Chapter 17: Quick Battle, Quick Decision, He Doesn’t Mind You Being Small, Strange…

**Chapter 17: Fast In, Fast Out. He’d Have to Be Crazy Not to Mind How Young You Are**

In her past life, Su Xiaoxiao often heard her mother go on about raising kids: "Keep a three-year-old in your grip and never let a five-year-old out of your sight."

With Su Tuantuan, a little scamp of three years old running off outside, how could she sit still? She wolfed down her porridge and hurried out the door.

Zhang Huaimin, seeing her like this, tried to reassure her: “It’s fine.”

“I’m worried he’ll wander off, curious about everything.”

Su Xiaoxiao made a silent vow to the original host that she would take good care of Tuan Tuan.

Earlier, while wiping Grandpa Su’s memorial portrait, Su Xiaoxiao had told him herself—Tuan Tuan would be her own son from now on.

After making this twice-made promise, she couldn’t bear to linger any longer. When she reached the porch, she heard laughter and looked eastward. A group of seven- or eight-year-olds were roughhousing, while Xiao Tuantuan watched from the side. Seeing that he hadn’t run off, Su Xiaoxiao didn’t approach but kept an eye on him from the doorstep.

Footsteps sounded behind her. Su Xiaoxiao started to ask, “Why did you come out?” But when she turned around, no one was there. Instead, an older and younger girl emerged from the alley next door. The older one, about thirteen or fourteen, jumped at the sight of Su Xiaoxiao.

Hearing the girl gasp, Su Xiaoxiao quickly said, “I’m new here.”

The two girls hesitated for a moment, as if making sure she was harmless before daring to approach. Under the light from inside the house, they got a clear look at her—fair-skinned, bright-eyed, with pearly teeth. She looked like someone who had always lived comfortably in the city. No one from the sun-baked seaside looked like that, and indeed, they’d never seen anyone like her before.

The older girl asked, “Are you Miss Xiaoxiao?”

Su Xiaoxiao was certain she hadn’t met them before and couldn’t help asking, “You know me?”

Zhang Huaimin came out from inside: “They asked me your name earlier—they said it’d be awkward not knowing how to greet you.” He glanced at the taller girl. “She’s also surnamed Zhang.”

The girl nodded. “My dad is in the same regiment as Uncle Huaimin. He’s the political commissar.”

Su Xiaoxiao offered, “Would you like to come in and play for a bit?”

Both girls shook their heads in unison, smiling nervously as if afraid she might misunderstand. “We’re heading over there,” they said, then walked hand in hand toward the east.

Su Xiaoxiao whispered, “What do they think we’ve got in our house?”

Zhang Huaimin replied, “They must’ve heard the talk. Around here, only half the military wives have jobs and are refined. The other half hang around doing nothing but gossiping under the trees to the east.”

Su Xiaoxiao asked curiously, “Is the colonel’s wife among them?”

Zhang Huaimin thought for a moment. “Yes, but she’s above gossip. There are a few others with odd tempers, though. It won’t affect you much. In a few days, you’ll start work, and on Sundays, you’ll rest at home—you won’t have time for their chinwags.”

Su Xiaoxiao recalled something from TV: “No officers’ wives network?”

“Whether I get shuffled or promoted depends on higher-ups,” Zhang Huaimin said. He doubted he’d rise further—his mentor who once sent him to military school had retired, his regimental commander had died saving others, and he wasn’t part of the new commander’s inner circle. Reassignment was likelier. “There may seem to be few people up top, but their ties run deep.”

Worried someone might overhear, Su Xiaoxiao whispered, “Did you light the stove?”

“Almost forgot!” Zhang Huaimin hurried back inside to light it.

Su Xiaoxiao looked east again. Tuan Tuan had moved to another spot to watch the kids play. She almost laughed—you rascal aren’t even knee-high to them; it’d be strange if they played with you.

Tuan Tuan took a few steps closer, but the older kids stepped back. After some words between them, Tuan Tuan stopped, hesitating. Then after a moment, he turned and ran back.

Su Xiaoxiao took a couple steps forward to meet him: “Done playing?”

The child reached up for a hug.

Su Xiaoxiao picked him up and asked on purpose, “Who made you angry?”

“The older kids think I’m too little,” Tuan Tuan said pitifully.

Su Xiaoxiao kissed his cheek. “Then we won’t play with them.”

“But I want to play with the big brothers and sisters!”

“Well, that’s a problem.” Su Xiaoxiao was curious. “I saw some kids your height nearby. Why don’t you play with them?”

“They don’t know any games!” Tuan Tuan shook his head in disgust. “Don’t want to play with them!”

Now he’s getting choosy? Su Xiaoxiao instantly stopped feeling sorry for him.

Tuan Tuan raised his little hand. “Mom, why aren’t I bigger yet?”

“Because you don’t eat your food right.”

“That’s not true!” Tuan Tuan couldn’t help raising his voice.

In the quiet of the night, everything around was still. Suddenly he spoke up, and Su Xiaoxiao jumped in surprise. “Keep it down—you’ll wake the neighbors.”

Tuan Tuan covered his mouth and begged, “Mom, can you tell the big brothers and sisters to play with me?”

Su Xiaoxiao countered, “What if I make you play with those kids instead?”

“No!”

“If you know it’s wrong, why ask me to boss them around?”

Tuan Tuan had no answer. He buried his face in her neck, chanting, “Mom, mom, mom—”

“What, are you praying now?”

The kid started giggling.

Su Xiaoxiao wondered what he found so funny but didn’t ask. “I know where there are kids to play with.”

“Where?”

“Kindergarten! Wanna go? If you do, I’ll send you there in a few days.”

“What about you, Mom?”

“Mom’s gotta work at the post office.” Su Xiaoxiao carried him inside. “Kindergarten’s full of kids.” At the kitchen door, she asked Zhang Huaimin whether kindergarten provided lunch.

Zhang Huaimin nodded. “Yes. Elementary school doesn’t, but you can use lunch tickets to eat at the canteen.”

“Do we need to give ration coupons for kindergarten?”

Zhang Huaimin said, “Yes, but not much. Kids don’t eat a lot. But tuition’s pricey.”

Su Xiaoxiao looked at Tuan Tuan. “You wanna go to kindergarten or tag along with me to work?”

Tuan Tuan loved playing with others, but he had never been away from his mother even for a day. He thought hard for a minute, then leaned into her, nuzzling his face against hers.

Su Xiaoxiao got it. Then she asked Zhang Huaimin, “Is the post office far away?”

“Nah, not far.”

Originally, there was only one post office on the island, located in the middle—about ten miles from here. In recent years, with more military families arriving, frequent letters and money transfers back home became a hassle. So the military set up another post office about a kilometer northwest of here, next to the local administrative office.

This new post office had only one professional postal worker—a former soldier. The rest were military wives, none with more than a junior high school education—girls who hadn’t gotten into vocational school and couldn’t afford high school.

Illiterate fishermen needing to send mail off the island would ask these women to write addresses for them, but 30% of the time there were typos or misspelled characters, causing the letters to be returned. When the fishermen wasted stamps and missed important deadlines, they reported it to their superiors. That’s why when Zhang Huaimin’s political commissar mentioned that Su Xiaoxiao had worked at the capital’s post office after graduation, higher-ups immediately agreed to assign her a job.

Su Xiaoxiao: “When do I start work?”

Zhang Huaimin calculated: “November 18th.”

“That’s still a week away!”

“I submitted your paperwork. It’ll take three days for it to go through—headquarters forwards it to the post office, and they need to set up your workspace.” He looked at her curiously. “You sure you don’t want to rest a few more days at home?”

Su Xiaoxiao: “Everyone else is at school or work. This place feels deserted. Should I just sit around staring at Tuan Tuan all day?”

Zhang Huaimin put the kettle on the stove. “Tuan Tuan, your mom’s sick of you.”

“I like Mommy!” Tuan Tuan blurted out.

Zhang Huaimin was speechless for a moment, then glared at his son—like he’s the only one who can talk!

Unfazed, Tuan Tuan squirmed to get down.

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t want to carry the little chubster either and put him on the ground.

As soon as his feet hit the floor, Tuan Tuan ran outside.

Su Xiaoxiao automatically went after him. The boy was already rummaging around the yard.

“What are you looking for?” she asked.

“Where’s the chamber pot?” Tuan Tuan wondered aloud.

Zhang Huaimin handed her a flashlight. “It’s in the outhouse by the vegetable patch. For emergencies only. Use the public restroom normally.”

She led Tuan Tuan over. Inside was an old stool. Suddenly, she realized—the shed was actually a makeshift bathroom.

Made sense. No bathhouses on the island. Bathing indoors all year would make the place unbearably damp, especially with the humidity already so high.

Back outside, she got him to wash his face and brush his teeth.

The east side buzzed with activity, and Tuan Tuan kept peeking over.

Seeing this, Su Xiaoxiao crouched down. “Tuan Tuan, they’re not avoiding you because you’re little.”

“But the big brother said I’m small!”

“They don’t know you yet. They’re scared you might be a biter. Once they see how awesome you are, they’ll play with you.”

Tuan Tuan frowned. “Can’t I just tell them I’m good?”

“Mom could say her cooking’s great tonight, but only you and Dad know the truth,” Su Xiaoxiao said gently.

He thought it over, gave in grudgingly, and hugged her neck. “Mommy, how many days is ‘a few’?”

“How about tomorrow morning? I’ll take you out and introduce you around.”

Tuan Tuan nodded eagerly. “Time to wash up, okay?”

Tuan Tuan patted his face: "I washed up before dinner."

"You got all dirty again running around outside." Su Xiaoxiao pulled him toward the kitchen without another word.

The kitchen stove was roaring, and in just this short time, the water in the kettle had already warmed. Zhang Huaimin scooped out a ladleful, poured a third into a tin mug, and added the rest to the basin. Su Xiaoxiao took Tuan Tuan outside the main room first to brush his teeth, then washed his face.

Su Xiaoxiao wanted to give Tuan Tuan a bath but worried that the evening chill might make him catch a cold. Once the water was hot, she wiped him down several times with a warm towel instead. After changing him into clean clothes, she washed his feet and left him in Zhang Huaimin’s care.

Carrying cold water and the kettle from the kitchen, she caught the kid bending over to sniff his toes. Su Xiaoxiao frowned: "Does it stink?"

"Smells good!" Tuan Tuan put his foot down and immediately reached for his mother.

Zhang Huaimin stopped him: "Mommy’s going to take a bath. Wanna go upstairs and sleep?"

"I’m not sleepy."

"But Daddy’s sleepy."

"Then Daddy can go sleep."

Zhang Huaimin sputtered, "Daddy wants you to stay with him."

"I want to wait for Mommy!"

Zhang Huaimin thought for a moment and put on a pitiful voice: "Does Tuan Tuan not love Daddy anymore?"

Tuan Tuan scrunched his brows—why would Dad say that? Oh, he understood. Because Tuan Tuan wanted to stay with Mommy, not Daddy. But there was only one Tuan Tuan.

His eyes sparkled: "Does Daddy not like Mommy?"

Zhang Huaimin had no comeback.

Who does this kid get it from? Though he wasn’t exactly quiet, he certainly wasn’t this talkative either. From what he knew, Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t much of a talker either.

"Where’d you learn to talk like that?"

Tuan Tuan didn’t understand what he meant—did I say something wrong?

Zhang Huaimin simply picked up his son: "We can wait for Mommy upstairs too."

Upstairs, Zhang Huaimin pointed to two adjacent bedrooms and asked Tuan Tuan which side he wanted to sleep on.

Of course, Tuan Tuan answered wherever Mommy slept, he would sleep there too.

Both bedrooms had beds, and Zhang Huaimin really wanted his son to sleep alone.

This wasn’t like the Su family home in the capital. There, if they slept separately, Tuan Tuan would have to sleep in the opposite wing, separated by a small courtyard—Zhang Huaimin wouldn’t even know if he sneaked out in the middle of the night. Here, he could hear Tuan Tuan turning over in bed from the next room.

Zhang Huaimin pointed to the larger bed: "You can sleep however you want here."

Tuan Tuan squirmed to get down.

Zhang Huaimin set him on the floor, and the kid stormed downstairs in a huff.

The three-year-old’s legs were barely taller than the stairs, so Zhang Huaimin panicked and rushed after him, apologizing.

Tuan Tuan refused to forgive him, pouting and glaring.

Zhang Huaimin sighed, carried his son to the master bedroom, set him by the bed, and started fixing the bed.

The four-foot-wide bed was quite cramped with two quilts, so Zhang Huaimin had to pull the bed out a bit to make it look wider before tucking Tuan Tuan under the covers.

Winters down south were damp and chilly, and the bedding felt cold and humid. Tuan Tuan, wearing long johns, shivered as he crawled in and frantically reached for his dad.

Zhang was puzzled: "What's wrong?"

"It's so cold!"

It suddenly hit Zhang how icy it could be—he remembered his first night here years ago when even after an hour, the bedding still hadn’t warmed up.

The house was fully furnished, except there was no hot-water bottle.

"It'll warm up when Mom gets here."

When Su Xiaoxiao finished her bath and came upstairs, she lifted the quilt and sat down, immediately noticing something odd: "Is this thing damp?"

Zhang handed Tuan Tuan to her. "We brought it from home. You aired it out before we left. You two sleep first."

After showering downstairs, he saw the stove was still going strong—he had to boil water before banking the stove. With nothing else to do, he washed the clothes and shoes for the whole family.

Upstairs, Su found it odd hearing him scrub clothes and shoes. In TV shows and from the older generation in her past life, men back then were known to be real chauvinists.

Her own grandfather had disliked household chores. Her maternal grandfather never washed clothes or swept the floor, only enjoying cooking.

Even in the original host’s memories, Zhang Huaimin had never done housework during his visits home.

Who whipped him into shape?

Su Xiaoxiao’s heart skipped a beat—was there another woman here? Otherwise, why would he have pushed for her to come live on base?

Unable to figure it out, she decided to find a chance to ask him directly.

Zhang didn’t keep her waiting long.

About ten minutes later, Su heard footsteps downstairs. Turning to the window, she saw Zhang closing the fence gate. Soon after, the main door shut, followed by the sound of him coming upstairs. He hesitated outside the door—Su glanced out and saw him bringing up the chamber pot from the small room.

Zhang entered, closing the door and the window.

When he got into bed and saw Tuan Tuan staring up at him with big, bright eyes, Zhang tapped his forehead: "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Su: "This bed’s freezing. Is this what you meant by 'winters aren’t cold here'?"

"That’s the South for you."

Su suddenly recalled how folks up north in her past life would visit the south for the New Year—even with the heat cranked up, they still needed electric blankets in bed. "Is the family quarters close to the medical office?"

Zhang connected the dots: "Looking for a hot-water bottle? It’s a bit of a walk. I’ll go with you tomorrow."

Su: "No duty today?"

"I’ll be back early. Still have two days off." Zhang lay down and took Tuan Tuan into his arms.

Tuan Tuan squirmed away from his dad at first, but Dad was a furnace. After a brief struggle, the boy realized this and obediently settled into his embrace.

Su felt a little embarrassed, but then she remembered they’d done far more intimate things. So she lifted her own quilt, moved closer to Zhang, and plopped her ice-cube feet on his legs.

Zhang shuddered: "Jesus, your feet—" Catching himself, he swallowed the words and instead asked, "How are they so cold?"

"I don’t know. Back in the capital, if the quilts were sunned, they'd warm up quickly within minutes in bed for the next three days."

Zhang Huaimin said, "The north is definitely dry. I've heard from comrades that army wives raised up north had trouble adjusting when they first came here."

"You mean the places with kang beds in winter?"

Zhang Huaimin mhmmed and asked, "Should I turn off the light?"

Tuan Tuan stopped him.

Zhang Huaimin had never begged anyone in his life, but at this moment, he wanted to plead with his son. "Time for bed."

Tuan Tuan squirmed around, groping for his mom.

Fortunately, the quilt Zhang Huaimin had was one his mother prepared—plenty big for both of them. Seeing how clingy his son was, Zhang Huaimin pushed Su Xiaoxiao's quilt to the corner. "Let’s sleep together tonight."

Hit the hay early, up with the sun.

The next day, Su Xiaoxiao woke before the military reveille even sounded.

Noticing his son still sound asleep, Zhang Huaimin moved him to the innermost side of the bed and pulled Su Xiaoxiao into his arms.

Su Xiaoxiao was stunned.

Zhang Huaimin whispered, "Make it quick!"

"No!"

Zhang Huaimin pulled her up, bundled her up in last night’s spare quilt, and carried her to the next room.

...

When they returned, it was already morning.

Luckily, Tuan Tuan was still asleep.

Su Xiaoxiao gave Zhang Huaimin a light punch to the chest, then started getting dressed.

Knowing he’d pushed his luck, Zhang Huaimin knew better than to smirk. He took the chamber pot downstairs to dilute it before dumping it.

He never got why people did this before. But after passing through the residential area often enough, he'd seen more than one military wife doing the same. During home visits, he'd even seen his mother do it. Though he didn’t fully understand, he copied them anyway.

After rinsing out the chamber pot and putting it back in the small room, Zhang Huaimin washed up, then fed the stove to heat water.

Then he went upstairs to let Su Xiaoxiao come down.

Before she finished washing, Tuan Tuan woke up. Zhang Huaimin dressed the child and carried him downstairs. "Tuan Tuan, no more walking the stairs alone."

"Why?" Tuan Tuan rubbed his eyes.

"The stairs are slippery. You could take a bad fall and never find us again."

Unwilling to be separated from his mother, Tuan Tuan immediately nodded obediently.

Once his son was settled, Zhang Huaimin grabbed the ration coupons he'd exchanged with comrades before coming home and took Su Xiaoxiao to the Nonstaple Food Factory.

Curious, Su Xiaoxiao asked, "Why go to the Nonstaple Food Factory?"

"It's pretty much a grocery mart. Used to be a food processing plant, now sells ready-to-eat meals and baked goods too." Spotting some kids roughhousing and barreling past, Zhang Huaimin pulled her aside. "Heads up."

Never having been to a southern village before, Su Xiaoxiao felt like she’d wandered into a vintage Jiangnan watertown postcard when she saw fishermen wearing tops with diagonal buttons and homespun straight-cut pants.

Northerners don’t dress this way, and in many northern regions, both men and women often wear a headscarf.

The farming tools they carry are different too. In the north, people use heavy iron shovels and hoes, while southern tools are more refined. Even the vegetable baskets they carry are smaller than those in the north.

Su Xiaoxiao thought to herself, *If only I had a camera.*

Zhang Huaimin noticed her looking around like a wide-eyed country girl in the city: “What are you staring at?”

Su Xiaoxiao pointed at a young woman in blue floral cloth not far away: “Doesn’t she look like one of those Jiangnan women from old films, rowing a black-canopied boat?”

Zhang Huaimin was speechless but amused: “First of all, this *is* Jiangnan. Secondly, she *is* a Jiangnan woman. And lastly, her family owns a small boat.”

“What a coincidence!”

“Even the poorest island fishermen own a little sampan. Boats here are as common as hoes up north.”

“Wouldn’t fishing nets make more sense?”

“…All I’m saying is, if you keep gawking, you’ll miss the freshest seafood.”

She shrugged: “Going in the afternoon still beats what we used to buy early in the morning back home.”

Zhang Huaimin had no comeback. Suddenly realizing his arm ached, he put his son down.

It wasn’t just Su Xiaoxiao who noticed the differences between north and south—Tuan Tuan also realized this place was worlds apart from the capital. Last night, in the dark, he hadn’t been afraid. But now, in broad daylight, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and a language he couldn’t understand, the kid got nervous, just like he’d been half a month ago.

Su Xiaoxiao felt Tuan Tuan tighten his grip on her hand. Looking down, she saw him clinging to her leg for dear life, so she bent down and picked him up: “Getting cold feet now? Last night you were eager to go play with others.”

Tuan Tuan grinned bashfully and buried his face in his mother’s shoulder.

The Nonstaple Food Factory (a food processing plant) was close to the residential area. Before Su Xiaoxiao got tired from carrying him, they reached its entrance.

The tall blue-brick walls looked like pre-revolution factory buildings, with two gates where it seemed the wall between two workshops had been torn down. It was nothing like the markets in the capital. Su Xiaoxiao had to admit Zhang Huaimin was right—this place really had once been a nonstaple food processing plant.

At the entrance, two lanky teens came their way carrying a half-filled sack. Beside them, another boy held fish and a bag of blue crabs, while a younger boy carried a few sections of lotus root. Su Xiaoxiao instinctively stepped aside to let the four pass.

The group stopped in front of her. The two carrying the sack turned toward her, and the one with big eyes smiled: “You’re Auntie Su, right? Regimental Commander Zhang’s wife?”

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at Zhang Huaimin—*you told him about me?*

Zhang Huaimin chuckled and explained: “Probably heard it around.”

The teen nodded: “Heard a few days ago that you went to pick up Auntie Su—” He noticed the child in Su Xiaoxiao’s arms peeking out and asked with a smile, “Kid, what’s your name?”

Tuan Tuan instinctively looked at his mother.

Su Xiaoxiao smiled and said, “Say, ‘I’m Tuan Tuan—Su Tuan Tuan.’”

The boy holding the lotus root suddenly looked up: “He has his mom’s surname?” Without waiting for an answer, he blurted, “Can kids take their mom’s surname? Brother, is that allowed?”

The older teen hesitated, thinking of the term *a man who marries into his wife’s family*. But Zhang Huaimin didn’t seem like one, and he hadn’t heard any gossip about it. Still unsure, he said, “I guess so?”

Zhang Huaimin nodded: “Yes. As long as the family agrees.”

The younger boy immediately asked, “Can I do that too?” Not waiting for an answer, he declared, “Of course I can! Brother, I’m telling Ma—I’m taking her name!” With that, he ran off.

Zhang Huaimin panicked: "No, he—"

One of the older boys interrupted: "Don't mind him. He used to want to change his name too. Changes his mind every day. Auntie Su, Uncle Zhang, go do your shopping. We should head home to cook." He gave Tuan Tuan's cheek a playful poke. "Su Tuantuan, see you another day."

Tuan Tuan turned to his mother to complain: "Mom, that brother said I'm too little."

Su Xiaoxiao instinctively asked: "The one who just left?"

"No! That one!" Tuan Tuan pointed at the seven or eight-year-old who'd already run off.

Zhang Huaimin inquired: "San Wa? If you can't fight or run, no wonder he thinks you're too little."

San Wa? Does that mean there's an Er Wa too? But those three older boys looked about the same age. Su Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered what Zhang Huaimin mentioned yesterday: "Are they Commander Zhong’s kids? And two of them are adopted?"