Chapter 6 Picking Vegetables
She knew it was just an excuse.
But in any case, it has nothing to do with her.
The two fell silent again.
Nan Zhiyi lowered her head, staring at the slightly worn-out toes of her shoes, wanting nothing more than to end this awkward encounter as soon as possible.
Gu Xiao's existence was like a mirror, making her current situation seem even more wretched and pathetic.
Fortunately, Feng Xuemei returned quickly: "Zhiyi, the next one is coming right away..."
Her words trailed off, her eyes widening in disbelief: "Commander Gu... what are you doing here?"
Gu Xiao greeted her, "Aunt Feng."
He said nothing more and strode away.
Nan Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief.
Feng Xuemei didn't delve into it further, as there were more pressing matters at hand.
She took Nan Zhiyi's hand: "Zhiyi, come with me to the family compound first. This place is too crowded for us to talk."
Your Uncle Zhang is on the phone in his office, asking his old comrades and former superiors to make sure he finds someone reliable! We should get news around dinner time after training this afternoon. We can have someone come to our house to meet her then; it's better than waiting in the reception room.”
Nan Zhiyi nodded and obediently followed Feng Xuemei through the camp.
On the way, she would occasionally encounter familiar military family members who would greet her. Feng Xuemei would force a smile and respond, only introducing Nan Zhiyi as "a relative's child who came to stay for a few days."
Nan Zhiyi lowered her eyelashes and nodded politely.
Feng Xuemei's home is a row of bungalows with a small courtyard at the back of the military compound.
Pushing open the door, the room was simply and plainly furnished, but kept clean and tidy.
Feng Xuemei quickly poured Nan Zhiyi a cup of hot water.
"Come in, make yourself at home. Are you hungry? I'll get you something to eat."
"No need to bother, Aunt Feng, I'm not hungry."
Nan Zhiyi held the warm enamel mug, her gaze drawn to a corner of the courtyard.
A simple vegetable patch made of bricks.
Several rows of cabbages and rapeseed grew, with a few bamboo poles supporting cucumbers and green beans. A few withered old loofahs and pumpkins could be vaguely seen hanging from the trees.
Against the drab backdrop of the military camp, it stood out vividly and endearingly.
"Aunt Feng, you still grow vegetables?"
Nan Zhiyi walked to the door, looked at the greenery, and her eyes revealed a hint of curiosity.
"It's so beautiful, I've never been inside a vegetable garden before."
Her words were just a casual remark, tinged with naivety.
Feng Xuemei felt a sharp pang of sadness in her heart.
Yes, this child has lived a life of luxury since childhood. The villa garden that was taken away was planted with expensive roses and peonies, and there were nannies to take care of him. He never had to lift a finger.
Let alone growing vegetables, she can only cook noodles and fry an egg in the kitchen; she's lucky if she can even cook rice properly.
But now...
Whether she was forced to go to the countryside or married a military officer to make a living, she would face the mundane burdens of daily necessities, housework, and even caring for her in-laws and raising children.
For Nan Zhiyi, who had been pampered since childhood, this was like falling from the clouds into the mud. Just thinking about the hardships and the contrast made Feng Xuemei feel heartbroken and breathless.
Feng Xuemei suppressed a sob in her throat, turned around to cover it up, and raised her voice a little: "Hey! I'm just killing time anyway, might as well grow some myself, it'll be fresh! And it'll save money!"
She walked to the door and pointed to the vegetable patch.
"Zhiyi, go pick some bok choy, cucumbers, and green beans for Aunt Feng. Pick the freshest ones and just pinch off the tender stems with your hands!"
She handed Nan Zhiyi a small bamboo basket for washing vegetables.
Nan Zhiyi looked at the basket in her hand, then at the vegetable patch, feeling somewhat lost.
But she was always obedient and well-behaved towards her elders.
She nodded: "Okay."
Nan Zhiyi walked into the vegetable patch and squatted down.
Following Feng Xuemei's instructions, she found the most vibrant-looking bok choy, pinched its tender white stem near the root with her fingers, hesitated, and dared not apply too much force.
After several attempts, she clumsily snapped off a stalk and put the vegetable into the basket, her movements awkward.
Feng Xuemei stood under the porch.
Seeing Nan Zhiyi squatting in the soil, surrounded by the most ordinary vegetables, this scene should have been full of life, but in Feng Xuemei's eyes, it only felt extremely jarring.
Her good child...
The young lady of the Nan family, who only knew how to play the piano, paint, and wear pretty dresses, now has to clumsily learn the first steps of survival in this small vegetable garden.
Feng Xuemei turned her face away, blinked hard, and forced back the rising moisture.
Don't cry, now is not the time to cry.
She took a deep breath and called out in the most ordinary tone, "Zhiyi! Pick a few more! We'll eat our fill tonight!"
Nan Zhiyi looked up, a smile on her face: "Okay!"
The courtyard gate was pushed open with a bang, and a girl with braided hair carrying a military-style satchel rushed in.
"Mom! I'm back..." The girl's voice stopped abruptly when she saw Nan Zhiyi by the vegetable patch. She exclaimed in surprise, "Sister?! It really is you! What brings you here?!"
She is Zhang Yueran, the daughter of Feng Xuemei and Commander Zhang.
She is a few years younger than Nan Zhiyi and is currently a sophomore in high school.
Back when Feng Xuemei's family still lived in the compound, Zhang Yueran followed Nan Zhiyi around like a little shadow.
Later, Feng Xuemei's husband, Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang, was transferred to this military region, and the whole family moved there with him, so the two saw each other less often.
Zhang Yueran didn't even have time to put down her schoolbag before rushing to Nan Zhiyi's side: "Sister, is this your first time visiting us? That's great! Sleep with me tonight! My bed is huge!"
Infected by her enthusiasm, Nan Zhiyi patted her hand and said, "Yueyue, you've grown so tall."
"That's right, I'm already a junior in high school!" Zhang Yueran puffed out her chest.
She noticed the vegetable basket in Nan Zhiyi's hand and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister, you can even pick vegetables?"
Feng Xuemei peeked out from the kitchen and saw her daughter return. Seeing a smile on Nan Zhiyi's face, she quickly said, "Yueran is back just in time. Quickly help your sister bring the vegetables in to wash. Don't just keep making a fuss! Zhiyi, come inside and rest. Let Yueran take care of the vegetables."
"It's alright, Aunt Feng," Nan Zhiyi smiled.
The two girls finished their work together before going inside.
Feng Xuemei was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen.
Zhang Yueran pulled Nan Zhiyi to sit on the sofa and eagerly began to chatter: "Sis, what brings you here all of a sudden? Did you come to see my mom? Oh, right!"
She asked gossipily, "When are you and Zhengping getting married? You wrote to me last time saying that Aunt Zhou seemed to be softening her stance? Is there good news coming soon?"
Nan Zhiyi abruptly changed the subject: "Yueyue... stop talking about me. What about you? You're a junior in high school now, you should be graduating next year, right? Have you thought about what you want to do after that?"
Zhang Yueran, being simple-minded, was immediately distracted. Resting her chin on her hand, she said, "My dad said, why don't you try working in the military arts troupe? My mom said, why don't you... become a medic at the military hospital? As long as you don't have to go to the countryside."
Nan Zhiyi smiled, her voice slightly unsteady: "It's good... Yueyue, it's really good that you have Aunt Feng and Uncle Zhang making plans for you."
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