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◎The King of Scrolls, Day Thirty-Four◎
Zhou Qingyu's fist clenched silently at her side, her knuckles turning white, but she still suppressed her surging emotions: "Commander Jiang, I know you're fiercely protective of your sister, but feelings can't be severed so easily. Wanzhou and I..."
"Don't call her Wanzhou!" Jiang Renzhou slammed his hand on the kang table, making the enamel mug on the table jump.
"Let me tell you, Zhou Qingyu, we're leaving with the army next month. If you know what's good for you, stop bothering her, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Jiang Wanzhou stood in front of the stove, the dishcloth in her hand almost shredded.
She wanted to say something for Zhou Qingyu, but seeing her brother's reddened eyes, she swallowed her words.
She knew that her brother was genuinely afraid that she would be wronged.
Zhou Qingyu's gaze swept over Jiang Wanzhou's tense profile and landed on Jiang Renzhou. Suddenly, she smiled, a smile that carried a sense of recklessness.
"Go with the army? Even if you go to the ends of the earth, I will find you. Comrade Jiang, the person I, Zhou Qingyu, have chosen, I will never let go of in this lifetime."
"What do you mean!" Jiang Renzhou grabbed a carrying pole from the side of the kang (a heated brick bed) and was about to hit her, but Shen Xinglian held him back tightly.
"Are you crazy! Can't you talk this out?" Shen Xinglian was sweating profusely. "Mingyuan is still sleeping in the inner room!"
Jiang Wanzhou rushed over and grabbed her brother's arm, tears welling up in her eyes: "Brother! Hitting him is hitting me! If you insist on doing this, I won't go with you!"
Jiang Renzhou's carrying pole froze in mid-air. Looking at his sister's red eyes, his chest heaved violently. Finally, with a "bang," he threw the carrying pole to the ground and said, panting heavily.
"Fine! Very well! I don't care anymore! Do whatever you want!"
After saying that, he turned around and rushed into the inner room, slamming the door shut.
The room fell silent instantly, with only the rapid breathing of the three people remaining.
Shen Xinglian patted her chest and winked at Zhou Qingyu: "Zhou Zhiqing, you should go back first. We'll talk about it after he calms down."
Zhou Qingyu didn't move, but looked at Jiang Wanzhou with eyes full of pity: "Don't be angry with him, he's only doing it for your own good."
Jiang Wanzhou shook her head and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "I know. You go first, I'll come find you tomorrow."
Zhou Qingyu nodded, placed the sugar cake on the stove before leaving, gave her a deep look, and then turned to leave.
He had just stepped out of the courtyard when the door to the inner room opened, and Jiang Renzhou stood in the doorway, his eyes red-rimmed: "Are you really going to stay for him?"
Jiang Wanzhou walked up to him, her voice soft but firm: "Brother, I'll go with you. But I want to say goodbye to him and make things clear."
Jiang Renzhou looked at her, remained silent for a long time, and finally sighed.
The next morning, Jiang Wanzhou took two boiled eggs to find Zhou Qingyu.
The people at the educated youth settlement said he had gone to the vegetable garden, so she walked towards the vegetable garden and saw him squatting in the ground turning over the soil in the distance. His back looked particularly lonely in the morning light.
"Zhou Qingyu," she called softly.
He turned around abruptly, saw it was her, his eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up: "You've come."
"Okay." Jiang Wanzhou walked to his side and handed him the eggs. "Here you go."
Zhou Qingyu took the egg, but didn't eat it; she just held it in her hand and asked, "Are you really leaving?"
Jiang Wanzhou nodded, her throat tightening: "I'll leave next month."
Zhou Qingyu interrupted her, took her hand in his. His hand was rough but warm. "Wanzhou, I don't care about the future. I only care about you."
Jiang Wanzhou's heart was pounding. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held it even tighter.
The morning light shone on the two of them, carrying a warm and cozy temperature. She looked into his earnest eyes.
"But I care."
She opened her mouth, and just as she finished speaking, she saw Song Zheng walking over from not far away, holding a book in his hand, with a strange look in his eyes.
Zhou Qingyu also saw him and subconsciously pulled Jiang Wanzhou behind her.
Song Zheng walked up to them and smiled: "Brother, Comrade Jiang, you're here. I've been looking for you for ages. The brigade leader wants you to go to the brigade headquarters. He said the commune has sent a notice."
Zhou Qingyu frowned: "What notification?"
"I don't know, it seems quite urgent." Song Zheng's gaze swept over the two clasped hands, and he smiled meaningfully. "You two talk first, I'll go tell the captain you'll be there soon."
After saying that, he turned and left, his steps so light that it didn't seem like he was there to deliver a message.
Zhou Qingyu watched his retreating figure, her eyes darkening. She said to Jiang Wanzhou, "I'll go to the team headquarters first. We'll talk properly when I get back."
"Mm." Jiang Wanzhou nodded, watching his hurried departure.
She stood in the vegetable garden, his warmth still lingering in her hands, gazing towards the team headquarters. The sunlight was clearly warm, yet she felt a chill in her heart.
—
The ship's anchor plunged into the sea with a loud thud.
Jiang Wanzhou steadied herself by holding onto the ship's railing, then looked down at Mingyuan, who was clutching her clothes tightly in his arms.
The little guy's eyes were wide open as he stared at the white waves churning at the stern of the boat.
"We've arrived." Jiang Wanzhou ruffled his hair and looked up at the shore.
A military green Liberation truck was parked on the dock, and several women were already sitting inside. When they saw this group of people disembarking, they all leaned forward to look.
Jiang Renzhou walked over carrying a large canvas bag with the words "Red Star Brigade" printed on it, the edges of which were worn white.
Shen Xinglian, carrying a net bag filled with pots and pans, said, "Wanzhou, make sure you hold onto those two small bundles carefully, don't lose them."
Jiang Wanzhou agreed.
The wind was strong on the dock, carrying the dampness of the sea waves, making one's neck feel cold.
Jiang Wanzhou wrapped the scarf around Shen Xinglian's neck: "Sister-in-law, make sure you're covered up properly, don't catch a cold."
"Hey." Shen Xinglian replied with a smile, but her eyes were drawn to the scenery in the distance. "Look at those mountains, they're so green, they're prettier than the dirt slopes back home."
Jiang Wanzhou followed her gaze and saw that the island was shrouded in a thin mist, with some gray-tiled roofs vaguely visible halfway up the mountain.
The waves crashed against the rocks again and again, breaking into a white expanse before receding, leaving behind a ground covered with shimmering seashells.
"Jiang Tuan! Over here!" A young soldier in military uniform waved to Jiang Renzhou, his voice as loud as a whistle.
Jiang Renzhou responded and led them toward the truck.
The women in the car moved aside one by one, and a girl with two long braids smiled and said, "Are you Commander Jiang's wife and sister? I'm Lin Xiaomei, the girlfriend of Xiao Li from the communications platoon. She just came with the army last month."
"Hello, I'm Shen Xinglian." Shen Xinglian sat down with Mingyuan in her arms. "This is my sister-in-law, Jiang Wanzhou."
Shen Xinglian looked like she was carsick and fell asleep as soon as she got in the car.
“Wanzhou looks so young.” Lin Xiaomei’s eyes curved into crescents. “You must be exhausted from coming all the way from your hometown. This island may look remote, but once you get used to it, it’s more comfortable than anywhere else.”
Jiang Wanzhou smiled shyly, and was about to speak when a woman with curly hair chimed in, "That's right! When I first came here, there was nothing here, and I cried every day because I missed home. I wouldn't want to leave now! I'm from Commissar Wang's family, just call me Zhao Xiulan."
She patted Jiang Wanzhou's arm with a firm grip: "Don't worry, little sister. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me. I know it all!"
The truck sputtered to life and began to climb up the dirt road along the coast.
At first, Shen Mingyuan curiously clung to the side of the car to look at the sea, but soon he fell asleep in Jiang Wanzhou's arms.
Jiang Wanzhou gazed at the coconut trees by the roadside and occasionally saw women squatting on the beach.
"They're beachcombing," Zhao Xiulan said, following her gaze. "After the tide goes out, the beach is full of treasures—clams, razor clams, small crabs. A morning of digging is enough for two meals. I'll take you there once you're settled!"
"Really?" Jiang Wanzhou's eyes lit up. She had dug up wild vegetables and caught fish and shrimp in her hometown, and she really wanted to see what the "vegetables" in the sea looked like.
"Of course it's true!" Zhao Xiulan laughed heartily. "Our island may not have much else, but we have plenty of seafood!"
As they spoke, the truck rounded a bend, and the outline of the family compound became increasingly clear.
It is a row of short trees.
"We're here!" Lin Xiaomei pointed to a stone house at the far east end. "That's the house that Commander Jiang was assigned. It's two courtyards away from my house, so it'll be very convenient for us to visit each other!"
Jiang Renzhou jumped off the car first, took Mingyuan from Shen Xinglian's arms, and then handed over the bundles one by one.
Jiang Wanzhou almost slipped on the gravel as she jumped down from the side of the vehicle.
Zhao Xiulan quickly caught her: "Slow down, slow down, this stone ground is very slippery."
"Thank you, Sister-in-law Zhao." Jiang Wanzhou steadied herself and looked around the stone house in front of her.
The courtyard was small, with a hand pump well in the corner of the wall and several flat stone slabs piled up next to it, as if they were used for drying things.
“The well water is a little sweet. After boiling it, it needs to settle for a while.” Zhao Xiulan followed her in and pointed to the chicken coop in the corner of the yard. “This chicken coop was left by the previous family. If you want to raise chickens, just tell the logistics department and you can get two.”
Shen Xinglian touched the stone on the wall; it was icy cold. "This house is sturdy, much better than the mud-brick houses back home."
"Of course!" Zhao Xiulan peeked into the house. "It's windy on the island, so sturdiness is very important. Commander Jiang is probably about to hand over the duties. I saw your luggage at the door, so I'll have my husband, Lao Wang, come and help carry it in."
"No need, no need, we can do it ourselves." Jiang Renzhou quickly waved his hand, "It's too much trouble for you, sister-in-law."
"What's the trouble! We're all one family!" Zhao Xiulan said, walking out. "I'll call him right now!"
"Let's set up the kang first." Shen Xinglian placed Mingyuan on the luggage. "The ground is a bit dirty, so you can't climb on it for now."
Jiang Wanzhou opened the bundle and found the basin.
Footsteps echoed from the courtyard gate, and Zhao Xiulan led in a burly man in military uniform, who was also carrying a wardrobe.
“This is my husband, Lao Wang.” Zhao Xiulan patted the man’s arm. “We’ll carry the boxes inside. You ordered these a while ago, but we were afraid they would be stolen, so we put them in my yard.”
"The crib and cabinet are still in the back."
"Hello, Political Commissar Wang. Thank you for your hard work, Political Commissar and your wife." Shen Xinglian looked at Shen Mingyuan.
Several young men also moved in.
"I cleaned for you yesterday, put the furniture up first." Zhao Xiulan stopped Jiang Wanzhou, who was about to get water.
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