Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Ji Yunshu's body took two days to recover. The first day she spent almost entirely in bed, with Pei Yufeng refusing to let her get out of bed—he even brought her face-washing water to the bedside. Every meal was varied and nourishing: red date millet porridge, egg and spinach soup, brown sugar boiled eggs... all blood-building foods.

Ji Yunshu spent two days stuck in bed drinking soups and watery dishes, until she felt like her veins were running on brown sugar water instead of blood. Luckily, she was young and her body was in decent shape. By the morning of the third day, the heavy, dragging ache in her lower belly was completely gone, and she felt light and full of energy.

After two days in bed, Ji Yunshu crawled out of bed early and took a shower, slipped into a light green dress, and braided her hair into a loose braid that hung over her shoulder. She looked at herself in the mirror—her complexion was rosy, her lips had color again, a world away from the pale, washed-out version of herself from the past two days.

Pei Yufeng was making breakfast downstairs. When he heard the light footsteps on the stairs, he knew she was much better.

"I can go out today, right? I'm way better—I don't want to keep lying around." Ji Yunshu sat down at the table and took a big sip of porridge. "I was planning to go shopping in Yuecheng, but that plan totally fell through."

"Wait until you're fully recovered—the shops aren't going anywhere." Pei Yufeng handed her the brown sugar egg soup, his tone brooking no argument.

Ji Yunshu pouted but didn't argue. She knew Pei Yufeng wouldn't budge on this. The past two days, whenever she tried to get out of bed for a walk, he'd carry her back without saying a word. She picked up the boiled egg and took a bite. The white, soaked in the brown sugar water, had a hint of sweetness, and the yolk was cooked just right—not too hard, not too soft. As she was eating, someone knocked at the courtyard gate.

Pei Yufeng went to open it. Outside stood Regiment Commander Liu. He wasn't in uniform today—just a gray short-sleeved shirt, carrying two bamboo baskets of freshly caught sea fish, scales gleaming silver in the morning light.

He broke into a grin when he saw Pei Yufeng: "Yufeng, a few days ago you asked me to find out who had kittens around here—I've got news! Old Lady Zhang's calico in Paimei's village had a litter—six kittens, over a month old, just weaned. Perfect timing to take one. Are you and Xiao Ji free today? If so, let's head over now—I'll have Paimei take you to pick one."

Ji Yunshu heard the word "kittens" from inside and her eyes lit up like she'd just heard the best news ever: "We can finally get one? What do we trade? Can I pick the color? What do they look like?" She rattled off four or five questions in one breath, making Regiment Commander Liu laugh.

"All kinds of colors. Paimei says the mother's a gorgeous calico, and this litter's a real mix—orange ones, black ones, spotted ones. Old Lady Zhang says she'll just give you one, but I figured it's not right to take things from the people for free. If you've got cloth coupons, bring some—she's been wanting to get fabric to make her granddaughter some new clothes." Regiment Commander Liu chuckled and shifted the baskets to his other hand. "If you're free, let's go now—while it's still cool out. The mountain path is nicer this time of day."

"Great, let's go now." Ji Yunshu finished her porridge in a few quick bites, dropped her bowl in the sink, and stuffed a handful of fruit candies from the supply co-op into her bag, planning to give them to Old Lady Zhang's grandkids. Pei Yufeng grabbed a few cloth coupons from the cabinet and pocketed them, then picked up the bamboo basket Ji Yunshu usually used for shopping—in case the kittens got fussy, they could carry them back in it.

The two of them followed Regiment Commander Liu out. He went to fetch Huang Paimei, and a moment later, the two of them came out. Huang Paimei wore a goose-yellow short-sleeved shirt today, her hair still pinned up with a silver hairpin. She carried a small bamboo basket with half a basket of peanuts, a gift for Old Lady Zhang. When she saw Ji Yunshu, she smiled softly—still that quiet, shy smile, but her eyes held more warmth than before: "Comrade Ji, that dress looks really pretty on you."

"Thanks, Sister Huang. If you like it, I'll draw you the pattern so you can make one too." Ji Yunshu walked over and linked her arm through Huang Paimei's, as naturally as if they'd been best friends for years. "Your outfit today is lovely too—that yellow really makes your skin pop."

Huang Paimei's face flushed a little at the compliment. She ducked her head and smiled without saying anything, but she didn't pull her arm away.

The four of them left the camp, taking a sandy dirt path in the opposite direction from the port, toward the mountains. Ji Yunshu had never been down this road before. Dense shrubs and wild banana trees lined both sides, their broad leaves swaying in the morning breeze, still wet with dew.

A distant village loomed faintly through the morning mist, the mountaintop mostly swallowed by clouds, leaving only a stretch of lush green terraced fields visible on the mountainside. The air smelled of fresh earth and wild grass. Every now and then, an unfamiliar bird would burst out of the bushes, sending grasshoppers leaping from the roadside grass.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they reached the village, and ten more minutes brought them to Old Lady Zhang's house. Her courtyard wasn't big—a tiled house inside rammed-earth walls, morning glories climbing over the wall, purple flowers in full bloom in the morning light.

Stacks of chopped firewood sat in the yard, a papaya tree grew in the corner, and under it sat a bamboo cat bed. The mother cat was lounging beside it, sunbathing—a stunning calico with big black and orange patches across her back, a snow-white belly and legs, and a little white tuft at the tip of her tail. She squinted lazily, looking languid and regal.

Six kittens were crammed into the cat bed, piled on top of each other, fast asleep. One orange-and-white kitten lay on top, belly-up, sprawled out completely; next to it, a black-and-white kitten with a dark face was batting at the orange-and-white one's tail, trying to shove it in its mouth; another orange-and-white and a tabby were pressed together, grooming each other.

Seeing Huang Paimei, Old Lady Zhang came up with a smile: "Paimei, you're here. Are these two comrades from the People's Liberation Army too? Take a look and see which kittens you like—just weaned, still small. Take them home, raise them up, and they'll catch mice. Pick whichever you want, no charge, I don't want anything."

Ji Yunshu couldn't understand the local dialect, so Huang Paimei translated: "Auntie says the kittens are still small, and once they grow up they'll catch mice. Pick whichever you like—she doesn't want anything."

"Thank you, Auntie. We'll trade you cloth coupons." Ji Yunshu knew that soldiers weren't allowed to take so much as a needle from the people, even if the people offered it freely. Still, she was pleased to hear that Auntie was willing to give one away directly.

Huang Paimei relayed Ji Yunshu's words to Old Lady Zhang, who was very grateful and led them over to the cat bed to choose.

Ji Yunshu crouched down in front of the cat bed, hands resting on her knees, staring unblinkingly at these furry little creatures, unconsciously holding her breath.

"The tabbies are the best mousers, and the orange ones are the greediest. Take a look and see which one you want." Old Lady Zhang patted the calico mother's head, telling her to lie still and not be afraid of the strangers.

Huang Paimei crouched down beside Ji Yunshu too, pointing at a small calico kitten in the corner who was grooming its paw alone: "That one's the prettiest."

Ji Yunshu followed her finger. The little calico was sitting alone in the farthest corner of the cat bed, washing its face earnestly with one front paw. Its fur pattern was almost an exact copy of its mother's—large patches of black and orange across the back, snow-white belly, and four white paws like it was wearing four little white socks. The most distinctive feature was its tail, marked with even rings of black and orange, as if someone had measured them with a ruler. It finished washing its face and looked up, revealing a pair of amber round eyes and a small pink nose. It tilted its little head to look at Ji Yunshu, then opened its mouth and let out a thin, soft mew.

That mew was thin and gentle, landing in her ears sweet and soft. Ji Yunshu felt her heart struck directly by that sound, melting on the spot.

"I want this one." Ji Yunshu pointed at the little calico without hesitation. "She's so pretty."

Pei Yufeng nodded: "Pick whichever you like."

Old Lady Zhang helped Ji Yunshu scoop out the little calico, holding it by the scruff to show her. The little calico was a girl, and she wasn't afraid of Ji Yunshu at all, meowing at her at full volume.

Ji Yunshu took the little calico from Old Lady Zhang's hands. The kitten was only a bit bigger than Ji Yunshu's palm, lying obediently in her hands, claws not even scratching—very well-behaved.

So this one it was. But Ji Yunshu's gaze drifted and happened to land on another kitten.

It was a black tabby boy, with ink-black fur overlaid with very dark tabby markings. He wasn't huddled with his siblings, but lying alone by his mother's tail, four paws tucked under his belly, watching these strangers warily with a pair of grass-green eyes. Ji Yunshu tried to reach out and touch him, but before her hand even reached the edge of the cat bed, he opened his mouth, revealing tiny rice-grain-sized white teeth, and hissed at her.

That hiss was both fierce and adorable—mouth wide open, showing four tiny sharp fangs and a pink palate, ears flattened into airplane ears, tail puffed up like a little brush. But his whole body wasn't even as big as Ji Yunshu's palm.

"This one's going to be a top-notch mouser when it grows up." Regiment Commander Liu chuckled from the side. "Look at that attitude—barely over a month old and already hissing at people. Imagine what he'll be like later."

"I want this one too." Ji Yunshu withdrew her hand and turned to look at Pei Yufeng, her eyes shining like two stars. "Brother Pei, let's raise two. One would be lonely—two can keep each other company. And look at this little black tabby, so fierce—he'll definitely be a great mouser. Huajuan—no, this little calico is so pretty and well-behaved, she'll be easy to raise."

Pei Yufeng looked at her crouched by the cat bed, holding the little calico and looking up at him with pleading eyes. He found the scene—and the word "Huajuan" that had slipped out of her mouth—impossible to refuse. He pulled two cloth coupons from his pocket and handed them to Old Lady Zhang: "Auntie, we'll take two kittens. Please keep these coupons and make some clothes for the children."

Old Lady Zhang declined a couple of times but eventually accepted them with a smile.

Ji Yunshu gently placed the chosen little calico and little black tabby into the bamboo basket she'd brought. Huang Paimei watched Ji Yunshu's careful movements and smiled: "These two are both excellent. The calico takes after her mother—beautiful. The black tabby takes after his father, who's the most famous mouser in our village. This one's the fiercest of the litter—he'll go far."

Ji Yunshu held the bamboo basket and looked down at the two furry little creatures inside. The little calico didn't fuss once in the basket, sitting quietly in a corner, tilting her head to curiously observe the outside world with those round amber eyes. The little black tabby, meanwhile, huddled in the opposite corner, trying to shrink himself into a little black ball, glaring at Ji Yunshu with those grass-green eyes while letting out faint "growls."

"Let's go home now." Ji Yunshu picked up the basket and solemnly announced to the kittens inside, her voice so gentle that even Huang Paimei couldn't help but smile.

Before leaving, Ji Yunshu gave Old Lady Zhang a handful of fruit candies for her granddaughter.

On the way home, Ji Yunshu looked down at the basket every few steps, only relaxing when she saw both kittens sitting safely inside. As she walked, she started thinking of names, muttering to herself: "What should the calico sister be called? Xiaohua? No, too casual. Orange? She's not that orange. Huahua? No, too many cats are called that... Hey, Brother Pei, help me think of one."

Pei Yufeng walked on her left, shielding her from the rising sun. He thought for a moment, then said: "Didn't you already call her something earlier?"

Ji Yunshu was confused for a second, then remembered that when she'd seen the little calico at Old Lady Zhang's house, she'd blurted out "Huajuan" (flower roll). She looked down at the little calico's yellow-and-white fur, the rings of pattern that did somewhat resemble the layers of a flower roll bun, and suddenly felt the name was absolutely perfect: "Right, right, right! Huajuan! The calico sister is Huajuan. What about the little black tabby brother?"

She stared at the black tabby curled into a ball in the basket for a long time, trying to find inspiration. Black, tiny, curled up—what did it look like? She thought for a long time, then suddenly thought of something—sea cucumber. The way this little black tabby curled up in the corner of the basket looked exactly like the dried sea cucumbers she'd seen at the supply cooperative—black, wrinkled, curled into a ball.

"Shenshen!" Ji Yunshu was very satisfied with this name. "The little black tabby brother is Shenshen! Like sea cucumber!"

Pei Yufeng fell silent.

Regiment Commander Liu was walking ahead and nearly burst out laughing when he heard the name. His shoulders shook twice, and he patted Pei Yufeng's shoulder: "Yufeng, does your wife really like sea cucumbers that much?"

"Sea cucumbers are pretty tasty, yeah." Ji Yunshu replied earnestly.

Ji Yunshu's tone was so sincere that Regiment Commander Liu felt his earlier laugh had come across as mocking. He gave an awkward smile: "As long as the sister-in-law likes it. The sea cucumbers at our compound's supply cooperative are indeed good."

Huang Paimei also lowered her head, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Shenshen." Pei Yufeng repeated the name, his expression still as calm as ever, but the barely suppressed curve at the corner of his mouth betrayed his true feelings. "...Fine."

Seeing that Pei Yufeng had no objections, Ji Yunshu naturally started using the name. She looked down at the two kittens in the basket, more and more satisfied: "Huajuan and Shenshen—they sound like they're from the same family. Huajuan is delicious, and sea cucumber is delicious too."

She paused, then suddenly touched her stomach and turned to Pei Yufeng: "Brother Pei, I'm hungry."

"Let's go home and cook." He took the bamboo basket from her hands and held her now-free hand in his palm.

Back home, Ji Yunshu set the bamboo basket on its side on the floor of the main room, but the two kittens clung tightly to the woven edges, refusing to come out. Huajuan tentatively extended one white paw, testing the ground, but quickly pulled it back.

After a while, Shen Shen saw Ji Yunshu walk away and, like a little firecracker, shot out and squeezed into the gap between the cabinet and the wall, leaving only a pair of green eyes and two flattened little ears visible.

"Should we get them something to eat?" Ji Yunshu crouched by the basket, glancing at Hua Juan, then at Shen Shen who had already curled up, and turned to look at Pei Yufeng. "What can kittens this size eat? Oh, I forgot to ask Sister Huang."

Pei Yufeng crouched down too, and the two of them looked at each other blankly. One was a deputy regiment commander who led troops into battle, and the other was a high school graduate from the capital. Faced with two just-weaned kittens, they both hit a knowledge gap.

"...I'll go ask Regiment Commander Liu." Pei Yufeng stood up and strode out of the courtyard. He was back within a few minutes, holding a slip of paper with notes he'd scribbled down.

"Sister Huang said newly weaned kittens can eat well-cooked rice porridge, finely chopped cooked chicken, and minced shrimp. Don't feed them anything too salty, and don't add any seasoning. Boil some dried shrimp soup or chicken broth to soak the porridge in for them."

"Alright, we still have some dried shrimp at home, right? Use that to make the porridge." Ji Yunshu directed Pei Yufeng to get to it.

Pei Yufeng immediately stood up and rummaged through the cabinet for the leftover dried shrimp from the supply and marketing cooperative. There was no chicken at home, so Ji Yunshu had Pei Yufeng boil an egg, mash a tiny bit of the yolk, and stir it into the porridge. Pei Yufeng put the dried shrimp and millet into a small pot, added water, and brought it to a boil. The savory aroma of the shrimp soon wafted out. Once the soup had cooled to a safe temperature, Pei Yufeng chopped the dried shrimp finely and poured the whole mixture into a small saucer.

Pei Yufeng placed the enamel saucer against the wall not far from the bamboo basket. Hua Juan's little pink nose twitched, and she quickly caught the scent of the food, her round amber eyes locking onto the saucer. She hesitated for a few seconds, then trotted out of the bamboo basket on her four little white legs, walked up to the saucer, lowered her head, and tentatively licked the soup with her pink tongue. Then she stopped hesitating, burying her head in the saucer and lapping it up.

Seeing Hua Juan eating so eagerly, Shen Shen crept out from behind the cabinet too. He stayed on high alert, taking each step slowly, pausing every two steps to glance around, his ears constantly swiveling like he was scouting for danger. Only after confirming there was no threat nearby did he approach the saucer, nudging Hua Juan with his head to make room for himself, and then started lapping away too.

Ji Yunshu crouched nearby, her heart completely melting at the sight. The two kittens squeezed together in front of the saucer, heads touching, tails held high, pausing every few bites to lick the fur around their mouths. Hua Juan ate daintily, taking small, careful licks; Shen Shen went at it ferociously, like he wanted to bury his whole face in the saucer.

After they'd eaten their fill, Ji Yunshu wiped their mouths and paws with an old towel and carried them into the bedroom to let them get familiar with the place. But the moment the two kittens touched the floor, it was like an alarm had gone off—they both bolted on their four little stubby legs and scurried under the bedroom bed without a second thought.

Ji Yunshu lay flat on the floor and lifted the bedsheet to peer underneath. The two kittens were huddled in the farthest corner under the bed. Hua Juan crouched in front, shielding Shen Shen with her body, while Shen Shen hid behind her with only half his face showing. Two pairs of eyes gleamed at her in the darkness, like two amber gems and two emeralds.

"Come out, you two." Ji Yunshu softened her voice to a gentle whisper and reached her hand under the bed. Hua Juan tilted her head, looked at her hand, opened her mouth and let out a tiny mew, but didn't move. Shen Shen let out another "hiss," much softer than before, like he felt a bit guilty after eating her food.

Ji Yunshu crawled out from under the bed, sighed, then rummaged through the cabinet for an old pillowcase, folded it into a small cushion, and put it under the bed. She also filled a small saucer with water and set it down nearby. "Forget it, let them get used to it first." She brushed the dust off her hands and reassured herself, "Sister Huang said it's normal for kittens to act like this when they first get to a new home. They'll be fine in a couple of days."

That evening, after dinner and washing up, Ji Yunshu put on her nightgown and played with the cats in the bedroom while Pei Yufeng sat on the edge of the bed watching her.

The kittens had come out during the night because they were hungry. Hua Juan had already gotten bold enough to follow a few steps behind Ji Yunshu, looking up at her with eager eyes, hoping to be fed. Shen Shen still didn't dare get too close to Ji Yunshu, only coming up to eat after Pei Yufeng had put the cat food in the saucer and walked away.

After the meal, Ji Yunshu could already squeeze Hua Juan's little paws. The little calico had groomed herself spotlessly clean, her pink paw pads free of even a speck of dust, and her pretty fur smooth and neat.

She played with Hua Juan all evening, and when it was time for bed, Ji Yunshu still couldn't bear to let her go.

So Ji Yunshu sat beside Pei Yufeng holding the cat, nuzzling into the hollow of his shoulder, and spoke in a soft, coaxing voice: "Brother Pei—"

Pei Yufeng didn't move as Ji Yunshu leaned against him, but the corner of his mouth had already curved up a little. He knew that tone all too well—Ji Yunshu only used it when she wanted something.

"I want Hua Juan and Shen Shen to sleep with me. They're so small, and they just left their mom, so they must be really scared—" Ji Yunshu dragged out her words.

"No." Pei Yufeng replied without mercy.

"Just one night—"

"Not even one night." Pei Yufeng looked at Hua Juan in Ji Yunshu's hands. "They're so small. What if you roll over on them in your sleep?"

Ji Yunshu tried to argue more, but Pei Yufeng had already gotten off the bed. He walked to the foot of the bed, crouched down, lifted the bedsheet, and reached in to scoop out Shen Shen, who had retreated under the bed after eating. Before Ji Yunshu could react, Hua Juan was also picked up by the scruff of her neck.

When lifted, Hua Juan blinked in bewilderment, while Shen Shen flailed his four little paws wildly, hissing at him several times.

Pei Yufeng remained unmoved. He carried the two kittens out of the bedroom door, gently placed them in the bamboo basket in the adjoining room, and closed the door.

"Pei Yufeng!" Ji Yunshu got off the bed, her eyes wide, her voice rising half an octave. "How could you do that to them!"

"They have their own bed." Pei Yufeng walked back to the bedside, picked Ji Yunshu up, and set her back on the bed. "I put them in the next room. I left water and the leftover porridge. They won't go hungry."

Ji Yunshu glared at him sulkily, lips pressed together, brows furrowed, hugging the blanket in silence.

Pei Yufeng raised an eyebrow, turned off the light, walked over, pulled Ji Yunshu into his arms, and pecked her lower lip.

"Hey, what are you doing? I'm still on my period." Ji Yunshu was a little breathless from the kiss and playfully bit his lower lip.

"I know." Pei Yufeng pulled her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice low. "You say their names more than you say mine these days."

"You're bothered by that?" Ji Yunshu laughed in his arms, her shoulders shaking. She looked up, using the moonlight streaming through the window to read his expression. The line of Pei Yufeng's jaw was slightly tense, and his Adam's apple bobbed—a small tell he had when suppressing some emotion.

"Yeah, I am." Pei Yufeng couldn't help but kiss Ji Yunshu again.

"Alright, alright, then I'll call you more often from now on." Ji Yunshu rolled over to lie on his chest, stacking her hands under her chin, tilting her head to look at him. "Brother Pei, Brother Pei, Brother Pei."

Ji Yunshu called out three times in a row, then suddenly leaned in and kissed Pei Yufeng's chin. "Hua Juan is just a cat."

"I know."

"Then why are you jealous!"

"...I'm not."

"Fine, if you say so." Ji Yunshu giggled, turned over, leaned against Pei Yufeng, and closed her eyes.

Author's note:

None.