Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Ji Yunshu's face was buried against his chest, her earlobes burning like red-hot iron. The bold words she had spoken moments ago now made her feel incredibly embarrassed.

A nurse passed by in the corridor pushing a cart, the wheels rumbling, metal trays clattering with medicine bottles and gauze, the noise growing louder as it approached.

Ji Yunshu heard it and quickly turned aside, pulling her face away from Pei Yufeng's chest, stepping back a few paces to clear the corridor.

The nurse wheeled the cart past them. Ji Yunshu caught a glimpse of the nurse's white uniform hem drifting by, followed by a faint, teasing chuckle. The nurse had clearly seen them and understood the situation—the soft laugh carried a hint of good-natured amusement, but she said nothing, simply quickening her pace as the cart rumbled off into the distance.

Ji Yunshu's earlobes grew even hotter.

The two of them stood facing each other for a while, neither speaking. A window at the end of the corridor was open, and the breeze drifted in, carrying that warm, stuffy quality peculiar to summer evenings.

"Let's go." Ji Yunshu tugged at Pei Yufeng's sleeve. "Back to pack up."

Pei Yufeng looked at her reddened earlobes, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, but he didn't call her out on it. He followed her out of the hospital.

When they got home, Grandmother had already packed most of what they needed to bring. Fabric, dresses, medicine, towels, soap—all neatly arranged in two large canvas bags. Grandmother had also tucked in a few packets of homemade dried vegetables and a jar of chili-garlic sauce, wrapped in layer after layer of oil paper and stuffed at the bottom of the bag.

"If the food on the island doesn't agree with you, just boil some noodles in plain water—the dried vegetables can be cooked right in," Grandmother said. "I heard from Feng that the porridge and soup over there are all quite bland. This chili-garlic sauce has real flavor—it goes well with anything."

"Thank you, Grandmother. Everything you make is delicious—I'm sure I'll finish it all in no time." Ji Yunshu said sweetly.

Grandmother, thinking this was Ji Yunshu's first time traveling far from home, wanted to pack every possible useful item. Seeing that Grandmother had filled two large bags and still wasn't done, Pei Yufeng was at his wit's end and quickly ruled out anything that could be bought on the island.

Ji Yunshu crouched beside Grandmother, helping her stuff things in, placing the necessary documents and papers into Pei Yufeng's bag. She kept her head down as she worked, afraid that if she looked up, the tears would fall.

Early the next morning, He Qiuxia, Ji Haiguo, and Ji Yunting arrived. The moment He Qiuxia entered, she grabbed Ji Yunshu's hands and looked her over from head to toe several times, as if trying to etch her daughter's image into her eyes.

"Be careful on the road." He Qiuxia's voice was already hoarse. "Send a telegram when you arrive, and write letters often. If you need anything, tell your mother—I'll mail it to you."

Ji Yunshu nodded. "Mom, don't cry."

He Qiuxia said she wouldn't cry, but the tears fell anyway. They streamed down like beads from a broken string; she wiped them with the back of her hand, but more came, impossible to stop. Ji Haiguo stood behind her, an arm around her shoulder, handing her a handkerchief. He Qiuxia covered her face, overcome with grief.

Grandmother came over and patted He Qiuxia's hand. "Xiao He, this old woman hasn't even cried—what are you crying for? You should be happy that Xiaoshu is going to the island. She's someone who knows how to make a life for herself. With her and Feng together, things are bound to turn out well..."

He Qiuxia kept wiping her tears. "I know, but I still can't bear it. She's never been this far from me before..."

"Xiao He, Xiaoshu is old enough now—it's time for her to live her own independent life. Don't worry, once Xiaoshu has children, you'll have plenty to keep you busy!"

He Qiuxia broke into a smile through her tears at Grandmother's words. Yes—Xiaoshu and Pei Yufeng's feelings for each other were so strong, once she had a child, she would go straight to the island to take care of the little one!

"Once you're on the island, take good care of yourself." Grandmother turned to Ji Yunshu. "When Yufeng has leave, come back and visit your grandmother."

Ji Yunshu nodded vigorously.

Ji Yunting stepped forward then, patting Pei Yufeng on the shoulder. "I'm entrusting my sister to you."

Pei Yufeng nodded, clenching his fist and tapping it against his chest, signaling that he understood.

After that, Pei Yufeng hoisted the two canvas bags and waited by the door. Ji Yunshu walked to the doorway and looked back. He Qiuxia was still wiping tears in the courtyard, Ji Haiguo standing beside her, waving at Ji Yunshu.

Ji Yunshu waved back, turned around, and followed Pei Yufeng out through the gate.

The train ride took two days and two nights. Ji Yunshu leaned by the window watching the fields and mountains pass by, but grew bored after a day and simply rested her head on Pei Yufeng's shoulder to doze. Pei Yufeng let her lean on him, sitting ramrod straight, one hand loosely resting at her waist to keep her from sliding off.

The train aisle was narrow with people constantly passing through. Pei Yufeng had bought sleeper tickets. Ji Yunshu felt that lying in bed all the time made her back ache, so she sat on his lower bunk leaning against him, chatting with him off and on. Sometimes she'd drift off mid-conversation, sleep and wake, wake and sleep—and every time she opened her eyes, Pei Yufeng was right there, his posture barely changed.

They arrived in Yuecheng on the morning of the third day. From the Yuecheng dock, the boat to Qiongzhou Island would take another four hours.

Standing at the edge of the dock looking at the ship, Ji Yunshu felt a knot of apprehension in her stomach. It was the first time she'd seen such a large vessel—it could carry many people, and the comrades and vehicles traveling back and forth all relied on this ship. It sat in the harbor, gently bobbing with the waves. The sea breeze carried a salty, briny smell that clung to her face, sticky and unfamiliar—completely different from the wind up north.

"Let's go." Pei Yufeng picked up the bags and led Ji Yunshu aboard.

Ji Yunshu was full of curiosity the whole way, following him onto the ship and finding a good spot to sit.

Ten minutes after the boat set off, Ji Yunshu regretted everything.

No wonder everyone said Qiongzhou Island was tough—just the boat ride alone was already torture in her book.

The wind at sea was several times stronger than at the harbor. The boat cut through the waves, lurching up and down like sitting on a swing that wouldn't stop moving. Ji Yunshu sat in her cabin seat, both hands gripping the armrests tightly, but her body still rose and fell with the swells, unable to stay still in her chair. She hadn't eaten much breakfast, but her stomach was churning violently, her head spinning so badly she felt like throwing up.

Pei Yufeng sat beside her and noticed her complexion change. He reached over and took her wrist.

"Seasick?" Pei Yufeng quickly pulled seasickness medicine from the outer pocket of his bag. "Here, take some medicine."

Ji Yunshu nodded but couldn't speak—her throat felt blocked, nothing going up or down, and she couldn't manage to swallow the medicine.

Wasn't it said that bigger ships were steadier? Why was this one still so rough!

The seasoned comrades who traveled this route regularly were still joking around, saying the weather was good today and the boat was fairly stable, no storms to delay their departure—but Ji Yunshu wanted to scream: Is this really stable?!

The boat she'd rowed in Beihai Park was steadier than this!

Ji Yunshu weakly took a sip of water, forcing down the discomfort in her throat and choking down the seasickness pills.

Pei Yufeng wrapped one arm around her from behind, pulling her toward him. Ji Yunshu leaned into his chest. His shoulders were broad, blocking her from the cabin window, shielding her from the rocking and the wind.

"Lean on me and close your eyes." Pei Yufeng's voice sounded by her ear, lower than usual, carrying a reassuring steadiness. "Three and a half more hours. Get some sleep."

Ji Yunshu closed her eyes, but the boat was rocking too violently—she couldn't sleep at all. The contents of her stomach rose and fell, fell and rose, tormenting her endlessly. She was completely slumped against Pei Yufeng, her hands hanging limply on her knees.

Pei Yufeng lifted one of her hands and gently pressed the Neiguan and Hegu acupoints. These two points could relieve seasickness and nausea. His pressure was just right—after about ten minutes, Ji Yunshu felt her symptoms ease somewhat.

But a moment later, the boat hit a big wave, and Ji Yunshu nearly bounced out of her seat. The nausea hit her again.

Pei Yufeng held her with one arm while pulling a clean handkerchief from his pocket with the other, placing it at her mouth. The handkerchief was clean, with brown paper underneath, and the boat also had special buckets on hand as backup.

"Let it out if you need to," he said.

Ji Yunshu shook her head, forcing the nausea down. But it surged back up not long after, and this time she couldn't hold it. She jerked upright and dry-heaved into the handkerchief a few times—her stomach was empty, nothing came up, but she felt weak and drained.

Pei Yufeng's arm tightened, pulling her back against him. He folded the handkerchief, wrapped it in the clean brown paper, and replaced it with a fresh one at her side. His other hand came up to rest on Ji Yunshu's forehead, the warmth of his palm seeping through her skin.

"How much longer?" Ji Yunshu asked hoarsely.

"About an hour and a bit more," Pei Yufeng said.

Ji Yunshu could finally see a glimmer of hope. She closed her eyes and stopped asking.

For the remaining hour or so, Ji Yunshu spent it half-asleep, half-awake leaning against Pei Yufeng. Every time the boat rocked, she'd jolt awake, dry-heave a few times, unable to bring anything up, her stomach twisting with pain. Pei Yufeng held the same position throughout, his arm around her, changing handkerchiefs four or five times, giving her sips of water, applying peppermint oil to her temples, and continuing to massage her pressure points.

By the time the boat finally docked, it was already afternoon and the sun was high.

Ji Yunshu was half-carried, half-supported off the boat by Pei Yufeng. The moment her feet touched solid ground, she felt like she'd come back to life. The wind at the harbor was gentler than out at sea, cool against her face. Her stomach was still churning, but the misery had eased.

"The garrison is still another three hours by car." Pei Yufeng stood beside her, looking at her pale face, his brow furrowing slightly. "Let's leave tomorrow. We'll stay at the harbor guesthouse tonight."

Ji Yunshu started to say she didn't need help, that she could keep going, but after two steps, her legs started giving out. Ji Yunshu wasn't the type to tough it out, so she decided right then that she'd just rest up at the port guesthouse for the night.

"Let's go, the guesthouse isn't far." Pei Yufeng grabbed both canvas bags and freed up a hand to steady her.

Ji Yunshu leaned half her weight on Pei Yufeng, and after about ten minutes, they reached a two-story building. Pei Yufeng checked them in at the front desk, then carried the bags up to a room on the second floor.

The room was small—a bed, a table, a thermos—but spotless. Pei Yufeng set the bags down, helped Ji Yunshu lie down on the bed, then went downstairs to fetch hot water. He poured a basin of hot water and used it to wash her face. When the warm towel hit her face, Ji Yunshu let out a long breath, and the churning in her stomach finally settled. She leaned back against the headboard, and her stomach growled—soft, but loud enough in the quiet room.

Pei Yufeng heard it and set the towel down. "Hungry? Let me go check what the cafeteria's got."

Ji Yunshu nodded.

Pei Yufeng went downstairs and returned about twenty minutes later with three aluminum containers. One had sweet potato porridge, golden yellow, the rice boiled until it bloomed. One was Baoluo noodles—clear broth, topped with scallions and crushed peanuts. The last was rice porridge mixed with something dark and saucy, smelling of the sea.

"Food here in Qiongzhou is different from the capital." Pei Yufeng opened the containers to show Ji Yunshu. "Wasn't sure what you'd like, so I grabbed a couple of things. This is sweet potato porridge—cooked really soft, good for settling your stomach. This is the local Baoluo noodles from Qiongzhou Island, fairly light. And this one's rice porridge with crab paste—the locals love it. I wasn't sure if your stomach could handle seafood right now, but there isn't much sauce in it, just for flavor."

Ji Yunshu was starving, so she didn't hesitate—she grabbed her spoon and dug in. She tried the sweet potato porridge first—lightly sweet, the rice and sweet potato blending together, sliding warm into her stomach. Then she tried the Baoluo noodles—smooth, with a broth that was savory but not greasy. Last was the crab paste porridge. The first bite was strange—the seafood taste almost too strong—but the more she chewed, the more flavorful it got.

"So good." She looked up at Pei Yufeng, eyes lighting up. "Everything's delicious."

Pei Yufeng sat beside her. "Take your time. Don't eat too much for now—just settle your stomach. We'll have another meal tonight. Your body is still recovering; eating too much at once will only upset your stomach."

Ji Yunshu nodded. She ate most of a bowl of porridge and a few bites of noodles, her stomach warming up and her energy returning.

She put down her spoon, and Pei Yufeng went back to massaging her pressure points. Feeling bored, Ji Yunshu leaned back and asked, "What good stuff does your military cafeteria have?"

Pei Yufeng thought for a moment, like he was really trying to remember. "I'm not picky—I just eat whatever they serve. One thing I remember is sugar-fried coconut strips. There are lots of coconuts locally, so the cafeteria makes them often. You'd probably like the cassava sweet soup here—it's refreshing, cools you off, and tastes great."

"There are tons of ducks on the island. There's this ginger-and-scallion braised duck that's really good. Near the military farm there are some minority villages—they make five-colored rice, dyeing the grains with different leaves and steaming them. There's also bamboo tube rice—they stuff rice and meat into bamboo tubes and roast them. When you crack them open, the bamboo smell hits you—really unique."

Ji Yunshu listened, wishing she could run out right now and try everything. She loved food. Back in the compound, He Qiuxia always said she was picky—put a dish in front of her and she could tell if it was undersalted or overcooked. She'd thought life on the island would be rough, but hearing Pei Yufeng talk about it, it actually sounded like something to look forward to.

"How much do you make a month? I need meat every day—you've gotta make that happen." Ji Yunshu said, totally confident.

Pei Yufeng: "With a deputy regiment salary plus island allowance, at least a hundred and twenty-seven yuan a month."

Ji Yunshu did the math. Ji Haiguo's salary was only around two or three hundred yuan, but he was a senior commander, way higher in rank than Pei Yufeng. For Pei Yufeng to be making this much at his age—she'd clearly come out ahead!

"What else?" Ji Yunshu asked. "What about grain and cloth coupons?"

Pei Yufeng: "Coconuts and seafood don't need coupons. Sweet potatoes, bananas, and pineapples from the military farm are free. In summer they hand out herbal tea, mung beans, Huoxiang Zhengqi water, and other stuff for the heat. Officers on the frontline coastal defense get extra mosquito nets, thin blankets, and herbal meds for rheumatism. There's also a military hospital—seeing a doctor is basically free."

"What about grain coupons?"

"Officers get 80% fine grain, thirty-six jin a month. Cloth coupons are twenty-four chi a year, with separate amounts for family and kids. Oil, meat, sugar, and soap coupons are double what regular civilians get. Officers at regiment level and up get one duck a month. Family members might have to wait for beef sometimes, but you can always grab meals from the cafeteria."

The more Ji Yunshu heard, the more her eyes lit up. She'd thought island hardship meant having nothing, but she hadn't expected Pei Yufeng's benefits to be this good. No wonder Pei Yufeng was so generous—last time she'd worried about using too many cloth coupons for fabric, but it turned out she had nothing to worry about! There wasn't much to spend money on out here anyway. Food came from the military farm, she could make her own clothes, and anything she needed that wasn't on the island could be ordered from Yue City and shipped over easily.

"That's great." Ji Yunshu felt like a lot of Qiongzhou Island's food suited her taste. The military region was on the coast, and family members could catch their own seafood or trade with locals. Thinking about it, life here was actually pretty comfortable.

Pei Yufeng looked at her sparkling eyes, and his smile widened a little. "Do you want to work outside, or stay at home?"

Ji Yunshu thought it over. She'd never really considered working before. Back home, He Qiuxia had prepared everything for her—she hadn't even needed to wash a single dish. But now things were different. She was a married woman now; she couldn't just idle around all day.

"I want to see what's available around the compound first," she said. "A school, a clinic, or even doing some handicrafts—I'll decide once I'm familiar with the area."

Pei Yufeng nodded. "No rush. When you're ready to work, I'll take you to register for placement. You're highly educated, so the assigned job should be relatively easy."

From outside the window came the sound of the waves—much gentler than on the boat, coming in waves like a lullaby. Ji Yunshu's drowsiness crept up on her, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier. She lay down, curled deeper under the blanket, and turned over to face Pei Yufeng.

"Brother Pei." Her voice was already drowsy and slurred.

"Hmm?"

"Tomorrow, when we get to the compound, take me around for a walk."

"Alright. I'll introduce you to my comrades' wives."

"Are they easy to get along with? I still don't know what our home is like." Ji Yunshu yawned.

Pei Yufeng loved this kind of unconscious closeness and dependence from Ji Yunshu. Her words pleased him greatly. "If you don't get along with them, then they don't have to be your friends. Our home has a great location—from the rooftop you can see the sea, and the bay across from us."

"I want to go shell collecting~"

"Alright, I'll go with you. Outside the family compound there's a stretch of beach, and many family members take their children there for walks." Pei Yufeng used to envy such happy family lives, but now he had a little family of his own—he no longer needed to envy anyone.

"I want to eat stir-fried coconut strips, and duck, and I want to keep a little cat."

"I'll buy you all of it."

Ji Yunshu hummed in response, closed her eyes, and fell asleep quickly. Her breathing became even and shallow, her eyelashes casting a small shadow on her cheeks. Her hand slipped out from under the blanket and rested on the pillow, fingertips slightly curled, like a cat napping in the sun.

Pei Yufeng sat by the bed and watched her for a while. The room's lamp was dim and yellow, casting light on her face and gilding her eyelashes with a golden edge. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair that had fallen across her cheek behind her ear.

Ji Yunshu had mostly recovered now, and her cheeks were still rosy as she slept. Pei Yufeng leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Ji Yunshu slept deeply—didn't even dream.

When she woke, it was already bright morning. Sunlight leaked through the gap in the curtains, casting a golden band of light across the bedsheet. She turned over and found Pei Yufeng already up, sitting in the chair by the window, reading a newspaper carefully to catch up on the latest news.

"Awake?" He set down the paper upon hearing her stir and walked over. "Still feeling unwell?"

Ji Yunshu sat up and stretched her neck. Her stomach was empty, but the churning sensation from yesterday was gone. She shook her head. "Much better."

"Get cleaned up—we need to get ready to go." Pei Yufeng handed her coat over. "The Political Commissar sent someone to pick us up."

Ji Yunshu was slightly surprised. "To pick us up?"

"Yes. I called the Political Commissar last night to ask for leave, saying we'd return a day late. When he heard you'd arrived on the island, he specifically arranged for someone to come get us." Pei Yufeng explained.

"Then let's hurry—we don't want to keep him waiting." Ji Yunshu still wanted to make a good impression on Pei Yufeng's superiors and comrades.

"No rush. Breakfast first." Pei Yufeng opened the aluminum container, revealing the congee and buns he'd kept warm inside.

Ji Yunshu was hungry too. She washed up quickly and finished her breakfast completely.

The two of them got ready and walked out. A military jeep was parked at the guesthouse entrance, its body covered in a thin layer of dust, with mud splattered on the tires. A young soldier in uniform stood beside the vehicle. When he spotted Pei Yufeng, he hurried over, snapped to attention, and saluted.

"Brother Pei!" The young man in his early twenties was tanned almost as dark as charcoal, but his eyes were bright, and when he smiled, he flashed a row of white teeth.

Pei Yufeng gave a slight nod. "Appreciate the trouble, Xiao Wang."

"No trouble at all!" Xiao Wang chuckled, then his gaze moved past Pei Yufeng and landed on Ji Yunshu. His mouth fell open—and stayed open.

Ji Yunshu had just washed her face, and a few droplets of water still clung to the stray hairs at her temples. She wore a simple plain cotton dress, the collar slightly open revealing a hint of collarbone, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, exposing a stretch of fair arm.

Xiao Wang felt his vocabulary suddenly fail him. He'd taken literacy classes in the army and could use words like "beautiful," "graceful," and "dignified" when writing his thought reports, but at this moment all those words had fled his mind, leaving only one raw thought echoing over and over—damn, Brother Pei had married a fairy!

Ji Yunshu knew she was very beautiful, but this young soldier's reaction was a bit much!

Xiao Wang's mouth was still hanging open, his eyes wide as saucers. It took him several seconds to snap out of it before he stammered, "S-Sis, hi!"

He turned to look at Pei Yufeng and lowered his voice, "Brother Pei, you're something else—she's this gorgeous! When the Political Commissar and the Commander got your telegram, they were shocked, saying how you'd kept to yourself all these years and suddenly you're getting married. They thought you were so fed up with Fang Xue pestering you that you just found someone to settle down with. Who knew you'd found your childhood sweetheart!"

Pei Yufeng placed the bag into the trunk, his face expressionless, but Ji Yunshu noticed the tips of his ears had turned slightly red.

Xiao Wang kept going, "The Political Commissar said, once you're out at sea, you fight like you've got a death wish. Before, you had no one at home to worry about you, and they were all concerned. Now it's great—you finally have a family. The Political Commissar was overjoyed, and so was the Commander. Your marriage application got approved faster than anything—they stamped it the very same day."

"Did Pei Yufeng really fight without caring about his life before?" Ji Yunshu frowned at Xiao Wang's words, her expression turning serious as she looked at Pei Yufeng.

Author's note:

Thanks for reading! The last chapter got locked for a whole day, which was a total nightmare. Tomorrow's update is at 11 PM, and the day after will be back to noon. From then on, I'll post 6,000 words every day at noon. Thanks in advance for your support!