Chapter 30: Stuart’s Past Love

Sean glanced at Stuart and quickly asked, "A call from the city? What did they want?"

Leo wasn't sure either. "I was the one who answered the phone back then. They asked about his age, date of birth, and recent performance. At first, I thought maybe some unit from the city wanted to recruit him."

Sean took a sip of wine but didn't say anything. If it were a city unit recruiting, why would they call to ask about his birthdate and recent records? Those details were all in Stuart's confidential file, which hardly anyone could access.

Because of Stuart's injury, the meal ended quickly. Martha helped clean the dishes before leaving, and Sean left together with Leo and his wife.

The next morning, after a simple breakfast, Sean saw Annette and Stuart off at the town bus station.

Annette still knew little about Riverbend Village or how long they'd stay there. She packed a few extra clothes, tucked milk powder and malted milk into the bags—just in case the days ahead were harder, she wanted to make sure Stuart had some nutrition.

She kept the money and ration tickets in her pockets and also packed anti-inflammatory medicine and gauze, carrying a bulky bag, while Stuart only carried a small satchel.

The journey from town to the county took over an hour, and from there they needed to change buses twice more before reaching Riverbend Village's township.

Stuart told Annette to watch the luggage while he went to buy the tickets.

Annette sat in the very basic waiting room. The long benches were worn, the lime-stained walls showed faded slogans from years ago.

The noisy environment was filled with vendors hanging wooden boxes around their necks, selling snacks.

When Stuart returned with the tickets, he also brought a large aluminum lunchbox. He handed it to Annette. "We'll be on the road for over five hours. If you get hungry, eat this."

Annette took the still-warm box and opened it. Inside were five plump steamed buns, their rich aroma of meat filling the air. She smiled and closed the lid. "We'll eat together later. Is your wound bothering you? Can you sit for that long?"

Stuart shook his head. "It's fine. If the trip goes smoothly, we'll arrive home by midnight. Otherwise, we might stay somewhere overnight."

Annette wasn't worried; staying overnight somewhere while traveling was normal.

The bus left at eleven. To Annette's surprise, there was no assigned seating—whoever got on first got a seat. Many had no seat at all, squeezing onto small stools in the aisle, curled up for the long ride.

Thinking of Stuart's injury and wanting a comfortable seat for herself, Annette decided not to mind social niceties and immediately rushed to grab a seat when the doors opened.

Seeing the crowd about to surge, she warned Stuart, "Take it easy getting on. I'll get us a seat first."

Stuart looked at Annette's petite figure and said, "Don't worry, everyone will have a seat in the end."

Annette thought otherwise. Knowing Stuart's dedication to serving the people, he definitely wouldn't push for a seat.

"I'm not sitting on a small stool. I'm going to get a seat."

Without waiting for Stuart's opinion, she nimbly weaved through the crowd, running toward the bus still pulling up.

Just as she neared the door, she shouted loudly, "Who lost their ration ticket? Twenty pounds!"

The crowd froze and started looking down, searching everywhere. Twenty pounds was a lot—it didn't matter if it wasn't theirs; anyone would want to claim it.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Annette climbed onto the bus, found two connected seats in the middle, and placed her bag on the seat between them, flashing a sly smile to Stuart waiting outside.

Stuart watched Annette's mischievous grin and, for once, let a rare smile cross his face. He hadn't expected this clever, playful side of her.

Once Stuart boarded and sat down, the bus was full—aisle stools were occupied as well.

Annette happily rested her luggage on her lap, waiting for the bus to slowly pull out.

She was surprised to see people boarding with chicken and duck cages, filling the bus with animal noises and a strong smell of manure.

She wanted to open a window but saw a woman in the back holding a few-month-old baby. Worried about the child catching a cold, she endured the discomfort.

Five hours later, she was too drained to eat, following the crowd as they disembarked at another county.

Stuart noticed her exhausted state and quickened his pace. "Let's get some noodles first, rest a bit, then catch the next bus."

Annette took deep breaths after stepping off, feeling a bit revived, but worried about missing the bus. "Will we still catch the bus to the township?"

Stuart checked his wristwatch. "Yes, there's one more in an hour."

Annette looked admiringly at his watch. Who would have thought a simple watch was a luxury these days?

Stuart was familiar with the county and led Annette just a short distance to a small noodle shop.

Inside were three simple tables with bench seating.

They sat facing each other. The shop was much cleaner than she expected, instantly lifting her spirits.

Stuart ordered two bowls of noodles from the kitchen and told Annette, "There's a place to wash your hands in the back."

She went to wash her hands and splashed cool water on her face, feeling refreshed. Returning, she noticed a woman in her twenties sitting nearby.

The woman wore a faded red floral cotton jacket, patched at the shoulder, with a blue square scarf tied loosely around her neck.

Her complexion was a little yellowed, but her features were delicate—almond-shaped eyes and willow-leaf brows—radiating a gentle warmth despite the tired look in her eyes.

Annette froze. This woman clearly knew Stuart, and judging by her expression, she was emotional, eyes slightly reddened.

It made sense—Stuart had grown up here, so encountering someone familiar was natural.

As Annette hesitated, the woman noticed her and smiled warmly, standing up to greet her. "Stuart, this must be Annette. You're truly beautiful."

Stuart looked back at Annette and stood as well. "Yes, we came back together."

Annette felt an inexplicable pang—this woman was so close to Stuart, calling him by his first name with such affection.

She smiled politely. "Hello, I'm Annette."

The woman's gentle smile never wavered, her presence calming. "I'm Lucy. I'm from the same village as Stuart."