In 1953, one day before the Korean Armistice Agreement, two Chinese young peasants decide to join the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army. Wu Xiu-quan is hesitant because he is the only son and he has a young child bride of seven years waiting to marry him. Wu Xiu-bang, his cousin, convinces him that joining the army would bring honor to his family. The cousins hiked over night to get to the enlist office by the Yangtze River, only to be told that the Korean War has ended. They were sent home. Wu Xiu-quan’s father captured him and gives him a good thrashing. After Xiu-quan and Fenr get married. Xiu-quan deceived Fenr and they never consummate the marriage. The secret is discovered at the wedding banquet. After that, Xiu-quan is forced to consummate the marriage with Fenr, who is pregnant soon. Xiu-quan leaves the village to work in a grain station in town. His father comes to find him and stages a scene, forcing Xiu-quan to quit the job in town. When Xiu-quan arrives home, his first son is born. And he decides to stay in the village to help organizing the socialization of agricultural production.
Child Bride, Fiction, Korean Armistice Agreement, Korean War, Creative Writing
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