044, Casual Conversation, Bad Habits

“Judging by your manner and demeanor, you must be from a big city!” one of the women started up a conversation.

“But I haven’t heard that anyone in Captain Li’s household has relatives from the city. All of us from these three villages are born and bred country folk, except for a few educated youths assigned to our brigade,” another woman said doubtfully.

A young woman joined in, “Are you here to visit one of the educated youths?”

In their minds, if someone from the city came to the village to visit relatives, it could only be for one of the educated youths, but no one had heard of any of them having family come to the countryside. After all, city people rarely made the effort to visit relatives in rural areas.

The three villages were neighbors, and due to intermarriages, there was frequent interaction. No matter what happened in any of the teams, word got around. If anyone had city relatives visiting, it would have been the talk of the town long ago.

“No, Sister Jing is here to visit and care for Brother Gao, a soldier recuperating in our team,” Li Xiaomei explained proudly, not wanting them to make wild guesses. Brother Gao was an outstanding and honorable soldier, not to be compared with those educated youths.

Li Xiaomei didn’t know these women either. She had only been to the town two or three times and didn’t recognize many people. As for the neighboring production teams, aside from Captain Wang’s team in her own village, she wasn’t familiar with the others and had never visited them.

“A soldier? Gao? Which production team are you from?” a woman in a grey jacket asked suspiciously.

“We’re from Captain Li’s team,” Li Xiaomei replied.

A round-faced young woman asked curiously, “A soldier? You have a soldier in your production team? Why is he recuperating with you?”

“Brother Gao was injured in a battle, hurt his leg. I don’t know the details, but I heard Captain Wang’s team didn’t have any spare housing, so he was placed with our team,” Li Xiaomei said honestly. She’d only heard her parents mention it in passing and didn’t know more.

“That’s such a pity. If his leg was injured badly enough to be sent to the countryside to recover, it must be serious. He probably won’t be able to return to the army,” another young woman with large eyes said regretfully.

Jing Qingxin, seeing Li Xiaomei answer, didn’t bother to chime in. Besides, she didn’t know much more. As for Gao Shen’s family, he didn’t seem willing to talk about them, and she wasn’t curious enough to pry.

“Brother Gao’s leg is much better now! Sister Jing is here to treat his injury. He’ll definitely be able to return to the army!” Li Xiaomei retorted, her face resolute. In her eyes, Brother Gao was a towering figure, and she didn’t like anyone speaking otherwise.

Noticing Li Xiaomei’s downcast expression, Jing Qingxin couldn’t help but be amused. Who would’ve thought this little girl was such an admirer! But then, soldiers were indeed very sought after in this era, and Gao Shen was tall and handsome to boot.

“I didn’t expect you to have medical skills, sister! That’s really impressive!” the round-faced woman exclaimed.

“I know a little, but I’m not that skilled,” Jing Qingxin replied with a smile.

After that, she quietly sat by the cart, enjoying the rural scenery. Fortunately, the weather had turned warm; otherwise, with the cold wind slapping her face and the ox cart lacking any cover, her skin would have suffered.

Amusing herself with these thoughts, she listened as the four women beside her chatted more boisterously than ever—yes, all women.

Jing Qingxin, lowering her voice, asked Li Xiaomei about the distinction. She learned that in the countryside, unmarried women wore two braided pigtails, while married women pinned up their hair. City women, on the other hand, often sported ear-length bobs, like student cuts, or a single braid; there wasn’t such a clear distinction.

She’d read about early marriage being common several decades ago, especially in the countryside where girls married at fifteen or sixteen. Even so, Jing Qingxin was still surprised to realize that the two young women before her, barely seventeen or eighteen, were already mothers, as their conversation revealed.

“Sister Jing, are you engaged?” Li Xiaomei leaned close to her ear and asked in a whisper.

“Don’t scare me! I’m in the prime of my youth and haven’t even begun to enjoy life! How could I tie myself down so early?” Jing Qingxin replied with a click of her tongue, clearly disagreeing. Her mindset was not that of this era.

It wasn’t that she rejected marriage, but rather resented the blind and voiceless arranged marriages of the time—child betrothals, child brides, even marriages made by trade or exchange. Such things filled her with deep dismay and sorrow.

She’d seen many accounts in history books—how many innocent women’s youth, even their lives, were buried by such unions? In these marriages, weren’t women the greatest victims?

“Sister Jing, you’re so beautiful and capable, there must be lots of suitors coming to your door!” Li Xiaomei teased, affecting an earnest look.

Jing Qingxin chuckled. “You little rascal, you’re so young and already talking about engagements and marriage. Don’t tell me your family’s already arranged something for you?”

At her words, Li Xiaomei’s cheeks flushed, and she looked shyly down, whispering, “I’m not a little girl anymore, I’m already sixteen.”

Seeing Li Xiaomei’s bashful look, Jing Qingxin was amazed—really? Engaged at sixteen? At that age, she was still in school! Of course, times were different, and age marked things differently, too.

In her era, eighteen merely marked the threshold of adulthood—a relatively young age. But her family’s circumstances and her upbringing had matured her and her brother beyond their years.

“Uncle and Aunt Li have already arranged a match for you? And you’ve agreed?” Jing Qingxin grasped Li Xiaomei’s hand and pressed her.

“Not yet, but my mother says I can start meeting candidates this year. The wedding could be held next year,” Li Xiaomei replied softly, her face still red.

Jing Qingxin breathed a small sigh of relief and said seriously, “Xiaomei, you’re still young. There’s no need to rush. Marriage is like a second birth for a woman; you must choose carefully.”

“Yes, I understand, Sister Jing,” Li Xiaomei answered quietly. She might not fully comprehend, but she trusted Sister Jing’s words were for her own good.

As the group chatted, the ox cart finally rumbled into An Town, stopping beneath a big tree by the roadside at the town’s entrance. At last, Jing Qingxin saw several two-story buildings, though there were only a few.

“Remember, be back here by eleven! If you’re late, the old man won’t wait for you!” Old Zhou called out to the six passengers on the cart.

Everyone agreed, and then, quickly and efficiently, shouldered their belongings or hugged their parcels and climbed off the ox cart.

This book is first published by Xiaoxiang Bookhouse. Please do not repost!