In the militia barracks of Taonan County, the atmosphere—usually taut as a drawn bowstring—had, for once, slackened. Training had ended earlier than expected, and the soldiers sprawled across their wooden bunk beds, boots half-loosened, uniforms creased with sweat and dust. The faint smell of gun oil mingled with the lingering aroma of coarse grain porridge from the evening meal.
Such rare leisure loosened tongues.
"Deputy Company Commander Gu Zhenhua letting us off early?" one soldier muttered, propping himself up on an elbow. "He's never been so merciful."
A ripple of agreement passed through the room.
"Exactly," another chimed in with a snort. "That man usually trains us like King Yama himself has lent him a whip. When was the last time we saw daylight before collapsing?"
"Enough of that," a third soldier interjected, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Tell me instead—have they found that girl?"
At once, the idle chatter sharpened into interest.
A soldier lying near the window sighed. "Who knows? That girl… she's as slippery as an eel. I heard Deputy Company Commander Gu went back to the black market this morning with two men. Came back empty-handed again."
"Hmph." Another clicked his tongue. "Is it really necessary to go to such lengths? Didn't He Jianci say those siblings were dressed in coarse patched clothes? Most likely villagers. They probably sold everything they had and disappeared."
"That's where you're wrong," someone said, sitting upright. His tone carried a quiet certainty. "It's not about whether they have more supplies. It's about the quality of what they had."
The others fell silent, listening.
"You all had that porridge yesterday, didn't you? Corn flour with pickled radishes and sweet potatoes."
Everyone nodded instinctively, as though recalling the taste alone was enough to stir hunger again.
"That corn flour—did it feel rough? Did it scratch your throat like always?" he continued.
"No…" one soldier admitted slowly. "It was… smooth."
"Exactly. Smooth. Not coarse, not gritty, not choking. Since when has corn flour been anything but harsh on the throat?" He paused, letting the memory linger. "And those radishes… crisp, juicy. The sweet potatoes—plump, dense with sweetness. Not the shriveled, fibrous things we're used to."
A murmur of agreement spread through the room.
Another soldier leaned forward, his eyes glinting. "Deputy Company Commander Gu isn't a fool. He's not chasing after that girl for nothing. He wants to know where those supplies came from. If they were grown by her family… then perhaps…"
"Perhaps we could get more," someone finished under his breath.
For a moment, no one spoke. Even the most hardened among them felt a quiet stirring in their chests. After days coarse buns, that single meal had tasted almost… luxurious.
"Forget chicken and eggs," one soldier said with a low chuckle. "If I could eat that kind of porridge every day after training, I'd be satisfied."
"Hah!" another laughed, slapping his thigh. "For food like that, I'd run a hundred li without complaint. Meat or no meat—it wouldn't matter."
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
A soldier burst into the barracks, slightly out of breath, and called out, "Deputy Company Commander Gu is back!"
The effect was immediate.
The previously relaxed atmosphere vanished like mist under the morning sun. Soldiers sprang from their bunk beds; some abandoned their half-finished chores, while others quickly straightened their clothes. In the span of a breath, they had gathered near the entrance, standing in orderly rows, their backs straight, their expressions alert.
Silence fell.
A figure appeared at the doorway.
The young man who stepped in was not in uniform. Instead, he wore a simple dark Zhongshan jacket, its lines clean and fitted, paired with neatly pressed trousers and sturdy black cloth shoes. The attire was plain, almost austere, yet on him it carried an air of quiet authority—as though even ordinary fabric bent itself into discipline under his presence.
He was only in his early twenties, yet his bearing was already that of someone tempered by command. His features were sharp and well-defined, his gaze calm yet penetrating, like still water concealing depth. There was nothing ostentatious about him, yet one could not help but look twice—such was the natural force of his presence.
Gu Zhenhua.
The room seemed to steady itself around him.
His eyes swept across the assembled soldiers—cool, measured. He gave a slight nod before speaking, his voice even and controlled.
"We were unable to arrange anything special today either," he said. "The grain station could only provide coarse sorghum and corn husk. For today, we will make do with coarse buns."
A faint pause followed before he continued,
"Tomorrow, I will go to the compound and speak with the Company Commander. We will see if rations can be delivered directly from Baicheng for the duration of training. That way, we will not have to struggle with daily provisions."
A murmur stirred among the soldiers, restrained but present.
One of them, unable to hold back, stepped forward slightly. "Deputy Company Commander… what about that girl from the black market?"
Another quickly added, "Even if supplies come from the compound, they won't be as good as what we got from her. Perhaps we should still keep watch. What if she returns tomorrow morning?"
At once, the restraint broke.
Voices rose in overlapping agreement.
"That's right—"
"We can take turns—"
"I'll go tomorrow morning—"
The barracks, moments ago disciplined, began to fill with restless chatter.
A faint crease appeared between Gu Zhenhua's brows.
His gaze swept across the room—cold, steady, and unyielding.
He said nothing.
Instead, he reached out and pushed the metal water kettle on the table.
Bang!
The sharp, resonant sound cut through the noise like a blade.
In an instant, the room fell silent.
It was as if an invisible hand had seized every throat at once.
The soldiers stiffened, their expressions tightening as they met Gu Zhenhua's gaze. One by one, they straightened, returning to attention without a word.
His voice rang out—low, cold, and precise.
"Have you forgotten who you are?"
No one answered.
"Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army," he continued, each word deliberate. "Have you forgotten the first lesson you were taught?"
His eyes moved from one face to another.
"Food is for survival—not indulgence."
The words fell like iron.
"On the battlefield, will you demand fine grain and tender meat?" he went on. "At the borders, during missions, will the enemy wait while you choose your meals?"
A heavy silence settled over the room.
The earlier excitement drained away, replaced by quiet shame.
Heads lowered.
After a brief moment, Gu Zhenhua spoke again, his tone unchanged.
"Discipline is not for display. It is for moments like this."
No one dared to respond.
In truth, none could refute him.
What he said was harsh—but it was not without reason. And it was not as though he had neglected the matter himself. He had already gone to the black market, already attempted to locate the girl. But fortune did not always favor effort, man proposes, Heaven disposes.
Gu Zhenhua allowed the silence to linger for a breath longer before concluding,
"We proceed as planned. Tomorrow, I will go to the Baicheng."
His voice fell, and with it, the matter was settled.
No one spoke further.
"What do you mean?" Li Jianguo's brows drew together sharply, confusion and disbelief flashing across his face. "Why do you suddenly want to go to Baicheng?"
Only a moment earlier, he and Li Jianmin had been waiting at their usual spot by the county gate, their elder brother was still going be late for some reason today. From afar, they had seen Li Shuying approaching—her slender figure half-hidden between two large bundles slung over her both shoulders.
At a glance, Li Jianguo understood what those bundles contained.
This time, however, he did not show annoyance. The events of the past day had already stirred something within him. Though he had yet to speak openly, his thoughts had shifted. He was no longer entirely opposed to what Li Shuying and Li Jianmin were doing. In fact, he had even considered accompanying them the next time they ventured out.
Yet who could have expected—this time, the supplies were not meant for the black market.
They were meant for Baicheng.
Li Shuying met his gaze and smiled gently. It was the first time since the previous morning that her second brother had spoken to her. Her voice softened, carrying both warmth and quiet resolve.
"Of course, it's to visit Father. It's been so long since we last saw him. Don't you think… he would be happy to see us?"
Li Jianguo inhaled sharply, his expression tightening. "Little Shuying, do you think going to Baicheng is so simple?" he said gravely. "You need a letter of introduction just to purchase a ticket. And even a hard seat costs nine jiao—that's not something easily obtained."
Li Jianmin nodded in agreement, his tone cautious. "Second Brother is right. It's not just expensive—it's dangerous too. People are packed so tightly in those hard seats that you can barely breathe. And all kinds of people ride the trains… haven't you heard how traffickers prowl the routes?"
Li Shuying sighed lightly, as though their concerns were expected. Then, lifting her chin slightly, she replied with calm confidence,
"Who said we would travel by hard seat?"
Her words fell like a stone into still water.
"We can arrange sleeper berths," she continued. "We have the means now. And I won't be going alone—you'll both come with me. With the three of us together, it will be much safer."
"What?!"
Both brothers stared at her as though struck by lightning.
Li Jianguo was the first to recover, his voice rising in disbelief. "Take all three of us… in sleeper berths? Do you even know how much that costs? One yuan and three jiao per person—round trip for three people would be nearly eight yuan! That's no small sum!"
He paused, then added with a frown, "And it's not just about money. Sleeper tickets aren't something you can buy at will. I've heard the train attendants often keep them back for their own arrangements."
Li Shuying only smiled, unhurried, as though she had already anticipated every objection.
"Have you both forgotten?" she said softly. "We have more than eighty yuan saved, with money in hand nothing is out of reach."
She than pointed at the bundles at her feet.
"I've brought rabbit meat, chicken, eggs… sweet potatoes, corn flour, sorghum, millet. There's also cooking oil, Chinese cabbage, radishes and fresh apples."
Silence fell.
Li Jianmin's mouth parted slightly, his eyes widening in awe. Even though he had grown accustomed to Li Shuying's uncanny ability to procure supplies, each time still felt like witnessing something extraordinary. Such quantities… such quality… and apples, of all things?
Li Jianguo, meanwhile, fell into deep thought. His gaze lingered on the bundle, then shifted slowly to his sister.
Just what kind of people had she come into contact with?
Li Shuying, oblivious to the storm in their minds, continued in a softer voice, tinged with emotion,
"Father has been living in the barracks for years, eating nothing but canteen food. Even when he comes home, he hardly gets a proper meal."
She lifted her eyes to meet theirs.
"So I want to bring him something homeade."
Her voice steadied as she listed them, one by one.
"Salted eggs. Oil-sealed shredded chicken. Dried rabbit meat. Steamed cornmeal cakes. Dried sweet potato slices. Pickled greens."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"These should last him until the Mid-Autumn Festival. And later… we can send more."
The wind stirred faintly around them, carrying the scent of earth and distant fields.
Then, after a brief pause, her tone shifted—quieter, yet resolute.
"There's another reason as well."
She looked at them both.
"I want to buy the study materials you mentioned—for Elder Brother."
Li Jianmin blinked in surprise.
Li Shuying's voice softened, but her words carried weight.
"In the past, we had no means. We buried our desires and called it contentment. But now…" she exhaled lightly, "…now that we have the ability, why should we continue to suppress ourselves?"
Her gaze grew steady, almost luminous.
"We will fulfill them—one by one. Not just for ourselves, but for our family. For Father… for Elder Brother… for all of us."
For a moment, neither brother spoke.
Then, as expected, Li Jianmin was the first to break the silence. His eyes lit up, excitement bubbling over like a pot at full boil.
"You're right!" he said eagerly. "If we can earn money, we can always earn more later. What's the use of hoarding it like a miser guarding an empty jar?"
He laughed, his earlier hesitation gone.
"And besides—we've never even gone beyond the county before! Don't you want to see what a real city looks like? Baicheng must be grand!"
Li Jianguo remained silent.
But this time, his silence was no longer resistance.
It was contemplation.
But just as the matter seemed settled, Li Jianguo suddenly raised what weighed most heavily on his mind.
"How do we take all of this back without attracting attention?" he asked, his voice low but serious. His gaze swept over the bulky bundles at their feet. "Such large loads—if we carry them through the village, it will surely invite unnecessary trouble."
Li Shuying, however, appeared entirely untroubled. A faint smile curved at her lips as though she had long anticipated this concern.
"Winter is approaching," she replied calmly. "We can simply say these are old newspapers and oil paper for sealing the walls and windows against the cold."
As she spoke, she lifted a corner of the bundle, revealing the top layer neatly covered with folded newspapers.
"I've already prepared for that," she added lightly. "And we won't go through the village gate. Right now, production work is suspended—there will be few people in the fields. We can take the long way around, cross the fields, and follow the foot of the mountain. That path leads directly to the eastern side of the village… near our house."
Li Jianmin's eyes brightened as understanding dawned.
"Perfect!" he said with an approving nod. "This way, even if someone sees us from afar, they won't think much of it."
He then turned to Li Jianguo, his expression expectant.
"So, Second Brother, are you coming with us to Baicheng?"
Li Shuying also looked at him, her gaze steady, carrying a quiet anticipation.
For a brief moment, Li Jianguo felt an unfamiliar awkwardness rise within him. Under their combined gazes, he hesitated—then finally gave a small nod.
That single gesture was enough.
Both Li Shuying and Li Jianmin broke into wide smiles, the tension of the past day dissolving like frost under sunlight.
Without further delay, the two brothers each hoisted a bundle onto their shoulders. The weight was considerable, but neither complained. Together, the three of them set off toward the village.
It took them extra fifteen minutes to reach near their home than usual.
But just as they approached their courtyard—
A sharp, shrill voice pierced the air.
The sound of loud quarrelling drifted out from inside the house, breaking the stillness like a crack of thunder.
All three of them froze.
They exchanged glances, their expressions darkening at once.
"…Is that the old witch of a step-grandmother?" Li Jianmin muttered, his voice edged with anger.
Li Shuying listened carefully, her brows knitting together. "It does sound like her," she said quietly. "But why has she come again? Didn't she receive a warning from Brigade Leader Liu last time?"
Li Jianguo's expression hardened, his jaw tightening.
"Let's go," he said curtly.
Without another word, the three of them hurried forward. But just before entering the courtyard, they quickly set the bundles down in a concealed corner, covering them with dry straw and debris to avoid drawing attention.
Only after ensuring everything was hidden did they step into the house.
The air inside was already thick with tension.