Chapter 75
Night, like a piece of coarse, ink-soaked cloth, had already fallen over the military compound's family compound. The dim kerosene lamp cast a flickering halo on the window paper, stretching the shadows of the furniture. Wang Xuemei placed the last coarse porcelain bowl into the peeling paint cupboard. The bowl's rim made a soft clang as it bumped against the edge. She turned to look at Xiao Li, who had just entered, her brows still furrowed, like a piece of unstraightened cloth.
"Today at the hospital, I happened to run into Xiao Ming going in to change the dressing." She added a piece of chopped wood to the stove, and sparks "crackled" and danced, illuminating the worry on her face. Even the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were dyed orange-red. "Standing next to Comrade Qian, his face was as red as Guan Gong in the temple, and even the base of his neck was red. I always feel that something is wrong. Xiao Ming's personality is usually as proud as a victorious fighting rooster, and his eyes are like they are on the top of his head. How could he be so foolish as to fall for a female educated youth who has a partner? But every time he sees Comrade Qian, he's like he's been possessed by a demon, half his soul has been lost, and he almost drops his camera."
Xiao Li untied the laces of his combat boots, the rough canvas scraping against his ankles. He paused at the words. Mud from the soles of his boots fell to the ground, sending up a fine ash that, mixed with the smell of wood smoke from the stove, filled the room. "You're overthinking it." His voice was emotionless, like a piece of waterlogged wood, but his fingers unconsciously stroked the whitened seams on the boots, the marks of years of marching.
"I'm not overthinking it." Wang Xuemei turned around. The cuffs of her military uniform were still stained with the smell of Lysol. The smell mixed with the faint medicinal fragrance on her body, the smell that only people who have been in the hospital all year round have. "I'm a doctor. I don't believe in superstitious things. But no matter how fierce the "Four Olds" movement is these days, there are some things that people can't help but believe. Take you for example--" She stared at Xiao Li's waist, where there had been a wound deep enough to see the bone from shrapnel. The flesh was turned inside out. Her heart tightened when she saw it. She sewed seventeen stitches, each one soaked in blood. But when changing the dressing the next day, Xiao Li refused to let her see it and locked himself in the tent, saying only that his wound was fine. Now that she thinks about it, his wound may have healed by then. Is this normal? She stared at Xiao Li, swallowing the words that came to her lips, but the doubt in her eyes became even heavier.
The kerosene lamp flickered, a small spark from the wick illuminating Xiao Li's face. His jawline was set tight, like a cold stone. "Soldiers on the battlefield have tough skin," he replied calmly, rising and walking towards the table. His trousers rustled against the edge of the kang. "Don't dwell on these useless things; they only add to your worries."
Wang Xuemei didn't let him go. She chased after him and grabbed his hand as he poured hot water. The edge of the enamel pot hit the corner of the table with a clang. "Comrade Qian looked at Xiaoming like he was staring at a steamed bun he absolutely had to have. He was so stubborn, his eyes practically glued to him. This wasn't the way a normal girl would look at a man. And Xiaoming, when he's taking photos, he's so alert and attentive that he can even detect a flying insect passing through the camera. But how come he's like a soulless person in front of Comrade Qian, forgetting to even call her 'sister-in-law'?"
Xiao Li placed the enamel pot on the table, and some of the water splashed onto the surface, leaving a small dark mark. He knew Wang Xuemei was telling the truth. Qian Fangyan, the original heroine, possessed a natural "plot pull" like an invisible magnet. Xiao Ming, the hero, was inevitably drawn to her even if he, an outsider, disrupted his trajectory. Unless their interactions were completely severed, it was only a matter of time before Xiao Ming became attracted to her. Not only would he be unable to explain himself to Xiao Ming, but he would also be a source of gossip within the military district.
"The situation is getting increasingly tense." He interrupted Wang Xuemei, his tone heavy, as if weighed down by a heavy stone. "Out there, people are catching people with poor work style as examples everywhere. A small matter can become known to everyone, and even a drop of spit can drown people. You should stay out of this, or you'll get burned." He fished out a pen and paper from the drawer. The paper was yellowed and curled at the edges. "Oh, right, send a telegram to me quickly, and tell them to leave as soon as possible. The situation over there is unstable, and the sooner we get there, the better."
Wang Xuemei's grip loosened, a flicker of fatigue flashing across her eyes, as if the strength had been drained from them. "Brother and sister-in-law are already on their way. Province D is short of medical staff, so their application was approved quickly. It was just that the review process was delayed for a while, like checking back eight generations of ancestors, and it took nearly half a month. In a few days, the four of them will be here." She stuffed another handful of firewood into the stove, and the flames made her cheeks hot. "What a coincidence! Brother used to say he was petty bourgeois, holding a collection of poetry in his hands, disdaining to ponder the ways of the world, and avoiding leaders when he met them. But ever since Dad was sent to a labor camp for that incident, and he followed Dad's instructions and published a clear line of demarcation in the newspaper, he seemed to have suddenly woken up. He learned how to deal with people, was polite to everyone he met, and became ten times more cautious in his actions, even thinking three times over."
Xiao Li thought of his brother-in-law. He used to love reciting Pushkin's poems whenever they met, his voice rising and falling. Now, he'd probably used the paper from his poetry collection to paper windows. In these days of scarcity, romance couldn't feed them. "Once they arrive and settle in, I'll secretly take them to see my father-in-law." He paused, then added, "Have my father-in-law check on Commander Song and the other old guys. They've been through so much these past few years, I'm afraid their old injuries have recurred."
"That's what I thought, too." Wang Xuemei sighed, her voice a little hoarse. "I've saved up some food coupons these past few days and sent some food to them. Life in the labor camp is hard, and I'm afraid Dad won't be able to endure it. But the weather is so unusual today, the fields are still lean, and all the wild vegetables have been dug up. Our D Province is better off. We live by the river, so we can catch some fish, and we can find some food in the mountains. I don't know how the people outside the Great Wall survive. I'm afraid they've even eaten the bark of the trees." She lifted her apron and wiped her hands. There were some dust marks on the apron. "When we first came here, famine was raging everywhere. There were people starving to death on the roadside. Even though we had high salaries, the food ration was so limited that we had to secretly buy black market food to support my parents and those old leaders. The black market food was shockingly expensive. A pound of corn flour could be exchanged for half a foot of cloth coupons. With two half-grown children, it was the time to eat, and we had to make sure we had a full meal every day. Life was not as glamorous as it seemed on the surface."
"Of course, life is so tight and difficult."
In the halo of the kerosene lamp, neither spoke. Only the crackling of the firewood in the stove spoke of the hardships of life. The wind outside blew poplar catkins against the window paper, making a rustling sound, as if someone was walking lightly outside, afraid to disturb those inside. Xiao Li lowered his head, writing something on a piece of paper, his pen leaving a rustling trace across the rough paper, his handwriting strong and powerful. The most direct way to resolve Xiao Ming's problem was to get Qian Fangyan to leave, but he had no reason to touch the people under the jurisdiction of the Youth League Office; that would cause unnecessary trouble. Let Xiao Ming hide? If the girl was convinced of the name "Xiao Ming," she might come looking for him, which would be even more troublesome.
The next evening, Xiao Li, clutching a leather notebook, walked toward Xiao Ming's dorm. The dirt road in the family compound was riddled with potholes, puddled from the recent rain. Reflecting the blazing sunset glow, it looked like an overturned rouge box. Xiao Ming's dorm was in the back row, a small, isolated bungalow. On the windowsill sat a pot of wilted cactus, its green so dark it looked black. He'd picked it up from the battlefield, saying it was "drought-resistant. Soldiers like us can survive any hardship or difficulty."
The half-closed door clicked open, its hinges creaking. Xiao Ming was squatting on the floor, cleaning his camera. The lens cap had been removed, and he was rubbing it repeatedly with a soft cloth. The metal body shone dimly under the kerosene lamp, and the scratches were particularly obvious. Hearing the noise, he turned sharply, his eyes still focused, and the cloth in his hand dropped to the ground with a "clatter."
"Brother?" He was a little surprised and stood up hurriedly, hitting his knee on the edge of the kang, making him grimacing in pain.
Xiao Li sat down on the edge of the kang, his military trousers cuffed with mud, leaving two marks on the clean kang mat. "Your sister-in-law said she wants to find you a partner," he said straight to the point, his eyes fixed on Xiao Ming's ears, which were red as if smeared with rouge. "What do you think of Nurse Qi? She's the one who changed your dressings."
Xiao Ming's face flushed red, from cheeks to neck. He frantically placed his camera on the table, but he lost his grip. It clanged against the corner with a thud, startling him so much that he quickly covered the lens with his hands. "Did your sister-in-law tell you this?" He scratched his head, his voice quieter than a mosquito's, as if afraid of being overheard. "Comrade Qi... is quite good. She's very careful when changing the dressing, and her movements are so gentle that it doesn't hurt at all. Last time, a wounded soldier was screaming in pain, and she soothed him with a few words. She even sang a little song from her hometown for him. I even took a picture of them and kept it in the drawer."
When he mentioned Qi Xiaoxue, the light in his eyes was clear, like the sky washed by rain. Unlike the flustered look when he thought of Qian Fangyan, it was filled with a shy joy. Xiao Li had an idea in his mind, but he deliberately asked, "What about Comrade Qian? Don't you have any other thoughts about her?"
Xiao Ming's face froze instantly, as if frozen, and his smile froze on his face. He squatted back down, picked up the cloth, and repeatedly wiped the nonexistent dust off the camera, his movements mechanical. "I... I don't know what's going on." His voice was muffled, with a hint of grievance that he himself didn't even realize, like a child who had been wronged. "Every time I see her, it's like something is pulling me. My eyes want to glance at her, and my heart is beating wildly, like a rabbit in my arms. I even... I even think that she is meant to be mine. This idea is too absurd, I dare not even think about it."
The last sentence was spoken very softly, but it was like a needle that pricked Xiao Li's brows. "Heh." He stood up and patted Xiao Ming's shoulder with a firm touch, a hint of warning. "Since you know something is wrong, stay away from her. Next time you see her from a distance, run away quickly. The faster the better. Don't cause me any trouble."
Xiao Ming suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with fire, like burning firewood, "Brother! I'm not that kind of person! Xiao Ming is my first brother, how could I possibly -"
"I didn't say you were." Xiao Li interrupted him, his tone a little colder, like a layer of ice. "But you have to remember, she is Xiao Ming's girlfriend, this is a foregone conclusion. Also, your destined person is not Qian Fangyan, but Qi Xiaoxue. Don't make a mistake. I'll go back first. You should go home and eat later. Don't keep us waiting."
After saying that, he turned and walked away. Xiao Ming roared angrily from behind him: "Brother, what nonsense are you talking about! Comrade Qi and I are just ordinary comrades!"
Xiao Li didn't turn around, but the corners of his mouth curled up in a barely perceptible smile. In the original story, Xiao Ming and Qi Xiao Xue were meant to be a couple, even if the reincarnated heroine interfered. Fate, like a root in the ground, can't be pulled out just because someone wants to.
Meanwhile, Qian Fangyan, clutching a frayed notebook, wandered the poplar trees outside the military compound. The pages were yellowed and brittle, filled with fragments of biographical information about "General Xiao Ming," written in elegant yet urgent handwriting. The more she pondered, the more something seemed off. That young reporter, Xiao Ming, though blushing and stuttering, like a frightened deer upon seeing her, possessed a heroic spirit, and the ruthlessness with which he dared to lash his camera at the enemy when wounded. He was more vivid than the distant, unreachable general she remembered, seen only in photographs. He was more like the man she was looking for.
"I must have remembered the details wrong." She clenched the notebook so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and the red rope at the end of her braid was pulled straight. "He is Xiao Ming, but he hasn't grown into a general yet. But why is he a reporter? Shouldn't he be on the battlefield? And his brother, the biography says he died a long time ago, so how is he still alive? It's good for him to be alive. Only when he is alive can he be more helpful. He is now a brigade commander, and maybe he can become a general in the future, so I can take care of him more."
For the next few days, she kept going to the Corps, using the excuse of helping the villagers with their work, but her eyes kept glancing around. Xiao Ming was a reporter, often interviewing educated youth and fellow villagers, carrying a camera everywhere. Logically, there should have been plenty of opportunities for them to run into each other. But every time she saw the figure with the camera from afar, just as she was about to approach and flash that smile she'd practiced so many times, the person would, as if they had eyes behind them, grab their camera and take off, moving as fast as a rabbit chased by a wolf, even their camera bag shaking.
Once, by the river, she saw Xiaoming squatting on a rock, photographing waterfowl. The setting sun stretched his shadow long, and his focused expression radiated seriousness. Just as she was about to greet him, calling out the countlessly practiced phrase, "Comrade Xiaoming," he suddenly stood up, tossed his camera over his shoulder, and ran down the riverbank, his military boots splashing water like a deserter, not even noticing the lens cap had fallen to the ground.
Qian Fangyan stood there, watching his back disappear into the woods. Her fists clenched in anger, her nails digging into her flesh. "Why are you running?" The fleeing Xiao Ming contrasted sharply with Xiao Ming's clinging presence. One couldn't escape, the other wouldn't leave. She growled unwillingly at the empty riverbank, her voice shattered by the wind. "What good is Xiao Ming doing me? Can he earn a living by caring about me? Can he become a general? Can he bring me wealth and glory? Can he even let me hold my head up high?"
The wind blew poplar catkins toward her, blinding her eyes and making them sting. Rubbing them, she suddenly felt a sense of injustice. Hadn't she traveled back to this era, endured so much hardship and suffering, just to cling to Xiao Ming, this "hidden dragon"? How had things turned out like this? Was she wrong?
At this moment, Xiao Ming was hiding behind a tree, panting heavily, his heart beating as if it was about to explode, and his throat was sweet. He had always followed his brother's advice and ran away when he saw the other party, but he felt that if he took one more step forward, he would make a huge mistake and let Xiao Ming down. He touched the camera around his neck, and the cool touch of metal made him sober up a little. He remembered Qi Xiaoxue's serious advice when she changed his dressing, "Don't let the wound get wet, otherwise it will easily get infected." That gentle tone was like a warm current, and his heart suddenly felt more at ease.
A distant call for assembly echoed through the forest, a long, lingering sound, as if beckoning him. Xiaoming took a deep breath and headed back to the base, camera in hand. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the path beneath his feet, like a path paved toward the future—a bumpy road, yet filled with hope.
This road may be tempting and confusing, but he knows that he must walk with dignity and be a person with a clear conscience.
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