Chapter 113 The Moon of Yesteryear
Xie Ning put on his sheepskin coat and dog-skin hat again; it was a very cold day.
“You’re carrying a lot of weight. If you feel unwell, you don’t have to force yourself. Just come and ask me for leave.”
This refers to Wu Li, who is estimated to be six or seven months pregnant.
"I know what's important. The office is busy right now. If I leave, you'll have to work overtime until late at night again."
Xie Ning: Not really, it's just that there aren't many entertainment options at night, so we just work a little longer.
The two were still chatting when Erniu knocked on the door. "Director Xie, it's time to go to the meeting."
Xie Ning was taken aback. She wasn't supposed to have a meeting today, but she still packed up her notes and went out, perhaps because there was some emergency.
As soon as the door opened, Shen Hanqing was seen. When Xie Ning was holding that thick notebook, Shen Hanqing paused, but still said, "Director Xie, these are the comrades who have come to report for duty."
These were all talented individuals transferred from various regions. Xie Ning nodded slightly, and when she saw one of them, she couldn't help but show surprise, "Yuan Yuan?"
She lost contact with Yun Ai'ai after being kidnapped by the Japanese invaders that day. All she knew was that Yun Ai'ai had been living in the south with Aunt Liu. The fair-skinned girl from back then now had a face full of hardship, showing that she was not doing well, but her eyes were even brighter.
After losing her parents, Yun Ai'ai was always blaming herself, and Xie Ning could only let her slowly get over it on her own. Now she seems to have let go of the past.
Yun Ai'ai smiled brightly, "Teacher, I'm back."
"Yes, it's good that you're back." It's good that you're still alive.
Xie Ning turned to Shen Hanqing and said, "You and Wu Li make the arrangements together. I'm going to a meeting first."
Wu Li came out of the office with the documents in her hand and looked at Yun Ai'ai with curiosity, "Comrade, are you still Director Xie's student?"
They definitely couldn't be the students from the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, so it could only be the students that Director Xie taught elsewhere. They knew this, since there were several of Director Xie's students in the institute before, and they were all very knowledgeable. Now they were either assigned to various places or went with the army.
Yun Ai'ai nodded, but didn't say much.
They came here for further study; in addition to learning professional knowledge, they also have to attend Party classes.
Since it was on the way, Shen Hanqing asked Wu Li to take them to dig cave dwellings. That's right, dig cave dwellings. Even for special talents, they still had to dig their own cave dwellings. Now everyone had moved from the city to the outskirts, since they were too conspicuous in the city.
There are many mountains here, so you can dig a cave dwelling anywhere.
Yun Ai'ai was stunned. She had grown up in Shanghai and had only ever been to places in the south. She had never seen anything like this before. "I never thought that you could just dig along the foot of the mountain and dig out a cave dwelling to live in. It's much better than a thatched hut!"
That thatched shed couldn't keep out the rain. People who got wet in the rain were prone to getting sick, and in the absence of medical care and medicine, it was difficult for anyone to survive.
Wu Li laughed a few times upon hearing this, "That's right, this cave dwelling is warm in winter and cool in summer, it's very comfortable to live in. You just arrived and don't have anything yet, I'll take you to get some quilts later, and then we can heat up the kang (heated brick bed) and it won't be cold anymore, it'll be very warm at night."
"Technician Wu, Technician Wu, someone's looking for you!"
Wu Li turned around and saw that it was Shen Quezhi. She quickly went to greet him, "Why are you here? The hospital is very busy. Don't let me delay your work."
"I was just worried about you. Things at the hospital are important, but you are just as important. I didn't know where you worked, so I waited for you at this intersection. I had to ask around to find out you were here. The roads are slippery in the snow, so you have to be careful." Shen Quezhi had his arm around Wu Li's waist, looking extremely anxious.
"What are these?"
"They are new colleagues. I'm helping them dig cave dwellings. We need to finish them quickly so we can have a place to stay tonight."
Shen Quezhi touched Wu Li's cold hand and frowned, saying, "In this cold weather, you should think about the children, not just your own health. You go back first, I'll help them dig the cave dwelling here."
"No, this is my task, Comrade Shen Quezhi!" Although she was secretly happy and liked Shen Quezhi's concern for her, it was getting late and she had to help dig the cave dwelling.
Yun Ai'ai quickly stepped forward and said, "No need, Sister Wu, you should go back first. The few of us are enough, not to mention there are other comrades helping out!"
Shen Quezhi's gaze fell on Yun Ai'ai, paused for a moment, and then nodded in agreement, "Yes, you're feeling unwell right now, you should go back first, listen to me!"
Finally, Shen Quezhi had already put on a stern face.
"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you, sigh." She felt that she was in great health, and the baby in her belly was also very cooperative, never causing her any trouble.
There were only six people living there, four men and two women, so two cave dwellings were enough; it was warmer to squeeze in.
When Xie Ning arrived and saw the new cave dwelling, everyone was already sitting on the earthen platform covered with straw and mats, warming themselves around the charcoal brazier. A small pot of porridge, made from an iron biscuit box, was hanging on the brazier. There were also a few potatoes buried in the brazier. This was everyone's dinner.
"Thank you, Director."
Xie Ning smiled and asked everyone to sit down. "Don't be shy. The conditions here are a bit basic since you've just arrived. I've come to bring you some things."
All they had were some noodles and eggs, and a jar of pickled vegetables. Even though they had supplies here, there wasn't much to eat.
Then he waved to the simple-minded boy in the corner.
The simple-minded boy glanced at Yun Ai'ai before obediently standing next to Xie Ning.
Stroking the little boy's prickly buzz cut, Xie Ning said to Yun Ai'ai, "You're too busy to find time, so let's put this child in my yard. Xiao Yang will be there to look after him, and he'll be familiar with him."
Yun Yuanyuan breathed a sigh of relief and didn't refuse, after all, given their friendship, there was no need to be polite.
With the teacher around, the simple-minded girl felt more at ease and focused on her work.
Xie Ning sat and chatted for a while before leaving with Hanwazi. Yun Ai'ai followed to the door, but the others didn't follow. It was obvious that the teacher and students had something to talk about, so why should they go up and join in the fun?
"Teacher, I saw someone today. Do you know him?"
"who?"
"The husband of Technician Wu was slept away."
he?
Xie Ning stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowing slightly. "What's wrong with him?"
Yun Ai'ai didn't know what to say for a moment. "When I was in Jiangsu, I was saved by an older woman and learned some things. Shen Quezhi looks a lot like the husband that older woman was talking about, but..." But here, Shen Quezhi already has a wife and is about to have a child.
"Dr. Shen said he used to have a wife with bound feet. Could it be the older sister you mentioned?"
Yun Ai'ai nodded repeatedly, "That lady had bound feet!" She had been marveling at how this lady, whose feet hurt when she walked, had dragged her back with her.
She said her husband was studying abroad and was going to come back to serve his country, but his hometown had suffered a disaster, and her parents-in-law had all died. She was the only one who survived.
"I understand. I'll report it and have someone investigate. You should go home now; it's so cold, go to sleep early."
If that really is Shen Quezhi's ex-wife, then we still need to inform her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
