Bai Naihan seemed to be aware that his leg condition wasn’t promising. He placed his hand on his leg and didn’t say much, just waved a gesture of thanks to Uncle Zhang.
At this moment, the day had already brightened, and there was no need for a flashlight. Yun Qinghuan walked behind Bai Naihan, holding the child. She could clearly sense a touch of desolation in his figure.
Even if he didn’t show much concern, Bai Naihan was someone who liked being in the military. If he had to discharge due to a leg injury, how could he genuinely not care?
Considering the significant incident at home and the difficulty Liu Yuzhi was already facing, he had to conceal his own sorrow and smile to comfort others.
Yun Qinghuan recalled what her mother-in-law, Liu Yuzhi, had said. She admitted neglecting the younger son due to the elder son’s issues, and the younger son had always been understanding.
When Liu Yuzhi realized her mistake and wanted to make amends to Bai Naihan, he had already grown up and become more mature, not needing her belated care.
This situation left Liu Yuzhi with a sense of guilt towards her younger son.
Thinking about all this, Yun Qinghuan took a few quick steps, reaching the side of Bai Naihan, as if casually saying, “Your leg will surely get better.”
He was working so hard, probably doing silent rehabilitation every day while carrying the burden for others. Moreover, he was a good person; in the original story, he could stand up, so he definitely could now.
Bai Naihan was stunned, glanced at his sister-in-law walking quickly ahead, and smiled, pursing his lips.
Early in the morning, as the sun was just rising, Yun Qinghuan, without a watch, didn’t know the exact time but guessed it to be very early.
People around her had already begun to wake up in small groups. Village folks tended to sleep and rise early. Yun Qinghuan had only walked a short distance before encountering several people.
They warmly greeted her, but she didn’t know them well. The original persona didn’t enjoy socializing or going out much, spending most of the time at home.
Due to Liu Yuzhi’s favoritism towards the original persona, she wasn’t sent out to work in the fields.
The primary daily tasks for the original persona were laundry and cooking.
However, Yun Qinghuan knew she had to stay in this place for at least two or three more years, and building good relationships with the villagers was crucial. So, whenever someone greeted her, she would smile politely.
She was beautiful, and a simple smile from her was captivating enough.
Many people were curious about why she was so friendly today, especially considering the child in her arms and Bai Naihan following behind.
The trio’s appearance early in the morning seemed a bit unusual.
Coincidentally, Granny Chen, who spoke up for Yun Qinghuan the day before, walked over. She was holding a basin with freshly washed clothes. The fact that the clothes were already washed so early was noteworthy; it was unclear how early she had risen.
Nevertheless, it was normal for the elderly to have relatively less sleep.
Seeing Yun Qinghuan, Granny Chen looked surprised and immediately expressed concern when she noticed the child in her arms, “Yun Qing, why are you still carrying the child?”
Seeing that Yun Qinghuan came from the direction of the village clinic, Granny Chen inquired further, “Is An’an sick?”
Granny Chen had always been friendly with Liu Yuzhi, so she treated Yun Qinghuan well too.
Because Yun Qinghuan, being a sent-down educated youth, couldn’t handle heavy work and had a delicate appearance, she attracted attention from men wherever she went. This caused some villagers to dislike her, even though the original persona hadn’t done anything wrong.
Despite Yun Qinghuan’s lack of actions, some people spoke ill of her behind her back. However, Granny Chen scolded those gossipers and consoled the original persona, asking her not to worry, stating that they were just jealous. So, when Granny Chen looked worried, Yun Qinghuan didn’t hide anything, saying, “An’an suddenly had a high fever in the middle of the night and cried a lot, scaring me. We hurriedly took him to the clinic with Naihan. I was afraid something serious would happen due to the fever. But, Granny Chen, don’t worry. An’an is much better now after taking medicine and getting an IV. I think he’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep.”
Hearing Yun Qinghuan’s explanation, Granny Chen sighed and looked sympathetically at the child. Suddenly, she called out to the air, “Wensong, Granny Chen knows you miss your wife and child, and they miss you too. But your wife and child are frail. After you’ve seen them, rest assured and leave. Don’t linger around them.”
Yun Qinghuan, astonished, said, “Granny Chen…”
She didn’t understand why Granny Chen suddenly spoke to the air like that, which was quite eerie.
A nearby woman, seeing Yun Qinghuan’s confused expression, couldn’t help but smile and explained, “Educated youth Yun, yesterday was the seventh day since your man passed away. An’an suddenly falling ill is probably because his father misses him. Don’t worry. Once Granny Chen talks to your man, and he leaves, An’an will be fine.”
Isn’t this a bit superstitious?
Why is Granny Chen promoting superstition so openly?
Seeing the people around taking it for granted, Yun Qinghuan remained silent.
It was evident that everyone felt Granny Chen’s words were correct.
The woman who spoke was named Jiang Wenxiu, with a delicate appearance and healthy wheat-colored skin. Seeing Yun Qinghuan sweating after carrying the child for such a long distance, she approached and said, “Yun Zhiqing¹, you look tired from carrying the child. Do you want me to help you carry him home?”
Seeing Yun Qinghuan looking thin and weak, Jiang Wenxiu was afraid she might faint after a breathless walk.
She couldn’t help but feel emotional. Despite being married for several years and having a child, Yun Qinghuan looked more beautiful and charming than the unmarried girls in the village. Compared to the greenness² she had when she first arrived here years ago, she had gained a touch of femininity.
It’s a pity for such a loving couple…
Perhaps hearing Jiang Wenxiu’s offer, An’an, who was sleeping in Yun Qinghuan’s arms, suddenly clung tightly to her clothes, whimpering and calling out, “Mom, don’t go!”
Although the voice was somewhat soft, Jiang Wenxiu heard it.
“This child is really attached to you.”
“Mom won’t go. Sleep peacefully.” Yun Qinghuan patted An’an’s back, and the child, as if sensing it, fell into a deep sleep again.
Yun Qinghuan looked at Jiang Wenxiu apologetically and said, “Sister-in-law, thank you for your kind offer, but An’an might not let others hold him.”
“No problem, no problem,” Jiang Wenxiu generously waved her hand. “Your child has a good bond with you. Besides, when kids like An’an get sick at this age, they tend to stick to their mothers, just like my son.”
Jiang Wenxiu and Granny Chen continued walking with Yun Qinghuan towards the front. It was a coincidence that their homes were close to each other, all situated in the southern part. As they walked, they chatted with Yun Qinghuan.
With these two accompanying her, Yun Qinghuan felt much less pressure when encountering other villagers. She just needed to follow along when Jiang Wenxiu called out.
∞
Translator Note
[ This was originally a mistake from my side – I explained the term ‘Zhiying’ instead of ‘Zhiqing’, but for knowledge’s sake, I decided to leave it.
- 1 – Zhiying
In some regions and informal settings, “知” (pronounced “zhī”) can be used as a prefix before a person’s given name, similar to how “Mr.” or “Ms.” is used in English. This is usually only used with someone you’re familiar with, especially someone younger than you. For example, you might call a friend “知文” (zhīwén) instead of just “文” (wén).
- 2 – Greeness
“Green” can have various figurative meanings in Chinese, including immaturity, naivety, or inexperience. Calling a maiden green could imply she is young, lacks worldly experience, or is perhaps innocent.
- 3 – Zhiqing
“Zhiqing” (知青) translates to “educated youth” in English. During China’s Cultural Revolution, young people, known as “zhiqing,” were sent to rural areas to experience life and contribute to agricultural work as part of Mao Zedong’s policies. The term “Zhiqing Point” likely refers to a specific location or commune where these educated youth were assigned to work in the countryside.]
Next release
– Dec. 25 (11am)
(There’ll be extra chapters for Christmas, stay tuned!)
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∞
- John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
