The taxi sped along the not-so-wide road. A song was playing on the radio, “The Magical Jiuzhai” by Rong Zhong’erjia. The slightly hoarse and rough voice of the singer drifted into the distance with the wind.
Unconsciously, Ruan Nianchu started humming along, glancing out the window at the continuous mountain scenery of the northern countryside. She casually asked, “Is Auntie’s place far from here?”
Li Teng leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. “Almost there.”
The taxi driver, a zealous fellow, chuckled and said, “Miss, you’re heading to Baizuo County, which is about forty kilometers away. Don’t worry, it’ll only take about half an hour at most.”
“Thank you, sir.” Ruan Nianchu smiled and looked at Li Teng, who had closed his eyes to rest. She pinched his arm lightly and asked, “Did Auntie buy the house in Baizuo County herself?”
Li Teng opened his eyes and looked at her. “I bought it for her. Why?”
“Why didn’t you buy her a place in the city?” Ruan Nianchu was a little curious. “We passed by several real estate developments in the urban area just now, and the prices didn’t seem high. They should have been even cheaper in previous years. It’s inconvenient to live in the county town.”
“My mom didn’t agree.”
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Ruan Nianchu scrolled through her phone, browsing the Baidu entry for Baizuo County in the Zhangbei City area. After a while, she suddenly looked up excitedly and asked Li Teng, “Baidu says that there are multiple ethnic groups living here. What ethnic group are you?”
Li Teng turned to stare at her. “Which ethnic group do I look like?”
Ruan Nianchu guessed randomly, “Mongolian?”
Li Teng raised his eyebrows. “Why?”
Based on her random guess, Ruan Nianchu answered very seriously, “Because the men who ride horses are majestic and strong, just like in the songs.” After saying that, she even grabbed his slender and strong left arm forcefully, emphasizing, “Majestic and strong.”
“…,” This time, he just laughed at this silly girl.
She pouted, “Isn’t it?”
“No,” Li Teng teased her and pinched her cheek, whispering, “Your man, just like you, is Han Chinese, without a doubt. Remember that, okay?”
“Oh.”
Around two-thirty in the afternoon, Ruan Nianchu followed Li Teng out of the taxi.
Comparing to Yuncheng, taxis were cheaper in Zhangbei City. They had taken a taxi from the airport all the way to Baizuo County, which cost just over a hundred yuan. After Li Teng paid, he picked up a large travel bag from the trunk, slung it over his shoulder, grabbed Ruan Nianchu’s suitcase, and finally closed the door with a “bang.”
The taxi drove away in a cloud of dust.
The county town wasn’t large or bustling, but on this sunny afternoon of the National Day, the streets were naturally crowded with pedestrians. The residents here dressed plainly, with some even wearing ethnic minority costumes.
Ruan Nianchu had never been to such a small northern county town before, so she found it quite fascinating, craning her neck to look around. Suddenly remembering something, she said, “Wait for me here for a moment,” before jogging across the street.
Li Teng stood in place for a moment, took a cigarette out of his mouth, and then felt his pocket, realizing he didn’t have a lighter. He remembered that Ruan Nianchu had confiscated his lighter because she didn’t like him smoking and had even insisted that he report whenever he wanted to smoke.
He smirked and went to a nearby convenience store to buy a lighter. It was a plastic one that cost a yuan. He lit his cigarette with it, waiting as he smoked.
Before long, Ruan Nianchu returned. She had just run over, with sweat on her forehead, a flushed face, and a large fruit basket in her hand.
Li Teng reached out to take it, furrowing his brows slightly. “What did you buy this for?”
Ruan Nianchu said, “It’s my first time meeting Auntie, so of course I have to bring her some fruit. It’s just basic courtesy.”
Li Teng didn’t say anything more, picked up the luggage and fruit basket, and walked into the nearby residential area.
The residential area where Li Teng’s mother lived was considered upscale in Baizuo County. It was an elevator apartment building with two elevators and four units per floor, and the environment was very beautiful. In the central courtyard, there was a small artificial lake, well-landscaped, and between two large trees hung a banner that read “Wishing all owners a happy National Day.”
Li Teng stood in front of a unit building and said softly, “Unit 2203, doorbell.”
Ruan Nianchu was confused. “What?”
“Press the doorbell.”
“Oh.” She realized and stepped forward, looking at his hands full of stuff. She dialed the number.
In a few seconds, the door opened. A woman’s voice came from inside, thick with a northeastern accent. She asked, “Is it Li Teng coming back?”
Li Teng replied, “It’s us.”
With a click, the lock on the unit door opened. Li Teng entered the doorway, turned his head to see Ruan Nianchu standing still, and whispered, “Don’t just stand there dumbfounded. Come in.”
But she suddenly felt very nervous and hesitant. “I’m a little scared.”
“I’m here, what are you afraid of?” He hooked his arm holding the fruit basket around her waist, gently pulled her into his arms, and smiled, “I showed my mom your photo. She likes you.”
Ruan Nianchu felt nervous inside, pursing her lips slightly. She took a deep breath before stepping upstairs.
The door was open, so there was no need to ring the doorbell.
Li Teng carried the luggage and the purchased items inside, supporting Ruan Nianchu’s back with one hand as he led her into the house, while using the other hand to close the door. He called out, “Mom.”
Mother Li came out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron around her waist. She wiped her hands on the apron, stood still, and stared at Ruan Nianchu.
Li Teng said, “Mom, this is Ruan Nianchu.”
Only then did Ruan Nianchu snap out of her daze. She awkwardly forced a smile and said, “Hello, Auntie.”
“Oh,” Mother Li looked Ruan Nianchu up and down, “you look much prettier in person than in the photos.”
Embarrassed by the praise, Ruan Nianchu could only respond, “Auntie, you’re too kind.”
Mother Li smiled and said, “This child is still so polite. Wash your hands and get ready for dinner.” Then she turned and went back into the kitchen.
The tension in Ruan Nianchu’s mind eased, and she let out a long breath.
Li Teng bent down, took out two pairs of slippers from the shoe cabinet, and threw them on the ground. Then he squatted down to untie her high heels. His expression and tone were both indifferent as he asked, “Is my mom scary?”
She thought about it seriously and shook her head. “Not scary.” Mother Li was simple and generous. Although she wasn’t very enthusiastic, she was far from those “evil mothers-in-law” described by some forum users.
Li Teng put the slippers on her feet and pinched her. “Come on, let me take you to wash your hands.”
Ruan Nianchu smiled and nodded.
To welcome the two of them, Mother Li prepared a table full of dishes. The variety of dishes wasn’t particularly diverse, but each dish had a generous portion, and the bowls and plates were large.
Mother Li filled a large bowl of rice for Ruan Nianchu and said, “I was originally going to steam buns. Tengzi said you don’t eat noodles, so I bought rice and cooked it instead.”
The rice in the bowl was like a small mountain of millet. Ruan Nianchu swallowed a mouthful of saliva and smiled, “I’m really sorry to trouble you, Auntie.”
“As long as you’re used to it,” Mother Li said as she picked up several large pieces of chicken for her, “treat this place like your own home, don’t be polite.”
Ruan Nianchu had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks and eat.
Not long after, Mother Li got up and went into the bedroom for some unknown reason.
Ruan Nianchu peeked her head around and didn’t see Mother Li’s figure, so she quickly pushed her bowl in front of Li Teng, feeling flustered. “Quick, take half of this over and help me eat some.”
Li Teng looked at her face and said, “If you can’t finish it, it’s fine.”
“No, I can’t.” Ruan Nianchu lowered her voice, leaning closer to him. “If I don’t finish my meal the first time I meet her, Auntie will definitely think I don’t like the food she cooked.”
A fleeting smile flashed in Li Teng’s eyes as he pushed most of her food over, leaving one-third for her. Without much emotion, he said, “You must finish this.”
“Okay.” She nodded and picked up her chopsticks to try her best to finish the meal.
When Mother Li came out again, there wasn’t much food left in Ruan Nianchu’s bowl. She was a little surprised. “You finished already?”
Ruan Nianchu laughed awkwardly. “Um.”
“Are you starving? Here, let me serve you some more,” Mother Li said as she went to get Ruan Nianchu’s bowl, frowning at Li Teng as she scolded him, “Booking airplane tickets isn’t something you do at the last minute. You’re an adult now, but you still lack responsibility.”
Ruan Nianchu quickly snatched the bowl back and said, “Auntie, I’m full. Please eat yours and don’t worry about me.”
Only then did Mother Li sit back down in her chair. After a few seconds, she took out a jade bracelet from her pocket and handed it to Ruan Nianchu, saying, “Nianchu, I’m just a countrywoman, so I don’t have anything fancy to give you. This bracelet was given to me by Li Teng’s grandmother. Please take it.”
She was surprised and waved her hands, saying, “This is too precious and sentimental, Auntie. You should keep it for yourself.”
Mother Li just smiled and looked at her, not saying a word.
Li Teng continued to eat quietly for a moment before finally lifting his eyes to look at Ruan Nianchu, his voice solemn, “Are you naive? Just accept it.”
Ruan Nianchu was momentarily stunned, then she understood, and a hint of understanding flashed in her eyes.
Mother Li took her hand and put the bracelet on her wrist, smiling and saying, “It suits you perfectly.”
Li Teng grew up in a single-parent family. His parents divorced when he was only seven or eight years old, just starting the first grade, so his memory of his father was extremely vague.
He was raised solely by his mother.
Having been dependent on each other for so many years as a widow and her son, their feelings for each other naturally went without saying.
After finishing lunch, Ruan Nianchu voluntarily got up to clean the dishes but was stopped by Li Teng. His face was calm as he gently pushed her aside, saying softly, “Go watch TV with my mom. I’ll handle this.”
Ruan Nianchu could only return to the living room alone.
The TV was on, playing a TV drama about resisting the Japanese, with characters yelling and swords slashing at the heads of the invaders.
Mother Li sat on the sofa, her head lowered as she knitted something with yarn. After hesitating for a moment, Ruan Nianchu cleared her throat and sat down next to Mother Li, trying to find a topic of conversation. “Auntie, are you knitting a sweater?”
Mother Li replied, “It’s getting cold. Tengzi and his team are stationed in the mountains, so I’m knitting him a sweater to keep warm.”
Ruan Nianchu said, “Auntie, you’re so good to him.” After expressing her admiration, she fell into a momentary silence, feeling a bit awkward as she bit her lip.
Soon, Mother Li casually asked, “Tengzi said you two met through a blind date?”
Ruan Nianchu couldn’t reveal their true connection from seven years ago. So, she nodded and said, “Yes.”
“That’s rare,” Mother Li smiled. “Before, whenever others introduced potential partners to that unruly kid, he wouldn’t even be willing to look at their photos. If he did take a look, he’d find fault with everything. I thought he might end up single for the rest of his life.”
Ruan Nianchu smiled wryly. “Fate is hard to predict.”
Mother Li lowered her eyelids and casually asked, “Do you know what kind of work he does?”
At her words, Ruan Nianchu’s heart inexplicably trembled, and she paused before saying, “Yes.”
“Being a soldier is tough, and being a special forces soldier is even tougher. Once he puts on that uniform, he gives everything to the country,” Mother Li sighed softly. “That’s why being a soldier’s wife is even tougher.”
Ruan Nianchu unconsciously clenched her fingers and lowered her head, remaining silent. For a moment, the memories of Cambodia seven years ago and the nightmares of these years all flashed before her eyes.
Seeing her silent, Mother Li didn’t press further and went back to her knitting.
The whole room fell silent for a few seconds.
Then, Ruan Nianchu took a deep breath and exhaled, lifting her head to look at Mother Li, her voice soft and steady, “Auntie, I understand what you mean. You think I’m young and haven’t experienced much, so my decisions might be impulsive.”
Mother Li slowly shifted her gaze to her face.
Ruan Nianchu continued, “Everyone has their own choices in life. Since I’ve chosen to come back with him, it means I’ve passed my own test. Whatever happens in the future, I will respect Li Teng’s choices, his pursuits, and his beliefs.”
Mother Li smiled and noticed a strand of hair on her cheek. She gently tucked it behind her ear and said softly, “It’s not easy to find a girlfriend like you.”
Ruan Nianchu’s eyes suddenly became a bit moist, and she smiled lightly, “It’s even harder to find a mother like you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Teng also came out of the kitchen. He lowered his head and saw Ruan Nianchu’s eyes slightly red. He furrowed his brows and lightly brushed her cheek with his finger, “Why are you crying?”
“Nothing, just got some dust in my eye. I’ll go clean up,” she turned her head away, got up, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door.
Only Mother Li and Li Teng were left in the living room.
Mother Li continued knitting, saying lightly, “Not bad in picking a girlfriend.”
Li Teng remained quiet for a moment and replied flatly, “I wouldn’t dare bring someone home if she wasn’t.”
Mother Li asked, “Taking a few days off?”
Li Teng sat down on the sofa and said, “Leaving on the 7th afternoon.”
Mother Li nodded. “Planning to take your girlfriend somewhere?”
“I have to have dinner with Dacheng and the others tomorrow. They’ve been asking me for a few days. And maybe take a trip to Zhangbei when I have time.”
Mother Li snorted, “You’re still hanging out with those reckless kids. You’re in the army now. Get rid of those bad habits once and for all. Don’t bring them back when you take a break. That girl might find out about your mischief when you were young and leave.”
Li Teng impatiently furrowed his brows, “I know.”
Only then did Mother Li relax a bit. After a while, she remembered something and asked, “Since you’re back, do you want to visit your uncle Ji?”
He replied coldly, “No.”
Mother Li’s house in Baizuo County was a two-bedroom apartment. She gave up the master bedroom with an attached bathroom to let the young couple stay.
At night, Ruan Nianchu went to take a shower first. When Li Teng finished and came out, he saw her lying on the bed playing with her phone, legs propped up against the wall, looking very casual.
This posture caused her nightgown to slide down. The two long and slender legs exposed underneath were fair and eye-catching.
Li Teng looked at those beautiful legs for a moment, then bent down to look at her phone screen.
Ruan Nianchu quickly covered the screen with her hand, not letting him see.
Li Teng raised an eyebrow casually and said, “Meeting up with another handsome guy?”
“No, no,” she panicked, her face changing color, shaking her head vigorously. After the game was forcibly uninstalled by him, she was still scared, and where would she dare to repeat the same mistake.
Li Teng’s expression remained unchanged as he reached out his hand, indicating for Ruan Nianchu to hand over the phone.
She hesitated and hesitated for several minutes, then handed him the phone with a flushed face and quickly pulled the quilt over her head.
Li Teng glanced at the screen, swiped up and down with his finger, seeing a foreign man and woman entangled together. After just two seconds, he looked back at her, the phone screen locked, and he tossed it aside.
“Why are you watching this stuff?” His tone was very calm.
She cleared her throat from under the quilt and answered truthfully, “Learning.”
“What are you learning?” His tone was even calmer, and his gaze darker.
“To seduce you… maybe.”
Hearing this, Li Teng directly pulled her out from under the quilt, pinching her chin and lowering his head, “Ruan Nianchu, if you want to seduce me, do you need to watch movies to learn?”
Ruan Nianchu blinked, surprisingly engaging in the discussion with him seriously, “Don’t you need to learn?”
“No,” he kissed her lips, his voice terrifyingly soft, “You smile, and my life is yours.”
That last line was smooooooth! Li Teng saves all his communication skills for these smooth one-liners đŸ˜†