Chapter 147: Arrival
That house looked dilapidated no matter how one viewed it inside or out, and even if people from above came to inspect it for Yan Family members living there, they couldn’t find any issues.
But this house was close to the Su Family Ancestral Home, just a few steps away.
That place was far at the end of the village, right next to the foot of the mountain, and rarely did anyone go there. As long as the news was delivered in time and the disguise was proper, who could know where the Yan Family members truly lived or what they ate.
“I think it’s fine, just that room.”
After thinking it over several times, Su Qingshan nodded in agreement.
“Thank you, old man!”
With the two most important matters resolved, Su Ning finally felt the urgency and oppression in her heart lessen considerably.
Seeing that it was getting late and not knowing when Yan Bei would be escorted over, she thanked them and stood up. “Old man, old woman, then I’ll go back first to tidy up the room.”
“Ning Wa, eat before you go. Why are you in such a hurry at this moment!”
Hearing her say she was leaving now without even waiting for her husband to speak, Liu Juan got anxious first and grabbed her hand.
The person had just arrived, hadn’t even drunk the sugar water, and hadn’t eaten. How could she leave just like that.
“Old woman, I ate something before I came, so I’m not hungry now. There’s nothing at home. I need to tidy up quickly, otherwise where will we sleep tonight?”
“Alright, alright. You can eat anytime. The important matter comes first. Ning Ning, I’ll have Jianqun take you to the carpenter’s house.”
Knowing she probably had no appetite for food right now, Su Qingshan stood up, persuaded his own old woman, and then led her outside.
He called over his little grandson who didn’t know what he was messing around with, gave a few instructions, and watched as the two walked out the gate one after the other.
“Dad, Ning Ning left? What about this sugar water?”
She dawdled so long making brown sugar water that by the time it was ready, the person had left.
Su Qingshan shook his head with a stern face. “Divide it among Niu Wa and the little ones.”
……
The homestead land of the First Brigade was almost all clustered together, and the carpenter’s house wasn’t far away.
As evening approached, every household was preparing dinner, and they didn’t run into anyone along the way.
Most were houses built with round logs, with few brick and tile houses, and even some sheds made of vines, thatch, and plastic.
Between the field paths in autumn bloomed small clusters of wild chrysanthemums, along with red snake bubble fruits.
“Ning Ning, we’re here. The one ahead is it.”
Pointing to the yard enclosed with stone blocks, Su Jianqun quickened his pace a few steps and shouted toward the inside of the yard, “Uncle Dacheng, Uncle Dacheng, are you home?”
“Who is it?”
Soon, a standard square-faced man in a vest with thick, muscular arms walked out from inside the room.
He pulled open the loosely shut courtyard gate and, seeing the visitor, couldn’t help laughing. “It’s you, Jianqun. Why come at this time? Come, your aunt just made rice chili soup. Eat some!”
“No need, Uncle Dacheng. Dinner is ready at home and waiting for me.”
Every family was short on grain. Unless it was something important, who would visit during mealtime.
Su Jianqun smiled and raised his voice to refuse, then stepped aside to reveal the person blocked behind him. “This is my cousin from the hall family, the owner of the ancestral home at the foot of the back mountain. Grandpa asked me to bring her here to exchange for some furnishings.”
“Oh? That home…”
He glanced at the smiling, bright-eyed girl behind him. She looked quite unfamiliar.
“Girl, what do you need?”
“Bed, wardrobe, desk, chairs, stool, all of them.”
“Come in and take a look first. The things are all placed in the side room.”
He led the two to the room full of furniture and handmade items.
Inside were ready-made beds, desks, cabinets, chairs, stools—complete varieties, finely polished, and the styles looked quite nice.
Su Ning nodded and swept her hand grandly, buying not only all the furniture inside but also a back basket, winnowing basket, broom, bamboo mat, and so on.
After negotiating the price, both sides couldn’t help revealing satisfied smiles.
“Then should I transport these to you now?”
“Thanks for the trouble, Uncle Dacheng.”
Back at the ancestral home, after waiting for the furniture to be moved in one by one and arranged, it finally had a bit of a homey feel.
After settling the money and ration coupons and seeing off Su Jianqun and Lu Dacheng’s father and sons, Su Ning turned back to the room to sort and organize the things she had bought in town earlier.
After finishing the work at hand, thinking that Yan Bei probably hadn’t eaten much all day, she went to the kitchen to light the fire and simmer a pot of vegetable and shredded meat congee.
……
Not long after night fully fell, Su Ning, waiting at the main hall door, vaguely heard movement from outside and immediately took out the flashlight, got up, and opened the gate.
Sure enough, after just a few steps, she saw a group of people escorting someone into that dilapidated house.
They didn’t stay long inside before hurriedly coming out again, gradually walking away following the light of the torches.
She didn’t rush in but waited on the spot for a few minutes until she could no longer see those few torch lights and confirmed no one else was around before turning on the flashlight and entering the dilapidated house.
“Yan Bei?”
“Su Ning!”
As soon as she entered the room, she saw a person curled up sitting on the ground in the corner, motionless. Her heart, which had leaped to her throat, settled at this familiar response.
She quickly stepped forward and half-squatted down, shining the flashlight light on his body. “How do you feel?”
“I’m fine.”
The light followed her gaze, shaking up, down, left, and right, stopping to examine only after confirming he wasn’t injured or anything wrong.
Because of Old Master Tong’s relationship, the interrogators still showed some concern and consideration, not making things too difficult for him.
Not giving water or food was just a minor matter.
“You should be familiar with the Brigade Leader. I’ve already told him that once Grandpa Yan and Grandma Yan arrive, he will secretly take care of you all. For now, come with me over there first. I’ve simmered some vegetable and shredded meat congee in the kitchen; it should be ready. Let’s eat something.”
Yan Bei supported himself with her to stand, knowing that compared to him enduring in the little black room, she who had been running around outside was even more exhausted.
“Su Ning…”
“No need for thanks. I believe if it were me in this situation now, you all would do your utmost to help, right.”
“Of course.”
“That’s that then. Let’s go quickly.”
Yan Bei clenched his fist tightly. His eyes, reflecting the light, welled up with mist, making him unable to see her profile clearly for a moment.
Only after forcing back that heat and suppressing the bitterness in his throat did he tug at the corner of his mouth, smile, and say okay.
He clearly knew that having her stay away and keep distance from him would be safer, without the risk of implicating her.
But he… was really reluctant to let go.
Just like in a world instantly shrouded in darkness, she was the only ray of light, within reach—how could he bear to let it go.
Back in the ancestral home, Su Ning had him sit at the kitchen dining table, first bringing a newly bought enamel cup and pouring him hot water just filled into the thermos not long ago. “Drink some to warm your stomach. I’ll go serve the congee.”
“Okay.”
Obediently holding the enamel cup with both hands, Yan Bei lowered his head, letting the rising steam blur his eyes.
Lifting the lid, the congee simmering on low heat had rice grains broken into flowers, thick and soft.
After scooping into bowls and sprinkling with chopped green onions, Su Ning carried them one in each hand to sit across from him and pushed one bowl over.
The two quietly drank the congee. Though no words were spoken, the atmosphere wasn’t awkward; instead, there was an indescribable faint warmth.
When she finished the last bite and set down the bowl and chopsticks, Yan Bei stood up first, stacked the two sets of bowl and chopsticks, and quickly went to the stove to wash the pot and bowls.
“Tonight…”
“I’ll sleep in that dilapidated house. If someone comes and discovers it, it won’t be good.”
A man and a woman alone in one room—for her sake if not his own, he had to think more.
“The weather now is neither cold nor hot, just right. My constitution is strong, so rest assured.”
Seeing him say this, Su Ning couldn’t persuade further. She could only gather usable things and move them over there with him.
Patching a few wooden boards into a simple bed, laying a thick layer of grass mat, and adding a cotton quilt made it no longer so hard.
“Make do like this for one night first. Tomorrow when it’s light, we’ll properly clean up inside this room.”
“Okay, it’s late. You haven’t rested well from yesterday till now. Go back to sleep first. We’ll talk about anything tomorrow.”
“Mm. If there’s any situation or emergency, come call me. Don’t tough it out alone.”
Was this worry that he would get sick?
Smiling and shaking his head, he obediently said okay. Yan Bei saw her back to the ancestral home, watched her shut the courtyard gate, then turned and slowly walked back under the starlight, his eyes full of undisguised worry.
He didn’t know how his dad’s injury was, or if the grandparents could endure this torment.
And the little uncle’s family that went to the northwest side, as well as Jiaming who was rushing back…
