Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Pei Yufeng's brow furrowed slightly. He had, of course, detected that lukewarm, sizing-you-up tone in Bai Qiumei's voice—that polite, loaded kind of courtesy was more uncomfortable than an outright cold shoulder.

But his expression didn't change. He shifted half a step to stand in front of Ji Yunshu, his tone polite but distant: "Political Commissar Fang, Aunt Bai, we'll head to the cafeteria for dinner now. We just arrived on the island and haven't had time to settle in yet. We'll come by for a proper visit another day."

Political Commissar Fang didn't seem too concerned—he was probably still stewing over his spat with Bai Qiumei. He nodded. "Go ahead. Report for duty tomorrow—don't be late." He paused, then added with a hint of elder concern, "Your wife's had a long trip too. Let her rest well."

Pei Yufeng grunted in acknowledgment, then turned slightly to let Ji Yunshu go first. Ji Yunshu thanked Political Commissar Fang, said "Goodbye, Aunt Bai" toward Bai Qiumei, and without lingering, walked toward the cafeteria entrance.

Once they were a good ways off and through the cafeteria doors, Ji Yunshu leaned in close to Pei Yufeng's ear and whispered, so no one else could hear: "Political Commissar Fang's wife doesn't seem to like me."

Pei Yufeng didn't slow his pace. "That's on her."

He truly didn't care what Bai Qiumei thought. If she didn't like Ji Yunshu, so be it—back in the family compound in the capital, plenty of people hadn't liked Ji Yunshu either, and she'd still lived just as boldly and brightly as ever. Other people's opinions never got to her.

"Exactly. I don't care if she likes me or not, as long as she doesn't say it to my face, we're good." Ji Yunshu had never been bothered by such things. She didn't need everyone to sing her praises to survive—as long as no one made things difficult for her, she could get along with just about anyone.

The two entered the cafeteria. There were fewer people than at lunch, but the line at the window was still just as long. Two windows were closed, and one had been converted into a fruit counter. The longest line stretched from one window all the way to the door, snaking along like a long, winding dragon.

Ji Yunshu stood on her tiptoes to check the blackboard above the window, where the evening's dishes and prices were chalked on it. There were fewer options than at lunch, with more seaweed and shrimp dishes. "Braised beef" was listed at the top, written bigger than the other dishes, with an exclamation point next to it. And it was priced a lot higher than everything else.

"Beef's hard to come by around here." Pei Yufeng followed her gaze and leaned down to explain, his voice low in her ear. "The island doesn't raise cattle—everything gets shipped in from the mainland. Every time they make braised beef, folks line up early. Show up late, and it's gone." His voice cut through the cafeteria noise, low and deep, with a hint of helpless amusement.

Without a second thought, Ji Yunshu shoved Pei Yufeng to the back of the line. "Then you hurry up and get in line—if you score some, that's a win! And I'll grab the pan-fried mixed fish—they should have that, right? I'll go check out that fruit counter over there."

Ji Yunshu walked to the fruit counter, where the line was way shorter—only three or four people. There were a few baskets of fruit out: pineapple chunks soaking in salt water, golden yellow, each with a bamboo skewer stuck through it; papaya strips tossed with plum powder, the orange-red flesh dusted with fine red powder; and a small fruit she'd never seen before—shaped like a tiny mango, greenish-yellow, only about thumb-sized, with a cardboard sign next to it that read "Rose Myrtle" in crooked handwriting.

Ji Yunshu asked about it, and the woman behind the counter, who was a local, told her that rose myrtle was a wild fruit that grew on the hillsides—a local specialty. It was sweet and sour, and everybody on the island loved it. Ji Yunshu thought that sounded interesting, so she bought some and also grabbed two sticks of pineapple.

When Ji Yunshu came back with the fruit, Pei Yufeng was still in line. The line had moved up quite a bit since he'd gotten in it, but there were still a dozen or so folks ahead of him. Two young officers nearby recognized him and came over to talk. He nodded and gave short answers, but his gaze kept drifting over to where Ji Yunshu was sitting.

Ji Yunshu found the same spot she'd sat at during lunch and settled down, placing the fruit on the table. She didn't touch the food—just rested her chin on her hand, elbow on the table, watching Pei Yufeng's back as he waited in line.

Pei Yufeng stood tall and straight, and he was tall—nobody in line seemed to be taller than him. As the line slowly moved up, she watched, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth without her even realizing it.

After about ten minutes, Pei Yufeng came back carrying two lunchboxes.

"Last batch of braised beef—scored it." Pei Yufeng handed Ji Yunshu the aluminum box with the beef, which also had the pan-fried fish she'd wanted.

The braised beef was sliced thin and laid out neat, each piece about the same size and thickness. The sauce-colored slices gleamed with an oily sheen under the light, topped with chopped green onions and minced garlic. You could clearly see the marbling in the meat.

Ji Yunshu picked up a slice. The braising liquid was rich—salty with a hint of sweet, and a faint kick of heat underneath. Layers of spice unfolded as she chewed, fragrant and chewy.

"Delicious—you have some too." Ji Yunshu picked up a few slices and put them in Pei Yufeng's bowl. He tried to refuse, saying "You eat them," but she insisted, "I can't finish all of this by myself," and only then did he accept.

In Pei Yufeng's bowl was a dish Ji Yunshu hadn't seen before—some kind of vegetable stir-fried with tofu. It looked extremely spicy, bright red, with chili sauce clinging to both the tofu and the vegetable stems. Curious, she picked up a bite to taste. It was crunchy, and when she bit down, it felt like something was popping in her mouth—a very unique texture, but delicious.

Ji Yunshu covered her mouth and chewed, chewing a dozen times before finally swallowing. "What is this?!"

"This is firecracker seaweed—a type of sea vegetable. It has a very distinctive texture." Pei Yufeng quite liked chewy dishes like this. "Can you handle it?"

"Not really." Ji Yunshu shook her head immediately and waved her hand. "But it tastes fine."

Pei Yufeng let out a low chuckle and bent down to peel shrimp for her. The other dish he'd gotten was boiled prawns—each one as big as Ji Yunshu's palm, already deveined and split down the back.

Pei Yufeng picked up a piece of shrimp meat with his chopsticks and placed it in Ji Yunshu's bowl. "Try this."

Ji Yunshu had been shocked the moment she saw the shrimp—she never imagined shrimp on Qiongzhou Island could grow this big! She quickly picked it up and took a bite. The meat was firm and fresh. "Delicious, but a bit too plain."

Pei Yufeng peeled another one for her. "Grandma's chili sauce will come in handy."

Ji Yunshu's eyes lit up at the thought. Fresh, juicy shrimp dipped in chili sauce... just imagining it made her mouth water!

"Then you'll make it for me at home." Ji Yunshu ate all the shrimp Pei Yufeng had peeled for her, then moved the pan-fried fish into his bowl. "Help me eat this."

"Okay." Pei Yufeng agreed.

As they ate, Pei Yufeng suddenly remembered something, and his tone turned serious: "Tomorrow you'll come with me to register. For military dependents, we need to establish your household registration. The sooner that's done, the sooner we can sort out your grain and oil rations and get your dependent allowance. That money is yours—save it, spend it on whatever you want. When we get home tonight, I'll give you my bank passbook and all the household money and ration tickets. Buy whatever you need."

Hearing this, Ji Yunshu blinked mischievously. "Brother Pei, are you putting me in charge of the family fortune?"

"Turning over my salary is only right." Pei Yufeng looked at her with complete seriousness. "You are my one and only revolutionary partner in this life."

"Alright, alright, I get it." Ji Yunshu felt her face grow warm under his gaze. Brother Pei didn't say much, but every word he did say was startling.

Still, suddenly being in charge of the household finances was very satisfying.

After a moment, Pei Yufeng hesitated, as if the words were hard to say. "I just remembered—Political Commissar Fang's wife is the director of the family members' committee in the compound."

Ji Yunshu had heard Pei Yufeng mention the family members' committee before. Military dependents were generally expected to participate in their organized activities. She froze. "So if I ever need anything, do I have to go through her?"

Pei Yufeng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Ji Yunshu let out an "Ah" of reluctance. "What if she makes things difficult for me?"

Pei Yufeng frowned, his tone calm but carrying an unshakable certainty: "If she dares to make things difficult for you, don't hold back. Give it right back to her. If anything happens, I'll handle it."

Hearing this, most of Ji Yunshu's unease melted away. She curved her lips into a smile and continued eating the shrimp meat Pei Yufeng had peeled. "Good. I definitely won't let myself get the short end of the stick."

Pei Yufeng set down his chopsticks. "I was originally planning to take you to Political Commissar Fang's house tonight to pay a visit—after all, we'll need to coordinate with the family members' committee for various things, so it would be good to meet Comrade Bai Qiumei. But given her attitude, we're not going tonight."

He didn't want Ji Yunshu to face Bai Qiumei's lukewarm, appraising gaze a second time in one day. She'd just arrived at the compound today, spent hours in a car, moved luggage, and learned the lay of the land—she was already exhausted. He didn't want her to have to deal with that uncomfortable, polite hostility after such a long day.

Ji Yunshu nodded in agreement.

"Once Commander Lu's wife has some free time, I'll have her take you around," Pei Yufeng said. "Bai Qiumei might not give me face, but she has to give face to Commander Lu's wife."

Ji Yunshu's eyes brightened. "Auntie Wang? She's really nice—she even gave me mung bean soup at lunch today."

Pei Yufeng hummed in acknowledgment. "She has more standing in the compound than Bai Qiumei. Auntie Wang is warm-hearted—she came to the island when Commander Lu was still a regiment commander. There isn't a single family member in the compound who doesn't know her. She knows everyone, and her word carries weight. She just doesn't like managing things, so she let Bai Qiumei take over the committee. If she's the one showing you around, Bai Qiumei shouldn't give you any trouble."

Ji Yunshu thought for a moment, then set down her chopsticks. "Then let's go visit Commander Lu's family tonight. They lent us a bicycle and gave me mung bean soup at noon—we should go thank them anyway. I brought some souvenirs from the capital—I'll pick one out to bring as a proper housewarming gift."

Pei Yufeng glanced at her and nodded. "Alright."

After they finished eating, dusk had fallen. The streetlights came on, casting a dim yellow glow along the sandy road from the cafeteria to the family quarters.

Along the way, Pei Yufeng told Ji Yunshu more about Commander Lu's family.

Commander Lu and Wang Yulan had no children. During the early days of the War of Resistance, when Lu was still a company commander fighting on the front lines, Wang Yulan was in the rear, pregnant and still carrying a gun to protect the local civilians. But misfortune never came alone—the betrayal by the Nationalist forces forced Wang Yulan, heavy with child, to lead the civilians on a retreat. In the end, the civilians were saved, but she lost her child and could never conceive again.

What Wang Yulan hated most in this life were the capitalist lackeys who occupied the island of Taiwan. Later, when Regiment Commander Lu followed the main force to liberate Qiongzhou Island, Wang Yulan came to settle here with him, always hoping that Taiwan would be liberated soon as well.

Ji Yunshu listened, her eyes welling with tears. "So Commander Lu's family has no other children?"

"Commander Lu has a younger brother, and his nephew is also in the navy—stationed in the East China Sea fleet. He visits occasionally." Pei Yufeng said. Beyond that, he didn't know much more.

Ji Yunshu finally breathed a sigh of relief. She thought to herself—since Auntie Wang had been kind to her, she would do her best to help her, keep her company, and make her days ahead livelier and warmer.

Back at the family compound, Pei Yufeng said, "Let me take you around the compound first so you can get your bearings."

Pei Yufeng's reasoning was practical—although they had walked a few routes today, they were all set routes: from home to the mess hall and from home to the supply store. Ji Yunshu would be living in the compound from now on, and she needed to know where the public facilities for family quarters were and how to get back home via different routes.

The two walked slowly along the sloping path of the family quarters. The family quarters looked completely different at night than during the day. By day, the quarters were busy and noisy—with people carrying buckets, with children chasing each other, with family members squatting by doorsteps picking vegetables. At night, the quarters were quiet and relaxed, with lights on in every home, the sound of woks sizzling, and parents urging kids to do their homework...

The night sea breeze was much cooler than during the day, pleasant against the skin, carrying the night's unique dampness and the scent of coconut trees. Ji Yunshu walked beside Pei Yufeng, took a deep breath, and felt a faint floral scent in the air—from some courtyard garden, no doubt. It was truly lovely.

Just inside the main gate, they turned left and came upon a row of bulletin boards. Ji Yunshu stopped to look. Several notices written on red paper were posted there, the most eye-catching one reading "Call for Submissions for National Day Cultural Performance," with the registration deadline and the contact person's name listed below. Next to it was another notice reading "Registration Notice for Cadre Family Members' Tug-of-War Competition," put out by the Family Members Committee.

There was also a notice about this month's movie schedule and the film being shown, *Sea Eagle*. Ji Yunshu hadn't seen that film, so she made a mental note of the time. "I want to see this one."

"Alright," Pei Yufeng said. He remembered he had two spare military folding stools in his office—he could bring them home so Ji Yunshu could save seats.

"There are quite a lot of National Day activities." Ji Yunshu leaned in and read every single notice.

Pei Yufeng stood behind her without speaking, quietly waiting for her to finish. As she read the bulletin board, she stood on her tiptoes, neck stretched, chin lifted slightly. The moonlight fell on her profile, outlining her features in a clear, soft glow. Watching her read the notices with such focus, he remembered how she used to stand on her tiptoes just like this in front of the compound bulletin board when she was a kid, reading the Spring Festival activity schedule.

Even back then, he thought she was adorable—like a little white radish. Now that she was all grown up, he still found her adorable.

When Ji Yunshu finished reading, the two continued on. Further in, there was a small exercise yard. The yard was small, with packed dirt and white lines marking a running track that was already a bit worn. In the middle stood a simple basketball hoop with a slightly crooked rim. A few kids were still running around on it, their laughter carrying into the night. Along the edge of the yard was a row of concrete steps, where two elderly women sat chatting and fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans.

A few steps up, on the right, was a row of water spigots connected to a reservoir, where several family members were lining up with buckets. Next to it was a small storage shed with the door half open, neatly stacked with split firewood and dried coconut shells. Further along was a one-story building with a sign by the door that read "Public Bathhouse," with dim yellow light and the faint sound of water coming from inside.

"These are the public facilities of the family quarters," Pei Yufeng pointed out. "This is where you get water. The firewood is saved for when typhoons hit. The bathhouse has separate men's and women's sides, and hot water is limited—you have to go during the set hours."

Ji Yunshu nodded, filing all these locations away in her memory. The water spot was only a seven- or eight-minute walk from the main gate—not far at all.

From the water spot, a small path wound around to the back of their house, about a ten-minute walk. The two walked the path once, looping from the back to the front, and ended up at their own courtyard gate.

"Further up is Commander Lu's house," Pei Yufeng said, pointing up the slope. "Remember the way?"

"Of course! My memory isn't that bad!" Ji Yunshu went back inside and pulled out the red commemorative stamp set she'd brought from the capital—a set of ten, exquisitely designed, featuring the capital's ten major buildings, intended as a gift for Commander Lu and Aunt Wang.

When she came back out, she walked ahead of Pei Yufeng with a defiant air, as if she were leading him to Commander Lu's house.

Ji Yunshu's memory was indeed excellent. The two walked a few more minutes uphill and soon arrived at Commander Lu's doorstep.

The courtyard gate was closed, the lights were on inside, and the sound of a radio drifted out—the evening news, the announcer's voice crisp and proper. Pei Yufeng knocked on the door, and Wang Yulan's voice came from inside: "Coming, coming—"

The door opened. Wang Yulan wore a loose floral blouse, her hair casually pinned back. Seeing them, her eyes crinkled into slits, and her grin stretched from ear to ear: "Xiao Pei! Xiao Ji! Come in, come in! You've come at just the right time—I just steamed a batch of *yiba* cakes, and they're still warm!"

Ji Yunshu followed Pei Yufeng inside. Looking at Wang Yulan, a surge of affection and respect welled up inside her, and she quickly called out, "Hello, Aunt Wang."

"Everything's good, everything's good—Comrade Xiao Ji is doing well too." Aunt Wang beamed as she pulled out chairs for Ji Yunshu and Pei Yufeng.

In the main room, Commander Lu was sitting by the radio with a cup of tea in his hand. Seeing them enter, he set down the cup and gave a slight chin lift. "You're here? Sit."

Ji Yunshu didn't sit down immediately. She took out the stamp set from her pocket and offered it with both hands: "Uncle Lu, Aunt Wang, thank you so much for the bicycle this afternoon, and Aunt Wang's mung bean soup—we really troubled you. This is a small token from the capital—a set of commemorative stamps of the capital's ten major buildings, just issued this year. It's nothing valuable, just something novel. Please keep it and take a look."

Wang Yulan took it and flipped through it, her eyes lighting up: "Oh, this is beautiful! Old man, look—these stamps are so finely printed. Tiananmen, the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of History... Oh, these are all places I've never been. Old Lu, when will you take me to the capital?"

"I'll definitely go once I retire!" Commander Lu leaned in for a look too. He put on his reading glasses, took the stamps from Wang Yulan's hand, examined them carefully under the light, nodded, and a rare smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "This is a fine thing. Comrade Xiao Ji, you're very considerate."

After that, Commander Lu carefully placed the stamps back in their cellophane sleeve and handed them to Wang Yulan. "Put them away."

Wang Yulan took the stamps but didn't rush to put them away. She held them up and admired them for a good while before reluctantly placing them in the drawer of the chest of drawers, even laying a sheet of newspaper underneath. Closing the drawer, she turned around and, without a word, took Ji Yunshu's hand and led her toward the dining table. Her hand was soft and warm, with a thin layer of calluses on her palm—worn from years of housework.

"Come, come, try my freshly made *yiba* cakes. They won't be as chewy once they cool. Xiao Pei, you come eat too—don't just stand there like you're at attention." Wang Yulan beckoned him.

Ji Yunshu remembered what Wang Yulan had just said: "Aunt Wang, when we get the chance, Brother Pei and I will take you around the capital. We're both from there, we know it well. We'll take you to eat the best capital pastries, and hotpot too!"

"That would be wonderful. Old Lu, look at her." Wang Yulan found Ji Yunshu more and more endearing, and urged them both to try her new creation.

On the bamboo-woven plate on the table sat several palm-sized greenish dumplings, resting on banana leaves, smooth and glossy, their steam already dissipated. Wang Yulan picked one up with chopsticks and placed it on the small plate in front of Ji Yunshu: "This is a local specialty—made with glutinous rice, stuffed with shredded coconut and crushed peanuts. Try it and see if you like it."

Ji Yunshu took a bite. The outer skin was soft, chewy, and springy, with a light, sweet plant aroma. The filling of shredded coconut and crushed peanuts was toasted to a fragrant crispness, sweet without being cloying, growing more flavorful with each chew.

"Delicious!" Ji Yunshu's eyes lit up. She finished the remaining half of the *yiba* cake in two or three bites, her cheeks puffed out, chewing for a good while before swallowing. Then she looked up and said sincerely, "Aunt Wang, your skill is amazing. This skin is so soft and chewy—I've never had anything this good even in the capital!"

Wang Yulan beamed with delight at the praise and gave her another one: "If you like it, eat more. This island may not have much else, but there's no shortage of coconuts. Whenever you crave it, just tell Auntie, and I'll make it for you."

Ji Yunshu smiled and acknowledged, picked up the second *yiba* cake and handed it to Pei Yufeng, then immediately took a big bite of the third.

Pei Yufeng stood nearby, slowly chewing the piece Ji Yunshu had given him. Watching the two of them being so warm and familiar, the corner of his mouth curved slightly. Then he turned to Commander Lu and briefly explained their purpose. Ji Yunshu would need to join the larger organization of the Family Members Committee, which meant she would have to go through Bai Qiumei. He had already brought Ji Yunshu to meet Bai Qiumei today, but for certain considerations, he wasn't comfortable letting Ji Yunshu go through the process alone. He wanted to ask Wang Yulan to help guide Ji Yunshu—with Wang Yulan present, Bai Qiumei's process would go more smoothly.

Commander Lu listened, said nothing, and glanced at Wang Yulan.

Wang Yulan was just stuffing a fourth *yiba* cake into Ji Yunshu's hand. Hearing this, she patted her chest: "What's the big deal! Xiao Ji is one of mine from now on. I'll handle Bai Qiumei. I know her—she's not a bad person at heart, just likes to put on airs. She thinks that as the political commissar's wife, all new family members have to show her deference and pass her test. But don't you worry—others have to pass her test, but Xiao Ji doesn't—Xiao Ji just has to pass mine. I like her, and nobody's opinion matters otherwise!"

As she spoke, she patted the back of Ji Yunshu's hand again, gentler this time, as if comforting her. "The National Day cultural performance is coming up soon, and we're short-handed backstage. Let her come help me—it'll be a perfect chance to meet the other family members in the compound. From now on, at meetings and events, Xiao Ji sticks with me, and no one will dare say a word."

Before Ji Yunshu could thank her, Pei Yufeng stepped forward first, his tone serious: "Aunt Wang, Xiaoshu has mild anemia and a delicate constitution—she can't do heavy work. If anything needs lifting or carrying, just call me. I'll do it."

Wang Yulan glanced at him, then at Ji Yunshu, raised an eyebrow, and let out a teasing laugh: "Oh, you've only been married a few days and you're already this protective? Don't worry, Auntie knows what she's doing. Your wife won't be overworked."

A thought seemed to strike Wang Yulan, and the curve of her mouth rose higher and higher. "Xiao Pei, Xiao Pei—Old Lu and I have known you for five or six years now, ever since you were first assigned to this island. Do you remember what you were like back then? That cold face of yours, like everyone owed you money. I even said to your Uncle Lu, 'This kid—how is he ever going to find a partner?' Now I know—it's not that you don't know how to care for someone. You just hadn't met the right person."

Ji Yunshu's face flushed crimson at this teasing, even her neck taking on a faint pink tint. She lowered her head and took a bite of the now-cooled *yiba* cake, pretending to eat seriously, pretending she hadn't heard a thing.

But the corners of her mouth wouldn't stay down.

Pei Yufeng stood beside her, his ears also turning red at the tips from Wang Yulan's ribbing, though his back remained ramrod straight.

Wang Yulan, seeing his reaction, laughed even harder and nudged Commander Lu with her elbow: "Old man, look—look at Xiao Pei! Is this how he was when you used to drill him? Not a word, not a single expression on his face, like a rock!"

Commander Lu leaned back in his rattan chair, slowly sipping his strong tea, the curve of his mouth noticeably wider than usual. He looked at Pei Yufeng with a subtle, knowing gaze—the look of a man who had been through it all. He spoke unhurriedly: "Let him be."

Wang Yulan laughed her fill, then turned around and took Ji Yunshu's hand, her tone returning to its earlier warmth and seriousness: "Xiao Ji, preparations for the National Day performance start the day after tomorrow. Come find me at the Family Members Committee at nine in the morning—it's in the one-story building next to the mess hall, the one with the sign by the door. Auntie will introduce you to everyone—the capable ones, the easygoing ones, the unreliable ones—I'll give you the full rundown. You stick with me, and don't worry about Bai Qiumei. Auntie will handle her."