Shang Yinyin remembered that in her past life, Xie Quanzhou had mentioned which unit he was in and even gave her his phone number. At this time, he should have just finished a mission, was resting, and was about to head out for another three-month operation, after which he planned to return to find her.
Arriving at the village committee at the entrance of the village, it was the only place with a telephone.
“Yinyin, are you here to make a call?” Secretary Chen looked at the child with a heart full of pity.
“Yes, Uncle Chen, I need to make a call.” Shang Yinyin nodded in response.
“Go ahead.” Secretary Chen didn’t say anything more and let her use the phone.
Shang Yinyin pressed the buttons, hesitating whether to go through with it. Xie Quanzhou had warned her that outsiders couldn’t easily patch calls through to their military region. But not calling now was out of the question—would she be suspected of being a foreign spy?
After hesitating over and over, she finally pressed the dial button. It rang for several seconds, and Shang Yinyin swallowed hard, her nerves on edge. Finally, a woman’s voice answered from the other end.
“Hello, who are you looking for?” the female communications soldier asked, waiting for a response.
“I… can I ask about someone?” As soon as Shang Yinyin spoke, the soldier asked, “Comrade, who are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for my husband, his name is Xie Quanzhou. I’ve asked around everywhere and found out he’s in your unit. I haven’t heard from him in years, is he still alive?” Shang Yinyin’s voice was choked and hoarse as she spoke.
Hearing the young woman crying on the phone, the communications soldier comforted her gently, “Comrade, don’t cry. Let us report this situation and check into it. May I ask what your name is?”
“My name is Shang Yinyin. Xie Quanzhou and I met in the lower Huang Village production brigade. We held a wedding banquet, but we didn’t register for a marriage license. He hasn’t contacted us for a long time. When I went to look for him at his parents’ house, his neighbor said he got married and abandoned me, and now my aunt wants to marry me off to someone else. Please ask him if he really wants to abandon me.”
The more Shang Yinyin spoke, the more aggrieved she felt. Right now, if she could just prove he was still alive, her aunt wouldn’t force her to marry a fool.
Hearing this, the communications soldier felt a pang of sympathy and reassured her, “Comrade, don’t be sad yet. I’ll report this to the leadership first and make sure to check if there is such a person. If there is, we will contact you as soon as possible. Can we reach you at this number?”
“Yes, yes. It needs to be soon, I can’t wait much longer. My aunt has already picked a date and is making me get married in a week.”
After Shang Yinyin finished speaking, the other person promised once again that they would track down whether such a person existed.
After hanging up the phone, Secretary Chen looked at Shang Yinyin with pity and said, “Child! Don’t be sad. I believe Quanzhou; he wouldn’t abandon you. Those people must be talking nonsense.”
Shang Yinyin hung up the phone, her eye sockets thoroughly red. Wiping away her tears, she said to Secretary Chen, “I believe him, but we didn’t register our marriage back then. Who knows if he really met someone else he loves.”
Secretary Chen sighed with heartache, then said, “Yinyin, don’t rush. You will definitely wait for him. Go back home first, and as soon as the call comes in, I’ll definitely come tell you.”
“Okay, thank you, Uncle Chen.” Shang Yinyin could only nod, turning to leave.
Meanwhile, back at the military unit, the communications soldier who had just taken the call happened to know Xie Quanzhou.
“Yaya, you were comforting someone just now, what happened?” the squad leader asked Wen Yaya out of curiosity.
“Just now, a woman called saying she is Brother Xie’s wife. She also said that if Brother Xie doesn’t go back soon, her aunt is going to marry her off to someone else. Squad leader, you should report this right away.” Wen Yaya had been heartbroken listening to Shang Yinyin cry.
In less than half an hour, Xie Quanzhou appeared in Commander Wen Changhe’s office.
“Quanzhou, you don’t need to participate in this mission,” Commander Wen Changhe said to Xie Quanzhou.
“Why, Commander? I’ve been leading the previous missions,” Xie Quanzhou asked curiously.
Xie Quanzhou had a wheat-yellow complexion, a buzz cut, and a youthful, fiery vigor, with a hint of scholarly aura about him. He looked robust—obviously someone who had undergone rigorous physical training. His refined facial features and distinct jawline gave him an energetic air, and his dark, sword-like brows made him look somewhat fierce when he stared intently at someone. Dressed in olive-green military uniform, he exuded pure masculinity.
Wen Changhe raised an eyebrow at Xie Quanzhou and said, “Don’t you want your wife?”
“I do, but my mission isn’t finished.” For the past few years, Xie Quanzhou had missed his wife constantly.
“Your wife called. She said she went to Beijing to look for you, but heard you got married and abandoned her, and her aunt is about to marry her off to someone else.”
“What?” Hearing this, Xie Quanzhou instantly tensed up. “None of that is true.”
“I’ve verified the matter. Huanghe Village changed its name; when a major flood hit back then, their whole village relocated. The reason she went looking for your family—thinking you abandoned her—is because your money hasn’t been sent back all these years and you couldn’t be reached by phone. My younger sister was the one who took the call, and she was crying so hard.”
Xie Quanzhou clenched his fists, overwhelmed with guilt. These past few years, it had indeed been his fault.
“So, you should apply for—”
“Hey—”
Before Wen Changhe could finish, Xie Quanzhou hurried off to the communications room to call Shang Yinyin back.
“Yaya, little sister, I need to make a call.” Xie Quanzhou was both excited and nervous. Knowing she was about to be married off made his heart beat wildly, as if it was about to burst out of his chest.
“Wait a moment, I’ll find the number for you.”
Xie Quanzhou focused intently as Wen Yaya searched for the phone number.
Back in the village, Shang Yinyin had just returned home after making the call.
“Did it go through?” her aunt, Chen Cuihua, asked with concern.
Shang Yinyin didn’t speak.
Chen Cuihua knew the result wasn’t promising.
“Get to work,” Chen Cuihua said, picking up her hoe to go out into the fields. “Don’t blame me either. It’s not like your aunt has any skills—I only earn five yuan a month, and there are still two kids at home going to school.”
If Chen Cuihua had any other choice, she wouldn’t have done this. But since Shang Yinyin had already been with a man, marrying the village chief’s foolish son meant she at least wouldn’t be bullied after moving over there.
“The village chief and his wife have gentle temperaments; they won’t treat you badly,” Chen Cuihua said as she headed out the door, pausing to instruct: “Since you can move around, hurry up and prepare dinner. Don’t slack off.”
Shang Yinyin said nothing; housework was always piled heaviest on her.
The village chief is fine? If he were really good, he wouldn’t have squeezed so much money out of Xie Quanzhou. Thinking back to her past life, Shang Yinyin felt sick to her stomach. Several times, they tried to force her to sleep with that fool, and the village chief’s wife watched her belly and her person all day long, not even letting her step outside. Even if she went out for a little too long, they suspected she would commit adultery with someone else. Just thinking about it felt suffocating and repulsive.
Chen Cuihua walked out, letting out a soft sigh.
Before long, Secretary Chen came over, breathing heavily.
“Cuihua sister, where is Yinyin?”
“She’s inside the house. What’s wrong?” Chen Cuihua put down her hoe and asked curiously.
Secretary Chen had run too fast; he supported his knees with both hands to catch his breath before saying, “Quanzhou called! He said he wants to talk to Yinyin, hurry up!”
“Really?” Chen Cuihua asked in surprise.
“Would I lie to you? Hurry up,” Secretary Chen waved his hand. “I can’t run anymore, move fast. Quanzhou said he’ll call back in half an hour.”
“Oh, oh! I’ll go call her.” Chen Cuihua abandoned her hoe on the spot and rushed back toward the house.
Running all the way back, she shouted, “Yinyin, Quanzhou is on the phone! Go answer it right now!”
Her voice rang out loud enough for all the neighbors to hear.
Hearing this, Shang Yinyin walked to the doorway.
“Yinyin, go answer the phone quickly. Your man is calling!” Chen Cuihua said excitedly.