Chapter 31

On the weekend, Su Ye had nothing to do, so she made five pounds of crispy fried pork, using pork belly this time.

She rendered the lard from the fatty parts, producing fragrant pork oil. The lean-and-fat portions were cut into strips, marinated with scallions, ginger, garlic, spices, soy sauce, and cooking wine, then coated with flour before being fried in oil.

The first fry removed the moisture, while the second fry made the outside crispy and the inside tender. When taken out, the pork strips exuded an enticing aroma of oil. Dipped in tomato sauce, they were crunchy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside, a rich and high-calorie delicacy.

Su Ye finally understood the saying, “Even a clever housewife cannot cook without rice.” Before she had meat, she didn’t realize she was this skilled.

After making the crispy pork, she wrapped a few pieces in parchment paper and delivered them to Grandma Zhou downstairs.

The family was able to have vegetables every now and then, all thanks to Zhou Honghan. She had cultivated a small vegetable plot and would give some to Gu Xiangqian whenever she saw him.

At one point, Su Ye also wanted to cultivate a vegetable plot to solve her food issues, but the military had strict rules against private vegetable gardens. Zhou Honghan, however, was given special permission due to her being a widowed elder.

When Zhou Honghan saw Su Ye, she took off her reading glasses and asked, “I heard Xiangqian left on a mission some time ago?”

Gu Xiangqian had lost his father when he was just over ten years old. His father had died heroically during the Korean War, and Zhou Honghan’s son and daughter-in-law had also sacrificed their lives in the same year. As a result, she often looked after him.

Su Ye nodded. “I made some crispy pork, Grandma Zhou. Please have a taste.”

Zhou Honghan folded her glasses and said, “No need, child. What’s the use of these old bones eating meat? Save it for Xiangqian. His salary is barely enough for himself. You two just got married, so you should—”

Su Ye had always been impatient with such talk. How could Gu Xiangqian’s salary be called “barely enough”? He couldn’t even spend all the money he had saved!

But all that money had gone into Su Ye’s pocket. Originally, she had saved every penny, planning to settle accounts with Gu Xiangqian later. After a few months, she had accumulated quite a small fortune.

Unwrapping the parchment paper, Su Ye picked up a piece of crispy pork with chopsticks and smiled. “He’s got his share too, so don’t worry about him!”

She handed the crispy pork to Zhou Honghan.

The aroma of the crispy pork wafted through the air, mingling with the fragrance of spices and pork fat, irresistibly tantalizing for those who hadn’t tasted a hint of oil in a long time.

Zhou Honghan fell silent. The crispy pork was lightly dusted with spices, emitting a unique and enticing fragrance. Her experienced palate could easily identify the ingredients: Sichuan peppercorns, fennel, star anise, cinnamon, licorice, and dried orange peel.

Back in the days before liberation, the Zhou family’s kitchen had eight chefs. The cooks would do everything they could to compete for the head chef position, and delicacies flowed into Zhou Honghan’s mouth like a stream. In her youth, she’d been vain and diet-conscious, often throwing away bowls of food after just a taste. Who would have thought those days would lead to today’s circumstances?

There was no pork available in the market now, and even getting a single bite of meat was difficult.

Su Ye, lowering her head to tidy the parchment paper, accidentally let some of the pork oil seep out, staining the pristine white draft paper on the table.

“Oh no, I’ve dirtied Grandma’s blueprint!” she exclaimed, quickly pulling out a handkerchief to clean it.

Zhou Honghan’s mouth twitched, and her smile faded. This was the blueprint she had painstakingly worked on for a week. In her younger days, her temper would have flared, and no force could have stopped her from scowling like a thundercloud.

Though Zhou Honghan wasn’t particularly kind or easygoing, she treated Gu Xiangqian like family, which extended a measure of patience and care toward Su Ye as well. But now—

The blueprint on the table, roughly 50×30 in size, caught Su Ye’s attention. It was a meticulously detailed diagram of components. Being in the same field, she understood how crucial the completeness of a blueprint was to an engineer. A single misplaced line, drop of ink, or stain of oil could ruin the entire design.

Su Ye examined it closely. Impressive. It was a design draft for a segment of an integrated circuit. No wonder Gu Xiangqian had encouraged her to engage more with Zhou Honghan—though he clearly wasn’t worried about a middle-school teacher embarrassing herself in front of a professional.

“Don’t bother wiping it. It’s fine,” Zhou Honghan said curtly.

Su Ye studied the blueprint a little longer, then rolled it up and put it in her bag. “I’ll hold onto this for now and return an identical one to you later.”

Zhou Honghan didn’t expect Su Ye to have the capability to replicate it, dismissing her confidence as ignorance of her limits.

“There’s no need. Just give it back,” she replied.

Ignoring her, Su Ye vanished with the blueprint in hand.

At least she was quick to flee after realizing her mistake. Zhou Honghan wanted to be angry, but the tantalizing aroma of crispy pork lingered on the table, subtly stirring the hunger in her belly.

Fortunately, there were still a few spare drafts, so Zhou Honghan wasn’t in a hurry to demand the blueprint Su Ye had taken.

—

Southwest Border

A week later, the military truck delivering supplies to the soldiers arrived at the border. Along with the supplies came letters from family members.

While others received a few pages of heartfelt letters, what Gu Xiangqian got was a package weighing over ten pounds, solid and heavy in hand. The surrounding soldiers looked on enviously, saying, “So packed—could it be clothes?”

“Surely it’s not a bundle of letters!” they chimed in, laughing and speculating.

Gu Xiangqian opened the box. Inside were two large packages of meat, but no sign of a letter. He rummaged through it inside and out, finding nothing but the meat. In contrast, his bunkmates all had multiple pages of letters from home.

The look of anticipation in Gu Xiangqian’s eyes dimmed noticeably, especially when the soldier next to him read aloud a letter from his partner, full of longing words, or when others showed off handmade socks and insoles. By comparison, Gu Xiangqian seemed a bit desolate.

“Wow, your wife treats you so well! How did she manage to send you so much meat?”

In these times, meat was a rarity even on the frontlines, reserved mostly for injured soldiers to help them recover. Soldiers typically ate compressed rations at the front and canned vegetables when rotated to the rear. Even the toughest men found it hard to endure this diet for long.

A heavy box of dried meat was enough to turn heads and stir envy. But seasoned leaders were always observant, and the soldiers quickly noticed something peculiar.

Gu Xiangqian sifted through the box again and again, hoping to find a letter, unwilling to give up.

Meanwhile, officers who received letters read them aloud, sharing affectionate words from their loved ones. Those who got socks tried them on and praised their wives endlessly: “How thoughtful! She knew I needed socks!”

The border was hot and rainy year-round, and without proper shoes and socks, soldiers were prone to foot infections and skin conditions. The harsh conditions made soldiers rely on letters from family to ease their homesickness.

“Last time, didn’t you say your wife only finished elementary school? She probably doesn’t know how to write much. Next time, teach her some words so she can write you a letter. It’s no good if she can’t write—how else will you two communicate in the future?”

These remarks came from his comrades stationed at the border, who didn’t know much about Su Ye. They weren’t aware that while she only graduated elementary school, she worked as a teacher at a prestigious middle school. Not only was she literate, but she was also quick-witted and sharp-tongued.

Gu Xiangqian packed up the dried meat, understanding that Su Ye’s lack of a letter simply meant she didn’t want to write one.

She could recite more sentimental poems than Gu Xiangqian and was quick to sweet-talk others when she wanted to. Most of the time, though, she simply chose to stay silent. Her smooth-talking skills were often put to less-than-serious uses.

—

One Month Later

Tensions between China and India flared up again, prompting Gu Xiangqian to lead his troops northward into Tibet. Amid a hail of bullets and artillery fire, Gu Xiangqian braved the bombardment, crawling forward courageously. He personally took down the enemy’s key leader, creating a pivotal opportunity for victory.

Despite his utmost caution, Gu Xiangqian was still struck by a stray bullet during an airdrop.

Lying on the ground, memories of his parents, superiors, and comrades flashed before his eyes.

And then, there was Su Ye…

Both of them were people without families. How he had longed for a complete and happy home. But now, it seemed he would follow in his father’s footsteps, breaking his promise to stay.

—

Field Military Hospital

Yao Chunyu skillfully extracted the bullet with tweezers, sutured the wound, and moved on to the next operation. After completing several surgeries, she removed her mask and glanced at Gu Xiangqian lying on a hospital bed.

“Why is it that every time I see you, you’re covered in wounds?”

Yao Chunyu recalled memories from her previous life. Back then, Gu Xiangqian had a huge fight with Su Ye over their conflicting beliefs. Feeling disheartened, he threw himself into the battlefield. Despite sustaining serious injuries during that campaign, he earned a first-class merit and was promoted to regimental commander.

However, when he returned to the military district, he and Su Ye continued their endless quarrels. Their relationship remained turbulent until they finally divorced in middle age.

Yao Chunyu hadn’t rushed back to the rear during her last deployment, precisely to give the couple more time to argue. The two of them didn’t need any external interference—they could cause chaos all on their own.

Such a good man—how could Su Ye bear to treat him so poorly? Since Su Ye didn’t cherish him, Yao Chunyu saw no reason to hold back.

If Gu Xiangqian were her partner, she would ensure he lived happily every single day, fulfilled and content.

In her previous life, Yao Chunyu had given up on Gu Xiangqian to pursue her dream of studying in the Soviet Union. At that time, he was merely a young company commander, and several deputy battalion commanders from the military compound were also vying for her attention. Gu Xiangqian hadn’t seemed worth her notice.

Yet his strikingly handsome face had left an indelible mark in her memory.

Years later, after enduring grueling conditions in the countryside—living in a cow shed and working the fields due to her political background—she found herself unable to forget him.

Gu Xiangqian, however, was already living in a two-story villa with guards at every entrance. Despite the hardships of the past, he still enjoyed meat with every meal. Meanwhile, that rural woman dressed appropriately but spoke with crude words.

Aside from her good luck in marrying the right man, there was nothing about her that deserved to stand by his side.

Suddenly, the door to the hospital room was opened, interrupting Yao Chunyu’s thoughts.

The dean, in a hurry, entered, holding a transfer order and instructed, “This leader, along with several soldiers, needs to be transferred to the rear. The conditions here are too poor, and treatment has been delayed.”

Yao Chunyu saluted and said, “Report, leader. I am willing to accompany and care for the patient, ensuring the success of this transfer.”

The next day, Yao Chunyu’s wish was granted as she accompanied Gu Xiangqian to a hospital in Province C.

—

At the No. 1 Middle School

Su Ye squatted down, eyes wide as she looked at the circuit in front of her. Qian Xiaohuo easily pressed the button, and the old speaker crackled with the sound of electric currents and a faint radio signal.

She happily patted Qian Xiaohuo on the shoulder, giving her a thumbs-up. “Very good, today you’re the star!”

Qian Xiaohuo straightened proudly. “I’m Teacher Su’s student, I can’t fail!”

To earn this “very good,” Qian Xiaohuo had paid a huge price: her hands were scarred from the work, her eye bags were dark from staying up late, and she studied diligently every night. Not only was she preparing for the upcoming middle school exams, but she was also practicing her skills.

Teachers like Su Ye were rare, so rare that encountering one was considered good luck. Qian Xiaohuo knew she had to seize this opportunity and absorb all the knowledge Su Ye could offer. She had no reliable support, only a pair of parents who would gladly sell her out for a quick profit.

Su Ye gently patted Qian Xiaohuo’s head. “You’re even more determined than Yang Xue. Next week, I’ll have you lead the radio group!”

Su Ye was no stranger to students who were eager to absorb knowledge like this. These students had a fierce determination and willpower.

When Su Ye thought about her background, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy. The exam atmosphere in the 1960s was much more relaxed compared to later times. The children here were laid-back and indifferent toward exams, treating them as optional.

After all, they could replace their parents at factories and work as laborers. Even lying down, they could win without effort. Who would want to push themselves hard? Su Ye greatly admired girls like this, who were determined to strive forward.

She patted Qian Xiaohuo and handed her a book.

Qian Xiaohuo couldn’t hold back her reaction, and when she saw the thick volume in her hands, a heavy expression appeared on her face.

After school, Su Ye returned to the military compound.

The leader called her to the office, with a serious expression as he handed her a letter. Su Ye thought it was the allowance for Gu Xiangqian for this month so she happily took the letter and headed downstairs, opening it as she walked.

“Dear Su Ye, I hope this letter finds you well. By the time you read this, it means I have already honorably sacrificed. Every soldier writes a letter before going to the battlefield, and I hoped you would never have to read this one. But my hope was shattered, and I’m sorry…”

At this point, Su Ye’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly pinched her temples.

Ordinarily, this would have made most people uncontrollably shed two streams of tears.

But Su Ye carefully reviewed the situation twice, concluding that Gu Xiangqian was definitely not dead. Most likely, he was injured, and the plot would shift to focus on the romantic scenes of him recovering and developing a close, sweet relationship with the heroine during his time of recuperation.

Su Ye finished reading Gu Xiangqian’s “farewell letter.” It was well-written, making it hard for anyone to harbor resentment toward him.

Sure enough, two days later, the leader personally came to clear things up: Gu Xiangqian was not a martyr but was recovering from injuries in a hospital in a provincial capital in the northwest. Su Ye thanked him repeatedly, saying, “It’s fine, I trust Xiangqian. He’s very cautious and will make sure to return safe and sound.”

As the leader left, he mumbled to himself, “Gu Xiangqian’s partner is extraordinary. She possesses the strength and calmness of a soldier.”

During the time Gu Xiangqian was away, Su Ye had already “come to her senses.” Whether it was work or “other matters,” these days had kept her fulfilled.

If Su Ye were currently in a clingy mood with Gu Xiangqian, she would have definitely taken a few days off to visit him. But now that she was clear-headed, her focus shifted… the children were her priority. In just a few months, they would face their middle school exams, and their future was more important.

Gu Xiangqian could take his time to recover.