Chapter 3

“Cheating?” Cheng Jingmo frowned. “What do you mean?”

Yu Xiangnian thought for a moment. “It means having an affair.”

“Who’s having an affair?” Cheng Jingmo asked.

She certainly knew how to play the victim first!

Cheng Jingmo had already heard the rumors about Yu Xiangnian and Ding Yunfei. He hadn’t paid much attention to them, but now it seemed they were true!

Yu Xiangnian caught the meaning behind Cheng Jingmo’s words.

Yes! She had been inviting Ding Yunfei to their home every day for the past three days, but she had a purpose for that!

She said, “Cheng Jingmo, rest assured, I haven’t had an affair, and I’m not pregnant! While our marriage lasts, I won’t do anything to betray our family. But I also need to make it clear, regardless of your past relationship with Dr. Wu, now that you’re married, you need to maintain distance and propriety! Of course, if you want a divorce, I agree!”

Her words were firm, leaving Cheng Jingmo momentarily stunned before he finally spoke, “I promised your family I would take good care of you.”

Hearing this, Yu Xiangnian became even more displeased. She didn’t need this kind of morally coerced care!

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me; I can manage on my own…”

Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Xiao Jie, who hurriedly ran in saying, “Uncle, you’re back! Daya’s father is hitting her mother again!”

Xiao Jie, seven years old, whose full name was Fang Junjie, was a child Cheng Jingmo had adopted a year ago.

Xiao Jie’s mother had died in childbirth, and his father had been killed on a mission a year ago. Cheng Jingmo had adopted him.

The original Yu Xiangnian hadn’t treated Xiao Jie well. When Yu Xiangnian first arrived in this world, Xiao Jie was cold and distant towards her.

Over the past three days, Yu Xiangnian had been trying to be kind to him.

But this child was very cunning; he had eaten a lot of her food and listened to many of her stories, yet he still remained indifferent to her.

Cheng Jingmo frowned, stood up, and followed Xiao Jie out. Yu Xiangnian also followed.

Not far from them, at the door of a family’s house, a crowd of women and children had gathered to watch the commotion. Inside the house, the sounds of a woman’s cries and a child’s sobs could be heard.

Cheng Jingmo quickly walked over, pushing through the crowd and entering the house, with Yu Xiangnian right behind him.

Inside, tables and chairs were overturned all over the floor. A woman in a blue coarse cloth dress was running around with her head covered, chased by a man in military uniform holding a belt, shouting obscenities.

Two little girls with disheveled hair were chasing after them, crying and begging, “Dad, don’t hit Mom.”

Yu Xiangnian was infuriated at the sight. She detested men who were violent or unfaithful!

Cheng Jingmo stepped forward, grabbing Captain Zhang’s arm and sternly saying, “Captain Zhang, stop!”

Captain Zhang, drunk, his face flushed, struggled a few times but couldn’t break free. “Let go! I’m going to beat this woman to death today.”

“Talk it out properly, no hitting!” Cheng Jingmo said.

Captain Zhang cursed, “I gave this woman five yuan a few days ago, and today she asks for more. I work hard outside every day, and all she does is waste money at home!”

Captain Zhang’s wife, Li Guihua, cried, “I spent that five yuan on twenty pounds of rice and two pounds of lard. There was nothing left! The kids’ shoes are worn out, and I needed five yuan to buy them a new pair. What’s wrong with that?”

Yu Xiangnian, hearing Li Guihua’s plight, became even angrier.

What kind of man is this? He won’t even spend money on his own children!

“You dare to talk back?!” Captain Zhang suddenly broke free from Cheng Jingmo’s grip and charged at Li Guihua.

Li Guihua screamed and ran around the room.

One chased, the other ran, and Cheng Jingmo was chasing as well.

Suddenly, there was a loud “clang,” and a half of a coarse porcelain bowl fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

The room fell silent.

Captain Zhang held his forehead, blood seeping through his fingers, and stared in disbelief at Yu Xiangnian.

Yu Xiangnian stood holding the other half of the bowl, standing straight with a look of pure anger on her pale face, glaring fiercely at Captain Zhang.

“You like hitting people? Then see how it feels to be hit!”

The women and children who had gathered to watch the commotion were stunned, including Cheng Jingmo, who was taken aback.

What’s gotten into Yu Xiangnian today?

She had known about Captain Zhang’s abuse towards his wife in the past, but she had never intervened and even mocked Li Guihua at home for being a pushover!

“You dare hit me?!” It took Captain Zhang a moment to react, and he raised his hand aggressively, ready to strike Yu Xiangnian.

Cheng Jingmo acted quickly and immediately restrained Captain Zhang.

Yu Xiangnian threw the remaining half of the bowl on the ground, her eyes blazing with anger. “Cheng Jingmo, let him go! Let’s see if he dares to touch me! If he lays a finger on me, I’ll have him pack up and leave!”

This declaration stunned Captain Zhang. He truly couldn’t afford to offend Yu Xiangnian.

Yu Xiangnian’s father was the commander-in-chief of the army. If he hit her, he could kiss his military career goodbye.

Captain Zhang’s hand hung in mid-air, and Yu Xiangnian berated him, “You’re a man! If you have any guts, go fight on the battlefield! What kind of bravery is it to hit a woman at home? You can’t even buy your children a pair of shoes, and you call yourself a father!”

“Your wife traveled all the way from her hometown to be with you here. What kind of life are you giving her? She works tirelessly every day, taking care of the kids, washing clothes, cooking, farming, and cleaning. Without her managing the household, do you think you’d have hot meals and clean clothes?”

“You think you’re great because you can make some money? Let me tell you, women can earn money too. Why don’t you stay at home and do the chores while your wife goes out to earn money? And then we’ll see how you feel when she beats you up whenever she’s unhappy!”

These words struck a chord with the onlooking military families.

While their husbands didn’t hit them, many did act high and mighty just because they could earn money, treating their wives like servants at home.

These women had left their families behind to follow their husbands here, not for the men’s promotions and wealth but simply hoping to be treated well.

The military families’ perception of Yu Xiangnian shifted from disdain and fear to a mix of approval.

Yu Xiangnian didn’t notice their reactions. She continued, “I’ll tell you what, I’ll report your domestic violence to the political commissar tomorrow! And if you dare to do it again, I’ll go to the Women’s Committee and have you jailed!”

Yu Xiangnian’s resolute words resonated even with the gathered women. “Yes, if you hit Sister Guihua again, we’ll all testify and have you jailed!”

Cheng Jingmo was internally shocked. Was this really the aloof, arrogant Yu Xiangnian he knew?

“Everyone, take your children and go home,” he said calmly.

The crowd dispersed, and Cheng Jingmo turned to Captain Zhang. “Captain Zhang, you were indeed wrong to hit your wife. I’ll be reporting this to the political commissar tomorrow.”

Previously, Captain Zhang’s domestic abuse had always prompted intervention from fellow soldiers. But over time, people grew tired of getting involved, leaving Cheng Jingmo as the sole intervener.

He used to think it wasn’t his place to bring others’ domestic issues to the military’s attention. But now he realized it was time to teach Captain Zhang a lesson, or else he’d never stop his abusive behavior.