Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Pei Yufeng's face tightened slightly, but with his perpetually stern expression, most people wouldn't notice the change. He looked down at her, dropping his voice: "How old is he?"

"Twenty-one, I heard."

"About the same age as you." Pei Yufeng looked like he was facing a major threat.

"Yeah, well, the young guy's good-looking."

Pei Yufeng's eyebrow twitched. He took the teapot from Ji Yunshu's hands, turned to set it on the table, then turned back, placing his hand on her lower back and guiding her a couple steps toward the corner of the cafeteria.

"Xiaoshu." Pei Yufeng's voice dropped even lower, low enough that only the two of them could hear. "The way you looked at him just now—it made me jealous."

Ji Yunshu was thrilled inside but kept an innocent look on her face: "What look? I just thought he was handsome, so I looked a little longer. What's wrong with that? Everyone appreciates a good-looking person—"

Pei Yufeng didn't respond. He raised his hand, gently pinching her chin between his thumb and index finger, turning her face toward him.

"Who are you looking at now, huh?" he asked.

Ji Yunshu looked at his face, so close to hers. The scab on his brow hadn't healed yet, his nose was straight, his lips pressed together, and the jealousy in his eyes was impossible to hide—it made his usually too-composed face suddenly seem more alive. Sunlight came through the window beside them, casting a warm glow on his shoulder.

Ji Yunshu looked at him, her smile getting bigger and bigger until she finally burst out laughing.

"I'm looking at you," Ji Yunshu said, still smiling. "Looking at our Deputy Regiment Commander Pei—the one who's a total jealous mess."

Pei Yufeng's hand slid down from her chin and gave her lower back a firm but gentle squeeze, his voice carrying a hint of warning: "We'll talk about this when we get home."

Ji Yunshu giggled, leaned against his arm, and whispered: "Fine, home it is. But let me make this clear—if the new guy is handsome, that's his business. What's wrong with me taking a second look? It's not like I'm trying to get with him or anything. But you—hey, Pei Yufeng, you've got quite the jealous streak, huh? How come I never noticed before?"

Pei Yufeng glanced down at her, the corner of his mouth finally curving up a little, but he wasn't about to let her off easy: "Never got the chance before."

"Oh—never got the chance? Well, I gave you the chance today. Happy?"

Pei Yufeng didn't answer, but he patted her lower back gently, a silent, possessive gesture.

At the other end of the cafeteria, Lu Wenya was chatting with some officers, completely unaware of what was going on in the corner. Li Shu came out of the kitchen, saw Ji Yunshu and Pei Yufeng huddled in the corner whispering, covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, and ducked back inside.

That evening after returning home, Pei Yufeng sat on the sofa telling Nian Nian a story about a little wooden horse. He'd actually carved her a little wooden horse in his spare time—it wasn't particularly polished for a first try, but Nian Nian loved riding it. Sheng Sheng sat on the play mat hugging his little wooden rifle—Pei Yufeng had made him two: a big one for display at home and a small one he kept in his pocket, taking it everywhere.

Ji Yunshu leaned against the kitchen doorframe watching them, and suddenly felt the sunlight today was especially beautiful.

She walked over with two cups of water, sat down beside Pei Yufeng, and handed him one. He took a sip, and Nian Nian climbed down from the wooden horse, toddled over to Pei Yufeng's leg, and called out "Daddy, hold me."

Ji Yunshu watched Pei Yufeng scoop Nian Nian onto his lap, then said softly: "No matter how good-looking Lu Wenya is, he's not as handsome as you."

Pei Yufeng's hand holding Nian Nian paused, and he turned his head to look at her.

Ji Yunshu blinked at him: "Really. You're nothing like him. I only like guys like you."

Pei Yufeng looked at her for several seconds, then lowered his head, pressing his lips briefly against her forehead, and said in a low voice: "That's more like it."

Nian Nian tilted her head up from his lap, looking from her daddy to her mommy, not understanding what the grown-ups were saying, just grinning and giggling. Sheng Sheng stood up from the play mat, hugging his little wooden rifle, and shuffled over too, squeezing onto Pei Yufeng's other leg.

The family of four squeezed onto one sofa, the setting sun streaming through the window, stretching their four shadows long and overlapping them so they couldn't be separated.

Ji Yunshu leaned against Pei Yufeng's shoulder, looking at the tangled shadows on the floor, her smile not fading.

--

Near the end of that year, not long after Pei Yufeng returned to the troops after recovering from his injury, word of his meritorious service spread throughout the compound.

"How did it go?" Ji Yunshu had heard Pei Yufeng earned a second-class merit citation but wasn't sure, so she asked him right away when he got back.

Pei Yufeng held Nian Nian, the corner of his mouth curving up: "It's an individual second-class merit."

Pei Yufeng said it so casually, and Ji Yunshu should have been happy. But she knew what it meant—the last mission had been extremely dangerous, Pei Yufeng had nearly lost his life, and this individual second-class merit was something he'd almost paid for with his life.

"You—"

"Let me finish." Pei Yufeng set Nian Nian back on the bed, tucked her in, and led Ji Yunshu to sit in the other room. "During this raid, one of our soldiers was pinned down by enemy fire behind the deck. I went over and pulled him out, then took out the entire contact point, and afterward rescued Commander Lin too. This time we not only gathered evidence of Ye Zifeng's treason, but we also caught the remaining contacts in his network. There won't be any more trouble from here on out."

Pei Yufeng kept it brief, summing up a life-and-death struggle in just a few sentences. Ji Yunshu listened, but she was still deeply worried.

"As long as you're safe, that's what matters." Ji Yunshu let out a soft sigh. "But you need to think about yourself too."

Pei Yufeng looked at her, reaching out to take her hand: "I know. And there's some good news—I should be getting promoted to full regiment commander soon."

Ji Yunshu was surprised: "That fast?"

"Commander Lu mentioned it when I got this merit. It's already been submitted."

After word of Pei Yufeng's second individual second-class merit got around, everyone in the compound congratulated Ji Yunshu when they saw her. Li Shu came in with the loudest voice: "I heard Deputy Regiment Commander Pei—oh wait, soon to be Regiment Commander Pei? That makes him the youngest full regiment-level officer in the whole military region! Only twenty-seven, right? At this rate, there's no one else like him in the entire region!"

Ji Yunshu held her cup and smiled: "He's just capable."

"Congratulations, really!" Li Shu slapped her thigh. "Your Pei Yufeng has that ability. I can see even greater things ahead for him."

Sure enough, after the New Year, the appointment came through. Pei Yufeng was officially promoted from deputy regiment level to full regiment level—the youngest full regiment-level officer in the military region, not even thirty years old. When the news reached home that day, Ji Yunshu was still stunned for a long time.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about how fast you've risen." Ji Yunshu turned to look at him. "From deputy to full regiment in three years—other people take five or six years and still might not..."

Pei Yufeng looked down at her: "Is fast a bad thing?"

"It's good," Ji Yunshu reached out to straighten his collar, "I just worry about you working too hard. Rising fast must mean you've put in a lot of effort. Every time you go on a mission, I'm on edge."

Pei Yufeng set down the spatula, turned around, and boxed her in between himself and the stove, looking down at her: "I'll try to take fewer dangerous missions from now on. Now that I'm at a higher rank, I'll be more involved in command-level decision-making."

Ji Yunshu looked up at him, poking his chest with her finger: "You said that."

"I said it."

After spring arrived, the weather grew warmer day by day. The guava tree in the courtyard sprouted new buds, clusters of tender green hanging from the branches. The wind over the sea had also calmed, the waves much gentler. Pei Yufeng calculated the dates and said that since typhoon season hadn't arrived yet, sea travel would be smoothest—perfect timing to take the children home to visit family.

The moment Ji Yunshu heard the word "home," her eyes grew warm. She calculated—from her pregnancy to Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng nearly turning two, she hadn't seen her grandmother in almost two years. Her grandmother was getting older, and every letter said "I'm fine, don't worry about me," but the more she said that, the more worried Ji Yunshu became. Earlier, she had written to Wang Wanru, saying she wanted to bring the children to the capital first to visit her grandmother, then come to Su City to see her and Dad. Wang Wanru had replied quickly, saying go ahead—she and Meng Guangze were both fine, no need to rush to see them; grandmother was the priority.

The day of departure was a clear, sunny day. Ji Yunshu dressed Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng in new clothes—Nian Nian in a floral-print jacket, Sheng Sheng in a set of navy blue cotton outfit. The two children were bundled up round and plump, with Nian Nian clutching Pei Yufeng's sleeve and refusing to let go, while Sheng Sheng quietly nestled in Pei Yufeng's arms.

When the boat set off, Ji Yunshu felt a bit nervous. Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng had never been on such a long boat ride since birth. She was worried they might get terribly seasick, so she had packed ginger slices and preserved plums in advance, along with several handkerchiefs.

As it turned out, the two children were even more energetic than she was on the boat. Nian Nian lay over Pei Yufeng's shoulder looking around, pointing at seagulls and babbling: "Bird! Bird!" Sheng Sheng sat by the window, his little hands gripping the sill, his dark round eyes fixed on the churning waves outside for the entire journey—neither crying nor fussing, occasionally pointing at the distant water, though he was clearly just as curious about the outside world.

Ji Yunshu sat across from them watching, unable to help but smile: "These two kids are nothing like me. The first time I took a boat, I was dizzy beyond belief and almost threw up."

Pei Yufeng held Nian Nian, the corner of his mouth curving: "They take after me."

"Take after you how?"

"Take after me in being tough."

Ji Yunshu gave him a look, but the corners of her mouth curled up. After most of a day on the boat, the two children ate when hungry, slept when tired, and when awake just watched the sea and sky outside the window—not a hint of discomfort. Ji Yunshu finally relaxed, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes for a while. She felt the sea breeze blowing in through the window, carrying that familiar scent of nearing land, which she'd missed.

After the boat docked, they transferred to a train. Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng saw a train for the first time. Nian Nian pressed her face to the window and watched for a long time, while Sheng Sheng sat quietly on Pei Yufeng's lap as usual. This time Ji Yunshu, worried they might get carsick, tucked ginger slices into Nian Nian's pocket beforehand and tore pieces of dried salted plum to feed Sheng Sheng. As it turned out, the two kids just swayed with the motion—Nian Nian fell asleep to the clatter of the train with drool running from the corner of her mouth, and Sheng Sheng gradually closed his eyes too, leaning against Pei Yufeng's arm.

Ji Yunshu watched the two children slumped every which way, then looked at Pei Yufeng holding one in each arm, and felt that spot in her chest go full and soft.

By the time the train arrived, it was already evening. The setting sun gilded the platform in a warm gold, people came and went, and suitcase wheels clattered along the ground. Ji Yunshu carried Nian Nian, Pei Yufeng carried Sheng Sheng, and the two of them stepped down from the carriage and headed toward the exit. Ji Yunshu spotted a familiar figure standing beyond the platform railing in the distance—He Qiuxia, wearing a dark gray coat, hair combed neatly, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, kept craning her neck toward the exit.

The second she saw Ji Yunshu and Pei Yufeng come out, He Qiuxia's eyes lit up. She stepped forward a few steps, handkerchief clutched in her hand, lips trembling, and called out, "Xiaoshu!"

Ji Yunshu's nose immediately stung. Holding Nian Nian, she hurried over, and He Qiuxia came up to meet her, first looking at Ji Yunshu's face, then down at Nian Nian in her arms. Nian Nian, held by her mother, tilted her little head and looked at this stranger who seemed somehow familiar, her big eyes blinking up at her.

"Nian Nian, Sheng Sheng," Ji Yunshu crouched down, set Nian Nian on the ground, and gestured for Pei Yufeng to put Sheng Sheng down too. With an arm around each kid, she pointed at He Qiuxia and said, "Do you remember your grandma? When you were little, Grandma took care of you—fed you, rocked you to sleep—can you say 'Grandma'?"

Nian Nian looked up at He Qiuxia for several seconds, then grinned and called out in her clear little voice, "Grandma!"

Sheng Sheng stood beside her, quietly watching He Qiuxia for a moment, as if trying to figure out if what Ji Yunshu said was true, but soon he also called out, "Grandma," in a loud voice.

He Qiuxia's tears started falling immediately. She crouched down and gathered both Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng into her arms, murmuring over and over, "Yes, yes, Grandma's here," her voice shaking hard. Nian Nian, held in her embrace, wasn't scared at all. She even reached up and touched the tears on He Qiuxia's face and said in her soft little voice, "Grandma, don't cry."

Hearing that, He Qiuxia cried even harder, but she was smiling through her tears. She looked up at Ji Yunshu, then at Pei Yufeng standing nearby, and wiped her tears. "Good, good. You're back, that's all that matters. Come on, let's head home. Your great-grandma is waiting at home—she's been going on about it all day. I made all your favorites."

Ji Yunshu's tears fell as well. She crouched down, hugged He Qiuxia's arm, and rubbed against her like she did as a kid. "Mom, we're back."

He Qiuxia patted her back, then picked up Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng, one in each arm. The two children didn't squirm or struggle—Nian Nian wrapped her arms around He Qiuxia's neck, and Sheng Sheng rested his head on her shoulder, calm and quiet.

Pei Yufeng carried the suitcase, walking beside them, and the five of them headed out of the station together. The setting sun stretched their long shadows across the platform behind them.

When they reached the compound gate, Nian Nian, resting on He Qiuxia's shoulder, suddenly called out again, "Grandma, fish!"

He Qiuxia blinked in confusion. "What fish?"

Ji Yunshu laughed and explained from the side, "We eat fish every day on the island. She thinks there's fish at Grandma's house too."

He Qiuxia laughed so hard tears came to her eyes again. "Yes, yes—Grandma will steam fish for you once we get home. Nian Nian's a good girl, Sheng Sheng's a good boy—Grandma will make you all kinds of yummy food."

Nian Nian clapped her little hands from He Qiuxia's shoulder. Sheng Sheng didn't make a sound, but he lifted his little head from He Qiuxia's shoulder, looked at Pei Yufeng walking beside them, then at the family compound gate growing closer ahead, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Ji Yunshu walked beside He Qiuxia and gently reached out to take Pei Yufeng's hand. Pei Yufeng turned his head to look at her, and their gazes met in the twilight. Neither spoke, but both smiled.

The shadow of the old locust tree by the compound gate stretched long, and the faint aroma of cooking drifted from the courtyard. Ji Yunshu took a deep breath and felt that this spring couldn't be any better.

He Qiuxia walked ahead holding Nian Nian, Pei Yufeng followed beside her holding Sheng Sheng, and Ji Yunshu walked at the back, looking at the grapevine in the yard that had grown well, memories flooding back. It had been over two years since she'd been home. The vine was thicker than she remembered, branches stretching far, new tender leaves gleaming glossy green in the dusk light.

By the time they reached the front door, it was already open. Ji Haiguo stood in the doorway in a faded old military uniform, both hands clasped behind his back. He had aged far more than Ji Yunshu remembered—his hair was almost entirely white. Before, only his temples had been frosted; now the whole top of his head was gray-white. The wrinkles on his face had deepened too, running from the corners of his eyes down to his jaw, like cracks in a dry riverbed. His back was more stooped than before. It had only been a little over two years, yet he looked ten years older.

Ji Yunshu stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at him. Her nose stung, and tears nearly fell. "Dad..."

Ji Haiguo's gaze first landed on her face, scanning her carefully from head to toe to confirm she was safe and well, then shifted to Sheng Sheng in Pei Yufeng's arms, and finally to Nian Nian in He Qiuxia's arms. His lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something. His Adam's apple bobbed several times, but in the end he only managed to squeeze out, "You're back—that's what matters. You're back."

Nian Nian was set down by He Qiuxia and tilted her little head to look at the white-haired old man in the doorway, then looked up at her mother. Ji Yunshu crouched down, one arm around Nian Nian, and took Sheng Sheng from Pei Yufeng's arms with the other, saying softly, "Call Grandpa."

Nian Nian called out in her crisp voice, "Grandpa!" Sheng Sheng followed with a call of his own, not loud, but without any shyness.

Ji Haiguo's eyes reddened instantly. He bent down to pick up the two children, but his back seemed to trouble him—he paused halfway through the motion. Pei Yufeng quickly stepped forward to steady him, but Ji Haiguo waved a hand. "It's fine, it's fine." Then he slowly crouched down, gathered Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng into his arms, one on each side, and held them for a long while before letting go.

Ji Yunshu stood nearby, watching her father crouched on the ground—he used to squat down without a wobble, quick and steady; now his knees clearly strained as he lowered himself, and he had to brace a hand on the ground to steady himself. Her heart felt like it had been squeezed.

"Dad," Ji Yunshu's voice was hoarse, "you've lost so much weight."

Ji Haiguo stood up and waved a hand. "That's what happens with age." He turned to Pei Yufeng. "Xiao Pei, how long are you staying this time?"

"Twenty-five days. I applied for forty days of family leave this time, and after this we'll go to Suzhou." Pei Yufeng carried the luggage inside. "At least half a month here before we leave."

"Good, good." Ji Haiguo nodded and patted Pei Yufeng on the shoulder. "Come inside and sit—dinner's ready."

Great-grandma was sitting on the living room sofa. When she saw Ji Yunshu come in, she started to get up. Ji Yunshu hurried over to support her. "Great-grandma, don't move—you stay seated."

Great-grandma took her hand, her thin, withered fingers stroking the skin on the back of Ji Yunshu's hand, her eyes scanning her up and down. "Thinner, thinner." Then she looked at the two children in Pei Yufeng's arms, and the wrinkles on her face relaxed. "Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng have grown so big. The photos you sent before were from when they'd just turned one—they looked so adorable..."

Ji Yunshu brought Nian Nian over to great-grandma. Nian Nian wasn't shy with strangers—she grabbed great-grandma's knee and started climbing up. Great-grandma laughed at the little one's antics and caught her. "Oh my, this girl looks even plumper than in the photos." Nian Nian settled onto great-grandma's lap, reached up to touch her white hair, then cupped great-grandma's cheeks with both hands and babbled "ah-ah."

Sheng Sheng stood nearby, quietly looking up. Great-grandma freed one hand to beckon him. "Sheng Sheng, come over and let great-grandma have a look at you." Sheng Sheng hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over and stopped at great-grandma's knee. He didn't climb up, just rested his little hand on her knee. Great-grandma patted his little head, and her eyes grew wet again. "Good, good—both of you are good children."

Ji Yunshu noticed that although great-grandma was smiling, there was a hint of weariness she couldn't quite hide in her brow. Her eyelids were a little puffy, as if she hadn't slept well lately. The fatigue beneath the smile was well concealed, but Ji Yunshu had grown up with her great-grandma—how could she not see it? She didn't ask on the spot. She just left the two children with great-grandma and went to the kitchen to help serve the dishes.

The dinner table was lively. He Qiuxia had made a table full of dishes—steamed fish, braised meat, and a big bowl of chicken soup with a layer of golden oil floating on the surface. Nian Nian sat next to Ji Haiguo, who kept picking food onto her plate with his chopsticks. Nian Nian accepted everything, her little mouth shiny with oil. Sheng Sheng sat beside Pei Yufeng, quietly eating his rice, occasionally looking up at the people around him.

Ji Haiguo had two glasses of wine, and a flush spread across his face. He talked more than usual. "Xiao Pei, you got promoted to full regimental commander this time? Good, good—the youngest regimental-level officer in the military region. If your father were still here, he'd be thrilled."

Pei Yufeng held his glass and bowed his head slightly. "It's all thanks to the army's training."

"Don't be modest," Ji Haiguo waved a hand. "If you've got the ability, you've got the ability. At your age, others are still grinding away as deputy battalion commanders. Good, good—our family has produced a fine prospect."

Ji Yunshu listened from the side, watching her father's flushed face and the wrinkles that had multiplied, and the ache in her heart wouldn't go away.

The meal lasted until dark. Nian Nian fell asleep on Ji Haiguo's shoulder, and Sheng Sheng was carried to the small bed by great-grandma. Pei Yufeng cleared the dishes into the kitchen to wash them, while He Qiuxia helped wipe the table. Taking advantage of Pei Yufeng being in the kitchen, Ji Yunshu pulled He Qiuxia into her own room.

Closing the door, moonlight streamed in through the window, scattering silver across the floor. Ji Yunshu stood by the bed, looking at He Qiuxia's face, her voice low and serious. "Mom, has something happened at home? Why has Dad aged so much?"

He Qiuxia's grip on the dishcloth tightened. She was silent for a long moment, then finally let out a sigh.

"Your father... he's about to retire." He Qiuxia's voice was also soft. "The Great Movement is getting more intense now, and the tide isn't looking good. All those years he was a cadre, he was upright and impartial, and he made enemies. Even if everything was done by the book, some people hold grudges. If he really steps down and loses the protection of that uniform, those people will come after your father. Life for our family in the compound won't be easy."

Ji Yunshu's heart sank. Ji Haiguo was highly respected in the military, but the higher one stands, the more people envy him. One misstep could make an enemy. He Qiuxia had mentioned before that some people wanted Ji Haiguo to step down early, but he refused. Now that he'd reached retirement age and had no choice, how could those people let Ji Haiguo off easy?

"He won't end up like some, sent off to the northwest," He Qiuxia shook her head with a soft sigh. "But the cold remarks, the subtle snubs—those will be unavoidable. You know your father. He's been strong-willed his whole life. If he has to endure people looking down on him, he won't be able to take it."

Ji Yunshu's nails dug into her palm. "And great-grandma? She looks exhausted too."

He Qiuxia pressed her lips together and looked away. "Besides your father's situation... there's also Lizi's matter."

Author's note:

None.