Chapter 22

Chapter 22

As the two were talking, Ji Yunting and He Qiuxia arrived. Meng Guangze and Wang Wanru followed behind them, with Meng Yunzhen and Meng Chongwen bringing up the rear, Meng Yunzhen with a small bundle in her hands.

He Qiuxia grabbed Ji Yunshu's hand the moment she entered, looked her up and down, then checked her complexion and breathed a sigh of relief: "You look well. Are you tired? Did you sleep well?"

Ji Yunshu blushed at the question and mumbled vaguely before changing the subject: "Mom, why did you all come?"

"Old Meng, Sister Wang, and your brother are headed back to Su City. They came to see you before they leave," He Qiuxia said, steering Ji Yunshu toward Wang Wanru.

Wang Wanru walked over, pulled a cloth bundle out of her pocket, and pressed it into Ji Yunshu's hands. Ji Yunshu opened it to find another wad of cash, along with a thick wad of food stamps and cloth coupons—worth at least a hundred yuan.

"Take it," Wang Wanru said, pressing Ji Yunshu's hand, her voice slightly hoarse. "Qiongzhou Island is so far away. Buy yourself some food on the train—don't be stingy. If you need anything once you're on the island, write me and I'll send it."

"Mom, you already gave me some last time..." Ji Yunshu tried to push it back.

Wang Wanru didn't let go, her eyes reddening: "Last time was last time, this time is this time. You're going so far away alone, and I won't be there with you. Whatever I can give you, I want to give you."

Ji Yunshu's nose stung with emotion. She tucked the money and coupons away and nodded.

Meng Guangze stood nearby, not saying much, but he looked at Ji Yunshu several times, his eyes full of reluctance to let her go. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but in the end only managed: "Once you're on the island, make a good life with Xiao Pei."

Ji Yunshu murmured in acknowledgment. "I know, Dad."

Meng Chongwen and Gan Tang also came up to say a few words to Ji Yunshu. Though she wasn't very familiar with her eldest brother and sister-in-law, they were kind and caring to her, so she quietly responded in turn.

Finally, Meng Yunzhen hugged Ji Yunshu and told her to write when she got to the island.

Meanwhile, Ji Yunting stood at the door, both hands in his pockets. He glanced at Pei Yufeng and walked over to him.

"Pei Yufeng." Ji Yunting rarely used Pei Yufeng's full name, so Pei Yufeng knew he had something to say. He turned to face him directly.

Ji Yunting was slightly shorter than him, but he was no less imposing. He looked Pei Yufeng in the eyes and said, word by word: "Xiaoshu was my sister before, and she'll be my sister after. Our whole family has raised her in the palms of our hands—never let her suffer a single wrong. If you dare treat her wrong—"

He paused, using a rare tone of warning as he pointed at Pei Yufeng's face: "You'll have me to answer to."

Pei Yufeng looked back at him without flinching or smiling. He gave a slight nod and said, softly but with great solemnity: "I won't."

Ji Yunting stared at him for two seconds, then gave him a light punch on the shoulder and said nothing more.

He Qiuxia stood nearby, watching the scene, and finally let her tears fall. She wiped her eyes, walked over, and took Ji Yunshu's hand, her voice catching: "The island is so far... three days and two nights on the train, and then a boat ride after that... You've never been in good health. What if you can't make the trip? Who's going to take care of you..."

Ji Yunshu squeezed He Qiuxia's hand in return, her heart aching and warm at the same time: "Mom, Brother Pei will take care of me. Don't worry."

Ji Haiguo stood behind He Qiuxia, not saying much, but his eyes were red too. He looked at Ji Yunshu, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and finally managed just one line: "Send a telegram once you get there."

Ji Yunshu nodded.

Wang Wanru came over again, holding Ji Yunshu's hand and refusing to let go, tears welling in her eyes but she held them back. Meng Guangze gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder and said quietly, "Come on, we'll miss the train if we wait any longer."

Only then did Wang Wanru release her hand, looking back every few steps as she followed Meng Guangze away. Meng Yunzhen walked behind her, waving at Ji Yunshu and mouthing "take care."

Ji Yunshu stood at the door, watching their figures until they disappeared from view, before finally turning around.

He Qiuxia was still in the courtyard, wiping her tears over and over. Ji Haiguo patted her back without a word, his hand never stopping. Ji Yunting leaned against the doorframe, head down, lost in thought.

Ji Yunshu looked at them and suddenly felt her heart swell, as if soaked in warm water, cozy and warm—a warm feeling spreading from her chest all the way to her eyes.

So many people loved her.

Her adoptive parents, her birth parents, her brother, her sister, and her grandmother and Pei Yufeng.

Ji Yunshu never doubted that she was worthy of love. She was meant to have this simple, happy life, so she absolutely would not let anything from her dream happen—not one thing!

Ji Yunshu sniffled and fought back her tears. She walked over, linked her arm through He Qiuxia's, and rested her head on her shoulder, just like when she was little.

"Mom, I'll write home often," Ji Yunshu said, deliberately wiping her tears on He Qiuxia's shoulder. "Don't cry. If you cry, I'll cry too."

He Qiuxia broke into a smile through her tears at her antics and patted the back of her hand: "Alright, I won't cry. You hold back your tears—I just changed into new clothes and you've soaked them. Pack your things well and don't leave anything behind."

Ji Yunshu nodded. "Got it, Mom."

After He Qiuxia and Ji Haiguo left too, they rested a while longer. Once it had cooled down outside, Pei Yufeng got ready to take Ji Yunshu shopping for new clothes.

Ji Yunshu changed into an outfit for going out—a white dress with a subtle floral print and a Peter Pan collar, also bought just a few days ago. She checked herself in the mirror, combed her hair again, and twisted it into double braids coiled on top of her head. Feeling that was too fussy, she undid it and re-did it as a simple braid. But then she thought a single side braid was too casual, and was about to undo it again when she paused, her hand pausing at the end of the braid, and simply asked Pei Yufeng directly: "Which do you think looks better—one braid on the side, or both sides?"

Pei Yufeng answered without any hesitation: "Both look good."

Ji Yunshu: "..."

Figures—men can never tell the difference with this stuff. Ji Yunshu admired herself in the mirror, holding her face in her hands, and decided that no matter how she styled her hair, it made her lips look rosy and her skin fair. She stopped fussing and cheerfully got up to head out with Pei Yufeng.

Along the way, they walked very slowly. Pei Yufeng stayed at Ji Yunshu's side, his eyes constantly on her from the corner of his vision, their arms brushing against each other. He seemed to want Ji Yunshu to lean half against him as they walked.

Actually, Ji Yunshu wasn't feeling that uncomfortable anymore—her sore legs had improved considerably—so she subtly shifted a little to the side.

Pei Yufeng noticed when she pulled her arm away. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, but he said nothing. When she put her arm back down, he gently leaned closer again, his arm pressing against hers, like a game of chase—unwilling to be apart even for a moment.

He was so close that Ji Yunshu could hear his heartbeat, so close that she began to suspect that if military regulations weren't so strict—soldiers and their family members not allowed to embrace in public—Pei Yufeng would probably have carried her in his arms again.

Ji Yunshu blushed just thinking about how she'd been carried downstairs by Pei Yufeng that morning and seen by her grandmother!

She did enjoy being waited on like this by Pei Yufeng, but only when no one else was around. She could boss him around and order him to do anything—and he had to do it—but she would also show him respect and save face for him in front of others, even though Pei Yufeng didn't seem to care about that.

The bus arrived, and there weren't many passengers. Pei Yufeng let Ji Yunshu board first, then followed behind her. There were plenty of empty seats, so Ji Yunshu took the window seat and Pei Yufeng sat beside her. The window was open, and a cool, pleasant breeze blew in. She reached up to brush her hair, and when her fingers touched her cheek, she noticed Pei Yufeng looking at her hand.

His gaze rested on her fingers for a couple of seconds, then moved to her face, before quickly turning away to look out the window. But his posture had straightened slightly, and the hand resting on his knee curled a little, as if holding something back.

Ji Yunshu lowered her hand and placed it on her knee. Her hand was very close to Pei Yufeng's—close enough to see the veins on the back of his hand. His fingers were long, with well-defined knuckles, and his nails were trimmed neatly—completely different from Ji Yunshu's, which had grown out. She stared at his hand for two seconds, felt her heartbeat quicken, and quickly looked away, turning her gaze to the street scene outside the window.

Ji Yunshu decided that as soon as she got back, she would trim her nails and dye them a fresh color with balsam flowers. If possible, she'd even like to bring a pot of balsam flowers to the island—though she wasn't sure if they'd survive. She definitely didn't want her nails to look bare!

The bus soon arrived at the department store. Pei Yufeng got off first and stood by the door waiting for Ji Yunshu. As she stepped onto the bus platform, he reached out and steadied her.

His hand gripped her forearm, then released it just as quickly, as if nothing had happened—but the spot left a small patch of lingering warmth. Ji Yunshu glanced down and saw the faint imprint of his fingers on her arm—a light touch, yet it set her thoughts adrift.

Pretending not to notice, Ji Yunshu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and walked ahead of Pei Yufeng by half a step, until he caught up and the two walked side by side into the department store.

The first floor of the department store sold daily necessities; the second floor had fabrics and ready-made clothing, with the ready-made clothing counter right next to the fabric counter.

Several sample dresses hung on the wall behind the ready-made clothing counter. Ji Yunshu's gaze swept from left to right and paused on a light blue floral long dress. The collar had a delicate ruffle, the waist was cinched slim, and the hem fell to mid-calf—hanging there like an unopened flower.

Pei Yufeng followed her gaze and said to the sales clerk, "Take that one down for her to try."

The clerk brought it down, and Ji Yunshu took it, holding it up against herself. The waist hit exactly at her slimmest point, and the delicate ruffle at the collar made her neck look slender and fair. She glanced at the mirror, then at Pei Yufeng.

Pei Yufeng stood behind her, looking at her through the mirror, and Ji Yunshu looked back at him through the same reflection. His expression was no longer the quiet, restrained gaze he usually wore—he unsparingly conveyed with his eyes just how stunning that dress would look on Ji Yunshu.

"Beautiful," Pei Yufeng said with certainty.

Ji Yunshu's cheeks flushed slightly as she took the dress into the fitting room to change. Once she came out, she stood before the mirror, turning left, then right. The dress hugged her perfectly, cinching just at the waist, the hem falling to her calves and swaying as she moved, like ripples spreading on water.

Pei Yufeng stood behind her, his gaze sliding from her shoulders to her waist, then from her waist to the hem of the skirt, without looking away for even a second. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he pressed his lips together again and again, as if holding something back.

Ji Yunshu caught his gaze in the mirror, her heart skipping a beat, but she lifted her chin and met his eyes head-on. "I think it looks good too. Let's buy it."

"We'll take this one," Pei Yufeng said. Then he pointed to a pink plaid maxi skirt and a gray pinafore dress nearby, telling Ji Yunshu to try them on too.

Ji Yunshu tried on six or seven dresses in total, working through every style in the ready-made section she didn't already own. In the end, she chose the three Pei Yufeng had picked out first and asked the salesclerk to wrap them up.

Pei Yufeng paid up without hesitation, using both money and cloth coupons, then dutifully carried Ji Yunshu's new dresses as he followed her to the fabric counter.

The fabric counter was on the left side of the second floor. Bolts of fabric lined the counter—cotton, dacron, corduroy—stacked together in a rainbow of colors. Ji Yunshu walked over and reached out to touch a bolt of light blue fabric. She ran her fingers over it a couple of times, liked the feel, flipped it over to check the price tag on the edge, then pulled her hand back.

Ordinary printed cotton priced at six mao a foot? Why didn't they just rob people! Ji Yunshu was clueless about most things, but she knew fabric prices like the back of her hand.

The priciest ordinary printed fabric topped out at four and a half mao a foot. Sure, this blue print was rare, but not that rare! Six mao could get you a foot of lower-grade rayon!

Rayon, though, Ji Yunshu did plan to buy. It was light, breathable, and hard to come by—probably impossible to find on the island. Only big department stores in a capital like this would stock such good stuff.

Ji Yunshu asked the salesclerk where the rayon was, then turned to look at the bolt of light purple floral rayon. She slowly dragged her fingers across the fabric, eyes fixed on the floral pattern, the corners of her mouth curving up just a little.

Then Ji Yunshu checked the price—seven mao a bolt, a fair deal. She was satisfied, but she still wanted to compare other options.

The fabric counter had far more varieties than the ready-made clothing section. There were nearly ten kinds of rayon alone, though a few didn't suit her skin tone. Beyond that, there were even more printed cottons. Ji Yunshu loved pure cotton pajamas and planned to buy a few bolts of very light-colored fabric to make into pajama sets and nightgowns.

Pei Yufeng stood behind her, taking in every move she made.

When she touched the light blue fabric, her pupils widened slightly, and her fingers froze for a beat before pulling back, as if she couldn't wrap her head around the price. When she touched the floral fabric, she first flipped it over to look at the label on the edge, didn't put it down right away, but flipped it back and traced her finger over the small flowers—that seemed to mean she liked it.

Pei Yufeng walked over, picked up the bolt of light purple floral fabric from the counter, and handed it to the salesclerk. "Cut a roll of this."

Ji Yunshu put down the fabric in her hands and turned to look at him. "I'm still looking. I haven't decided which one to buy yet. Don't act on your own like this—it'll make me unhappy."

Author's note:

Xiaoshu's high-maintenance side is starting to show.