Chapter 55: “what Kind Of Name”
“Tsk tsk!” Sun Yeli grinned mischievously.
He was young after all, falling head over heels in love at once!
Gu Chenghuai glanced at the note on the kraft paper package.
It was mailed the same day as the previous letter he’d received, but the package took longer to arrive by post, so it had just gotten there.
He tore open the kraft paper and saw a jar of meat sauce and a can of canned meat inside.
Supplies were tight nationwide, and even the troops’ meals weren’t that good; they ate meat more often than in the village, but it wasn’t like they could eat their fill whenever they wanted.
Sun Yeli caught a glimpse of what Gu Chenghuai held and leaped up from the bed, crowding over. “What’s this?”
“Canned meat!”
“Your wife actually mailed you canned meat!” Envious drool trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Sun Yeli’s face twisted with jealousy. “My mom won’t even mail me any. What she usually sends is dried sweet potato, dried sweet potato, or more dried sweet potato.”
“What does she say? She says it’s to temper my will. Hey, with the intensity of our daily training, isn’t that enough to temper my will? She’s just stingy, just biased, and just doesn’t care about her son.”
Gu Chenghuai thought his words were unfair. “Didn’t your aunt mail you a thick sweater last winter? Wool yarn is hard to get, and she didn’t know how many people she traded coupons with to gather enough to knit that sweater for you.”
“People should be content.”
Take him, for example—no matter what Zhaozhao mailed him, even if it was just two sweet potatoes, he’d happily accept them.
“Heh heh.” Sun Yeli felt pleased again at his comrade’s words. “You’re right! The sweater is warm.”
Gu Chenghuai had heard that last sentence all last winter.
He pulled open the drawer, took out the industrial coupons and cloth coupons he’d traded for, and asked Sun Yeli, “Take a look. Are these enough to trade for five jin of wool yarn?”
Sun Yeli took them and flipped through, looking at his comrade. “This many! More than enough, for sure. You traded for them?”
It was outrageous.
Conditions now meant urban residents only had a two-liang purchase quota for wool yarn per person per year.
His comrade had a whole stack here—who knew how long it’d taken to trade for them.
More than enough for five jin of wool yarn.
“Mm.”
Gu Chenghuai responded faintly, without further explanation.
He’d long planned to have someone knit a sweater for his wife.
Zhaozhao loved beauty, and cotton-padded clothes made her look bulky, which she never liked. If she had a sweater, she’d definitely be happy.
Sun Yeli felt Gu Chenghuai was unfamiliar, nothing like the decisive and resolute young officer in his impression.
He winked exaggeratedly. “Saving up for your wife?”
Gu Chenghuai didn’t like discussing his wife with others—not because he looked down on her, but because he cherished her deeply.
Ignoring his comrade’s curious gaze, he began packing his luggage.
“…” Sun Yeli’s teeth ached.
The whole battalion should see this lovesick look of his.
“You’re heading back soon. What about this canned meat…” He sidled up grinning.
Share half with him.
Heh heh.
Gu Chenghuai shot him a glance, his face expressionless, but Sun Yeli read the mood: “You’re dreaming.”
“…”
How to handle the meat sauce and canned meat—he found out at dinner.
A certain reticent man deliberately brought them to the canteen, got today’s rations of sweet potato flour steamed corn buns and radish strip kelp soup, and sat in the corner.
With those unfairly good-looking hands, he leisurely opened the meat sauce and canned meat.
In an instant.
A domineering meat fragrance wafted over.
“So fragrant! Who’s having a special meal? I want meat!” A new recruit who’d just come in swallowed saliva greedily.
“Who doesn’t? When can we get extra? My mouth’s bland as hell.” A thick-browed, big-eyed young man removed his military cap and sniffed hard, as if the cap was blocking the scent.
Several officers familiar with Gu Chenghuai spotted him from afar and came over with their meals.
On the table, one thing they recognized—canned meat from the supply and marketing cooperative. The other, they didn’t know.
Sun Yeli plopped down, staring at Gu Chenghuai like he was a heartless cad.
“Why didn’t you call me for dinner?”
Gu Chenghuai ignored his look. “If meals need calling, why not fly to the heavens.”
“…” Sun Yeli choked.
He unceremoniously picked meat from the canned meat, ate it with the steamed corn bun, and squinted in bliss.
“Nothing beats meat.” He sighed.
The second battalion commander looked at Gu Chenghuai. “Did your family mail this?”
Gu Chenghuai’s lips curved reservedly, his low voice pleasant. “My wife sent it.”
One sentence, mission accomplished.
The questioner sighed lightly. “Your wife really cares about you.”
He and his wife had been married five years without even receiving a thread.
The man sipped kelp soup, brows furrowed, somehow drinking out a flavor of drowning sorrows in booze.
The officers present twitched their lips.
Normally, food brought to the troops’ canteen was shared by default.
So everyone at this table got to eat the meat sauce and canned meat Lin Zhao had mailed.
After tasting it, they were blown away!
“This meat sauce is great. Did your sister-in-law make it?”
“Chenghuai, if your sister-in-law made it, I want to buy some! It’s perfect with rice—I could eat three more steamed corn buns with this meat sauce.”
“Your sister-in-law really cares about you. You married a good wife!”
Sun Yeli stuffed meat sauce into his steamed corn bun, took a big bite, and said, “I want to buy some too.”
…
In this time of cracking down hard on speculation and profiteering, how could Gu Chenghuai get his wife in trouble? He refused without thinking.
“We’ll talk when I get back.”
No trading, but bartering was fine.
His comrades came from all over; maybe their hometowns had things Zhaozhao wanted.
Gu Chenghuai planned to discuss with his wife before replying.
“Yeah, you should ask your sister-in-law’s opinion.”
The second battalion commander grabbed his arm urgently. “Chenghuai, you must talk to your sister-in-law properly. Money or barter, no problem.”
His parents were both workers, his wife worked in the city, and they had only one child—he wasn’t short on cash.
Tired of canteen food, he craved variety, and this meat sauce suited him perfectly.
Gu Chenghuai pulled back his arm. “Got it.”
Soon, everyone who needed to know did—a battalion commander Gu Chenghuai had a wife who made amazing meat sauce.
Previous bad rumors were thoroughly dispelled.
Back in the dorm, Sun Yeli stroked his chin, eyeing Gu Chenghuai, pondering something.
“You did that on purpose, right?” he asked.
Gu Chenghuai packed his luggage, not looking at the chatty comrade, tone flat. “Like what?”
“Deliberately taking the meat sauce and canned meat to the canteen to clear your wife’s name.” Sun Yeli said.
After Gu Chenghuai spoke to the director of the women’s committee, Qian Guiying held a meeting in the family courtyard, lecturing those who gossiped, but Lin Zhao’s reputation hadn’t improved much. Quite a few still harbored doubts, thinking she must have issues, or why else would everyone talk about her.
After Battalion Commander Gu’s little propaganda stunt, the family courtyard’s impression of Lin Zhao… would inevitably flip completely.
“My wife was always good; nothing needs clearing.” Gu Chenghuai snorted lightly.
This uniform made it hard to speak bluntly.
But.
He thought some people were just idle.
Sun Yeli saw his comrade’s displeasure and agreed his sister-in-law had suffered undeservedly, dropping the joking look.
He patted Gu Chenghuai’s shoulder.
“Bring your wife over soon.”
He could mooch some meals too.
Sun Yeli dreamed happily.
Gu Chenghuai fell silent.
Whether Zhaozhao came to accompany the army was up to her.
Coming here might not be good; by the time he returned from visiting relatives, he’d likely head to the front lines.
With family at home to help her, if she came to accompany the army, he’d often be away, leaving her alone with the kids—four of them—too hard, and he couldn’t bear it.
Recalling the family courtyard, one sister-in-law with just two kids was worn out; with his four sons, it’d be worse.
Accompanying the army could wait until San Zai and Si Zai were older; Zhaozhao could take it easier.
–
Gu Family’s Third Branch.
The dragon-phoenix twins sat in the corner playing with a cloth ball; Da Zai and Er Zai shuffled in sandals, carrying a wooden box dug from under the camphor tree.
Like presenting treasure.
“Mom, this is the wooden box we dug up. Can’t open it.” Er Zai said annoyed.
Thinking Mom was strong, his clear eyes looked at Lin Zhao. “Mom can definitely open it.”
“Let me see.” Lin Zhao took the wooden box.
It had some weight.
Who knew how the two boys had carried it back.
Da Zai and Er Zai loved cleanliness; once home, they’d brushed the dirt off the wooden box and rinsed it with water. Not spotless, but worlds better than fresh from the ground.
A delicate little lock hung on the wooden box—no wonder the two boys couldn’t open it.
Lin Zhao didn’t even fetch tools; she tugged, and the lock came off.
The two little friends beside Mom gaped, admiration filling their small faces.
“Mom, you’re so strong!” Er Zai exclaimed in awe.
Lin Zhao smiled.
These days, without strength, you couldn’t get by.
“Not bad.” She said modestly.
Da Zai propped his cheek, eyeing the wooden box curiously.
Even chatty Er Zai went quiet, staring eagerly, excited and thrilled.
Lin Zhao opened the box, revealing the contents.
As she thought, all old items.
On top, a palm-sized golden abacus, a pure gold-handled willow leaf saber, a set of dragon-tiger mortar and pestle, a purple sandalwood medicine scale, nine needles. At the bottom, a book—very old, titled 《Qing Nang Shu》.
Aside from the golden abacus, all traditional Chinese medicine related.
Right now, they’d count as the four olds; taking them out would mean big trouble.
Er Zai picked up the shiny golden abacus and fiddled with it on his own. “Mom, I like this. Can I have it?”
“…” Lin Zhao looked at him silently.
What five-year-old asks for something so unreasonable.
Using a golden abacus as a toy—you’d deserve it.
“Wait till you’re grown.” Lin Zhao didn’t want trouble.
She planned to store the whole set in the storage ring and take it out when safe.
Er Zai was disappointed but didn’t fuss. “Okay.”
He eyed the golden abacus reluctantly.
“…” Pretty good taste.
They were the ones who found the treasure after all; taking it all wouldn’t do. Lin Zhao got up, washed her hands, went to the cabinet, and took out a fried dough twist and two boxes of milk for the two boys.
Seeing the unfamiliar things in Mom’s hands, Er Zai dropped the golden abacus and pointed at the fried dough twist. “Mom, what’s this?”
“Go wash hands. Fried dough twist—one half for you and your brother each.” Lin Zhao said.
The two boys went to wash without a word, then ate the fried dough twist after.
Oily fragrance and wheat fragrance lingered on lips and teeth; one bite and crispy flakes fell, so fragrant!
Fried dough twist with milk—gods wouldn’t trade lives for this.
Lin Zhao pulled a stool and sat before her two sons, expression slightly serious. “Da Zai, Er Zai, Mom has something to tell you.”
“What?” Er Zai asked, munching fried dough twist.
Da Zai stopped eating, clear eyes on his mom.
“Don’t tell anyone about what you two found today.” Lin Zhao said seriously. “Especially not what’s in the box. Keep it our little secret. Can you do that?”
Hearing it was Mom’s little secret, the two little beans’ eyes lit up, nodding vigorously.
“Can!”
“I can!”
Da Zai answered, then remembered Lu Baozhen had seen them pick it up, frowning slightly. “But Lu Baozhen saw.”
He was a kid prone to overthinking, instantly annoyed.
Head down, he blamed himself. “It’s my fault for not being careful. If I’d noticed Lu Baozhen sooner…”
“Overthinking again.” Lin Zhao interrupted gently, hugging Da Zai, voice soft. “No one can plan for everything.”
“You did great already. Why blame yourself?”
She looked down at Da Zai, kissed his little face, eyes smiling. “Mom’s Da Zai is the best, most obedient treasure in the whole brigade. Mom thinks you’re perfect everywhere, except you always blame yourself. Mom hopes you won’t from now on, because it’ll make you unhappy, and that makes Mom unhappy.”
Da Zai turned into a dazed goose from the kiss, nestled in Lin Zhao’s bosom, face hot, ears red.
His voice shy, “…Okay.”
Er Zai wasn’t happy, squeezing into Mom’s arms too, eyes crescent moons. “It wasn’t Brother’s fault anyway—all Lu Baozhen’s. We were playing our game; what’s it to her.”
“Let her tell the brigade if she wants!”
His eyes turned sly, smile mischievous. “Little friends can play dumb. We deny it, and adults can’t do anything.”
Lin Zhao gave a thumbs up. “Good method.”
If worst came, hand over the box—no rule it had to have stuff inside.
Even if suspicions arose, no evidence.
Er Zai beamed at the praise, to his brother: “Brother, we play dumb!”
“Mm.” Da Zai nodded solemnly.
–
The county town had sunk into dusk.
Fu Fei, cotton textile factory worker done with overtime, dragged his weary body down this alley he’d walked countless times these two years.
Two years ago, that unexpected change seared a hole in Fu Fei’s backbone like a branding iron.
He’d unexpectedly lost factory assets, got convicted of malfeasance, and received administrative punishment from the factory—demotion from office accountant to boiler worker.
Fu Fei knew this was the factory going easy; at least they hadn’t sent him to prison. He should be content.
But.
How could he accept it?
He’d clutched that money all the way, arms aching, never letting go.
How did it get lost?
He couldn’t figure it.
Probably never would.
He hadn’t embezzled—really hadn’t!!
That was the factory’s money; how could he violate principle?! A red-seed worker like him—how could he ruin his life over corruption?
Afterward, family resented him, colleagues eyed him strangely.
He’d wanted to drown in the river and end it.
But… he couldn’t resign himself.
The man just over thirty aged visibly: hair grayed, face etched with inescapable worry, deep forehead wrinkles, expression numb and world-weary.
Streetlights stretched Fu Fei’s hunched shadow across the mottled alley.
Suddenly—
He spotted a familiar cloth bag ahead.
