Chapter 13: An Unexpected Surprise

In the end, the box was bought, of course. The old lady paid for it, along with the newspapers.

Mu Mian’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Thank you, Grandma~”

Who would’ve thought that one day, she’d have to ask her family for even three cents?

In her past life, she had become independent right after graduating high school. She didn’t want her grandparents to struggle, so she had taken on any job she could to earn money.

Because of that, she had learned a lot of skills, believing that more knowledge never hurt.

She had indeed made quite a bit of money back then. Throughout college, she never took a single cent from her family—instead, she sent plenty to her grandparents.

Unfortunately, the two elders were already too old. They didn’t get to enjoy many years of comfort.

Zhao Meihua had no idea what her granddaughter was thinking. She simply clicked her tongue. “Since when are you so polite with your grandma?”

Mu Mian smiled sweetly and said, “When I start making money, I’ll buy treats for Grandma too!”

She had just taken a look at the purchasing station and noticed that they also accepted dried goods from the mountains. That meant she could go into the mountains more often to gather things.

A little adds up to a lot. When you live by the mountains, you rely on them!

Zhao Meihua laughed as if she had already received her granddaughter’s filial piety. “Alright, then Grandma will be waiting.”

As the grandmother and granddaughter chatted, they made their way out. By the time they arrived at the post office, Mu Fugui and Liu Shuangcui were already there waiting.

Mu Fugui glanced at his mother’s hands, noticing the newspaper she was carrying. “You went to sell scrap materials? No wonder I didn’t see you at the purchasing station.”

Mu Mian looked at her parents and asked, “Where are my Aunt and Sister Taozi?”

Mu Fugui replied, “They went to Yangliu Brigade.”

Then, noticing the box in his daughter’s hands, he picked it up and examined it. “Where did this come from? Did you buy it at the recycling station?”

Mu Mian nodded and pointed at the floral pattern on the box. “Grandma bought it for me. Dad, don’t you think it looks nice?”

Mu Fugui pretended to admire it seriously. “It looks great! What kind of flower is this? A peony, right? It looks so luxurious! Just like your dad!!”

The father and daughter exaggerated their appreciation, chatting away as if the flowers on the box were their own masterpiece.

Liu Shuangcui couldn’t be bothered with them. She carried the package inside to send it to her eldest son.

After chatting for a while, Mu Mian glanced at the sky. “Is there still about an hour before my brother calls?”

Mu Zhuo had a strict schedule. When he wasn’t on a mission, he was in training. In his letter, he mentioned that he would call after his midday training session, and it wasn’t lunchtime yet.

Mu Fugui didn’t have a watch, so he could only estimate the time. “About that. Are you getting impatient? Then let’s take a little walk while we wait.”

In the end, they didn’t walk for long—only about half an hour—before heading back. Neither of them wanted to risk missing the call.

—

Meanwhile, far away in Ningzhang City, Mu Zhuo was just as anxious. As soon as his training ended, he rushed straight to the base’s communication room without even stopping for lunch. He had asked his bunkmate to save him some food.

He wasn’t sure why, but for the past few days, he had an overwhelming urge to call home. If he didn’t, he felt restless.

Last time, he had promised to call, but an emergency mission had come up, and he hadn’t been able to. Fortunately, there were no unexpected tasks today.

When he arrived at the communication room, someone else was already using the phone, so he had to wait.

Their base had a large number of people—nearly ten thousand in total—so making a phone call home wasn’t something they could do whenever they wanted.

Most people relied on letters, and only urgent matters warranted a telegram.

Mu Zhuo didn’t have an emergency. He just really wanted to talk to his family—especially his little sister. When he left home last year, she had clung to him, crying for a long time.

It had been over a year since he last saw her. He didn’t know if she missed him, but he certainly missed her—especially in the past few days.

Long-distance calls had to be transferred through multiple lines. By the time Mu Zhuo actually heard his family’s voice, three minutes had already passed.

—

At the Hongxing Commune Post Office, Mu Fugui picked up the phone and had barely said “Hello” when his son’s voice came through immediately.

“Dad! Where’s my little sister? Let her take the call!”

Mu Fugui: “………………”

This brat! Clearly, he didn’t miss his old man at all. And to think he had been worried about him from time to time—what an ungrateful kid!

It was unclear whether Mu Zhuo was speaking loudly or if the phone’s quality was poor, but either way, his words were loud and clear.

Mu Mian, who wasn’t even tall enough to see over the counter, tiptoed and barely managed to catch a glimpse of the phone’s base.

Mu Fugui handed the receiver to his daughter and, seeing how she had to stretch to reach, simply lifted her into his arms. The phone cord wasn’t long, and standing on tiptoe for too long would be tiring.

Mu Mian held the receiver with both hands. “Brother~”

From the other end of the line came a voice full of youthful energy, sounding both excited and happy. “Little sister! How have you been lately? Have you grown taller? Have you been sick? Do you miss me?”

“When I was on a mission last week, I traded with a fellow soldier from my hometown and got some dried fish. When I have time in a few days, I’ll send it to you. Make sure Dad doesn’t forget to pick it up!”

“And…”

Mu Zhuo was still the same as before. Since his little sister didn’t talk much, he had long been used to chattering on his own.

Mu Mian held the phone, her mouth opening and closing several times, but she couldn’t find a chance to interrupt.

After her brother rambled on for ten sentences, she finally found a pause to respond.

“Brother! I did grow taller! Mom measured me during the New Year! I grew seven centimeters in a year! Isn’t that amazing?!”

When it came to whether she had been sick, she hesitated briefly and chose her words carefully.

“I haven’t had any major illnesses. My health is great! I just had a little fever a few days ago, but I’m completely fine now!”

“Mom just sent you a package. She said that if it’s delayed, it might take three weeks to arrive. Inside, there are shoes Grandma made for you, pine nuts, and…”

On the other end, after talking non-stop, Mu Zhuo hadn’t expected to hear his little sister talking just as much.

In the past, he would say ten sentences, and she might not even reply with one.

Holding the phone, he suddenly froze. He just stood there quietly, listening to the soft and childlike voice coming from the other side of the line.

He had been away from home for over a year, and in his absence, his little sister had quietly grown up.

Not hearing any response, Mu Mian frowned and glanced at the phone base on the counter. There were no visible indicators, so she couldn’t tell if the line had disconnected.

She called out twice, “Brother? Brother, can you hear me?”

Mu Zhuo wiped at the corners of his eyes and quickly responded, “I can hear you! I can hear you!”

Recalling what the elderly grandmothers had once said in her past life, Mu Mian grew worried and reminded him seriously, “Brother, be extra careful when you’re on a mission!”

Mu Zhuo’s voice carried a sense of warmth. “I know, I know! Your brother is—”

The young man’s emotions quickly settled, and he started boasting again in a tone just like their father’s.

He told her how he had earned a commendation during a mission, how he had been promoted to squad leader, how his allowance had increased by five yuan, and…

Separated by over a thousand kilometers, the siblings clung to the phone, taking turns speaking.

One kept calling out “Little sister, little sister,” while the other responded with “Brother, brother,” their closeness evident in every word.

In the end, it was Liu Shuangcui who couldn’t stand it anymore. After all, answering a phone call cost money, just like making one. It was ridiculously expensive.

She took the phone and quickly gave her son a few instructions, then handed it to her mother-in-law to say a couple of words. After that, she hung up.

Mu Fugui, who had only managed to say “Hello” the entire time: “………………”

—

Ningzhang City.

Mu Zhuo had completely forgotten that he hadn’t even exchanged a few words with his father. His heart was still filled with joy as he replayed the sound of his little sister calling him “Brother, Brother” over and over.

The little girl had unknowingly grown up. She even knew how to worry about him and remind him to take care.

Pushing open the door of the communication room, Mu Zhuo still had a smile on his face. The weight he had been carrying in his heart for the past week was finally lifted.

His family was doing well, so he had nothing to worry about!!

Mu Zhuo had only walked a few steps when he ran into his platoon leader, Dong Chai, and the platoon leader from the neighboring unit, Wen Zhan. The smile on his face hadn’t even faded yet when he immediately stood at attention and saluted the two.

Dong Chai returned the salute and chuckled, “I saw you grinning from far away. Did your family introduce you to someone?”

Dong Chai always got along well with his men. Mu Zhuo wasn’t afraid to joke around with him, so he scratched his head with a smile. “No, I just called my little sister.”

When people are happy, they tend to talk more, even to their superiors. Mu Zhuo couldn’t hold back his words. “The little girl has grown up. She kept calling me ‘Brother, Brother,’ and I just couldn’t help but talk a little longer.”

Other than the time he left home, she only ever called him that when she needed something.

Wen Zhan, who wasn’t familiar with Mu Zhuo’s family situation, assumed something else and said casually, “Oh, she learned to talk? That’s definitely worth celebrating.”

Mu Zhuo: “………………”

Was what he just said really that misleading?

Dong Chai didn’t actually know the personal background of every soldier under him either. He understood it the same way Wen Zhan did and asked, “Did your parents have her after you enlisted?”

He remembered Mu Zhuo was already close to twenty. That was quite an age gap.

Mu Zhuo gave an awkward laugh and explained, “No, my little sister is already eight years old.”

Dong Chai and Wen Zhan: “………………”

They had thought she was only eight months old.

Dong Chai burst out laughing and patted Mu Zhuo’s shoulder. “You must not have eaten yet, right? Go get some food.”

Having just made a fool of himself, Mu Zhuo was eager to leave. He quickly responded and ran off—besides, he was actually quite hungry.

After Mu Zhuo left, Wen Zhan turned to his childhood friend and colleague with a grin. “That soldier of yours is pretty interesting.”

They were there to pick up a package. Dong Chai signed the logbook handed to him by the on-duty soldier and said as he wrote, “Yeah, you can tell he really dotes on his little sister.”

—

Far away in Hongxing Commune, Mu Mian had no idea about the little misunderstanding on her brother’s side. Right now, she was squeezed into the state-run restaurant with her parents and grandmother.

Today’s special was cabbage and pork dumplings, and the restaurant was packed. Their family of four had arrived a bit late and nearly missed out.

It was thanks to Mu Mian’s small size and agility that she managed to dart through the crowd and snatch the last two plates at the window.

The state-run restaurant’s head chef was truly skilled. The dumplings were plump, juicy, and fragrant, looking perfectly round and white.

Two plates were definitely not enough to fill them up, but they hadn’t come to eat their fill—just getting a taste was already satisfying.

Father and daughter shared one plate, while mother-in-law and daughter-in-law shared the other. Mu Mian stuffed her cheeks full and exclaimed, “This is so good!!”

Mu Fugui pushed more dumplings toward his daughter. “Eat more.”

Mu Mian shook her head. “The rest is for you, Dad.”

Her father worked hard. It was true that the slaughterhouse occasionally had some perks, but the job itself was all physical labor.

Mu Fugui had a look of pure joy on his face, touched beyond words. “My daughter is so thoughtful. I’m so moved.”

Liu Shuangcui couldn’t stand it and cleared her throat. “Enough with the mushy stuff. Hurry up and eat. There’s still work to do at home.”

Mu Fugui tilted his head toward his daughter with a grin. “Your mom is jealous.”

Mu Mian giggled at her father’s teasing. Under Liu Shuangcui’s exasperated gaze, she picked up dumplings for both her mother and grandmother. “Mom, you eat more too. Grandma, you as well.”

She made sure to treat everyone equally.

By the time they left the restaurant, Old Wang had already gone home.

Ox carts didn’t wait for anyone. If you caught one, you could ride. If not, you had to walk.

After walking for over an hour to get home, the dumplings were long digested. Following her parents’ example, Mu Mian grabbed an old sweet potato and bit into it.

It had been stored in the cellar all winter, so it was a bit dry, with a faint musty smell from being kept too long.

The taste wasn’t great, but it was enough to fill the stomach.

After eating, Mu Mian tossed the peels to the old hen.

The roof of the backyard shed was leaking a little. Mu Fugui set up a ladder and climbed up to patch it. It had to be fixed—if the hen got sick from the rain, that would be a big loss.

This old hen laid one or two eggs a day, which could be sold for four or five yuan outside. It was precious.

Meanwhile, the old lady took a couple of new cloth diapers and went to see Mu Xinglong.

Mu Mian had originally wanted to go check on her newborn twin cousins too, but when she saw her mother carrying a washbasin to the river to do laundry, she decided to tag along instead.

She carried her dirty shoes and an old box she had picked up. Both needed a good scrubbing.

The side of the box was stained with something black, and she didn’t want it near her bed until it was clean.

Just as the mother and daughter stepped outside, they ran into Liu Guizhi, who was also heading to wash clothes.

Mu Mian greeted her warmly, “Aunt, where’s Lele?”

Liu Guizhi gestured with her chin. “She went up the mountain with her third brother.”

Living next to the mountains, it was impossible for kids to stay away. If they could behave and stay put for two or three days, that was already impressive.

On non-work days, it wasn’t uncommon to see people everywhere in the brigade—some washing clothes by the river, while others fished in the deeper waters.

Mu Mian obediently stayed by her mother’s side, scrubbing her box and shoes while listening to a good amount of gossip.

By the time she finished and returned home, the sun had shifted further west. She placed the box and shoes on the wooden rack to dry.

Dinner was extremely simple that night—just steamed sweet potatoes and cornmeal porridge. Liu Shuangcui even steamed extra for the next morning so they could quickly reheat it before heading to work.

Once night completely fell, the entire brigade was engulfed in darkness. There were very few sources of light, as everyone went to bed early.

Mu Mian had planned to sleep as well, but she kept tossing and turning, unable to do so. She wasn’t sure if she had eaten too many sweet potatoes or if the raw one she ate earlier had gone bad, but her stomach felt bloated.

As her stomach let out another loud growl, Mu Mian propped herself up on her arms, got out of bed, and groped around in the dark for the kerosene lamp on the dining table.

The matches weren’t nearby, so she went to the kitchen to find them. She really didn’t want to go to the toilet without a lamp—if she accidentally stepped in something, she would probably be so disgusted that she’d want to throw herself away.

In the main house, her parents weren’t deeply asleep either. Hearing the faint rustling, Liu Shuangcui opened the window and poked her head out to check. Seeing her daughter moving about, she asked, “What are you doing? Got a stomachache?”

Mu Mian rubbed her belly and said, “I don’t think so, just feeling a little uncomfortable. Mom, go back to sleep.”

Liu Shuangcui responded with a simple hum and didn’t say more. Her daughter was already eight years old, not two or three—she didn’t need company to use the toilet.

The nights in this season were still quite chilly. After her little trip, Mu Mian’s stomach felt better, but the cold wind had sobered her up quite a bit.

On her way back, she passed by the wooden rack where her shoes were drying and noticed that her small box was already dry. She casually grabbed it, planning to store it inside. It would be perfect for keeping her hair ties, small handkerchiefs, and—most importantly—her precious ten-cent savings.

The surroundings were eerily quiet. Holding the kerosene lamp in one hand, Mu Mian carried the box with the other. As she walked, the small box wobbled, making a faint rattling noise, as if something was inside.

The sound was subtle, but in the dead of night, when even a pin drop could be heard, it seemed unusually distinct.

Mu Mian curiously peeked inside the box but didn’t see any small stones.

Once she returned to her room, she placed the kerosene lamp on the table by the window and held up the box for a closer look. The inside was clean, and the outside was just as spotless, yet every time she shook it, the rattling continued.

She shook it harder, and the noise grew louder.

Suspicious, she carefully examined every corner of the box, feeling around with her fingers.

Then, when she pressed down on the bottom panel—

Click!

The right side of the base… caved in!

Mu Mian’s eyes widened like copper bells.

“!!!”

No way, no way! This tiny box actually had a hidden compartment?!

She had never noticed it before!

Under the dim glow of the lamp, her round eyes seemed even rounder.

Mu Mian eagerly pried at the false bottom, and soon enough, she pulled out a few small objects the size of sunflower seeds. Under the kerosene lamp’s glow, they shimmered with a golden hue.

Mu Mian: “!!!!”

Gold nuggets!

Real gold!