Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Bai Jingzhi knew that her brother and sister-in-law were coming over today, so she rushed to the train station right after work in the afternoon. She waited until a little past eight in the evening before seeing her family of five emerge from the crowd. She quickly pushed her bicycle forward.

Liu Liu saw her aunt and happily ran up to her. "Aunt—"

After greeting her, she playfully climbed onto the crossbar at the front of the bicycle. Bai Jingzhi hurriedly extended a hand to support her, afraid that she might accidentally fall.

Everyone except for Liu Liu was carrying something.

Bai Jingzhi handed the bicycle to her brother. Jiang Mingchuan hung the lighter luggage bags on the handlebars and tied the heavier ones to the back seat, freeing everyone's hands.

Jin Xiuzhu and Bai Jingzhi walked side by side in the lead, chatting and laughing. Jin Xiuzhu asked if she had been busy with work recently?

Bai Jingzhi replied casually, "Now that I'm more proficient, things have improved. I can even take a nap during lunchtime."

Before, when she didn't know anything, she didn't dare to sleep after eating lunch and was always busy with work. The content she learned in college had nothing to do with her current job, but fortunately, she had read many books back then, which earned her some respect from the editor-in-chief.

Thinking about this, she couldn't help asking, "Sister-in-law, now that college entrance exams have resumed, would you consider going back to school and taking the exam?"

Jin Xiuzhu had indeed thought about this issue. She shook her head and said, "No need. Although I enjoy reading, I don't have a strong desire to take the college entrance exam. Compared to those students who want to change their fate through the exam, I might not be able to compete with them if we took it together. For me, self-study is just as good; there's no need to necessarily go to university."

Especially in her heart, those teachers in schools might not be able to teach her much. Just like how the questions she could ask Fang Min became fewer and fewer, sometimes Fang Min even needed her to clarify doubts.

Bai Jingzhi nodded, feeling that her sister-in-law had considered everything carefully. Those educated youths and students who went to the countryside knew that passing the college entrance exam meant returning to the city and having a good job to support themselves. They would definitely study hard. Although her sister-in-law liked reading, she already had a good job and three children. In terms of exams, she might not be able to match those people.

Thinking about this, she didn't say anything else and instead started talking about her brother's promotion. Previously, her sister-in-law had written a letter saying they might return to the capital, but unexpectedly, she received news that her brother had been promoted and would soon be going to Province G. So, she voiced out her confusion.

Jin Xiuzhu explained, "Your brother wouldn't let me give gifts, saying that we should just act as usual. At that time, everyone was saying that someone else would be promoted because they had connections, so I assumed your brother didn't have a chance. I was already planning which items to bring back to the capital."

For her, returning to the capital wasn't bad. There were several department stores and state-owned hotels, and public transportation was convenient. However, she didn't dare show it. She could clearly sense that Jiang Mingchuan wanted to stay in the military and had feelings for his identity as a soldier.

"Later, something happened to that person's family, so it was your brother's turn."

There were some things Jin Xiuzhu didn't want to explain too clearly. Actually, Jiang Mingchuan initially had a good chance of promotion. He graduated from a military academy, had served for a long time, and had previously been commended. But there was only one spot available in the regiment, and everyone was competitive, especially the husband of Wen Jun, who had won first-class commendation two years ago, overshadowing Jiang Mingchuan. If it weren't for the incident involving Wen Jun's stepfather, which affected her and her husband, they might have really returned to their hometown.

Bai Jingzhi still remembered Wen Jun, who had tried to set up her younger brother with her. Unable to resist, she curiously asked in a low voice, "What happened?"

Jin Xiuzhu lowered her voice and said, "I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, but it seems that someone reported corruption, and later, that person was rehabilitated. As a result, their whole family got into trouble. Her husband had been promoted by her stepfather, so he wasn't entirely innocent."

She added, "Fortunately, I refused back then. I heard that her younger brother also got into trouble this time. He probably wasn't clean either."

During that period, Wen Jun would block Wang Ling every day, trying to finalize her husband's promotion. The entire regiment was spreading rumors about her husband's commendation, making it seem like a done deal. Wang Ling wasn't stupid. If her husband was already so capable, why would she come to her every day and ask her to whisper in Old Yan's ear? Wang Ling suspected something was wrong. She also revealed to Jin Xiuzhu that Wen Jun had given her two small gold bars, which scared her into refusing and saying she hadn't seen her husband for several days due to her busy work.

After the incident, she was very grateful that she had been cautious and regretted introducing her younger brother to Bai Jingzhi, even though it didn't work out.

Bai Jingzhi showed a look of surprise on her face, never expecting such things to be involved. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "What about Yang Yingxiong?"

Jin Xiuzhu glanced at He Yan walking ahead. "His father retired. According to your brother, he returned to his hometown and works at a local shoe factory. When the time comes, both Yang Yingxiong and his younger brother will go back."

Actually, it was okay for Yang Yingxiong since he was already in the first year of high school and could soon participate in the college entrance exam and leave. It was only pitiful for the younger one, who still had a long way to go.

Bai Jingzhi nodded. "I hope he gets into a good university."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "He will."

The family of five had been traveling all day and were quite tired. They didn't go to the state-owned hotel for dinner, as it was closed at this hour. Fortunately, Bai Jingzhi had bought groceries in the morning. Since the weather was still hot, the meat couldn't be stored for long. She intentionally came back at noon to stew the meat, so it only needed to be reheated when they returned home.

That night, Jiang Mingchuan and He Yan cooked dinner while Bai Jingzhi chatted with Jin Xiuzhu in the living room. Fu Yanyan played with Liu Liu outside the door.

Jin Xiuzhu asked about her situation with someone.

This matter was unknown even to Jiang Mingchuan, discovered only by Liu Liu previously.

Bai Jingzhi had always known that Yanyan was smart, but she didn't know that Liu Liu could read early. While writing letters to Ji Ling, Liu Liu saw them and didn't hide it. Unexpectedly, Liu Liu was quite cunning. She told her sister, who then informed Jin Xiuzhu.

Out of curiosity, Jin Xiuzhu couldn't resist asking a few questions. Bai Jingzhi blushed and explained the situation. It wasn't a big deal; they just often exchanged letters and asked Jin Xiuzhu not to tell her brother.

She was afraid that her brother, out of concern, might say something to Commissioner Zhu next door.

Only later did she find out that Ji Ling was Commissioner Zhu's nephew.

When Ji Ling intervened to stop his foster mother from pulling her away, it was because he recognized her. He said he had seen her in the military, but Bai Jingzhi had no recollection of it.

"Are you still corresponding? Has he mentioned any plans for the future?"

"We've already established our relationship. He even gave me a jade pendant, which his former comrade helped pick up by the river. He polished it into a cylindrical shape during his spare time."

As she spoke, Bai Jingzhi took out a jade pendant from her collar. Jin Xiuzhu's eyes lit up—it was actually white jade, a good quality material. However, she found its shape a bit unappealing.

Bai Jingzhi smiled sweetly. "He said he'll visit our house during the New Year and then go to his family's place next year."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. "After marriage, do you plan to join him in the military or have other plans?"

Bai Jingzhi shook her head and said seriously, "I don't plan to join him in the military. I quite like my current life and work. When we have children, I'll ask his mother to come over and help take care of them. If she doesn't want to, it's fine. I'll just be a bit more tired handling things alone."

"Don't worry. If his sister needs help, you can follow Fang Min's example and hire someone to take care of the child."

Bai Jingzhi hummed in agreement.

Jiang Mingchuan brought out a dish and asked in confusion, "What child?"

Bai Jingzhi blushed and lowered her head.

Jiang Mingchuan frowned and looked at Jin Xiuzhu, who avoided his gaze.

Jiang Mingchuan was dissatisfied. "Why are you keeping secrets from me?"

Eventually, during dinner, Bai Jingzhi told him about her relationship with Ji Ling. After hearing it, Jiang Mingchuan finally relaxed. He had thought that his younger sister had been deceived.

If it were Ji Ling, that would be acceptable. Commissioner Zhu often mentioned his nephew, who had been smart since he was young. Unfortunately, the conditions in the countryside back then weren't good; there wasn't even a place to study. His family was poor, so he barely finished junior high school and didn't continue his studies. By the time Commissioner Zhu found out and sent money back, the boy had lost interest in studying and spent his days helping his mother with farm work instead.

Later, it was Commissioner Zhu who insisted on sending him to join the military.

She thought for a moment and asked, "What's his situation now?"

"He's attending classes at the military academy."

Jiang Mingchuan nodded. "Alright, have him come over during the New Year. We can have a good chat then."

Bai Jingzhi smiled with pursed lips and hummed in agreement.

Ever since she started working, many of her senior colleagues at the newspaper had tried to introduce her to potential partners, all from decent backgrounds. Her sister-in-law had told her that if she decided to get married, she should consider both the person's character and abilities as well as their family circumstances. However, her sister-in-law also said that no one is perfect. Sometimes, someone might come from a good background but lack personally, or they might be excellent individually but not have the best family circumstances. She was advised to weigh her options carefully. After much consideration, she decided on Ji Ling.

Ji Ling was very ambitious and hardworking, responsible and decisive, kind and upright, and had a tolerant heart. Being with him made her feel secure, as if all her worries disappeared. Perhaps some of her colleagues might think his family background wasn't ideal, but she didn't care. As long as she felt it was right, that was enough.

She could also sense that Ji Ling liked her, though for some reason, he hadn't confessed his feelings yet. However, her sister-in-law had taught her that while exchanging letters with a man was fine, she shouldn't be the one to confess first. Even if she wanted to establish a relationship, it should be the man who initiates it.

So, she intentionally hinted at this in her letters, mentioning how people kept introducing her to potential partners and arranging meetings.

She had hoped to see if he would clarify their relationship, but instead of receiving the letter she wanted, she got a visit from him directly.

The family of five stayed in Bai Jingzhi's small villa for two days before starting their journey to G Province two days later.

Their trip to G Province took longer than Jin Xiuzhu and the others expected, especially the part from the provincial capital to the military base, which was entirely mountain roads. Unlike before, when they needed to take a boat, they could only travel by car, which swayed back and forth. When they passed through a county town, they noticed it was built halfway up a mountain, with many people selling local goods on the street.

It seemed that the direction of the wind had changed recently, or perhaps it was due to the distance, but many people here appeared to be doing business.

There were not just their family but several other outsiders on the bus. When they reached the county, the driver stopped for a rest, as everyone was feeling nauseous from the bumpy ride.

Jin Xiuzhu led the children down to look around. He Yan held his sister's hand, curiously stretching his neck to observe everything. After a while, he turned to Jin Xiuzhu and said, "Mom, I saw rabbits and turtles."

Liu Liu heard this and tiptoed to look. "There are so many colorful mushrooms, and bananas too. Mom, I want to eat bananas."

Jin Xiuzhu saw them too and turned to greet Jiang Mingchuan. Then, she took the three children to a fruit stand, where various fruits were laid out on a broken cloth with a scale nearby.

Jin Xiuzhu bought a bunch of bananas and some grapes. Liu Liu pointed at a large, round object nearby and said, "Mom, I want to eat that too."

Fu Yanyan couldn't help but say, "We'll buy it next time. We have enough things already."

Liu Liu pouted. "Okay."

Jin Xiuzhu had never eaten this fruit before but decided to buy one anyway.

Liu Liu's face immediately lit up with a smile.

After resting for a bit, the driver continued driving and arrived at the district where the military base was located before nightfall.

The district was relatively close to the military base. That evening, the family of five stayed at a guesthouse, where the rooms were clean, with fresh bedding. The only issue was the hot weather, which was much warmer than S City, where they had already started wearing long sleeves. On top of that, staying on the third floor meant dealing with many mosquitoes. After being inside for a short while, the children were covered in bug bites.

Jin Xiuzhu asked Jiang Mingchuan to fetch some water for the children to wash up, as they had been traveling all day and were exhausted.

When Jiang Mingchuan returned, he brought two mosquito nets with him.

That night, Jin Xiuzhu slept with her two daughters in one bed, while Jiang Mingchuan and He Yan shared another. Before sleeping, Jiang Mingchuan discussed with Jin Xiuzhu, "This place may not be as developed as our previous location. I'm thinking that you and the children should live in the city, which will make it easier for the kids to go to school. I'll come home on Sundays and whenever I have free time."

Jin Xiuzhu considered this. "Then we should buy a bicycle for the family. It would be more convenient."

Jiang Mingchuan hummed in agreement.

He Yan couldn't resist asking, "Are we going to buy a house or rent one?"

Fu Yanyan interjected, "Let's rent. We won't stay here for many years, so buying a house wouldn't be cost-effective."

If it were in the neighboring province, she would definitely support buying a house, but she remembered that this place wouldn't become as famous in the future.

Jin Xiuzhu agreed with her daughter. "When the time comes, let's rent a bigger house, with a separate room for each person."

Liu Liu quickly said, "I want to sleep with my sister."

Fu Yanyan helplessly patted her little head.

The family began discussing what kind of house they wanted to rent.

The next day, Jiang Mingchuan went to report for duty at the military base. Jin Xiuzhu took the three children downstairs. Due to the mountainous terrain, the entire city wasn't very big, but it was bustling with people.

The family of four first had a meal at the state-owned hotel before exploring the area. They initially planned to inquire about renting a house, but because they couldn't understand the local dialect, they soon returned.

On their way back, they passed by a street with steps, lined with vendors selling all sorts of goods: fresh mushrooms and rabbits from the mountains, vegetables grown by locals, and various seafood Jin Xiuzhu had never seen before.

Not only were the three children unable to move, but Jin Xiuzhu herself couldn't either. Her eyes curiously fixated on the seafood. She asked a few questions, but neither party could fully understand the other. After much back-and-forth, Jin Xiuzhu ended up buying a bag of shrimp.

The three children exclaimed excitedly, "This place is great! We can buy things here."

They couldn't do that elsewhere.

Fu Yanyan was somewhat surprised but quickly understood. The coastal region next door was the first to open up, and although it hadn't officially been implemented yet, the winds of change had already blown here.

Just like how Aunt Wang had told Jin Xiuzhu that there weren't many people managing the black market in the county anymore, and she managed to buy particularly good fabric that was homemade.

Jin Xiuzhu was unaware of her daughter's thoughts as she carried the bag of shrimp back to the guesthouse. She borrowed the kitchen and cleaned the shrimp before steaming them.

No seasoning was needed for the sea shrimp; only a few slices of ginger were added during steaming. After they were cooked, the family of four returned to their room to eat. The shrimp tasted fantastic, with tender meat and a faint sweetness.

All three children loved it.

After finishing, Liu Liu couldn't help raising her hand. "I want to eat this for lunch too."

Jin Xiuzhu wiped her mouth. "Wait until your father comes back and have him buy some."

Jiang Mingchuan returned before noon, followed by a young soldier who, upon seeing Jin Xiuzhu, greeted her in somewhat informal Mandarin, "Hello, Sister-in-law."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled in response.

Jiang Mingchuan explained, "This lad is local. I've asked him to help us find a house, and we'll try to get it sorted out this afternoon."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, eager to settle down as well, especially since the children needed to start school soon—He Yan, in particular, was now in his first year of high school.

That afternoon, the soldier named Wu Datou led Jiang Mingchuan and Jin Xiuzhu around to look at houses. The three children didn't come along; the younger two were asleep, while He Yan, awake, sat by the window reading.

Jin Xiuzhu informed He Yan that she and Jiang Mingchuan were leaving, then they set off together. They visited several places, all of which had beautiful surroundings of green mountains and clear waters. According to Wu Datou, just a short drive north from the city, one could see the sea. It was only a ten-minute bicycle ride away, quite close.

Wu Datou also mentioned that there was an abundance of fruit here. They had arrived too late for summer, when lychees were particularly cheap. Sometimes, you could even pick them right off the trees on the street.

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu's mood brightened. Lychees were a rare treat in the Great Jing Dynasty. Even with her former favor, she could only receive a few during the summer months, gifts specifically bestowed by Lord Marquis. No one else in the household except for the lady of the house and herself could enjoy them.

After arriving here, Jin Xiuzhu had eaten plenty of lychees, but they were still expensive, and she could only afford to buy them a couple of times during the summer.

Jin Xiuzhu tugged at Jiang Mingchuan's clothes and whispered, "This place is pretty good."

Jiang Mingchuan teased her, "That's not what you said last night."

She had called it a mosquito-infested hole, moving from one mountain village to another.

Jin Xiuzhu huffed and ignored him.

After viewing several houses, Jin Xiuzhu ultimately chose one across from the high school. This area was quiet, and the house wasn't too old. Wu Datou explained that this entire street used to belong to a landlord, and this particular house was once part of the landlord's main residence. Later, the landlord's descendants squandered their wealth on opium, and the property was divided and sold off piece by piece.

Jin Xiuzhu and Jiang Mingchuan inspected the house, and he thought it was great—a small cluster of three rooms reminiscent of a courtyard house in the capital, complete with a well in the center.

Jin Xiuzhu realized that this must have been a servant's quarters in the landlord's home, located in the front courtyard and paved with bluestone—not too shabby, likely reserved for higher-ranking servants like stewards.

She didn't mind, though, and after looking around, told Jiang Mingchuan that she wanted this one.

Wu Datou agreed, "Captain, look—the walls are freshly painted white, and the rooms are bright and airy. It feels comfortable. Especially being right across from the school, both the middle and primary schools are nearby. This place is really nice."

Jiang Mingchuan hummed in agreement.

Once they decided on the house, Jiang Mingchuan went with Wu Datou to the neighborhood office to rent it, while Jin Xiuzhu returned to the guesthouse to pack up their belongings. Hearing that they had found a house, He Yan stopped doing homework and helped Jin Xiuzhu pack.

It was around three in the afternoon when Jin Xiuzhu, accompanied by the three children, moved their things to the new place. Meanwhile, after securing the rental, Jiang Mingchuan came to find her, informed her, and left.

He needed to return to the barracks to fetch the bedding and other items sent ahead, or they'd have nowhere to sleep that night.

Knowing about Jiang Mingchuan's promotion, Jin Xiuzhu had already sent over extra bedding and clothing, anticipating a place to rest upon arrival.

In the afternoon, Jiang Mingchuan borrowed a tricycle from the canteen and made three trips to transport everything.

Exhausted and panting, Liu Liu noticed and couldn't bear to see her father like this. "Daddy, why don't you take a break?"

Jiang Mingchuan's heart softened at her words. "It's okay, Daddy isn't tired."

Liu Liu pouted. "You smell so bad, yet you say you're not tired."

Jiang Mingchuan raised his hand to sniff his arm, realizing that he did indeed stink, mainly due to the heat.

It was already past the beginning of autumn, yet it was hotter than the peak of summer back at the barracks.

Liu Liu was also hot, but her mother had said she was too young to help with the heavy lifting, so she wandered around the courtyard with a large palm-leaf fan. Eventually, she sat on the stone steps at the entrance, chin in hand, watching her father unload items from the tricycle and her older siblings carry them into the house. Across the street, the high school had just let out, and many students emerged with their backpacks, curiously turning to look at their family.

Vendors selling cotton candy and skewered snacks crowded the school gates, creating a lively atmosphere.

Liu Liu watched, her beautiful eyes curving in delight.

Fu Yanyan glanced back, noticing her sister's relaxed demeanor, and couldn't help but smile. As she passed by with a bag of shoes, she suggested, "Go get some pocket money from my backpack. Let's buy some cotton candy to eat."

Liu Liu's eyes widened in surprise. "Great!"

With that, she skipped into the house.

That evening, Jin Xiuzhu cooked three dishes on an old stove, and the whole family enjoyed a delicious meal.

After dinner, they went for a walk. The sky darkened late here, and they even strolled by the morning's seafood market, buying a bunch of grapes. They ate as they walked, and when they returned, it was still light outside, so they visited the high school across the street.

Jin Xiuzhu told He Yan, "Let's go to the school tomorrow and try to enroll you as soon as possible."

Eager to start classes, He Yan agreed.

Suddenly, Liu Liu pointed at the colorful clouds in the sky. "Sister, look! It's a fairy using a sewing machine."

The whole family looked up and saw the shape of an ancient woman using a sewing machine in the clouds. If Liu Liu hadn't mentioned it, they might not have seen it, but once she did, it seemed remarkably accurate.

Jin Xiuzhu and Jiang Mingchuan shared a knowing smile, amused by the child's imagination.

Then, Liu Liu added, "It looks a bit like Mommy."

Jin Xiuzhu was taken aback.

Jiang Mingchuan glanced between the sky and Jin Xiuzhu, chuckling. "It does resemble you a bit."

Jin Xiuzhu gazed at the clouds above, blinking her eyes and sighing. "Perhaps it really is me."

Only Liu Liu spoke without restraint, delighted. "Then Mommy is a fairy."

And to her sister, she declared proudly, "I'm a little fairy."

Fu Yanyan's sudden burst of inspiration was interrupted by these words, and she laughed indulgently. "Yes, you're a little fairy."