Chapter 59
Seeing that his face was not very good, Ye Qingzhi peeked over. It was a very delicate handwriting, clearly a woman’s.
“Who is it?” Ye Qingzhi asked, looking at He Qiming in confusion.
She did not suspect that He Qiming had a woman outside. She guessed it was his comrade’s wife. But why would his comrade’s wife write to him?
“Zhang Xianjuan, Jingyan’s mother,” He Qiming said, handing the letter to Ye Qingzhi.
Ye Qingzhi took the letter in surprise. He Qiming had not said much about He Jingyan’s parents, so she had not asked. She had thought they would never contact each other again. She had not expected Jingyan’s mother to contact He Qiming.
She first asked if Jingyan was alright, then got to the point. It was her current husband’s younger brother who was in trouble. The deputy director of the police station there was a comrade of He Qiming and Jingyan’s father. Zhang Xianjuan wanted He Qiming to help her plead with the deputy director comrade for Jingyan’s sake.
Ye Qingzhi felt that Zhang Xianjuan was really thick-skinned. She had abandoned He Jingyan back then, and now she had the nerve to ask He Qiming to help her for Jingyan’s sake, and it was to help her current husband’s family?
“We were on a mission for a long time then, about a year without contacting our families. Zhang Xianjuan got involved with a peddler, abandoned the young Jingyan, and ran away with him. Uncle Chen was so angry he fell ill and passed away not long after. After Chen Bin sacrificed himself, Auntie, who was already not in good health, also passed away, leaving only little Jingyan. I still had a mission at that time and couldn’t take care of Jingyan, so I could only go and find Zhang Xianjuan. But she wouldn’t even see me,” He Qiming said, gritting his teeth at the mention of Zhang Xianjuan.
He knew that it was not easy for a military wife, but no matter how hard it was, she couldn’t just run away with someone like that.
She had angered her father-in-law to death, had not shown up at Chen Bin’s funeral, and had not even cared about her own child. Now she had the nerve to ask him for help?
“For Jingyan’s sake? How dare she say to let me help her for Jingyan’s sake? She’s not worthy of mentioning Jingyan at all,” He Qiming said, pacing back and forth in anger.
The one who had the least right to mention Jingyan was she, Zhang Xianjuan. How dare she use Jingyan to ask him for help?
Seeing He Qiming’s ashen face, Ye Qingzhi patted his back. “Don’t be angry. This letter was sent a month ago. I saw it was from your comrade, so I didn’t read it. After so long, the matter has probably been resolved. Just pretend you didn’t receive it.”
He Qiming took a deep breath. “Don’t tell Jingyan about this letter. This child is very thoughtful and doesn’t say what’s on his mind. He just keeps it to himself. I’m really worried he’ll make himself sick.”
Although He Jingyan was a little more cheerful than before, compared to other children, he was still a little quiet and thoughtful. If he knew about this letter, who knows what he would think.
Ye Qingzhi nodded. She had no intention of telling He Jingyan about the letter.
She put the letter away and was about to go to the city to buy some meat. If there were chickens or ducks, it would be even better. He Qiming needed to be properly nourished.
“Are you going to the town?” He Qiming asked, holding Ye Qingzhi’s hand. “I’ll go with you.”
“You just got back. You should rest at home. I’ll just buy some things and come back,” Ye Qingzhi said, trying to press He Qiming onto a chair, but he pulled her into his arms.
He leaned over to Ye Qingzhi’s ear and whispered, “Wife, I’m really not tired. You should know best whether my body is good or not.”
Ye Qingzhi thought of last night, gave him an elbow, shot him a look, and threw the basket at him, not wanting to talk to him anymore.
“Wife, don’t be angry. What are you buying in town today?” He Qiming asked, taking Ye Qingzhi’s hand.
This month’s meat tickets had not been used yet. She would buy them all today. She also had to buy some salt and white sugar. For the rest, she could only try her luck at the black market.
“Sister Qingzhi, huh, is Regiment Commander He back?” Cao Liya asked with a smile, seeing Ye Qingzhi and He Qiming.
“Yes. Are you not on duty today?” Ye Qingzhi had a good impression of Cao Liya.
“I’m resting today. Are you going to the town?” Cao Liya asked, seeing the basket on He Qiming’s back.
“Yes, to buy some things. We’re catching a bus, so we’ll go first,” Ye Qingzhi said, nodding at her and leaving quickly with He Qiming.
But not long after, they ran into Bai Xue and Yang Xiaorou again. From their appearance, it seemed they were also going to the town.
“Qingzhi, Regiment Commander He, are you going to the town?” Seeing Ye Qingzhi, Yang Xiaorou said with some embarrassment, “Bai Xue is going to buy some things. I thought you would be at home with Regiment Commander He, so I didn’t call you.”
Ever since Bai Xue had come back, Yang Xiaorou had resumed her old friendship with her. Consequently, her relationship with Ye Qingzhi and the others had become a little more distant.
Ye Qingzhi didn’t mind. Li Jinfeng was a little disappointed and had even complained to her that Yang Xiaorou was a city wife and was indeed not on the same path as them.
“I’m also going to buy some things. Xiaorou, can you buy chickens from Meiduo?” Ye Qingzhi asked, thinking that the black market might not have any. But Meiduo raised a lot, so she could buy two to nourish He Qiming.
In fact, she had two hens in her backyard that had just started to lay eggs. She really couldn’t bear to kill them.
“I can ask,” Yang Xiaorou said. Seeing that Ye Qingzhi did not ask why she had not called her to go to the town, she breathed a small sigh of relief.
On the way, the few of them chatted casually. The most tired one was Yang Xiaorou, who was afraid of neglecting one while taking care of the other.
Ye Qingzhi was tired just watching. She simply pretended to be carsick and leaned on He Qiming’s shoulder to rest with her eyes closed.
When they arrived at the town, she directly said she had something to do and parted ways with them.
“Have you grown distant from Yang Xiaorou?” He Qiming asked in confusion.
Ye Qingzhi shook her head. “Not really. Bai Xue left without a word last time, and Xiaorou was very guilty for not having spent more time with her. This time she’s back, so Xiaorou goes to play with her every day, and we have less contact.”
He Qiming nodded in understanding. “Some people can become friends because of fate. If they can’t, it’s because there’s not enough fate. You still have friends like Li Jinfeng and Gu Yao.”
Did he think she would be sad?
Ye Qingzhi chuckled lightly. “I’m fine. Whether it’s Xiaorou, Sister Jinfeng, or Gu Yao and Li Yang, they are ultimately outsiders. Even the children, when they grow up and have their own families, will also care more for their own small families. The only one who will walk with me to the end of my life is you. So if you were to distance yourself from me, I would be really sad.”
“I won’t. I never will,” He Qiming said, holding Ye Qingzhi’s hand tightly, his heart a little excited.
He had not expected his status in Ye Qingzhi’s heart to be so high.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that what Ye Qingzhi said was right. Whether it was his parents or his children, the only one who would walk with him to the end of his life was his lover. So he also had to put Ye Qingzhi’s status at the highest.
“I know you won’t. Let go of my hand. Everyone is looking at us,” Ye Qingzhi said, pulling her hand away and walking quickly towards the meat stall.
This month’s meat tickets were all used up. She also bought some large bones that didn’t require tickets. She would stew them when she got back. They were good for soup and noodles.
She went around the black market. She was unlucky today. There was no meat, only some plums and peaches. She hoped she could buy some chickens from Meiduo. Otherwise, she would have to slaughter the little hens at home.
“What do you want to buy? I’ll find a way,” He Qiming said, following behind Ye Qingzhi with a basket on his back.
“I want to buy a chicken or a duck,” Ye Qingzhi said, scanning the area again. After confirming that there were none, she prepared to go back.
In fact, fish was also nourishing, but this area was near the Tibetan region. Due to their customs, the fish here could not be eaten.
“I’ll ask someone to look for it,” He Qiming said, borrowing some water from an old villager to wash a few plums. “Have a plum.”
When they arrived at the place where they would get on the bus, Yang Xiaorou and Bai Xue had also just come back. Their baskets were full of things. It seemed they had had a full harvest.
She still pretended to be carsick and rested with her eyes closed. After arriving at their destination, she said a word to Yang Xiaorou and went into the house.
“Mama, where did you and Papa go?” Yangyang rushed out like a little cannonball.
“Papa and I went to the town to buy things. Look, there are plums and peaches. Mama will go and wash them for you,” Ye Qingzhi said, rubbing his small head.
He Qiming followed her into the kitchen. “Bai Xue said on the bus that Liu Yuqin died in childbirth?”
“Yes, she said she fell at home and had a premature birth. She had a difficult birth and gave birth to a daughter, and died of massive blood loss,” Ye Qingzhi said. She had almost forgotten what Liu Yuqin looked like, because she always kept her head down.
She didn’t know if she regretted latching onto Zhang Xuewen. If she had gone to the Women’s Federation back then, or if her standards hadn’t been so high, and she had found a family with slightly worse conditions but many brothers, she would probably have been able to get by.
“Life is unpredictable,” He Qiming sighed softly and held Ye Qingzhi’s hand. “If you don’t want to have children, then don’t.”
“Why are you talking about me now? Actually, if she had given birth in a hospital, she probably wouldn’t have had any problems,” Ye Qingzhi said, whispering her suspicions to He Qiming. “I just don’t know if Chief of Staff Zhang knows. Hiss, I get a chill down my spine just thinking about it.”
“Old Zhang probably doesn’t know. Although he dislikes Liu Yuqin, he wouldn’t want her dead,” He Qiming said, shaking his head.
With Zhang Xuewen’s ability, if he really wanted Liu Yuqin dead, he could definitely do it without anyone knowing.
“These are just my guesses. Maybe I’m overthinking it,” Ye Qingzhi said. She just felt it was too much of a coincidence.
The next afternoon, Yang Xiaorou brought fifty eggs and an old hen.
“I got three chickens from Meiduo. We’ll each have one, you, me, and Gu Yao. I’ll ask some others. They also went on a mission somewhere last time and all lost a lot of weight,” Yang Xiaorou said, hesitating for a moment. She held Ye Qingzhi’s hand and asked, “Qingzhi, can you and Bai Xue really not be friends?”
“No,” Ye Qingzhi replied directly.
Yang Xiaorou sighed softly. “Alright. Actually, she’s changed a lot since she came back this time.”
She had indeed changed a lot, but some things in her bones were hard to change.
“Let’s not talk about her. I bought some tofu. I’ll make fried tofu balls in a bit. Don’t you like them? You can eat more later,” Ye Qingzhi said with a smile, changing the subject.
With Bai Xue’s personality, she needed others to go along with her in everything. Ye Qingzhi was not a masochist. Why would she interact with her?
In the afternoon, she put the chicken on to stew, then stir-fried two vegetable dishes. A delicious dinner was ready.
“Why aren’t you eating? Is my cooking not good?” Ye Qingzhi asked, giving the few children some meat.
“Ma, give it to Dad. We don’t need it,” Ye Anmin said, holding up his bowl to dodge.
He Jingyan said nothing, but his hand covered his bowl, not letting Ye Qingzhi give him any meat.
Ye Anjie looked at He Jingyan, then at Ye Anmin, and quickly nodded. “Give it to Papa.”
Yangyang gnawed on a chicken leg, not understanding why his three older brothers were not eating meat. It was clearly very delicious.
“Let’s eat together,” He Qiming said, looking at the three sensible children with gratification. He took their bowls and gave them some meat. He gave the chicken legs to the two younger ones, Anjie and Yangyang, and the drumettes to Jingyan and Anmin. “Hurry up and eat.”
“Eat up. Your papa still has some,” Ye Qingzhi said, giving each of them another piece of meat. When she looked down, she found that there were two more pieces of meat in her bowl. She glanced at He Qiming and did not refuse, but happily started to eat.
A couple of days later, under Ye Qingzhi’s feeding, not only had He Qiming gained a little weight, but he was also glowing with health.
“Sister-in-law, there’s a letter for the Regiment Commander here. I’ll just give it to you,” Little Liu said, handing the letter to Ye Qingzhi.
Looking at the familiar return address, Ye Qingzhi couldn’t help but frown. Nanhu Province, Zhang Xianjuan?
More than a month had passed. Had her matter still not been resolved?
“Who is it?” He Qiming asked, coming out from the backyard where he was making a chicken coop.
“See for yourself,” Ye Qingzhi said, directly handing the letter to He Qiming.
He also frowned after reading it. Why was this person so persistent?
He glanced at the children’s study. It was the weekend, and the few children were doing their homework inside. Worried that He Jingyan would hear, he pulled Ye Qingzhi back to the room.
He opened the letter. Sure enough, it was still Zhang Xianjuan asking He Qiming to help her younger brother-in-law. She only said that her younger brother-in-law had been wronged and that the other family was powerful. She really had no choice but to ask He Qiming.
It was the same last time, and the same this time. She didn’t say the reason and just wanted He Qiming to help. What a beautiful dream.
He Qiming snorted coldly and directly put the letter away. “Don’t mind her. Wife, the chicken coop is done. Is there anything else to do?”