Time passed swiftly, entering the twelfth lunar month, the days grew even shorter.
By just past four in the afternoon, the sky was grey and overcast, it seemed that in the blink of an eye, the stars and Big Dipper would chase away the warm sun and hang in the center of the night sky.
The family compound held people from all over, at this moment everyone was preparing for the bitter cold.
Some were busy sun-drying various winter vegetables—string beans, potatoes, shepherd’s purse, nori. Some were stockpiling winter provisions—cabbage, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes. Still others seized the time to card old quilts and stuff new cotton into them.
The children did not understand the hardship of the bitter cold, four or five little ones were exhaling white vapor from their mouths, holding a string of candied hawthorn berries and nibbling them one by one in a circle.
Gu Wenshan attended the military district’s year-end symposium in place of Commander Liu, this trip signified that Commander Liu truly intended to cultivate him as his successor and was gradually delegating power.
He sat in the back seat of the jeep, when they reached the foot of Commander Liu’s building, he saw five or six familiar family members outside. They were drying vegetables while chatting enthusiastically, seeing him arrive, they hastily closed their mouths, their eyes flickering with gossipy light.
The old aunties and young wives did not understand why Regiment Commander Gu’s mother was insisting on arranging a meeting for him with a country village girl. This matter had already spread wildly through the family compound.
When the orderly took the telephone call, there were still many people in the office, they were all sharp-eyed types who could deduce the whole story from just a few words about “sister-in-law” and “picking up sister-in-law.”
But no one would suspect Gu Wenshan had done anything, usually it was the women pursuing him who showed fervent intensity. Based on experience, this should also be the country girl who had secured Regiment Commander Gu’s mother, and now came to secure Regiment Commander Gu himself.
In the family compound, there was gossip and speculation, former admirers of the Regiment Commander had lost face.
This heaven-favored son, this man of distinguished military merit, had only to avoid major errors, and becoming a commander of one region holding real power—guarding a region for the nation—was absolutely certain.
Who would not want to be a commander’s wife?
If they had lost to some general’s daughter from Beijing, or stepping back a thousand paces, lost to childhood lovers or someone of matching status, they could accept it.
But a girl from the wilderness, perhaps who could not even write her own name, how did she dare use the tactic of using an indirect end-run to get what she wanted [1]using an indirect end-run to get what she wanted (quxian jiuguo, 曲線救國) Idiom, achieving a goal through an indirect strategy rather than head-on (historical/political idiom, used sarcastically … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3398886_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3398886_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });), and most critically, how did it work?!
The most exasperated among them was surely Mu Ying.
Everyone saw her fierce pursuit of Regiment Commander Gu, she and Gu Wenshan were perfectly matched in status.
But under her offensive, Gu Wenshan remained lukewarm. This time she had put out word: if that country girl dared come, she would dare step on her face.
Many gossipy family members unanimously agreed that over the New Year period there would definitely be good drama to watch.
Little orderly Guo was frantic as an ant on a hot pan, and only after waiting a long time in the office did the workaholic commander finally come, he quickly recounted Qin Zhixin’s words to him.
“Is that really what she said?” Gu Wenshan sat at his desk, frowning as he tapped the desktop.
His mind could not help but recall that young, graceful figure. Her silhouette gradually merged with the young woman in his dreams, but Gu Wenshan could not yet fully confirm it was her.
Was she ultimately a liar who had set a trap centered on him, or had that little flower spirit actually come looking for him?
Recalling how she had squirmed around in his embrace in complete chaos, Gu Wenshan unexpectedly hoped it really was her. This thought startled even himself.
“Commander, are you going to pick her up or not?”
Little Guo had been through gunfire and bullets with him for years, he had never been so anxious. His good commander’s entire reputation was riding on this!
The old aunties in the family compound might not say anything to his face, but behind his back they were incredibly inventive. If he did not respond in time and dispel the rumors, by New Year’s Eve, they might well be saying the commander’s child had gone out for soy sauce!
“Pick her up, of course,” Gu Wenshan said. Regardless of who it was, he had to get her to his side. Leaving her in the countryside, he was not at ease.
Gu Wenshan picked up the telephone, preparing to call the Yanxia Village brigade. But suddenly the internal telephone rang.
After hanging up, Gu Wenshan grabbed his military jacket: “Arrange personnel, the Two-Star Snow Mountain in Bisheng County is collapsing, rapidly evacuate the people below the mountain!”
Little Guo followed, running out, and then heard Gu Wenshan say: “Once the mission ends, we can pick up the person on the way, passing through Yanxia Village.”
“Yes, sir!”
Little Guo followed behind Gu Wenshan striding rapidly forward, thinking about all those rumors—words that were hard to describe—and how Mu Ying had specifically asked him about it, he had played dumb and gotten criticized by her.
Sigh, he hoped the girl could wait.
***
Could she wait?
That was impossible.
After Qin Zhixin finished her telephone call at the brigade office, she returned and happened to encounter Lu Jianping at her gate in a standoff with Aunt Du.
In a glance, she saw the gloomy, obsessive look in the young man’s eyes. Even at her age, she had never found anything so frightening.
Xiangzhi stood behind Aunt Du and You Xiu, who had hurried over, her small eyes looked toward Qin Zhixin, causing her heart to ache.
Such a good girl, how had she not met good people? That pitiful small look in her eyes—who could bear to see it?
“Do not believe me? Look at her personal file, clearly she is listed as having elementary school education. How does she become illiterate? I am saying she deliberately pretended to be illiterate to distance herself from me.”
Before coming, Lu Jianping had rewritten events to his advantage. This time his version was very favorable to him. Secretary Zou came with him, and followed several cadres and a crowd of villagers come to watch the drama.
Cao Xiangqin’s parents had been instructed by Lu Jianping not to come, lest they say the wrong thing again. After all, Qin Zhixin was a mother and would easily see through their false pretenses.
“Professor Qin, look at how little this girl thinks far too highly of herself for someone with so little to back it up [2]thinks far too highly of herself for someone with so little to back it up (yan gao shou di, 眼高手低) Idiom, having grand ambitions/standards far beyond one’s actual ability or station jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3398886_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3398886_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Cadre Lu is such a good choice, remaining devoted to her through and through, the little girl should know her place [3]should know her place (tian gao di hou, 天高地厚) Idiom, to recognize the scale of the world and one’s own limitations, to know one’s place jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3398886_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3398886_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.”
Zou Ao, seeing that Xiangzhi had run to the Gu ancestral home for shelter, was already displeased.
It was obvious she could not do anything to Qin Zhixin, on the contrary, she had to fawn on her. She understood Xiangzhi was using Qin Zhixin to press down on her. But thinking that Qin Zhixin’s connection with Xiangzhi was not that deep, she came along to chime in.
Lu Jianping switched from his previous gloominess, gazing tenderly at Xiangzhi, saying bashfully: “I beg you, do not misunderstand my relationship with other comrades. I swear by Chairman Mao himself that I only want to be your revolutionary partner, with other colleagues it is simply revolutionary comradeship!”
Zou Ao spread her hands, laughing as she muddied the waters: “Everyone see? The little girl got jealous of other female comrades and created today’s fuss, everyone stop standing around watching. Everyone go back. Little Cao, you also go back with him, your parents are waiting at the sent-down youth station.”
“Go back? Go back where?”
Qin Zhixin emerged from the crowd, came to the gate, her face grave as she spoke in a voice everyone could hear: “You two singing in harmony—where should Regiment Commander Gu’s daughter-in-law go?”
Zou Ao suddenly could not recover her composure, instead the crowd of onlookers exploded.
“Regiment Commander Gu’s daughter-in-law?!”
“Could she be involved with Regiment Commander Gu?!”
“No wonder she came to the Gu ancestral home, Professor Qin is her future mother-in-law!”
Their chatter and commotion made Lu Jianping’s face turn iron gray, he ground his teeth, his mind racing about what to do next.
You Xiu gripped Xiangzhi’s arm hard, whispering: “When did you get on good terms with Regiment Commander Gu’s mother?! You are too impressive!”
Lu Jianping had not calculated for such an unexpected turn of events, he suddenly had no better plan.
Comrade Wu, who had come along, raised a question in the crowd: “Cadre Lu, did you not say you were engaged to Comrade Cao? How is it Comrade Cao and Professor Qin both say they have no relationship with you?”
Comrade Wu’s words naturally favored “Cao Xiangqin”, on the way here, You Xiu had told him the situation, greatly surprised, he was also enraged at Lu Jianping’s savagery. Here was a young cadre from the city’s sent-down youth bureau, daring to do such a thing of taking advantage of calamity!
Lu Jianping would not dare contend with anyone as much as Qin Zhixin. The Gu family was a military and martial household, descendants of meritorious founders of the nation. The Qin family was a scholarly, prestigious household with standing in Beijing, Qin Zhixin was moreover a professor brought back by the state from the Soviet Union. No matter which household, he was but a country boy not equipped to offend either.
Once Qin Zhixin spoke, this matter must be true. He ground his teeth, asking menacingly: “When did you hook up with Regiment Commander Gu?”
Qin Zhixin’s face turned cold: “Control your emotions, Cadre Lu. If you persist in pestering and hounding, I will report you to your superiors for the crime of attempting to destroy a military marriage! By then, losing your job will be the least of it!”
The rest of what Qin Zhixin did not say, Lu Jianping understood plainly enough—if the charge of “destroying a military marriage” stuck, he would definitely be thrown in prison.
Recalling the oppressive aura around Regiment Commander Gu, Lu Jianping even sensed more serious consequences awaiting him than imprisonment.
“Cadre Lu, I ask that you do not harbor designs against me anymore.”
Xiangzhi, having waited for the situation to ferment sufficiently, finally spoke to Lu Jianping, but the content was what he least wished to hear: “Gu Wenshan and I have a very good relationship. I will not leave him because of you.”
“You you you! Fine, fine!”
Lu Jianping visibly collapsed, he squatted on the ground, grabbing his hair and gasping. Comrade Wu tried to help him up, but he shook him off.
Consistent with his reaction was Secretary Zou’s.
Zou Ao sheepishly rubbed her hands, her face pale and awkward: “Well, I said you mother and daughter were so close, turns out you were going to become family. Why did you not tell me about such a big matter?”
“How is this your concern?” Xiangzhi muttered: “Does our marriage have anything to do with you?”
Zou Ao was choked by the words, someone in the crowd suddenly burst into laughter. You Xiu, standing beside Xiangzhi, also wore a mocking smile: “One would think Secretary Zou was Cadre Lu’s mother, so eager to become Comrade Cao’s mother-in-law.”
Zou Ao hurried to wave her hand: “How could that be? I have no relationship whatsoever with Cadre Lu.”
Xiangzhi countered: “Then why did you press so hard to interfere?”
With these words spoken, everyone present understood perfectly. Was it not just covet for the pie Cadre Lu had drawn for her?
Zou Ao was left speechless, simply maintained a fake smile on the side, her face showed bruising purple and sickly green. She could already imagine the entertainment of village people’s after-dinner chatter would be her for a long time to come.
“Hey, you are just leaving? No apology?” You Xiu rose on her toes to look behind the crowd.
While they were speaking, Lu Jianping was being carried away toward the national highway. His two legs dangling uselessly, as if he had received a tremendous shock.
That was true, the tempting treasure his heart desired was right in front of him, only to suddenly fly away. And fly to a branch so high he could never climb it for the rest of his life. And the other party had threatened him with the job he prided himself on, he had no choice but to leave. Without this job, one could say he was nothing.
But Qin Zhixin was not at ease, she was quite accurate at reading people. Someone like Lu Jianping was the type who won’t change his ways until he hits rock bottom [4]the type who won’t change his ways until he hits rock bottom (bu jian guancai bu luolei, 不見棺材不落淚) Idiom, someone who won’t admit defeat or change course until faced with … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3398886_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3398886_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
Xiangzhi had finally gotten rid of a major trouble and tilted her head looking at the departing Lu Jianping, just as she was about to heave a sigh of relief, she saw Lu Jianping turn back and look at her with a gloomy face before turning and leaving again.
Had he not had enough of plotting against her?
Xiangzhi ground her teeth silently, calculating that if necessary, she would do something radical and put him in a flower valley to rot as fertilizer!
Qin Zhixin also saw this, and simply said to Zou Ao: “Secretary Zou, you also understand my family’s situation, today I must trouble you to write me two introduction letters.”
Xiangzhi’s ears perked up immediately, earlier when she wanted an introduction letter, Secretary Zou had refused.
Zou Ao managed a smile and said: “Professor Qin, where are you planning to go?”
Qin Zhixin walked over and put an arm around Xiangzhi: “She has been frightened these past few days, I want to send her to the military unit to see my son.”
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