Chapter 72

Chapter 72

After that, Ji Yunshu would occasionally run into Fang Xue and Ye Zifeng around the compound, but since the two families had little interaction, she simply pretended not to see them.

Time quickly passed, and Liu Aimin was now eight months pregnant. One evening, Pei Yufeng came home and sat down beside her, saying that Liu Mingzhe had received his mission orders—he'd be leaving the day after tomorrow and expected to be back in about twenty days. Ji Yunshu stopped her sewing and looked up at him. "Are you going?"

"This mission only picked certain people. Liu Mingzhe's on the list, but I'm not," Pei Yufeng explained.

It was now March 1968, and things were basically matching up with what she'd seen in her dream. After Liu's mother passed, Liu Aimin had spent these past few months recuperating and had finally put on a little weight. She looked healthier than before, and the doctor said everything was going smoothly. Ji Yunshu's only worry now was whether Liu Aimin might go into labor before Liu Mingzhe left.

Thinking back to how, in her dream, Liu Aimin had gone into early labor and had a hard delivery, Ji Yunshu could understand why Liu Mingzhe was reluctant to leave. His worry for Liu Aimin had been obvious to everyone lately—if she had a hard labor, how could he possibly leave without worrying?

But now that Liu Aimin was safe and healthy, Liu Mingzhe could head out without a worry, and Pei Yufeng wouldn't be affected either.

"Did Liu Mingzhe say anything?" Ji Yunshu asked.

"Before he left, he wanted to put Comrade Liu in your and Sister Li's care. He said his biggest worry was Comrade Liu—even though her health had improved, she was eight months along and could go into labor at any time," Pei Yufeng said. "But since Sheng Sheng and Nian Nian are still little, he said it'd be enough if you could just check on Comrade Liu during the day. Sister Li said the same. She'll stay over at Comrade Liu's place at night to look after her."

Ji Yunshu put down her sewing and leaned back on the sofa, letting out a long sigh of relief, the corners of her mouth curling up involuntarily.

"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly so happy?" Pei Yufeng looked at her expression and raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Something I've been stressing over finally worked itself out. I'm having two extra bowls of rice tonight." Ji Yunshu's eyes crinkled with joy as she reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

Before leaving, Liu Mingzhe made a special trip to their door. He stood at the courtyard gate, cap in hand, looking more serious than usual: "Sister-in-law, I'm entrusting Aimin to you and Sister Li. She's the type who hates putting people out and is too embarrassed to ask for help—please be patient with her."

"Go do your mission without worrying. We'll take care of things at home. Aimin's business is my business." Ji Yunshu nodded. After all this time together, she truly considered Liu Aimin a good friend.

After Liu Mingzhe left, Li Shu moved into Liu Aimin's place that very night with a change of clothes. When Ji Yunshu went to visit them, Li Shu was patting a pillow on the single bed and saying to Liu Aimin: "If your belly hurts at night, call me. Don't just tough it out on your own. I'm sleeping right next door. Don't worry about bothering me—since I'm here, I'm going to take good care of you and that baby in your belly."

Then Li Shu added with a sigh of relief: "At least I don't have to wait on Old Lin hand and foot anymore. I'm more relaxed here."

Liu Aimin leaned against the headboard, her eyes slightly reddened, and took Li Shu's hand: "Sister Li, thank you. And Comrade Ji—you've all taken such good care of me, I don't know what to say."

"We're all neighbors. Old Lin and Deputy Regiment Commander Pei are in the same regiment as your Mingzhe—we're all family, so no need for all that formality." Li Shu said heartily. "And I'm happy I don't have to deal with Niuniu's homework! Let Old Lin deal with that headache!"

Ji Yunshu could see how relieved Li Shu looked—like taking care of Liu Aimin was a vacation—and couldn't help but laugh.

—What kind of monster was Niuniu's homework to Li Shu, anyway?

Wang Yulan also came by every day, always bringing something with her. She would sit by Liu Aimin's bed, knitting as she chatted: "Back when Old Lu's sister was having her boy, she was in labor for a whole day and night. He was so nervous outside the delivery room that he ripped a button right off his uniform. But his sister ended up having the baby just fine, and now that kid's a great military officer—so don't be scared. Giving birth is something us women just know how to do. You've been taking good care of yourself these past few months, and the doctor says you're healthier than before. When you go into labor, I'll make you a big pot of fish soup to keep your strength up."

Liu Aimin laughed out loud at her words: "Auntie Wang, don't try to cheer me up. I know you're worried I'm nervous."

"Nervous about what? With me here, Li Shu here, and Comrade Ji here, you've got nothing to be afraid of." Wang Yulan continued chattering. "I may not have had kids myself, but I've helped deliver babies for plenty of families in this compound and watched plenty of children too. If Li Shu can't handle it alone, just call me—I don't have much going on anyway."

Li Shu was still grumbling: "Too bad my cooking's not as good as the cafeteria's."

It wasn't that Li Shu's cooking was worse than the cafeteria's—it was just that she loved spicy food, while Liu Aimin preferred things mild. Ever since she started looking after Liu Aimin, Li Shu had been cooking really bland food, but her taste buds were so used to chili peppers. What tasted like nothing to her might still be a bit spicy for Liu Aimin. Liu Aimin never complained and could eat it, but every meal left her nose red, and Li Shu felt awful about it.

Liu Aimin didn't mind though. After six months, the baby in her belly had stopped being so restless—or maybe it was because she'd been forcing herself to eat all kinds of nourishing foods to build her strength back up. A mother's determination had won out, and she no longer threw up after eating. Li Shu's cooking, though a bit spicy, was actually pretty good every now and then. In the evenings, Li Shu would help her walk over to the cadres' cafeteria for some light seafood porridge. She found this kind of life pretty comfortable and happy.

Liu Aimin went into labor on the tenth night after Liu Mingzhe left. Ji Yunshu was sound asleep when someone suddenly started pounding on the courtyard gate. Pei Yufeng threw on a coat and went out to see who it was. Standing outside was Li Shu, hair a mess, coat buttoned up all wrong.

"Deputy Regiment Commander Pei, tell Xiao Ji quickly! Aimin's in labor! Her water just broke—I've got her lying flat and told her not to move a muscle. Have Comrade Xiao Ji come watch her for a sec while I run home to get Old Lin up to carry the stretcher!" Li Shu finished in a rush and hurried back home.

Hearing the commotion, Ji Yunshu scrambled out of bed too. Without even changing, she threw on a jacket and rushed out the door with Pei Yufeng.

Running to Liu Aimin's door, Ji Yunshu turned back and called up to the second floor of her own house: "Mom! Stay home and watch the kids—Brother Pei and I are taking Comrade Liu to the hospital first!"

He Qiuxia was already standing at the window and nodded to her: "Go on, don't worry. Mom's got the kids. I'll watch them."

Ji Yunshu pushed open the door, sat down by the bed, and took Liu Aimin's hand: "Save your strength. Don't talk, just take deep breaths. We're going to the hospital as soon as the stretcher arrives. Sister Li has already gone to get Commander Lin—they'll be here any moment. Deputy Regiment Commander Pei and Commander Lin will carry you to the hospital. They run fast, so nothing's going to happen."

"Comrade Ji, I—it hurts—it hurts in a strange way," Liu Aimin said in broken sentences.

"It's fine, don't worry. Take your time—how often are the contractions?" Ji Yunshu asked softly.

Liu Aimin closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. Her face was pale from the pain, but her expression remained calm: "Irregular. Sometimes three or four minutes apart, sometimes seven or eight. This child insists on coming when Mingzhe isn't here. When she grows up, I'll have a serious talk with her about this."

Commander Lin soon arrived with the stretcher. Ji Yunshu carefully helped Liu Aimin onto it, and Commander Lin and Pei Yufeng each took an end, running toward the hospital. Ji Yunshu and Li Shu followed alongside with flashlights. As they neared the hospital, Li Shu quickened her pace and ran straight to the emergency room to call for a doctor, announcing that the wife of Deputy Battalion Commander Liu of the Second Regiment was about to give birth!

Liu Aimin's pregnancy had been difficult, but the delivery itself was quick—from entering the delivery room to hearing the baby's cry, only about two hours passed. When the nurse came out holding the baby, she smiled and said it was a girl, six jin two liang, small and thin but with a remarkably loud cry.

Ji Yunshu took the baby and looked down at that wrinkled little face, suddenly feeling her nose sting. Li Shu patted her shoulder from beside her: "What are you crying for? Aimin's safe, the baby's healthy—this is a joyous occasion."

Soon, Liu Aimin was wheeled out of the delivery room. Her hair was soaked through with cold sweat, and she lay weak on the hospital bed, but a smile hung on her face.

While Liu Aimin was in labor, Pei Yufeng had also gone to Commander Lu's house to notify Wang Yulan. Knowing that Liu Aimin would be alone caring for a newborn without Liu Mingzhe around, Wang Yulan voluntarily took on the responsibility of helping Liu Aimin through her postpartum month.

After Liu Aimin was settled in her ward, the nurse gently placed the baby in the crook of her arm. The little one was wrapped in clean, soft cotton cloth, only her wrinkled face visible, eyes not yet fully open, tiny mouth slightly moving as if searching for something. Liu Aimin looked down at her, touching her tiny fist with the lightest of fingers. That hand, which just months ago had been skin and bones, now held her daughter's head steadily, fingertips trembling slightly.

"Ahua." Liu Aimin softly called out the nickname she had chosen for her daughter long ago, and tears began to fall.

When she had first become pregnant, she and Liu Mingzhe had discussed what to name the child. They thought for a long time but couldn't agree on anything, so they finally settled on a nickname. If it was a girl, they'd call her Ahua; if a boy, Ahai.

Liu Aimin's tears fell one by one onto the cotton cloth wrapping her baby, leaving dark spots. She remembered the countless nights she had sat by the bed, touching her flat belly, thinking she might never have a child of her own. But now this wrinkled little person lay in her arms, fists clenched, sleeping soundly, tiny chest rising and falling with each breath.

Ji Yunshu stood by the bed, watching Liu Aimin's tears fall harder and harder. She quickly pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it over, lowering her voice: "Comrade Liu, don't cry. You shouldn't cry right after giving birth—it's bad for your eyes. Look how healthy Ahua is. The nurse said her cry is wonderfully loud."

"I can't help it. Comrade Ji, you know—when the doctor told me I might never have children, I really believed it." Liu Aimin took the handkerchief and pressed it to her eyes, but the tears kept coming. She looked up at Ji Yunshu, then at Li Shu standing at the foot of the bed with a smile curving her lips, and at Wang Yulan who had just walked in from the hallway carrying a cup of brown sugar water. Her lips trembled several times before she could finish: "But now, Ahua is in my arms. I really have a child. My own child. And you've all been so good to me... My mother died early, my father never cared for me—no one has ever taken care of me the way you all do."

"Silly girl, we take care of you because you deserve it. You have a good nature, you're honest with people, and you'd rather suffer yourself than trouble others. A good girl like you deserves to be loved. Don't ever say again that no one takes care of you." Wang Yulan set the brown sugar water on the nightstand, bent down, and gently wiped the cold sweat from Liu Aimin's forehead with a handkerchief, her voice impossibly tender.

Li Shu also came over from the foot of the bed, took the handkerchief from Liu Aimin's hand and wiped the corners of her eyes, but her voice was still that hearty, loud tone: "That's right! Do you think you're the only one with a goddaughter? Xiao Ji and I have one too! From now on, the three girls will play together—Nian Nian leading the way, with Ahua and Niuniu following behind. Three girls could tear the roof off this compound!"

Liu Aimin burst into laughter through her tears at that, looking down at Ahua in her arms. The little one let out a tiny yawn, mouth forming a round O, showing her pink gums. She couldn't help but curve her lips and gently touched her daughter's little nose with her finger, her voice soft as if afraid of waking her: "Ahua, look how lucky you are—so many people love you. When you grow up, you'll have to kowtow to them."

"No need for kowtowing. Just have her bake me some sweet potato strips." Ji Yunshu bent down and gently poked Ahua's tiny fist. Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng had looked just like this when they were born—wrinkled, tiny, fists clenched tight. Now the two children could already walk along the walls, and just yesterday Nian Nian had been chasing Huajuan around the living room by his tail.

Ji Yunshu straightened up, looking at Liu Aimin leaning against the headboard, red-eyed but smiling. She felt that the woman who had leaned on her shoulder during that typhoon night and said "the doctor said it would be very hard for me to get pregnant" had finally made it through.

The sunlight outside the window was perfect, streaming through the glass onto the hospital bed, warming Ahua's little face. In the distance came the sound of waves hitting the rocks, slow and steady, as if keeping time for this little life surrounded by love.

--

When Liu Mingzhe returned, it was already the ninth day after Liu Aimin had given birth. Ji Yunshu heard he was back and went over to visit. As she reached the courtyard gate, she heard Wang Yulan's voice from inside: "What are you crying about, boy! Your wife gave you a beautiful daughter, mother and child are both safe—you should be happy!"

Liu Mingzhe was crouching by the bedroom door, face in his hands, shoulders shaking as he sobbed: "I was afraid something would happen to her... Every night these past days I dreamed she was alone in the delivery room, crying in pain, with no one around... I called out to her but she couldn't hear me..."

Wang Yulan came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of hot soup, set it on the table, wiped her hands on her apron, half amused and half exasperated: "Alright, alright, stop crying. Go wash your face and see your daughter. She's much tougher than you—the moment she was born, she knew exactly who her mother was and kept nuzzling into Aimin."

Ji Yunshu leaned against the doorframe, watching Liu Mingzhe with red eyes pick up his daughter and sit by Liu Aimin's bedside. Liu Aimin leaned against the headboard, one hand gently patting Liu Mingzhe's back, as if comforting a grown child who had been wronged. Ji Yunshu curved her lips, deciding not to disturb the couple who had been separated for so long, and turned to head home.

Pei Yufeng was sitting on the sofa trimming Nian Nian's fingernails, his expression serious and focused. Nian Nian was too restless—Pei Yufeng could barely hold onto her. Ji Yunshu sat down beside him, tilting her head to look at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Liu Mingzhe came back today. The moment he walked into the ward and saw Comrade Liu holding the baby, he burst into tears. Auntie Wang couldn't console him no matter what."

Pei Yufeng didn't look up, continuing to trim Nian Nian's nails: "That's normal. The first time I saw you come out of the delivery room, I almost cried too."

"You actually cried, not almost. Tell me the truth—is this a tradition in your Second Regiment? Husband must cry when his wife gives birth?"

Pei Yufeng was silent for a moment. He set down the nail clippers and gently tucked Nian Nian's little hand back into her blanket. Then he looked up at her, his expression as calm as ever, but the small patch of red at the base of his ears betrayed him: "A man's tears fall only at the heaviest of moments."

"You were bawling your eyes out, though." Ji Yunshu laughed, leaning against his shoulder. Nian Nian, drawn by her laughter, kicked her little feet under the blanket and let out a string of "ah-ah" sounds—whether she was sticking up for her dad or laughing at him, nobody could tell.

Liu Aimin leaned against the headboard, cradling a freshly fed Ahua in her arms. The little one was sleeping soundly with her fists clenched, her little nostrils flaring softly, her tiny mouth occasionally smacking as if she were still nursing in her dreams. Liu Mingzhe sat on the edge of the bed, one hand hovering protectively over his daughter's little blanket, the other held in Liu Aimin's palm. He had just gotten back from a mission and hadn't even had a chance to change out of his uniform—salt stains and sand from the sea clung to his sleeves and shoulders, and the bloodshot look in his eyes hadn't fully cleared yet.

Liu Aimin looked down at her daughter for a moment, then raised her head to look at Liu Mingzhe. Her voice still had that postpartum frailty, but every word was spoken with earnestness: "Mingzhe, I want Ahua to have Comrade Ji and Sister Li as her godmothers, and Aunt Wang as her god-grandma."

Liu Mingzhe was taken aback for a moment, then squeezed her hand in return: "What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"It's not sudden—I've been thinking about it every day since you left." Liu Aimin's gaze fell back on her daughter's face, her fingers gently brushing her little fist. "The night I went into labor, it was the middle of the night, and I was in so much pain I couldn't even speak. Sister Li heard me yell and came running over without even buttoning up her clothes. Comrade Ji left her two breastfeeding babies with her mom and came with Deputy Regiment Commander Pei to take me to the hospital, then sat with me in the hospital hallway for hours. Aunt Wang brought me soup every day, switching up the recipes, and even skimmed all the grease off the top because she was worried I wouldn't eat. Lying on that delivery bed, I kept thinking—without them, how could I have made it through on my own? This child being born safely isn't just my doing; half the credit goes to them, and I can't forget that."

Liu Mingzhe lowered his head, sandwiching Liu Aimin's hand between both of his, his fingertips softly tracing the faint blue vein on the back of her hand. He was silent for a long moment before speaking, his voice hoarser than usual: "Those twenty days I was gone, I didn't get a single good night's sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I dreamed you were struggling through labor with nobody around to help. When I got off the boat at the dock, my legs were shaking—I was terrified to open the door and find something wrong. But when I got to the hospital, you were fine, Aunt Wang had made you soup, the whole room smelled of chicken broth, and Ahua was sleeping peacefully in her crib. Right then and there, I told myself: I'll spend the rest of my life repaying this kindness."

"So you agree?" Liu Aimin asked.

"Agree. Godmothers, god-grandma—hell, we could call them aunties or grandmas for all I care. They're the benefactors of our little family of three. Whatever decision you make, I support it." Liu Mingzhe said without missing a beat.

The next morning, Ji Yunshu carried a pot of freshly stewed crucian carp soup and went with Li Shu to visit Liu Aimin. Before they even reached the door, they could hear Ahua's soft whimpers from inside, along with the sound of Liu Mingzhe scrambling around in a panic.

"No, not that one—that's the face towel—yeah, that one. Be gentle, Ahua's legs are thinner than your fingers." Liu Aimin's voice came from the inner room.

Li Shu walked in first, set the brown sugar she'd brought on the table, and peeked at the crooked diaper in Liu Mingzhe's hands. She couldn't help but laugh: "Old Liu, that diaper's even worse than the ones Old Lin used to fold back in the day—at least he got the four corners straight."

Liu Mingzhe sheepishly hid the misshapen diaper behind his back and rubbed his hands together: "Sister-in-law's here, have a seat. Comrade Ji's here too—here, let me take that soup, I've got it."

Ji Yunshu set the crucian carp soup on the bedside table, bent down to look at the sleeping Ahua, and lowered her voice to a soft, gentle tone: "It's only been a few days and Ahua's face is already rounder. Look at those eyelashes—they're exactly like yours."

Liu Aimin looked at the two of them, and her eyes suddenly reddened. She gently placed Ahua in the crib by the bed, then took Ji Yunshu's hand in one of hers and Li Shu's in the other, stacking all three hands together. Her own hand was still a little cold, but her grip was steady.

"Comrade Ji, Sister Li, I want to tell you something." Her voice trembled slightly, every word having been rehearsed in her heart many times over, finally spoken aloud: "Ahua didn't come easily. When I was pregnant with her, there were several times I thought I couldn't go on—I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, wasted away to nothing but bones. If you hadn't been there beside me the whole time, bringing me food, talking with me, getting up in the middle of the night to take me to the hospital, this child might never have made it into this world. Mingzhe and I talked it over, and we want her to have you two as her godmothers. It's not by blood, but I want her to know that besides her mom and dad, there are two aunties in this world who carried her through the hardest time."

Li Shu lowered her head and pressed a handkerchief to her eyes. When she looked up again, her eyes were red, but her voice still had that spirited, hearty tone: "You silly girl, why do you have to say such serious things and make me cry! Fine, I accept. And not just accept—when Ahua grows up, I'll teach her how to pick vegetables and wash clothes, and turn her into the most capable girl in the family compound."

Ji Yunshu didn't say anything. She just looked down at Liu Aimin's hand holding hers. That hand, just a few months ago, had been nothing but skin and bone, with veins protruding one by one from the back. Now it had gained flesh, and strength too.

"I've said all that, and you two still haven't given me a straight answer!" Liu Aimin said, a little anxiously, squeezing their hands and shaking them.

Ji Yunshu looked up, her eyes curving into a smile, a hint of laughter in her voice, though her eyes were also glistening: "When you've put it that way, how could I possibly say no? I accept. But on holidays, no need for Ahua to kowtow—that's not the custom these days, and you were the one who told me that last time! Let Ahua study hard and be good sisters with my Nian Nian in the future!"

"Look at me, I'm all flustered." Liu Aimin laughed through her tears. She wiped her face, "Right, right, we're breaking the Four Olds now, we don't do that anymore. In the future, Nian Nian and Ahua will study hard together and be good sisters!"

"My daughter's got godmothers now—when she grows up, she'll have to bring pastries to Comrade Ji and learn well from her." Liu Mingzhe chimed in from the side.

"Comrade Liu, you and my Brother Pei are in the same regiment—we're all one family, no need for formalities." Ji Yunshu said.

Li Shu threw an arm around Ji Yunshu's shoulder, eyes still red but mouth already spread into a grin: "Xiao Ji's right—the families of the Second Regiment are bound together like a rope. When Ahua grows up, Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng, and my Niuniu, will be her best siblings and her best friends."

"Then the three kids will be running wild in the courtyard—let's hope they don't kick over anyone's flowerpots." Ji Yunshu added with a laugh.

Liu Aimin watched the two of them turn her solemn request into a lively gathering of sisters, leaning against the headboard with a smile curving at the corners of her mouth.

It was wonderful, Liu Aimin thought, listening to Li Shu still chattering on to Ji Yunshu about how children become harder to manage as they grow up, how she was already pulling her hair out helping Niuniu with homework now, and telling Ji Yunshu to cherish these days when kids can still be easily handled and don't have to do homework. Ji Yunshu responded that her Nian Nian was truly the most restless child imaginable... Their voices never stopped, but Liu Aimin's heart was utterly at peace.

Ahua woke up in her crib, not crying or fussing, just staring with wide, dark eyes at the adults laughing above her. Then she let out a tiny yawn and closed her eyes again.

Author's note:

None