Chapter 39.2

In society, when a man and woman marry, it’s often assumed that the woman should retreat to the home. Women have been oppressed by this mindset for thousands of years, and many unconsciously accept this role, putting themselves in a bind. Men don’t see a woman’s care for the family as a sacrifice; they even believe that their own efforts in the outside world are more strenuous. They think that women staying home with the children and doing housework have it easy. If a woman complains about the difficulty of managing the household, men often dismiss it as being overly sensitive, failing to recognize her efforts.

Year after year, women expend all their energy on the family. Eventually, they lose sight of themselves, focusing only on their husbands and children. Perhaps they once had hobbies and interests, but those are long forgotten.

Wu Guihua’s eyes clouded over briefly, and her expression turned wistful as she looked at Jiang Suihan. “Studying really is beneficial. Just listen to the way you talk—it warms my heart. We all go through the same things. When we reach a certain age, we find a suitable man, marry him, have children, and spend our lives around the stove, our husbands, and our kids. There’s endless work every day, leaving no time to think about anything else.”

“I married Dajun’s father at eighteen, and the next year, Dajun was born. Then came Xiaojun, and later Xixi. Before coming to the army, I was in my hometown with the three kids. Though my mother-in-law helped out a bit, she had many other grandchildren to look after, so most of the burden fell on me. Those were truly hard times—I didn’t eat or sleep well, and I still had to work in the fields. Sometimes I was so exhausted that I just wanted to collapse into bed, but I couldn’t. The children needed to be fed first. It’s only in the past two years, after coming to the army, that I’ve had a bit of a break.”

Her husband had been stationed in the army for years, sometimes not coming home even once in an entire year, leaving her to manage everything alone. Her mother-in-law favored her younger son and doted more on his children. Sometimes, when the family bought candy, her children would watch longingly as their cousins ate it, but they’d tell her they didn’t like candy, understanding their situation.

Wu Guihua would tear up hearing this. Her husband’s salary was always controlled by her mother-in-law, and she didn’t even have money to buy a few pieces of candy for the kids. Once, when her daughter fell ill, she wanted to take her to the town clinic, but her mother-in-law dismissed the idea, saying there was no need to spend so much money on a girl. She suggested giving her some sugar water and letting her sleep under a blanket instead. Wu Guihua was so furious that she trembled, but a kind neighbor eventually lent her the money.

When her husband came home for the holidays, she stood her ground for the first time, insisting on bringing the kids to live with him on the base. Her mother-in-law objected, worried that if they moved, the money sent back home would decrease. But no matter how much her mother-in-law protested, Wu Guihua wouldn’t budge: it was either moving to the base or splitting the household. Faced with this ultimatum, her mother-in-law had no choice but to agree.

Many people say that military life is tough, and while Wu Guihua agrees that the conditions are harsh and daily life isn’t easy, it’s still much better than living in her hometown. Although they still send money back every month, she now has control over her household, doesn’t have to deal with her mother-in-law’s attitude, and can even afford to buy her children candy when they want it.

Jiang Suihan wasn’t familiar with Wu Guihua’s situation back in her hometown, but from what she gathered, it was clear that Wu Guihua hadn’t had an easy time there—it seemed rather difficult.

She had initially thought Wu Guihua was a straightforward person living a decent life. It turned out that every family has its own troubles, and everyone faces their own challenges.

Jiang Suihan wasn’t very good at comforting people, but she patted Wu Guihua’s hand and said, “It’s all in the past now. Hard times come before the sweet ones. Sister-in-law, you should look forward. Da Jun and the others are lively, cute, and obedient. You and Captain Zhao have a loving relationship and a harmonious family. Imagine in the future when the children are all grown up—you and Captain Zhao will be sitting in rocking chairs in the courtyard, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, drinking tea brewed by your sons and daughters, with the laughter of your grandchildren in the background. Doesn’t that sound like a beautiful picture?”

Wu Guihua couldn’t help but laugh, showing her teeth, and playfully poked Jiang Suihan on the forehead. “You really have a sweet tongue that could melt anyone’s heart. If I were Captain Xu, being flattered by you every day, I’d be so happy I wouldn’t know which way is up.”

She was growing more and more fond of Jiang Suihan. As they spent more time together, she discovered that not only was this young woman beautiful, but she also had a great personality—never pretentious and always speaking kindly.

Finding such an interesting girl, it was no wonder that Xu Zhao was determined to marry her, practically wanting to hold her in the palm of his hand.

The two of them chatted and laughed, and by noon, Jiang Suihan had already learned how to cut fabric. She planned to go home and practice with an old piece of clothing. Even though pajamas didn’t have to be seen by others, they still needed to look decent.

Since it was her first time making clothes for someone else, she wanted the gift to be something she could be proud of, not disappointing. Of course, if her skills were too poor, she guessed that Xu Zhao probably wouldn’t complain to her face—he was usually quite indulgent with her.

Jiang Leyun had been playing downstairs with a group of children, running around and working up a sweat. Jiang Suihan wiped the child’s face and prepared to go home and make lunch.

At this time of day, there were already people washing vegetables at the sink downstairs.

Jiang Suihan didn’t know those military wives, but since they all lived in the same area, they were practically neighbors. She smiled and nodded in greeting.

She didn’t know if she was being overly sensitive, but she noticed that a young woman, about eighteen or nineteen years old, with two braids and darker skin but very dark eyes, was standing at the last sink, staring at her. The expression on her face seemed complicated, filled with various emotions.

Jiang Suihan was confused. After thinking carefully, she realized that she had never seen this girl before, let alone knew her. She couldn’t figure out why the girl was looking at her so strangely.

Since she didn’t know the person, Jiang Suihan didn’t pay much attention and walked away with her things.

Wang Lijuan unconsciously stopped what she was doing. Her face flushed, her heart raced, and a voice kept repeating the same sentence in her mind.

It’s her!

Jiang Suihan!

The woman Xu Zhao loved and cherished for his entire life. That smile on her face was just as detestable as it would be years later.

Wang Lijuan felt deeply frustrated. She was still too late, once again beaten to the punch by Jiang Suihan.

Half a month ago, she had argued with her cousin from her uncle’s family. During the argument, they both got physical, and she wasn’t careful and got pushed to the ground, hitting her head and passing out. When she woke up, she realized that she was living inside a book.

How ridiculous—this was a world within a book.

The book was titled The Commander’s Little Wife in the 70s. It told the story of an officer named Xu Zhao, who, out of duty, married a wife he had no feelings for due to an arranged marriage. After his first wife passed away unexpectedly, he became absorbed in his work and didn’t remarry.

The female lead in the story was a teacher at the military primary school, and she shared the same name as Wang Lijuan. Yes, the heroine of the book was none other than her. By chance, Xu Zhao saved her life, and she fell for him. Despite knowing he had been married before, she pursued him wholeheartedly, wanting to marry him. Because of his previous marriage, Xu Zhao was initially hesitant, fearing he would hold her back.

But in the end, thanks to her persistent efforts, Xu Zhao accepted her. They had a joyful wedding, and their life together was happy and fulfilling. She bore three children for Xu Zhao and became an enviable commander’s wife.

Wang Lijuan firmly believed that Heaven had allowed her to see this book as a favor to her.

She had enough of the ignorant and impoverished life in the countryside and was desperate to escape.

She was destined to be the commander’s wife!

In the book, something would happen to Jiang Suihan in six months. Once that obstacle was gone, she could step in.

Now that she had this knowledge, she was determined to make the most of it. It was only six months—she could wait.

Wang Lijuan wanted to learn more about Jiang Suihan in advance, so she casually asked, “Elder Sister, that girl we just passed by was really pretty, with big eyes and fair skin. Do you know her? What’s her name?”

She thought to herself that no matter how pretty she was, she was still doomed to a short life, while she herself was destined for a life of luxury.

Wang Liying was in the kitchen, stir-frying vegetables, and didn’t think much of it, assuming her younger sister was just curious about seeing someone prettier than herself.

“That’s Xu Zhao’s new wife. Don’t be fooled by her looks—she’s not as nice as she seems. Let me tell you, she’s got a sharp tongue, and she looks down on people from the countryside. She always carries herself with a haughty attitude. I don’t like her at all. If her mother-in-law were here, Xu Zhao wouldn’t be able to spoil her like he does. If she were in our hometown, any new daughter-in-law who slept until almost noon would be drowned in the villagers’ spit.”

Still feeling a bit aggrieved from the last time Jiang Suihan had criticized her, Wang Liying remained somewhat upset. These days, everyone in the family knew she had been criticized by Jiang Suihan for having a large face with many wrinkles. She was embarrassed to go out, knowing she had been the subject of mockery.

Wang Lijuan said, half-seriously, “Xu Zhao? Is he the person you mentioned in your letter who was supposed to be introduced to me?”

Wang Liying, worried that her younger sister might be upset, quickly reassured her, “Xu Zhao is good-looking and comes from a well-off family. I originally thought of introducing him to you, hoping you two might end up together. Then you could marry into a good family. But who would have thought that Xu Zhao went out for a week and came back married? Fate doesn’t always work out as planned. You two don’t have a destiny together, so don’t be too sad. There are many good men in the army. I’ll find someone better for you later.”

Although she said this, she felt a bit uneasy. There were indeed many single men in the army, but finding one who was better looking than Xu Zhao and had a better family background was not easy. Having both qualities together was even harder to come by.

Her younger sister came to the army primarily to find a marriage partner. As long as she was calmed down and not compared to Xu Zhao, finding a suitable man in the army wouldn’t be too difficult.

The two sisters each had their own plans and were unaware of each other’s thoughts.

Wang Lijuan understood that her elder sister was trying to comfort her and pretended to accept her advice. “I understand, Elder sister. Don’t worry. Some things are destined by heaven. What’s meant to be mine will eventually be mine. Even if others take it away, it will come back to me in due time.”

She wasn’t in a hurry. Everything would return to its rightful place in six months. What was meant to be hers would be hers.

There was something a bit off about her words, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

Wang Lijuan thought she might be overthinking. “During this time, you can stay at home with peace of mind. I’ve talked to your brother-in-law, and he has no objections. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find someone for you who is no worse than Xu Zhao.”

Wang Lijuan was concerned that her elder sister might complicate things further. “Elder sister, I don’t want to get married right now. I’d like to wait a bit longer.”

Wang Liying said anxiously, “That’s not acceptable. You’re already nineteen, and you’ll turn twenty after the new year. If you delay any longer, you’ll be an old maid. You’re not in a hurry, but our parents are. Tell me honestly, do you have someone you like?”

Could it be that her younger sister was interested in Xu Zhao?

Wang Liying’s face changed dramatically. “Xu Zhao is already married. You can’t have such thoughts. It’s absolutely unacceptable and would bring shame. Do you understand?”

Wang Lijuan was surprised that her elder sister guessed correctly. Since she was young and had limited experience, she momentarily panicked and pretended to be angry. “No, elder sister, how could you think that? I’m not like that. As you said, he’s married, and Jiang Suihan is so beautiful. How could I have the confidence to think I’m better looking than her and could steal him from her? You think too highly of me.”

She paused and then continued, “Besides, I haven’t even seen what Xu Zhao looks like.”

It seemed she needed to be more cautious in the future to ensure her elder sister didn’t notice anything.

Wang Liying breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s my fault. My younger sister is so beautiful and has finished junior high school. With such good conditions, there’s no worry about not finding someone.”

Wang Lijuan forced a smile, lowering her head and avoiding eye contact with Wang Liying.