☆ 27. Picking Up

“I called your Uncle Fu, and he asked over there, but they said there’s no such thing, and they don’t know which side the problem came from. Uncle Fu said he would arrange for someone else to ask…”

“I thought I would go over tomorrow to take a look, at least to see how Qingyu is doing and to bring your brother back. It’s almost six or seven o’clock for your brother here, and the ground should be fine by now,”

Ji Qinghe said, the worry in his eyes almost unbearable.

“Since it was a telegram sent by my elder brother’s colleague, this matter is likely true, there’s no need for him to deceive us.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Meng’s expression grew serious. She pulled a chair over and sat down, looking up at Ji Qinghe.

“The person Uncle Fu arranged to go there either got deceived or happened to know someone from Qingyu’s maternal family, and knows that they are not easy to deal with, so they’re not sure whether to bring it up.”

After all, if they brought it up, someone from the Ji family would definitely go there to demand an explanation. Not many people are willing to offend others in such matters.

Especially since Qingyu’s maternal family is even more domineering than Su Dazhi’s family, with many brothers who dominate both the village and the town.

“Since my sister-in-law has already remarried and hasn’t brought Qingyu over, then we should go pick Qingyu up. I’ll talk to Meng Ling about it, and let her keep an eye on the collective these days. We’ll buy tickets tomorrow morning to go there.”

As Ji Meng spoke, she stood up to head out.

But Ji Qinghe stopped her, saying, “It’s too far, you stay at home with Qiuqiu. I’ll go alone.”

“I already talked to your Uncle Fu, I asked him to lend me two people.”

Out of fear of that place and Qingyu’s maternal family, Ji Qinghe was reluctant for his daughter to go. He had already lost one son there and didn’t want to risk another daughter.

Ji Qinghe didn’t tell Ji Meng everything about his earlier phone call with Fu Yuanshan. In reality, Fu Yuanshan was very worried about one thing: that impoverished mountains and rivers give rise to cunning people. In some areas and with some individuals, they can commit many unimaginable evils.

Fu Yuanshan called over there personally but couldn’t get accurate information, which was already quite telling.

Fu Yuanshan’s exact words were that if he were given a little more time, if things were as he suspected, then one or two people probably wouldn’t be enough, he wouldn’t be able to bring Qingyu back.

That’s why he hesitated, worrying about whether Qingyu was suffering, but also concerned that he might not be able to bring her back and might even end up in danger himself.

While Ji Qinghe was worried about his daughter, Ji Meng was also uneasy about him going alone. She directly stated:

“If you go alone, even if Uncle Fu lends you people, I still won’t feel at ease. Have you forgotten how you returned last time? This time you’re going to pick up my elder brother and possibly bring Qingyu back, which would effectively cut off their income source over there. Do you really think it will go smoothly?”

It is indeed a matter of income.

Ji Qinghe had just returned a month ago, and they had already sent telegrams twice asking for money and supplies.

Fortunately, they hadn’t used Qingyu as a ^[1]“bargaining chip” refers to something that can be used to gain an advantage in negotiations or discussions. It can be an item, concession, or piece of information that one party offers to … Continue readingbargaining chip, otherwise, Ji Meng and Ji Qinghe wouldn’t have been able to sit still.

“I’ll accompany Dad, you stay home with Qiuqiu.”

Su Cheng didn’t know much about Ji Qiao. The information he had previously gathered indicated that the other party had passed away shortly after his sacrifice, leaving a daughter in the countryside who hadn’t been brought back.

In that moment he experienced, as a soul, he saw the entirety of Qiuqiu’s life.

He knew that the girl named Qingyu was the true substitute for Qiuqiu, but since the two had minimal interaction, he didn’t know much about the girl who looked so much like Qiuqiu, nor did he understand her maternal family and the environment she faced.

Now, hearing the conversation between Ji Meng and Ji Qinghe, he could guess how many twists and turns were involved.

The people Fu Yuanshan arranged to go there couldn’t get concrete news, which was truly absurd.

The only reason for such absurdity could be that that family had a great “influence,” possibly an influence that they hadn’t anticipated, as some places now had gangs.

If that’s the case, he couldn’t let Ji Meng go, if possible, Ji Qinghe shouldn’t go either.

“You stay at home to take care of Qiuqiu. I’ll write down Yan Jin’s number for you later. If you run into anything you can’t resolve, just contact him.” After making up his mind, Su Cheng said to Ji Meng.

Ji Meng was momentarily stunned. “Didn’t you tell me you were going back to the army?”

They talked about this matter when they returned in the afternoon. Since Su Cheng completed his task, he had only contacted his own leader by phone and hadn’t gone back yet. Whether it was for transferring or other issues, he needed to return to the army.

The military district where Su Cheng was stationed was not far from the provincial city, but considering the travel time and potential delays with the army, it would probably take two or three days.

“I can accompany Dad to take care of this before going back to the army, I’ll call my leader after dinner.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Meng hesitated a bit. If Su Cheng went, she would indeed feel more at ease, her intuition and trust told her he should be able to handle the situation well.

“Is that alright?”

“It’s fine. Dad, you don’t need to ask Commander Fu for help. I know some comrades over there, and some have transitioned back to civilian jobs. I can just ask them when we get there.”

“Really, it won’t delay you?”

Hearing Su Cheng mention his acquaintances, Ji Qinghe wavered. Borrowing people from Fu Yuanshan’s side would mostly be military personnel, and they wouldn’t be very convenient for handling such matters, they might even be used for flattery. Su Cheng was different, he could go as a son-in-law.

“It won’t be a problem. We’ll leave tomorrow, right? Then we should get going early. There are only two trains in the morning going there.”

Su Cheng’s demeanor remained calm, giving a sense of reassurance and trust in Ji Qinghe, who nodded: “Alright, I’ll call your Uncle Fu later and let him know not to arrange anyone for me. We’ll leave tomorrow morning at six and aim to catch the earliest train.”

“Okay, good,” Su Cheng replied, nodding.

“To make that long trip, we should prepare some food for you. We still have tea leaves at home, how about boiling some tea eggs for you? Should we go buy some buns to take along tomorrow morning?” Ji Meng asked, noticing they had already decided on their departure time.

Ji Qinghe waved his hand dismissively: “No need to trouble yourself, we can buy those on the train.”

Su Cheng added, “They sell those at the station now, so no need to prepare anything.”

“Oh, that works too.”

Ji Meng asked this because she thought of her and Qiuqiu going out. Fang Aihua had prepared a big bag of food for them, and she felt it wouldn’t be good not to prepare anything. But thinking that they’d be on the train for a long time and the food would get cold, she decided it was better to bring more money for tickets instead. She nodded in agreement.

“Alright, let’s eat, the dishes are getting cold.”

Su Cheng said this as he took a pair of empty chopsticks from the side and served Ji Meng and Qiuqiu some garlic ribs, which was one of the dishes Ji Meng had ordered for lunch.

His casual gesture left Ji Meng momentarily staring at the ribs in the bowl.

To be honest, their relationship was increasingly resembling that of a couple living together. If observed closely, it was somewhat different from merely sharing a household, but she couldn’t pinpoint how exactly.

After taking some ribs to eat, Ji Meng thought about whether Su Cheng’s cooking skills had improved from frequently preparing meals. He had made great progress since he first got here, and the variety of dishes he could cook was increasing. Although the ribs were a bit cold, they tasted exceptionally delicious.

“You and my dad are going over there, be careful. My sister-in-law’s family is tough to deal with and domineering, even more so than Su Dazhi. Earlier, when my dad went there to handle my brother’s funeral, he ended up broke, he had to borrow money just to buy his train ticket back.”

Thus, it was settled that Su Cheng would accompany Ji Qinghe to pick up Qingyu. After they washed up and Qiuqiu fell asleep, Ji Meng habitually soaked her feet before bed. Su Cheng simply packed the clothes he would wear over there, thinking about their departure the next day. Ji Meng couldn’t help but voice her worries to Su Cheng.

“Mm, I understand. I’ll be careful,” Su Cheng said as he secured his army-green backpack, turning to look at Ji Meng.

His serious expression and deep eyes met Ji Meng’s gaze. She bit her lip slightly and continued:

“My dad wants to bring my brother back this time and also wants to take Qingyu. It’s like directly severing ties with that side, which is very difficult. They will definitely demand a large sum of money. I don’t mind paying this amount, I just hope they won’t get greedy. It’s best if we can sign an agreement to avoid future troubles.”

Ji Meng knew this was the hardest part, but it had to be obtained; otherwise, not only would they be restless in the future, but when Qingyu grew up, she would also be exploited.

This was something that had happened in the books, and Ji Meng had no doubt it would happen again.

In the book, Qingyu has a total of five uncles, one aunt, and about ten cousins. For some reason, during the ’80s, one uncle and one cousin were ^[2]“lost to peanuts” could imply losing something of significant value or suffering a setback due to something trivial or seemingly unimportant.lost to peanuts.

With so many uncles in her family, if it were in a sweet romance novel, they would be strong support for the female lead.

Unfortunately, this was a tragic story, and Qingyu’s uncles were entirely a hindrance, even harmful. These tall, strong men never thought of earning money steadily, they were always looking for quick ways to make money.

They later moved to the city and began to struggle with life. After recognizing Qingyu, they kept pestering her for help, demanding this and that. If she refused, they would cling to her incessantly.

One of her cousins had even followed and threatened Qingyu.

Things escalated to the point where they completely sold Qingyu out. If the male lead hadn’t arrived in time, she would have suffered a terrible fate.

“Didn’t your collective arrange for a phone? I’ll contact you after I arrive and provide you with more details,” Su Cheng pondered before speaking.

The collective had now expanded to nearby counties, allowing the sales department to go out and run errands. Ji Meng had printed business cards for them, and it didn’t look good to have an address without a phone number.

Their office was close to the factory’s office, so Ji Meng had asked Meng Ling to coordinate with the union to set up a phone for them.

Installing a phone was expensive during this time, but since the factory already had a phone line and the distance wasn’t far, the monthly fee wouldn’t be much.

The textile factory received a 5% dividend every year, and with the collective now taking a considerable amount of fabric, it had become a significant customer for the textile factory. When Meng Ling brought this up, the factory leaders readily agreed.

The efficiency was surprisingly high, it was set up in just one day. Ji Meng mentioned this to Su Cheng on her way back, thinking it would take several days.

After considering it, Ji Meng found it feasible and said, “That works. Anyway, I’m usually there except during off hours, so I’ll be able to answer the call.”

“Oh, right. It’s still cold up north, and it’s not even April yet. Make sure to bring some warm clothes.”

Remembering this, Ji Meng added, dipping her foot in the water, then looking up at Su Cheng.

“Did you bring any warm clothes back? If not, I can buy you two sets at the department store tomorrow.”

During this time, Su Cheng only wore white shirts or green military uniforms, with no other types of clothing. As a man who wasn’t sensitive to the cold, he probably hadn’t brought back any thick clothes. Since he was accompanying her dad to handle things, it wouldn’t be a big deal for her to gift him a couple of outfits.

“No need to buy clothes, I brought a thick set when I came back. I’ll take that one with me. If it really is cold, I can buy more when I get there.”

“Oh.”

Ji Meng responded, opening her mouth as if to say something but hesitating on how to express it.

She still felt uneasy, worried that dealing with that family would be tough. In the books, that family was truly ruthless.

But for now, this was the best solution. If she went along, no one would be home, and while Qiuqiu would have to come along, she had no idea what the situation would be like over there, fearing she wouldn’t be able to take care of Qiuqiu.

Originally, she wanted Su Cheng to take Qiuqiu back to the army, where Qiuqiu knew some uncles and aunts who could help look after her.

“Don’t worry, this will be resolved smoothly. I spent some time in that army base before and know quite a few people. Nothing will go wrong.”

Noticing Ji Meng’s uneasiness, Su Cheng reassured her again. Then he glanced at her foot-soaking basin: “Is the water cold? Do you need to add some hot water?”

“No, it’s fine, I’ve been soaking for quite a while.”

Ji Meng shook her head and lifted her feet out of the water.

This past week, she had been busy with production at the factory and hadn’t gone out much. Her feet had stopped blistering, she wasn’t sure if it was due to soaking her feet every night, but aside from the initial few, the blisters had mostly faded, leaving no scars, so they were presentable now.

“Then dry off. It’s getting late, you should rest,” Su Cheng said as he brought her a towel and took the foot-soaking basin out.

When he returned, Ji Meng was already in bed. After more than a week of this daily routine, they had both gotten used to it. Su Cheng glanced at her: “Should I turn off the light?”

“Mm,” Ji Meng replied, tucking her hair behind her ear as she lay down.

With the light dimmed, Su Cheng lay in bed. They both couldn’t sleep, separated by Qiuqiu, and it was quiet enough for them to hear each other’s heartbeats.

Their rhythms were somewhat similar.

Ji Meng couldn’t tell if it was due to her lingering worries, but she found it hard to fall asleep. She thought about Qingyu’s maternal family, with five uncles who were tall and strong northerners, plus the ten or so cousins, big and small. Just thinking about it made her scalp tingle, they seemed quite difficult to deal with.

She couldn’t help but open her eyes and look toward the side of the bed. The room was dimly lit, and she could barely make out the broad back of Su Cheng lying on his side.

“Su Cheng.”

In the night, her voice was softer and lower. When she called his name, she seemed to linger on the last syllable, as if ^[3]“brushing against his heart like a raven feather” evokes a delicate and tender sensation. It suggests a gentle, almost intimate contact that elicits an emotional response, similar to how … Continue readingbrushing against his heart like a raven feather, tinged with a slight tremor.

“Mm.”

Su Cheng opened his eyes, his dark pupils bright and clear, only worried about disturbing Qiuqiu. He lowered his voice, slightly hoarse: “What’s wrong?”

“I thought about it, and it’s fine if that family has bigger appetites. I can earn money now and give it to them, as long as you all return safely.”

“When you leave tomorrow, take that remittance slip with you, it’s in the redwood clip under the cabinet. If it’s not enough, call me, and I’ll send over whatever you need.”

Ji Meng was still uneasy. Then she suddenly remembered Qingyu’s uncle and cousin who had been shot, executed back in the 1980s. It was likely related to those incidents.

^[4]“Even a strong dragon can’t overpower a local snake” means that even someone or something powerful (like a dragon) can be at a disadvantage against a local force or authority (like … Continue readingEven a strong dragon can’t overpower a local snake, what if they resort to underhanded tactics?

In the book, she didn’t know how much Ji Qinghe had been cheated out of, but at least they returned smoothly. If something happened because of her words, she would feel deeply guilty and regretful.

It’s just money, problems that can be solved with money aren’t really problems, right?

“Are you still worried?”

Su Cheng furrowed his brows and turned to look at Ji Meng.

There was a child between them, like a dividing line, but Qiuqiu was small, and her pillow, which Ji Meng specially bought, was much shorter than the pillows they used, allowing their eyes to meet unobstructed.

In the dim light, one pair of eyes sparkled brightly while the other glimmered with uncertainty.

Su Cheng had excellent eyesight and could see the unease reflected in her watery eyes. He didn’t quite understand why she felt anxious.

Over the past week, it was clear that she wasn’t fragile or easily scared, unless, of course, she knew something…

But what was her identity?