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Chapter 32 Ayu, please write me a letter
“That girl is really hardworking. She’s probably working now. She and her brother opened a fruit shop together in the city…”
“Business has been going pretty well, and she’s been busy at the store every day. She eats and sleeps over there, and rarely comes home.”
“Even your little sister went over to help out… they’re paying her 30 yuan a month plus one meal a day…”
“That kind of treatment… it’s even better than what most factory workers get these days…”
“Son, don’t worry. Next time the Jiang girl comes back, I’ll tell her to return your call…”
…
After hanging up the phone and learning that his future little wife was busy running a shop and not ignoring him on purpose, Lu Huaijin finally felt relieved. So that heartless girl was just busy making money and didn’t even spare a thought for him out here in the army.
Just wait until he went home for the New Year — he’d definitely settle the score with her! She didn’t even think of him once, hadn’t written him a single letter in over a month!
Back at the shop, Jiang Peiyu had no idea that someone had already put a big mark against her name in their heart.
To be fair, it wasn’t really Jiang Peiyu’s fault. She rarely went home these days, and all the mail was sent to the village. Since she wasn’t there, her mother, Li Shuzhen, was the one picking up the letters.
A few times she thought of asking her son to bring the letters to Peiyu when he went to deliver goods, but each time he came home, she happened to be busy working in the fields.
One early morning, Jiang Yanwen returned home to pick up stock. Li Shuzhen was just about to head to work. Seeing her son, she suddenly remembered the letters and quickly went back inside to get them.
“Yanwen, these are your little sister’s letters. They’ve been sitting at home for quite a while. Take them to her.”
Jiang Yanwen took them and had a glance — sure enough, all were from Lu Huaijin. The oldest was nearly a month old, and the most recent one was from half a month ago. Judging from how frequently he wrote, he was clearly anxious for a reply.
Back at the shop, Jiang Yanwen handed the letters over to Jiang Peiyu, who was busy doing calculations at the register.
“You’ve been so tied up with the store that you haven’t gone home — look how many letters Huaijin-ge wrote you.”
“You’d better write him back quickly — look at this, five or six letters. He must be worried sick.”
Every three days, a letter. He must be going out of his mind by now.
Jiang Peiyu took the letters from him — six in total, one every three days. She glanced at the dates, then opened the first one.
Ah Yu, it’s been a while since I last heard from you, and I miss you dearly.
I’ve returned safely from the mission — everything went well, don’t worry.
How are you doing at home? Why haven’t I received a letter from you?
All my comrades who just got back from missions have received letters, and I can’t help but feel a little envious.
I hope that next time I come back, there will be a letter waiting for me too.
Written by Lu Huaijin
November 11, 1980
After reading the first letter, Jiang Peiyu felt a wave of regret. She shouldn’t have been so stubborn — she should’ve written him a reply earlier.
They were already engaged — he was her man now. Who cared what he was thinking or whether he missed her? In any relationship, someone had to take the first step. She had taken the initiative because she was drawn to his “good looks” — so why not write him a letter too?
She carefully put away the first letter and opened the second one.
**Ah Yu, another three days have passed, and still no reply from you.
Today I went to the guard post several times, but they said there was no mail for me.
Ah Yu, I miss you so much! Please write me back soon, okay?
I can’t wait to get your reply.
In all my years in the army, I’ve always been the one calling the commune when I had time.
That last letter you wrote to me — it was the first I ever received.
I was so happy — finally, someone wrote to me.
I didn’t have to be jealous of my comrades getting letters anymore.
Ah Yu, when you get this letter, please write back right away.
Urgent! Urgent! Urgent!!!!
Written by Lu Huaijin
November 14, 1980
After finishing the second letter, Jiang Peiyu was overwhelmed with guilt. She shouldn’t have let her pride stop her from writing him back. Just because she didn’t want to look like she cared too much…
She quickly read through the next few letters in one go, until she reached the sixth.
**Ah Yu, why haven’t you replied yet?
It’s been half a month now.
Did you not get my earlier letters?
Or… are you still upset that I couldn’t come back to marry you during the National Day holiday?
If that’s the reason, please don’t be mad at me.
I’m sorry, Ah Yu — I must have really disappointed you.
But I’m a soldier, I have duties. My position means sometimes I can’t do as I wish.
Please try to understand. Forgive me.
Aside from apologizing, I don’t know what else to do.
Ah Yu, please… for the sake of my sincerity, forgive me just this once.
I promise I’ll come back to marry you during the New Year.
Please write back soon.
I’ve been waiting every single day,
I can’t eat well, can’t sleep well,
I feel like I can’t function properly.
Have some pity on me, Ah Yu. Just one word, even one word in return would be enough.
I’m begging you.
Written by Lu Huaijin
November 29, 1980
After reading all the letters, Jiang Peiyu felt both happy and heartbroken. She was filled with regret.
This man… he really just wanted to hear from her that badly?
Why did his desperation feel a little sweet to her?
The last letter had been sent over two weeks ago. It had been so long — who knew how anxious he’d become after getting no reply?
Thinking it over, Jiang Peiyu made time to go to her room and write a reply to Lu Huaijin. Then she changed her clothes and rushed to the post office to send it out.
In three days, he’d finally receive her letter.
Seeing the telephone sitting on the counter at the post office, Jiang Peiyu thought to herself: Next time I write a letter, I must remember to ask for the phone number of Huaijin’s army unit. That way, if I don’t have time to write back, I can just call the base directly and save him from worrying himself sick.
After leaving the post office, she headed to a photography studio in the city. She wanted to take a half-body photo to include with her next letter to Lu Huaijin.
At the studio, she looked around but didn’t feel like taking an indoor portrait. Just outside the door was a large ginkgo tree, its leaves turned a brilliant yellow. The ground beneath it was covered in golden foliage—absolutely beautiful.
The owner of the photo studio was a man in his fifties.
“Uncle, can I take the photo under that ginkgo tree at the door?” she asked politely.
“Sure, young lady. Just a moment,” the uncle responded kindly. He put down what he was working on, grabbed his camera, and followed Jiang Peiyu outside to the ginkgo tree.
She wore an off-white pullover sweater and a pair of jeans, her hair let down and flowing behind her. One hand rested lightly on the tree trunk as she looked toward the camera.
“Uncle, I only need a half-body shot.”
“Got it. Now smile, look over here.”
“One, two, three… click…”
“All done, young lady,” the uncle said cheerfully, putting away his camera as he headed back into the studio. Jiang Peiyu followed behind.
“Uncle, how long will it take to get the photo?”
“Three days. If you want it rushed, one day,” he replied.
“I’d like it rushed then—I’ll come pick it up tomorrow at this time.”
“Alright, I’ll write you a receipt.”
Happy with her photo session, Jiang Peiyu returned to the fruit shop to continue working, completely unaware that Lu Huaijin, still waiting desperately for her letter, had gotten so anxious that he’d developed two painful mouth ulcers.