Chapter 34

The next day, she opened her eyes to find that daylight had already seeped into the room.

Jiang Jiang rubbed her head, slipped into her slippers, and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.

When she returned, she saw He Guijuan tidying up her bed.

“Up so early?”

“I woke up.”

“Go change your clothes.” He Guijuan glanced at the clock; it wasn’t even half-past six yet, so there was still plenty of time. “Mom will help you tie your hair.”

Hearing her mother, Jiang Jiang picked out a red wool sweater and a white spring blouse from her wardrobe and then went to the bathroom to change.

This white blouse was made from a fabric they had bought at the department store before the last school term started. He Guijuan brought Jiang Jiang along for the shopping trip.

As she didn’t have the time to sew it herself, He Guijuan had asked a familiar tailor to make the blouse. The stitches were fine and precise, and the tailor had even embroidered flowers and butterflies on the blouse, making it appear refreshingly elegant.

Another piece of white fabric with tiny pink floral prints had also been turned into a similarly styled new blouse. Although it lacked embroidery, its buttons were unique—rather than the typical shell buttons, they were crafted from wood and shaped like little flowers.

“Turn around and let me see.”

When Jiang Jiang heard this, she stretched out her arms and twirled before her mother.

He Guijuan couldn’t resist pulling her into an embrace and kissing her. “Beautiful, as expected of my precious daughter.”

The white blouse under the red sweater, with butterflies embroidered near the hem, seemed ready to flutter in the wind—vibrant and lively. The red sweater made Jiang Jiang’s complexion look even fairer and more radiant.

Before having a child, she had always thought about how wonderful it would be to have one, especially a daughter she could dress up beautifully each day. Now, her wish had come true.

Jiang Jiang felt a little shy from the praise.

He Guijuan took a comb, smoothed out Jiang Jiang’s hair, and tied it into two horn-shaped braids, fastening the ends with a yellow hair ribbon.

Her hands were skilled and capable of creating many different braiding styles.

As the first light of morning streamed in, Jiang Jiang looked at He Guijuan’s serious reflection in the mirror and smiled softly.

Suddenly, someone slipped two pieces of paper into her hand. Jiang Jiang unfolded them and saw that it was two yuan.

She looked back at He Guijuan: “Mom, what’s this?”

“That’s two yuan. Keep it, and if you like anything, go ahead and buy it. If you have any leftovers, just save it.”

“No need, I still have a lot of money from the New Year that I haven’t spent.”

“Just listen and keep it.” He Guijuan remembered something, “Oh, by the way, ask your brother Zhong Xing when he and his family are free. We should visit them to thank him properly. Thanks to him, we got through the avalanche last time, and I haven’t had the chance to thank him formally.”

“Alright.”

He Guijuan gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Now, let’s go have breakfast.”

Breakfast was simple—rice porridge, steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and boiled eggs.

The pickles were a gift from one of He Guijuan’s colleagues at the hospital. When she brought them home, she rinsed off the excess salt, sliced them thinly, and stir-fried them with a bit of oil, making them just the right amount of salty to pair with the porridge.

Just as they finished breakfast, Zhong Xing arrived.

After spending the night at home, he had tidied himself up. His hair, which usually fell over his eyes, had been trimmed slightly. He wore a white shirt tucked into his pants and a pair of white Warrior sneakers, and on his wrist was the Enicar watch he had taken off before.

Jiang Jiang opened the door and, seeing him, couldn’t hide her joy. “Brother Zhong Xing!”

“Ah, Xiao Zhong is here! Have you had breakfast yet?” He Guijuan called out, inviting him in.

“Thank you, Auntie, I’ve already eaten. Have you?”

“We’ve eaten too.”

Zhong Xing’s gaze lingered on the little girl standing in front of him.

The little girl wore a red sweater, her long hair braided into two horn-like pigtails that hung down her back, the ends curling up slightly.

 The light seemed to dust her fair face with a soft, honey-like glow, making her look sweet, obedient, yet lively.

She was way too cute.

Zhong Xing held back the urge to pinch her cheeks. “Auntie, I’ll take Jiang Jiang out for a bit.”

“Go ahead,” He Guijuan said, though she added a reminder, “Don’t go buying her things needlessly. You’re a recent graduate and not exactly flush with cash.”

“Got it.”

Zhong Xing took Jiang Jiang downstairs.

—o—o—o—

Meanwhile, He Guijuan tidied up, preparing to leave for work at the hospital.

It was almost eight in the morning, and the streets were already bustling with pedestrians. Zhong Xing’s bicycle was parked at the bottom of the stairs.

“Brother Zhong Xing, where are we going first?”

Zhong Xing thought for a moment; there was still plenty of time. “Let’s take a walk outside the city.”

March mornings held the essence of spring. Dew still clung to the leaves, and the streets bustled with people coming and going—some going to work, others doing business, some heading into the city to shop. A radio broadcasted current news, and red banners lined the streets with various messages.

Jiang Jiang sat on the back seat of Zhong Xing’s bicycle, facing the morning breeze as they passed through crowded streets, out of the ancient, crumbling West Gate, and eventually arrived at a hillside by the Chengguan River.

In spring, the Chengguan River swelled rapidly with muddy, yellow water. Wildflowers bloomed across the slopes, creating a peaceful, scenic backdrop. Fresh green grass sprouted between patches of last year’s withered blades, and here and there, young couples could be seen walking together.

In Qingjian Province, there were no parks, so the Chengguan River served as the “park” for the people of Qingjian.

Zhong Xing locked up his bicycle, and the two walked along the path by the river, enjoying the cool breeze drifting over the water. Suddenly, Jiang Jiang remembered the task He Guijuan had given her. “Oh, right, Brother! My mom asked me to check when it would be convenient for you and your family for us to visit. Is there a time that would work?”

Zhong Xing thought about it. “How about the end of the month, after your birthday? I’ll take a couple of days off and stay in town for an extra day.”

“Sounds good!”

The two of them walked down the hillside, and as they passed the county elementary school, they noticed an elderly man pushing an ice pop cart. Zhong Xing hadn’t expected someone to be selling ice pops this early in the season. He turned to Jiang Jiang, “Want an ice pop?”

Jiang Jiang licked her lips and nodded eagerly. “My mom gave me two yuan this morning. I’ll buy it.”

She lowered her head and began searching for the money. Zhong Xing was a recent graduate and didn’t have much saved up; he’d even bought a gift for their family yesterday. She didn’t want him to spend any more money.

“Going out with your big brother means you have to pay.” He said and ruffled her hair with a smile before heading over to the ice pop cart.

From Jiang Jiang’s perspective, she watched as Zhong Xing spoke briefly with the elderly seller, handed over two yuan, and received two ice pops from the foam cooler.

When he returned, he handed her an ice pop. “Is it good?”

“Yes!” Jiang Jiang nodded enthusiastically, licking her ice pop. It was her first time tasting one—sweet, cold, and refreshing. When she bit off a piece, it melted into sugary water in her mouth.

“Where should we go next?” It was still early, not even noon yet. Since she didn’t get out often, Jiang Jiang didn’t want to return home so soon.

“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

She shook her head.

“Then why don’t you come with me to the recycling station?”

“Alright, let’s go to the recycling station later.”

Once they finished their ice pops, Zhong Xing got on his bike and took her to a recycling station in the county.

At the time, many people brought old household items to recycling centers. It was a way to clear out unused things from home and make a bit of spare change.

When they arrived, Zhong Xing parked his bike, took her by the hand, and led her inside.

The recycling station’s manager was a man in his fifties, wearing a pair of thick reading glasses. Right inside the entrance was an open area filled with various recyclables.

There were piles of chicken and duck feathers, used batteries, empty toothpaste tubes, turtle shells, orange peels, broken glass, worn-out cotton, fabric scraps, bottles, mismatched old shoes, braids of different hair lengths, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, books, newspapers, scrap metal, and so on—all neatly sorted and stacked. It wasn’t as messy as one might expect; instead, it had an odd sense of order.

“You here to sell something, young man?” the manager asked.

Zhong Xing’s gaze fell on a bundle of books tied with nylon string, sitting atop an old glass cabinet. “How much are those books?”

“Those are high school textbooks. If you want them, I can sell the set to you for five yuan.”

Zhong Xing chuckled a hint of self-mockery in his smile.

When he graduated from the county high school, he had sold these very textbooks as scrap by catty—he only earned fifty cents. Now, here he was, needing to pay ten times that to get them back.

There was a mix of irony and melancholy in his expression.

“I’ll take them.”

Jiang Jiang’s eyes brightened at the mention of five yuan. She had seven yuan in her pocket. “Brother, I can help you pay.”

As she spoke, Jiang Jiang took the money out of her pocket and handed it to the old man.

Zhong Xing quickly stopped her, holding her hand back. “No.”

“Sir, don’t take her money,” he said firmly.

The old man glanced at Zhong Xing, then returned the money Jiang Jiang had offered.

“Let me pay for it,” Jiang Jiang insisted. “I want to give you a gift, but I don’t know what else to get you.”

Zhong Xing chuckled at her earnestness. “You want to give me a gift? Alright, but let’s put it on hold for now. I’ll let you know when I think of something I’d like, and you can ‘pay’ then.”

Jiang Jiang’s face scrunched up in mild frustration, and she pouted slightly. “Fine, then.”

Zhong Xing couldn’t help but smile at her expression. He paid for the books, picked up the bundle, and they left the recycling station.

He patted Jiang Jiang’s head and glanced at his watch. It was already 11:30 a.m. “Hungry? Let’s go get something to eat.”

At this time, the state-run canteen was packed, every table filled. They eventually had to share a table with a young couple who seemed to be traveling.

Zhong Xing placed the books beside him. “What would you like to eat?”

Jiang Jiang glanced up at the menu hanging in the middle of the canteen. She had intended to cover the cost of the textbooks as her gift to him, but he hadn’t let her. She knew he wouldn’t let her pay for lunch either.

Not wanting to spend too much of Zhong Xing’s money, she studied the menu listing today’s dishes and chose the cheapest option. “I’ll have a bowl of corn gruel.”

“Just the gruel?”

She nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Zhong Xing raised an eyebrow at her choice. “That’s not enough to fill you up. Let’s add a bit more.”

He called over the canteen worker and ordered not only the corn gruel for Jiang Jiang but also a plate of steamed buns and a simple vegetable stir-fry for them to share. He could tell she was trying to be considerate by choosing the cheapest item, but he wasn’t about to let her go hungry.

The food arrived quickly, and Jiang Jiang’s eyes lit up at the sight of the additional dishes, though she tried to hide it. She carefully sipped the corn gruel, savoring the mild, slightly sweet taste.

“Do you like it?” Zhong Xing asked, tearing a piece off a steamed bun and offering it to her.

Jiang Jiang nodded, swallowing a mouthful of gruel before saying softly, “It’s delicious. Thank you, Brother.”

“Good. And next time, don’t feel like you have to pick just the cheapest thing, alright?” He gave her a gentle smile, ruffling her hair again.

Jiang Jiang’s cheeks turned a little pink, and she quietly continued eating, carefully taking bites of the steamed bun and vegetables. For her, it was a simple but perfect meal. She felt both cared for and independent, a rare and comforting combination.

Jiang Jiang watched Zhong Xing, his head bent over the bowl as he finished the noodles she hadn’t been able to finish, his forehead damp with a fine layer of sweat.

A complicated feeling rose in her chest.

Back when Zhou Fugui’s wife used to make her eat Jinbao’s leftovers, she had always felt uncomfortable and resentful.

Yet, here was Zhong Xing—so careful about cleanliness—eating the noodles and broth she had left behind without a second thought.

A young woman sitting nearby observed them with admiration in her eyes. “You two siblings have such a good relationship.”

The woman thought of her brother, who did nothing but laze around, constantly asking their family for money and showing no care for her.

In contrast, seeing Zhong Xing and Jiang Jiang warmed her heart.

The woman was around Zhong Xing’s age. Jiang Jiang noticed her glance but simply smiled sweetly, saying nothing.

Zhong Xing finished the noodles, placing the empty bowls in front of him and letting out a satisfied sigh. “I’ll be heading back to Dongxi Village first thing tomorrow. See you at the end of the month.”

“See you at the end of the month, Brother Zhong Xing.” Not wanting him to forget, Jiang Jiang added, “And remember, you promised to write me a letter!”

Zhong Xing chuckled. “Alright, I’ll make sure to write.”

—o—o—o—

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Zhong Xing set off with the bundle of textbooks he’d bought at the recycling station, along with some dry food and clothes that his mother had packed for him. With his load in hand, he began the journey back to Dongxi Village.