Jiang Ning never expected He Zheng to return at this hour.
She had woken up crying from a nightmare. In the dream, her soul had returned to the real world, only to see her own body lying face-down on a desk, dead and long rotten before anyone had discovered it. An unfinished comic manuscript was still crushed beneath her arm.
Jiang Ning had wept bitterly. She had never known a more miserable fate.
Abandoned at an orphanage by her parents at birth, she had struggled to survive, eventually earning enough money from her comics to buy a home. But before she could even enjoy a few days of comfort, she had died and been transmigrated into this damn book. Now she was a widowed woman with a child in her womb, and even a train ride could end in a torrential rainstorm.
She had held back her anguish for the entire journey, unable to cry. Only now, after her nightmare, had she finally let all her bottled-up grief pour out in a torrent of tears.
And right then, she heard He Zheng’s voice.
Jiang Ning hastily wiped her face and called out through the door, “Is something the matter?”
Her voice was thick and nasal from crying.
“I went to the regiment to collect Brother Zhou’s pension and back pay,” He Zheng replied.
As he spoke, the bed in the room creaked.
The door opened from the inside, and He Zheng saw his sister-in-law’s eyes, swollen and red from crying. Her pale skin made the redness around her eyes and the tip of her nose stand out even more.
He Zheng’s thin lips pressed into a tight line for a moment before he spoke softly to comfort her. “Sister-in-law, Brother Zhou would want you to be well. He wouldn’t want you to harm your health with such grief. Besides, you’re pregnant. Too much emotional stress isn’t good for you or the baby.”
Jiang Ning lowered her head, a pang of guilt striking her.
“I know,” she murmured.
Only she knew the truth: she wasn’t crying for Zhou Du, but for herself.
Who could be more miserable and unlucky than me?
He Zheng handed her a thick envelope and a bankbook. “This is Brother Zhou’s pension and back pay—eight hundred fifty yuan in total. Three hundred fifty for the pension and five hundred for five months’ salary. Here is his bankbook as well. The organization will also be issuing a monthly pension to you from now on. I’ll take you to collect it when the time comes. For now, keep the bankbook safe. I’ll take you to the city in a few days to deposit the rest of the money into a savings account.”
Jiang Ning burst into tears again.
She took the thick envelope and the bankbook, sobbing as she did so.
Sob… Maybe I’m not so unlucky after all. At least I have a huge sum of money.
Eight hundred fifty yuan plus the two hundred she already had brought the total to one thousand fifty. In the 1960s, this was a small fortune. I’m a rich woman now, she thought. The money and the bankbook Zhou Du had left behind offered her a sudden, immense sense of security.
He Zheng turned away, unable to bear the sight of her shoulders shaking and tears splashing onto the ground, her fingers still clutching the thick envelope. He swallowed hard, suppressing his own grief, before forcing himself to look back at her.
“Sister-in-law,” he said, searching for an excuse to change the subject. “I bought you a wooden tub for bathing. Would you go see if it’s suitable?”
Jiang Ning quickly wiped her eyes and composed herself. “Wait for me a moment,” she said, her voice soft and nasal from crying.
She turned and stashed the money safely in the wardrobe before heading out into the courtyard. When she saw the large wooden tub and the pile of food on the table, her heart leaped.
How did He Zheng buy all this?
She scanned the table: a package of brown sugar, a bag of red dates, sponge cakes wrapped in greaseproof paper, a box of white rabbit candies, and two tins of malted milk—a rare luxury in this era.
Every single item was chosen to nourish and restore her strength.
Jiang Ning hadn’t expected He Zheng to be so efficient. The doctor had barely finished speaking before he was already back with all the supplies.
“How does the tub look, Sister-in-law?” He Zheng asked.
Jiang Ning examined the large wooden tub again. Its seal was tight, not a single drop of water seeping through. While it seemed small for a man like He Zheng, it was more than enough for her to bathe in comfortably.
She’d been certain that in this era, she would have to endure the humiliation of public baths, stripping bare before strangers. The thought of having her own private tub was a profound relief.
“It’s perfect,” she said gratefully. “Thank you.”
He Zheng glanced up, his tension easing when he saw the grief in her eyes had finally begun to fade. He turned, lifted the groceries from the table, and headed into Jiang Ning’s room.
“I bought some foods to help you recover your strength and nourish your blood,” he said. “Be sure to eat them. I’ll buy more once you’ve finished.”
Jiang Ning waddled after him, her pregnancy making her gait heavy. With his long legs, He Zheng took one step for every two of hers. He moved quickly, neatly arranging the items on her table. When he turned, he found her still standing in the doorway.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked. “I’ll pay you back.”
“No need,” He Zheng said.
He added quickly, as if sensing her hesitation, “Just eat them, Sister-in-law. Think of it as a gift from the baby’s uncle. I’ll go wash the tub now so you can use it tonight.”
He walked to the doorway but stopped two steps short of the threshold.
When he glanced at her, Jiang Ning realized she was blocking his path and quickly stepped aside.
When the old lady woke up, she found her grandson washing the tub outside. After learning he had already bought the red dates, she went to reassure Jiang Ning, telling her to eat well and focus on her health to ensure a smooth delivery.
Jiang Ning looked at the food on the table. Each item was a luxury in this era—expensive and requiring ration coupons. She had no idea how much He Zheng had spent.
The old lady went to the yard to feed the chickens, asking He Zheng, “How many days of leave do you have left?”
“Ten days,” he replied.
He had been on a mission with Zhou Du, lying low for five months. The unit had granted them a half-month’s leave upon their return.
The sun was gradually swallowed by the mountains, leaving a brilliant glow across half the sky.
Wisps of cooking smoke rose from the rooftops of the row of courtyards. Fang Xiaoli returned from her shift at the supply and marketing cooperative, went straight to the kitchen, and eagerly leaned in beside Huang Yuefang.
“Mom, guess who I saw at the coop today?”
Huang Yuefang handed her the fire poker. “Watch the fire,” she instructed, then asked, “Who?”
“Brother He!” Fang Xiaoli exclaimed, sitting by the stove.
Huang Yuefang stared at her daughter. “And what’s so surprising about that?”
Fang Xiaoli clapped her hands. “Seeing him isn’t the surprising part—it’s what he bought! He got two pounds of brown sugar, two pounds of red dates, two tins of malted milk, a package of sponge cake—”
She paused, her chin lifted as her mother’s eyes widened in shock. “—and a box of white rabbit creamy candies! He even bought the large wooden bathtub we’d just received at the coop today!”
Huang Yuefang’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.
She smacked her lips and gasped, “Good heavens, how much did that cost?”
“Twenty-eight yuan and sixty-three cents,” Fang Xiaoli said. “That’s almost my entire monthly salary!”
“Goodness gracious,” Huang Yuefang murmured. “Deputy Commander He has taken on a real handful, hasn’t he? If he’s spending this much on the very day he arrives, what’s it going to be like once the baby is born?”
Fang Xiaoli stared at her mother, speechless. “Sister-in-law Jiang is pregnant! Besides, Brother He just spent a little money. Brother Zhou lost his life! What’s wrong with buying her a few extra things? If Dad had died saving someone else, wouldn’t you treat their family well too?”
“Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah!”
Huang Yuefang slapped the back of Fang Xiaoli’s head. “This is about someone else’s family! Why are you bringing your father into it?”
Fang Xiaoli realized her mistake and spat on the ground several times, muttering, “Bad luck gone, good luck in… Bad luck gone, good luck in…”
When Commander Fang returned, the family sat in the courtyard to eat. Huang Yuefang leaned in and whispered the news to Fang Haiguo, smacking her lips in dismay.
“If Commander He keeps feeding Zhou Du’s wife like that, will he have any savings left?”
Commander Fang glared at her. “Why are you meddling in other people’s business? If you have so much free time, worry about our own household. He Zheng isn’t spending your money, so why are you the one feeling the pinch?”
Besides, He Zheng earned a good salary and had no children to support. He’d saved a lot over the years. A few extra treats for Zhou Du’s wife wouldn’t bankrupt him. He wasn’t complaining, yet his own wife was the one fretting over his wallet.
Huang Yuefang fell silent, feeling as if she were being accused of neglecting her own household.
Seeing this, Fang Xiaoli quickly changed the subject. “Dad, I heard Sister-in-law Jiang is going to work at the supply and marketing cooperative?”
Commander Fang took a sip of soup. “Yes. Old Zhang is being transferred next month, and his wife works at the Cooperative. Once she leaves with him, Zhou Du’s wife will take over her position.”
Meanwhile, in the He family’s small courtyard, He Zheng was telling Jiang Ning the same news.
Jiang Ning’s chopsticks paused mid-air.
A job at the supply and marketing cooperative?
Such positions were highly coveted these days. Everyone had to go there to buy anything, and when scarce goods arrived, the staff would notify their relatives first. By the time the general public got a chance, there was rarely anything left. To buy something, you had to butter up the clerks and hope they’d set something aside for you.
The person she would be replacing was responsible for managing coupons—a job that involved sitting in an office all day, meticulously recording the daily coupon count. There was no room for error; any shortage had to be paid out of pocket.
The monthly salary was thirty-five yuan, slightly higher than some manual labor jobs at the state-run factories in the city.
For Jiang Ning’s current physical condition, it was an ideal job. No standing, no heavy lifting, and no dealing with customers. She could just sit in the office all day.
After the meal, Jiang Ning tried to help clear and wash the dishes, but the old lady firmly refused.
He Zheng took over the kitchen duties, scrubbing the pots and pans. Jiang Ning stayed in the courtyard, keeping the old lady company.
Through the window, she stole a glance at He Zheng as he wiped down the stove. The red-brick stove seemed small and insignificant next to his tall, powerful frame. He wore a short-sleeved military shirt, revealing the smooth, well-defined muscles of his arms.
She knew firsthand the strength in those arms. It was staggering.
Jiang Ning quickly looked away, afraid he would catch her staring.
When He Zheng finished in the kitchen, he stepped into the courtyard and looked at Jiang Ning, his voice tinged with awkwardness. “Sister-in-law, I’ve boiled a pot of water. I’ll bring the bucket to your room in a moment so you can bathe.”
“Thank you,” Jiang Ning said, nodding quickly.
Passersby occasionally strolled past the courtyard. As night fully fell, the old lady, unable to stay up any longer, rose to wash up. She reminded Jiang Ning to get some rest and to call her or He Zheng if she needed anything during the night.
Jiang Ning returned to her room.
She had just stepped inside when a knock sounded at the door.
The door was only partially closed. He Zheng’s deep, resonant voice drifted through the gap. “Sister-in-law, I’m coming in.”