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“Did you eat lunch?” Lin Xingchen asked, already guessing that his wife probably hadn’t.
**“No. I woke up late, so I had a late breakfast. Then I went up the mountain with Sister Xu and Sister Meng to pick wild vegetables. When I came back, I ended up quarreling with the deputy commander’s wife next door. After that, I got lost in my book until now.
Maybe it’s because I let off steam arguing with her, my mood was great, and I didn’t even feel hungry.”**
But now that she said it out loud, she actually did feel a little hungry.
“How did the quarrel start? Did it get physical? Are you hurt?”
Worried, Lin Xingchen immediately pulled her close, checking her all over and even pressing gently here and there.
**“No injuries. I won. She just complained that I never greeted her after moving in, and that our construction of the bathroom and toilet disturbed her.
I was about to drag her to the division commander to ask what the rules were, but before I even had the chance, she bolted.”**
(￣▽￣)
It was almost a pity; winning an argument felt so satisfying. Happiness in life came from never wasting energy on needless worry.
“Well done. Tomorrow I’ll go to the 3rd Regiment for a confrontation drill. If their families pick fights with my wife, I’ll make sure their men feel it too.”
He clenched his fist. No one bullied his wife without paying for it.
“So, what’s for dinner? Anything I can help with? I brought back cornmeal, rice, and flour.”
**“Let’s make dumplings with a mix of cornmeal and white flour. I just picked fresh wild vegetables for the filling. We’ll use the stewed broth from yesterday to marinate the pork heart, and I’ll stir-fry some kidneys too.
You chop the meat for the filling, I’ll start with the kidneys.”**
Tasks divided, they both got busy. Lin Xingchen’s strength made chopping meat quick and efficient. Soon, the kitchen was alive with the rhythm of their teamwork.
They wrapped dumplings together. To Momo’s surprise, Xingchen’s dumplings looked neat and uniform, lined up beautifully.
“A-Chen, who gave you your name?”
The name Xingchen, meaning starlight, was unusual for the times, almost modern.
“It was my old squad leader. Back in the village, everyone just called me Damu, Big Wood. After I enlisted, I needed a proper name. My squad leader had some schooling; one night, he looked at the stars and gave me the name Xingchen.”
He didn’t mention that the squad leader had later sacrificed his life. Some memories he carried quietly. There was no need to add sorrow to such a warm evening.
“No wonder. It’s such a rare, stylish name, even in the city. Names should stand out; otherwise, when someone calls, half the crowd turns around.”
Xingchen chuckled, remembering roll calls where shouting “Wang Jianguo” brought half the platoon answering.
Soon, a bamboo steamer of dumplings was ready, paired with stewed pork heart and sizzling stir-fried kidneys. They ate heartily, flavors rich and satisfying. Afterward, with bellies full and spirits high, Xingchen took Momo out for a walk under the evening sky.
“Tomorrow, the shelving and wardrobe will arrive. I’ll also weave the baskets you asked for tomorrow night.”
“No rush. There isn’t much in the cellar yet anyway.”
“Better to finish early. I never know when I’ll be sent on a mission. The rainy season starts in August. Hopefully, this year will be smooth and safe.”
Every summer and winter, they had to be on standby for disaster relief.
“It will be,” Momo said softly.
As they strolled, others looked on with envy. The couple did nothing special, yet their closeness was undeniable. Even the way they looked at each other was filled with affection, something many married pairs never managed, no matter how long they’d been together.
The next day at noon, the carpenter Liu’s two sons delivered the shelving and wardrobe.
“Perfect, here’s the balance of the payment. Thank you for carrying it all the way here. Have some mung bean drink to cool off.”
It was scorching at midday, and they hadn’t even charged for delivery. She couldn’t let them leave thirsty.
“Thank you, Comrade Su. There’s sugar in this drink… how precious!”
**“It’s nothing. Heatstroke can be dangerous.
By the way, does your family go up the mountains in autumn to pick mushrooms?”**
“Of course. My mother, wife, and kids all go. My father and us, two boys, rarely can; we’re swamped with carpentry and farm work.”
“I’d like to trade for mountain goods: wild greens, mushrooms, berries, even fish from the river.”
“That’s no problem. My mother’s especially skilled at gathering. They can bring home plenty in a day. And fish? The river’s full of them, we catch some now and then.”
That would be extra income. Everyone in the compound understood that soldiers’ wives exchanging wild goods for food was fair—after all, their husbands defended the country.
“How about this: every half month, bring me three baskets. For now, wild greens. In autumn, mushrooms and berries.”
Momo thought it perfect. Picking on her own wasn’t enough, especially with her brothers also needing to eat. Why not pay for fresh goods delivered right to her door?
“Done. I’ll tell my family. See you in half a month.”
After drinking their fill, the brothers happily pushed their cart back, eager to share the good news.
Once they left, Momo took a bag of cornmeal to Sister Xu.
“Perfect timing. Freshly steamed bean buns.. take some. I was just about to bring them over.”
“Oh, Sister, you keep them. I can’t take your rations.”
**“Take them. Since you taught Dog Egg and Tiger Head how to study, they’ve been so motivated. They even say they can follow along in class now. I’m thrilled.
I have nothing else of value, but people do praise my bean buns.”**
With such sincerity, Momo couldn’t refuse. She accepted and went home. She had once tutored high schoolers, so guiding elementary kids was second nature.
Life was slowly settling into a rhythm. Each morning after breakfast, she went to the mountain for wild greens—some eaten fresh, some dried. After a week, she already had a bag of dried vegetables.
At noon, she always came home—Xingchen had insisted, worried she’d skip meals. In the evenings, they went up the mountain together: he chopped wood, she kept him company.
Meanwhile, the deputy commander’s wife next door seethed. Watching Momo being pampered, doing no hard labor, and being loved openly made her furious. She complained behind Momo’s back constantly. But as long as it wasn’t to her face, Momo ignored it.
Ironically, no one had known Xingchen did the laundry at home. The yard had its own well, so it wasn’t obvious.
But after a confrontation drill between the 1st and 3rd Regiments, where Xingchen thoroughly trounced the deputy commander, the truth came out. When the deputy commander learned his wife’s loose tongue had caused it, he dragged her over in a hurry to apologize.