Chapter 4: Second Brother Ji and his Wife

Qin Zhan waited anxiously for another half hour, then heard some sounds coming from one side of the corridor, gradually getting closer. Soon, he heard a familiar voice: “The ward is here, there is a PLA comrade sitting over there, just go to him.” It was the duty nurse who lent him the stool.

In the dark corridor, only the warm yellow light from Widow Ji’s ward brightened the hall a little.

Second Brother Ji and his wife followed the nurse’s words and soon arrived at the ward door. At this moment, Qin Zhan also stood up.

By the light from the ward, Second Brother Ji felt Qin Zhan looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen him before. Still, he gratefully greeted him: “Comrade, thank you for bringing my mother and eldest sister-in-law here. I heard you are my eldest brother’s comrade. How is my eldest brother? Why didn’t he come back this time?” From the midwife, he already knew about his mother and eldest sister-in-law’s situation, so he didn’t ask the stranger about them.

Second Brother Ji was usually not a talkative person; he preferred to keep silent around strangers if possible. In the past, if he saw someone like Qin Zhan, who looked different from ordinary people at a glance, he would avoid him. But knowing this man was his eldest brother’s comrade, he felt a bit closer, and because it was dark, he ignored the sense of pressure coming from Qin Zhan.

Hearing Second Brother Ji’s question, Qin Zhan pursed his lips. Widow Ji hadn’t had time to speak about Ji Aihua’s situation. Originally, Qin Zhan had told Widow Ji the truth, and how she responded was her own consideration. Now that Second Brother Ji asked, Qin Zhan hesitated but decided to be honest: “Comrade Ji Aihua sacrificed his life. This time, I came to deliver his belongings.”

The corridor fell silent as if one could hear a pin drop.

Second Brother Ji and his wife stood with mouths open, words stuck in their throats, unable to speak.

After a long time, Second Brother Ji finally spoke with a choked and helpless voice: “Then… then what do we do now?” For a moment, he felt like a child without a backbone. In the previous decade, the eldest brother held the family up. In the last few years, after the eldest brother went to the army, he had grown into the family’s pillar and matured—but that was because he still had his eldest brother to rely on. Now, the eldest brother was gone. He… he didn’t know what to do.

How could the eldest brother have died? What about the eldest sister-in-law and the nephew?

Though he knew comrades in the PLA protected the country on the front lines and faced fierce enemies, always in danger, the eldest brother had been safe all these years. He always received letters from him every month. He never thought the eldest brother would die.

Seeing the man, who suddenly looked like a boy, Qin Zhan felt only endless guilt: “I’m sorry.”

Second Brother Ji shook his head.

Second Brother Ji’s wife Zhang Caihua was also saddened. Life at home was already hard. Although six adults worked, there were six adults and six children — twelve mouths to feed. The household wasn’t well off. With the eldest brother’s support, life was still tight. Now that he was gone, how could they get by?

Especially the eldest sister-in-law and Ji Dong — what would happen to them?

The baby had just been born, but the name was decided long ago. Following the family tradition for boys’ names — Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter — the nephew was named “Winter^[1]Dong (冬).”

Sigh…

Zhang Caihua sighed. She looked at her silent, grieving husband and said to Qin Zhan: “Comrade, thank you today. We will watch over things here. You’ve worked so long; you must be tired. You should go rest.”

Qin Zhan nodded. The Ji family needed private space to accept this. He didn’t want to stay too long. “I’ll come again tomorrow… I’m staying in a nearby guesthouse. If there’s anything at night, you can find me. My name is Qin Zhan.”

Zhang Caihua: “Thank you, Comrade Qin… Thank you so much.”

Qin Zhan said no more and left.

After Qin Zhan left, Second Brother Ji sat on a nearby stool, then covered his face and wept loudly.

Zhang Caihua knew the brothers were close. The eldest brother was like a father to her husband. She knew no words could comfort him now, so she let him be quiet and went to check on the baby.

In the ward, the anesthesia from the caesarean section had worn off. Ning Xin’s soul was tossing inside her body in pain. It was torture — painful during the difficult birth, and now the anesthesia wore off, it hurt even more. Even though her soul could not control the body, and they couldn’t be in harmony, why could bodily sensations still reach her?

Waaah… Ning Xin hated pain most of all. Even the slightest bump or touch made her eyes redden. During her period, sometimes her belly would ache so much she wanted to lie in bed wrapped in blankets.

Waaah… Ning Xin cried, her eyes red, but her body lay stiff and straight. She cried while secretly eavesdropping on the conversations outside — no, officially eavesdropping. Hearing that pleasant-voiced man say his name was Qin Zhan, she felt a jolt in her heart. That was the little supporting male’s foster father.

The man never married, and raised Ji Dong to become a nationally renowned entrepreneur.

Of course, Ji Dong’s success was partly his own ability and partly due to the Qin family’s support. But as the saying goes, “Like father, like son.” Qin Zhan never married. Ji Dong, because the girl he loved married another man, also never married. Eventually, some of his assets went to the Ji family, fixed assets went to the female lead, and some were converted to cash for charity. Most of his charity helped orphans, families of martyrs, and children of martyrs.

Apparently, someone had once given Qin Zhan an umbrella when he was young, and as he grew up, he wanted to give others an umbrella too.

While Ning Xin thought about these things, she heard Qin Zhan leave, then someone approached her bedside.

A gentle voice spoke: “Xiao Dong, I’m your second aunt. You have to grow up quickly.”

Ning Xin thought, “You say that, but he doesn’t understand.”

Wait, did the little supporting male wake up?

She was still a young woman in her twenties, unmarried and childless, and a university student. Naturally, she didn’t understand much about pregnant women, maternity, or infants. So she didn’t know what state the newborn was in.

Before Ning Xin could figure it out, she heard the person speak again: “Such a little one already knows how to frown. Let second aunt see what’s wrong. Are you hungry? Or do you need to pee?”

With that, the movement beside her increased. The little supporting male who had been lying beside her was being picked up.

Ning Xin thought this second sister-in-law was quite nice.

“Oh, it’s urine. Xiao Dong is so good. He didn’t cry when he peed.” Zhang Caihua then put the baby down, unwrapped the only piece of clothing the baby had — which was the original owner’s outer garment. They came in such a hurry they hadn’t brought many baby supplies.

Because the original owner wore two layers, the nurses just took off the outer layer to wrap the baby after birth.

Next, Zhang Caihua used the diaper she brought to change the baby, then put on baby clothes. These clothes were leftover from other children in the family, washed clean, and soft — unlike new clothes that might irritate a baby’s tender skin.

After tidying the baby, Zhang Caihua put him back in his original place. Though the baby’s brows hadn’t furrowed anymore, his pink lips were open and made soft cooing sounds.

Experienced Zhang Caihua immediately understood. She said to Second Brother Ji outside: “Husband, I’ll feed Xiao Dong. Don’t come in.”

Second Brother Ji responded softly.

Then Zhang Caihua did the same as the midwife, lifted Ning Xin’s shirt, and moved the baby over.

Ning Xin: “…” Feeling the wetness on her chest, even though it was the second time, she still felt shy as a young unmarried woman.

Zhang Caihua was happy to see the baby drinking milk so eagerly. She whispered, “Luckily, your mother’s milk is enough, both breasts produce plenty. Otherwise, born in these hard times, what could the family give you to nourish your body?”

Ning Xin: “…” Are you polite? Staring at someone’s chest, are you polite?

“Ah…” Then Zhang Caihua whispered again, “Your father is gone, your mother is still young, no one knows how long she will stay at the Ji family. What will you do in the future?”

Ning Xin: “…”

Zhang Caihua was completely unaware that the still unconscious sister-in-law was openly listening. She saw the baby still wanted to drink some more, then she went to check on Widow Ji. Seeing her sleeping soundly, but with her brows furrowed as if with a deep crease, she sighed again and then walked to the ward door.

“Eldest Brother is gone, Xiao Dong will have to rely on us from now on.” Second Brother Ji had come back to his senses. Although he still looked very depressed, his nephew was just born, and as the family’s main pillar, he had to stand up.

“I know.” Zhang Caihua said. She was a straightforward person; her natal family was also honest. After marrying into the in-law family, although the mother-in-law had a strong personality and and had the final say at hom, she never arbitrarily beat or scolded her daughters-in-law, and treated everyone fairly. When the eldest brother was alive, they had benefited from things sent to them.

Even when nothing was sent, just by virtue of eldest brother’s military status, their family had benefited. Now that eldest brother sacrificed his life, she would not do the cold shoulder.

Second Brother Ji was silent again.

Zhang Caihua said, “There is nothing much now. You should go back. I will stay to keep watch at night. Tomorrow morning, bring us breakfast and also ask the team leader for leave.”

Second Brother Ji: “I will stay to help you, and get breakfast early tomorrow.” He did not want to leave. He wanted to wait for his mother to wake. His older brother was gone, his mother would definitely be upset when she woke, and he wanted to be with her.

Zhang Caihua said nothing more. The two were silent for a while. She then went back into the ward. Seeing the baby was almost done drinking, she moved him aside and adjusted her sister-in-law’s clothes.

Only faint breathing remained in the ward.

Zhang Caihua sat down beside the bed and rested against it. Second Brother Ji sat at the door with his eyes open, having had a difficult night.