Axolotl Translations

That day, Wei Jiajia finally got to spend a day off with Qiao Haoyu. Without hesitation, they decided to visit a carpenter in a nearby village to order some custom-made furniture.

“How do you even know where he lives?” Wei Jiajia asked, glancing at the narrow path beneath their feet. She looked at her husband, curiosity written all over her face.

“I asked around a couple of days ago,” Qiao Haoyu explained, holding her hand to make sure she watched her step. “He’s the only carpenter in the nearby villages, and he’s well-known. Whenever someone in the compound needs furniture, they go to him.”

Surrounded by lush, green trees, Wei Jiajia’s mood lifted. This was her first time leaving the military compound, and she was finally seeing the world beyond its walls.

Qiao Haoyu’s unit was part of a combat brigade, stationed here with three regiments. The compound housed a military hospital, an arts and cultural troupe, a residential area for military families, a logistics service center, schools from elementary to high school, and even a group of classified research personnel. These researchers were based in a secret facility and rarely went out, so most people barely knew they existed. In total, the area had around seven to eight thousand residents.

The military district was on a peninsula, bordered by the sea on three sides and mountains on the other. The entire base was nestled in a clearing, making it feel almost completely isolated.

To leave the base, they had to cross the mountain ahead. The path Qiao Haoyu chose was a shortcut, but it was uneven and tricky to navigate. The main road used by the military was smoother and wider, but it required a longer detour.

Once they crossed the mountain, they’d reach the village on the other side.

After walking for half an hour, Wei Jiajia was starting to feel breathless. Seeing her flushed face, Qiao Haoyu crouched down and said, “Come on, I’ll carry you.”

“I can keep going a little longer,” she insisted. They’d only covered a third of the distance, and she didn’t want to tire him by making him carry her up the mountain.

“Get on. You barely weigh anything. In training, we carry much heavier loads. Or… don’t you trust my strength?” His tone grew heavier, as if daring her to challenge him. The look in his eyes told her that if she even hinted at doubting him, he would find a way to prove himself—so she scrambled onto his back without another word.

Qiao Haoyu carried her as if it were nothing, his pace steady and unfaltering.

Seeing how easy it was for him, Wei Jiajia relaxed. If he wasn’t struggling, she might as well enjoy the ride. Resting her chin on his shoulder, she took in the scenery.

“Do you think there are any wild animals in this forest?” she asked curiously.

“There are, but we’ve driven most of them deep into the mountains. Around here, you shouldn’t run into anything too dangerous, though wild boars sometimes wander out. That’s why, if I’m not home, you must never come here alone,” he warned. There had been incidents where military families picking wild vegetables near the base were attacked by wild boars. Fortunately, soldiers had intervened and taken the animal down before anyone was seriously hurt.

“…Got it, Old Man Qiao,” Wei Jiajia muttered, rolling her eyes at his nagging.

He was getting more and more talkative—nothing like the quiet, reserved image he projected to others.

Qiao Haoyu could only shake his head and chuckle. “You…” he murmured, helplessly, before deciding to let it go. He trusted his wife knew the difference between caution and recklessness. Adjusting his grip, he carried her forward with firm, steady strides.

What he didn’t know was that Wei Jiajia was already plotting in her mind. She was determined to find time to explore the mountain herself—who knew what treasures she might find? People always said the Northeast was rich in natural resources. And if nothing else, what about ginseng? If she found some, she could send it home to her great-aunt and in-laws. The elders were aging, and ginseng would be the perfect tonic for them. Besides, she had her personal space—if she encountered danger, she could simply hide inside. Her safety was guaranteed.

As she daydreamed about discovering a precious ginseng root and figuring out how to use it, she never considered the possibility of not finding any at all.

Then again, even if she didn’t, it wouldn’t be a loss. After all, she had a mystical spring that, though limited, was more than enough to ensure her family’s health.

Without Wei Jiajia slowing him down, Qiao Haoyu moved much faster. In just over half an hour, they reached the mountain’s base. Setting her down, he took her hand and led her towards the village where the carpenter lived.

As they entered the village, they noticed a few elderly men sitting under a large tree near the entrance. Qiao Haoyu turned to Wei Jiajia and said, “Wait here a moment. I’ll ask for directions.” Then, without waiting for a reply, he walked towards the group.

The elders, who were chatting and working with their hands, paused when they saw the young man approach. He was unfamiliar, but his olive-green uniform accentuated his striking features, giving him an air of uprightness and discipline.

Qiao Haoyu stopped near an older man at the edge of the group and asked politely, “Excuse me, sir, could you tell me how to get to Carpenter Wang’s house?”

At the mention of Carpenter Wang, the elder immediately understood. People often came to their village seeking the carpenter—his craftsmanship was well-known.

“Follow this road straight ahead, then turn at the intersection. The house with the blue brick walls and tiled roof—that’s his place,” the elderly woman instructed.

Carpenter Wang’s family was well-off, thanks to his craftsmanship. In fact, apart from the village chief and the former landlords, his was the first family in the village to build a brick house. It stood out so much that there was no way they’d miss it.

“Got it. Thank you, ma’am,” Qiao Haoyu replied with a polite nod before taking Wei Jiajia’s hand and heading in the direction she’d pointed.

As the couple walked away, the elders under the tree began chatting.

“That soldier is quite handsome. I wonder if he’s single?” one elderly woman mused. If he wasn’t, perhaps she could introduce her granddaughter—she’d always had a weakness for good-looking men.

The woman next to her chuckled. “Didn’t you see? He’s with a girl. And she’s as beautiful as a goddess. He’s definitely not single.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re together,” the first woman insisted. “What if she’s just his sister?”

The elderly woman who’d given directions shook her head. “A soldier in uniform coming to see Carpenter Wang? That means he’s stationed at the military base beyond the mountain. And bringing a young lady? He’s definitely a newlywed. Only military spouses get furniture made.”

At this explanation, the others nodded. She was right—there wasn’t a young man from the nearby villages serving in the military who looked like that. If there had been, matchmakers would be lining up at his family’s door. This young man was clearly from elsewhere, likely from the military base.

The first woman sighed in disappointment. What a pity. He would have made a fine grandson-in-law. Not to boast, but her granddaughter worked as a sales clerk at the town’s supply and marketing cooperative—she had a state-provided salary, and plenty of families wanted to arrange a marriage with her. The problem was, her granddaughter had high standards. She always found something to complain about—either the job wasn’t good enough, or the man wasn’t good-looking enough. And that’s why she was still single.

If the young man from earlier had looked like that, her granddaughter would definitely have been interested. And he wasn’t just good-looking—he was an officer. A stable career, good benefits, and the family would gain prestige as military relatives.

Meanwhile, Qiao Haoyu arrived at Carpenter Wang’s gate and knocked a few times.

“Coming! Who is it?” an elderly male voice called from inside.

Soon, the door opened, revealing an older man who looked slightly surprised. “Who are you looking for?”

“Is this Carpenter Wang’s residence? We’re here to order furniture,” Qiao Haoyu replied.

At these words, the man’s expression warmed. Business had come to his door!

“Come in, come in! I’m Carpenter Wang.” The rest of his family were out working, leaving him home alone. He’d taken the day off to finish a commission. Otherwise, no one would have been home at this hour.

The courtyard was filled with lumber, and inside the house, there were half-finished furniture pieces. Wei Jiajia stepped forward to examine a cabinet. She had to admit—Carpenter Wang’s craftsmanship was impressive. The joints fit perfectly, and some pieces were adorned with intricate carvings.

Carpenter Wang asked about their requirements, including their wood preferences. Would they supply the wood, or purchase it from him? If they brought their own, he’d only charge for labor. If they needed his materials, the cost would be higher—after all, good wood was hard to come by these days.

Wei Jiajia and Qiao Haoyu had no lumber, so they opted to buy both wood and labor from Carpenter Wang. Stepping out into the yard, they selected pinewood—sturdy, durable, and reasonably priced.

Wei Jiajia planned to have a long bench made, along with two single armchairs. Once she added cushions and covers at home, they would form a complete sofa set. She also wanted a tall and short cabinet for the main hall. Additionally, she ordered a bunk bed set for her younger siblings—when they arrived, they wouldn’t have to worry about sleeping arrangements.

Qiao Haoyu stood quietly aside, letting his wife make all the decisions. Today, he was simply accompanying her—he wouldn’t object to anything she wanted.

After hearing Wei Jiajia’s requests, Carpenter Wang hesitated. The bench and cabinets were simple enough, but the bunk bed was new to him. He had no idea what it looked like or how it was built. However, turning down the job meant losing a significant order—after all, both the labor and materials would bring him a considerable profit.

Sensing his hesitation, Wei Jiajia asked, “Do you have paper and a pen? I can draw it for you.”

“Yes… yes, I do!” he replied quickly, hurrying inside.

Moments later, he returned with his grandson’s notebook and a pencil.

Wei Jiajia carefully sketched the bed’s design, explaining its structure and dimensions.

Carpenter Wang, a craftsman with decades of experience, immediately understood. His eyes lit up as he examined the drawing. He’d never considered making a bed this way! This design could be a game-changer for large families with limited space. The more he looked, the more ideas formed in his mind.

“Well…” Carpenter Wang hesitated, unsure whether to speak. After all, this was her idea, not his.

“What is it? Is there something you don’t understand?” Wei Jiajia asked curiously.

“No, no, it’s not that.” Carpenter Wang quickly shook his head. Finally, he decided to be direct. “I wanted to ask if I could make this bed for others. It’s a practical design, and I’m sure many families would need one. But don’t worry, I won’t use your design for free. As a thank you, I’ll make all your furniture free of charge—you’ll only pay for the wood.”

Afraid she might refuse, he quickly added, “I just wanted to be fair.”

Hearing this, Wei Jiajia was pleasantly surprised. What a great deal! Bunk beds were common in the modern world—she’d slept in one in college. The only difference was people here hadn’t seen them yet. Since she had nothing to lose, she readily agreed.

They finalized the price, including delivery, so Carpenter Wang could bring the furniture directly to the military compound. After paying a deposit and leaving their address, they left under the carpenter’s enthusiastic gaze.

As they walked out of the Wang family home, Wei Jiajia thought: Since we’re here, why not see if there’s anything we can barter for? If not, they could simply buy whatever they needed. Eggs, for instance, would definitely come in handy.

Hearing her idea, Qiao Haoyu led her back to the village entrance, where the elderly villagers were still gathered.

At first, the elders were puzzled—had something gone wrong at Carpenter Wang’s? But once they heard the couple’s request, they put down their work and hurried home.

Eggs sold to the procurement station fetched only three cents each. The road from their village to town was long, and they had to gather enough eggs to make the trip worthwhile. In the summer heat, eggs spoiled easily, a constant headache for the frugal village women.

Now, with a buyer who saved them the long journey and paid two cents more per egg than the procurement station, who in their right mind would let their eggs sit at home?

After about ten minutes, the elderly villagers returned, each carrying a basket. Wei Jiajia was surprised—there were a lot of eggs.

She admired these hardworking people, who, even in famine, had saved their eggs to trade for money. No wonder they called it the “chicken-butt bank”—for farmers, besides the annual collective farm settlements, eggs were one of the few reliable sources of cash.

Following the agreed-upon price of five cents per egg, they bought nearly a hundred eggs. They also purchased one of the old women’s baskets to carry them.

With everything packed, Qiao Haoyu had to hold his wife’s hand with one hand and carry the basket of eggs with the other as they returned home, crossing hills and valleys.

As she looked at their haul for the day, Wei Jiajia didn’t feel tired at all. Humming a little tune, she trailed behind her husband, her mind already brimming with countless ways to cook eggs.

Watching his cheerful wife, Qiao Haoyu thought, Whenever I have time, I should bring her out like this more often…

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