Chapter 40

Lu Xiaoqing exclaimed in surprise when she heard that Jiang Nian had actually gotten married.

What was even more surprising was that she had become a young widow at such a tender age, which instantly evoked sympathy from Lu Xiaoqing.

Hu Zhongming also looked at Jiang Nian with surprise. Lu Yu glanced coldly at Hu Zhongming, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness that made Hu Zhongming shiver. Lu Yu withdrew his gaze and spoke to Lu Xiaoqing instead.

Lu Yu stayed with Jiang Nian the whole time and only got up when Sister Ge came after lunch. He looked at Hu Zhongming, who was still sitting there and said to Jiang Nian, “Call me if you need anything. I’ll come to see you in a few days.”

Jiang Nian softly replied, “Take care on your way.”

Lu Yu glanced coldly at Hu Zhongming again, his cool voice carrying a hint of severity, “You’re still here?”

Hu Zhongming was momentarily stunned before realizing Lu Yu was addressing him. He wanted to retort, but seeing the coldness in Lu Yu’s eyes, he hesitated inexplicably. However, he still said with a sense of pride, “Whether I leave or stay is none of your business.”

Then he said to Lu Xiaoqing, “I’ll come to see you tonight.”

As the two left, Ge Mei first greeted Lu Yu, then said to Hu Zhongming, “This is where us women stay. You better not come here often without reason.”

Hu Zhongming replied, “Got it, got it.”

Lu Xiaoqing whispered to Jiang Nian, “That’s just his way. Just ignore him.”

Jiang Nian nodded, “Mm.”

Ge Mei led Jiang Nian to a separate room. Lu Xiaoqing followed and sat near the window, embroidering with a small embroidery frame. Ge Mei glanced at Zhai Peipei, who was focused on embroidery on a stool, without acknowledging Jiang Nian’s arrival. Ge Mei smiled and said, “Sister Zhai, this is Jiang Nian, our new colleague at the embroidery shop.”

Zhai Peipei didn’t look up, continuing to stitch on the fabric. She replied flatly, “I know.”

Out of politeness, Jiang Nian greeted, “Sister Zhai.”

Zhai Peipei gave a nonchalant “Mm.”

Ge Mei felt a bit embarrassed and said to Jiang Nian, “And this is Lu Xiaoqing. You must have met each other just now.”

Jiang Nian smiled, “Yes.”

Ge Mei then instructed her, “You can sit over there. I’ve kept the drawing in the cabinet. Once you’re familiar, you can start working.”

Jiang Nian took out the patterns from the cabinet and spread them on the table. She carefully examined the drawings on the patterns and finally sat on the stool to organize the threads and begin her work. Zhai Peipei and Jiang Nian sat on separate sides without speaking, but Lu Xiaoqing occasionally leaned over to watch Jiang Nian embroider, asking questions from time to time.

Jiang Nian found it a bit tiresome to answer, but she patiently did so.

Seeming unable to bear the disturbance any longer, Zhai Peipei turned her head and glanced at Lu Xiaoqing, clearly annoyed, “Could you stop talking? You’re so noisy.”

Jiang Nian quietly glanced at Zhai Peipei, lips pursed in silence.

Lu Xiaoqing snorted and gave Jiang Nian a signal with her eyes, then turned back to the window to continue her embroidery.

In those days, state-run embroidery shops weren’t large. Typically, having two or three embroiderers was sufficient. Few people nowadays have the leisure to buy embroidered patterns to hang at home. Most spent their days worrying about making ends meet. Despite the city’s advantages, families crammed into one room, causing a suffocating feeling.

Thus, business at the state-run embroidery shop wasn’t particularly good. About half of the orders came from the nearby port city. Ge Mei handled all negotiations and errands herself, carefully selecting the patterns they worked on.

As the sky gradually darkened, Lu Xiaoqing pulled the light cord and under its bright light, Jiang Nian continued embroidering for a while before stopping. Zhai Peipei left first, and Lu Xiaoqing left with Hu Zhongming, leaving only Jiang Nian, Ge Mei, and Zhang Xiao.

On the way back to the dormitory, Ge Mei briefed Jiang Nian about the shop. At the state-run embroidery shop, instead of a monthly salary, embroiderers earned a share of the proceeds based on the patterns they completed, just like the two payments she had received.

As for Zhang Xiao, she was Ge Mei’s new apprentice responsible for welcoming guests, earning twelve yuan a month. Though Ge Mei didn’t mention it, Jiang Nian could tell Zhang Xiao likely had some familial connection with Ge Mei.

Jiang Nian figured Zhai Peipei’s displeasure towards her stemmed from these two payments.

The second embroidery paid slightly more, and Zhai Peipei wanted to take it, but Ge Mei gave it to Jiang Nian.

The dormitory was only two streets away from the state-run embroidery shop, not too far. There were four beds in the dormitory, with Lu Xiaoqing and Zhai Peipei’s beds next to each other, and Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao’s beside them. After Ge Mei settled her in, she left first, reminding Jiang Nian to arrive at the state-owned embroidery shop at eight the next morning.

Zhai Peipei returned from the cafeteria, washed up, and then lay in bed, ignoring Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao when they came in.

Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao went to the hot water room to fetch hot water. Zhang Xiao said, “We came back late today and missed the cafeteria’s dinner. Tonight, we’ll just have to make do with some steamed buns.”

Back in the dormitory, Zhang Xiao took out corn pancakes and pickled vegetable dumplings from her pocket and asked Jiang Nian, “What will you eat?”

Thinking that Jiang Nian might not have brought anything to eat, she intended to share with her.

When Jiang Nian had left the family quarters, she brought along some pastries she had made herself and took one out to give to Zhang Xiao, saying, “I’ll have this.”

Zhang Xiao looked at the pastry Jiang Nian handed over. It wasn’t just beautiful but also smelled particularly fragrant. She couldn’t help swallowing and said somewhat embarrassedly, “Thank you, Sister Jiang.”

Jiang Nian glanced at Zhai Peipei, who was already lying in bed, hesitated for a moment, and decided not to disturb her.

Since Zhai Peipei already held some resentment towards her, she didn’t want to force herself on her. After dinner with Zhang Xiao and washing up in the water room, she returned to the dormitory to rest. Lying in this unfamiliar room, Jiang Nian looked up at the pitch-black rafters above her and softly said to Zhang Xiao beside her, “I’m a restless sleeper. If I bother you, wake me up.”

After finishing speaking, she nervously bit her lip.

Zhang Xiao initially thought Jiang Nian’s sleeping habits were just tossing and turning in the blankets, maybe a bit of snoring. However, after enduring a night of torment, Zhang Xiao no longer thought so.

Was this just a bad sleeping habit?

It seemed more like she was fighting someone in her dreams.

She would roll to the left for a while, then roll to the right, or press close to her with arms and legs wrapped around her. Fortunately, Jiang Nian was slim. Otherwise, her limbs might have suffocated Zhang Xiao.

Seeing the dark circles under Zhang Xiao’s eyes, Jiang Nian felt a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” she said.

Zhang Xiao smiled and replied, “There’s nothing to apologize for. Everyone has their flaws. Look at you, beautiful, skilled in embroidery, gentle too. Having a bad sleeping habit is just fair. Otherwise, you’d be too perfect, and that wouldn’t be fair to others.”

Jiang Nian chuckled at Zhang Xiao’s words.

When they got up, Zhai Peipei had already washed her face and left. Lu Xiaoqing was still asleep in bed. Zhang Xiao called out to her, and Lu Xiaoqing turned over, mumbling, “You go ahead, I’ll come later.”

After washing up, Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao went to the cafeteria for breakfast. The cotton weaving factory was close to the state-owned embroidery shop, so they ate at the factory cafeteria. Gao Mei had arranged for a few people to go there and paid them.

Over breakfast, Jiang Nian learned about Zhai Peipei’s situation from Zhang Xiao. Zhai Peipei was nearing fifty, with a son and a daughter. Her daughter had married a worker at the cotton weaving factory but didn’t work herself, staying home every day to take care of her child. Zhai Peipei’s son-in-law seemed reluctant and often argued with her over the expenses.

Zhai Peipei lived close to her daughter and often went to mediate. She had just returned from her son-in-law’s place yesterday, hence her not-so-good mood.

After breakfast, they cleaned their lunch boxes in the washroom and headed to the state-owned embroidery shop. On the way, they encountered several men walking together, including Lu Xiaoqing’s acquaintance, Hu Zhongming. Seeing Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao, Hu Zhongming greeted them, “Jiang Nian, Zhang Xiao, just finished breakfast?”

Jiang Nian didn’t think they knew each other, let alone well enough for him to call her by name, so she ignored him and walked on.

Back at the cafeteria, Zhang Xiao had mentioned Lu Xiaoqing and Hu Zhongming. He described Hu Zhongming as restless, always trying to strike up conversations with women whenever he visited the embroidery shop. Zhang Xiao preferred to avoid him.

Despite their age, Lu Xiaoqing had been eager to marry. She urged Hu Zhongming to introduce her to his parents, but he always found excuses to delay. Their disputes at the entrance of the state-run embroidery shop had escalated several times because of this.

Jiang Nian despised people like Hu Zhongming the most—people who she found repulsive with just a glance.

Seeing Jiang Nian walk away coldly, Zhang Xiao nodded at Hu Zhongming and quickly followed her. Once they were far enough, someone beside Hu Zhongming asked, “Brother Zhongming, who’s that girl? She’s really pretty, but she didn’t give you any face. She didn’t even acknowledge your greeting.”

Hu Zhongming sneered, “She’s a new comrade at the state-run embroidery shop, a widow.”

The person said, “Brother Zhongming, I don’t mind if she’s a widow. Why don’t you ask Sister Xiaoqing to introduce her to me?”

Hu Zhongming didn’t reply. He remembered the military uniformed man from yesterday, who seemed very concerned about the widow. Moreover, she was a soldier’s widow. Although he was angry about Jiang Nian embarrassing him earlier, he didn’t dare to offend that man.

Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao arrived at the state-run embroidery shop, where Ge Mei and Zhai Peipei had already started working.

Lu Xiaoqing rushed in a bit late and was scolded by Ge Mei before nodding in acknowledgment and running into a cubicle. She glanced at Zhai Peipei and then at Jiang Nian, asking, “Why didn’t you call me when you left?”

Jiang Nian: …

“Zhang Xiao called you. You said we should go ahead, and you’d come later.”

Lu Xiaoqing fell silent.

Jiang Nian focused on her embroidery, occasionally hearing Lu Xiaoqing’s frustrated sighs beside her. She glanced over and saw Lu Xiaoqing’s index finger bleeding, using a handkerchief to dab at it.

Zhai Peipei finally spoke up, “Could you stop making noises?”

Lu Xiaoqing replied irritably, “This place isn’t yours alone. If you can’t stand it, you can leave.”

She knew Zhai Peipei was upset these days because of her daughter’s situation, but she was also upset herself.

Zhai Peipei stood up abruptly, glaring coldly at Lu Xiaoqing. “Look at yourself. You can’t even do embroidery properly, too picky to marry anyone. This is a workplace. Don’t let your emotions disrupt others’ work. And your blood, if it stains the embroidery fabric, will you pay for the damages with your wages?!”

Lu Xiaoqing couldn’t stand being reminded of her age. She immediately got angry and argued back with Zhai Peipei.

Jiang Nian: …

There’s always drama wherever you go.

She didn’t intervene. Instead, she quietly lowered her head and focused on her embroidery.

Zhang Xiao rushed in from outside to mediate, but neither of them paid any attention to her. They continued arguing, and it escalated, with Zhang Xiao, who tried to intervene, also getting scolded. Lu Xiaoqing asked her, “What right do you have to meddle? Do you think you’re any better? If you weren’t Sister Ge’s distant relative, could someone like you work at the state-run embroidery shop? Stay out of my business and Zhai Peipei’s.”

Lu Xiaoqing had never liked Zhang Xiao, who had entered the state-run embroidery shop through connections.

As for Lu Xiaoqing’s embroidery skills, she knew she couldn’t match Zhai Peipei’s. Ge Mei rarely let her touch large-sized embroidery patterns, only assigning her cheap small ones. Some months, Lu Xiaoqing didn’t even earn half of what Zhai Peipei did.

However, Zhang Xiao, who couldn’t do anything, was able to stay at the embroidery shop. Ge Mei not only taught her the craft but also paid her wages. Although Zhang Xiao also did cleaning and reception work at the manor, sometimes she just couldn’t accept it.

Zhang Xiao was told to shut up and dared not speak anymore, her eyes reddening.

Zhai Peipei said to Lu Xiaoqing, “Who are you to criticize Zhang Xiao? Isn’t it Zhang Xiao who keeps the embroidery shop clean everywhere? Aren’t the guests who come to the shop greeted by Zhang Xiao? Although her embroidery skills are not presentable now, I think she will surpass you in another two years.”

Jiang Nian looked at Zhai Peipei in surprise. There were already white hairs on her temples, perhaps because she had been staying in the city for many years, she looked younger than Aunt Zhao.

She didn’t expect Zhai Peipei to speak up for Zhang Xiao.

Ge Mei said she was rather proud and not easy to get along with. She also felt this way when she first arrived yesterday, but after this quarrel, she didn’t think so anymore.

The argument between the two ended after Ge Mei appeared.

Ge Mei scolded Lu Xiaoqing for a few words and comforted Zhai Peipei. Finally, she called Zhang Xiao outside and comforted her with a few words. By noon, Lu Xiaoqing left first, and Zhang Xiao came in to call Zhai Peipei, then went to the cafeteria with Jiang Nian.

Before leaving, Jiang Nian glanced at Zhai Peipei, who was still embroidering and heard Lu Xiaoqing’s voice not far away. She was complaining about Zhai Peipei to Hu Zhongming and finally mentioned that Ge Mei was biased.

She turned her head and saw Hu Zhongming bowing his head impatiently while eating.

As they finished their meal, Jiang Nian heard Lu Xiaojing asking, “When are you going to take me to meet your parents? It’s been half a year since we talked. You can’t keep dragging it out. I’ll be thirty after this year.”

Hu Zhongming said, “My parents are busy. I’ll take you to see them at the end of the year.”

When Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao left the cafeteria, Lu Xiaoqing’s topic of meeting Hu Zhongming’s parents was still ongoing.

Back at the state-run embroidery shop, as soon as she pushed the door in, she heard the sound of benches dragging on the floor, so she walked quickly into the compartment. Apart from Zhai Peipei, there was no one else in the compartment. Jiang Nian looked at Zhai Peipei, who was embroidering with her head down, and vaguely sensed some anxiety on her face.

She pursed her lips and sat down in front of the embroidery pattern, looking at the pattern that had not been tampered with.

As if sensing her thoughts, Zhai Peipei in the next compartment said impatiently, “Rest assured, I’m not so malicious as to sabotage your embroidery pattern.”

Jiang Nian: …

She admitted that it was malicious to speculate about others, but it wasn’t wrong to be cautious outside.

Jiang Nian looked at Zhai Peipei, feeling embarrassed that her thoughts had been exposed. “Sister Zhai, I’m sorry.”

She stopped talking and focused on embroidering.

Zhai Peipei didn’t respond to her either.

Lu Xiaoqing arrived a bit late again, looking not too good. It was clear she had another falling out with Hu Zhongming.

They embroidered for the rest of the afternoon. When it was time to leave work, Jiang Nian stretched lazily and heard the ringing of a telephone outside. Zhang Xiao answered it with a “Hello” and then ran in to call Jiang Nian, “Sister Jiang, it’s your phone.”

Jiang Nian probably guessed it was Lu Yu calling.

Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat. She got up and walked out of the compartment, picked up the phone, and put it to her ear, whispering, “Hello.”

“It’s me.”

It was Lu Yu’s voice on the other end of the phone, low and deep, penetrating the receiver and into her ear, somewhat ticklish.

Suddenly, Jiang Nian felt that Lu Yu’s voice was really nice.

Jiang Nian asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yu said, “Are you used to it there?”

“Yeah, I’m used to it.”

“Is the dormitory cold?”

“Not cold.”

Both sides fell into a brief silence. Jiang Nian started the conversation again, “Have you had dinner?”

“Not yet, I’ll go later. How about you?”

“I’ll go later too.”

She paused for a moment and asked again, “Are you used to the food in the cafeteria?”

Lu Yu seemed to smile, “I’ve been eating it for many years. It still tastes the same.” After a pause, he added, “My sister-in-law’s cooking is still the best.”

Jiang Nian didn’t know why, but her cheeks suddenly felt a little hot.

She pursed her lips and smiled, “After I finish these two months of work, I’ll come back and cook you some good dishes.”

There was a low laughter from Lu Yu on the other end, “Okay.”

After hanging up the phone, Lu Xiaoqing came out and asked, “Jiang Nian, who called you?”

Jiang Nian said, “Family.”

Lu Xiaoqing and Zhai Peipei didn’t know about Jiang Nian’s relationship with Lu Yu, and Jiang Nian didn’t want to say more. But even though she didn’t say it, Lu Xiaoqing could guess that someone who could afford to call must not be an ordinary person. She tentatively said, “Is it your late husband’s comrade-in-arms?”

Jiang Nian replied, “Yeah.”

Lu Xiaoqing suddenly became curious, “He cares so much about you, does he like you? Your husband died, and he happens to have a chance now. Was he interested in you before your husband died?”

Jiang Nian: …

She felt that Lu Xiaoqing was simply talking nonsense.

No matter who Lu Yu likes, he can’t possibly like her. She also didn’t want others to fabricate Lu Yu’s reputation, so she explained: “He and my late husband are brothers, so he took better care of me. Don’t make random guesses.”

After saying that, she went to the cafeteria with Zhang Xiao.

Lu Xiaoqing looked at Jiang Nian’s back and muttered, “What’s wrong with telling the truth?”

On the way to the cafeteria, Zhang Xiao said to Jiang Nian, “Sister Jiang, don’t take what Sister Lu said to heart.”

She knew about Jiang Nian’s relationship with Lu Yu, but she hadn’t told Sister Zhai and Sister Lu.

Jiang Nian pursed her lips and smiled, “I’m not taking it to heart.”

After dinner, they went back to the dormitory to wash up and sleep. For the past ten days, Jiang Nian’s life was just embroidering, eating, sleeping, and occasionally listening to Lu Xiaoqing complain. However, Zhai Peipei’s complexion had been consistently not good. Jiang Nian wondered if she was still worried about her daughter’s affairs.

It was already dark when they got off work at six o’clock that night. Zhai Peipei and Lu Xiaoqing left first, but Jiang Nian stayed inside. She wanted to finish the last bit of embroidery. Zhang Xiao came in and said, “Sister Jiang, I’ll go to the cafeteria to get your dinner.”

Jiang Nian smiled and said, “Thank you.”

She lowered her head and continued embroidering. Not long after, the sound of the door opening came from outside. Thinking it was Zhang Xiao returning from fetching food, she said, “You go ahead and eat first, I’ll be done soon.”

“Sister-in-law, it’s me.”

The door curtain behind the screen was lifted, and Lu Yu’s deep voice sounded even more magnetic in the cramped embroidery room!