“Do not let it trouble you. Once everyone meets you they will see for themselves and the talk will fade.”
“Little sister what is your name? My husband is Ma Qingmin the Battalion Commander. I live right next door so call on me if you need anything I know this place well” Gu Chunhua said warmly.
Xu Yaoyao smiled gently “You may call me Yaoyao Sister.”
“Yao Yao” Gu Chunhua stumbled over the name her face flushing bright red “I am sorry little sister I have not had much schooling do not laugh at me.”
“It is quite alright Sister. You may also call me Xiao Xu if you prefer” Xu Yaoyao said. Times were hard and many had little opportunity for education. She considered herself fortunate in that regard.
Gu Chunhua’s eyes lit up “Then I shall call you Xu Little Sister!”
“That suits me” Xu Yaoyao nodded then asked “Where are you heading Sister?”
“Oh!” Gu Chunhua slapped her thigh realizing what she had nearly forgotten “I have been chattering away and forgotten my errand. I need to buy seeds so we can grow our own vegetables and save on food costs.”
Xu Yaoyao’s eyes brightened “May I come with you?”
“You want to buy seeds too?” Gu Chunhua looked uncertain “Do not take this the wrong way but even if you had seeds you could not handle a hoe. Your skin is so fine and delicate it would pain me to see you work.” Besides the Regimental Commander earned a very good wage they had no need to grow their own food.
“It is truly alright Sister. I can manage and if not my husband will help me” Xu Yaoyao said. She had no intention of doing heavy digging herself watering would be fine but turning the soil was beyond her.
Gu Chunhua did not imagine an officer like Jiang Chiye would work in a garden her own husband certainly never did. She decided she would simply help Xu Yaoyao herself it would take no time at all. “Very well then come along.”
Gu Chunhua met a small group of other military wives waiting beneath a tree. When they saw the lovely fair skinned woman following her they all stared wide eyed. They pulled Gu Chunhua aside immediately “Chunhua who is this?”
Gu Chunhua spoke with quiet pride “This is our Regimental Commander Jiang’s wife. She is coming to buy seeds with us.”
“What!” They exchanged stunned looks “You are Commander Jiang’s wife?” They had heard she was plain and unrefined. If this was considered ugly they themselves were scarcely worthy of mention.
Xu Yaoyao smiled warmly “Greetings Sisters. I am Xu Yaoyao Jiang Chiye’s wife.”
They nodded still flustered “It is it is good to meet you.”
Gu Chunhua stepped in smoothly “She is very kind do not stand on ceremony.”
“Please feel at ease with me” Xu Yaoyao added.
Relieved by her manner Sun Baifeng leaned forward and asked “If I may ask how do you keep your skin so fair and smooth?” Her own skin was darkened and weathered from constant work and marked with freckles and blemishes. She looked at Xu Yaoyao with genuine envy.
Xu Yaoyao understood “I use vanishing cream and try to stay out of direct sunlight wearing a hat whenever I go out.” Mostly it was simply that she had never done hard labor.
Sun Baifeng’s expression fell. It sounded simple enough but she could not avoid the sun.
Gu Chunhua comforted her “Never mind Baifeng we are fine as we are. Our husbands are not perfect either so we must not judge one another.”
They walked a short distance to the village to buy their supplies. There Xu Yaoyao saw someone she had not expected to meet.
“Xu Yaoyao what are you doing here!” Jiang Chiyue stood nearby looking shocked and called out loudly.
Xu Yaoyao frowned “Why should I not be here?” She guessed Old Master Jiang had arranged for his granddaughter to be posted nearby less than a mile away so she could be watched over.
Jiang Chiyue took her tone as an insult and snapped “Have you come to gloat? I knew you meant trouble. If not for you I would never have been sent here.”
Xu Yaoyao’s expression turned cold “I have no interest in mocking you. You know perfectly well why you are here.”
“Has it slipped your memory? Shall I remind you exactly what happened?”
Jiang Chiyue panicked “Silence! Do not speak of it!”
“Do not provoke me” Xu Yaoyao warned coldly “If you push me too far I will expose your secret and make this place too uncomfortable for you to stay.” She was not one to be bullied. They had never gotten along and if not for Jiang Chiye she would have said so much more.
Jiang Chiyue turned pale with anger dared not speak further glared at her fiercely and stormed away.
Gu Chunhua looked bewildered and asked “Is she the Commander’s sister?”
“Yes his own sister” Xu Yaoyao nodded “We have never seen eye to eye since childhood. I hope you were not frightened?”
“She is his own sister!” Gu Chunhua whispered “They act more like enemies.” She felt sorry for Xu Yaoyao it seemed every family had its own troubles. She decided she would look out for her as best she could.
They returned home after buying their seeds. Gu Chunhua lived right next door separated only by a low wall. The others lived further away in the new building. Xu Yaoyao drank some water and calmed herself down. Moments later someone knocked at the gate.
“Xu Little Sister are you home?”
Xu Yaoyao opened the door to see Gu Chunhua standing there with a hoe smiling warmly.
“Sister what are you doing?” Xu Yaoyao asked confused.
Gu Chunhua walked into the yard and looked at the empty plot of land “You cannot manage work like this alone. I am used to it and it is no trouble at all. I will have this turned over in no time.”
Xu Yaoyao did not know whether to laugh or cry “That is very kind but truly my husband will help me when he returns.”
“Do not be shy” Gu Chunhua said “Your husband is a busy officer he should not have to do such work.”