Chương 7: Chapter 7: Leave of Absence
The men standing at the entrance of the male dormitory saw the two female comrades leaving, and Zhang Shuo carefully reminded Gao Shu beside him, "Lu Jingqiu has gone out; she's not going to trouble your girlfriend again, is she?"
Gao Shu furrowed his brows upon hearing this as he watched Lu Jingqiu walking away.
Zhang Yumin slapped him on the back and said, "Don't talk nonsense, come over and help make dinner if you have nothing to do."
Zhang Shuo replied, "Captain, it's not my turn to cook today."
Shen Mu, who was nearby, said, "Captain, it's Gao Shu and my turn today," and then pulled Gao Shu with him towards the kitchen.
After the two left, Zhang Yumin reminded Zhang Shuo, "Comrade Lu Jingqiu has been behaving much better these days, don't instigate Gao Shu."
Li Qing said in a joking tone, "Captain, he's just too bored and wants to stir things up again."
Zhang Shuo huffed lightly and ignored Li Qing.
Lu Jingqiu and Li Yinger braved the heavy rain and arrived at the Captain's house.
They were greeted by Mrs. Xia, who initially had a smiling face upon seeing Li Yinger, but her smile vanished the moment she saw Lu Jingqiu: "What are you here for?"
Lu Jingqiu didn't mind and even said with a smile on her face, "Aunt Xia, I'm here to see the Captain today; I want to request some leave."
Li Yinger also hurried to smooth things over, saying with a laugh, "Aunt, is the Captain at home? I've got something to discuss with him."
Lu Jingqiu turned her head and glanced at Li Yinger, who smirked at Mrs. Xia and subtly nudged Lu Jingqiu from behind.
Lu Jingqiu felt very grateful.
Mrs. Xia's face brightened with a warm smile at Li Yinger, "Your uncle is in the room."
Then she called into the house.
At this moment, the Captain walked from inside the house to the front room entrance.
Mrs. Xia quickly invited them in.
Li Yinger, leading Lu Jingqiu into the Xia family's living room, said to the Captain with a smile, "Captain, I want to make a phone call home. Is the commune's telephone working yet?"
The Captain gestured for them to sit and shook his head as he replied, "The signal pole was damaged by a neighbor village's tractor before the summer harvest; it still hasn't been repaired. If you want to contact your family, you need to go to the town post office to send a telegram or a letter."
Li Yinger said, "Ah, that's too bad," and subtly nudged Lu Jingqiu from underneath.
Understanding the hint, Lu Jingqiu quickly placed the prepared items in front of Captain Xia and said with a smile, "Captain, I've been in our village for more than two years and haven't returned home once. I'd like to go back and visit my family after the summer harvest."
Captain Xia, although not as overt as Mrs. Xia, was also disinclined to favor her: "What is this? Take it back, take it back."
Lu Jingqiu wasn't in a hurry; she pushed the items toward the captain again: "Captain, I know I was foolish before and caused you a lot of trouble. These small tokens are just my way of showing gratitude."
Captain Xia was usually very caring toward them, the educated youths, and very responsible to the villagers, but when it came to his precious daughter, he changed. Ever since Jingqiu arrived at Ten-miles Village, she had continuously been a thorn in his daughter's side.
Today, after finally waiting for Jingqiu to come to ask him for a favor, he naturally wasn't going to be blinded by these little things: "Although you haven't gone home for two years and I should approve the leave, you're choosing the busiest time in the fields when we're short of hands. If I approve your leave, and other educated youths know about it and come to ask for leave too, with you setting the precedent, should I approve or not? And not just the educated youths, even in the village, there are lazy folks who don't want to work. I can't approve your leave, so take these things back."
Li Yinger chimed in from the side: "Don't worry, Captain. Currently, only Jingqiu at the Educated Youth Spot is going home to visit. Have you forgotten? Several of us have already gone home to visit over the past two years. Besides, during this season, we wouldn't go back either. Jingqiu truly has urgent business to attend to."
Captain Xia said: "You little rascal, you think you can speak for your Educated Youth Spot? Or are you able to make sure the villagers don't ask for leave?"
The captain was clearly making it difficult for her, and Jingqiu wasn't trying to be diplomatic anymore: "Captain, there have been plenty of leave requests during the busy times before, and even villagers have asked for days off these past few days, which you approved. Why does it become a problem when it's my turn? It's as if I'm setting an example, and the whole village will stop working if I ask for leave."
As soon as Jingqiu finished, Captain Xia hadn't yet responded, when Mrs. Xia, who had entered from outside with a cold expression, said: "Comrade Lu, are you suggesting that the village head is deliberately making things difficult for you? Anyone in the village who asks for leave has urgent reasons."
If someone doesn't like you, no matter what you say, it's wrong: "Whether it's deliberate or not, I don't know, but my visit home is also for urgent reasons. Otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen this time to go. Moreover, I'm not one of those layabouts from the village. Although I admit I've been pampered, I am aware of my responsibilities. Otherwise, I wouldn't have waited until the farm work was done to ask for leave. Captain, can you approve my leave or not?"
Seeing that Jingqiu wasn't giving up, Captain Xia evasively replied: "It's pouring rain and you've been busy all day, hurry back home. Let's wait on the leave request."
Jingqiu knew that "waiting" meant an indefinite delay, and although she was frustrated, she was powerless since she was on bad terms with his daughter, and he was taking personal grievances into consideration; she was just a minor educated youth and had to put up with it.
Looking at the items on the table and realizing that her efforts were futile, leaving them behind wouldn't do any good, and not wanting to give them away for nothing, she picked them up again: "Since the captain has said to wait, then I'll wait. Oh, a few days ago, Xia Lin came specifically to deliver an invitation to me— they're getting married in half a month, right?
Captain Xia, you know how wholeheartedly I've loved Gao Shu. Seeing them getting married, how can I bear it?
With my temper, if no one stops me, I might make a scene at the wedding. Captain Xia, you'll need to bear with me a bit more. After all, I followed Gao Shu from the city all the way to the countryside.
*Sigh*, Sister Yuzhi and Sister Yingying have been advising me these past few days. I was really thinking of letting go. Heartbroken as I am, I just wanted to go home and see my parents. Since the captain is worried my leave request at this time will set a bad example, then I'll listen to the captain." Saying that, she turned to look at Li Yinger: "Sister Yingying, do you have anything else to do? If not, let's go."
"Oh, is Aunt Xia and Xia Lin at home? I have something to look for her."
Mrs. Xia was stunned by Jingqiu's words and seemed lost in thought; called by Li Yinger, she quickly came back to her senses: "Linlin? She just left the house. She insisted on going out in this downpour, saying she wouldn't listen."
Jingqiu didn't want to stay at the Xia Family any longer and said to Li Yinger: "Sister Yingzi, I'll wait for you outside."
After speaking, she hugged the items and left the house. They didn't want them, and she wasn't keen on giving them away either.
The Xia Family's home was situated on the eastern side of the village, backed by a shallow river, and to the right, there was an empty space that led to a small bridge towards the fields.
As soon as Jingqiu stepped outside, she faintly heard voices coming from the right side.
In the heavy rain, it was impossible to hear clearly, let alone see who was talking.
Chương 8: Chapter 8: The Obsession in My Previous Life
It hadn't been a minute before Li Yinger came out from the Xia Family's house, and the two were preparing to leave.
Heading straight towards them, Xia Lin rushed over wearing rubber shoes and carrying an oiled paper umbrella. Seeing the two of them at her doorstep, she paused slightly.
Li Yinger spoke up first, "Xia Lin, I've brought you the thing you wanted. It's getting dark, so we'll be leaving now."
After saying that, she took Lu Jingqiu's hand and walked into the rain.
Xia Lin knew what Li Yinger was referring to and called out loudly, "Thank you, Comrade Li, I will surely cherish it as I read."
Worried that Lu Jingqiu had come to her house to make trouble, she didn't say much else and quickly turned to enter her home.
"Mom, what did Lu Jingqiu come to our house for?"
Mother Xia glanced at Father Xia, who was drinking tea, then replied, "She came to ask for leave, wanting to go home for a family visit."
"Go home for a family visit? At this time, she must be trying to dodge work. She's left the team with Li Qian, and no one at the Educated Youth Spot wants to help her work. She must not be able to cope. Dad, don't approve her leave."
Father Xia looked at his daughter and sighed deeply, "I wasn't going to approve it, but she directly threatened me, the brigade leader, with your wedding. What could I do about that?"
Xia Lin furrowed her brows, "Threatened? I knew she wouldn't be so well-behaved. Dad, how did she threaten you?"
Mother Xia said, "That girl threatened that if we didn't approve her leave, she would make a scene at your wedding."
"She wouldn't dare, I'll go find her."
Mother Xia quickly stopped her daughter, "Come back, what are you going to do now? I just asked Comrade Li too, and Comrade Li said she has let go of Gao Shu and wants to go home for a while. In my opinion, we should just approve her leave."
Xia Lin said, "Let go? Mom, you believe that? She's been doggedly chasing after Gao Shu all the way here for so many years."
There was already something amiss, and she hadn't had the chance to look into it, yet now Lu Jingqiu wanted to go home for a family visit. What was going on?
Mother Xia was also half in doubt, but there was nothing that could be done, "What should we do then? With her personality, she really might cause trouble if her leave isn't approved. And if it is, I'm worried she'll go back and talk to the Gao Family about you and Gao Shu."
Rather than continuing on about Lu Jingqiu, Father Xia instead asked his daughter dissatisfiedly, "What's the deal with Gao Shu? The two of you are about to have a wedding, and you still haven't told the Gao Family about your affair?"
"Dad, Gao Shu has already written a letter back. He said it himself, didn't he? His uncle is in the military and is usually very busy. His aunt has to work and take care of the kids; they won't be able to come now.
Gao Shu said he will take me home to officially meet the family this Chinese New Year."
Father Xia nodded, "That sounds fair enough. Since that's the case, it's perfect for me to approve Lu Jingqiu's leave."
Mother Xia said, "Old man, might she go back and speak ill of our Linlin to the Gao family? I think we should wait."
Father Xia replied, "What do you understand? Approving her leave now will mean she won't be around during our Linlin's wedding, preventing any trouble she might cause.
By the time the Chinese New Year comes, she won't have any holidays left. Our Linlin, following Gao Shu back, won't bump into her there. Gao Shu and Linlin can instead spend a good New Year there."
Xia Lin smiled, quickly walked over to Father Xia, and wrapped her arms around his, speaking coquettishly, "Dad, thinking this way is indeed good."
Mother Xia was still somewhat worried, "I'm just afraid that she will go back and speak ill of our Linlin to the Gao Family. If she instills some negative thoughts in them, they may get a bad impression of Linlin before she even arrives, making things difficult for her there."
As soon as Xia Lin thought of the Gao Family in West City, her expression became complex, but she quickly became indifferent, "Mom, don't worry. Your daughter is so likable and capable that she won't be afraid of whatever Lu Jingqiu says. Time will reveal the truth. Besides, it's Gao Shu's uncle's family, not his biological parents. We've discussed moving out after we get married. It doesn't matter even if his aunt doesn't like me, since we won't be living together anyway."
Mother Xia, who had experience in these matters, naturally understood mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships. Her daughter was right; since they were not living with biological parents, there really wasn't much to worry about.
On the other hand, as Li Yinger and Lu Jingqiu crossed the bridge, getting near to the Educated Youth Spot, Li Yinger said, "After you went out, Aunt Xia asked me if you'd really let go of Gao Shu. I said yes, but they looked skeptical. However, I think your leave request might work out."
"Oh, let's just leave it to fate. If it really doesn't work, I'll go find the Party secretary," said Jingqiu, who now seemed indifferent. She had tried being nice and also making veiled threats, but if nothing worked, she would just have to wait for a telegram from her father.
But she didn't want to wait that long.
Corn kernels, cornbread, and cold cucumber salad were mostly what they had been eating these days.
When the two arrived at the Educated Youth Spot, it was just in time for mealtime.
Li Qing saw Li Yinger return and kindly served her a bowl of porridge, "Where did you go in such heavy rain? If there's anything you need to do, I can help you."
Although Li Yinger took the porridge handed to her, she didn't exactly return the favor with kindness, nor did she engage further in conversation.
At that time, they couldn't just casually take the books out, so Lu Jingqiu hurriedly took over the conversation, "I went to ask the team leader for leave, and had Sister Yingying accompany me."
At the mention of leave, Zhang Shuo perked up; he also wanted to ask for leave but hadn't found a good reason and feared the team leader might not approve, "Leave? Comrade Jingqiu, what's the matter? Didn't you just recover from an illness? Why are you asking for leave again – did the team leader approve it?"
Lu Jingqiu shook her head, "I asked for family visit leave. I want to go back to my hometown."
The word "hometown" made Gao Shu, who was eating with his head down, pause momentarily, but he said nothing.
After dining, Jingqiu had just finished washing her bowl and chopsticks when Gao Shu was already waiting for her at the dormitory entrance, "Let's talk."
Although she didn't know what he wanted to discuss, she guessed it had to do with her family visit. She placed the lunchbox back in the room before following him to a secluded spot outside the courtyard.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Why do you suddenly want to go home?"
"I miss my parents. What, do I need your permission to go home and visit them?"
Lu Jingqiu's tone made Gao Shu furrow his brows, as her manner of speaking was not like it used to be.
"Jingqiu, I've always treated you like a sister, before and it'll be the same in the future. When it comes to feelings, I want to follow my heart, and I don't want to deceive you. I hope you can come to terms with this."
Lu Jingqiu gave a wry smile and remained silent for a while, surprised by her foolishness in her previous life, mourning her own incurable condition. She had been by his side for so many years in her former life without being able to change his feelings, leading to two ungrateful sons in the end. Love was filled with tears, torment, and complexity. Her thoughts wandered as she said, "Yes, before and in the future, it will remain the same, there's never been a change. It's I who have been too persistent.
They say that for a woman to pursue a man is like chasing through a layer of gauze, yet so many years haven't swayed you. I am curious to know, what exactly about me do you dislike?"
Gao Shu didn't expect Lu Jingqiu to ask so directly, and after a long pause, he said hesitantly, "Jingqiu, you are a good person, it's just...""
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