No sooner had Cao Hui left than Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue received things and letters from their hometown with the arrival of the supply truck.
There were so many things that it took about a dozen soldiers to deliver everything to the family quarters for Feng Qingxue.
Besides 200 kilos of grains, there were two hemp bags of various dried vegetables, three large bundles of clothes, shoes, and daily necessities for Feng Qingxue and her child, two beds with a spread and cover, including a tiny quilt for Xibao, local specialties from Lu Jiang’s comrades from different places, high-priced goods like candy, malt essence, milk powder, luncheon meat, canned food, cotton, fabric, yarn, clothes, shoes and socks sent specifically for Xibao by Cheng Baoguo and his wife, Zhao Anbang, Chen Xueniang, and Shen Feihong and his wife. There were things bought with vouchers, and others acquired through trading.
These goods filled more than half a room. After the soldiers had left, Feng Qingxue read through the letters while unpacking and laughing. She was deeply touched. Everything delivered was noted in the letters. Especially those things specifically for Xibao.
Checking the postmarks, they seemed to have been sent shortly after the telegram was received.
There was a thick stack of letters: some from father Lu to herself and to Lu Jiang, some from Wang Zhengguo to her, from Zhao Anbang to Lu Jiang, from the children to her, from Chen Xueniang and Wang Cuilan to her. Apparently, both Chen Xueniang and Wang Cuilan had written letters and sent things as soon as they heard that she was traveling with the military.
It was exactly as Feng Qingxue had anticipated.
In their letters, both Chen Xueniang and Wang Cuilan expressed regret for not being able to see little Xibao. They urged her to take good care of Xibao and not let him get too skinny. They also shared the good news that Zhou Yulan was pregnant. They added that Shen Feihong was over the moon and could not stop smiling. He had become a full-time employee at the textile factory.
In her letter, Feng Qingyun urged Qingxue to take good care of her grandnephew, live a good life with her brother-in-law and not worry about her.
Reading that her younger sister was living with their uncle’s family, who treated her very well, and that her other uncle and aunt often visited her, Feng Qingxue felt a mix of guilt and relief. Guilty for not raising her sister to adulthood and choosing to stay in the border region out of selfishness. Grateful for Wang Zhengguo and Miao Fengqin’s kindness, which had indeed solved one of Qingxue’s greatest worries.
The letter from Lu Tianzhi and Guan Cheng was written together. From the tear stains on the page, it seemed they had been crying as they wrote. Their only request was for her to bring Xibao home, expressing how they missed her and Xibao.
Worth mentioning is that Guan Cheng sent his slingshot for Xibao to play with.
Feng Qingxue could almost see the pitiful looks on the two boys’ faces.
Lu Tianjun and Guan Cheng were older and more mature. They told Feng Qingxue not to worry about things at home, everything was well managed. After all, there were three elders looking after them.
Medical arrangements had also been made. Guan Cheng was delving into medical studies. Probably due to his youth, willingness to learn, and natural talent, he had been taken in as a closed-door disciple by an old doctor from the staff hospital after only two days of training. Upon learning about Wanglou Brigade’s situation, the doctor, named Li Huaili, recommended his daughter Li Li, a lifelong single woman dedicated to gynecology, to settle in Wanglou Brigade, saving Wang Zhengguo the worry.
Upon reading this, Feng Qingxue was completely relieved about the medical issue in Wanglou Brigade. Before this, apart from feeling guilty towards her family, she also felt like she had let down the villagers by not staying and contributing to rural health care.