instant, Qiao Xingyue stood up and turned around, accidentally bumping into him.
Caught off guard, her soft lips brushed across Xie Zhongming’s forehead. She had not expected him to bend down suddenly.
After steadying herself, she quickly apologized.
Xie Zhongming rubbed his burning ears. “It is fine.”
Thinking about his infected wound, Qiao Xingyue spoke decisively again, “Comrade Xie, your wound is infected. Let me help you treat it…”
Before she could finish, Xie Zhongming cut in firmly, “Comrade Qiao, no need. I will go to the military district general hospital tomorrow.”
…
Everyone returned to their rooms.
After lying down, Huang Guilan said to Xie Jiang, “Old Xie, I think Comrade Xiao Qiao and our Fourth Son are quite a good match. If only the Fourth Son could divorce Chubby’s wife.”
Xie Jiang took off his reading glasses. “What, you want to matchmake Fourth Son with Comrade Xiao Qiao? The fourth Son is not divorced yet. You cannot meddle in things like this.”
After Xie Jiang lay down, Huang Guilan nudged his arm. “Old Xie, being fat is one thing. If her character were fine, I would not have much issue with her. But Chubby’s wife often steals chickens and dogs in Chadian Village. One time she steals from the Zhang family, another time from the Li family. Every letter sent from Chadian Village to Fourth Son over these five years has been asking him for money to clean up after her messes. What kind of military wife behaves like that? Try persuading Fourth Son again and have him divorce her. The organization will surely agree.”
Xie Jiang sighed. “Fourth Son is not without such thoughts. He just has not made up his mind yet.”
Huang Guilan sighed as well. “Our Fourth Son is handsome and talented. He should marry a capable and beautiful woman like Comrade Xiao Qiao. If the Fourth Son successfully divorces, the two of them might not be without a chance, do you think?”
Xie Jiang replied, “Do not play matchmaker recklessly. Even though Comrade Xiao Qiao is a widow, her conditions are not bad. She might not even look favorably on our Fourth Son.”
At two in the morning.
Xie Zhongming had a dream.
He dreamed that Chubby’s wife was sitting on top of him.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, unconsciously tightening his hold on that soft body.
That waist felt as soft as tofu, soaked with a thin layer of fragrant sweat.
When he lifted his head, that face damp with sweat transformed from Chubby’s wife into Qiao Xingyue.
The long black braid tied on the right side of Qiao Xingyue fell naturally, highlighting the jade white skin of her collarbone.
Xie Zhongming sat up drenched in sweat.
Sweat soaked every tense muscle along his neck.
His prominent Adam’s apple rolled, sweat trickling downward, each taut muscle glistening with restrained tension.
He took a deep breath.
Absurd.
No matter how unbearable Chubby’s wife was, she was still his wife, and Comrade Qiao deserved respect. How could he mix them together in a dream?
He lifted the quilt and saw a dark stain soaked into it.
He quickly removed the quilt cover, stuffed it into an enamel basin, and walked out of the room.
At that moment, he ran straight into Qiao Xingyue, who was holding Ningning’s hand and coming upstairs under the dim light.
Ningning had woken up wanting to pee, so Qiao Xingyue had to take her downstairs, since this two story house only had a toilet on the first floor near the main hall.
Under the light, Qiao Xingyue saw Xie Zhongming wearing only an army green vest and knee length shorts.
A large patch of sweat soaked his chest.
The vest clung to his torso, accentuating the firm and powerful lines of his chest muscles.
It looked as if he had not been sleeping, but had just finished an intense workout. His neck and ears were flushed red, his capillaries visibly distended.
Seeing the enamel basin in his hands stuffed with bedding, Qiao Xingyue asked in confusion, “Comrade Xie, in the middle of the night, are you going to wash the quilt cover?”