Chapter 8
In Dayang Village, He Qiming finished dressing his younger son, gave his little bottom a pat, and told him to go find his grandmother with his older brother.
After folding the quilt, He Qiming took a few yuan, planning to go to the county town to buy some things.
“Qiming! Qiming!” He Qiming’s aunt’s voice arrived before she did.
“Sister-in-law, Qiming is in his room. What brings you here so early? Have you had breakfast?” Yang Fuzhen came out, holding her younger grandson.
“Oh, Yangyang is already up! Come, let Great-Auntie-Grandma hold you.” He Qiming’s aunt took He Jingyang, peeked into the inner room, and seeing He Qiming come out, she waved him over. “Qiming, come quickly. I have something to tell you.”
The moment He Qiming saw his aunt’s expression, he knew it was about a blind date again.
After a failed marriage, he wasn’t particularly keen on getting married again, afraid of encountering another woman like his ex-wife.
During this visit home, both his mother and his aunt had been urging him to find someone new. He had been hesitant until he saw his nephew bullying his two children. Although his mother would intervene, her energy was limited, and she couldn’t watch them all the time.
And the look of envy in his younger son’s eyes when he saw his sister-in-law holding her child—that’s when he decided it was time to find someone.
Moreover, with his recent promotion, he was now eligible to have his family join him at the military base. Under his own watch, a new wife surely wouldn’t show favoritism.
“Big Sister, have you found a suitable match?” Yang Fuzhen immediately understood the situation from her sister-in-law’s demeanor.
He Qiming’s aunt nodded. “Do you know Wei Jiancheng from Houxi Village?”
He Qiming didn’t, but Yang Fuzhen knew all too well. His story was so dramatic that people still talked about it.
“The Wei Jiancheng who was gone for six years, gave all his wages to his mistress, and died of an illness last month?” Yang Fuzhen’s eyes darted around. “Are you talking about his wife, Ye Qingzhi?”
Seeing her sister-in-law nod, Yang Fuzhen wasn’t entirely pleased. “A widow whose husband just died… wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”
“It’s not like they’re getting married right away. They’ll get to know each other first. If it’s a good fit, they can get their marriage certificate after the hundred-day mourning period is over. Last time, it was too rushed. They got married in a hurry without getting to know each other properly, which caused Qiming so much suffering,” He Qiming’s aunt huffed.
At the mention of her former daughter-in-law, Yang Fuzhen shuddered and asked with lingering fear, “What’s this Ye Qingzhi like?”
“Her family’s drama was so big, you must have heard some of it. Wei Jiancheng was gone for six years. Her own family is far away, and she can’t rely on her in-laws. She raised two children all by herself, and there’s never been any bad gossip about her. That’s how you know she’s a good woman.” He Qiming’s aunt trusted Auntie Ye, and she had also done her own inquiries. Very few people had anything bad to say about Ye Qingzhi.
He Qiming listened silently. If the rumors were true, then this Ye Qingzhi did indeed sound like a good person.
“I saw her once. She’s quite good-looking, just a bit thin. That can be fixed with some nourishment. The most important thing is her character. She’s capable both at home and in the fields. Qiming, Ye Qingzhi also has two children. They’re always dressed cleanly, and they’re well-behaved and sensible. She must be a good mother,” his aunt said with conviction.
No matter how well a person could pretend, they couldn’t keep it up for so many years. The children were always neat and tidy, and they were taught to be polite and sensible. That was all to Ye Qingzhi’s credit.
After hearing this, Yang Fuzhen also felt that Ye Qingzhi was a good choice. She was down-to-earth and capable, and most importantly, she was steadfast.
Her former daughter-in-law had caused so much trouble because they were living apart and she couldn’t bear the loneliness.
“Qiming, what do you say?” Yang Fuzhen turned to ask her son.
“Let’s meet first,” He Qiming said after a moment’s hesitation. “Is she willing to remarry?”
He didn’t want it to be a one-sided affair.
“Wei Jiancheng was gone for six years and never came back once. He even had another woman and gave all his wages to her. Now that he’s dead, she and the children didn’t get a single cent. Ye Qingzhi has completely given up on him. The main thing is, it’s not easy for a single woman to raise two children. She’s also looking for someone to rely on,” his aunt explained.
He Qiming nodded. As long as the woman was willing, that was all that mattered. They would meet first and get to know each other. If it felt right, they could take it from there.
They arranged to meet at the market the next day. It wouldn’t be right to go empty-handed. Since He Qiming had to go to the county town anyway, he decided to buy some milk candies and biscuits.
Just as he was leaving the village, he saw He Yongyao standing there, looking around.
“Brother Yongyao, are you going to the county town too?” He Qiming stopped.
“No.” He Yongyao took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, offered one to He Qiming, and when he refused, put it back. He smiled and said, “I’m waiting for someone.”
He Qiming didn’t press the matter. Although they were from the same village, there was an age gap between them, and they rarely played together, especially after he joined the army.
Watching He Qiming’s bus drive away, He Yongyao lowered his head in disappointment, feeling the urge to slap himself in regret.
He had been smitten with Ye Qingzhi ever since he saw her on the bus that day. He had wanted to ask for her name, but for various reasons, he had missed the chance.
He had been waiting at the bus station every day since, hoping to see her again, but he hadn’t run into her once.
“You’re back?” Yongyao’s mother said with a sigh when she saw him walk in dejectedly. “Are you that infatuated? What if she’s already married?”
“She didn’t look married to me,” He Yongyao said, his outward calm belying his inner turmoil. “It’s fine. I’ll definitely ask her next time I see her.”
“Who knows when that will be? You can’t just keep waiting like this. The match your Auntie Ye introduced is really good. Why don’t you meet her first? Maybe she’s even better than the girl you met,” Yongyao’s mother said, afraid her son’s future would be delayed.
“Ma, stop it,” He Yongyao said, clearly displeased.
That evening, Ye Qingzhi sat on the edge of the bed folding clothes while the two children played with pebbles. Thinking about the blind date tomorrow, she decided she should tell them.
“Anmin, Anjie, Auntie Ye introduced me to someone.” Seeing the two children staring at her intently, Ye Qingzhi pressed her lips together. “He’s a soldier, and he also has two sons. Auntie Ye says he’s a very good person, and he promised he would treat all the children the same.”
The two brothers exchanged a look. Wei Anjie ran over and sat opposite Ye Qingzhi. “The new papa is a soldier, so he definitely won’t bully Mama, right?”
Ye Qingzhi was taken aback. She hadn’t expected the child’s first concern to be for her.
“Of course. He’s a PLA uncle. The main thing is, Mama trusts Grandma Ye. She said his family is very easy to get along with and won’t let us be wronged.” She stroked his head. “It’s still too early to say all this. He’s an officer; he might not even be interested in me.”
“Impossible! Mama is so wonderful. How could he not be interested?” Wei Anmin immediately retorted.
Ye Qingzhi smiled. Who could say for sure? Of course, it was also possible that she wouldn’t be interested in him.
The next morning, Ye Qingzhi changed into the best clothes she owned—the same set she had worn to the county town. She put her hair up in a bun with a wooden pin, leaving two wisps of bangs, which she gently fluffed to make them look more natural and casual.
“Qingzhi, are you ready? We’re just waiting for you,” Auntie Ye said, coming in with a basket.
“Ready, ready.” Ye Qingzhi smoothed her clothes, gave the two children a few instructions, and left for the market with Auntie Ye.
She wouldn’t bring the children this time. If they hit it off, she would bring them to meet him next time.
“Qingzhi, don’t be nervous later. Just be yourself. If he asks about your past, just tell him the truth. It’s not your fault.” At this point, Auntie Ye ran into an acquaintance. “Oh? Yes, Qingzhi and I are going to the market together. What are you carrying? Alright, you go on ahead. We’re not selling anything today, so we can take our time.”
Auntie Ye was well-liked and knew people from almost every village, so she had to stop and greet someone every few steps. A thirty-minute walk ended up taking over an hour.
“Good thing we left early, otherwise it would have been bad to be late,” Auntie Ye said with an embarrassed smile, then proceeded to give Ye Qingzhi detailed advice on blind dates.
In fact, Ye Qingzhi already knew all of this. As a single woman of a certain age in her past life, she had been on countless blind dates. She was experienced and knew more about it than Auntie Ye in many respects.
“Over there.” When they arrived, Auntie Ye pointed to a man standing by a small hut. “Do you see him? The one in the white shirt. That’s the man I told you about, He Qiming. The woman next to him is his aunt.”
They were a bit far, but thankfully, the original owner’s eyesight was good. She could vaguely make out a man in a white shirt and black pants, with a buzz cut, sharp brows, and striking eyes, standing tall and straight.
Indeed, Auntie Ye was trustworthy. She hadn’t lied at all. He was truly a handsome, tall man with long legs.
“What do you think? Auntie didn’t lie to you, did I? Isn’t he tall and good-looking? Even before he joined the army, he was known as the most handsome young man in all the surrounding villages. So many young girls were eager to marry him.” Auntie Ye waved at He Qiming’s aunt and pulled Ye Qingzhi over.
Based on looks alone, He Qiming was excellent. As for his character and personality, that would take time and interaction to discover.
On the other side, He Qiming also saw Ye Qingzhi. Almond eyes, peachy cheeks, and cherry-like lips, with the fair skin rarely seen on a country woman. But it was her disposition that stood out—gentle and moving, yet poised and graceful, with a hint of a scholarly air. She really didn’t seem like an uneducated farm woman who only knew how to raise children and do manual labor.
“Qiming, what’s wrong?” Seeing him staring at Ye Qingzhi, his aunt gave him a suggestive wink. “Isn’t she beautiful? She doesn’t look like she’s had children at all, does she?”
He Qiming discreetly glanced at Ye Qingzhi’s slender waist and hips. Indeed, she didn’t look like she had given birth.
He Qiming narrowed his eyes slightly. “Aunt, you said Ye Qingzhi has never been to school?”
“She hasn’t, but she’s very smart. When the village held literacy classes, she often went to listen. She can read and write and knows many characters,” his aunt said, leaning closer to whisper, “What, you mind that she’s uncultured?”
“No, just asking.” He Qiming continued to observe Ye Qingzhi.
Attended literacy classes?
Some smart and hardworking people could indeed learn all the characters. If she read frequently after that, it was plausible that she would have a scholarly air.
But he couldn’t let his guard down. He would observe her first. He hoped there was nothing wrong with this Ye Qingzhi.
His aunt nodded. Auntie Ye had told her about the literacy classes and that Ye Qingzhi could read and write. She trusted Auntie Ye’s words, so she had passed the information on to He Qiming.
The original owner had indeed gone to the literacy classes, but only out of curiosity. She later found them boring and stopped going.
She could read the numbers one to ten in their formal script and could write her own name and Wei Jiancheng’s.
In fact, Auntie Ye also felt a bit guilty. But she thought He Qiming’s qualifications were excellent and didn’t want Ye Qingzhi to miss out. To give her an advantage, she had told his aunt that Ye Qingzhi could read and write.
Ye Qingzhi would never have guessed that in their very first meeting, her disposition would almost make He Qiming suspect her of being a spy.
Actually, the villagers also felt that Ye Qingzhi had changed a lot. But thinking about Wei Jiancheng’s sudden death and his affair, everyone assumed she had been so traumatized that her personality had changed.
After all, Ye Qingzhi had lived under their noses her whole life. Who would have thought that the soul inside the body had been replaced?
He Qiming was a soldier and had been trained in reconnaissance. He could tell at a glance that Ye Qingzhi’s disposition was unusual. The way she carried herself, like someone who had received a good education, really didn’t fit the image of a village woman who had rarely even been to the county town.
“Oh, so this is Qingzhi! I’ve heard so much about you from Sister Ye. Our two villages aren’t far apart, yet we’ve never met. You’re so beautiful.” He Qiming’s aunt looked Ye Qingzhi up and down, then patted his arm. “What are you standing there for? Go on, say hello to Qingzhi.”
“Hello, my name is He Qiming.”
“Hello, my name is Ye Qingzhi.”
He Qiming shook her hand. There were no improper calluses. Perhaps he was just being overly suspicious.
He Qiming’s aunt and Auntie Ye took turns praising them. Seeing that the two weren’t talking much, they realized it was because they were being shy in front of them and found an excuse to leave.
“Qiming, I still have some things to buy, so I’ll be going now,” his aunt said with a cheerful smile.
“Yes, yes, I have things to buy too. Let’s go together,” Auntie Ye said, waving her hand and leaving the space for them.
After they left, He Qiming spoke first. “There’s a small creek over there. Let’s take a walk.”
“Alright,” Ye Qingzhi nodded.
The two of them walked one after the other to the creek, heading towards a more secluded spot. Ye Qingzhi was the first to break the silence. “The children’s father passed away from an illness last month. Their grandfather is unreliable. If I remarry, I will definitely bring my two children with me. Do you mind?”
“I don’t mind. It shows you’re responsible. And I said from the beginning, if we get together, I will treat the woman’s children as my own.” He Qiming genuinely didn’t mind. A woman who didn’t abandon her children couldn’t have a bad heart.
Ye Qingzhi nodded and glanced at him. “What about you? What are your conditions?”
“My conditions are simple. Someone who can live a steady life and be good to my two children.” He Qiming looked at her. “My aunt said you can read and write?”
On the way there, Auntie Ye had told her about this. She had advised her not to be too honest and just say she could read and write. If they got married, would He Qiming really divorce her because she knew fewer characters?
Auntie Ye had told her very seriously that good men had to be fought for. Even if not for herself, for the sake of her two children, she had to marry He Qiming.
With a military officer as a father, the two boys’ futures would be completely different. It was just a small lie, and not even really a lie.
Could she not read? One character was still a character, and so were ten.
Could she not write? Same logic.
Of course, Ye Qingzhi had agreed. She had been wondering how to explain her literacy, and now the opportunity had presented itself.
“Yes. I’ve always loved reading, but my family was poor, so I never had the chance to go to school. After the village started literacy classes, I often went to study. I learned all the common characters. Later… the children’s father would teach me occasionally. We used to have copies of Journey to the West and Water Margin at home. I read them many times, but they were later burned.”
This explained why Ye Qingzhi had a scholarly air. He Qiming felt a sense of relief. It was good that there were no problems.
From a man’s perspective, Ye Qingzhi was beautiful, with a graceful figure and a good disposition. Her character was also good. His aunt was right; Ye Qingzhi was a good woman.
He shared Auntie Ye’s sentiment: a good woman had to be fought for. Having confirmed that there were no issues with Ye Qingzhi, He Qiming immediately took action.
“I was promoted recently, so I’m now eligible to have my family join me at the base. If we get together, would you be willing to bring the children and join me?” He Qiming asked solemnly.
Ye Qingzhi was taken aback. She had thought He Qiming was at most a platoon leader. She hadn’t expected him to be eligible for family to join him. Was he a regimental-level officer?
“Of course. To be honest, I’m tired of the hardship of living apart. If we can be together, that would be for the best. It’s also good for the children, especially boys. They need a father’s guidance as they grow up,” Ye Qingzhi replied with equal solemnity.
He Qiming strongly agreed. He also felt that children should be raised by their parents. A young tree won’t grow straight if it’s not pruned. Grandparents were too lenient with children, and the education at the military base was better than in the countryside.
“What’s your current rank?” Ye Qingzhi asked directly.
“Let me formally introduce myself. My name is He Qiming. I’m twenty-nine years old, a deputy regimental commander. My monthly salary is one hundred and twenty yuan. After we get married, I will hand over my salary to you. But let me be clear upfront: all four children must be treated equally. If I find you showing favoritism, I will take back the financial authority,” He Qiming said seriously.
Ye Qingzhi extended her right hand. “Ye Qingzhi, twenty-five years old, a farmer. I can promise you that I will treat all four children equally. And let me also be clear upfront: since you want me to treat them equally, you cannot interfere with how I discipline the children. Even if you think I’m wrong, you cannot contradict me in front of them. We can discuss it in private.”
“Of course.” He Qiming had wanted to take Ye Qingzhi for a walk around the market and buy her something, but considering her current status, it wouldn’t be good for her reputation if they were seen too close. He had to give up the idea. “I’m going hunting in the mountains tomorrow. Do you want to come?”
“I happen to need to gather some firewood,” Ye Qingzhi said. She understood that their relationship couldn’t be made public yet and agreed to this meeting place.