“Aiyun, when you get to your aunt’s place, if anything comes up, make sure to tell her. Don’t keep it all bottled up inside.”
“Take good care of yourself. Once the gossip in the village dies down, we’ll come bring you back.”
“At most a month or two—by summer at the latest.”
At the county bus station, Lin Jianzhi and his wife held Lin Aiyun’s hands, reluctant to let go. Beside them, Lin Wenkang had already turned his face away, secretly wiping his tears. “Why don’t I go with my sister? What if someone bullies her over there?”
Lin Jianzhi gave Lin Wenkang a couple of light slaps and blurted out without thinking: “With your aunt’s fiery temperament, who’d dare bully your sister?”
Only after speaking did he realize those words might not be the best coming from him. Sure enough, the moment he turned his head, he received a glare from his wife. He let out an awkward chuckle, dared not say another word, and slipped behind Lin Aiyun.
But Lin Jianzhi wasn’t wrong. Zhang Wenyue was straightforward, had her own way of doing things, was sharp-witted and capable—well-known for being formidable. She was also exceptionally beautiful.
None of the Zhang family girls were plain, but Zhang Wenyue was the prettiest of them all.
While studying in the county, she had met her future husband—a rural girl who married into the county and lived comfortably. Her husband’s family doted on her, helped her find a job, and every year when she returned to her hometown, she came laden with gifts. Who didn’t admire her capability?
Though her elopement had drawn criticism, which of the village gossips didn’t envy Zhang Wenyue’s good fortune?
“Alright, the bus is about to leave. Stay safe on the road.” Zhang Wenhua gave Lin Aiyun one last hug, then let her go.
“You too. I’ll take care of myself. I’ll send you a letter as soon as I get to Auntie’s place.” Lin Aiyun’s eyes reddened as she walked toward the bus, turning back every few steps.
Partings were always sad. It wasn’t until the bus started moving and rumbled forward for a long while that Lin Aiyun’s mood gradually lifted. Leaning against the window, she gazed outside in a daze. Time would fade everything. She’d lie low in the neighboring county for a while, and by the time she came back, everything would be back on track.
The counties were far apart—the bus ride took three or four hours. Since she hadn’t slept well the night before, Lin Aiyun had wanted to doze off in her seat. But it had been so long since she’d ridden on an old-style bus like this—her head was bouncing with every bump, and no matter how she closed her eyes, sleep wouldn’t come.
To make matters worse, someone had brought a live duck onboard. It quacked incessantly, giving her a headache. On top of that, a faint, unpleasant odor wafted through the cramped cabin, making her stomach churn with nausea—she nearly threw up.
Even though the weather was still a bit cold, she cracked the window open a sliver. The crisp, cool breeze flowed into her nostrils, and she finally felt a little better.
Thus she endured the ordeal, finally arriving at Lanxi County bus station in the afternoon. She followed the crowd out and spotted Zhang Wenyue waiting at the entrance the moment she stepped out. Her aunt wore a well-fitted dark green cheongsam, her long hair pinned up at the back—neat and capable. She bore a four- or five-part resemblance to Zhang Wenhua.
Time had not worn away her beauty, but rather added a touch of charm, drawing frequent glances from the men around her—much to the irritation of their wives, who never failed to start bickering.
“Auntie!”
A big smile spread across Lin Aiyun’s lips as she hurried over to Zhang Wenyue in three quick steps.
“Aiyun!”
Zhang Wenyue gazed at her increasingly lovely niece with growing satisfaction. At the same time, she recalled what her sister had asked her in their last letter. Her eyes swept over Lin Aiyun once more, from head to toe.
Lin Aiyun naturally noticed Zhang Wenyue’s scrutiny and felt a little jolt of alarm. Could her aunt have noticed something? After all, having lived through so much in her past life, she couldn’t entirely revert to the girlish charm of seventeen or eighteen. She could only do her best to fake it.
As for how convincing she was—she really couldn’t gauge it. It still felt a bit awkward.
But thankfully, it was just a false alarm. Zhang Wenyue simply took her hand, looked her over, and then took most of her luggage, leading her toward home.
“Your mother told me everything. Those gossips with their loose tongues—they ought to have their mouths sewn shut.” Zhang Wenyue cursed and spat as she walked. She was fiercely protective and couldn’t stand seeing her family wronged.
Lin Aiyun lowered her eyes and sighed. “It was my own foolishness. I caused trouble for the family.”
Seeing this, Zhang Wenyue lightly smacked her own lips and affectionately took her niece’s arm. “Oh, look at me—why bring up unhappy things? You must be exhausted from the journey. I had your uncle buy your favorite ribs; we’ll stew them with radish later.”
Chatting about everyday matters, they soon arrived at the Ding family home. This was Lin Aiyun’s first time here—everything felt new and unfamiliar. The space wasn’t very large, but the living room was spotless, and a branch of red camellia sat in a vase by the window.
It was a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment. Ding’s parents occupied one room, Zhang Wenyue and Ding Weidong shared another, and the third was split between Ding Ronghao and Ding Rongchun.
They said city life was comfortable, but it had its inconveniences. For instance, no matter how much money you had, you couldn’t just build a house wherever you wanted—the paperwork was a nightmare. Housing was tight, and many families had no choice but to crowd several generations under one roof, living less comfortably than well-off rural families.
Even so, few would give up city life to move back to the countryside.
So the Dings’ living conditions were actually quite good.
“Make yourself at home. They’re all at work or school—won’t be back for a while.” Zhang Wenyue had taken the day off to pick up Lin Aiyun from the station.
After speaking, Zhang Wenyue swiftly poured two glasses of water—they were parched after the long walk.
Lin Aiyun took a sip, then set the cup down and reached into the bag she’d been carrying all the way, pulling out a pile of items. “Auntie, these are what my mother asked me to bring.”
“You coming here is enough—why bring all this?” Zhang Wenyue frowned, feeling a little put off by the formality.
“Mother said you told her you have to stand all day at work, and your legs get sore and achy by the end of it. These are new insoles she made for you—stitched with a thick layer of cotton, nice and soft.”
“And this—my brother and I picked these honeysuckle flowers up in the mountains. We washed and dried them; they’re great steeped in hot water.”
“And since the younger ones are about to start middle school, I organized all my old study notes from when I was their age. Hope they come in handy.”
These thoughtful words warmed Zhang Wenyue’s heart, and her expression softened. But when her gaze swept over the more valuable items among the pile, she couldn’t help sighing inwardly. She knew perfectly well what her sister was getting at.
When a woman marries into another family, no matter how well she does, she’s still an outsider.
The two batches of things—one batch was for her, the other for the Ding family.
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this.” Zhang Wenyue set aside her musings, a thousand words dissolving into a single sigh. Her eyes reddened slightly as she stroked Lin Aiyun’s dark hair. “Make yourself at home here. You’ll share a bed with your little cousin Rongchun tonight. It’s been a while since you sisters have seen each other—she’s missed you terribly.”
Lin Aiyun smiled softly and nodded firmly, then turned to Zhang Wenyue. “Auntie, how about I go grocery shopping with you later? I can learn the way around too—otherwise, if I’m stuck home alone all day, I’ll get bored.”
“Sure. Let me help you put your things away first, then we’ll go.” Zhang Wenyue agreed readily. She’d been worried that with everyone at work or school, Lin Aiyun would be bored at home alone. This was a good chance for her to learn the area so she could go out on her own later.
Besides, not everyone in the neighborhood was easy to deal with—she’d have to warn Aiyun about a few people so she didn’t accidentally stir up trouble.
Most of what Lin Aiyun brought were gifts; her own belongings were just a few clothes and some private savings—easy enough to tuck into the wardrobe.
She would be sharing a bed with Ding Rongchun. On the other side of a wardrobe and a curtain was Ding Ronghao’s bed. With several large pieces of furniture crammed into one room, there wasn’t much space left—it was a bit cramped, but when you were away from home, you couldn’t be too particular.
“Let’s go. We need to beat the rush before everyone gets off work—otherwise we’ll have to fight for the good stuff.”
“Coming.” Lin Aiyun ran over, snatched the vegetable basket from Zhang Wenyue’s hands, and affectionately linked arms with her. Her aunt’s eyes crinkled with a smile as she let her have her way.
Most of the buildings in this area were single-story houses, packed tightly together with a dense population. But unlike the future with its high-rises and residential complexes of a dozen stories or more, even three- or four-story buildings were rare here.
The two walked out together, and Zhang Wenyue began introducing the area in a low voice: “Most of the neighbors near our place are my in-laws’ old colleagues—we’re on decent terms, no grudges or feuds.”
“But Aiyun, you know how it is—even the best place has its bad apples.”
At this, Zhang Wenyue’s expression shifted as if recalling something unpleasant, and her tone took on a hint of disdain. “Especially that Su Xiaomei who lives diagonally across from us. If she tries to strike up a conversation with you, don’t engage—just walk away. Don’t worry about offending her.”
Hearing this, Lin Aiyun instinctively glanced in that direction. It was a single-story house half the size of the Dings’, its front door tightly shut—probably no one home.
“Her husband was transferred to the northwest for work, leaving her alone to raise two kids. She’s unhappy with her life, and she’s not exactly well-behaved—she has a habit of chasing after men. Your uncle nearly got groped by her.”
“…” Was she really supposed to be hearing this? No wonder her aunt’s expression turned so venomous at the mention of that woman.
They continued walking, and Zhang Wenyue picked up the thread: “Luckily, the rest of the neighbors are decent—no major issues. If you get bored, you can borrow books from Old Man Huang in that house over there. He was a teacher in his youth and has quite a collection.”
She pointed out the place as she spoke.
Lin Aiyun nodded obediently, making a mental note.
The alley was mostly empty at this hour. It wasn’t until they reached the mouth of the lane that they ran into a man—tall and thin, slightly stooped, fumbling with his keys to open a door. He glanced back at the sound of their footsteps.
But the moment their eyes met, Zhang Wenyue pulled Lin Aiyun behind her and quickened her pace, hurrying past without so much as a greeting.
Out of curiosity, Lin Aiyun glanced back. The man was still in the same pose, staring at her with a blank expression. When he saw her looking, a slow, strange smile curled one corner of his mouth.
Without reason, a slimy chill crept up from the soles of her feet. Even in the sun-drenched afternoon, a shiver ran down her spine. Flustered, she quickly averted her gaze.
Leave a Reply