Chapter 17

Zhang Rui was just trying to buy some paper that could only be found on the black market, but it wasn’t available every day. He might have been unlucky today, as there was no paper at all.

After asking around, Zhang Rui bought some meat and planned to leave.

Just after taking a few steps, he heard a middle-aged man talking to the young contact person at the black market. “Dazhu, your wife has gone into labor. You should go home quickly!”

Dazhu immediately stood up, his face filled with joy.

Zhang Rui smiled and said, “Congratulations!”

“Thank you!” With the happy event coming, Dazhu hesitated for a moment, then pulled out a stack of rice paper from his cabinet. “Brother, this was reserved for someone else, but since I have to go back, I’ll give it to you.”

Zhang Rui was thrilled. “Thank you! I hope my sister-in-law has twins, so I can have both a son and a daughter at once.”

Dazhu was so happy that he could barely see his teeth. After Zhang Rui left, he looked at the door and wondered what to do next.

The middle-aged man waved his hand and said, “Let’s not open it yet. We can take a break for a day or two. There isn’t much stock left these days. The supply and marketing cooperative recently received a lot of stock, and everyone is buying from there.”

“Okay.” Dazhu nodded, packed his things, hid the tunnel, locked the door, and left.

A few minutes later, the people wearing red armbands arrived and found the place empty.

“You said it was here!” the leader with the red armband said angrily, glaring at Luo Gaoyuan.

Luo Gaoyuan looked upset. “I really saw that person come here!”

“These are just normal houses. You followed us to check, and there’s nothing. The door is locked here. How can there be a black market?” 

Luo Gaoyuan mumbled to himself.

The red armband members left in anger. In their effort to catch the big fish, they overlooked the small fish. Now, neither was caught.

“What a mess!” Luo Gaoyuan felt embarrassed and quickly ran away.

*****

After buying the meat, Zhang Rui rode his bicycle home. There were not many people on the road, so he rode very fast. The cool wind brushed against him.

Suddenly, he noticed something and slowed down. He found a piglet about the height of his calf lying on the ground.

This wasn’t the first time. Whenever he bought something for Tian Jiao, there were always unexpected surprises. The first time he bought cloth, he got cloth coupons. The second time… and so on.

Zhang Rui picked up the piglet, looking shocked. It had just died and was still warm.

He put the piglet in a bag and continued home, but he felt something strange, as if someone was helping Tian Jiao with her living expenses.

To be honest, he felt lucky, as these things were obviously better.

Just look at how well-fed the Zhang family was.

Today was not the weekend. Tian Jiao was still in school. When Zhang Rui got home, it was still early. Riding a bicycle really made a difference in speed.

However, when he arrived in the village, something felt off.

The spring rice had just been planted, so things should be quiet. But today, Lanshan Village was very lively.

People were coming and going, as if something big had happened.

Especially when he returned, why did those people look at him in such a strange way?

“The third brother is back, go home quickly,” an aunt said with a worried expression.

Another older brother called out, “Third brother, if you have any troubles at home, let us know.”

“Don’t ride the bike, push it back. You’ll hurt yourself if you fall.”

Zhang Rui was confused. “Aunt, brother, what’s going on?”

But they refused to say anything. “You’ll find out when you go back.”

He felt a sense of unease, especially since those people didn’t look happy but rather worried.

Zhang Rui didn’t stop riding but hurried back.

Before he reached the door, he saw a military vehicle parked next to the yard.

It was olive green, the same color as Tian Jiao’s favorite dress.

Military?

…

Zhang Rui’s legs felt weak, almost causing him to fall off his bike. Now he understood what those aunts meant. “Brother!”

It had been nearly twenty years since he last saw his older brother. Zhang Rui almost forgot he had one. It wasn’t that he didn’t care; there had just been so much happening. Not seeing his brother for nearly twenty years made him feel distant, and his memory was hazy.

He jumped off the bike and rushed over, noticing his mother had red eyes.

When she saw him return, Li Mizhen rubbed her eyes and whispered, “Your older brother is back and he’s inside. Go see him.”

After that, Li Mizhen rushed into the kitchen.

Soon, he heard a burst of crying.

Zhang Rui’s heart raced, and his throat felt dry from nervousness and fear.

Why did this reaction seem so concerning?  

He prepared for the worst and opened the door.

The room where the eldest brother stayed was Tian Jiao’s room. The lighting here was better than in the other rooms.

As soon as he entered, he saw an olive green room filled with several people in military uniforms. His eldest brother lay on the bed, his lower body wrapped in thick bandages, so it was hard to see how badly he was hurt.

The man looked a bit like the brother he remembered, but he seemed different. His face looked weak and worn out, as if he had suffered a lot.

Two figures stood by the bed.

One was a pretty woman in her twenties wearing a sky blue dress.

The other was a little girl slightly older than Tian Jiao. She looked fair and clean. Her cheeks resembled Tian Jiao’s, making him feel oddly familiar with her. She had big eyes, a small mouth, and looked very quiet.

“Third brother?” the man on the bed called out weakly.

Zhang Rui, stunned, finally reacted. His eyes turned red. “Brother!”

Zhang Dong managed a small smile. “You’ve grown up so much. I heard from Mom that you have a daughter. Is she in school?”

Zhang Rui nodded eagerly. “Yes, she is in school. Today is Friday, so I’ll be out in the afternoon.” His eyes fell on his brother’s injured legs. “What happened?”

The atmosphere in the room became tense. A man who seemed to be in charge stood up and saluted with military precision. “Comrade Zhang Rui, here’s what happened…”

The man patiently explained everything.

After years of service, Zhang Dong had performed exceptionally and was chosen for the special forces. He went through secret training and couldn’t contact his family. Over the years, he only managed to send money home on time.

However, a while ago, Zhang Dong was injured on a mission. Both of his legs were hurt badly and wouldn’t heal quickly. Even if he recovered later, he wouldn’t be able to return to his previous work. So, Zhang Dong decided to retire.

If he retired under these circumstances, he would receive a large compensation but would lose his job.

The two girls were Zhang Dong’s daughter and sister-in-law. Zhang Dong’s wife, who was also a soldier, had died.

After the explanation, the soldiers in the room stood up and saluted Zhang Rui, saying, “Comrade Zhang Rui, please take good care of Comrade Zhang Dong and the child. Our entire army appreciates you.”

Zhang Rui waved his hands repeatedly, feeling a bit dazed.

The brother he thought might not survive was doing something great.

He has a daughter?

He slowly looked at the little girl. The thirteen-year-old smiled shyly and said, “Uncle.”

Zhang Rui nodded awkwardly. “Ah.”

****

School ends at 4:30 p.m. on Fridays, so students can get home before dark.

Tian Jiao is now a high school student. She lives in a dormitory because her school is far away. With new policies, schools have improved, and everything is going well. She applied to skip a grade, and under Song Zhen’s guidance, she progressed faster than her classmates. Skipping grades became smooth for her.

She skipped grades almost every year until her first year of high school. If not for her age and Zhang Rui’s strong objections, Tian Jiao felt she would keep skipping.

Zhang Rui worried she might not make friends because of her age.

But he didn’t need to worry.

Tian Jiao is liked by everyone, especially now that she is in the first year of high school. Most first-year students are 17 or 18 years old. Seeing a pretty, delicate 12-year-old girl made them really like her.

Her classmates often brought her treats during the week.

Whenever they brought her food, good things happened at home. It might be finding a lost pen or getting a little extra when buying groceries. 

These little things improved their lives. When people are happy, they have good luck, so everyone loves to bring food to Tian Jiao.

As a result, even though Tian Jiao only returned home once a week, she gained weight instead of losing any.

Today, as usual, Tian Jiao stood by the door waiting for her dad.

Going home is always exciting, and students rush outside.

Once she reached the school gate, she began looking around.

Today, her dad seemed a bit late for some reason.

“Jiaojiao, is your dad not here yet?” A classmate who was late asked. “Do you want me to wait with you?”

Tian Jiao shook her head. “It’s okay, I’ll wait here.”

“Okay, just find a teacher if you need help.” The classmate left.

The school gate is safe.

Tian Jiao waved goodbye and waited as fewer people remained. She pouted, annoyed. “Why hasn’t Dad come yet?”

Just then, she spotted a familiar figure and jumped up. “Dad, you’re here!”

…

The students who hadn’t left yet turned to look, feeling envious. Bicycles were not common.

Even among those in the county, not many had bicycles.

Zhang Rui quickly came over, stopped the bike, and wiped his sweat. “I’m sorry, Jiaojiao. Something happened at home today, so I came late.”

Tian Jiao hugged him with a smile. She didn’t cling to him like when she was younger; she had grown a lot. She sweetly shook her head. “It’s okay, Dad. Let’s go home.”

Zhang Rui nodded. “Okay, sit down.”

Tian Jiao settled into the back seat, watching her father. Even in the early autumn weather, his back was damp with sweat, showing how hurriedly he had come.

She blinked, confused. It seemed that Zhang Rui was in a bad mood today.

She tugged on his shirt and asked softly, “Dad, are you okay?”

Zhang Rui didn’t hide his feelings. He replied in a low voice, “Your uncle is back.”