Zhong Jianguo lowered his head and asked, “You don’t want a stepmother?”
“No!” The child stubbornly declared. “I don’t want a stepmother. I want to stay at Uncle’s house.”
Zhong Jianguo lifted his eldest son onto his lap. “Your aunt has to take care of your sisters. If she has to take care of you three as well, it’ll be too much for her. I can send you three to your grandparents’ house or your (maternal) grandparents’ house. What do you think?”
“No!” The child burst into loud wails. “I don’t want to go to [maternal] Grandma’s house! I don’t want to go to [paternal] Grandpa’s house!”
Zhong dasao was startled. “Why is he crying all of a sudden? If he doesn’t want to go, then he doesn’t have to.”
“It’s fine.” Zhong Jianguo patted his son’s back. “Don’t cry. In a few days, we’ll all go to Wengzhou Island together, including your stepmother.”
Seeing that he didn’t want to talk about it further, Zhong dasao didn’t press the issue. “You’ve been stationed on Wengzhou Island, south of Shencheng, for two years now. From what you’re saying, you don’t plan on returning to Shencheng anymore?”
“The East Sea Fleet has moved to Wengzhou Island. We’ll be there permanently.” Zhong Jianguo continued, “Dasao, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of the kids for a few more days. Tomorrow morning, I’m heading to Xiao Song Village. As long as the girl from the Song family isn’t foolish, she’s capable and knows how to take care of children, I plan to get the marriage certificate in a few days.”
Zhong dasao was shocked. “That fast?”
“I have to return by the ninth. Today is the fourth.” Zhong Jianguo sighed. “We received intelligence that Old Jiang is buying more weapons from the Americans. Looks like he’s planning a comeback.”
Zhong dasao sighed. “That Old Jiang, he just won’t give up. When you fought him last time, why didn’t you finish off all his troops?”
“There’s no way around it.” Thinking about the last naval battle, Zhong Jianguo felt so frustrated he wanted to bang his head against the wall. “Old Jiang gets his weapons from the Americans. They’re ahead of us by decades. We’ll need at least another forty or fifty years before we can compete with them.”
Noticing that his eldest son had stopped crying and was only sniffling softly, Zhong Jianguo continued, “I’ll say it one last time. Staying here is not an option. Your aunt has to take care of your sisters and can’t look after you three boys all the time. So, do you want to go to your grandparents’ house, or come with me and your stepmother to the island? Pick one.”
The child wiped his tears with his sleeve. “I’ll go with you to the island. But I don’t want a stepmother!”
“Then who will take care of you three?” Zhong Jianguo asked blankly. “When I go out to sea, I’ll be gone for seven or eight days at a time. What will you eat? Who will bathe you? Who will wash your clothes?”
The child hesitated. “We… we’ll eat in the cafeteria.”
“And your little brother? He’ll eat in the cafeteria too?” Zhong Jianguo pointed at his youngest son, who was still unsteady on his feet, sitting next to his cousin.
The child followed his father’s gaze and mumbled, “…I’ll make him malted milk1.”
“He can’t survive on malted milk alone. He still needs proper meals and a place to sleep at night.” His aunt reminded him. “Without an adult around, who will put him to bed? If he gets sick while your father is out at sea, who will take him to the hospital?”
The child speechless.
Thinking the matter was settled, Zhong Jianguo turned back to Zhong dasao to discuss what he should bring to the Song family tomorrow. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He looked down and saw his eldest son had just pinched him. “Why did you pinch me?”
“I figured it out.” The child raised his head. “Dad, don’t make that woman my stepmother. Just hire her as our nanny.”
Zhong Jianguo was stunned.
Zhong dasao was dumbfounded.
“Is that not possible?” The child asked again.
Zhong dasao snapped out of it, looking at him in disbelief. “How did a little kid like you come up with that?”
“He might have heard his [maternal] grandmother talking about it.” Zhong Jianguo, initially shocked by his son’s unexpected words, thought about it and quickly understood. “My mother-in-law used to work as a nanny for a tycoon in Shencheng for a few years. She must have talked about it in front of the kids. Is that right?” He looked down and asked his son.
The child pursed his lips, nodded and then asked again, “So, is it possible? If not, we can pay her more.”
“A nanny wouldn’t be as dedicated as a stepmother.” His aunt sighed. “Your dad goes out to sea for ten to fifteen days at a time. If the Song girl marries him, she’ll be your nanny for free.”
The child instinctively glanced southward. “Grandma is a stepmother too and jiejie2 says Grandma is the worst!”
His aunt turned toward her eldest daughter and suddenly understood. “So that’s why this boy suddenly doesn’t want a stepmother! A few days ago, he was even asking me what a stepmother looks like. Turns out, it’s because of you, you little girl, saying nonsense in front of him.”
“I wasn’t talking nonsense. I heard everything you and Dad said.” The girl pouted. “That woman is Grandma’s relative, so she must be just as bad. Uncle, you can’t marry that bad woman.”
On the way here, Zhong Jianguo had been worried that Song Zhaodi might be as restless as her aunt Zhao Yin. He never expected that before he could even visit the Song family, his own household would be in chaos first.
“If she really is like your grandmother, I won’t marry her.”
“Can you really tell?” The girl frowned. “Dad said that when Grandma first married Grandpa, she treated you and Dad really well. She was great at pretending.”
Zhong Jianguo chuckled. “I’m thirty, not twelve. I can tell the difference between good and bad people. If I couldn’t, how would I lead soldiers into battle?” He turned to his eldest son. “Do you trust me?”
The boy wanted to say no, but then he remembered how strong his father was—he had driven Old Jiang’s army back to Taiwan. Even the division commander had praised him. The boy couldn’t help licking his lips before nodding vigorously.
“I trust you!”
“Zhaodi, come out quickly, Zhong Jianguo is here.” On October 5th, at noon, Song Zhaodi was scrubbing a pot when her eldest sister rushed in, snatched the loofah sponge from her hand, grabbed her arm and dragged her outside. “Go change your clothes quickly.”
Caught off guard, Song Zhaodi staggered slightly and sighed helplessly. “Dajie, I’m the one getting married, not the one proposing. He’s the one asking for us, not the other way around.”
“That’s right!” Song dajie stopped in her tracks. “We’re not in a hurry. We’ll wait in the house.”
Song Zhaodi hadn’t forgotten that even though her elder sister had been persuaded, deep down, she still wasn’t happy about her marrying Zhong Jianguo. Seeing such a sudden change in her attitude today, she wondered, “Dajie, did you see Zhong Jianguo? He’s quite good-looking, isn’t he?”
“How did you know?” Song dajie was momentarily stunned, then waved her hand, signaling that there was no need for an explanation. “You’ve always been clever. I don’t know how you figured it out again.
“Let me tell you, your jiefu and I were walking toward the village entrance when a man waved at him and asked how to get to the Song family’s house. When I heard him speak, he had no accent at all—he sounded just like the university students from the capital who came to our village. Then, I saw that he was in his thirties, so I guessed he was Zhong Jianguo. Your jiefu must have guessed it too because he gave me a look, telling me to come back and inform you.”
Song Zhaodi asked, “Where’s jiefu?”
“Your jiefu is trying to get some information out of Zhong Jianguo. They’re walking very slowly.” Song dajie gestured with her hands. “He looks better than Wang Degui, taller too, with thick eyebrows, big eyes and a square face—looks like a strong, capable man.”
Thick eyebrows, big eyes, a square face and tall stature—he sounded just like her idol from her previous life. Song Zhaodi was intrigued. “Is he dark-skinned?”
“He is—just a little too dark.” Song dajie sighed regretfully. “If he were a bit fairer, he’d be as handsome as the Premier3.”
At that moment, Song Zhaodi understood why her sister was suddenly so enthusiastic. She also wanted to say that the Premier was famously handsome. Back in her previous life, when she was in middle school, the Premier had already been gone for over half a century, yet more than half of the girls in her class still called him their ‘male god.’ She replied, “He’s a navy man, always by the sea. Of course, he’d be dark. Is he darker than me?”
Song dajie studied her sister for a moment. “Your face is about the colour of ripe rice in the fields. His is darker, with a reddish tone—much darker than you.”
“Dajie, aren’t you supposed to be working at the furniture factory today? Won’t your boss deduct your wages?” Song Zhaodi asked.
Song dajie’s expression changed instantly. “Oh no, I have to go! Zhaodi, don’t worry. I’ll go call Dad and Mom right now.”
“Wait,” Song Zhaodi stopped her. “If Dad and Mom come back, they’ll lose their work points for the afternoon. I have to go teach at the village school at two. Let me talk to Zhong Jianguo first. If I think he’s acceptable, then we’ll call them.”
“You go to work.” A voice came from the side room. It was Song dajie’s mother-in-law. “I’m home. I won’t let that Zhong Jianguo bully our Zhaodi.”
Twelve years ago, Song Zhaodi was on her way home from school when she met a mother and son at the village entrance. Their first words to her were, “Little girl, could you spare a cornbread?”
Instinctively, Song Zhaodi took a step back. The mother and son immediately fell to their knees, begging her again.
Back in 1955, while the Song family wasn’t well-off, they had never gone hungry. Seeing the two kneel before her for a single cornbread, she felt a pang of sympathy and took them home.
The mother’s surname was Yang and she didn’t have a proper name. Her son was called Liu Yang. When Mother Song saw that Liu Yang’s hands were frostbitten and he was as thin as a skeleton, she let them stay temporarily, planning to send them off once spring came and the weather warmed.
But the world was vast and Yang shi4 and her son had nowhere to go. Seeing their plight, Mother Song took them to the village chief, who gave them two acres of barren land.
If Song Zhaodi hadn’t brought them home, Mother Song wouldn’t have gotten involved. But now that they were in her sight, she couldn’t let them starve. So, she continued to shelter them until they harvested their first crop of rice.
Seven years ago, a nationwide famine spread to Xiao Song Village. Food was scarce and some villagers suggested to the chief that Yang and her son should be driven out—fewer mouths to feed meant a little more food for everyone.
Xiao Song Village was by the sea. When food was scarce, they could still fish. But in inland areas, where there was nothing to eat, people could only wait to die.
The village chief wasn’t a saint, but he wasn’t heartless either. He knew that if he drove Yang shi and her son out, they would have no way to survive. One night, when the village was asleep, he came to the Song family to discuss it. Upon hearing this, Yang shi and Liu Yang turned pale with fear.
The chief came up with an idea—Liu Yang could marry into the Song family as a live-in son-in-law.
Father Song saw that Liu Yang was honest and hardworking. He had three daughters and would need a son-in-law to marry in eventually. Without much thought, he agreed.
Liu Yang didn’t know what to do, so he turned to his mother for help. Yang shi told him, “The eldest daughter is a good choice.”
The next day, Liu Yang married Song’s eldest daughter.
Since Liu Yang was now part of the Song family, the villagers didn’t dare offend Father Song, who was the only doctor in ten villages. No one brought up the idea of driving out Yang shi and Liu Yang again.
Over time, Song dajie gave birth to two sons—one with the Song surname and one with the Liu surname. Now that Liu Yang had descendants, he wholeheartedly considered the Song family his own.
It was Song dajie who suggested their younger son take the Liu surname. Yang shi was grateful to her daughter-in-law and treated her like a daughter. Naturally, she saw Song Zhaodi as her own little girl as well.
Yang shi wasn’t in good health, so she stayed home to look after her two grandsons. Song dajie, knowing her mother-in-law cared about Zhaodi’s marriage, said, “Mother, keep an eye on things. I’m off to work.”
“Go quickly, don’t be late,” Yang replied. “Zhaodi, when that Zhong Jianguo arrives, call me.”
“Auntie, it’s fine.” Song Zhaodi smiled. “The kids are still sleeping. Go back inside and watch them so they don’t roll off the bed.”
Yang shi loved her grandsons dearly, so she immediately stopped fussing and hurried inside. But once inside, she kept her ears pricked, listening closely to the sounds outside.
In the time it takes to drink a bowl of tea, Yang shi heard her son’s voice. She walked to the door and, upon seeing the man beside her son, exclaimed in surprise, “He looks nothing like his father.”
The three of them instinctively turned to look at her.
Realising her slip of the tongue, Yang shi gave an awkward smile. “Comrade Zhong, you’ve arrived.”
Liu Yang, Song Zhaodi’s brother-in-law, was rather speechless. “Mom, don’t talk nonsense. Comrade Zhong doesn’t look like his father; he takes after his mother. What’s so surprising about that?”
Liu Ling had never seen Zhong Jianguo’s father, but the original Song Zhaodi had. Back when Zhao Yin came to the Song family to propose the marriage, he had brought Zhong Jianguo’s father along. Liu Ling, possessing Song Zhaodi’s memories, knew that Zhong Jianguo actually resembled his father. How could they not look like father and son?
Father Zhong had followed Zhao Yin, timid and weak, exuding a petty demeanour. But when Zhong Jianguo entered, he held his head high and stood with his chest out. Having graduated from a military academy and spent years in the army, his posture was upright and imposing, radiating a sense of righteousness. Naturally, he did not appear to be the son of such a cowardly man.
“Come in and sit. I’ll go get some water,” Song Zhaodi said as she turned towards the main hall.
Liu Yang had already asked his wife to request leave on his behalf, so he stayed behind. While ushering Zhong Jianguo inside, he pointed at Song Zhaodi’s retreating figure and said, “This is my younger sister, Song Zhaodi. She is currently in the village—5“
“We only have water at home. It’s a bit hot, so wait a moment before drinking,” Song Zhaodi interrupted Liu Yang, taking out the porcelain mug that had been bought for his wedding to serve Zhong Jianguo.
Since stepping inside, Zhong Jianguo had only greeted Yang shi and thanked Song Zhaodi. However, his eyes were far less reserved than his words. He observed the courtyard, which was immaculately clean. The pigsty and duck pen were well-maintained, with no foul odours lingering in the air. He was satisfied—Song family women were diligent.
Noticing that Song Zhaodi wore an apron with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, he surmised that she had been busy with chores before his arrival. This pleased him even more—she was a hardworking and capable girl.
Song Zhaodi, too, was not idle. The moment Zhong Jianguo entered, she got a good look at him. He was indeed quite good-looking, though not as handsome as her idol from her past life. His aura couldn’t compare either. Her idol had an air of nobility, whereas Zhong Jianguo exuded a sense of integrity.
As she handed him the water, Song Zhaodi noticed the calluses on his hands. Having dabbled in shooting in her past life, she immediately recognised them as marks left by long-term firearm use. The thickness of the calluses indicated that he frequently used guns, proving that he was no cowardly slacker but rather someone accustomed to hardship and danger.
Song Zhaodi found this quite satisfactory. Smiling slightly, she said, “Jiefu, please help me request leave. I’d like to have a chat with Comrade Zhong.”
- Malted milk is a powdered mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and evaporated milk. It has a sweet, nutty flavour and is commonly used in beverages like malted milkshakes, as well as in candies and baked goods. It was originally developed as a nutritional supplement in the late 19th century but became popular as a flavouring ingredient. ↩︎
- Elder sister. ↩︎
- Likely refers to Zhou Enlai (周恩来), who served as the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to 1976. He was widely respected for his diplomacy, leadership, and charismatic appearance, often considered refined and distinguished. ↩︎
- Shi (氏) is a traditional way of referring to a married woman by her maiden surname. ↩︎
- This is probably clearer in the raws, but Liu Yang was about to say that she works as a teacher in the village school. Song Zhaodi doesn’t want to reveal her education level, so she interrupts him. ↩︎
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