Chapter 9: Setting Out for the Army

After seeing the Qin family off, Qian Jiangang fell gravely ill and could not get out of bed. He was burning with anger and frustration, yet there was nowhere for him to vent it, and no one he could confide in.

Meanwhile, Qian Lai, accompanied by Teacher Yang and Liu Heqing, spent several delightful days exploring Nancheng and its surroundings. The gifts she bought for them were so plentiful that the two women could barely carry them all. By the time they returned home, arms loaded with bags, they discovered that Qian Dong had already moved out of the family housing with Qian Xiaozhen. The Qian family had settled into a new house, somewhat remote but wonderfully quiet. The kitchen was now indoors, so there was no longer any need to dash back and forth under an umbrella between the kitchen and the main house on rainy days.

Liu Huiru was very pleased.

Yet Qian Jiangang remained anxious and irritable, finding fault with everyone. Every day after work, he would collapse onto the bed, waiting for Liu Huiru to wait upon him.

After being taken home by her family, Qin Hongxiang returned directly to the countryside to escape the rumors. As for Qian Xiaozhen, she had quietly left Nancheng, and aside from Qian Dong, no one cared where she had gone.

Qian Lai began preparing her luggage to join the army. She handed three hundred yuan to Liu Heqing, urging her to keep a close eye on Liu Huiru, who, she felt, was far too indulgent toward Qian Jiangang. Then, she secretly tucked five hundred yuan into Teacher Yang's belongings. On the eve of their departures, the two—so much like mother and daughter—sat together late into the night, talking about everything under the sun.

Even before they parted, Qian Lai was already missing Teacher Yang. In middle age, Teacher Yang had neither husband nor children, always coming and going alone. Qian Lai vaguely recalled that there was someone deeply hidden in Teacher Yang's heart for many years, but as time passed, she mentioned him less and less. It would be wonderful, Qian Lai thought, if Teacher Yang could rekindle that old flame upon returning to Beijing. Sadly, she had heard that he already had a family.

Someone as pure and principled as Teacher Yang would never dream of interfering in another's life. Yet Qian Lai sensed, inexplicably, that their bond was not yet severed. She only hoped that Teacher Yang would one day meet someone who truly understood, loved, and cherished her.

After talking nearly all night, they dozed off for just a little while as dawn approached.

That same day, Teacher Yang was to set off for Beijing, a city she hadn't seen in years, while Qian Lai would be heading alone to the army.

Liu Heqing accompanied Qian Lai and Teacher Yang to the train station early in the morning. They said a tender farewell to Teacher Yang, and did not leave until the train had vanished from sight. Then they returned to the waiting room.

Checking the clock, they saw there was still more than an hour before Qian Lai's train departed.

"Big sister, why don't we go to the wonton stand in the square and have a bowl of wontons while we wait?" Liu Heqing suggested.

"But didn't we just have breakfast?"

"I guess it's because I'm young—any little movement makes me hungry! Come on, keep me company."

After stowing their luggage, Liu Heqing half-dragged Qian Lai to the square. It was Qian Lai's first experience at a train station in the 1970s, and she was surprised to find that the little wonton stand was astonishingly popular.

Liu Heqing went to stand in line; it took some effort for Qian Lai to secure two seats at a shared table.

Their tablemates were two children. The older sister, about seven or eight, was feeding wontons to her little brother, who looked to be two or three years old and was adorably cute.

Qian Lai couldn't help but study him closely: round, rosy cheeks, big sparkling eyes, long thick lashes like little brushes, and dark irises that gleamed with light.

He looked just like a little god of fortune from a New Year's painting!

The boy, seeing her smile at him, grinned back, showing two rows of tiny pearly teeth.

"You are so cute!" Qian Lai couldn't help but compliment him.

The little girl glanced up, her face serious despite the gentleness in Qian Lai's gaze, and scolded her brother, "Wenquan, hurry up and eat. Stop looking around."

She blew on a big wonton and popped it straight into her brother’s mouth.

"Try giving him smaller bites, or he might choke," Qian Lai advised with a gentle smile.

Just then, a woman suddenly shouted, "Hey! Are you blind?"

Qian Lai turned to look. Liu Heqing was being grabbed by a fashionable young woman, who was angrily clutching her arm. Hot wonton soup was spilled everywhere.

Qian Lai hurried over to take the bowl from her, only to find herself face to face with a familiar figure.

Short hair parted to one side, gold-rimmed glasses on a refined, fair face, a white shirt, dark trousers, and a book in hand.

This was someone she never wanted to see again.

Qian Lai instinctively lowered her head, trying to avoid him. But he spoke first, his voice cultured and calm, "Xiao Nian, it wasn't on purpose."

His gaze, however, was fixed directly on Qian Lai.

She avoided his eyes and quietly asked Heqing, "What happened?"

"I was carrying the soup when she pushed ahead. As I turned, we collided."

"You bumped into me and ruined my brand-new dress! You must pay for this! I bought it at the department store in Beijing, you know."

The young woman's haughty posture made her look quite unapproachable.

"It wasn't me who ran into her—she forced her way forward and knocked into me—"

"That's enough, Xiao Nian," the man said, his eyes growing stern.

The girl fell silent, abashed.

Qian Lai only wanted to escape the man's sight as quickly as possible, so she tried to smooth things over. "It's crowded here. Whether it was intentional or not, your skirt is dirty and we're very sorry. If you don't mind, let me treat you to a bowl of wontons."

She pulled enough money from her pocket for two bowls and handed it to the young woman.

"Who wants your treat? This dress cost more than that!" the woman grumbled, though she was somewhat appeased.

"It's fine, really. My friend was just greedy and in a hurry. Little lady, you didn't burn yourself, did you?" the man said, taking the money and handing it back to Qian Lai.

Qian Lai didn't take it, only whispered to Heqing, "Let's finish and leave quickly."

The man stood there, distracted, still holding the money, forgetting to return it. He only gazed at Qian Lai with a gentle, infatuated smile.

Liu Heqing seemed to pick up on something, and deliberately stepped between them. "Sister, let's go. We need to finish eating—you have a train to catch!"

"Miss, what train are you on? Where are you headed?" the man continued to ask, but the two women had already returned to their seats with their wontons.

Qian Lai wished Liu Heqing could swallow her food in one bite so they could escape as soon as possible.

She couldn't understand why Lu Ximing, who in the original story should have appeared only at university, was showing up now.

This time, she was determined to keep her distance from him—far, far away.

In the book, the original character met Lu Ximing at university, succumbed to his intense pursuit, and eventually married him.

But he turned out to be a complete hypocrite. On the surface, he built the image of a gentle, devoted husband; behind closed doors, he forced her to attend endless social gatherings, making her play the social butterfly among drunken, gluttonous men, night after night.

She had to barter herself for opportunities and favors, never allowed a moment's rest, not even during her period. Many of his business deals and connections were secured through women.

The poor original heroine, timid and fearful, dared not protest. To outsiders, she was the dignified wife of a university professor; in reality, she was nothing but a pawn in sordid transactions.

Worse, he registered companies in her name, making her a supposed business tycoon while saddling her with enormous debts.

Suddenly, a thought struck her: having transmigrated into the novel, she had already altered much of the original plot. In this life, Qian Xiaozhen had refused to marry into the Gu family at all costs, even vying desperately for her university spot.

Could it be possible she had been reborn as well?

"Brother! Brother! What's wrong?" The little girl at the table suddenly cried out, her tears falling rapidly.

The little boy was clawing at his throat, kicking desperately, desperate to cry but unable to make a sound. His face was turning purple.

Something was wrong—he was choking!

Qian Lai quickly rushed behind the boy, hugging him close and soothing him, "Don't worry, Auntie will help you."

She made a fist and pressed it above his navel, wrapping her other hand around her fist and delivering quick, upward thrusts.

It was the Heimlich maneuver she had learned about from the future, and this was her first time using it.

But she was not quite strong enough. After several tries, her strength was failing. The boy's frantic kicking made him harder to hold, and her poor positioning rendered her efforts less effective.

The boy grew more and more frantic, a crowd gathered, and sweat beaded on Qian Lai’s brow.

"Let me," a tall figure emerged from the crowd like a god descending from the heavens.

Gloved hands swiftly took the boy from her. With expert technique and accurate force, just three or four thrusts and the child coughed up a large, unchewed wonton.

"Brother, brother, it's all right now, it's all right," the girl cried, clutching her sobbing brother to her chest.

Qian Lai finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her brow as she turned to thank the man beside her, "It really takes a man for this. Thank—"

But her smile vanished the instant she saw his face.

"What a coincidence! We meet again," the man said, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow at her, a mischievous smile on his lips, as if to say, "You can't escape me now."