Leaving
“I married into your family to share both the hardships and the joys,” Su Su declared, clenching her fist as if making a vow.
“Alright, alright,” Lin Chuan said, then took another piece of meat to the front yard, adding, “Now we’re sharing both the hardships and the joys.”
Su Su rolled her eyes to the sky. How delicate did he think she was?
Little did she know, her actions on their wedding night had left a significant psychological impact on Lin Chuan. He still believed that his delicate little wife was so fragile that even the slightest touch could make her bleed, so he felt the need to protect her fiercely.
But he wasn’t stingy. When it came to the money and gifts they received during the wedding celebration, he didn’t keep any for himself. He only asked for a couple dozen eggs for his wife.
Mother Lin didn’t mind at all. She knew her son was leaving the next day, and as long as her daughter-in-law didn’t cry or cause trouble, she could eat and drink whatever she wanted. That evening, she even cooked a pot of chicken and potatoes and invited the village secretary over for dinner.
Lin Chuan wanted to have a word with the secretary to make sure that his delicate wife wouldn’t be forced to do hard labour, especially during the spring ploughing when everyone in the village, young and old, would be mobilized to work in the fields. By then, there wouldn’t be any literacy classes, so who would stop them from making his wife work?
The village secretary, after eating and drinking well at their table, readily agreed to Lin Chuan’s request. Lin Chuan felt relieved. With so many people in his family working, they should be able to accumulate enough food. Plus, with his monthly stipend of thirty-eight yuan, he could send thirty back home and keep eight for himself, which should be enough to feed his family and support his siblings’ education.
Of course, he needed to clarify how his salary would be divided before he left.
Lin Chuan wasn’t one to get involved in household affairs, but after getting married, he realised that his young wife was even less suited for it than he was. She was overly generous and had no sense of how to manage a household, so he had no choice but to take charge. He also had to teach her to be more cautious so she wouldn’t end up being taken advantage of. After all, she was still young.
So he sent Su Su out while he and the family held a small meeting. The main topic was how to split his salary—half would go to his wife, and the other half would go to the family.
Father Lin said, “You don’t really need to keep giving money to the family now that you’re married, but since your two brothers are still in school, we could use a little help. Let’s say you give us ten yuan a month, and since your wife doesn’t eat much, she can keep her ration here and just eat with us. If that’s not enough, she can always cook something extra at home. How does that sound?”
Lin Chuan nodded in agreement. “That works.” Father and son spoke directly and settled the matter quickly.
Lin Chuan, still feeling uneasy, added, “Mom, there are some tricky people in the village. Please keep an eye on Su Su for me so she doesn’t get tricked.”
Mother Lin pursed her lips and said, “Have you ever seen a college student who wasn’t smart? She’s got plenty of tricks up her sleeve. Otherwise, how could she have outsmarted Qin Yueyue and the others? You’re the only one who thinks she’s just a kid. Before you know it, she might be having a kid of her own.”
Lin Chuan blushed. That was absolutely impossible—no way.
But he didn’t say anything, obediently returning to their house to rest. When he told Su Su about the arrangements, she asked cautiously, “Is it really okay to split things this way?”
“It’s better to settle it now to avoid any issues later,” Lin Chuan said, gently touching her face. “Su Su, how about visiting the barracks next year? During the spring ploughing, no one will attend the literacy classes anyway, so you could stay with me for a while.”
When Su Su looked at Lin Chuan, whose face had turned as red as silk, she realised that this so-called “visit” was really an invitation for something else. He wasn’t so much inviting her to visit as he was suggesting something much more intimate. Though usually reserved, he now seemed so eager that she couldn’t help but blush and nod. “You’ll have to make all the arrangements for me.”
“Of course,” Lin Chuan said, hugging her tightly, reluctant to leave. If he felt this strongly about her now, how much more would he miss her after they became a true husband and wife?
But leave he must. Early the next morning, Lin Chuan packed his things and walked to the commune to catch a ride to the county town, where he would board a train back to the barracks. Before he left, he gave Su Su the address for sending letters and his office phone number, even though he knew that making a call from the commune would be quite an ordeal.
Su Su, despite being a modern woman with strong self-reliance, found herself relying heavily on Lin Chuan in this world. Now that he was leaving, she felt a deep sense of reluctance, clinging to his sleeve with two fingers as she walked him to the village entrance.
Lin Chuan could have pulled away easily but didn’t want to. Seeing his little wife on the verge of tears made him feel incredibly uncomfortable.
“Don’t cry,” he said, his worry making his tone firmer. The command only caused her tears to fall.
Flustered, Lin Chuan called out, “Mom!”
Mother Lin rolled her eyes. Her son was a grown man, and yet he was calling for his mom? Just because he couldn’t bear to be tough on his wife, he was making her be the bad guy.
But there was no other choice. They couldn’t have the young couple standing there, holding onto each other until the end of time.
She stepped forward and took Su Su’s hand. “Alright, alright. Let Lin Chuan go now. If he doesn’t leave, he’ll miss the train.”
Su Su finally nodded, reluctantly letting go of his sleeve and following her mother-in-law back home, not wanting to be laughed at.
But Lin Chuan quickly stepped forward again and said, “Remember to write to me.”
“I will.”
“Make sure you keep the fire going so you don’t get cold.”
“Okay.”
“You…”
“Will you just go already? How long are you planning to drag this out?” Mother Lin waved her hand, urging her son to leave. It was bad enough she had to calm her daughter-in-law down; now her son was the one hesitating. How exasperating.
Lin Chuan gave Su Su one last deep look before finally, with great reluctance, turning and walking away. He had never imagined that this time, when he came home, he would meet such a clingy little thing who had completely softened his heart after twenty-something years of being cold.
Back at the barracks, Lin Chuan immediately set about getting the paperwork ready. When Su Su visited, they could get their marriage certificate.
But when he left his office, he was surrounded by his comrades, who knew that he had returned home to get married and naturally wanted to know what married life was like. They were surprised to find that their once-cold captain had become even more distant, spending most of his time staring at a small photo, which he kept carefully tucked away in his wallet.
Several times they had tried to steal a peek, but none of them had the skills to get it out of his possession.
Finally, one day when Lin Chuan was in the shower, they managed to take the photo out of his wallet. The sight left them all stunned. Even though it was just a black-and-white ID photo, the girl in the picture was incredibly beautiful. She looked no older than her teens. Their captain was such a beast.
When Lin Chuan entered the barracks with his basin, he saw them huddled together, looking at something. He had a bad feeling and asked, “What are you looking at?” Then he spotted his wallet lying to the side. These brats. He tossed the basin aside and charged at them. His wife had painstakingly found a decent photo for him to carry, and they had dared to take it. How could he not be angry?
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