Starting a new chapter in life

Jingyan nodded, "Okay, then you go and ask first. Once it's confirmed, we need to call our parents to let them know and share in their joy."

The next evening, He Zhijun returned. “Jingyan, all four of us passed the exam, but the schools are different. Battalion Commander Gao is very happy. Our battalion had fewer people taking the college entrance exam than other battalions, but the admission rate was the highest. This really made him proud. So he’s happy that we can complete the procedures this weekend, a week earlier than the normal holiday.”

Jingyan was also very happy: "We have quite a lot of things to bring. In the next couple of days, I'll pack out the things we don't use often but can't bear to throw away. When you come back, we'll dismantle the wooden bed. We'll put the smaller pieces of wood in sacks, and tie the larger pieces with rope. They shouldn't get lost."

“Okay, then please get ready. Tomorrow morning, call Mom and tell her the approximate time we’re going back, and the school I got into. Ask her if she can find someone to help us arrange train transport. Your dressing table, the wooden bed, the bedding, pickles, kitchenware, etc., we should take as much as we can. Um, take the cart too. If it’s too expensive to send these things by post, it’s more cost-effective to ship them.” He Zhijun instructed.

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for the family? How about I go to the train station in the next couple of days to inquire about shipping?" Jingyan wondered if relying on her in-laws for everything would annoy people, since they also had to work and were very busy.

He Zhijun didn't seem to care: "What's the trouble? My parents are both over fifty. In principle, my mother will retire in two years. She can retire now if she wants to. Our trip back is a big deal. My parents will be very happy to know. My mother might even take a day off to come and pick us up. She won't find this troublesome."

Since He Zhijun thought there was no problem, Jingyan didn't want to spoil the mood. The next day, when He Zhijun went back to stand his last shift, she went out with him. When they arrived at the post office, it was exactly 8:30. She took out her phone book and dialed a number. After two rings, someone answered the phone. When she said she was looking for Nurse Cui Hongru, the woman on the phone told her to call back in ten minutes while she went to call her.

Jingyan waited obediently for ten minutes, checked the time on her watch, and dialed again on time. This time, Cui Hongru answered the phone. "Jingyan, is it urgent that you're calling at this hour?" The second son's family rarely called back, mostly writing letters. The last time they called was to ask about the remittance slip, which was almost two years ago. This time it seems to be urgent as well.

“Zhijun also took the college entrance examination this year. He received his admission notice from Shanghai Jiao Tong University a while ago. He is currently handing over his work and said that he will be able to complete the handover this weekend. We plan to pack up and go back after he finishes his work handover. However, we have accumulated a lot of stuff here in the past two years, and we are reluctant to throw it away. He asked me to call home and ask if we can help contact some acquaintances in the railway industry to arrange for it to be shipped out.”

Jing Yan spoke rather quickly. Cui Hongru had originally intended to finish quickly as phone calls were too expensive, but upon hearing this good news, she immediately forgot about the cost and hurriedly asked, "Zhijun got into university? Do you remember what he's majoring in?"

“He said he’s currently working in the mechanical engineering field, so this is a good opportunity for him to pursue further studies. He’ll be enrolled on March 1st. We plan to go back before or after the Lunar New Year, but before that, I should go back to Liaoning Province to pick up some things. If the shipping can be arranged, I’ll ship the furniture and other items back first,” Jingyan explained.

“Okay, when I get back today, I’ll have your dad and brother try to find some connections and ask around. Once it’s confirmed, I’ll send you a telegram. I’ll give you more details after you receive the telegram. We can keep in touch. You and Xiaojun have been away for two years now. You should go back and tell your family that you’re coming here and leave your address so your older brother and sister can come visit you.”

Cui Hongru is very open-minded and doesn't believe that her daughter-in-law should only focus on her husband's family and distance herself from her own. She prefers that her daughter-in-law's children have a good relationship, as such a harmonious family will make the young couple feel happier. She just wants her own children to live a comfortable and happy life.

"Thank you, Mom." Jingyan was very touched.

After hanging up the phone, she paid the bill—good heavens, it was two yuan and fifty cents! Reluctantly, she paid it. Back home, Jingyan started packing. She left half a month's worth of food. There weren't many winter vegetables in the cellar; if there were any leftovers, she'd share them with Chen Xinyue and Gao Mei's families—they'd provided the most help during her two years there.

Although the meat in the storeroom wasn't much, it would last more than half a month. Fortunately, it's cold in winter, so the rest can be taken back to our hometown to share with my fourth sister and two brothers. As for the coal, there are at most three or four tons left, so we'll just consider it a gift to the landlady. As for the other pots and pans, besides keeping a wok, two large bowls, two plates, two pairs of chopsticks, a steamer, a spatula, and a vegetable washing basin, we also kept a cutting board and a knife. Everything else was packed and categorized according to whether it was fragile or not.

We'll leave a quilt on the bed, along with two changes of clothes. Everything else is packed too. We'll also pack the fragile dishes and bowls inside, which will give us a better chance of getting home safely.

When He Zhijun returned home, all the packed items were piled up on the empty floor of the second bedroom, and the wooden bed had also been disassembled and packed up. He Zhijun was dumbfounded when he looked at the slightly empty house: "Jingyan, your efficiency is too strong! You've packed everything up?"

Jing Yan said with a proud look, "Except for what we need and eat during this period, everything else is done. We bought less winter storage vegetables this year, so it's easier to pack them up."

Yangshi, Hejia

After finishing her workday, Cui Hongru went home and immediately started cooking. When He Jiaoxu returned, she urged him, "Don't change your clothes yet. Go to the eldest son's house and ask him and his wife to bring the children back for dinner tonight. I'll cook a few more dishes."

He Jiaoxu asked curiously, "What day is it today? Why are you making so many dishes?"

"Hey, hurry up and go call them, stop dawdling, the eldest daughter-in-law will have dinner ready by now, go quickly." Cui Hongru urged impatiently.

He Jiaoxu nodded: "Okay, I'll go now. Really, you're so impatient at your age." Although he muttered to himself, he still quickened his pace.

The two houses weren't far apart, and he arrived quickly. His eldest daughter-in-law was washing vegetables, and his grandson was helping to peel garlic. "Hasn't the eldest son come back yet?" He Jiaoxu asked from the doorway.

Upon hearing her father-in-law's voice, Zhou Jie quickly turned around: "Dad, why are you here at this hour? Is something wrong at home? Zhicheng won't be home for about half an hour. Is Mom working overtime today? Why don't you eat here tonight?"

He Jiaoxu shook his head: "Your mom came home early tonight and is already cooking. You can save this dish for tomorrow. The three of you can eat at home tonight. Judging from your mom's demeanor, she probably has something to say."

Zhou Jie glanced at the vegetables that had already been picked and washed. Hmm, green beans, potatoes, and eggplants. They should be fine after a day. So she nodded and agreed: "Xiao Li, put the garlic cloves you peeled into the bowl, and put the unpeeled ones back in the box."

He Chaoli obediently agreed, put the six or seven smooth garlic cloves in his hand into an empty bowl, threw the remaining head of garlic back into the cardboard box by the kitchen door, swept the garlic peels off the floor with a broom, put things back in their place, and looked up at his mother, waiting to be praised.

Zhou Jie didn't disappoint him. After tidying up the vegetables, she gently patted his head and praised him softly, "Our Xiao Li is getting better and better at working. Keep it up."

"Okay, Mom, I'll do even better in the future." He Chaoli smiled happily, his round little face showing a dimple when he smiled, he was so cute.

After the kitchen was cleaned up, Zhou Jie poured He Jiaoxu a glass of water. "Dad, I'll take a basket to pack the washed vegetables home later. Mom cooked a lot tonight, so we can add a couple more dishes when we get home."

He Jiaoxu waved his hand: "No need. Since your mother wants you all to come back for dinner, she has prepared plenty of food. You don't need to bring anything. There's nothing lacking at home. Just take good care of your own families."

He Jiaoxu, who had been in the military for many years, brought much more subtle pressure than He Zhicheng. Zhou Jie felt a little uncomfortable, so she kept herself busy, going to the balcony to put the dried clothes into the bedroom closet. Just as she finished, He Zhicheng came home.

Upon entering, I saw my father and son sitting on the sofa. I was a little surprised: "Dad, what brings you here? Where's Mom? Is she here too?"

He Jiaoxu glared at him: "What, does your mother have to come just because I'm here? You're still breastfeeding, always talking about 'mother' all the time. Your mother didn't come, so you asked me to come and call the three of you back for dinner. Looks like you might have something to say."

"What's wrong, Mom? Are you happy or unhappy?" He Zhicheng continued to ask, but he had already hung his handbag on the coat rack by the door.

"How would I know? I was thinking of asking, but your mother didn't say anything. She just sent me to find you. She was afraid that if I came late, your wife would have already prepared dinner, and it would be a waste to send you back to your place. So she didn't tell me much. It doesn't seem like it's anything bad." He Jiaoxu stood up and walked towards the door. "Now that you're back, hurry up and leave." He had already left the house after saying that.

When Zhou Jie heard his voice, she had already come out of the bedroom, changed her shoes, put on a cotton coat, and seen that He Chaoli had already put on his cotton coat. She then put a hat on him, and the three of them locked the door and followed He Jiaoxu back to the old house.

Upon entering, several dishes were already laid out on the dining table, which was indeed quite a grand affair. He Zhijun, with his carefree attitude, cheerfully asked, "Mom, what's the good news that we're having such a feast today? Did you get promoted?"

Cui Hongru slapped away his hand that was reaching for the ribs, and said irritably, "Go wash your hands. You're such a grown man, and you're still so unhygienic. You're not even as good as Chaoli, who's not even eight years old. Look at him, he knows to wash his hands." She sent her son to wash his hands and casually replied, "It's not that I got promoted, it's that Xiaojun got into Shanghai Jiaotong University. As long as the work there is handed over properly, he'll be coming back."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jie's face lit up with surprise: "My second brother got into university? And a university in Haishi? When will they be back? What month does school start?"

After washing his hands, He Zhicheng led He Chaoli to sit down at the table and asked, "Did you send a telegram or write a letter?"

“Your sister-in-law called me this morning and said that they’ve bought some things over the past two years and are reluctant to leave. Zhijun asked her to call and ask if we can find some railway workers we know. They want to ship the things back, saying that mailing them through the post office is too expensive. They called you all back to discuss this matter.” After Cui Hongru finished cooking, she picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of pork rib on He Chaoli’s plate. “Let’s eat. We’ll talk about it after we finish.”

He Jiaoxu started eating with Cui Hongru, while He Zhijun and his family of three began to eat. Zhou Jie didn't have many connections, so she didn't have much to worry about. Besides eating herself, she occasionally looked after her son. He Jiaoxu was very happy to hear the news. While eating, she said to He Zhijun, "Zhijun, tomorrow I'll go and ask the stationmaster of the railway bureau if there are any trains passing through Jiang City in his area. If there are, the shipping will be easier to arrange."

He Zhijun nodded in agreement: "I'll look for someone tomorrow to see if I can find someone who can run that section. If not, someone who goes to Harbin will also be fine. It'll just be a bit troublesome if Zhijun has to find a car to transport the goods to Harbin first and then arrange for shipping."

“Alright, let’s find someone together, father and son. Once we’ve confirmed it, we’ll telegraph Zhijun and confirm the exact time with him. I wonder how things are going on his end. Now that he has a home, he has a lot more stuff. Look, he’s complaining about the cost of mailing it, so it must be quite a lot of stuff. He’s finally grown up and knows how to be frugal. He doesn’t want to throw anything away and even calculates shipping costs. You only really become an adult when you get married.” He Jiaoxu took a sip of his wine, feeling quite gratified.

Cui Hongru was too lazy to listen to his lament, so she immediately changed the subject: "I discussed with your dad before that we would see if anyone around here had a house for sale this year, so we could buy a house for Zhijun and his wife to settle down. But now that Zhijun is going to study in Haishi, we don't need to look for a house here anymore. If not, we can find one for him in Haishi."

He Zhicheng thought about it seriously: "I just don't know where Zhijun will stay later, but let's look around there first. It would be best if it were close to the machinery factory. After graduation, the jobs assigned should be in one of the machinery-related factories there. It shouldn't be a bad choice to look in that area."

He Jiaoxu remained silent on this matter, his silence unusual. Cui Hongru was the first to sense his mood and asked with some confusion, "What's wrong? You seem down? Don't worry, if we find a house we like, we can buy it for at most two or three thousand yuan."

Although it's almost drained our savings, the young couple still needs their own home to be truly comfortable. We've done our duty by helping them here; from now on, they'll have to fend for themselves. Don't worry about it.