How could Pang Ya have borne a child for him?
Bathed in the crimson sunset, Xie Zhongming’s face was filled with disbelief.
Backlit by the evening glow, his expression was indiscernible, but his tone carried a heavy, stifled weight. “Five years ago… just that one time. And Pang Ya got pregnant?”
How could it be such a coincidence?
“It is indeed such a coincidence.” Jiang Beiyang patted his shoulder. “Zhongming, if the missing Pang Ya is still alive and nothing unexpected happened, this child must have been born. Calculating the time, the child should be just over four years old this year.”
The orange-red twilight fell on Xie Zhongming’s shoulders, and his entire body seemed frozen.
After standing dazed for a full half-minute, he finally raised his hand and pressed his forehead. “Pang Ya has been missing for five years without any news. And now a child appears out of nowhere?”
“Zhongming, do we continue searching?” Jiang Beiyang also found it absurd that Pang Ya could get pregnant from just one encounter with him.
Under the fading sunset, Xie Zhongming responded to Jiang Beiyang with silence.
He sorted through the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and after a long while, he finally replied in a deep voice, “No emotional connection, just one time, and it’s been five years… Now you’re telling me there’s a child? Beiyang, I feel like our comrades in Kun City might have gotten the wrong information. Is this news reliable?”
Instead of answering, Jiang Beiyang countered, “Zhongming, do you hope the news is reliable or not? Do you hope Pang Ya bore you a child or not?”
Xie Zhongming, his thoughts in disarray, found himself unable to answer this question. His face darkened, and he said with a heavy chest, “No matter what, let’s find Pang Ya first.”
“Alright.” Jiang Beiyang nodded. “Then let the people in Kun City continue searching. Also, Uncle Luo from the Public Security Bureau will keep helping with the investigation. They’ll send a telegram or call as soon as there’s any news.”
…
Two days later, at the Regiment HQ barracks of the 19th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 6th Division, Jincheng Military Region.
Xie Zhongming, Jiang Beiyang, and Jiang Beisong were rehearsing combat plans in front of the sand table. Xie Zhongming, hunched over, used a thin wooden rod to trace along the contour lines, his voice full of vigor and efficiency. “The third battalion’s left flank must secure this ravine.”
Just then, an orderly came to report, “Regiment Leader Xie, there’s a phone call for you from the Kun City Public Security Bureau.”
“Beiyang, Beisong, continue without me.” He straightened his back abruptly and strode away in his military boots.
Answering the phone, the sharp intensity he had while analyzing the sand table moments earlier transformed into politeness and gentlemanliness. “Uncle Luo!”
“Zhongming, there’s news about what you asked me to look into.” Uncle Luo’s voice came through the receiver, deep and powerful like an old bronze bell.
Hearing this, Xie Zhongming’s back stiffened tightly. His fingers gripping the phone clenched, and his breathing grew heavier—could it be news about Pang Ya and the child?
“Uncle Luo, is it news about Pang Ya and the child?”
“Not that. It’s about Jiang Chunyan’s nephew, Jiang Yongqiang. I didn’t realize it until I looked into it, but it’s quite shocking. That scoundrel Jiang Yongqiang has committed crimes in his village before. He assaulted a mentally unstable mother and daughter in the village. The girl was only eleven years old when he violated her. But since this mother and daughter have no other relatives in the village, no one to depend on, and no one to care for them, no one ever reported the crime.”
How could there be someone as beastly as Jiang Yongqiang in this world!
Xie Zhongming’s usually composed expression tightened sharply. Gripping the telephone receiver, he clenched his jaw and said, “Jiang Yongqiang deserves to be shot. How could he lay hands on an eleven-year-old child?”
What was even more beastly was that he had violated both the mentally disturbed mother and daughter.
On the other end of the line, Director Luo’s voice was filled with indignation. “Zhongming, I’ve already dispatched people to Jin Cheng. They will collaborate with Comrade Qiao there to handle this case. Such a black sheep must be severely punished.”
…
In the evening, the sky above the Compound was painted with sunset hues.
The clouds at the horizon were dyed tangerine orange.
Xie Zhongming pedaled his Phoenix bicycle through the dappled tree shadows and returned to the Xie family’s two-story courtyard. His father, Xie Jiang, had already returned home earlier.
Entering the main hall, he picked up an enamel mug and poured himself some water. From the Zaofang came the voices of Huang Guilan and Qiao Xingyue, but there was no sign of Jiang Chunyan or Deng Yingying.
After taking a sip of water, Xie Zhongming noticed Xie Jiang squatting by the Zaofang doorway peeling potatoes. He walked over and asked, “Dad, where are Aunt Jiang and Deng Yingying?”
“Your mother said they went to a matchmaking meeting.”
“Who’s being matched?”
“Who else? Your Aunt Jiang.”
This Jiang Chunyan – she remarried to Kun City less than half a year after Uncle Deng’s death, and now she’s divorced her second husband because she was afraid of being sent down for re-education. And she’s going to matchmaking meetings less than a month after the divorce? Is she really that unable to endure loneliness?
“Dad, Jiang Yongqiang actually committed crimes in his hometown.”
He told Xie Jiang about Jiang Yongqiang’s offenses back home. Xie Jiang stopped peeling potatoes. “What? Jiang Yongqiang dared to violate a mentally disturbed mother and daughter? And the child was only eleven?”
“Fortunately, Comrade Qiao is brave and knows acupuncture.”
Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
“Dad, don’t worry. This time Jiang Yongqiang will definitely face the firing squad.”
Because Qiao Xingyue had suffered some minor injuries in the cornfield, Huang Guilan, feeling sorry for her, insisted she shouldn’t cook and only allowed her to tend the fire in the Stove Chamber. Both women overheard Xie Zhongming and Xie Jiang’s conversation. While Qiao Xingyue wasn’t surprised, Huang Guilan was filled with regret and annoyance. “Old Xie, we never should have helped Jiang Chunyan, and we definitely shouldn’t have recommended that Jiang Yongqiang to the Logistics Department as a logistics soldier.”
She quickly asked, “Zhongming, is it confirmed that Jiang Yongqiang will be executed by firing squad?”
Xie Zhongming grunted in affirmation, “Pretty much certain.”
Hearing this, Huang Guilan paused from stir-frying tomatoes at the stove. “Ah, if news of Jiang Yongqiang’s execution reaches your Aunt Jiang’s ears, who knows what kind of scene she’ll make. She’ll probably accuse our Xie family of being ungrateful.”
…
The next day, at first light.
Zeng Xiuzhu and her son Liu Dazhu from Chadian Village walked along the gravel road leading to the military Family Compound, carrying a basket of red sweet potatoes.
The mother and son had traveled overnight by train from Kun City to the Jincheng Military Region.
As they approached their destination, both were unusually excited.
“Dazhu, is the sweet potato basket too heavy? Let me carry it for a while,” Zeng Xiuzhu offered to help her son.
“It’s fine, Mom, I can manage.” Liu Dazhu, being strong, wiped his sweat and asked, “Mom, do you think Pang Ya’s husband will still lend us money, since Pang Ya has been missing for so long?”
“He wouldn’t dare refuse.” Zeng Xiuzhu declared confidently, “I married my perfectly good daughter to him. If he won’t even lend this little bit of money, I’ll throw myself on the ground and cry right in front of him. When the whole Family Compound gathers around to watch, with everyone chiming in, the Xie family cares too much about face—they’ll definitely lend the money.”
Liu Dazhu adjusted the two shoulder straps of his carrying baskets and walked forward, “Then let’s borrow more. After I get married, we’ll keep some money to live on.”
As they spoke, mother and son arrived at the main gate of the Family Compound. The guard from the Logistics Department stopped them, “Excuse me, what business do you have here? The military Family Compound isn’t open to casual visitors.”
“I’m here to see my son-in-law.” Zeng Xiuzhu thought of her son-in-law serving as a Platoon Leader in the army and immediately straightened her back, putting on an air of importance, “My son-in-law is a Platoon Leader here. Hurry up and open the gate for me.”
The guard still didn’t open the gate for Zeng Xiuzhu and Liu Dazhu.
He approached politely and inquired, “Madam, may I ask your son-in-law’s name? Please also register your names. Once I confirm the information, I’ll let you in.”
Zeng Xiuzhu, being from the countryside, wasn’t familiar with these strict regulations of the Family Compound.
She thought that since her son-in-law was an army Platoon Leader, these guards should be fawning over her just like the villagers curried favor with the Village Chief back home, treating her with utmost respect.
She planted her hands on her hips and said irritably, “What’s with all these ridiculous rules? I already told you my son-in-law is a Platoon Leader here. Open the gate immediately.”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but these are our regulations. If you don’t want to provide your son-in-law’s name, you can also have him come out to escort you in.”
Everyone claims to be related to some Platoon Leader or Regiment Commander and wants to enter without identity verification—what would the military Family Compound become then?
“What nonsense rules?”
If she could have Xie Zhongming come meet her, would she have made this arduous journey on foot?
She hadn’t told Xie Zhongming she was coming precisely because she was afraid he’d make excuses to avoid lending her money. She planned to show up unexpectedly and catch him off guard.
Not wanting to make a scene while trying to get money, Zeng Xiuzhu decided she might as well provide the name.
“My son-in-law is Xie Zhongming. Can you open the gate now?”
After verifying the information, the guard methodically opened the gate, “Madam, please come in. I’ll escort you.”
“That’s more like it.” Zeng Xiuzhu and Liu Dazhu entered through the military compound gate together.
When they reached the area outside the service center in the Family Compound,
Zeng Xiuzhu saw steamed buns and fried dough sticks for sale. Feeling hungry, she stopped, “Let’s have breakfast first. I’m starving.”
“Alright, ma’am. You have breakfast here then. I’ll go notify them first.” The guard said, preparing to go make the announcement.
After Liu Dazhu and Zeng Xiuzhu sat down and ordered four large meat buns, two bowls of congee, and two fried dough sticks, Liu Dazhu finally said, “Mom, we shouldn’t be eating here. We came all this way—Pang Ya’s husband’s family should be hosting us for meals.”
Only then did Zeng Xiuzhu realize.
Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier? Now she’d wasted one yuan and fifty fen, “Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“Ah, never mind. We’ll be able to borrow plenty of money once we see Pang Ya’s husband anyway.” Liu Dazhu picked up a large meat bun and took a bite that consumed more than half of it.
Pang Ya’s husband? Pang Ya?
Qiao Xingyue happened to be holding An An and Ningning’s hands, carrying meat ration coupons, and heading to buy some pork fat to render lard.
Why did she just hear someone mentioning Pang Ya’s husband?
She led Ningning and An An back, and when she saw Zeng Xiuzhu and Liu Dazhu sitting in front of the steamed bun stall, they looked quite familiar.
Wasn’t that Pang Ya’s mother and that unreasonable brother of Pang Ya, Liu Dazhu, who only knew how to bully her?
Were they here to look for Pang Ya’s husband? But wasn’t Pang Ya’s husband already dead?