Ten Thousand Books, But Only One You

21 A Thousand Miles of Moonlight, An Old Friend Comes

Chapter 21: A Thousand Miles of Moonlight, An Old Friend Comes[1]

"Line up orderly! Don't push and jostle. There is enough food for everybody!"

I held out a bowl to the cook who poured rice gruel into it arbitrarily before grunting dismissively. Pouting at the dismal portion of food for the day, I carefully made my way back to my little corner. To spill a single drop of it would be a waste.

Beside me, Sanniang fed Qu'er the rice water with a spoon. In between mouthfuls, the little girl stared at me with her gleaming doe-like eyes. As she spoke, liquid dribbled out of her cute cherry lips and down her chin. "Jiejie, are you not eating? You don't like it?"

I snapped out of my daze and grinned at her with reddening cheeks. "I am, I am!"

Staring down at the cloudy water with barely any rice bits, I sighed inwardly. On the first day in the camp, we were given steamed buns for breakfast and dinner. But since yesterday, we were only given rice gruel and the ratio of water to rice only decreased with each passing meal. Some refugees grumbled at the poor quality of food but were quickly chided by their neighbours. At least we still had rice water to drink.

After downing the bland watery porridge in a couple of gulps, I stared morosely at the empty bowl and overturned it to dramatise my emotions. Rubbing my empty stomach, I lay flat on a blanket which Sanniang had kindly given to me. Being a post-90s kid and growing up in the 21st century had spoilt me. Back home, even a late lunch or dinner would cause me to feel light-headed, weak and starved. But now, I had only eaten starch for the past few day without any meat or vegetables... I wished that I could eat a whole cow.

Lolling my head to one side, I impulsively said with slurred speech. "Sanniang, when we are allowed to leave the temporary settlement, I will go to the marketplace to buy meat for both you and Qu'er."

Sanniang chuckled and massaged the back of her neck. "Then I'll have to thank you in advance. But you really don't have to. Even if you have the money, there may not be any supply."

"Don't sound so pessimistic. It's always good to have dreams! Dreams spark hope, and hope gives a reason for survival."

"Hope." Sanniang pulled out a letter from her cross-collared lapels and her eyes mused on it. It was a letter from her husband which a soldier had delivered yesterday afternoon.

Slipping the same soldier a gold leaf, I had asked him to help me to look for Fu Wanxi. This morning, he relayed information that there was indeed a girl named Fu Ah Xi from Wujia Village who was at the ding temporary settlement. However, when he tried to look for her, she was nowhere to be found.

This could mean that she had encountered General Yi Yan, also known as Sheng Yi.

It also meant that I had to find a way to get out of this place to continue my mission and to survive. If I lose her before she got taken to the military camp, I may never be able to return home to reality.

Feeling my nose sour, I pressed my arm against my eyes until the feeling of helplessness dissipated.

Hope. A letter. Ruijie's letter!

I had stuffed the letter in my trousers so that I would not lose it. Now was the right time to see what instructions he had for getting out of a sticky situation.

Feeling around for the envelop, I pulled it out from underneath my skirt. It was creased and crumpled but contained much needed sage words. Carefully, I tore open the envelop and slipped out the letter. It was a single piece of paper that was folded. From the black ink markings on the back of the piece of paper, there seemed to only be four words. I had a sinking feeling in my heart.