Chapter 71: Dividing Things
After Shen Lingning finished speaking, the room was silent for a moment.
Zhou Weiguo's gaze fell on his wife's face. Under the dim light, her eyes were clear and her expression was calm, as if the extremely thoughtful arrangement just now was just a casual mention.
He felt like his heart was hit by something, not surprise, but a hot emotion mixed with pride and heartache.
He recalled her stubbornness when she faced the difficulties posed by Majiaji alone, her calmness when she was surrounded in Songtaogou, and now...
She was no longer the delicate flower who needed him to protect her all the time. She could see the situation clearly, knew how to leverage strength, and knew how to navigate this complex environment.
To gain stability and respect for their small family.
"OK!"
Zhou Weiguo nodded heavily, with undisguised approval: "Just as you said! You've thought it through!"
He stood up, and the movement strained the injured left arm, causing him to frown slightly, but he quickly relaxed.
"Going to send it off now? I'll accompany you."
Shen Lingning shook his head. "It's evening soup time, and the family compound is bustling with people. It would be too conspicuous to deliver it now. I'll deliver it to Aunt Sun's and Political Commissar Zhang's homes tomorrow morning when there are fewer people around. We can share the snacks tomorrow morning."
As she spoke, she picked up the can of malted milk that she was going to keep. The tin can was cold and smooth, and the red words "Shanghai Guanshengyuan" on it reflected the light.
Her fingertips unconsciously stroked the can, but her thoughts drifted away.
Southwest...The letter Zhao Xiangbei wrote was about the 045th Regiment of the Southwest 16th Division.
That place has high mountains and dense forests, and the climate is hot and humid. She vaguely remembered a yellowed herbal atlas she flipped through in her old house in Shanghai when she was a child. It seemed to mention several medicinal herbs unique to the southwest, which were very effective in treating traumatic blood stasis, and reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration.
Zhou Weiguo's injury looks horrifying, and he might suffer from bumps and bruises in the future. The base clinic only has a few kinds of medicine, and their effects are average.
If only...
A thought became clear: a return gift to the Zhao family, local products and local specialties as a token of my appreciation...
If I could ask my second brother Zhao Xiangbei to keep an eye out for, or even purchase on my behalf, some effective but hard-to-find medicines for wounds over there, it would truly solve my urgent problem and would also be a better way to express my gratitude.
But how can I write this so that it doesn't seem abrupt and like I'm just bothering others?
She didn't say anything more, but she already had a plan in mind.
She turned around and took out a small cloth bag from the depths of the kang cabinet. Inside was a powder for healing wounds that she had secretly ground and mixed using several herbs that grew exceptionally well in the space. The powder was much more effective than the ones bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.
She carefully poured out some, divided it into more than 20 portions, and carefully wrapped them with clean oil paper. Each portion was only the size of a fingernail, but it condensed her thoughts.
Then he found a clean glass bottle that originally contained canned fruit.
Carefully fill the space with the "special" tea leaves that have extraordinarily thick leaves and a restrained aroma after frying, and tightly plug the cork.
She spread out the letter paper and began to write.
First, as a younger sister, she asked about her second brother Zhao Xiangbei's life in the southwest, her tone respectful yet intimate.
Then, he naturally brought up the recurrence of Zhou Weiguo's old injury, omitting the details of the attack, saying only that it was an old injury from training. He thanked Mr. Zhao for the supplies he had sent, and then changed the subject:
"...I happened to get some prescriptions from the southwest, which are said to be quite effective for injuries caused by falls.
I just don't know what the herb looks like, so it's hard to find. Remembering my second brother, stationed in the southwest, is knowledgeable and well-informed, I'd like to ask. If you have time, could you ask the locals about the herb called 'Chuanxiong'?
I heard that its leaves resemble carrots, and it blooms in clusters of small white flowers. Its rhizomes are used as medicine to invigorate blood circulation, dispel wind and relieve pain. If you are lucky enough to get some, it would be a pleasant surprise.
I'm enclosing a little healing powder that I made up myself. It's quite effective. If you have some minor bumps and bruises during your daily training, you can give it a try.
I also have a bottle of homemade mountain tea. It tastes crude, but if you don't mind, it can be used to relieve greasiness, inflammation, and summer heat after meals..."
It was written extremely naturally, as if it was just mentioned in passing, with the emphasis on asking for advice and offering one's "small gift", downplaying the matter of seeking medicine to the level of almost casual chat.
Finally, in the postscript at the end of the letter, I briefly mentioned Fubao's interesting stories and the scenery of Songtaogou Base in a more casual tone.
Just as I put down my pen, I heard the sound of footsteps at the door, accompanied by a clear childish voice: "Fubao! Fubao! Brother is here to play with you."
It’s Tiedan, the little grandson of Aunt Sun next door.
The little fellow clung to the door frame and poked half of his head in. He immediately saw the large canvas bag on the ground that was not completely folded and still looked bulging. His eyes instantly widened and his mouth opened into an "O" shape:
"Wow! Auntie! Uncle Zhou! Did your family buy a mountain? I feel like there's more stuff here than in the backyard store! How come there are so many goodies?"
He gestured exaggeratedly with his hands, his little face full of surprise and envy.
The child's words were innocent, but they happened to hit the nail on the head for the many neighbors outside who were listening intently and peeking through the cracks in the doors and windows.
This huge package, like a piece of fat meat, whetted everyone's appetite and attracted countless complicated thoughts.
Shen Lingning and Zhou Weiguo looked at each other and laughed.
Zhou Weiguo's lips curled up for once, and he waved at Tiedan: "What nonsense! These are old things sent by relatives in Chang'an. Fubao just went to bed. I'll play with her tomorrow."
Tiedan said "Oh", his eyes still glued to the package, and ran away looking back every few steps.
His interruption did dilute the slightly solemn atmosphere in the room, but it also acted like a mirror, reflecting the undercurrents in the family compound at the moment - envy, jealousy, curiosity, calculation, all kinds of eyes were focused on it.
Shen Lingning carefully put the packaged medicine powder and tea bottle into the bundle to be sent to Chang'an, his eyes calm.
She knew that once these supplies were distributed tomorrow, there would be some discussion, both open and covert.
But she also knew that this was a necessary move.
Shen Lingning ignored the possible prying eyes and vague discussions outside the courtyard behind him.
She swiftly put most of the things into the cabinet against the wall, leaving only the can of malted milk for Fubao and the package of snacks that she was about to open in a conspicuous place on the kang table.
——It is both for convenience and also to let certain people see that the Zhou family really only kept the portion that “should be kept”.
Zhou Weiguo moved even faster and cleaned up the outer room in just a few moves.
He stuffed those conspicuous large packages safely under the bed or on top of the cabinet in the inner room, ensuring that nothing unusual could be seen at a glance from outside the door.
When Shen Lingning washed his hands with water from the enamel basin in the yard and carefully applied clam oil to moisturize his chapped skin, he raised his eyes.
I saw Zhou Weiguo had taken off his military uniform and was only wearing a washed-out army green vest, chopping firewood in a corner of the yard.
The early summer afternoon sun was not too strong, and it cast a layer of warmth on his bronze skin.
The vest couldn't cover his muscular body at all. His shoulders were broad and thick, and his arms were muscular. As he swung the axe...
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