Returning to the dining room, Luo Meiyun and Yang Zheng were still eating when Qiaoqiao happily handed the books to her brother. “Ge, Zhou Wenhui has so many books. I borrowed two for you.”
Yang Zheng frowned slightly. What time is it, and you’re still thinking about borrowing books for your brother?
Luo Meiyun smiled. “Qiaoqiao, we don’t even dare touch Wenhui’s books. The fact that you were able to borrow them is wonderful—a great start.”
“I…”
Qiaoqiao hadn’t thought that deeply about it at all. In the countryside, aside from her brother’s school textbooks, she had never laid eyes on any extracurricular reading material. With her brother entering the machinery plant, these books were bound to come in handy.
Luo Meiyun looked over at Yang Zheng. “Yang Zheng, once you get to your unit, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Work hard and don’t just stop at being an ordinary worker. Once you have enough experience, you can become a team leader, a workshop director, or even a factory manager.”
“Auntie, I don’t have that kind of capability,” Yang Zheng blushed and said.
“Child, you aren’t just Qiaoqiao’s backing—you’re Wenhui’s backing, too. Just focus on doing a good job. With your uncle in his position, he’ll be able to help you along to some extent,” Luo Meiyun encouraged him.
“Thank you, Auntie. This opportunity means everything to me; I’ll cherish it.”
“Actually, Wenhui understands machinery quite well, too… but, sigh, never mind. Let’s not talk about it.”
Looking at the high-spirited Yang Zheng, Luo Meiyun couldn’t help but think of Zhou Wenhui. Her son, too, had once been full of boundless ambition and vitality.
That evening, Zhou Zhonghai returned dead drunk and had to be carried inside. Zhou Wenhui slept in the study, Yang Zheng slept in the guest room, and Qiaoqiao had the bridal chamber all to herself.
After washing up and shedding her heavy wedding attire, Qiaoqiao tossed and turned on the wedding bed with a profound sense of relief.
What a massive bed! What wonderfully soft quilts! What a warm, sweet-smelling nest!
Ever since the marriage had first been proposed, Qiaoqiao had been plagued by a knot of anxiety. But the moment she laid eyes on Zhou Wenhui, she knew instantly: pride was carved deep into his very bones, and he would never truly take a fancy to a country girl.
At that exact moment, Qiaoqiao’s heart had unburdened itself. Since there was no affection, she would simply treat him like an older brother. Without romantic expectations, there was no disappointment; sleeping alone turned out to be far more comfortable.
That night, she shed every bit of her nervousness and slept deeply and sweetly.
Early the next morning, Qiaoqiao was startled awake by the wake-up broadcast horn blaring across the military dependents’ compound.
On her very first day as a daughter-in-law in this household, she certainly couldn’t afford to sleep in. Hastily dressing, she jumped out of bed.
In the kitchen, Luo Meiyun was already up. Seeing Qiaoqiao, she smiled warmly. “It’s only five-thirty. You didn’t need to get up so early.”
“Mom, I’ll help you make breakfast.”
“That’s fine too. We usually burn coal here; I’ll teach you how to light the stove.”
Luo Meiyun carried the coal stove out to the kitchen’s side courtyard. Tucking a handful of small kindling wood inside with a layer of crumpled newspaper at the bottom, she struck a match, and bright flames licked upward.
“It’s pretty much like burning firewood back in your hometown. Once the wood is burning strong, you add the coal. For the first time, you only put in one piece. Once it burns right through, you add the second piece, then the third.”
Qiaoqiao nodded. “Let me try.”
As the wooden blocks turned into glowing embers, Qiaoqiao dropped in the first piece of coal.
“Right, yes, just like that. Qiaoqiao is so smart.”
Qiaoqiao blushed. Was something this simple really worth praising?
Following instructions, she added the second and third pieces of coal, and Luo Meiyun hoisted a kettle of water onto the stove.
“Once the water heats up, you’ll have hot water to wash your face and brush your teeth. Normally, you just adjust the air vent so the fire won’t go out. Your dad got too drunk last night, so I completely forgot to set it,” Luo Meiyun explained with a smile.
“Mom, what are we having for breakfast? I’ll make it.”
“Oh, no need to cook. Xiao Liu will bring breakfast over shortly. Qiaoqiao, the dependents’ compound has a mess hall, and we have meal tickets. There’s always prepared food available there.”
“No cooking? Then… what am I supposed to do all day?”
If she didn’t even cook, would she go mad from sheer boredom?
“If you ever want to make a home-cooked meal, there’s a supply and marketing cooperative outside the compound where you can buy vegetables, rice, and cooking oil. Here, Qiaoqiao, there’s money, meal tickets, and meat coupons in the desk drawer in the living room. Buy whatever you feel like eating.”
Luo Meiyun opened the desk drawer, revealing loose change and various ration tickets scattered inside.
“Qiaoqiao, from now on, Wenhui’s salary will be handed over to you to manage our daily meals. Cook whenever you feel like it, or have the mess hall send food over if you don’t. Just hand the meal tickets to Xiao Liu when he delivers it.”
“I can cook! But shouldn’t Dad and you come home to eat, too?” Qiaoqiao asked quickly.
Luo Meiyun offered a gentle, affectionate smile. “Qiaoqiao, Mom knew right away that you’re a sensible, capable housekeeper. It’s just that your father and I have to go to work at the military headquarters; sometimes we won’t be home for three or six months at a stretch. Normally, Xiao Liu is the one who looks after Wenhui.”
“You won’t be living here?”
“The military headquarters is our larger family; this place is our small home. The border isn’t entirely peaceful—the troops need training, Wenhui’s father has to lead his men, and I have my own work to handle. Qiaoqiao, Wenhui is in your hands now.” Luo Meiyun looked at her with motherly fondness.
So that was how it was. Even the bold, dashing Division Commander Zhou and Director Luo had to bow to circumstances beyond their control.
“Mom, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Wenhui,” Qiaoqiao promised solemnly.
The water had heated up. Luo Meiyun poured half a basin of hot water and said, “Qiaoqiao, go wash up first, then come with me to wake Wenhui.”
“Should I… go wash him first?”
“It’s fine, he wakes up later.”
Luo Meiyun picked up the washbasin. Outside, a simple twist of the outdoor water tap produced a steady stream of cold water.
After finishing her own wash, Qiaoqiao poured another basin of hot water and followed Luo Meiyun to the study.
“Wenhui, are you awake?” Luo Meiyun asked softly as she pulled back the bedcovers.
Standing right behind her, Qiaoqiao caught her first clear sight of Zhou Wenhui’s amputated legs.
Though she had mentally prepared herself, the reality still came as a shock.
Across his pale thighs ran thick, angry scars, winding like earthworms.
The slender, fragile-looking Luo Meiyun lifted Zhou Wenhui into her arms and maneuvered him onto a commode chair. With a frown, Zhou Wenhui muttered, “Get her out of here.”
Qiaoqiao stepped backward, her face flushing red, and hurried out the door.
A short while later, Luo Meiyun called out, “Qiaoqiao, you can come in now.”
When she re-entered, the chamber pot was covered with its lid. Luo Meiyun instructed, “Qiaoqiao, would you mind taking this to the latrine and emptying it?”
Luo Meiyun picked up the chamber pot and headed out.
In the living room, she happened to run into Yang Zheng. Exchanging a single glance, Yang Zheng snatched the chamber pot out of her hands and marched straight to the toilet.
After emptying and washing the container clean, Yang Zheng handed it back to Qiaoqiao. Brother and sister didn’t exchange a word, but a deep, unutterable bitterness hung heavy in their eyes.
When Qiaoqiao stepped back into the study, Zhou Wenhui had already dressed and seated himself in his wheelchair. Luo Meiyun instructed, “Qiaoqiao, push Wenhui to the dining room. Breakfast is about to be served.”
“Okay.” Keeping her head down, Qiaoqiao wheeled him out while Luo Meiyun stayed behind to tidy up the study.
Xiao Liu arrived with breakfast: a large bucket of millet porridge, along with steamed buns, steamed twisted rolls, and fried dough sticks.
“Yang Zheng, Qiaoqiao, hello!” Xiao Liu greeted them cheerfully.
“You know us?” Qiaoqiao asked, puzzled.
“Even though this is our first time meeting face-to-face, I’ve known all about you for a while. Aunt Fang is my mother, after all.”
“Wait, you’re Aunt Fang’s son?”
“That’s right! I actually wanted to head back to the village yesterday, but Wenhui couldn’t be left without someone to attend to him…”
Realizing how that sounded, he quickly corrected himself. “I’m Liu Songming. I’m two years older than you both, so strictly speaking, you should call me older brother.”
“Songming-ge.”
“If you ever need anything in the future, just call the logistics department and ask for me directly.”
“Got it, thank you, Songming-ge.”
“Eat while it’s hot! I’ll bring lunch over at noon.”
Before leaving, Liu Songming grinned at Zhou Wenhui. “Wenhui, you lucky dog. Qiaoqiao was the belle of our production brigade!”
With a dark expression, Zhou Wenhui sat as still as a statue.
“You guys go ahead and eat, I’m off!” Liu Songming waved goodbye and left.