In the sixties, nights without a moon were pitch-black, while a full moon could illuminate the world almost as brightly as day. Tonight, the sky was a void of spilled ink.
Frogs and insects croaked in a relentless chorus, but He Zheng’s kerosene lamp offered a small pool of light to guide their steps.
Jiang Ning found walking in this body’s pregnant state disorienting. As she looked down at her swollen belly, she felt a sudden impulse—an ingrained habit from the original owner of this body—to reach out and stroke it.
The original owner was five months pregnant. By her count, she should be due in another four months.
The outhouse was located behind the health clinic, a short walk away. He Zheng stopped outside the women’s section and warned, “I’m letting go now, Sister-in-law.”
“Okay,” Jiang Ning replied.
The dizziness she had felt before eating had subsided enough for her to walk the last few steps alone.
She took the kerosene lamp from He Zheng and walked forward. Pausing, she glanced back at him. He stood perfectly straight, his gaze cutting through the darkness to meet hers.
“Could you stand a little further away?” she asked softly.
He Zheng immediately understood. He averted his gaze, looking awkward. “Just call me when you’re finished, Sister-in-law.” He backed away into the darkness.
Only after he was well out of sight did Jiang Ning take the kerosene lamp and enter the outhouse. The stench had been detectable from outside, but inside, it was a suffocating cloud of filth—a nightmare in the summer heat.
She set the lamp down and hurried to finish. As she stood up, a sudden chill touched the top of her foot.
She looked down, and a wave of goosebumps erupted across her skin. A sharp scream tore from her throat.
A toad!
How could there be a toad here? She had only ever seen them in videos. This was her first time encountering one up close.
Jiang Ning violently shook the toad off her foot. Immediately, the sound of rapid footsteps approached from outside, followed by He Zheng’s urgent voice: “Sister-in-law, what happened?!”
Terrified that he would burst in, Jiang Ning called out, “I’m fine!”
She picked up the lamp and stepped back outside, where He Zheng was waiting for her.
As she emerged, He Zheng’s gaze swept over her, and he relaxed only when he saw she was unharmed. He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and taking her by the arm.
Feeling her slight tremble, he frowned. “Sister-in-law, what happened?”
Jiang Ning’s goosebumps had yet to subside. “A toad jumped on my foot.”
He Zheng went silent.
What did I think had happened?
She grew up in the countryside; these things are common. Why is she so terrified?
Back in the health clinic’s ward, the nurse on duty was already asleep, slumped over the desk. Jiang Ning washed her hands and climbed back into bed.
She slept fitfully that night. The wooden planks were hard and uncomfortable, creaking with every turn. In the hazy half-light of midnight, she caught a glimpse of He Zheng sitting in a chair. He was staring out the window, his jawline taut and sharp.
Doesn’t he ever sleep?
Isn’t he tired?
Jiang Ning didn’t dwell on it. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
The next morning, the brigade leader’s wife brought breakfast. She informed them that Zhou Dewang’s wife and eldest son’s family had been dragged to the threshing floor by the production team’s militia to be denounced.
For allowing Zhou Dewang and Zhou Guang to commit the heinous crime of breaking and entering and robbery, their families had to undergo public criticism.
The brigade leader’s wife then asked, “Comrade Soldier, when are you planning to leave?”
“There’s a train to Xinyang City at six tonight,” He Zheng replied. “Sister-in-law and I will leave this afternoon.”
The brigade leader’s wife paused. “Jiang Ning is going too?”
He Zheng nodded. “Yes. Sister-in-law is in a delicate condition and can’t be left alone at home. I’ll take her to the army’s family compound for better care.”
It made sense. The brigade leader’s wife agreed. “Come eat at our place for lunch, then. We’ll have Old Wu run to the commune to get an introductory letter for Jiang Ning.”
The doctor came to change Jiang Ning’s bandage again, warning her to keep the wound dry. Her head felt better today—still aching, but the dizziness had faded.
As she and He Zheng left the health clinic, they saw a large crowd gathered in the distance at the threshing floor. It looked like a struggle session was underway.
If you asked her, she’d say Zhou Dewang’s family got what they deserved.
Without them, the original owner would never have died, and she wouldn’t have been transported here. Of course, ultimately, it was all the fault of the damn author—why kill her off in the first place?
On the walk from the health clinic back to her house, Jiang Ning took in the rows of rammed-earth homes and villagers in patched clothes. Every scene felt heavy with a raw sense of the era.
She glanced at He Zheng beside her. He maintained a respectful distance, ensuring no one could gossip about them.
This trip to the army base would likely be permanent. Back in her house, Jiang Ning began packing her few belongings. The original owner had very little clothing; after her mother died, her stepmother had taken all her good clothes. Now, she wore only patched garments, but she still had two sets of new clothes pressed at the bottom of her cabinet.
Those were wedding gifts from Zhou Du, left unworn. She packed them into her bundle.
As Jiang Ning carried the bundle out of the house, He Zheng stepped forward and took it from her. “All packed?”
Jiang Ning nodded softly. “Yes, all finished.”
The single bundle she carried contained all the original owner’s worldly possessions.
She had two hundred yuan and several types of ration coupons, all given to her by Zhou Du before his departure. Zhou Dewang and his son had nearly snatched the money from her. In this era, two hundred yuan was a small fortune. At least she wouldn’t be starting from scratch; the army would likely provide a pension for Zhou Du’s sacrifice.
After locking the front door, Jiang Ning and He Zheng headed to the brigade leader’s house. The struggle session had just ended.
The brigade leader’s wife had prepared a pot of sweet potato noodles, which they ate with a side of pickled vegetables. Before leaving, He Zheng slipped into the kitchen and pressed a ten-yuan bill and a pound of grain coupons under a bowl.
The brigade leader brought his donkey cart from the brigade headquarters to take them to the bus station in the county seat. As they drove through the production team’s fields, villagers greeted him and asked where he was headed.
“Taking Comrade He Zheng and Jiang Ning to the bus station,” he replied.
Within moments, the entire Xishan Production Team knew that Zhou Du’s wife was leaving for the army base.
The donkey cart reached the county seat just after two o’clock. The brigade leader watched as He Zheng and Jiang Ning boarded the bus.
He stood by the window and called out to Jiang Ning, “Jiang Ning, remember to call the commune when you arrive so we know you’re safe. If you need anything over there, just tell me or your aunt. We’ll help however we can.”
A wave of warmth washed over Jiang Ning. She had only been in this world for a day, yet the brigade leader and his wife had already shown her such heartfelt kindness.
She waved back gratefully. “I will. Thank you, Uncle.”
The brigade leader smiled. “No need for formalities. Alright, I’ll head back now.”
The bus pulled away, slowly leaving the county seat behind. The journey would take three hours.
There were no passenger limits on buses back then; they packed in as many people as they could. The aisle was a sea of bodies, and the summer heat made the interior smell unbearable. Fortunately, Jiang Ning had a window seat, and the breeze helped clear the air.
He Zheng sat beside her, his broad frame acting as a shield against the pressing crowd. He glanced at her and said softly, “Sister-in-law, if you’re tired, take a nap. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
“Alright,” Jiang Ning replied.
Perhaps it was the pregnancy, but a heavy drowsiness had settled over her.
The bus bounced along a rutted dirt road. Outside, the county seat’s architecture was purely sixties—no skyscrapers, no streaming traffic, not even many bicycles.
The buildings lining the street were low, old, and worn, and the pedestrians wore clothes patched and faded.
In this moment, the reality of her situation finally sank in. From now on, she would be living in this era.
As the bus continued its journey, Jiang Ning watched the scenery blur past the window. Her eyelids grew heavy, and soon she was asleep, leaning against the seatback.
When the bus took a sharp turn, Jiang Ning’s head lolled unconsciously onto He Zheng’s shoulder. The man’s relaxed posture instantly went rigid. He looked down at his sister-in-law, who was sleeping soundly against him, and dared neither to wake her nor to push her away.
He Zheng had spent his entire life in the army, surrounded by rough-and-tumble men. He had never been this close to a woman before.
Ever.
And this woman was his comrade’s widow.
He Zheng had barely dared to move, even breathing shallowly.
Only when they reached the city bus station did he gently nudge Jiang Ning, who was still leaning against his shoulder. “Sister-in-law, wake up. We’re here.”
Jiang Ning’s eyes fluttered open. Beside He Zheng’s low voice, a cacophony of other sounds filled her ears. She saw the other passengers disembarking and realized they had arrived.
Only then did she notice she had fallen asleep on He Zheng’s shoulder.
Flushing with embarrassment, she sat up and followed him off the bus.
The city was more developed than the county seat. There were actual apartment buildings here, though none were skyscrapers. Bicycles were more common on the streets, and the pedestrians wore mostly gray, blue, and black clothing—not as many patches as she had seen before.
While the sun had been shining in the county seat, the city now felt oppressive, as if dark clouds were pressing down from above. It looked like a heavy rain was coming.
He Zheng carried their bundle and backpack in one hand, keeping the other free to steady Jiang Ning if she stumbled.
The bus station and the train station were separated by a single street, with the Red Star Hotel standing between them.
“Sister-in-law, let’s eat first. We can get on the train after,” He Zheng said.
Jiang Ning clutched her stomach, still feeling the lingering nausea from the journey.
“Okay,” she managed.
She walked slowly, but He Zheng never rushed her, matching his pace to hers.
“Stop! Don’t let them escape!”
“Someone, stop them! Don’t let them get away!”
The shouts erupted from behind them just as they approached the State-Run Restaurant.
Before Jiang Ning could even turn around, a powerful hand clamped onto her arm. The sudden yank sent her stumbling sideways, and she fell straight into He Zheng’s arms.
His military uniform stretched over a powerful, solid frame. The impact felt less like hitting a person and more like colliding with a warm iron wall. A button from his jacket pressed firmly against her eyelid.
Jiang Ning: …