Second watch arrived.
-------------
"Ah!" Zhou Mikang sighed deeply as a response to the question Chuxia raised.
"Zhou Mikang..." Chuxia looked at him earnestly, "Is it normal in the eyes of n for won to unconditionally stick with one man?"
"No..." Zhou Mikang shook his head, "I’m not that narrow-minded. The company commander’s wife was too hasty; he just left for two months and she got married.
Moreover, she changed the company commander’s son’s surna, which made the company commander’s grandmother sick with anger. The organization also spoke with the company commander’s wife, but nothing changed.
The company commander’s wife said that she couldn’t live alone with the child. If the child didn’t change his surna, the man she married wouldn’t treat the child well. She said she would tell the child the truth when he grew up, and if he wished to change his surna back, she wouldn’t stop him."
"Could the company commander’s family leave the child to be raised?"
"The company commander’s parents passed away when he was very young. His grandmother raised him, but she was already over eighty when this happened. It was impossible for her to raise her great-grandson, so the only option was for the company commander’s wife to remarry and take the child with her.
The organization secretly investigated the company commander’s wife and found that after remarrying, she treated the child very well, and the child’s stepfather also treated the child very well, so they let her be."
"I see..." Chuxia nodded in realization and couldn’t help but sigh, "Speaking of which, the most pitiful is the company commander’s grandmother. Is she still well now?"
"She’s fine. The old lady is very healthy and living in a nursing ho. Our company comrades take turns visiting her, treating her like their own grandmother."
"Have you visited her?"
"Of course."
"Then why haven’t you taken ?" Chuxia glared at him discontentedly, "Do you still not trust and treat like an outsider, which keeps out of your social circle?"
Zhou Mikang looked at his young wife with a black line across his face: "Can you not overthink everything? Since I’ve known you, I haven’t visited Granny Wang yet. If you’re willing, I’ll take you there after we return from the Capital City."
"Okay." Chuxia nodded and continued with her endless questions, "Why haven’t you visited the company commander’s grandmother for such a long ti? Is it because you married a wife and forgot about the elders?"
"No." Zhou Mikang was annoyed and tapped her forehead, "Is that what you think of ? Initially, it was because the Zhou family went through such hardship, and then I was sent away to guard a place. After coming back, I’ve been as busy as a spinning top, so I couldn’t find the ti.
Don’t consider this an excuse. Mainly, the old lady lives relatively far away, and driving there takes about an hour and a half, so going back and forth takes almost four hours.
A few comrades live around there and often check on the old lady, which makes not worry as much. However, even if you hadn’t ntioned it today, I intended to visit her in a few days, and of course, I would take you along."
"What does the man whom the company commander’s wife married do?" Chuxia naturally switched the topic, though it wasn’t a topic the company leader particularly liked."
"He’s an ordinary worker. She said she would never marry a soldier again in this lifeti..." Sighing heavily, the company leader looked at his young wife, "Chuxia, I’m not trying to be picky, but the good the company commander showed his wife, we’ve all witnessed.
We’re not expecting her to be a widow for him, but perhaps considering how well the company commander treated her, she could at least wait until after his anniversary to remarry, which would seem reasonable. Ah..."
Chuxia could understand Zhou Mikang’s current mood, and although she didn’t know the company commander, hearing Zhou Mikang talk about it led her to think that the company commander’s wife went too far.
Of course, perhaps the company commander’s wife felt if the company commander genuinely cared for her, he shouldn’t exchange his life for soone else’s. Making such a choice indicated that she and the child weren’t the most important, so why should she place him in the most important position?
Although this explanation might not be well-regarded, it’s the most truthful reaction so people have in these situations. She doesn’t agree, but considering the company commander’s wife’s actions, it seems quite possible.
From a woman’s perspective, especially from the later generation’s viewpoint, she can empathize, but n of this era can’t understand such actions at all.
However... Chuxia looked at Zhou Mikang: "Did no one criticize her for doing that?"
"Yes." Zhou Mikang sighed, "And it’s not just regular scolding, but she still goes her own way. Eventually, no one paid attention anymore. Honestly, people can be really hard to understand.
The company commander used to treat her so well, yet she always locked him outside, even if he ca ho late due to work. She wasn’t happy about it. Now, she’s married to this worker, and if he cos back late from playing cards with his colleagues after work, she happily makes him a late-night snack."
"There’s a term called being a ’doormat,’ haven’t you heard of it?" Chuxia comfortingly patted him, "If you can’t interfere in soone else’s life, don’t dwell on it too much. Maybe this is her idea of happiness, right?"
Zhou Mikang smiled at his little wife, "My wife is smart. The issue that none of us could quite fathom, my wife pinpointed it directly."
"I’m an outsider, just hearing your story without emotional ties, so naturally, I can sort things out more clearly..." Chuxia said with a yawn, "I’m sleepy. I’m not talking to you anymore." As soon as she finished speaking, her head tilted, and she fell asleep, leaving Tongzi speechless...
...
Early in the morning, Liu Zhenqiang ca again, carrying a thermos, which was extrely rare in this era. Behind him was an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, quite pretty, but unfortunately, when she looked at people, it always gave off a slippery vibe.
"That’s Liu Zhenfen." As the two ca in, Zhao Qiyan quietly introduced them to Chuxia. In this family, she was most familiar with her aunt’s family, so whenever she moved around, if Chuxia was ho, she’d follow her.
"I guessed it." Chuxia nodded, her gaze lightly turned towards Liu Zhenqiang and his sister, who had already greeted her. It was clear that Liu Zhenfen was obviously nervous.
Yet even in a tense state, her expression was just as unappealing.
"Sister-in-law, this is the health soup that mom brewed for you. Drink it while it’s hot." Liu Zhenfen said to herself as she opened the thermos’s lid, releasing the fragrant sll of chicken soup, and looked at Chuxia, "Can I have a bowl?"
"Alright." Chuxia called Little Jing over, "Bring a bowl here."
Soon, Little Jing ca with two bowls, but Liu Zhenfen took one and handed the other back, "One is enough..." Then she directly poured the soup from the thermos into the bowl, muttering, "Sister-in-law, mom spent half the night busy with this soup. She even added dicinal herbs. I wanted to taste it, but mom wouldn’t let ."
"I don’t feel like drinking now..." Seeing the thick layer of grease on the chicken soup, Zhao Qiyan’s brow furrowed unconsciously. Lately, she’d been drinking chicken soup every day at the Zhou family with no grease at all. Whether she had gotten used to non-greasy chicken soup or it was because of her body, seeing this greasy chicken soup now made her feel sick.
"You chat slowly; I’m going to eat." Chuxia quickly got up, "Sis, I’ll make sure to save so food for you."
"Chuxia..."
Before Zhao Qiyan could say more, Liu Zhenqiang interrupted her: "Yanyan, this is the chicken soup mom made. Drink it. Zhenfen’s not reluctant to let your cousin have it; it’s..." He glanced helplessly at his sister and continued, "Mom fell asleep while making it, and this is all that’s left."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qiyan leaned over to look inside the thermos and instantly felt dismayed. What was left barely filled one bowl; no wonder Liu Zhenfen said one was enough.
But how could they have the audacity to bring over just this little chicken soup?
"Liu Zhenqiang, do you think it’s right that I live at the Zhou family, eating and drinking what they provide?" Zhao Qiyan stared at Liu Zhenqiang and asked.
"Of course not..." Liu Zhenqiang forced a bitter smile, "I lost my job, so we have to be careful with money. Yanyan, why don’t you co ho with , okay?"
"Impossible." Zhao Qiyan shook her head, "I’m very disappointed with what you did today. Originally, I was benefiting from my cousin’s hospitality to live here, owing them a lot of favors, but you just brought over one bowl of chicken soup. Even if I explain it later, and they believe , it doesn’t an you handled this well.
If the pot really boiled dry, couldn’t you make sothing else to bring over? Regardless of whether the Zhou family has it or not, you should at least show goodwill, right? The way you are now, you’re telling the Zhou family mbers that their kindness is to be taken for granted!"
Liu Zhenfen interjected first: "Sister-in-law, brother really has no money left. Mother calculated everything and decided that saving like this is the only way to make it until brother’s payday. If we were to splurge now, the following days would be difficult.
This is the reality of not managing a household: you don’t understand how expensive things are. If we really run out of money and have to borrow more, it’s embarrassing, isn’t it? We might as well just show things as they are, isn’t that right?"
That was really twisting the facts! Zhao Qiyan stared at Liu Zhenfen speechlessly, not knowing what to say. Just then, her parents ca with her aunt and uncle for dinner. Upon seeing Liu Zhenqiang beside her, her mother approached: "Zhenqiang, you’re here?"
"Mom, I’ve co." Liu Zhenqiang smiled ingratiatingly, "Mom got up in the middle of the night to brew chicken soup for Yanyan, but she fell asleep, so there’s only a little left. Yanyan isn’t very happy about it, Mom, please talk to her. Mom really didn’t an to..."
Now that’s turning the tables! Zhao Qiyan looked at Liu Zhenqiang angrily, really tempted to pour the bowl of soup over him...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welco to vote for recomndations and monthly votes on Qidian (qidian). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian to read.)
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