Preparing to Leave
699 Words
Chang Fangzhu hadn’t slept all night. At the break of dawn, she was already up.
Creak—Ning Qiu gently pushed open her door.
She walked over and wrapped her arm around Chang Fangzhu’s, speaking softly,
“Mom, what should I bring with me to the countryside? We should start getting things ready.”
Chang Fangzhu was a little surprised. Ning Qiu pulled her mother into her room.
The old suitcase her mother had used when she got married was already laid out on the floor. The clothes from her wardrobe had been neatly folded, sorted into tidy stacks.
“I’ll need to wear pants for farm work. These dresses aren’t practical, so I’ll leave them here and wear them when I come home to visit.”
“Qiuqiu…”
“Winter’s coming soon, so I need to bring warm clothes and bedding. When the weather warms up, you and Dad can send me some summer clothes.”
Ning Qiu had also packed some textbooks and other reading materials, along with letter paper and envelopes.
The books were to read once she got to the countryside. The stationery—she planned to use to write letters to her parents whenever she had time, telling them about the interesting things happening during her work. She was sure they would enjoy reading them.
Through her calm actions and quiet smile, she tried to comfort her mother’s anxious heart.
“Mom, since nothing can be changed, let’s just accept it,” Ning Qiu said, leaning on Chang Fangzhu’s arm like a spoiled child. “Don’t worry. I’ve grown up.”
Chang Fangzhu’s eyes stung slightly. Time had passed so quickly. Her soft, adorable little girl had, in the blink of an eye, become a grown woman.
“Oh, Mom.”
“What is it?”
“Can I bring some extra hand cream?” Ning Qiu asked. “Otherwise, my skin will get chapped.”
“So vain,” Chang Fangzhu chuckled, tapping her daughter’s nose gently.
“Come on, let’s go buy it.”
Chang Fangzhu was a regular customer at the communal supply store. She handed over her ration coupons and let her daughter choose what she wanted.
The store clerk showed them a flashlight. When he flicked the switch, the beam was bright and strong—it looked good.
“This flashlight just came in. There’s no electricity in the countryside. Using this at night will be very convenient.”
Ning Qiu took the flashlight and asked softly,
“Mom, can I get this?”
“Of course.”
Chang Fangzhu’s worry returned. “You’ll be so far away on your own. At night, don’t go out—it’s dangerous.”
Ning Qiu quickly changed the subject to distract her mother. “Do you have any fruit candies?” she asked the shopkeeper.
Chang Fangzhu couldn’t help but laugh and reached out to gently rub her daughter’s head.
Since it wasn’t time to leave yet, they didn’t buy much. Just some small essentials. With the flashlight and hand cream in hand, they also paid for a box of biscuits and a handful of candy.
As they left the store, Ning Qiu suggested they walk around a bit more.
Chang Fangzhu understood—her daughter wanted to show that after months of recovery, her health had improved. She was no longer frail or delicate.
The two of them walked down a street. Across the road stood the Ancheng First People’s Hospital.
“When you were little, you were a regular at this hospital. The nurses all knew you,” Chang Fangzhu said.
“Every time they saw you, they’d come running and say the porcelain doll had arrived—they all wanted to hold you. But your brother wouldn’t let them. He said his little sister should only be held by him.”
“What a stingy brother,” Ning Qiu giggled.
She loved hearing stories from her childhood and begged her mom to tell more. As the two laughed and chatted, Ning Qiu suddenly rose on her tiptoes, her gaze sharpening.
Across the street, Yang Qingqing was listening to someone nearby complain about how awful the educated youth were.
- Writer
