Cheng Su and Li Qiulan were busy pickling cucumbers in the small courtyard. Meanwhile, Ning Ge, with a backpack strapped on, climbed up Water Chestnut Mountain. He moved with agility and quickness, expertly navigating through the terrain, occasionally stopping to listen closely to the sounds around him. His expression was one of vigilance and sternness, something neither Cheng Su nor Qi Taiguo had ever seen on his face before.
Trusting his memory, Ning Ge climbed up the mountain off the beaten path, taking a rugged trail instead. Before long, his hands were scratched and bleeding from the thorns and branches.
But Ning Ge didn’t care in the least. His eyes blazed as he burrowed towards the place in his memory.
The sun began to dip westward, and the mountain was covered in shade from the dense foliage, blocking out much of the sunlight, leaving only dappled specks of light filtering down through the leaves.
As the mountain breeze rustled the treetops, Ning Ge looked up at the sky and quickened his pace.
Back in the town, Cheng Su and Li Qiulan returned home, but still saw no sign of Ning Ge. Cheng Su couldn’t help but frown.
Even after cooking dinner, when Qi Taiguo from the army had come home, Ning Ge still hadn’t appeared.
"Where did he go?" Qi Taiguo was somewhat surprised to find Ning Ge absent.
"He said he had something to do this afternoon and even borrowed twenty yuan from me. No idea what for," Cheng Su glanced at the clock; it was already half-past six. "Are you hungry? Shall we have some soup first?"
She had simmered a pot of winter melon and spare rib soup and served up two bowls, her eyes occasionally drifting towards the door.
"When he’s around, you can’t stand the sight of him. Now that he’s gone, you seem rather anxious." Qi Taiguo commented sourly, "Remember, I’m your husband."
Cheng Su laughed, retorted playfully, "Are you getting jealous? I’m just worried he’s run off, that’s thirty yuan after all! If he runs away, who will I turn to?"
"If you’re worried, just admit it, instead of being stubborn like a duck," he said.
Despite his words, Qi Taiguo was pleased inside. This just proved that Cheng Su was a kind-hearted person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
He couldn’t help feeling elated that such a kind-hearted person was his wife.
Time ticked away, and still, there was no sign of Ning Ge. Cheng Su couldn’t help but express her concern, her brows furrowing, "He hasn’t had an accident, has he?"
"He’s a grown man; can’t he take care of himself? Don’t worry about it, let’s just eat!" Qi Taiguo didn’t seem to care.
Ning Ge was an adult and should be responsible for his actions. After all, they were just his temporary landlords. It was excessive to be overly concerned.
"Isn’t there news of robberies around? That lad has a smart mouth; what if he provoked someone he shouldn’t have? That could be trouble," Cheng Su said with worry.
In her view, while Ning Ge was technically an adult, his thoughts and behavior were more like those of a child. If he mouthed off to the wrong crowd and got himself wounded, it would be no surprise.
"What if he just took your money and left?"
"Impossible!" Cheng Su dismissed the idea without a second thought.
"How would you know? You don’t even know him that well," Qi Taiguo raised an eyebrow.
Cheng Su furrowed her brows, "It’s just not possible. Intuition."
She had a feeling that Ning Ge wasn’t the type to leave without saying goodbye.
Qi Taiguo was about to speak when suddenly they heard footsteps. He listened and then announced, "He’s back!"
Cheng Su turned to look, and sure enough, Ning Ge stood at the doorway with a mischievous grin, waving his hand, "Hey, being on time is a virtue, just in time for dinner, I’m starving to death over here."
"Where have you been to get yourself into such a state!" Cheng Su scolded, rushing towards him.