Chapter 8 – The Child’s Concerns

The bed revealed its bare wooden slats, with the mattress sprawled awkwardly in the corner and two pillows stacked on top of each other like little monks, a dark stain visible on one corner.

Er Gouzi released his grip on Su Nianmei and climbed up, trying to cover that stain. His floral skirt swayed as he wriggled his bottom.

Su Nianmei felt a sudden chill of unease, a nagging sense of foreboding.

She stepped forward and embraced Er Gouzi, who was still bouncing his legs back and forth. She felt the fabric of his clothes; they were dry, lacking the texture she had expected.

Gu Xiaobao tugged at Su Nianmei’s shirt, prompting her to set Er Gouzi down on the bed and crouch beside him.

Leaning in close to her ear, Gu Xiaobao whispered, “Er Gouzi wet the bed.”

Su Nianmei turned to see Er Gouzi sitting on the bed, clutching his little skirt with his cute, soft demeanor. She sighed helplessly, resigned to the situation, and climbed onto the bed to retrieve the mattress.

Gu Xiaobao dragged a large wooden bucket over slowly.

Watching the considerate little bun, Su Nianmei placed the mattress inside the bucket and reached out to ruffle the top of his head.

As Gu Xiaobao felt his mom’s affectionate touch, he squinted his eyes in happiness, silently keeping a mental note to credit Er Gouzi for the incident and pushing the memory of last night’s mishap from his mind.

He looked at Er Gouzi with a sense of contentment.

—o—o—o—

Su Nianmei moved the bucket to the public water tank downstairs. The courtyard was mostly empty in the morning, and she sat leisurely on a small stool. Just as she picked up the hose to fill the bucket with water, a shadow blocked the sunlight above her.

Squinting up, she instinctively ducked when a hat lightly tapped her head. Before she knew it, the hose was snatched from her hands.

The person twisted the valve with one hand while holding a cigarette between his lips, the smoke hovering in his mouth, neither fully inhaled nor exhaled. He wore his military uniform neatly, and a “tsk tsk tsk” sound escaped his lips.

He threw the hose on the ground and, in a clear, standard Mandarin, said, “Girl, this is not how you wash a urine-soaked mattress.”

As he spoke, he pulled the mattress out, stepping one foot onto the edge of the platform. He draped the mattress partially over the bucket, exposing the stained section to the air.

He grabbed a piece of laundry soap from the ground, broke off a small chunk with his hands, and, rubbed it directly onto the stained area without a hint of disgust.

Then, he took a kettle from the side and poured a little hot water onto it, rubbing his hands over the stain until it was thoroughly covered.

He then added, “Once it dries, just wash the stained area with clean water. No need to wash the whole thing.”

Su Nianmei watched him and nodded.

She took a moment to size him up. He had a buzz cut, looking clean and sharp, with striking brows and bright eyes, his face well-proportioned. The cigarette hung from his mouth, and his right hand was damp, water dripping down incessantly.

He held onto his hat with his left hand, exuding a carefree air that belied his youthful appearance. He seemed like a different person from the one who had just expertly washed the mattress.

She casually asked, “Do you have children?”

He paused for a moment, took the cigarette from his mouth, half-holding it in his hand, and focused his eyes on the slowly burning ash at the tip. He flicked it and replied somewhat hoarsely, “No, I’ve seen my mom wash my sister’s clothes when we were kids, and I just remembered it.”

As the cigarette neared its end, the man gently pinched it out, and the stub floated down delicately into the flowerbed.

From a distance, a young soldier came running, waving at him. The man stood up at a leisurely pace, leaving behind a parting remark of “See you again if fate allows,” and strolled away with long strides.

Su Nianmei watched the man’s silhouette, his tall, slender frame wrapped in his military uniform, giving off a slightly restrained vibe.

Following his gaze, Su Nianmei noticed a bicycle parked under a tree about five or six meters away. On the back seat rested a yoke carrying some vegetables and fruits.

The man mounted the bicycle and rode off with his companion.

Unconsciously, she had been watching him for a long time.

—o—o—o—

Su Nianmei washed the mattress and hung it on the wire to dry.

Carrying the wooden bucket, she opened the door to find Gu Xiaobao standing there with a military-green messenger bag on his back. A few stray hairs stuck up on his head, giving him a ready-to-go appearance.

Su Nianmei found it a bit strange and asked, “Where are you going, baby?”

Gu Xiaobao fidgeted with the strap of his bag, his little toes twisting on the ground, making his shoes jiggle.

After hesitating for a while, he finally stammered, “Mom, I… I want to drop out of school.”

Su Nianmei froze for a few seconds, blinking four or five times before reacting. She squatted down, set the bucket aside, and pulled Gu Xiaobao onto her lap.

“Baby, are you not happy at school?”

Gu Xiaobao nodded at first but then paused and shook his head.

Su Nianmei gently patted Gu Xiaobao’s back, recalling how strange his reaction had been when he saw Shi Hua, and she pressed on, “Is someone bullying you at school? Like a classmate? Or maybe a teacher?”

Gu Xiaobao instinctively bit his lower lip, gripping the strap of his bag tightly. He shook his head again and weakly uttered, “No.”

Sensing Gu Xiaobao’s anxiety, Su Nianmei decided not to press further. “Then why do you want to drop out of school?”

Gu Xiaobao finally relaxed. “Er Gouzi’s mom said that Dad and Mom work to earn money so I can go to school. I don’t want Mom to work,” he said, his voice growing quieter. “If I drop out, our family will have money. Dad and Mom…”

Su Nianmei looked at the little boy, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, clearly distressed. It broke her heart. “Dad and Mom work not just to make money. You see, Dad is a soldier. He works to protect more people. That’s responsibility.”

Gu Xiaobao nodded, understanding only partially. No one knew how much that statement would impact his life in the future.

Su Nianmei gently patted Gu Xiaobao’s back, and the tears that hung on his lashes finally fell. His little hand grasped her fingers tightly, and he remained silent.

Looking around, Su Nianmei noticed the absence of the little figure in a floral dress. “Where’s Er Gouzi?”

Gu Xiaobao’s sniffles subsided, and he stammered, “His mom took him away.”

Snuggling against Su Nianmei’s chest, Gu Xiaobao’s small body felt soft and warm. His lashes fluttered as he drifted off to sleep before long.

Su Nianmei gazed at the little boy and sighed softly. After all, he was just a five-year-old child. She laid Gu Xiaobao down on their bed and covered him with a blanket.

The blanket still carried the faint scent of Gu Xichao, reminding her of how he had pushed her against the door last night, causing her heart to race.