Xiaxia stared determinedly ahead. For now, she had to deal with Zhao Yue and Grandpa’s affairs first. After that, she would come back and deal with them!
She first went to the supply and marketing cooperative and used a ration coupon to buy a pound of brown-sugar glutinous rice cakes as a gift. Then she went to the subdistrict office.
She spotted her classmate’s mother at once. “Auntie Liu!”
Liu Hui was giving instructions about some work. Hearing the familiar voice, she turned around and saw that it was Xiaxia, her daughter’s classmate. The two girls got along well, and she often heard about Xiaxia from her daughter.
“Xiaxia, what do you need me for?”
Xiaxia glanced around. “Can we talk in your office?”
Liu Hui immediately put an arm around her shoulders. “What is it that you need to whisper to me?”
In the blink of an eye, they had entered the office. The door did not close tightly, and the soundproofing was poor. The room was simply furnished, with wooden tables and chairs, along with several pots of flowers on the windowsill.
Xiaxia placed the paper bag on the desk. “These are brown-sugar glutinous rice cakes. Lingling especially likes them. I happened to pass by the supply and marketing cooperative, so I bought some for her. Take them home and give them to her.”
Liu Hui was startled at first, but then she understood. “You child, why are you bringing me something when you’re asking me for a favor? Take it back, take it back. Go return it to the supply and marketing cooperative.
“This stuff is very expensive. I can’t accept it.”
Xiaxia smiled. “Her birthday is in a few days, but I won’t be able to go.”
When Liu Hui heard that, it seemed she had no choice but to accept the gift. After all, it was for her daughter, and she had no reason to refuse it. Besides, the two children were especially close and had always shared a desk at school. It was just that Xiaxia was a rather quiet child, and whenever Liu Hui had seen her, she had barely spoken.
Liu Hui picked up the thermos on the floor, poured a little water into a cup, and handed it over.
“Tell me! It’s rare for you to come looking for me today. Whatever it is, I’ll take care of it for you.”
Xiaxia said, “It’s like this. I want to get an official letter of introduction. I’m going to visit my grandpa. He hasn’t sent any word home for more than two months, and I’m worried that something has happened to him.”
Liu Hui thought of Old Man Su. She could be considered half-acquainted with him. Although they did not usually interact much, she knew that after his wife passed away, he had taken a job working on boats and could not return home for most of the year.
“That journey is so far, and you’ve never even left our city. Will you be all right going out on your own?”
“Auntie Liu, don’t worry. I’ve thought it through. You only need to issue the letter of introduction for me.” Xiaxia wanted to hurry along the journey. Otherwise, she could manage whether or not she got the letter.
Liu Hui knew she could not talk her out of it. She simply took out a notebook and wrote an official letter of introduction. After stamping it twice, she checked it over again. Only after confirming that there were no problems did she hand it over.
“Keep this safe. It will be useful while you’re away. If you happen to get lost and can’t find your way back, you can use the letter of introduction to ask people for directions. But remember, even when asking for help, you must ask people at the police station. Don’t ask strangers on the street. Whether they’re men, women, or children, be careful not to get cheated. Otherwise, you might be sold into the mountains to become someone’s wife.
“I’m not joking. I hear a lot of things through this job of mine. Take Old Lin’s daughter from the neighboring street, for example. She went to visit relatives in another town and never came back. They still haven’t found her.”
Listening to Liu Hui’s nagging, Xiaxia felt the warmth of a mother. She truly envied An Lingling, who had parents who loved her and a sensible younger brother.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Auntie Liu put the things into a drawer before speaking.
“Come in!”
Xiaxia also stood up, intending to take the opportunity to leave. But then she saw the person walking in.
She froze.
The man was dressed in a white Navy uniform. His figure was as straight as a pine, and his handsome face looked even more resolute in the sunlight. His white uniform was spotless, and his expression was serious and cold.
Zhao Yue!
She almost blurted out his name. She had never expected to see him here. The man stood ramrod straight. By comparison, the difference in their heights was even more obvious.
She was 1.65 meters tall, and she only came up to the man’s shoulder.
So tall.
She guessed that he had to be at least 1.85 meters.
His legs were long and straight. His eyes were very attractive, but the expression on his face was too cold, as though he were radiating chill. Anyone unfamiliar with him would not dare approach him.
Their eyes met.
Zhao Yue looked at the young woman before him, whose hair was tied into a ponytail. She had fair skin, delicate features, and limpid eyes fixed motionlessly on him.
Seeing the way the two of them stared at each other, Liu Hui could not help laughing.
Only then did they stop looking at each other, each turning away to conceal the awkwardness of the moment.
Liu Hui asked, “Little Zhao, what have you come here for?”
Zhao Yue handed over the documents in his hand. “I have everything. It can be processed now.”
Unable to resist, he turned back and glanced at the young woman again. “Do you know me?”
Xiaxia shook her head. “We’ve never met. I don’t know you.”
Zhao Yue nodded. He also felt that the two of them should never have met. But the look in this young woman’s eyes made him feel as though she knew him.
There were hardly any women in the military. There was also no one living near the place where they were stationed.
This young woman was so fair and truly beautiful. Her skin was so white, unlike the women on the island.
People who lived on the island year-round all had skin darkened by the sun. He himself was not especially dark, but compared with the young woman before him, he really was dark and rough.
Xiaxia suppressed the turmoil in her heart. She had originally intended to go to the island to find someone. Now that he had appeared, this was an opportunity Heaven had given her.
“Hello, my surname is Su.” Xiaxia extended her right hand.
“My surname is Zhao.”
The young woman’s limpid eyes were truly beautiful. Seeing her fair, tender little hand, he extended his large hand out of courtesy as well.
The two of them shook hands solemnly. Xiaxia felt that the man’s hand was large and warm.
Liu Hui stamped the form. Seeing how well-matched they looked standing together, she decided to play matchmaker and rose to her feet.
“I’m going out to get the form signed. You two chat.”
With a beaming smile, Liu Hui left the room and casually pulled the door shut behind her.
Only the two of them remained in the office.
Zhao Yue’s face was tightly drawn. How could she just leave like that?
Xiaxia saw that, just as in her previous life, the man was sparing with his words and would not speak if he could avoid it. She could only find a topic herself.
“Judging by your uniform, are you with the Navy?”
Zhao Yue said, “Yes.”
Xiaxia waved the form in her hand. “I came here to take care of some business. What are you here for?”
Zhao Yue felt that the young woman before him was overly enthusiastic, leaving him at a loss for how to respond.
“My comrade died in action. His parents have passed away, so I had to come here to handle the procedures for canceling his household registration.”
Su Jinxia’s smile faded. “I see. Then you’re a good person.”
Zhao Yue fell silent again, and the man’s face seemed even colder than before.
The atmosphere was truly awkward. Her thoughts raced, and she could only find something else to say.
“We’re not doing anything else anyway. Why don’t you tell me some stories about the Navy? I want to hear them!”