Chapter 6

The tone was steady and righteous, stirring a sense of guilt within Gu Gaofei.

He really shouldn't have doubted this comrade!

Yet, he felt wronged as well. Seeing that no one was passing through the alley, he spoke up in his own defense once more, "Comrade, I’m truly not a thief. We were just... sigh, anyway, I really didn't steal anything."

"Evidence!" Jiang Xiaozhou held up the evidence, eyeing the man as if he were looking at money—there was no way he would let the cash slip away. He had even secretly touched the package along the way; the object inside was heavy. "A chunk of iron like that, you were definitely planning to sell it for money."

"I really wasn't!" Gu Gaofei tilted his chin to gesture. "If you don't believe me, ask him."

Jiang Xiaozhou was startled and ducked behind his second sister. So the tall guy was part of a gang!

Jiang Shuangshuang raised an eyebrow. "You two know each other?"

"Yes," Gu Gaofei nodded emphatically. "That... that iron chunk, I got it from a friend. If you don't believe me, go ask him in a moment."

Jiang Shuangshuang remained silent.

The tall man suddenly spoke up, "Forget it. You go with these two comrades to the Public Security Bureau and clear this up. Be back within an hour."

"Yes, sir!"

The tall man turned to leave, but Jiang Shuangshuang suddenly called out to him, "Wait, you take him with you."

"Second Sister!" Jiang Xiaozhou spun around in a panic. The money! The money!

Jiang Shuangshuang tilted her chin at him. "Give the item back to them, and get the waist rope back."

"..." Jiang Xiaozhou was unwilling, but he dared not defy his second sister. With a dismal expression, he shoved the oil-paper parcel into the tall man's hands.

Gu Gaofei, finally untied, was bewildered. "Why did you suddenly let me go?" The shift was so fast he couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

Jiang Shuangshuang looked at him and suddenly shouted, "Attention! Salute!"

Gu Gaofei reacted out of pure muscle memory. His feet clicked together, his body straightened, and his right hand snapped up, fingers pressed together. He didn't raise it too high before sheepishly lowering it again. Looking left and right, he rubbed the tip of his nose in embarrassment. "Cough... how did you figure it out?"

Jiang Shuangshuang said nothing; she just gave him a faint smile and turned to leave.

Gu Gaofei was left completely baffled. Watching the backs of the two siblings, he asked the man beside him, "Captain Cheng, what was that look she gave me?"

Cheng Jin didn't speak either. He gave him a similar look before turning and walking toward the railroad tracks.

Left behind, Gu Gaofei couldn't help but shiver, feeling as though his days were numbered. A soldier, treated like a thief! And on top of that, he had been captured and tied up by a young woman. He felt utterly hopeless. If he returned to the unit, not to mention the special training awaiting him, he would surely be laughed at by his comrades until they couldn't stand straight.

But fortunately, Captain Cheng wasn't one for idle talk. He would probably help him cover it up... right?

"Big brother."

Gu Gaofei snapped back to reality. The young lad had run back. Just as he was wondering why, a small oil-paper package was shoved into his hand. Unlike the one with the iron chunk, this one felt soft when squeezed.

"What is this?" he asked, confused.

"This is an apology gift from my sister," Jiang Xiaozhou said, not leaving immediately. "Open it and see. It smells so good!"

Gu Gaofei opened it and immediately refused, "No, no, I can't take things from the civilians. This is a steamed white flour bun! You take it back."

Jiang Xiaozhou put his hands behind his back and shook his head. "It's an apology gift from my sister. You must take it." Before the other could reply, he quickly asked, "Big brother, are white flour buns tasty?"

"How could they not be?" Gu Gaofei hadn't actually eaten them many times, but a white flour bun was delicious no matter what! Seeing the boy's eager expression, he hesitated and handed it back. "Why don't you have a taste?"

To his surprise, the boy immediately reached out with both hands to take it and shouted, "Thank you!" Before the sound of his thanks had even faded, he turned and ran away with the bun.

Gu Gaofei was left staring at his empty hands, completely bewildered. What was with these two siblings? Did they come all this way just to leave the scent of a white flour bun in his hands? He lowered his head and sniffed; it really did smell wonderful.

***

Gu Gaofei returned to the tracks and walked up to Captain Cheng, holding out his hand. "Captain Cheng, smell this. It's the scent of a white flour bun. I haven't had one in years."

Cheng Jin just stared at him quietly, as if looking at a fool.

Gu Gaofei sheepishly pulled his hand back. He pointed to the oil-paper package in Cheng Jin's hand. "This..."

Cheng Jin gave a cold, dismissive laugh. "You could even let that thing slip through your fingers? Just wait until we get back."

Gu Gaofei scratched his head, trying to save himself, but he saw Cheng Jin's expression change instantly. "They're here," he whispered.

***

Jiang Xiaozhou returned home ten minutes late. By the time he arrived, he was choking, and he gulped down a ladle of water from the well, taking several big swallows before he could catch his breath. Two steamed white flour buns plus a ladle of well water left his belly feeling huge.

He patted his stomach in satisfaction and walked into the house with a waddle. Just as he entered the room, he saw a bowl of dumplings on the table. His eyes lit up, and just as he was about to say something, his gaze shifted slightly, and he saw his second sister holding a thin switch. Panic flared on his face. "Si-si-sister... what are you doing!"

Jiang Shuangshuang wore a look that was half-smile, half-threat. "What do you think?"

"..." Jiang Xiaozhou didn't want to say at all. He knew his second sister couldn't stand some of his habits, but she had to give him time to change. He couldn't just drop all his bad habits at once; it would be easier to just go out and pick up a new brother.

Despite his inner grumbling, to avoid a beating, he quickly grabbed a broom. "I'll go sweep the floor. I haven't cleaned up today. Sister, don't worry, I promise to get the house sparkling clean!"

Jiang Shuangshuang snorted coldly and went back to peeling peanuts. The earlier incident had truly been a misunderstanding; if she wasn't mistaken, she had accidentally captured an undercover agent on a mission. No wonder so many strangers had suddenly appeared by the tracks—they were likely trying to establish some sort of contact. It seemed best to lay low for a few days and steer clear of these matters.

For the next while, the boy was incredibly diligent. He swept the floor, drew a bucket of water to wipe down the table and chairs, and then took down their bedding to wash. By the time he heard his mother's voice, he was in the courtyard hanging up the quilts, desperate to bury himself in his mother's arms and complain about his ordeal. However, Xu Yingxia had no time for him right now.

"Xiaozhou's mom, what's that good stuff you're carrying? You even have it in a box."

The communal courtyard was crowded, and there were always curious people poking around. As Xu Yingxia stepped over the threshold, someone asked.

At any other time, she might have been impatient. No one likes having their every move watched, with neighbors wanting to know exactly how many grains of rice they ate. But today, she replied with a beaming face, "It's from my eldest daughter. It's a box of cotton batting; she sent it from far away because she was worried we wouldn't be warm enough this winter."

Before anyone could ask more, Xu Yingxia showed it off herself. "You tell me, how can a child be so thoughtful? She's all alone so far away, I don't even know if she's doing well, yet she keeps sending things home."

"Sent by your Huanhuan?"

"Looks like she's doing quite well in the countryside. In our area, your Huanhuan is the only one who keeps sending things back."

"Isn't that the truth? My older brother back home—don't even talk about receiving things; he's had to send dozens of yuan to his son who went to the countryside, and it hasn't even been a year."

"She's truly filial, thinking of her family from so far away."

Xu Yingxia listened with a wide, ear-to-ear grin. What mother doesn't love to hear such things? Especially since she had been so worried about Huanhuan going to the countryside. But looking at the letters and items sent, Huanhuan's life couldn't be too hard, or she wouldn't have been able to send things home without complaining.

After soaking in the praise, Xu Yingxia headed home. She didn't even notice her precious son eyeing her, hoping she would put in a good word for him. Instead, the first thing she noticed was the plate of dumplings on the table.

"Did you buy these?"

Jiang Shuangshuang replied, "Otherwise, did I pick them up?"

"Why can't you talk properly, you girl?" Xu Yingxia glared at her.

Jiang Shuangshuang thought for a moment and decided to satisfy her mother's request. "Well, I was thinking of my dear mother, so I suffered through the pain of emptying my savings just so you could have a bowl of dumplings."

"..." Xu Yingxia couldn't stand such mushy talk. She lowered her head and fanned the air above the dumplings. "Oh, and pork filling, too?"

"That's why it's better to have daughters. Look at the eldest sending cotton, and the youngest buying pork dumplings. What can a son do? Aside from eating until he's stuffed." Jiang Shuangshuang hinted heavily; she knew exactly whose stomach those last two buns had landed in. That boy really needed a lesson. The bad habit of begging from others had to go.

Xu Yingxia glanced outside. "Did that boy stir up trouble again?"

"Don't worry about him, just eat." Jiang Shuangshuang handed her a pair of chopsticks and divided the dumplings. "What did the eldest write in her letter?"

Speaking of this, Xu Yingxia's face broke into an uncontrollable smile. "Look here, her life over there shouldn't be too bad, otherwise she wouldn't have the heart to describe the scenery of the countryside in her letter. She even said if we have a chance, we should go visit."

Whether life is good or not can be seen in every word of a letter. She sighed, "People, you know, you have to suffer a little to grow. Your eldest sister used to be so delicate at home—couldn't do this, couldn't do that. Now that she's in the countryside, she's actually quite capable of managing a life."

Jiang Shuangshuang ate a dumpling and said, "If there's a chance, we'll go see her."

"It's so far away, what a hassle," Xu Yingxia said, though she felt the pork dumplings were so delicious she didn't want to sigh. Still, deep down, she had the same thought. No matter how much is said in a letter, it's not as good as seeing it for yourself. But the journey back and forth would take a long time; at the very least, they would have to wait until her children started their jobs before they could have a chance.

She continued, "If you get married, I'll use this cotton to make you a quilt. I estimate there are three or four pounds in this box; I'll add two more and make it a six-pound quilt as part of your dowry."

Jiang Shuangshuang raised an eyebrow. "And if the match doesn't work out?"

"..." Xu Yingxia paused, hesitant, "Then... then I'll make your brother a set of winter clothes."

Jiang Shuangshuang said nothing and made a strange face.

Xu Yingxia nudged her impatiently. "Your brother's winter pants were a cut short last year. What's wrong with making him a set?"

Jiang Shuangshuang recalled. It seemed true. A few years ago, they could buy new clothes every two or three years. Later, all three siblings were in school, and as they grew, their appetites grew too, making life tight. For the past few years, the family basically hadn't worn new clothes. Usually, the younger ones inherited the older ones' clothes. The original body and the eldest sister were about the same height, so they shared clothes, and if something became too small, they would sew two pieces into one, making them last for years. Jiang Xiaozhou hadn't had the chance to inherit his sisters' old clothes. His outfits were all made from cutting up their father's old clothes; those had mostly been used up over the years. Last year, his cotton pants had been too short, and he had to wrap cloth scraps around his calves to stay warm.

"Fine, fine, let him have it then." Jiang Shuangshuang decided to be a generous sister.

"Why just let him have it?" Xu Yingxia actually still had hope. "Who knows, maybe this time the match will succeed?"

Coincidentally, just as Xu Yingxia wanted to chat with Shuangshuang about the Cheng family marriage, an unexpected person arrived.

Jiang Qing had specifically come after mealtime. She had a favor to ask, and it would be even more annoying if she came just to scrounge a meal. But because Xu Yingxia had been late returning home after picking up the package, she arrived right as they were eating pork dumplings, making for an awkward moment. "Third Sister-in-law, eating?"

Xu Yingxia saw her and couldn't help but exclaim, "A rare guest! It's been seven or eight years since you last came here, hasn't it?"

Back then, when the textile factory allocated her a house, her sister-in-law had made a fuss about wanting a room to herself. But there were only two rooms to start with; if she had given one away to her sister-in-law, what would her family of four do? She had gritted her teeth and refused. The Jiang family side was also afraid of gossip, so the matter was dropped. Her sister-in-law had a temper, and even though they lived close, she hadn't stepped foot in the house for seven or eight years.

"...Ha-ha." Jiang Qing laughed awkwardly.

Xu Yingxia's words had been a slip of the tongue, not really meant as passive-aggressive, and she quickly changed the subject. "Have you eaten? Do you want to... drink some water?"

She had intended to be polite, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shuangshuang pop the last dumpling into her mouth. Well, no need to pretend anymore.

"No, no need," Jiang Qing waved her hands repeatedly. She hadn't come for a meal. Besides, she had lived decades longer than these people. Even if she hadn't eaten good things, white flour and pork would become commonplace in a dozen years or so. She had eaten them countless times; how could she be tempted by this?

Her throat moved, and she couldn't help but swallow. *I'm really not tempted!* It was just that this body hadn't eaten meat in a long time; her soul was truly not hungry!

Turning her gaze away, she hurriedly stated her purpose. "It's like this: Mother asked me to tell you that the Cheng family son has home leave next week and will be staying here for two days. Shuangshuang can meet him then."

"Is he coming alone?"

"Yes," Jiang Qing nodded. The Cheng family lived in another province, and because it was so far away, when she was bullied by Cheng Jin's mother in her past life, her own family was too far to help her. But that was all in the past life; in this life, she would absolutely not deal with the Cheng family again. She hadn't come here just to tell her sister-in-law this; she had other plans.

Just as she was about to speak, Xu Yingxia suddenly grabbed her hand and said kindly, "Jiang Qing, before your third brother passed, he was so good to you. Do you remember how he dug irrigation ditches for an entire month just to buy you a pair of new shoes, to the point where he wore a layer of skin off his body? As for me, though I've had my own selfish interests, I've worked diligently all these years and turned my salary over to the family, so..."

At this point, she shifted her tone. "Why don't you be straight with your third sister-in-law? Mother went to so much trouble to prepare this marriage for you—why didn't you like him?"