Chapter 25 – The Female Supporting Character in the Confession Book

The Snow Cream slipped from Luo Manzhen’s hand, hitting the table with a dull thud before rolling to the floor with a soft rumble. It shattered with a loud crack, and Snow Cream splashed out from the glass bottle. “Lin Jianzhang, are you crazy? What do you mean by divorce?” she exclaimed.

Lin Jianzhang chuckled softly, unable to understand why he had ever been fond of Luo Manzhen. He couldn’t comprehend why he had once wavered between her and Wen Xin. “Crazy? You didn’t divorce me, but you’re sharing a bed with Sun Haowen. And now you’re telling me everything is fine?” he retorted.

Luo Manzhen’s face turned pale. She glanced at the table, where some Snow Cream had splattered onto documents. The text she saw was about the place where she had once secretly met Sun Haowen.

Her hands trembling, Luo Manzhen grabbed the papers, quickly scanning them. After reading, she threw the documents to the floor. “This is all slander, it’s all slander! Lin Jianzhang, have you lost your mind? You forged all this just to divorce me?”

“The evidence is undeniable, and you’re still denying it. Luo Manzhen, you should be thankful I don’t hit women, otherwise, you wouldn’t even be alive right now. When you wanted to divorce me, I begged you on my knees. You told me we’d part ways amicably. Now, I’ll return the same words to you—let’s part ways amicably.” Lin Jianzhang shot back.

No one knew the truth of the documents better than Luo Manzhen. She knew a divorce with Lin Jianzhang was impossible. She also understood that a military marriage couldn’t be ended just because Lin Jianzhang wanted it. He had already been divorced once before. Luo Manzhen was certain that Lin Jianzhang wouldn’t dare to reveal the real reason for their divorce to others. Such a revelation would be an immense humiliation for him.

“I won’t divorce you, Lin Jianzhang. I’m going to the political commissar’s house right now and have him make the decision. You’ll never divorce me in this lifetime.” Luo Manzhen declared confidently. Although her relationship with others wasn’t great, she had a good connection with the political commissar’s wife. Once, when Lin Jianzhang hadn’t come home, it was the commissar’s wife who had supported her.

“What does your going to the commissar’s house have to do with anything? What’s the use of complaining? You’ve already slept with someone else. Do you know what that’s called? Infidelity. Do you know what it means to protect a military marriage? If infidelity leads to the breakdown of a marriage, you can be criminally detained. Sun Haowen is already in labor reform, and this doesn’t matter to him. But for you, it’s a different story. Luo Manzhen, you’re a smart person, you know how to choose, right?”

Lin Jianzhang’s words stunned Luo Manzhen for a moment. She knew about the protection of military marriages, but she hadn’t realized that breaking such a marriage could involve an adultery charge. She had only thought that breaking a military marriage was punishable by bigamy or cohabitation.

“You’re lying. What I did doesn’t even come close to breaking a military marriage.” she protested.

Lin Jianzhang kicked the door open with a loud bang. “What would count as breaking a military marriage, then? Do you need to be pregnant with his child for it to count?” he spat angrily.

Unconsciously, Luo Manzhen reached out and touched her abdomen. In fact, she had been pregnant once, before she and Lin Jianzhang divorced. That child couldn’t be kept, so she spent money hiring a pregnant woman to get abortion pills. After taking the medicine, the child was lost.

Later, when she was with Sun Haowen, she had been focusing on recovering her health. It wasn’t until 1984 that she gave birth to their first child. Her relationship with Lin Jianzhang had never been stable, so Luo Manzhen hadn’t paid much attention to her physical condition before.

Luo Manzhen had thought that she had secured Lin Jianzhang, and that they would never divorce again. After all, life was long, and what difference would it make if she had children a little later? She now regretted her decision. She should have focused on her health right after marriage, trying to get pregnant quickly. That way, if something went wrong, she would still have the leverage of a child in her hands. Luo Manzhen deeply regretted not having done so.

Lin Jianzhang could see exactly what Luo Manzhen’s expression meant. The bastard child had definitely been conceived, but she hadn’t dared to keep it.

Luo Manzhen truly was something else—her infidelity was clear as day.

He had originally thought that if she just agreed to part ways amicably, he’d let her go. But now, that thought was gone. Luo Manzhen wouldn’t have it easy anymore.

Lin Jianzhang grabbed the documents that had been marked and turned to leave. He still had to report the divorce matter to his superiors. He wouldn’t hide the real reason for the divorce; it couldn’t be hidden. A simple investigation would reveal everything.

Lin Jianzhang went to the political commissar’s house, and by coincidence, Gu Xiuping lived right across the street. Wen Xin was still in university and only came to the family compound on Sundays, so for convenience, Gu Xiuping usually stayed in the camp dormitory.

This time, Wen Xin had bought a lot of ingredients. Even with the door closed, the rich smell of meat seeped through the cracks. The house wasn’t well soundproofed, and any raised voices inside could be heard outside.

Gu Xiuping’s wit and humor weren’t just evident in his writings, but also in the little things of daily life. Every minute with him made Wen Xin feel like she was laughing.

Gu Xiuping had said something that made Wen Xin burst into laughter, and her laughter could be heard outside. Lin Jianzhang stood in the hallway, listening for a long while before knocking on the political commissar’s door.

The political commissar had already been briefed by Lin Jianzhang’s instructor, so he wasn’t surprised by his visit. Normally, if a subordinate wanted a divorce, he’d try to persuade them, but with Lin Jianzhang, those words just wouldn’t come out.

As a man, the commissar understood. If his wife had done something like that, divorce would be the least of his worries. He sighed and asked: “Have you thought it through?”

“I’ve thought it through, Commissar. I really can’t go on with her anymore.” Lin Jianzhang replied.

“Alright, write a report and bring it to me. After we discuss it, I’ll approve it.” the political commissar said.

“What about her? What do you plan to do with her?” the commissar asked.

If the commissar had asked Lin Jianzhang this question an hour earlier, he would have said that divorcing her was enough. But from the moment he left his house, Lin Jianzhang had decided he wouldn’t let Luo Manzhen have it easy.

“Commissar, I’d like to follow the procedure.” Lin Jianzhang replied.

The commissar paused for a moment, then after a long silence, he said: “Alright, the evidence has been gathered well, so the sentencing should be quick.”

Lin Jianzhang saluted the commissar. It was mealtime, and the commissar’s dishes were already served on the table. His teenage son and eight- or nine-year-old daughter were sitting at the table, eagerly waiting. Lin Jianzhang didn’t want to overstay his welcome.

The commissar didn’t insist on keeping him either.

After Lin Jianzhang left, the commissar’s wife came out of the kitchen with the food and casually asked: “What did young Lin come for? Did he argue with his wife again?”

The commissar sat down at the table. “It wasn’t an argument. He wants a divorce.”

The commissar’s wife’s expression changed. “Didn’t they already divorce once? Why again? Little Luo really cares about him. She’s pretty and well-educated. Is he still not satisfied?”

The commissar glanced at her. “Don’t say such things in the future. The last time they divorced, it was because his wife was unfaithful, having an affair with another man. It’s understandable that he can’t go on with her.”

The commissar’s wife was stunned. She hadn’t expected Luo Manzhen to be that kind of person. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

When Lin Jianzhang left, he stood outside Wen Xin’s door for a while. When no sounds came from inside, he finally went downstairs. As he reached the bottom, he looked back at the window that belonged to Wen Xin’s home. The warm, yellowish light looked so inviting.

That light had once been his, but because of his own vanity, he had lost that tenderness.

Lin Jianzhang turned and walked away.

——

It had been a week since Wen Xin and Gu Xiuping had seen each other. The time apart had made their relationship even stronger. They were inseparable, enjoying every moment together.

Wen Xin was still in school, and now that she was pregnant, it wasn’t the right time. So, Gu Xiuping had taken extra care with his precautions. With a good time and a good partner, Wen Xin wasn’t opposed to having a child. In fact, she was quite looking forward to it.

Wen Xin was deeply grateful for Gu Xiuping’s tenderness and thoughtfulness, her heart filled to the brim. For a man to be so considerate and caring toward her to this extent was truly rare. Several women in their dormitory were married, and during their nightly talks, it was impossible to avoid discussing such matters. Their husbands had never been so thoughtful with them. Most of the time, as long as they were comfortable, it didn’t seem to matter how their wives were doing. 

Gu Xiuping smoked, but only because of work; he smoked infrequently. That night, he leaned against the headboard in his shirt, his long, fair hand holding a cigarette as he took a slow drag and exhaled a ring of smoke. The smoke spread in the air, enveloping him. Through the smoke, he looked at her, his peach blossom eyes filled with infinite affection. Wen Xin felt her face heat up under his gaze.

Seeing her like this, Gu Xiuping let out a soft laugh. “Go to sleep.” he said.

Wen Xin murmured: “You should sleep too.”

He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray on the bedside table, turned off the light, pulled the covers over them, and wrapped his arms around Wen Xin. They both slept soundly through the night.

The next morning, Wen Xin woke up and it was already past ten o’clock. She, who was usually punctual with her meals, was now starving. She got dressed, went to the living room, and saw a dish of pickled radish made by Zhang Xiuying on the table. In the kitchen, there was a pot of porridge keeping warm, with two steamed buns and two boiled eggs covered by the frying pan lid.

Boiled eggs dipped in soy sauce were the most delicious, and the porridge with steamed buns and pickled vegetables made a perfect combination. Wen Xin, feeling hungry, quickly finished the meal. Outside, the sound of whistling could be heard, and Wen Xin stood by the window with a steamed bun in her hand. Through the window, she saw soldiers in green military uniforms marching in perfect step on the training ground, their chants ringing through the air.

Not far away, in the muddy pit, soldiers were engaged in combat training, their bodies covered in yellow mud. At the edge of the pit, a group of soldiers was crawling on the ground, quickly crawling through barbed wire and then running across a narrow plank bridge suspended in the air.

This was Wen Xin’s third time visiting the military camp, but the first time it had been snowing. The second time she came, there weren’t as many soldiers training. This was her first time witnessing the soldiers in action, and she was struck with awe.

It was early spring, and the weather was still cold. The water temperature was extremely low, and in such weather, rolling in the mud and crawling on the ground could easily lead to illness if one’s physical health wasn’t up to par. But these soldiers seemed completely unaware of the cold or heat. The soldiers in the muddy pit, after being knocked down by their opponents, quickly got up again and did everything they could to knock their opponents to the ground. The battle was fierce, with each side giving their all.

Wen Xin, with her sharp eyes, spotted Gu Xiuping by the edge of the muddy pit.

By noon, Gu Xiuping returned, covered in mud. Wen Xin had already prepared water, and she let him wash up first before they ate together. Gu Xiuping obediently followed her instructions without any resistance.

After spending the day together, Wen Xin was due to return to school the next morning. Gu Xiuping woke up much earlier than usual, and he made her a bowl of noodles. After they ate, the two of them shared some tender moments before he sent Wen Xin out the door at six o’clock.

There was a direct bus from near the Provincial Military District to the city center, with the earliest departure at 6:30.

The early spring morning was still a little chilly. Gu Xiuping carefully adjusted Wen Xin’s collar, which she hadn’t buttoned properly, and held her hand, reluctant to let go. “When you get to school, make sure to eat on time, sleep on time. Don’t be stingy with the money I gave you. Eat when you need to, spend when you need to, don’t go hungry. Don’t work too hard on your studies, make sure to balance work and rest.”

Gu Xiuping’s earnest advice made Wen Xin smile as she listened, her heart blooming with happiness. She found his nagging particularly charming.

Gu Xiuping was still thinking hard, trying to remember if there was anything else he hadn’t reminded Wen Xin about. Wen Xin thought to herself that if her mother were here, she would definitely get along with Gu Xiuping very well.

The sound of the car horn rang out, signaling that the car was almost here, and Wen Xin began to feel reluctant to leave.

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, Gu Xiuping lowered his head and kissed Wen Xin.

After a long while, Gu Xiuping gently pressed his thumb to the corner of Wen Xin’s mouth and spoke in a soft yet worried tone: “Xin Xin, take good care of yourself at school.”

Wen Xin nodded, then reached up to hug Gu Xiuping, speaking softly in his embrace: “I know. You take care of yourself too, don’t forget to eat while you’re busy with training.”

Gu Xiuping was reluctant to part from her, and Wen Xin felt the same. If it weren’t for her schoolwork, she really wished she could stay by his side all the time.

The car arrived, and Gu Xiuping waved. The car stopped, and Wen Xin, not wanting to keep the driver waiting, hurriedly got in. “Go back quickly, I’m leaving. I’ll come see you next Saturday.”

“Go ahead. Call me when you get to school.” Gu Xiuping said.

“Okay.” Wen Xin sat down by the window and waved at him as the car started to move.

Gu Xiuping stood by the roadside, waiting until he couldn’t see the car anymore before he turned and headed back to the camp.

It took two transfers to get from the camp to the school, and Wen Xin didn’t arrive until it was already past nine. She called Gu Xiuping to let him know she had arrived safely. Gu Xiuping, who had been waiting in his office, finally felt at ease when he received her call.

This morning, Wen Xin’s class didn’t have any lessons. When Wen Xin got to the dormitory, Gei Wei was still in bed, not yet up.

The other girls in their dorm were all former Educated Youth who had been sent to the countryside, with two of them being from the old “Three No’s” generation. They had left their husbands and children back home to come to school.

The cost of going to school was so high, and because of this, they were particularly serious about their studies. When they didn’t have class, they would all go to the library to read, and even when in the dormitory, they couldn’t put their books down.

In this atmosphere of diligent study, Wen Xin, along with Gei Wei, worked extra hard.

It wasn’t normal for Gei Wei to still be lying in bed during the day. Wen Xin sat by her bed. “Wei Wei? Wei Wei? What’s wrong?”

Gei Wei, who had been leaning against the wall, turned around when she heard Wen Xin’s voice. Her eyes instantly reddened. “Xin Xin, I’m so sad.”

Gei Wei had grown up in a happy family, and children raised in such an environment were usually confident and lively. Wen Xin had known Gei Wei for a long time, and Lin Laizi’s incident had been the biggest setback she had ever faced.

The rest of her smaller troubles had mostly been caused by He Zhi.

Gei Wei cried as she threw herself into Wen Xin’s arms, and under Wen Xin’s gentle comfort, she cried loudly. After her tears had subsided, she said to Wen Xin: “Yesterday, I went to the teachers’ college to find He Zhi. He was discussing Xu Zhimo’s poetry with a female classmate. I waited for two hours until that female classmate finally left.”

“After she left, it was time for dinner. I went with He Zhi to eat, and he was cold to me the entire time. After dinner, I asked him to take me back, but he wouldn’t let me go. He insisted on taking me to the guesthouse next to the teachers’ college. He said we’ve been engaged for more than a year, and if it weren’t for the college entrance exam restoration, we would have been married by now. He told me not to come back that night.”

Gei Wei had gone to school early; she graduated from high school at sixteen. She had known He Zhi since they were children, sitting in the same class through middle school and high school. After high school, He Zhi confessed to her, and after thinking it over, Gei Wei agreed. They became engaged when she was seventeen, and in February this year, she turned eighteen.

Over the past year, He Zhi had always treated her well. Compared to other boyfriends, he was no different, and his parents treated her kindly as well.

If it hadn’t been for the restoration of the college entrance exams, she wouldn’t have known that He Zhi and his parents were such people.

If, before school started, He Zhi’s parents hadn’t repeatedly urged her to give up on her studies, if He Zhi hadn’t scolded her without reason, if He Zhi hadn’t been indifferent to her, she might have gone to the guesthouse with him. After all, they had been engaged for over a year, so it wouldn’t have been abnormal to be together.

But after everything that happened, and seeing how Wen Xin and Gu Xiuping interacted with each other, she started to think differently. The expression on He Zhi’s face last night truly frightened her. The way he dragged her to the guesthouse reminded her of that night with Lin Laizi.

It took a lot of effort for her to suppress her fear and firmly reject He Zhi. When he saw she wasn’t willing, he became very angry and said many hurtful things. He insinuated that after she got into university, she had changed her heart—that university students looked down on someone like him, a college diploma holder.

He Zhi said a lot of things that cut deep, and in the end, Gei Wei returned to school alone. He Zhi refused to send her.

“Xin Xin, he said that his parents were right—when a woman studies too much, she ends up ruining things and changing her heart. He said a woman’s virtue is in her lack of education, that women who study too much lose their morality.”

Gei Wei choked on her words. Wen Xin, listening to this, clenched her fists in anger.

So He Zhi’s family believed in this kind of thinking? Why then did they choose Gei Wei to be their daughter-in-law? Shouldn’t they go to the countryside and find a woman who couldn’t read, someone who hadn’t had the opportunity to study? Those were the kinds of women they would likely approve of as good daughters-in-law.

They sought out Gei Wei for her family background, didn’t they? Now that they saw Gei Wei was attending a university that was better than their son’s college, they couldn’t wait to suppress their daughter-in-law.

Could such a family still be worth marrying into? Wen Xin thought it was like stepping into a fire pit.

“Wei Wei, what do you think? Do you still want to marry He Zhi?” Wen Xin asked, looking at Gei Wei.

Gei Wei shook her head. “No, I don’t want to anymore.” She hadn’t slept all night, thinking over everything. Gei Wei thought that if she stayed with He Zhi, her life in such a family atmosphere would be predictable and suffocating.

She might end up like He Zhi’s mother—working during the day and, no matter how tired she was, having to serve her husband, son, and in-laws when she got home.

In the past, she thought He Zhi’s mother was competent and kind. Everyone in the neighborhood praised her good character and diligence.

At that time, Gei Wei thought having such a mother-in-law was quite good. But now, upon reflection, she believed that if she had truly married He Zhi, then the life of He Zhi’s mother would have been the life she would have had in the future.

“Then you should tell your family about all these things. Your uncle and aunt have more life experience and a broader perspective. You should call them and ask for their advice on how to handle this.”

Gei Wei was a bit silly too. She had never told her family about He Zhi’s family’s advice for her to quit college. If she had told them early on, He Zhi would have been in trouble. Would Gei Wei’s father, Ge Hongjun, still have sent him off so kindly on the first day of school? She had really been naive to think so.

Gei Wei nodded: “Then come with me to make the call.”

“Alright.”

There was a phone by the school gate, and the call was quite expensive—50 cents per minute. Gei Wei dialed the number to Ge Hongjun’s workplace and hung up the phone, waiting for about five minutes. The phone call came back.

Gei Wei answered the call and cried as she told Ge Hongjun everything.

Ge Hongjun was furious. He held back his anger, comforted his daughter, and then hung up the phone. He slammed his palm on the table.

Getting into college was such an honor. Over 11 million students had taken the college entrance exam last year, but less than 300,000 were admitted. The difficulty was akin to crossing a narrow bridge with a huge crowd.

Which family wouldn’t be proud to have a college graduate? How dare He’s family ask their daughter to give up such a bright future and marry a son who hadn’t even passed the exam himself?

“Old Ge, what’s wrong with you?” Ge Hongjun’s colleague was startled by the sound of Ge Hongjun slamming the table.

Breathing heavily, Ge Hongjun said: “That boy’s family is bullying my daughter. To avoid their son being outshined by my daughter, they secretly pressured her to quit school and get married as soon as possible. My daughter is smart and refused, and now that little brat wants to force her into marriage?”

Gei Wei had passed the college entrance exam, and Ge Hongjun had even hosted a banquet at a State-Owned Restaurant.

All of Ge Hongjun’s comrades had come, bringing many gifts. Everyone in their circle envied Ge Hongjun. She was the first college graduate in ten years. These graduates would definitely become the backbone of various industries once they graduated.

She was a true rising star. He’s family’s actions were utterly immoral. The office was filled with indignation.

After work, Ge Hongjun stormed home. He gathered his mother and wife and went to He’s family. Grandma Ge had always been a fierce person since her youth, and in her old age, she had not softened. Standing at He Family’s doorstep, she yelled at them, occasionally showing weakness and playing the emotional card to the people who had gathered to watch.

Everyone understood the Ge family’s anger. As Ge Hongjun had said, which family wouldn’t take pride in a college graduate? What He’s family was doing was simply shameless. If they put themselves in the shoes of Ge Hongjun’s daughter, who was being pressured by her future in-laws to quit school and serve a husband and in-laws, everyone was already getting angry.

In northern China, some families preferred sons over daughters, but there were also many families that cherished their daughters. Especially families where daughters had been preparing for the college entrance exam for a month. When they looked at He’s family, their expressions were full of contempt.

He family was quite cowardly, and this could be seen from how they only dared to speak those things in private. They could say whatever they wanted to Gei Wei because they knew she had a kind, naïve temperament. Even if she disagreed, she wouldn’t tell the elders of the Ge family.

When their persuasion failed, He Zhi’s father came up with an idea for him to make Gei Wei pregnant, so that when she was expecting, she would have to drop out of school to stay home and rest. After giving birth, she wouldn’t have to take care of the child, and when the child grew up, Gei Wei would be older too, so why bother with school?

The Ge family thought this plan through well, but who would have guessed that Gei Wei would act so unpredictably? The Ge family’s efforts had directly humiliated He’s family. He Zhi’s father was so angry his face turned red.

But there was nothing He’s family could do about it. After all, their situation was not as good as the Ge family’s.

After Gei Wei’s mother had listened to enough of the scolding, she took out the money and tickets she had prepared from her pocket and handed them to Ge Hongjun. Ge Hongjun received them and handed them to the timid mother of He Zhi, saying: “This is the betrothal gift from your family to our Ge family. A total of 128 yuan. You can count it. As for the candies and snacks from the engagement day, I’ve also exchanged them for tickets to give to you. Of course, these things are to be shared between our two families, but I’ll only be responsible for our share. From now on, our Ge family will have no further relations with your He family.”

“You wanted to marry a girl with no talent but good character, right? Our daughter doesn’t meet your family’s standards, so this marriage is off.” Ge Hongjun loudly declared to the neighbors who had gathered around. “You all are our witnesses, today our Ge family will sever all ties with He family.”

They had been neighbors for many years, and everyone had received help from Ge Hongjun. Whenever anyone had a problem, they’d turn to him, and he would help as much as he could. Immediately, some people who had benefited from the Ge family stepped forward and said: “Brother Ge, we will be your witnesses.”

“Yes, yes, we’re all witnesses.”

As the side at fault, He family barely had a chance to say anything under the relentless bombardment of the Ge family. The matter was settled, and the Ge family left.

In the afternoon, Ge Hongjun sent a telegram to the Provincial Capital university and another one to He Zhi. Ge Hongjun wasn’t afraid to spend money, and the telegrams not only informed the other side of the broken engagement but also harshly criticized He Zhi.

Soon, the telegrams arrived in Gei Wei’s hands. She read them and felt both happy and sad.

Her relationship with He Zhi had started simply. They had grown up together, like childhood sweethearts. She didn’t dislike him, and he liked her, so they got together. It ended just as simply, to the point where she didn’t even need to appear at the breakup scene.

In the afternoon after school, Wen Xin entered the dormitory holding books. Gei Wei pulled her toward the cafeteria. “Xin Xin, come, I’ll treat you to a meal. They’re serving spicy chicken today.”

The school cafeteria’s main chef was very good, making excellent Sichuan dishes. Wen Xin’s mouth watered at the mention of spicy chicken and quickly quickened her pace.

The spicy chicken was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and rich in flavor. Wen Xin and Gei Wei shared a portion and added two vegetarian dishes. They found a vacant spot and sat down to eat.

The two of them had just sat down and barely eaten a few bites when a male comrade also sat at their table. Looking up, they realized it was their classmate, Cheng Ming. Cheng Ming was the top student in their major and had entered the literature department with the highest score. He had once been a sent-down youth in the countryside and was now around 27 or 28 years old.

“Wen Xin, Gei Wei, do you mind if I join you?” Cheng Ming said with a gentlemanly smile.

Gei Wei and Wen Xin both shook their heads. What was the point of asking if they minded after you’ve already sat down?

There were two classes in the literature department, and many female students in both. It was said that Cheng Ming had a wife and a child in the countryside, but after he was admitted to university, they divorced. Divorce among sent-down youths wasn’t uncommon at school.

What others did was their own choice, and under the tide of the times, Wen Xin didn’t have much to say about others’ personal decisions. However, Cheng Ming seemed to have some kind of inexplicable tendency to hover around her and Gei Wei.

He never directly stated his intentions, but even when Wen Xin and Gei Wei were chatting and made it clear that one was married and the other had a partner, Cheng Ming still didn’t change his behavior.

Cheng Ming’s arrival made Wen Xin feel that the spicy chicken had lost its flavor.

Gei Wei felt the same way.

The two exchanged a glance and decided to focus on eating without further conversation.

Cheng Ming, seemingly oblivious to their discomfort, casually continued speaking with them.

They responded with a few half-hearted remarks and ate faster. After leaving the cafeteria, the two of them simultaneously exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Xin Xin, what do you think Cheng Ming means by this? It’s so annoying.” Gei Wei said.

Wen Xin was equally frustrated. She sighed and said: “I’ll call Gu Xiuping later and ask him to come to school around lunchtime tomorrow. We’ll have a meal together. No matter what his intentions are, he should give up after that.”

Gei Wei nodded: “Makes sense. Let’s get this sorted out quickly. We’re bound to run into him during meals, it’s driving me crazy.”

Wen Xi called Gu Xiuping, and upon receiving the task from his wife, he dressed in a clean military uniform the next day at 10 AM and headed into the city with his comrade, who was also going into town for some business.

At noon, Gu Xiuping appeared at the entrance of the school cafeteria at Provincial Capital University right on time. Wen Xin and Gei Wei, after finishing class, arrived and the three of them went to the cafeteria to eat.

Gu Xiuping’s military uniform was still quite eye-catching in this era, and nearly everyone in the cafeteria gave him an admiring look. The cafeteria worker, who served the food, was so used to seeing him that her hands no longer shook, and there were several extra pieces of meat in his bowl compared to everyone else’s.

People in line behind them noticed and, feeling a bit resentful, began yelling at the cafeteria worker. The worker, who was quite familiar with the students, responded with a laugh: “Go on, go on! If you were all soldiers, I’d give you extra meat too, but you’re not.”

Even though she said that, she didn’t shake as much when serving the food next.

Wen Xin and Gei Wei had already gotten their dishes and were waiting for Gu Xiuping on the side. After Gu Xiuping squeezed out of the crowd, Wen Xin teased him with a smile: “Oh, it’s the Old Comrade Gu who eats by his looks, huh?”

Gu Xiuping, in a serious tone, responded playfully: “Little Comrade Wen, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not eating by my looks, I’m eating because of this sacred military uniform I’m wearing.”

Wen Xin rolled her eyes at him and turned to tell Gei Wei to hurry up and take a seat. Gei Wei jogged after Wen Xin, already feeling full even though she hadn’t eaten yet.

That day, when Cheng Ming came to get his food, as usual, he looked for Wen Xin and Gei Wei, but when he saw Gu Xiuping sitting next to Wen Xin and acting familiarly with her, his face instantly darkened.

After hesitating for a moment, he turned and walked away.

From that day on, Cheng Ming never came to bother Wen Xin and Gei Wei during lunchtime again. Even in class, he started to avoid them.

The mission of chasing away the persistent suitor had been successfully completed, and Gu Xiuping, the old comrade, was rewarded by Wen Xin.

This reward made Gu Xiuping walk with a newfound confidence.