Chapter 16
“Chang Sui!”
The door was suddenly pushed open, and a woman in her early twenties rushed in, her cheeks flushed from running.
Both parties paused visibly upon seeing each other.
“Sister Wu San.”
Tao Yu stood up and softly called out. Fearing that Wu Lianhe wouldn’t recognize him, he was about to introduce himself, but Wu Lianhe managed a smile and called him, “Tao, Brother Tao.”
“Sister Wu San still recognizes me?”
“How could I not? You’re as handsome as you were when you were little.”
Although they were fellow villagers reuniting after a long time, they should have chatted more. However, Wu Lianhe’s thoughts were entirely focused on Zhao Chang Sui. She quickly held up the hairpin, “This, where did this come from?”
As she spoke, she didn’t even notice her voice trembling.
Seeing this, Tao Yu stepped forward and closed the door.
He introduced Huo Shu, who was beside him, to Wu Lianhe, “This is Brother Chang Sui’s comrade. He brought the hairpin back from the north specifically for you.”
Wu Lianhe had seen Huo Shu upon entering the room. She had initially thought Zhao Chang Sui had returned, but upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn’t him.
She felt a vague sense of unease. When she heard Ji Tao Yu’s introduction, Wu Lianhe’s heart sank into an ice cellar, and tears visibly welled up in her eyes.
Finally seeing the person Zhao Chang Sui cared about so much, Huo Shu also stood up. He looked Wu Lianhe up and down, finally fixing his gaze on the hairpin:
“This is something he always kept with him when he went to battle. Before he died, he asked me to bring it back. Now that it has returned to its rightful owner, I have fulfilled my promise.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Lianhe stared intently at Huo Shu, then suddenly tilted her head to look at the sky, preventing the tears that were about to surge from her eyes from falling. Her fingers gripping the hairpin tightened, almost crushing it.
After a moment of silence, she suddenly let out a laugh, and then the tears could no longer be contained, sliding straight down her face.
“After all these years, I thought he had forgotten me long ago.”
Huo Shu’s brows furrowed slightly at this, “No, in the eight years in the Northern Territory, he never forgot you, not even until his last breath.”
Wu Lianhe looked at Huo Shu’s stern face, listening to his words spoken in a flat tone, as if he were stating something unimportant.
But the more it was like this, the more reassured she felt, because she couldn’t help but believe that what he said was true.
“It’s good that he didn’t forget me. It’s good.”
Wu Lianhe smiled, “Then my years have been worthwhile, not like a joke.”
Although Tao Yu had never experienced such emotions himself, seeing Wu Lianhe like this, he was deeply moved.
He stepped forward to support her as she swayed, “Sister Wu San, please sit down for a while.”
Wu Lianhe sat down as requested.
“Back then, when Sister Wu San had a falling out with her family, was it because of Brother Chang Sui?”
Tao Yu poured a cup of tea and gently handed it to Wu Lianhe, asking the question that had been on his mind.
“That’s right. Back then, Brother Chang Sui was conscripted, and I wanted to save money to pay his labor tax, to spare him the long journey for service. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough money, and I couldn’t borrow any from my family. Instead, my family found out about me and him.”
The Wu family did not agree with their union. The Zhao family was poor, but as long as the man was ambitious and hardworking, life would eventually get better.
It was just that there was also a paralyzed father in bed, who required long-term support and considerable medical expenses. Given the Wu family’s financial situation, they could easily find a suitable match for Wu Lianhe, and they were certainly unwilling for their daughter to suffer.
Knowing that Zhao Chang Sui was going to serve, the Wu family thought it was a perfect opportunity for the two to break up, and they were unwilling to lend their daughter money to help the Zhao family.
Later, after Zhao Chang Sui went to the Northern Territory, the Wu family immediately started arranging a marriage for Wu Lianhe.
Unfortunately, they had already secretly pledged their commitment. Wu Lianhe was determined to marry only Zhao Chang Sui, vowing to wait for his return. She had argued with her family several times.
The Wu family scolded her, beat her, and even tried to starve her for a few days to force her compliance. However, Wu Lianhe had a strong will and would rather starve to death than yield.
After all, she was their own child. The family’s original intention in doing all this was simply to ensure their child had a better life. They didn’t want to drive her to death, so they could only yield to her.
“If that’s the case, then why did Sister Wu San leave the village, and even say that she went to the mountains? If she had openly stated that she was engaged to the Zhao family and would wait for Brother Chang Sui to return, the villagers wouldn’t have gossiped. Instead, they would have thought you were loyal.”
Wu Lianhe looked at Tao Yu and said directly, “Because I was pregnant with Chang Sui’s child.”
Tao Yu’s eyes widened. Even Huo Shu, who was usually calm, knitted his brows.
Huo Shu was about to ask directly where the child was now, when his sleeve was tugged.
Tao Yu was worried that the child might not have survived. Huo Shu was too blunt with his words, and he feared that a single sentence might cause sadness. He signaled Huo Shu to wait before asking.
Fortunately, Wu Lianhe then addressed their doubts, saying, “I became pregnant before marriage. Staying at home would only bring shame to my family. My parents and elder brother, who dote on me, sent me to the city to be looked after.”
Upon hearing this, Huo Shu turned to look at Tao Yu. Seeing that Tao Yu no longer stopped him, he then asked, “Where is the child?”
Wu Lianhe was quite respectful of Huo Shu and did not hide anything, “The child is living with me now. When the child got older, I sent him to a private school. During the day, I work in the workshop, and when I finish work, he is almost done with school.”
Tao Yu was surprised to hear this and couldn’t help but feel sorry for Wu Lianhe, “It must have been very difficult for Sister Wu San to live with a child all these years.”
“It’s all in the past. Fortunately, I have some skills. The shopkeeper of the fabric store appreciates me, and life hasn’t been too difficult these past two years. It was harder in the earlier years when I wasn’t working. It was all thanks to my family’s support.”
As she spoke, Wu Lianhe sighed, “I feel guilty for having burdened my family in the past.”
Finally meeting a fellow villager, Wu Lianhe couldn’t help but ask, “Is Madam Yuan doing well? I heard that Uncle Zhao passed away earlier. I should have brought the child back to pay my respects, but with my status being unclear, I was afraid it would only cause trouble for the elderly.”
Tao Yu looked at Huo Shu, “Madam Yuan has already recognized Big Brother Huo Shu as her adopted son. Big Brother Huo will look after Madam Yuan from now on, so Sister Wu San doesn’t need to worry.”
Upon hearing this, a flicker of light flashed in Wu Lianhe’s eyes, “That’s wonderful! I cannot fulfill my filial duties to the elders, and I often feel uneasy. Now that there is someone to look after the elders, I can finally be at peace.”
Huo Shu nodded and said, “May I see the child?”
“Big Brother Huo traveled a thousand miles to return Chang Sui’s token and took great pains to find me. I am immensely grateful, and I should let Big Brother see the child.”
“Speaking of which, the child should call Big Brother uncle now.”
After speaking, Wu Lianhe added with some difficulty, “However, the child is at the private school today, and I can’t leave. If Big Brother Huo doesn’t mind, perhaps we could meet in the city five days from now when the child has a day off. I can buy some food to express my gratitude then.”
Huo Shu agreed, “Alright.”
“Miss Wu San, are you done here?”
A knocking sound came from outside the door, “The weavers in the back need you to look at the new yarn. The shopkeeper will be here soon.”
Wu Lianhe opened her mouth, wanting to ask the person outside not to disturb her at this moment, but the importance of this livelihood prevented her from being willful, even at the moment she learned of her husband’s death.
Her husband’s death was a foregone conclusion, but she still had to raise their child, and life had to go on.
“I’m coming.”
Wu Lianhe took a deep breath and stood up. She looked apologetically at Huo Shu and Ji Tao Yu, “Big Brother Huo, Brother Tao, the workshop is busy and I can’t get away. I’m truly sorry.”
Tao Yu quickly said, “The workshop matters are important. Sister Wu San, you should go attend to them.”
Wu Lianhe nodded, quickly composed herself, took a piece of paper from the rack beside her, and wrote a few words: “Big Brother Huo, this is my current address. Please be sure to come then. I want the child to see you.”
Huo Shu glanced at the paper and accepted it, “Alright.”
Wu Lianhe looked at the object she had been tightly holding, “This hairpin…”
Huo Shu said, “It has returned to its rightful owner.”
Wu Lianhe nodded, her fingertip tracing the hairpin’s head repeatedly. The last sliver of hope in her heart finally turned to dust that day.
She felt a dark shadow before her eyes, causing her to tremble all over, yet she didn’t have much time to grieve.
Wu Lianhe turned and took a deep breath, reinserting the begonia hairpin into her hair.
Before leaving, she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, tidied her appearance, bowed to the people in the room, and then opened the door to leave.
Wu Lianhe had been gone for a long time, and Tao Yu was still standing at the doorway, lingering in disbelief.
“I never imagined that the whole story would be like this. There are countless unfaithful people in this world, but it’s rare to find such unwavering love.”
He was filled with emotion, “But Sister Wu San waited for so many years, and finally received news, yet she couldn’t even mourn immediately, and still had to maintain her composure to work. It’s too difficult.”
A woman raising a child to make a living, naturally, nothing was more important than her livelihood.
Even if her heart was already shattered into a thousand pieces, she still had to put on a facade of being fine and live her life.
He looked back at Huo Shu, whose face showed no significant change. He couldn’t help but ask, “Big Brother Huo, don’t you feel even a little moved?”
“Yes. But women who have lost their husbands and children are common in the Northern Territory. I grew up watching them, and I consider it ordinary.”
For every body that fell on the battlefield, there were many families whose blood and tears followed. And how many of those were ruined by his hands?
He did not deny that his heart had long been hardened compared to others. If he were soft-hearted, he would have long since turned to dust.
Tao Yu suddenly felt that he had said too much. Thinking that Huo Shu came from the turbulent Northern Territory, he felt a pang of guilt for saying these things.
However, Huo Shu did not mind. His gaze drifted into the distance, and he suddenly felt a weight lifted from his heart.
He picked up the tea and sprinkled it on the ground by the window, “I have completed the tasks you entrusted me with. I can rest easy now.”
“However, you were stronger than me this time.”
Tao Yu stood to the side, watching Huo Shu’s actions, and pursed his lips.
Brother Chang Sui was indeed strong. Not only did he have a woman who was devoted to him, but he also had a child in this world, and a brother who would travel a thousand miles to fulfill a promise.
The atmosphere in the room seemed a bit heavy. Tao Yu didn’t know what to say to lighten the mood when he saw Huo Shu suddenly look at him.
“As a man, one should be happy to have a woman who is willing to give him everything, defying parental orders and waiting for years, even raising a child for him alone.”
“But as a woman, one should cherish oneself and consider the consequences of every action, prioritizing oneself. If one acts impulsively without regard for the future, and is fortunate enough to meet a man who remains faithful, that’s one thing. But if one is unlucky and meets someone fickle, then it will be too late to regret.”
Tao Yu’s brows twitched. He hadn’t expected the taciturn Huo Shu to have such a fair and just perspective on things.
However, why was the usually quiet Huo Shu suddenly telling him all this?
Huo Shu saw Tao Yu’s confused frown and said abruptly, “Before you get married, it’s best not to mess around with anyone.”
“!”
Tao Yu’s eyes widened, and his mind went blank.
“Mess, mess with what? Who, who is like you say? My interactions with people are all proper and never overstepped boundaries!”
“There are none now, but can you guarantee there won’t be in the future?”
Tao Yu quickly retorted, “Why not!”
Huo Shu looked nonchalantly at the defiant young man, “If that person were to swear to the heavens that they would marry no one but you in this life, that you are the love of their life, could you refrain from overstepping?”
“I, I can.”
“Good. And if that person were to tearfully tell you about their difficulties, their hardships, looking pathetic and on the verge of death, could you still maintain the clarity you have now at that moment?”
“You look at the tears on his face, he asks you to hug him, to kiss him, and could you still refuse?”
Tao Yu listened to these questions, his face suddenly turning red. He said hastily, “I absolutely would not do that.”
Huo Shu looked at the blushing young man before him. He was too naive about the world.
He stopped his somewhat cruel hypothetical, fearing that these questions were too sharp and might wound him.
Oh well, if someone truly wronged him, he could just draw his sword again.
After all, how many people had he killed over the years.
