Chapter 41: Something’s Off

Chapter 41: Something's Off

"Xiao Jin, you're back so early? Have you eaten?" Li Yue asked, a bit surprised to see Lin Zhijin return.

Lin Zhijin took off her scarf and gloves, saying listlessly, "Don't ask. Have you eaten?"

Seeing she was in low spirits, Li Yue quickly followed her inside, closing the door behind them, then asked in a hushed tone, "What's going on? Did you two have a fight?"

Lin Zhijin let out a soft sigh and shook her head. "No, we agreed to watch a play together tonight, but he got called away on an emergency mission. Same as last time. I'm not blaming him—missions are important, I understand that. I just feel like maybe we're not meant to be."

Why else would emergencies always happen right when they had plans?

Li Yue sighed sympathetically and patted her arm, speaking gently. "Yang Su is a soldier. Following orders is his duty. This kind of emergency won't be the last time. Whether you want to keep seeing him—that's something you need to think about carefully."

Lin Zhijin looked down without speaking. She was just an ordinary person without such lofty ideals. Having been transported to this unfamiliar era with no one to rely on, she only wanted someone dependable—someone who could handle things, get work done, and be there for her.

Being with Yang Su meant they'd be apart a lot. Forget about helping with chores—she couldn't even find him when something came up, and she'd be constantly worried sick. She didn't want to live like that.

"Sister Yue, it's getting late. You should go back to sleep. Don't worry, I'm fine." Lin Zhijin forced a smile.

Since their feelings weren't too deep yet, she should end things cleanly. She'd tell him clearly the next time he came back.

The next morning on her way to work, Lin Zhijin bumped into Wang Xiaofen. Remembering what Wang Xiaoyao had asked her to do, she called out to her.

"Xiaofen, have you had breakfast?" Lin Zhijin got off her bicycle and walked alongside her, pushing it. "Any progress on the case? Did they catch the guy?"

"I was just about to come find you on my lunch break. They caught him—it was Guo San. He'd had his eye on me for a while, planning to ruin my reputation to force me to marry him and get my family's house. So he took advantage of the snow with no one outside and climbed over the wall into my house in the middle of the night." Wang Xiaofen's heart still pounded with fear at the memory.

Lin Zhijin gripped her hand tightly and comforted her, "Don't be afraid. It's all over now."

"Thanks to you and Haihua. Officer Li said if they'd arrived even a few minutes later, Guo San would've gotten away." Thinking of Guo San, Wang Xiaofen gritted her teeth and let out a cold snort. "Officer Li said Guo San will get a heavy sentence—at least twenty years in prison."

In troubled times, harsh laws are needed. The penal code back then was much harsher than in later years. During the crackdown period, rape carried the death penalty.

"People like that deserve to be thrown in jail." Lin Zhijin snorted, then shifted the topic. "Now that Guo San's been caught, are you moving back home or staying in the dorm?"

That incident had really scared Wang Xiaofen. She was too scared to live alone, so she planned to stay in the dormitory a while longer. If she found the right guy, she'd get married and move back then.

"The Women's Federation often holds social events, right? Can you give me a heads-up when the next one is?" Wang Xiaofen asked openly.

"Sure. Probably no more this year, but I'll call you for the first one next year." After a bit of small talk, Lin Zhijin turned the conversation to work. "How's the new job? Settling in okay?"

"It's tough, but I'm learning a lot. I'm grateful to the organization and the Women's Federation—I'll do my best." Wang Xiaofen was raring to go.

"I heard your family found you a better job?" Lin Zhijin asked further.

Wang Xiaofen was taken aback. Then she remembered Wang Xiaoyao worked at the Southern City Women's Federation and understood how Lin Zhijin knew.

"Wang Xiaoyao put you up to this, didn't she?" Wang Xiaofen hung her head and walked a few steps in silence before speaking. "She's young and doesn't know much. I saw it with my own eyes—that woman walked out on us because she couldn't handle being poor, ignoring my grandparents' and dad's desperate begging, and left without looking back. My dad worked himself to death trying to make money to win her back. My grandparents thought I'd have a better life with her, so they sent me to live with her. But she said she couldn't afford to keep me. From that day on, I told myself I didn't have a mother anymore. Now that I'm grown, she thinks getting me a job makes up for it? She just wants to make herself feel better. I won't give her that satisfaction."

She usually seemed mature and level-headed, but right now she showed a bit of youthful stubbornness.

"I can tell your grandparents were good to you." Lin Zhijin released her hand, reminded of her previous life.

She'd been furious at first when her dad remarried so soon after her mom left, even refusing to eat as a protest. But they didn't care at all.

After two days of going hungry, she learned her lesson. To survive, she was practical—she did what she had to and said what she had to. Even so, her stepmom was always making snide comments and wanted her to start working after middle school. But she didn't listen. She asked her dad for tuition and living expenses whenever she needed them, and did the same through college.

"I don't think you're wrong, but as a friend, I want to advise you—don't throw away your future just to prove a point. Nothing changes the fact that she's your birth mother. If your birth mother is offering something, you might as well take it." Lin Zhijin advised.

Wang Xiaofen pressed her lips together stubbornly, clearly not agreeing with Lin Zhijin.

They came to a fork in the road. Lin Zhijin turned and smiled. "Think it over. I'm heading to work."

With a wave, Lin Zhijin let it go. She'd said her piece—they weren't close enough for her to go deeper.

Just as she locked her bike and stood up, she saw Sister Wu waving at her from across the street.

"Xiao Lin, I heard you're dating someone?" Sister Wu asked in a hushed voice.

"No, who told you that?" Lin Zhijin was puzzled. Had someone seen her with Yang Su?

Sister Wu studied Lin Zhijin's face carefully and, satisfied she wasn't lying, said a bit huffily, "Well, Sister Wang said she saw you with a guy. Anyway—good that you're not. Xiao Lin, let me fix you up with someone."

Sister Wu worked at the street office and loved playing matchmaker. As the prettiest girl at the Southern City Street Office, Lin Zhijin had caught her eye for a while. She'd already introduced her to one guy, but Lin Zhijin hadn't been interested.

To be fair, it wasn't that Lin Zhijin was being too picky. The guy's credentials were genuinely good—an only son, both parents working, and he had a job himself. His mom had even said she'd retire early to watch the kids once they had children, so Lin Zhijin could just keep working. But the problem was his height—barely over 5'3", shorter than Lin Zhijin when they stood together.

"Sister Wu, I'm still young. No need to rush into marriage." Lin Zhijin said helplessly.

"You'll be eighteen after the New Year. That's not exactly young." Sister Wu pulled Lin Zhijin aside to a more private spot. "Don't worry, this time the guy I'm introducing you to is tall and handsome. You two standing together will look like a match made in heaven."

Having introduced someone to Lin Zhijin before, Sister Wu knew the girl cared more about appearances. Though in her opinion, family background and personal ability mattered more, there was no accounting for a young girl's taste.

It was also a stroke of luck—the guy had come to the street office on business, fallen for Lin Zhijin at first sight, and asked around about her. That's how he ended up at Sister Wu's door.

"Sister Wu, I..."

"This one is really good. His dad is deputy director of the Finance Bureau office, his mom is a teacher, and he works at the post office. He has an older sister who's already married into a well-off family—she won't be a problem and might even help you out. He has a younger brother still in school, but his parents make money, so you won't need to worry about him either. They own several houses—more than they know what to do with. And most importantly, you'll definitely like his looks." Sister Wu held Lin Zhijin's hand and went on and on about him.

The conditions did sound excellent. But with such good credentials, why would he be interested in someone who had been a concubine?

"Sister Wu..."

"Xiao Lin, would I ever steer you wrong? How about this—tomorrow at noon, at the noodle place up ahead? Their shredded pork noodles are delicious. He'll buy you a bowl." Sister Wu didn't give Lin Zhijin a chance to refuse. With that, she patted her hand and walked off.

"Hey, Sister Wu—" Lin Zhijin shut her mouth in exasperation.

Honestly, the conditions were good. But she wasn't interested. She'd actually prefer someone with no parents or whose parents weren't in the picture. She really didn't know how to deal with elders.

Back at the office, Chen Qiuqiu asked, sounding a bit gossipy, "So? When do we get the wedding candies?"

They shared an office, and with Chen Qiuqiu's wide connections and sharp observation, there was no keeping Lin Zhijin and Yang Su's relationship from her.

"What are you talking about?" Lin Zhijin shook her head.

"Regiment Commander Yang is a good man. If he's suitable, just make it official. If you think you're too young to get married right away, you could get engaged first. Otherwise people will keep trying to fix you up." Chen Qiuqiu knew Lin Zhijin didn't want to get married too early.

"Yang Su..." Lin Zhijin glanced at Su Jianhong's office door and let out a sigh. "He got called back to the unit for an emergency mission. Maybe we're just not meant to be. I'd rather find someone who's there for me—someone I can rely on."

Chen Qiuqiu was an old revolutionary and married with children herself, so she knew better than anyone how tough it was to be a soldier's wife. Thinking of Lin Zhijin's age and background, she sighed, sorry that things hadn't worked out between them.

Not long after work started, Li Bing came by in uniform about the Zhang Haixia case.

Li Fengnian had been caught, but Zhang Haixia decided to forgive him. He only spent three days in the police station before being released after a lecture and a warning.

"What? That woman with the broken hand and ribs chose to forgive him?" Wang Xiaoyao blurted out in shock.

No wonder Zhang Haixia hadn't come by—they'd thought she hadn't found Li Fengnian, but it turned out she'd decided to forgive him.

It is often said that those who are pitiful usually have something detestable about them. Zhang Haixia brought all her suffering on herself; it's just a shame her kids have to suffer along with her.

"Yes, they're husband and wife. If the wife doesn't press charges, it becomes a family matter." Li Bing shrugged. What he despised most was a man who beat women. His gaze shifted to Lin Zhijin. "I happened to be in the area on business, so I came by to let you know—save you the trip."

"Thank you, Officer Li. Otherwise, I was planning to go see her." Lin Zhijin pursed her lips.

She wasn't feeling great. She had already found a job for Zhang Haixia at a small tavern nearby as a helper. The owner had said she'd pay thirty thousand yuan a month plus two meals, enough to support herself and the two kids.

She had even planned it out: if Zhang Haixia worked hard, when the public-private partnership policy came in '55, she could put in a word at the street office and get her hired on full-time as a waitress. If there was a reliable candidate, the Women's Federation could help play matchmaker. But then...

Li Bing could see Lin Zhijin's frustration—that feeling of wanting someone to do better but being let down. He smiled slightly, trying to comfort her. "There are plenty of people like this. You'll get used to it after seeing enough of them. Officer Lin doesn't need to get angry on their behalf—it's not worth it."

She understood the logic, but as a woman herself—and a modern, educated new woman at that—she couldn't help but get angry every time she encountered a situation like Zhang Haixia's.

"It's just the two kids I feel sorry for." A dad who gambles and beats his wife, a mom who's weak and useless—the ones who suffer most are the kids.

Lin Zhijin avoided Li Bing's burning gaze. Why was he looking at her like that? And it was too piercing, like he could see right through her. She didn't like being looked at like that.

"You have a kind heart, Lin. I still have things to do at the station, so I'll head off now." Li Bing nodded and turned to leave.

As soon as he left, Wang Xiaoyao couldn't help but rant to Lin Zhijin about Zhang Haixia.

"Did she get kicked in the head by a donkey? That Li guy nearly beat her to death, and she still chooses to forgive him? Is she that desperate for a man? She could grab any random guy on the street and he'd be better than that Li!"

"Zhang Haixia is too weak-willed—she doesn't know how to fight back. Find some time to talk some sense into her. If we can help her, let's try." Chen Qiuqiu frowned.

But Lin Zhijin thought Zhang Haixia was a lost cause, because it wasn't just a weak personality—it might be a psychological problem. She remembered reading an interview about how "a slap followed by a candy" makes the victim develop attachment to the abuser, and they come to believe the abuser hits them out of love. To a normal person, that's a seriously messed-up way of thinking.

"We probably won't need to go find her. She'll be back asking for help before long, but... she'll probably choose to forgive him again." Lin Zhijin turned to Wang Xiaoyao. "Wasn't there also a domestic violence case with the resident at No. 53? What's the situation there?"

"They got divorced. When we went over yesterday, the woman's family had brought a ton of people. We didn't even need to get involved—her parents forced the guy to divorce her and took the dowry back." Hearing that, Wang Xiaoyao's frustration instantly vanished.

"The situations are different. That couple hadn't been married long and had no children." Chen Qiuqiu looked at Lin Zhijin. "Who introduced someone to you this morning? What's the man's situation?"

"Who else? Sister Wu." Lin Zhijin said helplessly.

"The one who introduced you to the 1.6-meter guy?" Wang Xiaoyao burst out laughing. "What was she thinking? Our Zhijin is so beautiful, and she introduces you to a short little dwarf? Tsk, a toad lusting after swan meat."

"Don't talk nonsense. That comrade's conditions were actually pretty good." Chen Qiuqiu shot Wang Xiaoyao a glance, then turned her gaze to Lin Zhijin, waiting for her answer to the previous question.

"She said this one is good-looking and tall. His father is deputy director of the Finance Bureau office, his mother is a teacher, he has an older sister who's already married and a younger brother still in school. On paper, the conditions are great—almost too good. I originally wanted to refuse, but Sister Wu talks so fast she didn't give me a chance. She set up a meal for tomorrow noon at the noodle shop nearby." Lin Zhijin shared everything she knew.

"Deputy director of the Finance Bureau office? Did Sister Wu say what his surname is?" A flicker of doubt passed through Chen Qiuqiu's eyes.

A family like that would typically choose a daughter-in-law from a matching background. Lin Zhijin was indeed beautiful and had a good job, but she had been married before. Even if she was still a virgin, such a family would still look down on her.

"She didn't say. I'll ask when I run into her." Sister Wu hadn't given her a chance to speak.

After work at noon, Lin Zhijin searched everywhere but couldn't find Sister Wu. It was strange—she usually ran into her all the time, but now that she wanted to see her, she was nowhere to be found.

"She probably went home for lunch. We'll go find her after work. Let's eat first." Wang Xiaoyao pulled Lin Zhijin toward the cafeteria.

"I ran into your sister on the way to work this morning. I mentioned the job to her, but it didn't seem to help." Lin Zhijin shook her head.

Wang Xiaoyao poked at her food with her chopsticks, looking displeased. "Why is she so stubborn? It's also my grandparents' fault. After my biological father died in an accident, they were worried my mother would take my eldest sister away, so they kept badmouthing my mother in front of her. Now my sister won't even acknowledge her own mother."

Lin Zhijin didn't respond. Not knowing the full picture, she wouldn't pass judgment.

But Wang Xiaoyao, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She slammed down her chopsticks with a crack. "What are they after? Dad's already gone, and they still teach my sister to hate my mother. She won't even accept the money and things I give her. Plainly put, they're selfish—worried no one will take care of them in old age, so they deliberately drive a wedge between my sister and my mother."

"Xiaofen told me that when your biological father passed away, your grandparents sent her to your mother's place, but your mother said she couldn't afford to raise her." Seeing Wang Xiaoyao get agitated and about to argue, Lin Zhijin waved her hand. "I don't know the details either—I heard it from Xiaofen. Why don't you go home and ask your mother? The knot must be untied by the one who tied it. If there's a misunderstanding, just talk it out."

If it really was a misunderstanding, then all the better. Wang Xiaofen would have her mother's support and many more relatives, giving her a foundation to rely on. If it wasn't a misunderstanding, then Wang Xiaoyao wouldn't keep running around trying to fix things.

After finishing their meal, just as they left the cafeteria, they ran into Sister Wu, who they hadn't been able to find earlier.

"Sister Wu." Lin Zhijin quickly called out to her and hurried after her. "Sister Wu, I still don't know the surname of the comrade you introduced to me?"

Sister Wu had come to the cafeteria early, gotten her food, and gone elsewhere to eat, specifically to avoid Lin Zhijin for fear she'd refuse. She hadn't expected to be caught anyway.

Hearing this, Sister Wu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't a refusal, she was fine.

"Didn't I mention it this morning? Oh, my memory. His surname is Zhu—Zhu Xiangwen. He's twenty-three this year. See, the ages match up well. Tomorrow at noon when you get off work, I'll come find you. I still have things to do over there, so I'm off now. Don't forget!" With that, Sister Wu hurried away.

"Twenty-three? Six years older than you. The age gap is manageable, but I saw how Sister Wu looked like she was afraid you'd refuse—doesn't that seem a bit off?" Wang Xiaoyao frowned.

"Let me first ask Sister Chen if she knows whether there's a deputy director surnamed Zhu in the Finance Bureau." Lin Zhijin wasn't worried. She wouldn't be forced into marriage if she didn't want it.

As it turned out, Chen Qiuqiu didn't know either. She asked around through other people—marriage was a major matter and needed thorough investigation.

After more than an hour, someone called Chen Qiuqiu. They had found out that there was indeed a Deputy Director Zhu in the Finance Bureau, and his basic situation matched what Sister Wu had said. He was also a pleasant person, and no major problems in the family had been reported. He was worth meeting—a viable marriage candidate.

Just a few minutes after hanging up, another call came in. It was another person Chen Qiuqiu had asked. His assessment of the Zhu family was also positive, but he had uncovered something else: Sister Wu was so enthusiastic because her son worked in the Finance Bureau, directly under Deputy Director Zhu.

"What do you think?" Chen Qiuqiu asked Lin Zhijin.

"I'll decide after the meal tomorrow." Lin Zhijin lowered her eyes. Whether it's a mule or a horse, bring it out for a walk and you'll see.

Author's note:

None