Chapter 13

Su’s mother and her eldest sister-in-law from her maternal family arrived with a man in tow.  

When they saw Su Qianqian, they froze momentarily. Over the past few weeks, with the nourishment of the mystical spring, her skin had lightened, her figure had filled out slightly, and she no longer looked so gaunt. She appeared younger and more radiant.  

“Look at her,” Su’s mother said to the man. “This is my daughter. Isn’t she beautiful? And she’s fertile too—her first pregnancy gave her three children, both boys and girls.”  

Su Qianqian immediately understood what was happening. Without saying a word, she grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor. “Out of the way! Move aside!” She swept at their feet with such force that they were driven out the door.  

“What are you doing?” Su’s mother yelled. “Today, you’re leaving with him. From now on, you’re his wife.”  

“Are you even my real mother? You’re trying to marry me off to someone like him?” Su Qianqian was speechless. The man was short, middle-aged, with an eye problem, and clearly a lifelong bachelor who struggled to find a wife. And yet, her mother wanted her to marry him. Was she out of her mind?  

“What’s wrong with him? Isn’t he good enough? At least he’s a man! And you, a worthless daughter, dare to be picky?”  

Su’s mother’s blatant preference for sons made Su Qianqian sick. She sneered coldly, “If he’s so great, why don’t you marry him yourself? Maybe you’ll even have another son.”  

This comment infuriated Su’s mother, who rolled up her sleeves, ready to strike. Su Qianqian caught her hand and lowered her voice in warning, “Don’t make trouble here again, or I won’t go easy on you!”  

“How dare you speak to your mother like that! Have you lost your mind? Did your in-laws put you up to this?” the eldest sister-in-law accused, pointing a finger at Su Qianqian.  

Zhu Tianfang, who had been silently watching, was exasperated. No matter how much one might favor a son, this treatment of a daughter was simply too much.  

“Enough arguing! If Erbao’s mother says she won’t remarry, then take your man and leave,” Zhu Tianfang said firmly.  

“How dare you say that!” Su’s mother shot back. “Your unlucky son died not long after my daughter married into your family! You owe us compensation for all the years she’s been a widow!”  

Zhu Tianfang couldn’t bear anyone mentioning Cheng Yue’s death and snapped back, “My youngest son is not dead!”  

“If he’s not dead, then bring him out! Let’s see him! If he shows up right now, I won’t insist on my daughter remarrying!” Su’s mother shouted, looking every bit the shrew. Su Qianqian couldn’t help but notice how much she resembled her mother in appearance and demeanor.  

Zhu Tianfang was furious, her chest heaving with anger.  

Su Qianqian quickly comforted her. “Mom, don’t listen to her nonsense. Cheng Yue will be fine.”  

“No matter what, you’re leaving with him today,” Su’s mother insisted. “I’ve already accepted the bride price.”  

“WHAT?!” Su Qianqian was livid, ready to unleash a storm of curses.  

The man, seemingly emboldened, stepped forward to grab her arm, but Erbao rushed up and shoved him away. “Get away! Don’t touch my mommy!”  

Su’s mother grabbed Erbao and snarled, “She won’t be your mommy anymore! You’ve lost both your parents!” She was about to throw the child aside when Su Qianqian pulled him back. “Let go!” she commanded with such authority that Su’s mother, startled, released her grip.  

Just then, a deep male voice rang out. “Aunt Tianfang!”  

Everyone turned to see two men in military uniforms standing at the door, smiling.  

Zhu Tianfang squinted for a moment before recognizing him. “Yuanbao? Is that you?”  

The man called Yuanbao scratched his head sheepishly. “Yes, it’s me, Aunt Tianfang.”  

“Yuanbao! Where’s Cheng Yue? Where is he? It’s been five years with no word. Where is he?” Zhu Tianfang’s eyes reddened as she questioned him. She couldn’t help fearing the worst.  

“Aunt, we’re here to talk about Cheng Yue,” Yuanbao said.  

Zhu Tianfang’s legs nearly gave out from under her, and Su Qianqian hurried to support her. “Just tell us! Look at how worried she is!”  

“Aunt, don’t worry. Cheng Yue is alive. He’s just injured. We’re here to bring his wife to take care of him.”  

!!!  

Su Qianqian was stunned.  

*He’s alive?!*  

*And I’m supposed to go take care of him?!*  

Her mind buzzed with disbelief.  

“What kind of injury?” she asked nervously. If it was something… serious…  

“His leg. It’s hard for him to move around.”  

“Aunt, start packing. You’ll leave tomorrow morning,” Yuanbao added.  

“So soon?” Both Zhu Tianfang and Su Qianqian were shocked.  

Su Qianqian had been focused on building a prosperous life here. Now, she was expected to care for an injured man she barely knew?  

“Where’s his wife?” Yuanbao asked, scanning the room.  

Su Qianqian raised her hand timidly. “That’s me.”  

Yuanbao looked surprised. The Su Qianqian he remembered was mean, dark-skinned, and had a peculiar, aggressive gaze. Now, she seemed completely different—almost unrecognizable.  

Back then, he had witnessed how she clung to Cheng Yue, who had joined the army partly to escape her.  

Ignoring Yuanbao’s reaction, Su Qianqian called her three children over. “If I’m going, I’m taking them with me.” She had worked hard to bond with them and wasn’t about to leave them behind.  

“Three… three kids?” Yuanbao was shocked. *Has my brother been played?*  

Zhu Tianfang quickly explained, “She got pregnant after Cheng Yue left and gave birth to triplets.”  

Yuanbao inhaled sharply. *Wow, my brother’s got some talent!*  

He glanced at the kids, who indeed resembled Cheng Yue. “They’re so young. Fine, they can come. There’s space where we’re going.”  

“Aunt, here’s the allowance from the higher-ups,” Yuanbao said, handing her an envelope. Zhu Tianfang peeked inside and immediately pressed it close to her chest. *So much money!*  

“Did you bring it all back? What about Cheng Yue?” she asked.  

“He’s fine, Aunt. Don’t worry. I’ll come back to pick you up tomorrow morning.”  

After they left, Su Qianqian was still in a daze.  

“Did you hear that? Cheng Yue is alive! He’s alive!” Zhu Tianfang was full of confidence now and turned to yell at Su’s mother.  

Su’s mother’s expression shifted as she forced a smile. “That’s good, that’s good. If he’s alive, all’s well. But how much money did they give you? My Qianqian stayed a widow for all these years. Don’t we deserve compensation?”  

“That’s compensation for me, not you! And bringing a man here to make me remarry—do you know that’s a criminal offense in a military marriage? You’d go to jail!”  

“Don’t try to scare me!”  

“Don’t believe me? Let’s go find the military patrol unit right now!”  

Su’s mother hesitated, clearly intimidated, and slunk away, defeated.  

“Erbao’s mom, quickly pack up. Bring whatever essentials you’ll need. I’ll also get some things ready to take along tomorrow,” said Zhu Tianfang.  

Su Qianqian muttered an acknowledgment but took a while before starting to move. Her three children were visibly nervous. They had grown up believing their father was dead, and now, out of nowhere, he was alive. They were torn between anticipation and anxiety, having never met their father.  

“You three, go pack up your things as well,” Su Qianqian said.  

“Mom, do you think Dad won’t like us?” the eldest daughter, Daya, asked softly. Over time, the children had grown more comfortable talking to their mother.  

That question was difficult to answer. “If your dad doesn’t like you, then you don’t need to like him either. It’s not your fault,” she reassured them.  

In the back of her mind, Su Qianqian wondered if Cheng Yue had fallen for someone else during those five years. It seemed plausible.  

That night, the four of them slept together. Su Qianqian wanted to ensure the children felt safe.  

Early the next morning, Yuanbao arrived with others.  

“We have to catch the train, so we need to leave early,” he explained.  

“Alright, everything is ready. Here’s some food for the road,” Zhu Tianfang replied.  

Before leaving, Cheng Youmin and Cheng Song handed Yuanbao a letter for Cheng Yue, urging Su Qianqian to remind him to write home when he could.  

“Uncle, Aunt, Cheng Yue was on a classified mission before, which is why he couldn’t contact you. But don’t worry—he’ll stay in touch from now on,” Yuanbao assured them.  

They loaded their belongings onto a tractor.  

Zhu Tianfang handed Su Qianqian five large-denomination bills, saying, “You’re going far with three kids. Keep this money for emergencies.”  

Su Qianqian was deeply moved. The Cheng family was still willing to support her despite how the original Su Qianqian had treated them.  

“Mom, I’ve earned some money. Keep it for the family; there are plenty of expenses,” she tried to refuse.  

“You can’t travel without some money. Take it. We’re fine here,” Zhu Tianfang insisted.  

Unable to argue, Su Qianqian accepted the money and headed out.  

At the village entrance, they were stopped by Su’s family.  

“Who knows if you’ll come back? Leave some money for our retirement!” Su’s mother demanded, flanked by her sons and husband, creating an imposing scene.  

They seemed determined not to let them leave without payment.  

Zhu Tianfang wanted to quickly resolve the matter to avoid missing the train, but Su Qianqian stopped her.  

“Do you know how much money I’ve already given you? And now you want more to marry off your useless son? If he can’t afford a wife, what’s the point of him living? Maybe I should throw myself into the river instead!”  

“Why should someone so useless even have children? They’ll just waste the country’s food supply!”  

“If you keep blocking us, don’t blame me for what happens next!” Su Qianqian said coldly.  

She turned to her father, “Go report to the patrol unit. Tell them someone’s causing trouble!”  

“You little brat! Is this how you treat your family?”  

“If you keep this up, the entire Su family will face the consequences. Oh, by the way, my husband is probably an officer now. You’d better think carefully about what you’re doing.”  

Her sharp words left the Su family stunned. Seizing the moment, Su Qianqian hurriedly urged the tractor driver to leave.  

“Dealing with rogues is impossible with reason,” she muttered as they left the village.  

After shaking off her family, Su Qianqian breathed a sigh of relief. On the train, the children were fascinated—it was their first time riding one.  

Cheng Yuan, whose full name was Cheng Yuanbao, watched as Su Qianqian gently cared for her children. He found it hard to believe that this was the same brazen, unreasonable woman from years ago.  

“How badly is Cheng Yue hurt? Does he know I’m coming?” Su Qianqian asked, wanting to clarify things.  

Cheng Yuan sighed, “When we left, he was still unconscious. It was the higher-ups’ decision to bring you over. I’m not sure if he knows yet.”  

Su Qianqian felt awkward. What if Cheng Yue had someone special there, and she showed up with three kids?  

“If things don’t work out, I’ll just come back to Tianshui Village. I’ll figure out a way to thrive wherever I go,” she thought.  

“Here, eat something. These are cornbread, flatbread, and pickled cucumbers I made myself. Try them,” she offered.  

Cheng Yuan wasn’t expecting much, but the pickled cucumbers surprised him.  

“This is delicious! Cucumbers can taste this good?”  

“Of course! Eat as much as you want. I brought plenty,” Su Qianqian said.  

She marveled at how Zhu Tianfang treated her so much better than her own mother.  

Not all mothers love their children, after all.  

Two days on the train left Su Qianqian utterly exhausted. She missed the modern conveniences of high-speed trains and airplanes. Fortunately, the kids were well-behaved.  

When they got off the train, someone came to pick them up in a jeep. The kids were thrilled and instantly forgot their fatigue.  

“Mom, what’s this?” Erbao asked, cautiously touching the jeep.  

“It’s a jeep. Come on, hop in. It’ll take us to meet your dad,” Cheng Yuan said, helping the children into the vehicle.  

He noticed how calm Su Qianqian seemed, almost as if she’d seen all this before. It was odd, given her rural background.  

“Sis-in-law, let’s go to the hospital first to see if Cheng Yue is awake,” Cheng Yuan said.  

They arrived at the hospital and learned from a nurse that Cheng Yue had woken up.  

He was staying in a private room. Cheng Yuan knocked on the door and entered.  

“Captain, you’re awake! I brought—” He stopped mid-sentence.  

Su Qianqian and the kids walked in, only to see a beautiful woman with a curvy figure pouring water from a kettle.  

Cheng Yuan was stunned.  

The woman turned around with a smile. “Cheng Yuan, you’re here. Are these your wife and kids?”