Starting a new chapter in life

Seeing her brother's progress, Peng Chunlai couldn't help but feel a little tempted. It's good to be educated, and she also wanted to find an educated person. She told her parents about this idea: "Mom and Dad, don't you think Jingyan's boyfriend is great? My brother has become more studious and inquisitive after getting along well with him."

Mr. Peng nodded: "That's right. That boy is educated but not arrogant. Xiao Hai has been making a lot of progress lately. I heard from the village chief that Xiao Hai is now in charge of the basic maintenance of the farm machinery in the village. Who would have thought that he would be doing these things in the past?"

"So what do you think about me finding a technician in the army to be your son-in-law?" Peng Chunlai asked with a smile.

Before Peng's father could react, Peng's mother became dissatisfied: "It's not good. Yes, Xiao He is a good young man, but in our village, besides Jing Yan, do you see any family that dares to marry their daughter into the army? Do you think life away from home is easy? Even though Jing Yan's parents are no longer here, her older brother still has to consider his sister's wishes. If your Aunt Zhang were still alive, she would not agree to this marriage."

“But I have Jingyan here. If you’re worried, I’ll find someone from my hometown who lives close to Comrade He’s house and works with him. That way, I can stay with Jingyan and work part-time in the canteen. No matter where we go, we’ll be together. Mom, I don’t want to stay in the village forever.”

"Just give up on that idea. Do you think life outside is easy? Don't you know your own personality? Jingyan got this cafeteria job herself. You said you got in with her. If Jingyan hadn't been looking after you, you wouldn't have gotten in with that insecure look on your face."

This is just a job. It's good to have it, but you won't starve if you don't. However, when it comes to living at home, even if Jingyan is just a friend, your brother and sister-in-law shouldn't interfere. If you get upset in the future, no one except your parents will have the right or reason to stand up for you.

"You should find someone near home, get married and have children peacefully, and live a safe and peaceful life. That's our greatest hope for you, son. You're not like Jingyan. She's ambitious and decisive. She won't let herself suffer too much no matter where she is. But you're too soft-hearted. You can't do that." Mother Peng earnestly advised.

Chunlai is a very obedient child. She really listened to her mother's words. Peng's parents did not force her. They just told her to think it over carefully. As children grow up, they often have their own ideas. As parents, we just need to clarify the pros and cons. The choice should still be made by the child herself.

Peng Chunlai thought about it for half the night, still somewhat unwilling to give up. When she went to work in the cafeteria, she told Jingyan her thoughts, including her mother's reasons for dissuading her. After listening, Jingyan thought about it carefully:

"Spring is coming, and I really wish you could stay by my side forever. In the future, when we're in another city, I'll rent a place with a fellow villager, and we can share a room. It would be great to look after each other. But you never know what kind of people you'll meet out there—some good, some bad."

You know how it is with the older women in our village; they love to gossip. They don't usually say it in front of us young people, but it's still unpleasant to hear occasionally. But how many people are like that outside? And when your husband isn't around, how much gossip will there be? Can you handle it?

At home, you're waited on hand and foot, and your aunt takes good care of you. But outside, you have to worry about everything yourself – food, clothing, shelter, transportation. If the kang (heated brick bed) gets clogged, you have to find someone to unclog it. If you don't have enough coal, you have to go to the mountains to collect firewood. You've never experienced the days of carefully calculating your money and coupons. You have to get up early to cook for yourself, boil water and do laundry at night. The miscellaneous housework is enough to keep you busy. If you have a child, you'll have to take care of the child yourself. Just thinking about it, don't you feel tired?

If you've considered all these aspects and are still confident about this kind of life, then I warmly welcome you into my future life. If you feel you can't handle it, then listen to your aunt and find a partner near home. Your aunt can also help with things like taking care of the children later.

The little flame of excitement and rebellion that had been burning in Chunlai was extinguished by Jingyan's words. She nodded dejectedly, "I didn't think enough. I didn't expect that life would be so difficult. I saw that you and Fourth Sister were doing well. I didn't expect it to be this hard."

“After my mother passed away, my fourth sister and I had a very difficult time for a while. Before, when we worked in the fields, my mother wouldn’t say anything if we got three or four work points, and she would even praise us if we got six or seven. We didn’t have to worry about whether we had enough food or how much winter vegetables we stored…”

It wasn't until my mother passed away that we learned how to eat the brown rice and sweet potatoes at home in a way that would both fill our stomachs and save food, how much refined and coarse grain we could exchange for a year's work points, how long that would last us, what vegetables to plant in the yard, and how much to plant. There were so many things to calculate. It was only thanks to the savings my mother had left us that we were able to get through that first year, albeit with some difficulties.

"If my mother were still alive, I wouldn't have chosen He Zhijun. But without my mother, I have no home. I'm not willing to stay here, toiling in the fields for the rest of my life. Farm work is too hard. It's better to work in the canteen than to work in the fields." Jingyan said calmly, though her mood was somewhat down.

Peng Chunlai felt sorry for her: "Won't this unit disband? Right now they're stationed everywhere, helping with local development. What will you do when the local areas no longer need them?"

Jing Yan smiled upon hearing this: "When that day comes, He Zhijun will at most just be demobilized and go back to his hometown. He has skills, so he should be able to find a job. As for me, we'll see how things go. If they allow business then, I'll set up a barbecue stall and sell kebabs. I'll be able to survive eventually."

Peng Chunlai's eyes widened: "You can grill skewers?"

"Guess?" Jingyan winked at her.

Peng Chunlai took her words as casual remarks and didn't take them to heart. Jing Yan lowered her head and continued peeling potatoes, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her mouth: she really didn't know how now, but in her dream life, she supported her daughter's schooling by running a barbecue stall, so she knew how, and this skill was her last source of confidence.

Peng Chunlai, unaware of her thoughts, continued peeling garlic cloves: "Now that you mention it, I've lost all my ideas. I'll just find a partner back home. My parents can help me out, but I don't like working in the fields. I'll see if I can find someone to introduce me to someone in the county town. But I'm not that old yet, so there's no rush. After the army moves away, I'll also see if I can find a job in the county town. I have a junior high school education, so at most I'll just spend some money and use connections."

“You could ask your older brother to help you inquire about this. He works at the steel factory in the county town. If there are any job openings, you could try applying,” Jing Yan suggested.

He Chunlai smiled, "I'll listen to you."

After spending time with him, Jingyan felt that He Zhijun was indeed a good man. Perhaps it was the difference between southern and northern men, but he was considerate and gentle. He visited her twice during the holidays and cooked a few meals for the two sisters. Although the taste was on the lighter side, the food was indeed delicious. He was not as domineering as northern men. He never asked Jingyan to wash his clothes and would even sweep the yard and turn over the soil for her. It has to be said that such a man is indeed very reassuring.

As winter turned to spring, the fourth sister's wedding date drew closer. Her parents sent Jingyan a Shanghai watch as a wedding gift for her to give to Jinghuan. Jinghuan was pleasantly surprised when she received it, but also hesitated: "Jingyan, this is too precious."

Jing Yan smiled and said, "I think his family is nice, and I'm planning to confirm our relationship, so you can accept this gift. It's not that our family can't afford this watch, it's just that the tickets are hard to get. I will repay this favor, so you don't need to feel too guilty."

Jinghuan couldn't argue with her sister after all, so she carefully put it away, saying, "I'll wear it on my wedding day."

He Zhijun was overjoyed to receive Jing Yan's definite reply. He immediately wrote home to thank his parents for the watch they had sent, which not only made him look good but also helped him secure his wife. He also received news that his unit would be going to the Great Northern Wilderness by the end of the year at the latest, and the advance team that had chosen the location had already set off. If possible, he hoped to hold the wedding in September or October.

In mid-May, on the eve of Jinghuan's wedding, He's parents came over in person. They moved directly into the west room because all the houses and yards had been cleaned since Jinghuan was getting married, so it was convenient for them to move in.

Zhang Jingtian and Zhang Jingzhao returned the day before their fourth sister's wedding. They met with He's parents and talked about Jingyan's marriage. As the head of the family, Jingtian spoke up: "Uncle and Aunt, Zhijun said that the army might leave before the autumn harvest. I'm thinking that it would be best to hold their wedding before the army leaves. What do you think?"

Cui Hongru smiled and said, "That's great. If we submit the marriage application now, it should be approved in a month at most. Our idea is that if Jingyan doesn't think it's too abrupt, we can hold the wedding at the end of August. At that time, the farm work in the village should be going well, which is perfect for a happy occasion."

He Zhijun quickly said, "I've already written the marriage report. I just need to fill in the date and submit it. I'll give it to the battalion commander for approval tomorrow."

"As for the betrothal gifts, we've considered that Jingyan and Xiaojun will likely be away from home for a long time, so the three major items (bringing large and small items) won't be practical, and they won't be convenient to move. As parents, we've prepared 600 yuan to replace the three major items. Is that alright with you?" Cui Hongru said directly.

Zhang Jingtian nodded repeatedly: "Six hundred yuan, that's not a small amount, not a small amount. We can't give much in dowry either. Jingyan only has a little over three hundred yuan in hand, plus a pair of silver bracelets and a silver toad hairpin that my mother left her. We, as her older brothers, can give her a hundred yuan. It's much less than your family's, but that's all we can offer."

Cui Hongru could tell that the Zhang family thought they had gotten a good deal, so she smiled and said, "When a woman marries, she is expected to be fed and clothed. It is only natural for a man to support a woman. There is no reason for one of the couple to get a better deal in their life. It is Xiaojun's good fortune that Jingyan has taken care of things at home for him. Besides, she has her own income. No matter how much it is, as long as she has something, she will not lack anything."

Brother Zhang was very pleased to hear this. "Then we've settled on this marriage. Once the marriage application is approved, you two can get your marriage certificate first, and then hold the wedding ceremony on the chosen date. I wonder if you'll have time to come here for the wedding? It's too far away, and it's really not easy for you to come all this way."

“We will try our best to come, after all, it’s our youngest son’s life. We will try our best to come, but if we have an urgent mission and can’t make it, we will let you know in advance,” He Jiaoxu said.

"Okay, okay, it would be great if you could come, but we understand if you really can't." With the marriage arranged, Cui Hongru smiled and said to Jingyan and He Zhijun, "Tomorrow is your fourth sister's big day. Your uncle and I will be cooking tonight. You young people can go out for a walk and we'll have dinner together later."

Zhang Jingtian and Jingzhao also suggested that the two of them go out for a walk. Jingzhao said, "I'll help Auntie. Big brother, you can start the fire. Little sister, you and Zhijun can go out for a walk."

Jingyan didn't go against her family's wishes, and the two of them went out one after the other. Once outside, they found that there were houses all around them, and there wasn't much to do. They looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.

"They've sent us away, but where are we supposed to go?" Jingyan felt like she had nowhere to go.

"Let's go for a walk around the village entrance; there shouldn't be many people there now," He Zhijun suggested.

When the two arrived at the village entrance, they sat on a large rock. He Zhijun took out the savings book he had been carrying and handed it to Jingyan, saying, "This is my savings from the past few years. It's all yours."

Jing Yan blushed as she took it, opened it, and looked at it: "Fifteen thousand? That much?"

He Zhijun scratched his head and laughed, "When I first joined the army, I received a salary of thirty-six yuan, plus an annual subsidy and occasional allowances from my family. This year, my salary increased to forty-eight yuan. After deducting my usual expenses, this is all that's left. I still have some coupons. The various coupons we receive are valid nationwide. I mailed home all the coupons I didn't need before. I'll save them for you if I get any more. Be frugal when you don't need them. If you need more, I can ask my family for more."

Jingyan quickly refused: "No need, no need. I'm such a big spender, spending over a thousand. Don't worry, I'll save the rest after deducting daily expenses. You can keep your allowance, and give me the rest. A man can't be without money. We'll keep the coupons for what we need at home, and mail the rest back. Your aunt and uncle live in the city, not the countryside. They need to buy everything and use more coupons."

He Zhijun shook his head: "Our family doesn't lack tickets. I was afraid it would be a waste if the tickets we received before expired, so I mailed them back home. From now on, I just need to take care of our own little family. As for pocket money, I'll keep five yuan each month... Is that okay?"

"Sure, why not? You earn a lot, it's normal to keep some pocket money. Do you smoke and drink?"

He Zhijun shook his head: "I don't smoke, and I'm not a big drinker, so I don't usually spend much money on that."