Chapter 6: Lin Baoni’s Choice

The next morning, after the Lin Family finished breakfast, Xiao Chaoyang and a young soldier arrived on bicycles.

The handlebars were adorned with a net bag, filled with quite a few rare items.

“Is Grandpa Lin here?” Xiao Chaoyang, wanting to make the conversation smoother, called out as soon as he entered, aiming to build rapport with him.

“Ah, this is the leader from the Military Unit! Eldest’s wife, go pour some water.” Grandpa Lin exclaimed.

He was surprised that the leader kept his word and arrived the very next day.

“No need to be busy, no need to be busy. We should have come earlier to visit, but there was a small oversight, and Comrade Lin has suffered because of it.” Xiao Chaoyang said warmly, clearly aiming to smooth things over for Gu Ye, who was a tough case.

“We’ve caused trouble for the Military Unit, we really have caused trouble!” Grandpa Lin said excitedly.

Their generation had deep feelings for the Military Unit.

Especially since his youngest brother and second son were martyrs, Baoni was doted on by the whole family from the day she was born.

Baoni’s birth coincided with the day Japan surrendered, bringing relief and satisfaction. They felt that Baoni was a sign of joy and good fortune.

“It’s no trouble, no trouble at all. Should we talk here or inside?” Xiao Chaoyang asked, concerned that someone might overhear their conversation.

After all, there had been quite a few people following them when they arrived.

“Let’s go inside and talk. Old Boss’s family, you lead them to work first, Baoni can stay behind.” Grandpa Lin decided.

He knew that Baoni had her own opinions, and this matter needed her to make the final decision.

Mother Lin and the others went off to work, and the people who had been lingering outside soon dispersed.

Inside the house, Grandpa Lin, Baoni, and the Political Commissar were present, while the young soldier stayed outside to stand guard.

He was afraid that if he overheard anything about Colonel Gu, he might get dragged into training sessions with him, which was a terrifying thought!

“Grandpa Lin, our leaders has discussed this matter and come up with two options. Please listen, and Comrade Lin, you should listen as well.”

Xiao Chaoyang could tell that Comrade Lin Baoni held considerable influence in the family.

“Alright, you go ahead, Leader.” Grandpa Lin said, anxious about his daughter’s future.

Xiao Chaoyang didn’t hesitate and directly explained: “Comrade Lin, the person you saved is our Military Unit’s Colonel Gu Ye, 24 years old, unmarried and without a blind date. Colonel Gu graduated from the Beijing Military Academy and is an outstanding individual with strong professional skills.”

Xiao Chaoyang felt his introduction wasn’t quite right. It didn’t sound like the typical introduction for a potential marriage partner.

“We were thinking, both of these excellent individuals are single—do you think there’s a possibility they could end up together? This way, all rumors would naturally fade away.” Xiao Chaoyang carefully phrased it. He knew he’d have to refine his approach in the future, as there were still many single men in the unit.

“What? Are you suggesting that my Baoni marry this Colonel Gu?” Father Lin was taken aback, shocked by the suddenness of the suggestion.

While they were worried about Baoni’s marriage, they certainly didn’t expect her to marry someone she didn’t even know!

“Is this Colonel Gu’s idea?” Father Lin’s mind raced with possibilities.

Only Lin Baoni remained calm, quietly thinking to herself.

“Yes, it’s Colonel Gu’s idea. He believes that joining the army and proving oneself are just temporary solutions. The root of the problem remains, and you all will still have to continue living here.” Xiao Chaoyang tried to make Gu Ye sound even better, hoping to earn some favor in their eyes.

“What’s the situation with Colonel Gu?” Baoni, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

“Baoni, you…” Father Lin started to speak but was interrupted when his father tugged at his sleeve to stop him.

“Colonel Gu’s full name is Gu Ye. He graduated from the Capital Military Academy and currently holds the rank of Colonel.” Xiao Chaoyang paused for a moment, thinking about what else to say.

“Gu Ye’s family is from Beijing. His father is still alive, his mother is a martyr, and he has an older brother who is already married. He also has a younger sister who is still in school.” Xiao Chaoyang finished, feeling that his explanation was more comprehensive this time.

Lin Baoni thought for a moment before asking: “His mother passed away. Does he have a stepmother? Any half-siblings? What’s their relationship like?”

Xiao Chaoyang nearly broke into a sweat. Her questions were sharp. “Gu Ye’s father remarried, and he has three half-siblings. Their relationships are not very good.”

“But Gu Ye gets along well with his older brother.” Xiao Chaoyang added quickly, not wanting Lin Baoni to think Gu Ye was antisocial.

Lin Baoni considered it for a moment. “His family is in Beijinh, with a stepmother and bad relationship with them. That means his relationship with his father probably isn’t very good. It’s always the case that when there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather. His good relationship with his older brother suggests that they rely on each other. He didn’t mention his younger sister, so there must be something there.”

Father Lin and Grandpa Lin said nothing, watching as Baoni thought it over.

“If I don’t agree to the marriage, then the other option is for me to join the army, right?” Lin Baoni thought it through and figured it out.

“Yes, if Comrade Lin doesn’t agree to the marriage, we’ll arrange for you to enlist.” Xiao Chaoyang replied. He was impressed by how sharp Lin Baoni was, her reasoning thorough and precise.

“Can I understand this as: arranging for me to join the army is the Military Unit’s reward for me saving someone, and Colonel Gu wanting to marry me is compensation for the gossip I’ve had to endure?” Lin Baoni said directly after calculating it in her mind.

Xiao Chaoyang almost wiped his brow. Wasn’t it all one matter? Why did Lin Baoni make it sound like two separate issues—or maybe just one, but in a different way?

“That’s not wrong.” Xiao Chaoyang answered, his confidence wavering.

“If I agree to the marriage, and if Colonel Gu makes a mistake in the future, I can apply for a divorce, right?” Lin Baoni asked, knowing that military marriages, especially in this era, were difficult to dissolve.

“What kind of mistake?” Xiao Chaoyang was taken aback. They hadn’t even agreed to the marriage yet, and here she was already thinking about divorce.

“For example, if Colonel Gu starts liking another woman, or if Colonel Gu becomes violent with his wife…” Lin Baoni made her position clear, laying down the ground rules before the marriage. She wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding later on.

“This is impossible! How can a soldier lay hands on his wife? Also, the Military Unit absolutely does not tolerate issues with gender conduct!” Xiao Chaoyang said excitedly.

“I’m saying if, hypothetically.” Lin Baoni replied. She was no stranger to such matters.

“If the evidence is conclusive, you can ask for divorce.” Xiao Chaoyang responded confidently.

“Grandfather, Father, then I agree to marry Colonel Gu.”

Lin Baoni calculated. This seemed to be the best solution for now. As Colonel Gu had said, her grandfather’s solution only addressed the surface issue, not the root cause.

The Lin Family was a large family, and her personal matters could not affect the marriage prospects of other girls in the Lin Family. This was a practical issue.

Also, she was already 19, and unlike in later times, she could not choose to remain unmarried.

Marriage was inevitable. Instead of waiting for others to scrutinize her choice, she might as well marry Colonel Gu. She had saved his life and he felt indebted to her, plus she would have some say in the relationship.

Her stepmother wasn’t close to her, so there would be no mother-in-law problems.

The Military Unit was close to her home, and she could visit anytime. She couldn’t cook, never had in either of her lives!

Another point was that it was already 1964, and the most chaotic ten years were about to begin.

Her issue wasn’t huge, but if it were used against her by someone with ulterior motives, she wouldn’t come out unscathed.

During those ten years, the Military Camp was the safest place. Plus, with her pure peasant background, she had dual protection.

After weighing the options, the advantages of marriage were clear.

“I agree to marry Colonel Gu, but the reward the Military Unit promised me cannot be canceled.” Lin Baoni said.

She didn’t want to be a soldier, but her second brother wanted to be a soldier!

“What does Comrade Lin mean?” Xiao Chaoyang gave up taking the initiative. This entire conversation was being led by Comrade Lin.

“I want an enlistment spot for my second brother. He had signed up earlier, passed the physical examination and political review, but our team only had one spot. He gave it up for someone in greater need.” Lin Baoni stated clearly.

“Comrade Lin, I need to report this back; it’s not something I can decide on my own. Also, Colonel Gu wants to meet with you privately, what do you think…?”

The enlistment matter wasn’t something he had the authority to decide.

“That’s fine. I’ll go to the hospital the day after tomorrow and listen to the results.” Lin Baoni didn’t object to meeting.

Some things had to be discussed face to face.

“Alright then. That’s settled. We’ll meet the day after tomorrow. Colonel Gu is staying at Military General Hospital, Room 302.” Xiao Chaoyang concluded. With that, he planned to leave and go find Colonel Gu.

“Alright, see you the day after tomorrow.” Lin Baoni saw Xiao Chaoyang out with her family.

——

After sending Xiao Chaoyang off, Lin Baoni turned to Father Lin and Grandpa Lin, saying: “Grandpa, Dad, this may not even happen, so let’s not tell the whole family yet. I’ll talk about it when I get back the day after tomorrow.”

Father Lin wanted to say something but was pulled away by Grandpa Lin.

Lin Baoni returned to her bedroom, reflecting on everything that had happened in the past few days. Things had changed so quickly.

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