Gu Xingdong saw that she had lain down again. He walked to the table and blew out the candle, then sat down by the kang in the dark. He quickly took off his clothes and lay down.
On this late spring and early summer night, there was still a chill in the air, and the warmth accumulated during the day had long since been defeated. Chen Lishu turned her head, looking at him lying there in just a vest without a blanket in the moonlight. She pursed her lips and hesitated before asking, "Are you alright?"
Gu Xingdong turned to his side, stretching out his long arms to draw her into his embrace. His firm chin rested on the top of her head, and he closed his eyes, saying softly, "Sleep."
The words "sleep" seemed to have a hypnotic effect. Chen Lishu gradually closed her eyes as well. She managed to have a rare, sweet, and peaceful sleep.
The next day, when she woke up, Gu Xingdong was no longer by her side. His blanket was folded as neatly as a block of tofu and placed squarely on the kang cabinet.
Chen Lishu got up, tidied herself, and pushed open the door. Seeing her come out, Gu Xingdong first went to the kitchen to bring out the food she had kept warm for her. Not long after, he handed her an enamel mug, which was still steaming.
"I asked Mom for brown sugar and eggs. Hurry and drink it while it's hot."
Having to make such a fuss with Li Xiulan for this matter made Chen Lishu’s face flush. She picked up the enamel mug, blew on it twice, and took a sip. A wave of sweetness coursed down her throat, warming her heart.
"We don't have fishing rods at home, so I found some bamboo and made one myself. Since it's still early and the sun isn't hot, we'll go after you finish eating."
Chen Lishu nodded.
After she had finished her meal and washed the bowls, the two of them took the fishing rods and buckets and walked towards the river.
Chen Lishu had little experience with fishing. While Gu Xingdong sat by the river fishing, she took the basket she had brought to cut pig feed and pick mushrooms.
In the morning, Gu Xingdong caught three fish, and Chen Lishu gathered a large bundle of pig feed and half a basket of mushrooms.
Upon returning home, she first chopped the pig feed finely and mixed it with some cornmeal to feed the chickens and pigs. Then, she washed her hands and took money to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy meat.
Gu Xingdong's leave would end the next day. She planned to cook him something delicious.
Thinking of him leaving, Chen Lishu felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of reluctance in her heart.
She went to the supply and marketing cooperative, bought two catties of meat, and after some thought, also bought a catty of wine.
When she returned home, Gu Xingdong had already helped her clean the fish. The three fish, each weighing about two catties, were neatly arranged in a basin.
Chen Lishu then washed and diced the meat and mushrooms, preparing to make stir-fried mushrooms with meat.
The three fish were stewed together in one pot. A little cabbage was added to enhance the flavor. Instead of steamed rice, they had cornmeal flatbreads, cooked with the fish stew. Pieces of the flatbread soaked in the fish soup, their crispy exterior mingled with the aroma of corn and the richness of the fish broth, were soft, glutinous, and sweet with every bite.
Chen Lishu timed it perfectly. Just as the fish was ready, the Gu family members were returning from work.
"It smells so good!" Gu Xingye sniffed and rushed to the kitchen, reaching for a piece of flatbread before even washing his hands. Li Xiulan, following behind, swatted him on the back of his head.
"You're over twenty years old and still so impatient. You'll never find a wife at this rate."
"Mom, can't you hit a little lighter? I'm not smart to begin with, and if you keep hitting me, I won't just not be able to count, but I might even forget how to count."
"Stop messing around. Go wash your hands and eat." Gu Shoufu, also enticed by the aroma, reprimanded his son and went to the yard to wash up first.
The three fish stewed into a large basinful, enough for the more than ten people in the family. Chen Lishu brought out the wine she had bought, and Gu Shoufu, unusually, had a few drinks with his sons.
"Alas. You've only been back a couple of days, and now you're leaving again." Li Xiulan, as a mother, felt her eyes well up as she looked at her son across from her.
"It's a good thing Xingdong is serving in the army for the country. Besides, it's not that far. You can go visit him when you're not busy," Gu Shoufu said, glancing at his wife and comforting her.
"Yes, Mom. If you miss him, you can go with Lishu. We have visiting dormitories. You don't have to worry about food or accommodation," Gu Xingdong added.
Looking at his own young wife beside him, he didn't know why, but he was already missing her before he had even left.
After the meal, Li Xiulan didn't let Chen Lishu help with the cleanup. She directly sent her back to the room, telling her to spend more time talking with Gu Xingdong.
Chen Lishu had intended to help Gu Xingdong pack his bag, but he had only brought two sets of clothes to change. It didn't take long to pack.
"You know the address. Remember to write to me." Gu Xingdong's gaze had not left her since she entered the room.
"Mhm," Chen Lishu nodded.
Gu Xingdong reached out and pulled her into his embrace. Seeing her clear eyes looking at him, he liked her more and more. He wished he could shrink her down and keep her in his pocket.
The couple talked for a while longer. As the sky grew darker and Gu Xingdong had to catch a train the next day, they washed up and went to bed early.
The next day, Chen Lishu went to town with him. They first went to the photo studio to pick up their pictures.
As soon as they arrived, they saw enlarged photos of the two of them displayed in the shop window, with a solo photo of Chen Lishu next to it.
Although they were black and white photos, her features were delicate, and her bright, almond-shaped eyes seemed to speak. Upon closer inspection, she was not inferior to movie stars.
Gu Xingdong's face darkened as soon as he saw these two photos. He strode forward and pushed open the shop door. The photographer was in the process of taking pictures of a young couple. He looked up and greeted them warmly, "You two are here to pick up your photos, aren't you? They've been developed for a while. Just a moment..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Gu Xingdong walk directly to the display window and take out the two photos.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? Why are you touching my things?" The photographer saw his actions and immediately dropped his camera to stop him, but it was too late.
"My things?" Gu Xingdong looked at him with a half-smile, "Did you have my permission?"
The photographer paused. It was indeed a bit improper to display the photos without the consent of the people involved. However, he was the one who took the photos. Moreover, although the man was in uniform, who knew if he had borrowed it? And the woman who came with him didn't look like she was wealthy.
Thinking of this, he decided to take a step back first. "Comrade, how about this? I won't charge you for the photos, but these pictures..."
"No," Gu Xingdong interrupted him before he could finish. "Pay for the photos, and give me the negatives as well."
Hearing his words, the photographer's temper flared. He sneered, "You want the negatives? Brother, are you here to stir up trouble? Why don't you ask around? I, Zhao Kang, have been operating in this area for over ten years and am a well-respected person. Don't mistake my politeness for weakness."