That night, Gu Shunhua slept soundly—more soundly and warmly than she had since the moment she awakened to the truth of everything.
The next day was the fifth day of the Lunar New Year—Po Wu—a day when Beijingers traditionally “drive away poverty.” Before dawn, the crackling of firecrackers echoed through the alleys. Even the shopkeepers in Dashilan had started setting off strings of them.
The firecrackers continued nonstop all morning, making it impossible to sleep. Gu Shunhua had no choice but to get up early. Her neck felt stiff—not exactly painful, but heavy and sore.
As she dressed the children and braided their hair, she cast a sidelong glance at Ren Jingnian. “My neck hurts. That’s on you.”
Ren Jingnian replied, “My arm feels sore too.”
She blushed slightly. “Next time, keep your distance when we sleep!”
Looking back, it was absurd—what were they, infants? Needing to be held like that to fall asleep, only to wake up with sore muscles?
Ren Jingnian furrowed his brows slightly but said nothing.
Morning meant washing up—helping the kids wash their faces and brush their teeth, doing the same herself. Once everything was in order, Chen Cuiyue had already laid out dumplings. “There are a few side dishes too. Try them and see if Jingnian’s used to the flavors.”
Shunhua said, “Doesn’t really matter if he is or not. So long as there’s food, we’ll eat it.”
Ren Jingnian added, “I’ve heard Shunhua praise your cooking for ages. I’ve been looking forward to it.”
By now, the children were fully dressed in their new clothes, neat and bright, and had run out into the courtyard to pick up leftover firecracker paper. Seeing them, Gu Shunhua called out, “Be careful—don’t get too close!”
Gu Yuehua had just finished washing up and hurried out. “I’ll go keep an eye on them. You really can’t be too careful.”
Children loved to follow behind the explosions and collect firecracker scraps—especially the duds that didn’t go off. A few years ago, a kid had picked up one of those, and it exploded in his hand, blowing off a finger. So Yuehua was especially cautious.
Meanwhile, Chen Cuiyue lifted the chamber pot, ready to dump it. Two full buckets—mostly used wash water from that morning—heavy and sloshing.
Shunhua saw her. “Mom, let me do that.”
As she spoke, Ren Jingnian shot her a look.
There was something unusual in that glance—but she understood.
He needed the restroom.
In the shared compound, chamber pots were used at night, but of course, as a man, he was embarrassed to use one in the morning in full view.
For someone like him, new to this environment, needing to signal just to use the toilet—poor guy.
Shunhua tried to hold back her amusement and turned to her mother. “Mom, since Jingnian and I are heading to the public latrine anyway, we’ll dump these.”
Chen Cuiyue immediately caught on and set the buckets down.
So off they went, each carrying a bucket.
The cold morning wind hit as soon as they stepped out. It carried the acrid tang of sulfur from the firecrackers and scraped across the throat. Shunhua gave a small cough and muttered, “Be alert.”
“I’ll try,” he replied obediently.
She meant to say more, but the neighbors had already poked their heads out.
Everyone was curious—word had spread last night that Shunhua’s ex-husband had shown up. But few had caught a glimpse. Now that he was visible, they couldn’t help but get a good look.
And their mouths weren’t idle either.
“Is that the kids’ father? So tall! He’s got such a dignified presence!”
An old woman with no teeth cackled, “Sharp fruit finds a sharp match—what a pair!”
Ren Jingnian didn’t understand the exact words but got the gist. He smiled and greeted them politely.
Shunhua quickly introduced them. “That’s Auntie Huo from next door. That’s Granny Lü from across the way. And this one—I’ve told you about her before—that’s Granny Tong.”
Granny Tong gave him a long, appraising look, then nodded approvingly. “He looks like a decent man.”
Yongzi, Guduo’er, and a few others came out too, teasing good-naturedly, “Our Shunhua is a good catch!”
After a round of greetings, they finally made it out of the compound.
Ren Jingnian sighed with relief, but asked, “What does sharp fruit sharp man mean?”
Shunhua laughed. “Sharp fruit or sweet fruit means a pretty girl. Sharp man means a handsome man. It’s just a sound—it rhymes. They’re complimenting you.”
“So they think I’m handsome?” He smirked. “I like that.”
She burst into laughter. “Anyway, that’s how it is in these shared courtyards—cramped. Everyone knows everyone. I’ve lived here since I was little. Aside from a few difficult ones, most people are kind. They look out for each other.”
He nodded in understanding.
As they chatted, they arrived at the public latrine. Shunhua pointed out the men’s and women’s entrances. Ren Jingnian took the chamber pot and headed inside.
“I’ll wait over here,” she said, scrunching her nose. “It stinks.”
“Alright,” he called from inside.
She walked a few steps to stand under a nearby locust tree. The wind there was brisker, clearing her nose of the smell.
Just then, an old knife grinder passed by, jingling his metal clips and calling out in that age-old sing-song:
“Sharpen your scissors and kitchen knives—Sharpen your scissors and kitchen knives…”
The hoarse, trembling voice of the elderly man echoed down the hutong—sharp, melodious, and haunting.
The old man’s back was hunched, and his gait was labored. Still, he trudged along, even during the New Year. Life must not be easy. Remembering that their scissors and cleavers could use sharpening, Shunhua walked over to invite him into the courtyard.
But just as she greeted the old man—
Chen Lu arrived.
She had heard that Shunhua had brought home a pile of good stuff last night—rumor even said there was Maotai liquor among it. She came to dig for details.
Gu Shunhua was stirring up too much trouble. The seeds Chen Lu had planted with Su Jianping weren’t sprouting—nothing had come of them. She was growing anxious and unsure of her next move.
What if the story—the world—was drifting farther and farther from the script?
And if Ren Jingnian also slipped away from her grasp…
Then what the hell was she even doing here?
Did she come for the lovely scent of public latrines?
No. She needed to probe. Maybe even test the waters—find out what had changed in Gu Shunhua that let her break free of the story’s control.
As she approached, she lifted her head—
And saw him.
A man in a green army uniform, tall and striking, standing in the winter sun of an old Beijing alley. He stood before the gray-toned hutong, silent, and looking straight at her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
It was as if her limbs forgot how to move.
She remembered—she remembered the time in the elevator, that smile he gave her. Her face had burned, her knees had gone weak, she couldn’t even breathe.
Now that same thrill flooded her chest.
Yes.
This was exactly what she had been waiting for.
This was exactly what she had once written—this hutong, this winter day. In that story, he would be ruthlessly humiliated and thrown out of the house by Gu Shunhua, left with nowhere to take the children, and then she would appear at his side, gently soothing his pain.
So—
Has the plot changed, but finally begun? Is everything about to start now?
Her love story at last!
Chen Lu bit her lip, struggling to contain the excitement bursting in her chest. She finally opened her mouth, her voice soft and coy: “Brother-in-law.”
Ren Jingnian looked at Chen Lu without a flicker of expression.
Something felt off.
He still hadn’t figured out what was wrong with her, but Shunhua’s tears last night, her strange gaze, her frustration—it all lingered in his mind. And the only clue was… that apple.
He didn’t remember giving Chen Lu a peeled apple.
But Gu Shunhua had looked at him like a stranger, and cried like her heart was breaking. Instinctively, he linked it to that apple. And to Chen Lu.
Even if Shunhua didn’t explain, his own feelings had already shifted. There was now a faint aversion.
Especially now—with her tone, her look, her coy, fluttering voice.
He withdrew his gaze and gave a slight bow.
Chen Lu pressed her lips together, eyes demure. “Brother-in-law, when did you arrive? You just got here? You haven’t even gotten into the house yet…? It’s so cold, and you’re standing here alone, you—”
She was carefully testing the waters, but before she could finish, she saw Ren Jingnian raise something in his hand.
With a light swing—splat.
“Ah—!”
Chen Lu looked down in shock at her hands. Drops of… something… had landed on her pristine winter jacket.
She stared in disbelief, and only then realized—Ren Jingnian was holding two chamber pots.
She knew exactly what that meant.
Her face flushed red, ears burning. This was Ren Jingnian! Even if he was younger now, he was still Ren Jingnian! And he—he was out here in the alley, dumping chamber pots?
Was that something he should be doing?
Before she could say another word, Ren Jingnian had already strode past her with the buckets in hand.
She stood frozen in the cold wind, dazed for a long moment, only snapping out of it when another string of firecrackers went off nearby.
A sour, helpless ache surged in her chest. Gu Shunhua, that shameless woman! How could she make Ren Jingnian do something like that?
Who did she think she was? How dare she treat him that way!
Ren Jingnian returned with the two buckets in hand. On the way, several neighbors greeted him warmly.
Most of them asked if he’d eaten yet. He replied that he hadn’t. In fact, he was asked at least seven or eight times in a row.
Some even wanted to shake his hand, thanking him for arranging coal for everyone.
But with a chamber pot in each hand, there was no way he could return the gesture. He just nodded politely while they all laughed and moved on.
When he finally reached the gate, he was startled to see someone standing there.
A man in a fine padded jacket and a sheepskin hat stood near the cabbage pile by the eaves, hands behind his back, seemingly picking out a head of cabbage.
But those eyes—those eyes were watching him.
Ren Jingnian frowned. There was something off in that gaze—something condescending, faintly disdainful.
He stopped in his tracks and smiled politely. “Hello, I’m Gu Shunhua’s husband. I just arrived yesterday.”
Su Jianping had merely glanced over, wanting to size up the rough-looking man who had taken Gu Shunhua away.
But the moment their eyes met—sharp, forceful, unwavering—he shivered slightly.
Then, quickly, he straightened himself. Of course, he thought, this man clearly isn’t anything decent. Must be some kind of brute from the Corps—aggressive and uncultured. Poor Shunhua ended up in his hands.
What a waste… a flower planted in a pile of cow dung.
Su Jianping’s eyes were filled with resentment he dared not voice. He quickly averted his gaze and pretended to pick out a cabbage.
Ren Jingnian was even more puzzled. He had found the residents of the courtyard compound quite pleasant overall. Sure, it was a little strange to have someone greet him with “Have you eaten?” even at the public latrine, but clearly that was the local custom. Everyone seemed warm-hearted—good people.
But this one… was different. Why look at him with that strained, indignant glare? Had they met before? Did he even know this man?
With that thought, Ren Jingnian turned to go inside. But as he stepped onto the threshold, he heard the man beside him hiss in pain.
He looked back—turned out the man had grabbed a handful of rotten cabbage.
The cabbage had been stored for winter, and some had inevitably started to go bad. What he’d picked up was soggy, slimy, decomposing leaves.
Ren Jingnian raised his brows, said nothing, and stepped inside.
But Su Jianping was seething. The very first time he encountered this brute of a man—he humiliated himself like this!
Clenching his jaw and fists, hand dripping with foul pulp, he slammed his palm down into the cabbage pile in frustration.
Inside, Ren Jingnian thought about the whole episode with curiosity. During his eight years with the Corps in Inner Mongolia, he had traveled often, visited all kinds of places—nothing had ever really fazed him.
But this trip to the courtyard compound? He was treading carefully—afraid he might offend someone.
And yet now he realized, there truly were strange people in these hutongs.
At that moment, Gu Shunhua was letting the old man finish sharpening the kitchen knife. Seeing Ren Jingnian return, she poured hot water mixed with some cool into the enamel basin. “Wash your hands.”
He scrubbed his hands. The old man finished sharpening, and Gu Shunhua, feeling for him, gave an extra dime as payment.
Once the old man left, she poured the boiled water into the thermos. Ren Jingnian, wiping his hands, casually asked, “There’s a guy in the courtyard wearing a dark blue padded jacket and a sheepskin hat—who is he?”
The moment she heard that description, Gu Shunhua knew. Su Jianping.
Her guard immediately went up. “Why? Did he say something to you? Was he looking for trouble?”
Ren Jingnian replied, “No, not really. Just… the way he looked at me—like I’d stolen something precious from him.”
Gu Shunhua gave a dry laugh, then told him about the dispute over the courtyard plot—how Su Jianping had wanted that land but she beat him to it. She even mentioned the gift she gave the Educated Youth Office director. “Anyway, he’s not a good guy. You see how many people live in this compound? Of course, not everyone’s nice. He’s the mouse droppings in our rice—watch out for him. Don’t let him get the better of us.”
But Ren Jingnian didn’t quite agree. That look in the man’s eyes… it wasn’t just resentment. There was something else—something more complicated.
He frowned, about to ask more, when Gu Yuehua burst in with the children. “Brother-in-law! Come out and light firecrackers!”
Through the window, Ren Jingnian could see the kids waiting eagerly in the courtyard. He went out.
The moment they saw him, both children shouted joyfully:
“Daddy! Light this one, this is mine!”
“No, Daddy, light mine—mine’s better!”
Ren Jingnian lit the firecrackers with Gu Yuehua. As the loud pop pop pop filled the air, Gu Shunhua heard her daughter proudly tell a playmate, “See? That’s my dad! Isn’t he tall? He’s so cool!”
Another child asked enviously, “Your dad wears a soldier’s uniform! Is he in the army?”
Duoduo didn’t really understand what that meant, but Manman did. He jumped in excitedly, “My dad’s a soldier! He even got medals! And big certificates of honor!”
“Wow!”
The other kids were full of admiration. Their eyes sparkled as they looked at Ren Jingnian, while Duoduo and Manman puffed out their chests with pride, beaming from ear to ear.
Watching this, Gu Shunhua smiled, but her heart ached.
She realized—her children’s longing for their father went deeper than she’d imagined. Ren Jingnian wasn’t just her partner. He was the father of her children.
If Chen Lu wanted to compete—she would not back down.
Why should she?
After one round of firecrackers, the children ran around bragging to their courtyard friends. Eventually, Ren Jingnian brought them back, skipping and laughing.
Gu Yuehua, feeling a little left out, teased, “So now that Daddy’s here, you two don’t care about Uncle anymore?”
Duoduo blinked her big eyes. “Uncle, today I’m playing with Daddy. Tomorrow I’ll play with you! Don’t worry. Wait your turn!”
Everyone burst into laughter. Even Gu Quanfu cracked a smile.
This is why children bring joy— their innocent words warmed the whole room.
After lunch and a bit of tidying up, Gu Quanfu suggested, “Why don’t you show him around? It’s his first time in Beijing. Don’t keep him cooped up in the courtyard.”
Shunhua nodded. “I’ll take him out for a walk.”
Chen Cuiyue added, “If only he’d come a few years earlier—”
But halfway through, she stopped herself.
Back then—ten years ago—on the fifth day of the New Year, the White Pagoda Temple fair would be in full swing. Food stalls, novelty booths, and entertainers would stretch from Dongbian Market Bridge all the way to the western alley by the palace gate. But in recent years, those fairs had vanished.
And such things… weren’t worth saying aloud anymore.
So Shunhua simply laughed. “A casual stroll’s fine. Dashilan alone should be enough for him to look at.”
Everyone chuckled.
She added, “I was planning to visit a few friends anyway—Wang Xinrui, Chang Hui. With him here, I’ll take him along.”
She had been meaning to reconnect with people after the holiday. With Ren Jingnian’s arrival, she needed to make time—especially before work resumed.
They chatted a bit, then Ren Jingnian followed her to the outer room. Together, they got the kids ready to go out. Thick layers, padded innerwear, and their winter jackets.
Ren Jingnian had brought some of the children’s old clothes with him. Shunhua packed them neatly in the box under the bed.
That wooden bed was perfect—room above to sleep, space below for storage.
While sorting the clothes, Ren Jingnian suddenly remembered, “By the way, I ran into your cousin Chen Lu outside the public latrine.”
Alarm bells blared in Shunhua’s head. She sat up straight. “And?”
Ren Jingnian recounted, “I’d just stepped out and heard a sound—thought it was you—so I said, ‘I’m done.’ But when I looked up, it was her. She looked surprised, then smiled and called me Brother-in-law. Said something about me standing out there freezing.”
Shunhua narrowed her eyes. “And? What did you say?”
Ren Jingnian replied, “I didn’t answer her. That place smelled awful—I didn’t feel like talking. So I just… swung the chamber pot.”
“…Swung the chamber pot?”
He looked innocent. “She was too close. She was wearing a brand-new winter jacket, looked pretty nice. Got some splatter on it.”
Gu Shunhua stared for a second—then burst out laughing.
She laughed so hard she doubled over.
The two children, already dressed and swinging their legs on the bed, saw their mother laughing and joined in. Their childish giggles were sweet and infectious.
Ren Jingnian raised his brow. “Was it that funny?”
Wiping her tears, Shunhua gave him a thumbs-up. “Perfect. Next time you see her, just do that again.”
The public latrine was truly a magical place. Outside it, she had run into Su Jianping. Ren Jingnian had encountered Chen Lu. Any hint of romantic tension was completely wiped out by the stink of sewage.
Before, she had worried—worried that by stressing it too much, she’d accidentally plant the seed of attraction between them. But now?
She refused to believe anything poetic or passionate could bloom in front of the latrine.
Ren Jingnian, seeing her so happy, smiled too. But as he smiled, his gaze drifted out the window.
Beyond it, the withered branches of the old locust tree stretched into the deep blue sky.
He knew… Gu Shunhua was hiding something. A secret.
A secret that had something to do with Chen Lu.
But he wasn’t in a rush.
Now that she and the children had household registration, and he had transferred to Langfang—once he passed the university exam, or found a way to transfer into Beijing—everything between them would fall into place.
All their past doubts and silent questions would disappear like smoke.