In the early morning, Yu Zhaozhao woke up to find the Yu family home completely empty.
No one had swept the floor; no one had wiped the table. Faint soup stains marked its surface, clearly they had merely put away the bowls and chopsticks after eating, without even bothering to wipe the table clean.
Flies buzzed aimlessly about.
The kettle stood empty, not even cold water remained, let alone hot.
Entering the kitchen, she saw that a few bowls had been washed, yet the cooking pot had not been scrubbed at all.
Oil stains and soot coated the stove top, a grimy mess.
Well now, what a house full of lazy people.
Yu Zhaozhao held her tongue and chose not to clean. She tidied herself up, turned, and stepped out the door, deciding it was better to keep her eyes off such unpleasantness.
Over at the hospital, Lu Shiye had been waiting since early morning.
He had also had a wheelchair prepared for himself. His leg had not fully healed yet; walking a few steps was manageable, but any longer distance would prove too much for his body.
He sat in the wheelchair, with two comrades-in-arms standing behind him, one pushing the chair, the other walking alongside.
Lu Shiguang wheeled a bicycle nearby.
Beside them stood a dignified middle-aged couple, appearing to be around fifty years old. One look at their features and it was obvious they were Lu Shiye’s parents.
Lu’s mother and Lu Shiguang stood together; mother and son clearly shared the same lineage, round faces, round heads, rounded noses, all bearing the mark of good fortune and prosperity.
Lu’s father was upright in stature, with an air of refined scholarship. His face was square yet gentle, his features smooth and well-proportioned, his forehead broad and even. A few strands of white hair streaked his temples, not making him seem old, but rather lending him an air of depth and experience.
Yu Zhaozhao felt a strange sense of familiarity, yet she could not recall ever meeting them before.
“Good morning, sister-in-law,” Lu Shiguang greeted first.
Lu Shiye stood up from the wheelchair and introduced them. “Zhaozhao, these are my father, Lu Zhengping, and my mother, Bian Lan.”
“Father, Mother, this is Yu Zhaozhao.”
“Hello, Uncle, Aunt,” Yu Zhaozhao said, bowing slightly, polite and graceful.
She was wearing a moon-white cotton shirt, paired with navy blue straight-leg cotton trousers. On her feet were a pair of black cloth shoes with square toes, washed pale with wear yet still intact.
Simple, modest, neat, and refreshing.
Lu’s father and mother nodded approvingly to themselves. This young woman had clear, bright eyes and a radiant complexion; she appeared calm, gentle, and carried herself with grace.
They had already looked into Yu Zhaozhao’s family background and felt no dissatisfaction whatsoever.
Lu’s father spoke. “Comrade Yu Zhaozhao, regarding your marriage to Shiye, we, as his parents, have no objections. But marriage is a lifelong matter. Are you absolutely certain you have thought this through?”
Lu’s mother then spoke as well. “Comrade Yu Zhaozhao, Shiye is a serviceman. Marrying him means entering a military marriage. As a military wife, you must accept the responsibilities and obligations that come with it. Moreover, military marriages are not easily dissolved. Please be certain, do not enter this with regret.”
Yu Zhaozhao replied earnestly, “Uncle, Aunt, I have thought it through thoroughly. I wish to marry Lu Shiye.”
She had long considered every aspect.
“Father, Mother, I too have thought this through,” Lu Shiye stated firmly. “I wish to marry Yu Zhaozhao.”
He felt fortunate beyond measure to be marrying her. Had it not been so late the previous evening, he would have insisted they go and obtain their marriage certificate at once.
Bian Lan smiled. “You are both adults now. Since you have both decided, let us go and obtain your marriage certificate right away.”
“Better to go early while it is still cool,” Lu’s father added, glancing at Lu Shiye, who was swathed in bandages. “Once the heat rises, it will not be good for Shiye’s condition.”
Yu Zhaozhao had assumed they would simply walk there, but instead, a Shanghai-brand sedan pulled up and stopped before them.
Her heart skipped a beat. Lu Shiye had mentioned his parents’ standing, but seeing the sedan with her own eyes still took her by surprise.
“Father, Mother, brother, sister-in-law, please get in,” Lu Shiguang said.
He helped Lu Shiye into the back seat, while Yu Zhaozhao sat on one side of Lu’s mother and Lu Shiye on the other. Lu’s father took the front passenger seat. Lu Shiguang folded the wheelchair into the trunk and then rode alongside on his bicycle.
The sedan soon pulled up before the neighborhood administration office. Lu Shiye was helped out of the vehicle, drawing more than a few stares.
Fortunately, obtaining the certificate did not require photographs, otherwise, with his head and face wrapped in bandages, his features would have been entirely unrecognizable.
It was no wonder, then, that both parents had come along today. Without them present, how could anyone verify that this was indeed their son?
The staff at the administration office had never seen such an entourage come to apply for a marriage certificate. But upon hearing that the groom was a severely wounded soldier, they immediately regarded him with profound respect.
As for Yu Zhaozhao, she had become somewhat well-known at the office due to recent events at the courtyard where she lived. Had it not been for the staff’s sympathy and their decision to grant her a few days’ grace, they would already have summoned her to discuss her assignment to the countryside.
Now, seeing Yu Zhaozhao marrying a soldier whose face could not even be seen, they bore no ill will toward her. But the Lu family’s arrival in a fine sedan suggested they were far from ordinary, something that became even clearer once the documents were presented.
Deputy Battalion Commander.
At once, every staff member present felt a surge of envy toward Yu Zhaozhao. Having parted ways with Zhou Xiangyang, she had instead married a man of distinguished family background and rank of Deputy Battalion Commander. Truly, her fortune was extraordinary.
The marriage registration proceeded smoothly; within minutes, the formalities were complete. Lu Shiguang had also brought along plenty of candies to distribute among the staff.
Holding her marriage certificate, which resembled an official commendation, Yu Zhaozhao felt a strange, tender curiosity. It was, after all, the very first time in both her lives that she had seen such a document. Her heart swelled with an indescribable bittersweet emotion.
Following the registration, the necessary paperwork was processed to transfer Yu Zhaozhao’s household registration away from the Yu family home.
Lu’s parents prepared to take their leave.
“Zhaozhao, welcome to the Lu family,” Lu’s mother said, handing her a military-green canvas shoulder bag. “This is a wedding gift your father and I have prepared for you both. We must attend a meeting shortly. Have your belongings packed and sent over to the Lu family home; Shiguang will escort you there. During the day, you may stay at the hospital with Shiye, but at night, you shall return home to rest, there is no need for you to keep watch at the hospital. There is also a bicycle at home; ride it if you know how, or ask Shiguang’s wife to teach you. Once Shiye’s stitches are removed, you two shall return home together, and thereafter to his post once he has fully recovered.”
Yu Zhaozhao accepted the bag and held it close to her chest, nodding in acknowledgment of every instruction. “Father, Mother, travel safely,” she said respectfully as she saw them off.
Once his parents had departed, Lu Shiye returned to his hospital room to receive his intravenous drip. He turned to his two comrades-in-arms. “Houzi, Wenzi, these past few months have placed a heavy burden upon you both. I am truly grateful.”
“Brother Lu, you speak as if we were strangers!” Hou Ziliang replied. “We are not merely comrades-in-arms, we are fellow townsmen as well. Had you not acted decisively and made the correct judgment out there, we would never have returned from those mountains. Whatever merit and recognition we have earned is owing to your leadership. We volunteered to care for you, and it also allows us to return home occasionally. Many others envy us this opportunity!”
Hou Ziliang and Du Wen were two or three years older than Lu Shiye. They had enlisted in the same year, yet Lu Shiye had entered service through a special recruitment program, while they had enlisted as regular conscripts. Their starting points were different, and the gap in talent and ability had only widened ever since. Both admired and respected Lu Shiye deeply.
Lu Shiye had enlisted at sixteen. Possessed of great physical strength, a sharp mind, and remarkable skill, he had also displayed a fearless, almost reckless devotion to duty. On every mission, he had pushed himself to his absolute limits, believing that so long as he was not defeated, he must press onward. In six years, he had been awarded two Second-Class Merit Citations and three Third-Class Merit Citations. Had he not been held back and purposefully tempered by his superiors on account of his youth, his rank would certainly have risen far higher than Deputy Battalion Commander by now.
As it happened, his latest mission had taken place in this very city. Had they not been fortunate enough to serve alongside him, Hou Ziliang and Du Wen would already have been discharged. Instead, they too had received commendations for their part in the operation.
“Upon our return to the unit, you two shall both be promoted,” Lu Shiye said.
At his words, Hou Ziliang and Du Wen broke into broad grins. Upon their return, they would both be promoted to Platoon Leader. Their gratitude toward Lu Shiye knew no bounds.