Liu Yang was stunned, then quickly followed after coming back to his senses. “Mom, what’s wrong? Why don’t you agree? Zhong Jianguo is quite good.”
“Your mother is afraid of war.” Father Song understood his wife well. “Bullets have no eyes. She’s afraid something might happen to Zhong Jianguo.”
Liu Yang said, “Because of that? Mom, slow down. It’s fine if Zhaodi doesn’t marry Zhong Jianguo, but you can’t guarantee that if she marries someone else, that person will never encounter natural disasters or misfortunes in his life.”
“Xiao Liu is right.” Father Song glanced at his son-in-law, somewhat surprised, then patted Mother Song’s arm. “Have you forgotten about Zhaodi back when she was in college?”
Mother Song suddenly stopped in her tracks, her face changing dramatically. When she lifted her foot again, her pace had visibly slowed down.
Liu Yang looked at his mother-in-law, then at his father-in-law, completely puzzled. “Dad, Mom, what are you two hinting at?”
“It has nothing to do with you,” Mother Song said. “What else did Zhong Jianguo say?”
Seeing this, Liu Yang decided to ask his wife later. “Zhong Jianguo said he only has one older brother and sister-in-law. His brother has two daughters, and he has three sons. He also mentioned that his family only consists of these people. At first, I didn’t understand, but after thinking about it, I figured he was trying to hint that he doesn’t like Aunt Zhao and that her family doesn’t count as his family.”
“Zhaodi doesn’t like your biaoyi either,” Mother Song said. “These are all minor matters. Did he mention his salary? Is he a captain?”
Liu Yang replied, “I didn’t have time to ask before I got home. If you want to know, I can ask him when I send him off later. Mom, meimei1 seems to like Zhong Jianguo quite a bit. What should we do about them?”
Mother Song said, “I’ll ask him myself.” When they got home, she greeted Zhong Jianguo and then turned to Song Zhaodi. “Going well?”
Zhong Jianguo was completely confused by the abrupt question. Song Zhaodi grinned and hugged Mother Song’s arm. “Mom, he’s a regiment commander now. His monthly salary is 130, and the military even provides allowances.”
Mother Song’s face lit up with joy, but she still turned and glared at Song Zhaodi. “We’re not after his money. No matter how high his salary is, if he doesn’t treat you well, it’s useless. As long as he’s a good person, the amount of money doesn’t matter.”
Yang shi wanted to cover her face. “Zhaodi’s mother—”
“Mom, I already asked,” Song Zhaodi interrupted Yang shi. “He never raises his hand against women, and he hands over his entire salary to me every month.”
Zhong Jianguo wanted to say he hadn’t agreed to that, but when he opened his mouth, the memory of his wife’s cremation day flashed in his mind—his youngest son staring in confusion, his second son crying his heart out, his eldest son silently shedding tears.
He swallowed his words and said instead, “Yes. Auntie, you can rest assured. If Comrade Song is willing to marry me, as long as I have something to drink, she will have something to eat.”
“Then if my Zhaodi gives you a child in the future, will you be biased?” Mother Song asked.
Zhong Jianguo was momentarily stuck.
Song Zhaodi tugged at Mother Song. “Mom, you’re thinking too far ahead.”
“It’s not far,” Mother Song said. “It’s better to make things clear now to avoid arguing about children in the future.”
Song Zhaodi sighed. “Mom, Comrade Zhong is visiting our home for the first time today. Why are you bringing this up? Who knows, maybe he’ll be meeting someone else tomorrow.”
Zhong Jianguo also felt that Mother Song was thinking too far ahead. But when he heard what Song Zhaodi said, he quickly set aside his thoughts and hurried to explain, “No, no. Comrade Song, Auntie, Uncle, to be honest, I can only stay home until the ninth. I came back this time specifically for Comrade Song—there’s no one else.
“Brother Liu Yang must have told you two elders about my family. If Comrade Song thinks I’m alright, and you two elders have no objections, I plan to get the marriage certificate in the next couple of days.”
“What? Getting a marriage certificate?” Mother Song was shocked. “Do you think this is like buying a big cabbage?”
Zhong Jianguo thought to himself, Your daughter’s attitude is even more casual than buying cabbage. At least when buying cabbage, people check for rotten leaves.
“Comrade Zhong, I know you don’t mean to look down on my Zhaodi.” Yeah, right. Based on what Song Zhaodi had said earlier, anyone could tell something was off. However, Yang shi knew that Song Zhaodi was perfectly normal. Since she couldn’t ask her directly in front of Zhong Jianguo what she was up to, she instead said, “In the stories, they always say military orders are as firm as mountains. If you promised to return on the ninth, then you must go back on the ninth—I understand that.”
Thank goodness, someone in the Song family is normal. Zhong Jianguo was deeply grateful. “Thank you, Auntie.”
“Don’t thank me just yet,” Yang shi said. “If you want to get the certificate first, Zhaodi can go tomorrow. But our Zhaodi is a proper young lady—she can’t just secretly marry you.”
Mother Song thought, She’s not exactly a ‘proper young lady’ anymore. But then she reconsidered. Her daughter had never been married or had children, while Zhong Jianguo already had three kids—he was the one getting a great deal here. “Your aunt is right. If Zhaodi just leaves with you quietly, what am I supposed to tell the villagers when they ask?”
Zhong Jianguo took a cloth pouch out of his pocket. “My dasao mentioned this to me. Auntie, my plan is to get the certificate with Comrade Song and then hold the wedding banquet at your home. My side doesn’t have many relatives.
“Here’s 200 yuan, along with fabric and food coupons. I can handle the preparations myself, or Brother Liu Yang can take care of them. If you don’t think this is enough, we can discuss it further—I’ll follow your lead.”
Liu Ling, who had inherited Song Zhaodi’s memories, knew that in this era, very few people married for love. Most marriages were arranged through relatives or neighbors. Single men and women would meet once, chat for a while, and if they felt compatible, they would set a wedding date—most got married within six months.
That Mother Song didn’t ask Zhong Jianguo and Song Zhaodi to date for a while before getting married didn’t surprise Liu Ling at all.
Weddings in this era didn’t involve extravagant purchases. If a family was well-off and cared about traditions, they would prepare ‘thirty-six legs’—which referred to a wardrobe, a small cabinet, four chairs, a bed, and a table.
Even if all thirty-six legs were bought from a furniture factory, they wouldn’t cost more than 200 yuan. If they had someone make them at home, including the cost of wood and labor, it would only be around 30 to 40 yuan.
Zhong Jianguo took out 200 yuan along with a stack of fabric and food ration coupons—things money couldn’t even buy. Song Zhaodi was surprised. What a generous offer.
Mother Song had never planned to marry off her daughter so quickly and shook her head repeatedly in refusal.
“Auntie, if you have any concerns, just say them. Shaking your head doesn’t tell me what you’re thinking,” Zhong Jianguo said. He needed Song Zhaodi to help him take care of his children, and she wanted a stable life without worries about food and clothing—he thought they were a good match. From their conversation, he could tell that Mother Song’s thoughts were similar to her daughter’s, so he didn’t understand why she was hesitating.
Liu Yang asked, “Mom, is it because the timing feels rushed, or are you not satisfied with these?” He pointed to the money in Zhong Jianguo’s hand, hinting that it was more than enough.
When Liu Yang married Song Zhaodi’s eldest sister, their wedding purchases included a thermos, a new bed, a washbasin, and two porcelain cups, all for a total of 20 yuan. The washbasin hadn’t even been used yet, and the porcelain cups were only taken out when guests came over.
Now, Zhong Jianguo was offering 200 yuan and letting their family decide how to use it. Even a county magistrate wouldn’t be this generous. If he were their son instead of their son-in-law, Liu Yang would have just said, This is more than enough.
“It’s too fast,” Mother Song said.
Zhong Jianguo let out a bitter laugh. “I have over 2,000 men under my command. I ask for your understanding.”
“That many soldiers?” Liu Yang exclaimed.
Zhong Jianguo explained, “A few years ago, I didn’t have this many. But in 1965, Old Jiang launched three naval battles and lost them all. We worried he wouldn’t give up, so we started increasing our forces. This year, we are on high alert and ready for combat at any time. I really can’t stay away for too long.”
Song Zhaodi tugged at Mother Song’s sleeve.
Slap!
Mother Song smacked the back of her hand. “Go back to your room.”
Song Zhaodi still needed to test Zhong Jianguo further and was afraid her family might mess up her plan, so she didn’t dare leave. “Mom, if Comrade Zhong doesn’t return soon and Old Jiang suddenly attacks, he might even reach our area.”
“Stop trying to fool your mother,” Mother Song said. “Do you think I don’t know? He’s not the only regiment commander in the army.”
Zhong Jianguo was surprised that Song Zhaodi was speaking up for him. He glanced at her before explaining, “Auntie, my troops are part of the main force.”
Mother Song was momentarily speechless. She wasn’t highly educated, but she understood what the main force meant. Instinctively, she turned to Father Song for a decision.
“I don’t know if what you’re saying is true,” Father Song said, “but since you’re a university graduate, the military commander must have assigned an educated person to lead the troops.” After a pause, he continued, “Our Zhaodi will have to get married eventually. Since you have to leave in a few days, I won’t force you. But tell us more details.”
Zhong Jianguo said, “The day after tomorrow, October 7, falls on the fourth day of the lunar calendar. October 9 is the sixth, both even-numbered days. I plan to register the marriage on the ninth.”
Father Song nodded, and Zhong Jianguo breathed a sigh of relief. “Tomorrow, we’ll buy the necessary items. Brother Liu Yang, please notify our relatives and friends. On the ninth, after Song Comrade and I get the marriage certificate, we’ll have a meal with everyone. Uncle, does this plan work for you?”
“My Zhaodi doesn’t even have a new set of clothes,” Mother Song said, dissatisfied.
Zhong Jianguo responded, “I still have money. I can buy some in the county tomorrow.” Worried that the Song family might think he was being stingy, he quickly added, “Or even in the city.”
“Binhai City is too far away. Don’t bother,” Father Song said, glancing at Mother Song. “We can’t keep Zhaodi at home forever. Holding on to her for a few more months won’t make a difference. She has a long life ahead of her.”
Mother Song huffed. “Fine, we’ll do as you say. But listen, Zhong Jianguo, if I ever find out that you’re treating my daughter badly, then—we’ll—”
“Divorce!” Liu Yang interjected.
Mother Song nodded. “Yes! Divorce!”
Seeing this, Song Zhaodi almost laughed. She wanted to remind her cheap mother and brother-in-law that military marriages were difficult to dissolve. Instead, she simply said, “Mom, it’s getting late,” and gestured toward Zhong Jianguo.
Zhong Jianguo said, “I’m staying at the county guesthouse.” As he spoke, he handed the money and ration tickets to Father Song. “Uncle, Auntie, I’ll head back now. I’ll come to pick up Comrade Song early tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll walk you out,” Song Zhaodi turned to her mother. “Is that okay?”
Mother Song tapped her forehead. “I raised you for nothing.”
Song Zhaodi instantly understood that she wasn’t being refused. As she walked to Zhong Jianguo’s side, she faintly heard a grumbling sound and nearly burst out laughing. Is he hungry?
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Zhong Jianguo’s face, but seeing that the Song family seemed not to notice, he greeted the elders once more before turning to leave.
Following behind him, Song Zhaodi encountered a few villagers who asked about the man beside her. She pursed her lips into a shy smile and simply said he was a friend.
The villagers of Xiao Song Village, noticing her embarrassment, pressed further, asking if he was her fiancé.
Song Zhaodi waved her hands repeatedly. “No, no!” But her flustered expression made it seem otherwise.
Catching this from the corner of his eye, Zhong Jianguo thought of reminding Song Zhaodi that she was acting too suspiciously. But as he was about to speak, he hesitated, worried she might not understand. Instead, he simply said, “Let’s walk faster.”
“Alright.” Song Zhaodi, with her long legs, quickened her pace, and in no time, they reached the village entrance.
Seeing no one around on either side of the road, Song Zhaodi stopped and turned to Zhong Jianguo. “I have something to tell you.”
“Go ahead.” Zhong Jianguo didn’t have any special feelings for Song Zhaodi beyond indifference, but since he had already decided to marry her, he was willing to show her respect. “If I can do it, I will. If I can’t, I’ll still try my best.”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just listen,” Song Zhaodi said. After a pause, she asked, “Do you know why I agreed to be a stepmother to your three children?”
“A woman marries for food and clothing,” Zhong Jianguo replied. “I remember.”
Song Zhaodi recalled her own words from earlier and couldn’t help but laugh. “See those houses over there? You do, right? That’s our village’s elementary school. I’m a teacher there.”
“A teacher?!” Zhong Jianguo was taken aback. Realizing what she meant, he quickly turned to face her. “You went to school?”
Song Zhaodi answered, “I have a high school diploma.”
“High… high school graduate?” Zhong Jianguo was stunned. Song Zhaodi nodded.
Frowning, Zhong Jianguo paced in circles, looking both incredulous and troubled. “You—you’re a high school graduate. How should I put this? You shouldn’t have trouble finding a husband. Why would you agree to be my children’s stepmother?”
“I was engaged before,” Song Zhaodi said. “But right before we were to get married, he passed away. It’s been over a year now.”
Zhong Jianguo blinked. “That’s not the whole story, is it?”
“It’s not,” Song Zhaodi admitted, staring at Zhong Jianguo, watching his every reaction. “I’m not a pure, untouched maiden.” Saying it out loud sent a shiver down her spine. Seeing that Zhong Jianguo was only surprised, without any look of disgust or rejection, she continued, “My parents know, but no one else does. I don’t want to deceive you, which is why I wanted to see you off and tell you in person.” She hesitated before adding, “My mother listens to me. If you’re unwilling, come to my house tomorrow and take your money and ration tickets back.”
The revelation that this supposedly uneducated village girl was actually a high school graduate had already shocked Zhong Jianguo. Now, hearing that she had been engaged before, he rubbed his temples, trying to clear his thoughts. “Are you willing to marry me because you’ve had a previous engagement?”
“In the countryside, we are conservative, different from you city folks,” Song Zhaodi explained. “My father said I should marry into a city. Then, my great-aunt arranged a match for me—you. Your salary is high, you have good benefits, you’re a university graduate, and we get along well, so I agreed.”
To Zhong Jianguo, Song Zhaodi was straightforward to the point of being a little simple-minded. She even told him about her past engagement so openly, making him believe her words completely. A small sense of appreciation for her honesty grew in him. But one thing still puzzled him. “Why do you keep saying ‘an’ instead of ‘wo’?”
“That’s just how people in my village talk. I’ve spoken this way since I was little. It’s a habit.” Yeah, right. Song Zhaodi felt incredibly awkward. “Comrade Zhong, you haven’t answered me yet.”
Zhong Jianguo said, “I already have three children myself. I have no reason to be overly demanding of you.”
“I like hearing that,” Song Zhaodi raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised that Zhong Jianguo showed no reluctance at all. “Then let me tell you one more thing—I don’t like my biaoyi.”
Zhong Jianguo had noticed that despite discussing inviting family and friends, not a single person in the Song family had mentioned inviting his stepmother. He had already guessed that they didn’t like Zhao Yin. “Can you tell me why?”
“She looks down on us,” Song Zhaodi said. “In her eyes, we’re like Granny Liu visiting the Rongguo Mansion to scrounge for benefits. She’s the lofty matriarch, and we might not even be as good as Granny Liu2.”
Zhong Jianguo was surprised. “You’ve read Dream of the Red Chamber?”
“I can even recite Shan Hai Jing3.” The original owner could, but Liu Ling couldn’t. Although she had the original owner’s memories, she couldn’t remember exactly what books the original owner had read. “Comrade Zhong, will your eldest brother and sister-in-law come on the ninth?”
Zhong Jianguo said, “My brother is busy at the factory and probably can’t get leave. There are five kids at home, so my sister-in-law likely won’t be able to come either—unless she comes with my stepmother.”
“Then don’t invite them. I don’t want to see my biaoyi.” Liu Ling didn’t care, but the original owner deeply disliked Zhao Yin. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back?”
Zhong Jianguo nodded. “Go ahead.”
Song Zhaodi turned back toward the village.
Zhong Jianguo didn’t leave right away. Watching her back, he shook his head, then couldn’t help but smile.
The next morning, on October 6th, Song Zhaodi was chopping firewood when she heard a ringing sound. She instinctively turned her head and frowned slightly when she saw who it was. “Why are you here?”
Zhong Jianguo said, “We agreed yesterday—I’m taking you to buy things.”
“Whose bicycle is that?” Song Zhaodi clearly remembered that he had walked here the day before.
“It’s mine. I bought it in the county.”
“Do you still have any purchase quotas4 left?” Song Zhaodi asked urgently.
Zhong Jianguo wanted to laugh—this girl was really direct. “You want to buy a bicycle?”
“Yes,” Song Zhaodi said. “My eldest sister and brother-in-law work at a furniture factory over ten miles away. If they had a bicycle, my sister could sleep a little longer in the morning.”
Zhong Jianguo had felt sorry for his older brother, who had to walk to work every day, so he had asked a comrade-in-arms to trade for a bicycle quota. Two nights ago, he had told his brother about it, but his brother had refused.
His brother had said that if Song Zhaodi turned out to be a good person, they shouldn’t shortchange her—he should include a bicycle in her dowry.
Zhao Yin was an unpleasant person, and Zhong Jianguo hadn’t held much hope for her niece, Song Zhaodi. But she had acted so well yesterday that after returning to the county, he couldn’t stop thinking about how genuine she seemed.
Song Zhaodi was clearly nothing like Zhao Yin. She had also firmly stated that she didn’t want Zhao Yin at the wedding banquet. Since Zhong Jianguo disliked Zhao Yin as well, he felt that he and Song Zhaodi got along. So before dawn today, he had gone out searching for a place to buy a bicycle.
“This bicycle is for you,” Zhong Jianguo said. “You can give it to whoever you want. I can’t take it to Wengzhou Island anyway.”
Song Zhaodi’s eyes lit up, and she secretly cheered—Mother, this man knows how to handle things! “Really?”
“I’m a soldier. I never lie,” Zhong Jianguo said seriously.
Song Zhaodi pointed at the firewood on the ground. “Carry it inside, and give me the bicycle.”
“Do you know how to ride?” Zhong Jianguo asked.
Song Zhaodi paused, suddenly realising that she didn’t know how. The original owner had never even touched a bicycle. A trace of embarrassment flashed across her face. “No, but I’ll learn.”
“I’ll teach you,” Zhong Jianguo said. By now, he was used to hearing her say “I” in the rural dialect, and instead of finding it awkward, he thought it made her seem honest. At the end of the day, she had a high school diploma.
In her past life, Song Zhaodi (Liu Ling) had gained fame across the world, thanks in part to the help of influential people. But more importantly, she had the ability to be helped. In reality, Liu Ling had always been smart. After years in the world of fame and fortune, she had become an expert at navigating social situations.
As soon as Zhong Jianguo finished speaking, Song Zhaodi noticed that his attitude toward her had changed—he was clearly friendlier now. “Thank you.” Then she called out, “Dajie, come see this!”
“What is it?” Song dajie came out carrying a child, and when she saw the bike, she was astonished. “Where did this bicycle come from?”
Song Zhaodi pointed at Zhong Jianguo, who was still holding firewood. “He bought it for our family.”
“This… oh my heavens, this must have cost a fortune, right?” Song dajie stared at the brand-new bicycle, her eyes wide.
“Even if you have money, you can’t necessarily buy one,” Song Zhaodi said.
“Right, right, you need a quota too,” Song dajie said. Then she turned to Zhong Jianguo, looking him up and down like a mother-in-law inspecting her son-in-law. The more she looked, the more satisfied she seemed. “Come inside, don’t just stand outside.”
Zhong Jianguo didn’t move. Instead, he looked at Song Zhaodi. “You go in first.”
“Zhaodi, where did the new bike come from?”
Zhong Jianguo followed the voice and saw someone peeking over a dirt wall. His heart tightened. “Who is this?”
“You have a guest,” the woman replied, climbing up further until half of her body was visible. “I’ve never seen him before.”
Zhong Jianguo silently mouthed to Song Zhaodi, Is everyone in your village this nosy?
Liu Ling had only been here a few days and was encountering this for the first time. She saw that Song dajie didn’t find it unusual. “Auntie, this is my fiancé, Zhong Jianguo.”
“What?!” The middle-aged woman exclaimed, “Your fiancé? But isn’t your fiancé Wang Degui?”
Zhong Jianguo frowned. “Who is Wang Degui?”
“Wang Degui is Zhaodi’s fiancé,” the woman said, clearly enjoying the gossip. “Hey, Comrade Zhong, let me tell you—Wang Degui really likes Zhaodi. He’s been after her since last summer, for over a year now.”
Song Zhaodi’s eldest sister frowned. “Don’t talk nonsense, Auntie. Zhaodi has nothing to do with Wang Degui.”
“Nothing to do with him?” The woman feigned surprise. “Zhaodi isn’t young anymore. I figured it’d be hard for her to find a match if she waited too long. Seeing how the Wang family keeps coming around, I thought you had arranged a marriage. Turns out you didn’t? Well, you should’ve said something earlier—I misunderstood.”
“You’re the only one who misunderstood. Everyone else knows that Zhaodi and Wang Degui are impossible,” Song dajie said bluntly. Since this concerned her sister’s reputation, she wasn’t polite. “We never agreed to anything with the Wang family. Comrade Zhong, don’t listen to her nonsense.”
Zhong Jianguo didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to Song Zhaodi—he wanted to hear her explanation.
- Younger sister. ↩︎
- Granny Liu (刘姥姥) is a character from Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦), one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels. She is a poor elderly woman who visits the wealthy and aristocratic Rongguo Mansion (of the Jia family) seeking assistance. Her humble background contrasts sharply with the grandeur of the household, making her a symbol of the vast social divide. ↩︎
- The Shan Hai Jing (山海经), or Classic of Mountains and Seas, is a Chinese text dating back over 2,000 years. It is a collection of myths, geography, and folklore, describing strange lands, mythical creatures, and ancient deities. ↩︎
- During the planned economy period in China, essential goods like bicycles, sewing machines and radios required purchase quotas (购买指标). These quotas were allocated by the government, ensuring that only those with approval could buy scarce items. Owning a bicycle in the 1960s was considered a sign of financial stability and status. ↩︎
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