Chapter 166 A New Journey

The morning light shone through the car window onto Gu Qiuyue's slightly tired but expectant face.

The train roared away from the capital, but her heart had already flown to that familiar small county town in the north.

The postgraduate entrance examination was successfully completed, and the heavy stone pressing on her heart was removed. What she was most concerned about at this moment was Grandma Li who lived alone in the county town.

Thinking of what Xie Shiyu said on the phone not long ago - "Shuangshuang is waiting for her mother to see her little red flower at home every day, and Huahua is eager to sing the nursery rhymes she has learned to her mother." - the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose.

After taking a long-distance bus in the provincial capital and a bumpy ride for several hours, we finally arrived at the county town.

Gu Qiuyue was carrying large and small bags - some were soft pastries bought from the capital, and some were special products from the capital for several families with whom she had good relations in the military family compound. She first booked a room in the guesthouse, and then, carrying the pastries, she turned into the narrow but clean alley as if she was familiar with the way.

Pushing open the half-open wooden door, the yard was quiet. "Granny Li?" Gu Qiuyue called softly.

"Oh...is that Qiuyue?" A weak response came from the inner room, followed by a suppressed cough. Gu Qiuyue's heart tightened and she walked in quickly.

Granny Li was struggling to sit up from the bed. Her face was sallow and she looked much thinner than the last time they met. When she saw Gu Qiuyue, her cloudy eyes suddenly lit up, but she was interrupted by a more violent cough. "You... why did you come back so suddenly? Have you finished your exams?"

"The exam is over, grandma, please lie down and don't move." Gu Qiuyue quickly put down her things, went forward to pat her back and pour her some water. She felt very sad. It had only been a short time since they last saw each other, and the illness had tortured the old lady into this state.

She took out the X-rays taken at the county hospital and the doctor's opinion from Beijing whom she had consulted, sat on the edge of the bed, and said softly but firmly, "Mother-in-law, look, the doctor said you must get systematic treatment. The conditions in the county are limited, so you must come with me to the capital this time."

When Granny Li heard this, she shook her head like a rattle: "No, no, no, the capital is such a place... What is an old woman like me doing there? I'll only cause you trouble. No, no..."

"How could it be a trouble? When you were teaching me embroidery, weren't you afraid of trouble?" Gu Qiuyue held her skinny hand. "Just think of it as visiting relatives. Taking care of your health is the most important thing."

"How much will it cost..." Granny Li said with a worried look on her face, "I only have a small amount of money for a coffin..."

"Don't worry about the money," Gu Qiuyue said in a relaxed tone. "I get paid for my articles and translations, and Shi Yu and I just settled down in Beijing. It's not a big house, but it's enough for you to live in. The hospitals in Beijing have good technology, so if we can get him cured right away, wouldn't that save a lot of money?"

She deliberately used warm words like "building a small home" to downplay the importance of buying a house, and emphasized "having a place to live."

Granny Li was still hesitant, her eyes filled with fear of the unfamiliar environment: "I've lived here all my life, and I know everyone here. If I go to Beijing, I won't know anyone, and I won't speak the language. I'll be so bored..."

"How can you not know them? You know me, Shi Yu, Shuangshuang and Huahua! They will go to Beijing with me this time, and there are many fun things to do in Beijing, such as Tianmen, the Forbidden City, and many handicraft shops. You can also see many novel embroidery patterns when you go there!" Gu Qiuyue tried hard to paint a positive picture.

As they were talking, Aunt Zhang, a neighbor, came over after hearing the noise. She was also very happy to see Gu Qiuyue back and helped to persuade her, "Grandma Li, Qiuyue is right. You should listen to the child. It is the right thing to do to go to the capital to get the disease cured. Qiuyue is a promising and kind-hearted child. You are very lucky."

After persuading her for nearly an entire afternoon, Granny Li looked at Gu Qiuyue's anxious and sincere face, listened to her well-organized arrangements and hopeful descriptions, and then looked at the old neighbor who was supporting her. Finally, tears rolled down her deep wrinkles.

She grabbed Gu Qiuyue's hand tightly with her backhand, her voice choked with sobs: "Good child... Grandma knows that you are really doing this for my own good... I... my life will... be a burden to you..."

"Look at what you said. We are family. Why talk about being a burden or not?" Gu Qiuyue felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.

She immediately stood up and said, "Then it's settled. I'll help you pack your things, and we'll leave the day after tomorrow!"

Gu Qiuyue promptly helped Granny Li pack her belongings, selecting only the necessary and soft clothing and bedding. Granny Li's well-worn embroidery frame and a box of colored thread and silk were essential treasures. The next day, she went to the neighborhood committee to explain the situation and complete the necessary paperwork.

It was already evening when Xie Shiyu returned to the Pingcheng Military Region compound. He had gone home early to prepare a few light side dishes. When he saw Gu Qiuyue helping Granny Li in, he immediately stepped forward to take the luggage, his tone respectful and warm: "Granny Li, you've worked hard along the way. Now that you're here, it's like home. Don't be polite."

Shuangshuang and Huahua came over like two happy little birds, chattering around Grandma Li, showing her little red flowers, singing new nursery rhymes they had learned, and their childish words instantly dispelled Grandma Li's uneasiness of arriving in a strange environment for the first time.

Looking at the happy scene of the family under the light, Granny Li secretly wiped her eyes, and her tense expression finally relaxed.

Gu Qiuyue used the last bit of time to neatly deal with the trivial matters in the compound. She returned the books from the library, gave the key to her house to Mrs. Zhang, with whom she had a good relationship, and asked her to look after it occasionally. She also gave away some old things that she could not take away to people in need.

It was late at night and the children and Grandma Li had gone to bed. Gu Qiuyue was checking the luggage under the lamp for the last time, feeling a mixture of emotions.

This place where she lived with the army for several years left too many memories, and she didn't know whether she would be able to come back in the future.

Xie Shiyu came over, handed her a glass of warm water, and whispered, "It's good that everything is arranged. Once we settle down in Beijing, I'll take you to visit an old leader this weekend. His wife is a researcher of folklore. Maybe she'll have something to talk about with Granny Li."

Gu Qiuyue nodded. This proposal gave her more confidence in Grandma Li's life in the capital. She was about to say something when she caught sight of the notebook she brought back from the capital on the desk. Everything about the Academy of Social Sciences seemed to become clear again.

Tired from the journey, she soon fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, she was awakened by a slight noise and a suppressed cough outside. She quietly got up and saw that the light in Grandma Li's room was on. The old woman was staring blankly at the window, stroking an old thing in her hand. Her back looked particularly lonely and fragile under the light.

Gu Qiuyue's heart sank slightly. She knew that convincing her mother-in-law was only the first step. How to make this elderly woman, who had lived in the county town all her life, truly adapt to and feel at ease in the prosperous capital would be the next sweet but responsible task that required her to complete with patience and love.

When the morning light fills the window again, a new journey is about to begin.