Chapter 49

After fifteen days, Qin Huairu's shoes were finally finished. She brought Jia Dongxu to hand the shoes to the Street Office. Zhang Caifu repeatedly said okay, and gave 8.5 yuan to Qin Huairu. Qin Huairu smiled, took the money and asked, "Comrade Zhang, do we have any other work?"

Zhang Caifu said helplessly, "Comrade Qin, last time we were just looking out for you; by rights your family isn't considered poor, and now there really is none left."

Qin Huairu showed disappointment; seeing this, Jia Dongxu comforted her, "Huairu, you're pregnant now—don't overwork yourself."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing Jia Dongxu's words, Qin Huairu's eyes welled with tears as she said, "Dongxu, our family relies solely on your income; I'm pregnant, and soon we'll be four—how can your single wage be enough?"

Hearing Qin Huairu say that, Jia Dongxu replied, "Huairu, don't worry—I'll carry heavy loads after work from now on; I'll never let you and the child go hungry."

Seeing the two acting out a sad scene, Zhang Caifu gave a bitter laugh and said, "All right, I've become the bad guy—I'll write you a certificate for pasting matchbox labels; go pick it up at the match factory." After speaking, he wrote a certificate and handed it to Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu accepted the certificate, repeatedly thanking Zhang Caifu, then she and Jia Dongxu left the Street Office.

The two went to the match factory to collect some paper scraps; on their way back to the Courtyard House, passing the Clothing Store, Qin Huairu stepped forward and said, "Shopkeeper Wang, how did the clothes I made last time turn out?"

Seeing Qin Huairu, the Clothing Store owner Shopkeeper Wang said, "Comrade Qin, the clothes you made last time were decent—why do you want more material now?"

"'Exactly, Shopkeeper Wang, look—I'll put these scraps down; can you give me some more work?' Qin Huairu said, adjusting the bundle of paper scraps in her arms."

"'Fine, come pick it up—hurry back, you're still carrying things,' Shopkeeper Wang said. Qin Huairu thanked him, then she and Jia Dongxu returned to the Courtyard House."

In Director Liu's office at Huaxia University, He Yuzhu sat and said, "What? Another transfer? Will I even be able to continue my studies, Director Liu?"

"'Comrade He Yuzhu, this is an order from above—do you really think you can defy it?' Director Liu said sternly."

Seeing Director Liu angry, He Yuzhu quickly said, "It's not that, Director Liu—please don't be angry; mainly, I'm just a student. I don't know where I'm being sent this time, nor for how long—what am I supposed to think?"

"'Comrade He Yuzhu, no matter where you go, you'll surely be serving the country. Think of our comrades in the 'Bangzi' country—how many died on the battlefield? How many came back intact?' Director Liu was still trying to give He Yuzhu ideological education when He Yuzhu interrupted him, saying:"

"'All right, Director Liu, I'll go—I'll go, is that not enough?'"

Seeing He Yuzhu agree, Director Liu took a steel pen from his drawer and tossed it to him, saying, "Take it—get lost, go back and wait for notice."

He Yuzhu picked up the pen, thanked Director Liu, and left the office.

"'What? You're leaving again? This time you don't even know where you're going, or how long for?' Gao Yue asked."

He Yuzhu shook his head and said, "I don't know; they just told me to wait for notice." Seeing this, Gao Yue said, "Zhuzi, wait for me—I'll go out for a bit." After saying that, she ran toward the office building. He Yuzhu had originally wanted to call her back, but thought better of it and let it go.

Gao Yue hurriedly jogged to the Dean's office, knocked, entered, and said, "Dean Jiang, may I make a phone call to my father?"

Seeing Gao Yue, Dean Jiang smiled and said, "Little Yue, come in—what's the matter that you need to see your father about?" He then gestured for her to sit.

Gao Yue smiled at Dean Jiang and said, "I just have a small matter regarding my father, Dean Jiang." Dean Jiang rose and said, "You can make the call here; I'll walk around the school." As he spoke, Dean Jiang headed for the door. Gao Yue thanked him, picked up the phone on the desk, gave it two cranks, and said, "Please connect me to the Beijing Military Region."

After waiting a moment, Gao Yue said, "Please connect me to Senior Staff Officer Gao of the General Staff Department—I'm his daughter, Gao Yue."

From the other end of the line came a stern voice: "I am Gao Minghong." "Dad, it's Yueyue."

Hearing Gao Yue's voice, Gao Minghong's tone softened as he said, "Yueyue, what do you need from me?" Gao Yue quickly replied, "Dad, a friend of mine is about to be transferred away—I don't know when or where. Could you find out for me?"

After a pause on the other end, the voice said, "Yueyue, this friend of yours is your little boyfriend, isn't he? I know this—this escort mission is being carried out by our military region personnel. I can't tell you the specific mission or location, Yueyue, but this is for the country, and no one can refuse."

Gao Yue anxiously said, "Dad, I'm not trying to stop him—I just want to know where he's going so I can prepare."

"'All right, Yueyue, don't make a fuss—this mission is strictly confidential, not something you should know. Hurry back to class.'"

Gao Yue said, "Understood," and was about to hang up when she heard Gao Minghong's voice from the other end: "Yueyue, bring him back to my house tonight."

Upon hearing that Gao Minghong wanted to see He Yuzhu, Gao Yue said, "Dad, you can see him now."

"'I just want to meet this person—I have no other thoughts. That's settled then,' Gao Minghong said before hanging up."

After hanging up, Gao Yue smiled; as long as her father agreed to see He Yuzhu, he might reveal something to him—how could she not be pleased?

After returning to the classroom, Gao Yue sat beside He Yuzhu. Seeing her in a good mood, still smiling, He Yuzhu said, "You heartless thing—you won't be seeing me soon, yet you're so happy."

Gao Yue gave He Yuzhu a glance and said, "I just called my father. Your assignment is being escorted by personnel from the military region; he didn't tell me the specifics, but he told me to come to my house tonight."

Upon hearing he should go to Gao Yue's house, He Yuzhu's face lit up with excitement as he said, "My father-in-law wants me to go to your place—does this mean he's accepted me?"

Gao Yue spat and said, "Who's your father-in-law? Behave yourself tonight, He Yuzhu—I'll tell you this: if you mess things up for me, watch your waist." She then made two gestures at his waist.

After noon classes ended, the two went to the cafeteria together. While eating, He Yuzhu said to Gao Yue, "Xiao Yue, this is my first visit to my father-in-law—should I bring something?"

Gao Yue took a bite of a steamed bun and said, "You don't need to bring anything, Zhuzi—just earn my father's approval tonight, and that matters more than any gift."

He Yuzhu thought it over and still felt he should bring something, since it was his first visit. He asked, "Xiao Yue, what does your father usually like?"

Gao Yue thought and said, "My father likes nothing but lumber and fighting, really." He Yuzhu didn't have the skill for lumber yet, but after thinking again he said, "Xiao Yue, let's go to the market after afternoon classes—I'll make your parents an authentic Sichuan meal."

Gao Yue had previously told He Yuzhu that her father was from Quancheng and her mother from Shancheng; since winning over the father-in-law seemed impossible, she'd try to win over the mother-in-law instead.

Upon hearing He Yuzhu would come to her house to cook Sichuan food, Gao Yue laughed and said, "That's my parents, Comrade He Yuzhu—but my mother will surely be pleased with the Sichuan dish; she's always wanted authentic Sichuan food, so my father took her to a few Sichuan restaurants, but after finding them too expensive she stopped going."

Hearing Gao Yue's words, He Yuzhu said, "Tonight I'll prepare a proper Sichuan meal to make sure Auntie enjoys it; wait for me, Xiao Yue, and when I return I'll make her another."

Gao Yue looked at He Yuzhu and said, "Thank you, Zhuzi."