Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Pei Yufeng had only been at the Meng family's place for less than two days before it was time to head back.

The trip back from Su City to the island was the same as the way there—train to Yue City, then a ferry back to the island—except this time, Pei Yufeng was with her.

On the train, Ji Yunshu leaned against Pei Yufeng's shoulder, watching fields and villages flash by the window—from Su City's soggy winter rain all the way to Yue City's blazing sun, like riding a time machine through two seasons. On the ferry, she didn't get seasick either. She dozed off against Pei Yufeng's shoulder and woke up to see the familiar coconut groves and the national flag fluttering on the dock in the distance.

They got back to the family compound in the afternoon. Huajuan was sprawled on the courtyard wall soaking up the sun, but the second she saw Ji Yunshu walk into the yard, her ears shot up. She leaped off the wall, circled Ji Yunshu's ankles a few times with her tail high in the air, and let out sharp, urgent little yaps, like she was demanding to know why Ji Yunshu had been gone so long. Shen Shen also came out from under the bed—which was rare—and crouched on the doorstep, green eyes locked on her without blinking for a long moment before slowly padding over and rubbing against her calf. Then it turned and walked off, tail tip pointed up, acting like it had just been passing through.

"Did you miss me, Huajuan baby?" Ji Yunshu bent down, scooped up Huajuan, and planted a big kiss on her fluffy head, then crouched down to scratch Shen Shen under the chin. Shen Shen squinted, a low purr rumbling in its throat, but its face still had that aloof "I didn't miss you, just happened to be passing by" look.

Over the next few days, Ji Yunshu kept busy putting away the stuff she'd brought back from Su City, dropping off some local Su City pastries at Huang Paimei's and Li Shu's places, and giving Wang Yulan an embroidered silk handkerchief. Life quickly settled back into the island rhythm—Pei Yufeng went to the camp, and she stayed home sewing, feeding the cats, and enjoying herself. The days were simple but full.

But after coming back, Ji Yunshu noticed something felt off.

When she went out by herself, she felt like some people in the compound were giving her weird looks. Some people would suddenly stop mid-sentence when they saw her coming; others would exchange loaded glances after she walked by; and one woman in the supply co-op, who'd been standing behind her in line, deliberately shuffled half a step back, like she was trying to keep her distance.

Ji Yunshu was no stranger to people giving her strange looks. Growing up in a military compound, she'd known since she was a kid what it meant to be talked about. But the folks in the island family compound were mostly simple and straightforward, and in the months she'd been here, she'd never felt this kind of vague, clingy distance. She didn't bring it up with Pei Yufeng, just kept her guard up quietly. She figured it was probably some troop reshuffling or a new rumor going around the compound—nothing big, or Wang Yulan would've come to find her.

It wasn't until the fifth day after Ji Yunshu got back that Huang Paimei knocked on her courtyard gate. Ji Yunshu was sitting under the eaves brushing Huajuan's fur when she heard the knock. She put the brush down and went to answer the door.

Standing outside was Huang Paimei in a dark green cotton short-sleeved shirt, holding half a basket of freshly picked wild greens. Her silver hairpin was still neatly in place in her bun, but her expression wasn't the same as usual. Huang Paimei was usually quiet and shy, but when she came over, she always smiled with her lips pressed together, eyes crinkled, totally relaxed. Today, though, she stood at the door, her lips moving a few times without getting a full sentence out, her eyes drifting hesitantly toward the street, like she'd had to work up a lot of nerve to come see Ji Yunshu.

"Sister Huang? Come on in, have a seat." Ji Yunshu pulled her into the yard, took the basket of greens and set it on the stone table, then went into the kitchen to pour two glasses of cold tea.

Huang Paimei sat on the stone stool, both hands wrapped around the enamel cup, her fingers pressing against the rim, clenching and relaxing. She took a couple of sips, then went quiet for a bit longer before speaking, like she'd finally made up her mind, her voice low: "Comrade Ji, there's something I've been going back and forth on whether to tell you. Old Liu told me not to—said he was worried you'd overthink it. But I've been mulling it over for days, and I think you should know."

"What is it?" Ji Yunshu sat down across from her, lifting Huajuan off the table and onto her lap, trying to keep her voice light. "Sister Huang, just say it. No need to beat around the bush with me."

"A few days after you went back to Su City, people in the compound started saying—" She paused, her eyes darting toward the courtyard gate to make sure no one was outside, before finishing, "saying that the deputy regiment commander of the Second Regiment married a capitalist's daughter, that her family background was terrible, which is why she threw money around—buying a bicycle, a sewing machine, making new dresses, more dresses than she could ever wear... Then it got worse—saying Deputy Regiment Commander Pei used to be such an upright man, never took leave during combat readiness, and it was only because you'd led him astray that he asked for leave to go back to the mainland. Some people said that with combat readiness this urgent, Deputy Regiment Commander Pei still asking for leave to go back to the mainland was a clear sign of ideological problems, and the leadership should come down hard on him. They said if other soldiers followed his example, wouldn't everyone just run off in wartime?"

Huang Paimei finished, watching Ji Yunshu's face nervously, then quickly added, trying to reassure her: "I don't believe any of it, but some people do. They're definitely jealous because you wear pretty dresses they can't buy at the supply store—but those dresses are all handmade by you, so of course they can't find them there..."

"Thanks for trusting me, Sister Huang." Ji Yunshu's hand holding the enamel cup paused. The smile on her face slowly faded as she looked straight at Huang Paimei. "Did this start spreading after Brother Pei left the island?"

Ji Yunshu thought about those conversations that suddenly stopped when she walked by, the woman in the supply co-op who'd stepped half a step back, those loaded, evasive looks... So that was it. Ji Yunshu wasn't rattled—she just thought it was ridiculous.

No wonder those people had been looking at her like that lately. Pei Yufeng was so squeaky clean—both parents were martyrs, he was outstanding himself, the most popular young cadre on the island. In everyone else's eyes on the island, of course he could never do any wrong, so naturally it had to be her—Ji Yunshu, this woman with the bad family background—who'd influenced him!

Once "bad family background" was set as her label, then everything she did was wrong. Even if she hadn't influenced Pei Yufeng, it was still her fault. Why did these people always go after her family background?—Because they couldn't find anything else wrong with Ji Yunshu, so they had to keep clinging to this one thing, trying to drag her through the mud.

"Yeah... it's been going around for several days now. Nobody knows where it started." Huang Paimei said this with some guilt, telling Ji Yunshu, "You know I don't socialize much. It was Comrade Li Shu who told me. She and her husband found out early—probably worried you'd be upset if you heard, so they didn't say anything."

"I get it. You all care about me." Ji Yunshu was grateful Huang Paimei had gone out of her way to tell her.

She took a deep breath, set the enamel cup down on the table, and reached out to take Huang Paimei's hand. Huang Paimei's hand was a little cold, her fingertips trembling slightly—clearly anxious for Ji Yunshu. Ji Yunshu gently patted the back of her hand, reassuring her instead: "Sister Huang, thanks for telling me. Don't worry, I'll take care of it. But first I want to ask—who started these rumors? Did they start in the military or in the compound?"

Huang Paimei shook her head, looking apologetic: "I asked Old Liu too. He said he doesn't know who started it either, only that it seems to have started in the compound, not the military. At first it was just among the family members, but somehow it spread to the camp, and some soldiers were talking about it too. Old Liu heard and chewed them out, but he can't control people who aren't under his command. The rumors got more and more out of hand, and eventually reached Commander Lu's ears."

"Commander Lu knows too?" Ji Yunshu frowned a little. "Does Pei Yufeng know about this?"

"Old Liu knows, so Deputy Regiment Commander Pei definitely knows too. Even if Commander Lin wanted to keep it from him, with how far this has spread, he couldn't hide it for long. But Old Liu said Deputy Regiment Commander Pei has been acting completely normal at camp—training as usual, attending meetings as usual, never mentioned it to him. That's why Old Liu told me not to tell you—he said since Deputy Regiment Commander Pei didn't bring it up with you, he didn't want you worrying about it." Huang Paimei said.

"Thank you, Sister Huang. When Brother Pei comes back, I'll ask him." Ji Yunshu saw Huang Paimei off, then sat in the yard for a while.

Huajuan jumped off her lap, chasing a butterfly that flew past into the corner of the wall. Shen Shen hopped down from the threshold, padded silently to her feet, rested its chin on her instep, and swished its tail lazily. Ji Yunshu looked down at Shen Shen's green eyes and suddenly felt very calm.

Ji Yunshu kept thinking about how these people had learned about her family background. Or rather, whoever was spreading the rumors definitely didn't have very good information, because otherwise they'd know that the Meng family's fixed interest payments had already stopped last month, and the family had long since shed their "capitalist" label.

Moreover, whoever was spreading these rumors must be very wary of her and Pei Yufeng. They only dared to spread them when both she and Pei Yufeng were away, which meant they were afraid of face-to-face confrontation—because rumors would collapse under scrutiny.

That evening, Pei Yufeng returned from camp, still in his military uniform. His expression was as calm as usual when he pushed open the courtyard gate. He saw Ji Yunshu standing in the yard watering the flowers, Huajuan crouched at her feet looking up expectantly for treats, and Shen Shen perched on the windowsill, tail hanging over the edge, tip swishing gently. The scene looked no different from any other day, but he noticed that Ji Yunshu's arm holding the watering can had been frozen in the same position for a while, as if she were lost in thought.

"What did you do at home today?" Pei Yufeng walked over, smoothly taking the watering can from Ji Yunshu's hand, finishing the remaining water, and leading her inside.

"Sister Huang came by this afternoon." Ji Yunshu answered calmly. "She told me that while I was away, people in the compound have been spreading that I'm a capitalist's daughter, that my family background is terrible, that I spend money lavishly and wastefully, and that you were led astray by me into requesting leave to go back to the mainland during combat readiness. Brother Pei, did you know about this?"

Pei Yufeng's hand paused. He set the watering can against the wall by the miscellaneous items and turned to face her. His expression wasn't surprised—only a deep, suppressed guilt. He was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I knew. Commander Lu spoke with me last week. He said someone had reported to the Political Department about my leave from the island, questioning whether I'd abandoned my post during combat readiness, and requested an investigation. I've already submitted a written explanation to Commander Lu and the Political Department."

Ji Yunshu leaned against the stove, arms crossed, head tilted as she looked at him: "What did you say?"

"I said my leave request fully complied with military regulations. I've never applied for personal leave since enlisting, and I only use my family visit leave once every two years. This time I only requested five days of personal leave, which the Political Department approved. All paperwork was in order—there was no abandonment of post. As for the rumors about your family background—"

Pei Yufeng's gaze darkened, his voice dropping low: "I've already made a long-distance call to the street office in Su City, asking them to issue a written certification that the Meng family has been registered as patriotic and progressive figures. The certification should arrive in a couple of days, and it will be filed with the Political Department. Your family background is not an issue—there's no such thing as 'capitalist's daughter' anymore. And regardless of your background, you are my wife."

Ji Yunshu leaned against the stove, watching him explain all this with such seriousness and focus, and the irritation that had been stirred up inside her suddenly dissolved. She'd wanted to ask why he hadn't told her sooner, but seeing the deep, unguarded guilt in his eyes, she couldn't bring herself to ask. She thought—this man was so foolish. Someone was stabbing him in the back, and yet he felt guilty for not protecting her.

"So, you planned to shoulder this alone and not tell me?" She tilted her head, a teasing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, but there was no reproach in her tone.

"I was going to wait until the Political Department's investigation results came out before telling you. This time, I failed to protect you." Pei Yufeng's fingers gently traced the back of her hand, his voice low. "This isn't aimed at you—it's aimed at me. Ye Zifeng thinks highly of himself, and after losing the sparring match, he's probably been looking for a chance to retaliate. Spreading rumors to use your family background to attack me. You're my wife—I caused you to be dragged into this, so I must clear your name."

Ji Yunshu stepped forward, pulling her hand free from Pei Yufeng's grasp and instead holding his fingers. His fingers were rough and warm, the calluses on his fingertips pressing against hers. This hand had carried rifles, repaired roofs, washed her feet—and now it was trembling slightly because he felt he hadn't protected her well enough.

"Pei Yufeng, look at me." Ji Yunshu raised her face, her voice soft but earnest. "When we got married, what did I say? I said, 'From now on, you guard the nation, and I guard you.' I said that, but didn't you nod in agreement too? Husband and wife should share everything—sharing joy and hardship isn't just a slogan. We celebrate the good times together and bear the hard times together. If you don't tell me and carry all the pressure alone, then I'm getting off too easy as your wife."

Ji Yunshu lifted Pei Yufeng's hand and pressed it against her cheek, tilting her head to nuzzle his palm, her voice softening: "Don't do this again. Tell me when something happens. I'm not afraid."

Pei Yufeng looked down at Ji Yunshu. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the dim yellow light of the kitchen, like two stars that refused to go out. Ji Yunshu was articulate in the compound, and in Su City she'd helped her mother with volunteer work. She was never a delicate flower that needed to be carefully protected under a glass dome, sheltered from every gust of wind and rain.

Ji Yunshu was more like a willow—looking soft and fragile, but able to adapt anywhere, take root and thrive wherever she was planted.

Pei Yufeng suddenly felt that his earlier thinking had been ridiculous—he'd actually believed that not telling her was what was best for her.

"Alright." Pei Yufeng held Ji Yunshu's hand in return, his voice steady, carrying a solemn certainty. "I'll tell you everything from now on."

Ji Yunshu nodded in satisfaction, released his hand, and led him to the dining table. She poured him a glass of water, poured one for herself, and sat down across from him, hands folded on the table like a commander just finishing a war council meeting: "Now, tell me everything you know. How did Ye Zifeng find out about my family background? This rumor has spread with such detail—it can't be completely fabricated."

Pei Yufeng picked up the enamel cup, took a sip of water, set it down, and ran his finger around the rim once. He organized the sequence of events, then spoke in a calm, clear voice: "After Commander Lu found out, he ordered a thorough investigation into the source. Your family background was only mentioned in the marriage political review report, which by regulation only the Political Commissar and the Commander have access to. Political Commissar Fang had mentioned your situation to Comrade Bai Qiumei at home, and Bai Qiumei told Fang Xue. After Fang Xue heard about it, she told Ye Zifeng. Because Ye Zifeng had been publicly reprimanded by Commander Lu during the sparring match and defeated by me, he'd been nursing a grudge, and he spread these rumors while we were both off the island."

This result matched what Ji Yunshu had guessed. Pei Yufeng's good reputation was well known, and even though many family members in the compound weren't close to her, they wouldn't have spread rumors so fiercely. For it to reach the military, there must have been a resentful cadre pulling strings behind it.

"Does Political Commissar Fang know about this?" Ji Yunshu asked.

"Yes. Commander Lu spoke with Political Commissar Fang. He said he didn't know how Fang Xue had learned those details—maybe Bai Qiumei mentioned it casually at home, and he hadn't paid attention. Political Commissar Fang has ordered Fang Xue to stop spreading these statements, and he's also dealt with Bai Qiumei. As for Ye Zifeng, the Political Department has officially given him a formal warning. His behavior constitutes spreading false statements and disturbing military morale—one more offense and he'll receive a disciplinary demerit."

Ji Yunshu nodded. She didn't really care what happened to Fang Xue and Ye Zifeng. She only cared about one thing: "Once the certification from Su City arrives, will these rumors collapse on their own?"

"The certification arrives the day after tomorrow. Once it does, I'll ask Aunt Wang to publicly clarify at the family assembly. Your family has been recognized by the state as patriotic and progressive figures—there's no issue with your background. And you grew up in the capital's military compound, Uncle Ji is a revolutionary soldier, and your own ideological conduct has no problems either. After the clarification, anyone who continues spreading false statements will be committing defamation, and the Political Department will hold them accountable. Ye Zifeng is a cautionary example." Pei Yufeng's voice was resolute, carrying a reassuring strength.

Ji Yunshu rested her chin on her hand, looking at Pei Yufeng. She suddenly felt that this man was almost too reliable—while she'd been unaware, he'd already done everything that needed to be done.

She stood up, walked around the table to stand in front of him, bent down, and placed both hands on the armrests of his chair, trapping him in it. She looked down at him, her voice soft, carrying a playful smile: "Pei Yufeng, is there anything you can't do? You fix roofs, you're amazing at sparring, and you even resolved the rumor investigation this quickly... Did you secretly take some kind of 'perfect husband training course'?"

Pei Yufeng looked up at Ji Yunshu, still adjusting to her shift from serious to teasing. His face flushed slightly, surprise and a rare shyness spreading from the corners of his eyes, relaxing across his brow. He reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her down onto his lap.

"Never took any course," Pei Yufeng said. "I just wanted to give you fewer things to worry about."

Ji Yunshu sat on his lap, wrapping both arms around Pei Yufeng's neck, burying her face in the hollow of his shoulder, and took a deep breath.

Pei Yufeng's military uniform today was freshly washed and put on, still carrying the familiar scent of soap. Ji Yunshu loved looping her arms around his neck and breathing in his scent like this—it made her feel incredibly at ease.

The moonlight outside the window was bright, casting pale gray tree shadows on the curtains, gently swaying. Sea breeze crept in through the gaps in the window, carrying the distinctive chill of night, while the distant rhythm of waves crashing against the rocks was steady, like a beautiful piano piece.

Ji Yunshu leaned against his chest, listening to Pei Yufeng's steady and powerful heartbeat, feeling all the emotions of the past few days being gradually soothed away in this embrace.

She tilted her face up to look into his eyes—in the dim light, they were deep in color, her reflection mirrored in his pupils. She suddenly raised her head and caught his upper lip with hers. The kiss started softly, but Ji Yunshu had already grasped the essence of their increasingly practiced kisses, and soon she instinctively deepened it without restraint.

Ji Yunshu's initiative always made Pei Yufeng's breathing suddenly grow heavier. His hand on her waist unconsciously tightened, his fingertips sinking into the soft flesh at her side through the thin nightgown.

Before the kiss even ended, Pei Yufeng took the lead, tilting his angle, his tongue slipping in with a cool yet scorching breath, tangling with Ji Yunshu's tongue without letting go.

Ji Yunshu felt his clinginess was a bit too much, and instinctively tried to pull back, but Pei Yufeng wasn't about to give her that chance. One hand cradled the back of her neck, the other gripped her waist, pressing her closer to him. His breath sprayed across her face, ticklish, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, as if barely holding back the urge to devour her whole.

Huajuan (the cat), who had been dozing by the kitchen door, was startled awake by the commotion of the two kissing their way from the kitchen to the stairway. He lifted his head, glanced over, then, as if it were nothing new, tucked his head back into his paws and continued sleeping. Shen Shen (the cat) crouched on the windowsill, his green eyes fixed unblinkingly on them for a few seconds in the darkness, then tactfully turned his head away, gazing out at the distant sea beyond the window.

The master does this too often—every time, he gets kicked out of the bedroom, so he never sneaks back in again, meow!

Author's note:

Thank you for reading. Sorry for the late post—I had a minor surgery at the hospital during the day.