Su Xingci’s throat felt raw and burning after a morning of teaching Chinese. Back in the office she sank into her chair completely drained.
The stack of exercise books waiting to be marked sat there her ink bottle cap tilted crookedly everything adding to her sense of weariness. Her encounter with Huo Chenzhou at the supply cooperative had lifted her spirits briefly but the feeling faded and she was left facing the same tangled mess.
Gu Yuanhang had neither answered his phone nor come to see her again. Once she would have been frantic terrified he was angry and leaving her she would have hurried to the compound gate carrying his favorite mung bean cakes. How pathetic.
Su Xingci gave a bitter smile and dipped her pen into the ink. Her dependence on him was fading little by little leaving only cold hard reality. She was no fool. Everything he had said at the dinner table and in the restroom now rang hollow every word revealing its emptiness. It was never about protecting her or their future simply that she did not matter.
She sighed and opened the first exercise book. Tears and tantrums would change nothing. Until she knew how to face this openly she must endure at least to spare her father worry. She would see him safely away first.
What she could never have imagined was that Gu Yuanhang had no intention of letting things end gently.
“Xingci what are you standing there for!” The door burst open cold air sweeping in and Su Xingci shivered. Liu Hongyan rushed in breathless grabbed Su Xingci’s teacup and drank deeply.
“Hurry or we’ll be too late!”
Su Xingci patted her back. “Slow down where are we going in such a rush?”
“The department store!” Liu Hongyan set the cup down eyes sparkling. “They just got in a shipment of fine floral print dresses from Guangdong. The other teachers have already run over if we wait there won’t be so much as a button left!”
Su Xingci shook her head and closed her books. “I’d rather stay I have work to finish and I have plenty of clothes.”
“Those plain grey work dresses? You only carry them off because you’re so pretty!” Liu Hongyan took her by the arm. “Come along think of it as keeping me company you’ll grow mouldy stuck in here!”
Su Xingci allowed herself to be led out. A change of air would do her good sitting there brooding over Gu Yuanhang would only upset her further.
The town department store was bustling and crowded on the second floor women’s clothing section scented with face cream and fresh fabric. Liu Hongyan pushed eagerly into the crowd bargaining fiercely while Su Xingci waited at the edge preferring not to squeeze. She glanced around the store modest but well stocked.
Nearby lay the silk counter usually quiet since a single scarf cost nearly half a month’s wages. Then she froze. A familiar figure stood there tall and straight in a white shirt and dark trousers conspicuous among the women browsing. Gu Yuanhang what was he doing here? Su Xingci stepped behind a pillar her heart sinking not with joy but with sudden sharp suspicion. Beside him stood his comrade Zhao Zhigang talkative playful and always in his company.
“Xingci what are you looking at?” Liu Hongyan joined her following her gaze. “Now there’s a fine looking fellow must be in the army.” Her eyes lit up. “If he’s free we should go introduce ourselves.”
Su Xingci said nothing her chest tight and heavy. Gu Yuanhang held a pale pink silk scarf soft and finely patterned the kind rarely found in this town. He turned it gently in his hands examining it with a tender thoughtful expression she had never seen directed at her before. It was the look of a man choosing something precious for someone beloved. She felt a bitter twist of irony. Three years together and what had he given her? A bag of leftover rationed sugar and an enamel mug. He had spoken of frugality and keeping things simple. It was never about simplicity. It was about her not being worth the trouble.
“That’s Gu Yuanhang.” Her voice was cold.
“Gu Yuanhang? Your boyfriend you’ve kept quiet about all this time?” Liu Hongyan feigned hurt but leaned closer lowering her voice. “He’s buying you a gift? That’s a turn up! Pink silk scarf how romantic!”
“Do you think he’s worried about you catching cold?”
Su Xingci took her hand. “Let’s go closer and hear what he says.”
“Why not just say hello?” Liu Hongyan fell into step seeing her serious expression. They circled past racks of coats to a quiet spot near the counter half hidden from view.
Gu Yuanhang and Zhao Zhigang spoke quietly their words carrying clearly over.
“Old Gu you’re really splashing out!” Zhao Zhigang exclaimed. “I saw the price on that scarf over forty yuan nearly half your monthly allowance! Is that for your girlfriend?”