Volume One, Chapter Six: As if Separated by a Lifetime, Encountering Zhao Yue Again
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Su Jinxia stared ahead with resolute eyes. For now, she needed to deal with Zhao Yue and her grandfather first, then come back to handle the others. She first went to the supply and marketing cooperative and used coupons to buy a pound of brown sugar glutinous rice cakes as a gift, then headed to the neighborhood office.
She immediately spotted her classmate’s mother. “Aunt Liu!”
Liu Hui was giving instructions at work. Hearing the familiar voice, she turned around and saw Su Jinxia, her daughter’s classmate. The two girls got along well, and she often heard about Su Jinxia from her daughter.
“Jinxia, what brings you here?”
Su Jinxia glanced around. “Can we talk in your office?”
Liu Hui immediately put an arm around her shoulder. “Got something to tell me privately?”
In no time, they entered the office. The door didn’t close tightly, and the soundproofing was poor. The room was simply furnished with wooden desks and chairs, and a few potted plants sat on the windowsill.
Su Jinxia placed the paper bag on the desk. “These are brown sugar glutinous rice cakes. Lingling really likes them. I bought some at the supply cooperative on the way. Please take them home for her.”
Liu Hui was momentarily stunned but quickly realized what was happening. “You shouldn’t bring gifts when you come to ask me for a favor. Take them back and return them. These are expensive—I can’t accept them.”
Su Jinxia smiled. “Her birthday is in a few days, but I won’t be able to come.”
Hearing this, Liu Hui felt it was hard to refuse. After all, the gift was for her daughter, and the two girls were very close, always sitting together at school. Though Su Jinxia was a quiet child and they hadn’t spoken much, Liu Hui couldn’t say no.
She picked up the thermos on the floor, poured some water into a cup, and handed it to Su Jinxia.
“Go ahead. It’s rare you come by. Whatever you need, I’ll help you.”
Su Jinxia said, “I want to get a letter of introduction. I’m going to see my grandfather. He hasn’t contacted home for over two months, and I’m worried something might have happened.”
Liu Hui thought of the old man, a half-familiar figure. Although they rarely interacted, she knew that after his wife passed away, he took up a boat job and barely came home all year.
“That’s a long trip. You’ve never even left our city before. Can you manage out there?”
“Aunt Liu, don’t worry. I have a plan. You just need to help me get the letter.” Su Jinxia wanted to hurry and get going. Otherwise, having the letter or not wouldn’t matter much.
Liu Hui knew she couldn’t dissuade her. She took out a notebook and wrote the letter of introduction, stamped it twice, checked it carefully, and then handed it over.
“Keep this safe. It’ll be useful outside. If you get lost, you can show it to people, but remember to ask only at the police station. Don’t ask strangers on the street, whether men, women, or children. Be careful not to be tricked and sold into the mountains as a bride.
“I’m not joking. In this line of work, I hear too many stories. Just down the street, the Lin family’s girl went to visit relatives out of town and never came back. They still haven’t found her.”
Listening to her rambling, Su Jinxia felt the warmth of a mother’s care. She truly envied An Lingling, who had loving parents and a sensible younger brother.
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At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Aunt Liu put the items in the drawer and then said, "You may come in!"
Su Jinxia stood up, intending to leave, but then she saw who entered. She froze.
The man was dressed in a pristine white naval uniform, standing tall and straight like a pine tree. His handsome face looked even more resolute under the sunlight. The spotless white uniform and his stern, cool expression made him seem unapproachable.
It was Zhao Yue!
She almost blurted out his name, surprised to see him here. He stood upright, and the height difference between them was noticeable.
She was 1.65 meters tall, only reaching his shoulders.
He was so tall.
She guessed he must be at least 1.85 meters.
His legs were long and straight, and his eyes were strikingly beautiful, though his expression was too cold, as if emanating an icy aura. Strangers wouldn’t dare approach him.
Their eyes met.
Zhao Yue looked at the girl with her ponytail, fair skin, and pretty face. Her bright eyes stared at him without blinking.
Liu Hui chuckled at their locked gaze.
They quickly looked away, each turning their heads to hide the awkwardness.
Liu Hui asked, “Xiao Zhao, what brings you here?”
Zhao Yue handed over the documents. “Everything is complete. We can proceed.”
He couldn’t help but glance back at the girl. “Do you know me?”
Su Jinxia shook her head. “We’ve never met. I don’t know you.”
Zhao Yue nodded; he also felt they hadn’t met before. But her gaze felt like she recognized him.
There weren’t many girls in the military, and the area where they were stationed was sparsely populated.
Such a fair-skinned girl was truly beautiful, different from the island girls.
The islanders’ skin was tanned from the sun. He wasn’t especially dark, but compared to this girl, he looked rough and sunburnt.
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Su Jinxia calmed the turbulence in her heart. She had come to the island to find someone, and now the person had appeared—it was a gift from heaven.
“Hello, my surname is Su.” She extended her right hand.
“My surname is Zhao.”
The girl’s bright eyes were beautiful. Seeing her white, tender hand, he politely extended his large hand as well.
They shook hands solemnly. Su Jinxia felt his hand was big and warm.
Liu Hui stamped the form and noticed they looked quite matched when they stood up. She wanted to play matchmaker and stood up.
“I’ll go sign the papers. You two talk.”
Liu Hui smiled and left, closing the door behind her.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Zhao Yue’s face tightened; how could she just leave like that?
Su Jinxia saw that he was still as taciturn as before—speaking as little as possible. She had to find a topic herself.
“Judging by your uniform, you’re in the navy?”
Zhao Yue: “Yes.”
Su Jinxia waved the letter in her hand. “I’m here on official business. What about you?”
Zhao Yue found the girl’s enthusiasm a bit overwhelming.
“My comrade was killed. His parents passed away, so I’m here to handle the account closure.”
Su Jinxia toned down her smile. “I see. You’re a good person.”
Zhao Yue remained silent, his face seeming colder than before.
The atmosphere was awkward. She thought quickly and tried to make conversation.
“If you have time, why don’t you tell me some stories about the navy? I’d like to hear them!”