As Bonnie watched Gu Ye's departing figure, she took a few deep breaths to compose herself, not wanting the child to discover any clues.
"Mom, are Dad and the others going to another city for this training camp?"
Liu Jiu was quite curious; she actually quite liked the training camp.
"This is a secret, even Mom doesn't know."
Hearing her mother say that, Liu Jiu didn't ask any more questions, as they had been familiar with the confidentiality rules since they were young.
Bonnie was a little listless and went back to her room to lie down, silently praying that Gu Ye would come back safely.
I drifted off to sleep and dreamt of Lao Jiang. Well, not really, I dreamt that Lao Jiang was escorting us away again. My mother was standing alone at the dock, looking at the surging sea, with tears still wet on her face.
"Mom, get up and take your medicine."
Bonnie felt a little cold and a little hot, a mix of both. Had she caught a chill in the afternoon? I knew it; one shouldn't indulge in debauchery during the day.
Opening her eyes, she saw Liu Jiu's anxious expression and felt a little scared.
She had never seen her mother so weak; in her memory, her mother was always full of energy.
"Sigh, I kicked off the covers last night. You guys should be careful too, it's peak season for colds now. Have Brother Xuanyu go and get some Banlangen (a traditional Chinese medicine), you guys should all make some and drink it as a precaution."
Bonnie's voice was a little hoarse; she was really angry!
"Okay, I'll go tell Brother Xuanyu right away."
After Bonnie drank her medicine, Liu Jiu took the bowl and teacup out. Bonnie didn't want to move and lay back down in bed.
"Mom, here's a hot water bottle. What do you want to eat tonight?"
Sanqi came in with a hot water bottle filled with hot water, reached out and touched her mother's forehead; it was still a little warm.
"Thank you, son. Mom wants seafood porridge for dinner, the kind your grandma makes."
Bonnie suddenly missed her mother and wanted to eat her mother's cooking.
"Okay, I can do it. I'll go soak the seafood. Mom, you can sleep a little longer. Brother Xuanyu went to buy Banlangen (a traditional Chinese medicine), he'll be back soon. We should all drink some, it won't make us sick."
"Okay, Mom will sleep a little longer."
Bonnie was woken up by the aroma of seafood porridge. After taking her medicine and hugging a hot water bottle, she worked up a sweat and felt much better. After changing into clean clothes, Bonnie left the bedroom.
"It smells so good!"
"Does it taste the same as Grandma's?"
Sanqi opened the lid of the casserole, Liujiu took a rag and brought the pot out, and Xuanyi took out a bamboo mat and placed it down. Everything was in good order, and the cooperation was pleasant.
"Second Aunt, are you still hot? Are you still feeling unwell?"
Xuan Yu had a pretty good idea of what was going on: his second uncle had probably gone south, and his second aunt was getting really anxious.
"It's not hot anymore, I feel much better, it's nothing serious, I'll be fine after taking the medicine for a couple of days. You guys should also be careful not to get infected. Xuanyu, watch them drink the Banlangen (Isatis root) and then you drink it too."
After Bonnie finished speaking, she couldn't wait to sit down and take the bowl of porridge that Sanqi had prepared. It tasted really delicious.
After eating three bowls of porridge and sweating profusely, Bonnie felt cured.
Days passed by one after another. Besides writing, Bonnie would listen to the radio and keep up with the news from the south.
Actually, it was pointless for her to listen; she didn't know Gu Ye's exact location or his specific mission. She just wanted to feel more at ease.
A few days before New Year's Day, Lin Tao came to Bao Ni's house.
"Second brother, what brings you here? Aren't you at work?"
Bonnie was quite puzzled; it wasn't a day off, so how did her second brother have time to come over?
"I've completed my demobilization procedures and will be leaving in a few days. I came to see you and say goodbye."
Lin Tao's transfer to civilian work was decided long ago, but the specific time had not been announced. Many of his comrades were also transferring to civilian work in the same batch.
"Why so suddenly? I haven't heard about this!"
Bonnie had genuinely not heard that Gu Ye was quite busy in the second half of the year, and she really didn't know how many people had changed careers.
“We had heard about it before, but we didn’t know the exact time. Now, everything is settled, and we will leave in a few days.”
Lin Tao was aware of the current situation. He hadn't known at first that Gu Ye was also going south, but he had recently guessed it.
"Where did you transfer to, and what position did you hold?"
"Back in my hometown, I worked in the Public Security Bureau. I still prefer wearing the uniform. After so many years in the military, I know my own abilities. I'm not very good at speaking, and I don't have a thorough understanding of some things."
I went to the Public Security Bureau, where many of my comrades-in-arms who had transferred from the military worked, so it was easier for me to adapt. Besides, I like police work.”
Lin Tao knew his own limitations. With his qualifications, he could have gone to some large factories, but he wasn't confident he could do well, so he chose the Public Security Bureau.
“That works too. Our city is developing quite well, especially since the reform and opening up. There will be more and more opportunities. If you go to the Public Security Bureau, at least you'll have stability.”
Bonnie is telling the truth. The city where they live in their hometown is really good, and the Public Security Bureau is a secure job; you won't be laid off.
In the 1990s, layoffs were happening all over the country, and it was really difficult to find a job back then.
"Yes, it's stable. Your second sister-in-law has also been transferred back to the city hospital; she's still a nurse. She'll be closer to home now, and she can go back to visit more often."
"For so many years, I've been serving in the military in Beijing, so I've had very few opportunities to go home and haven't been able to take good care of my parents. Now that we're closer, I can help them out if anything happens."
Although Lin Tao was reluctant to leave the army, he knew that this was the best arrangement.
"That's fine. Your grandparents are getting old, so go back and visit them more often when you have time."
Bonnie also wanted to go back, but she was worried and afraid of missing any news about Gu Ye.
"Yes, you should go back and visit them when you have time off. Your grandparents miss you the most."
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