Chapter 47

When things go wrong, even drinking cold water seems to get stuck in your teeth.

Lin Qing never expected to be scolded just for walking peacefully.

But after being criticized so much lately, she didn’t get angry as easily.

What puzzled her was why she was being targeted.

As she thought about whether to respond, her sister stood in front of her.

Lin Ting had been snubbed and sneered at by Liu Wenyan countless times before, but she never took it to heart.

It wasn’t because she had an especially good temper, but she didn’t care about Political Commissar Liu, fearing she might make things difficult for Huo Xiao, especially since he had just arrived at the new unit. But that wasn’t the only reason.

The more important reason was that Lin Ting felt Liu Wenyan’s thinking was far from normal. Trying to reason with her was useless, and it could make things worse, so it was best to ignore her.

However, Lin Ting never imagined that Liu Wenyan would get crazier, seeing everyone as an enemy.

So Lin Ting immediately stepped in front of her elder sister and coldly said, “Are you blind? Why do you snap at people when you see them? Didn’t you notice my sister is pushing the child?”

At this moment, Hu Xiu and Huo Xiao, who had never seen their daughter-in-law scold anyone, just looked at them curiously.

Lin Shuang wasn’t too surprised. In fact, she felt that Lin Ting seemed more like the sister she remembered. The two sisters used to argue fiercely when they were younger.

But Liu Wenyan was bewildered.

Despite all her odd behavior lately, Lin Ting had always ignored her. And now she called her blind? And a biter?

Also, what had Lin Ting said? Child?

It wasn’t until she looked over at the bamboo cart that she finally noticed the child.

Having children was just like being married.

Realizing this, Liu Wenyan no longer cared about arguing with Lin Ting. There were more pressing matters at hand.

Of course, she never thought of apologizing. She rolled her eyes at the two sisters before marching over to Cao Wenzhe, saying, “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Lin Ting…

With her body covered in metaphorical thorns and her fighting spirit burning, Lin Ting hadn’t expected Liu Wenyan to leave so abruptly.

Moreover, Liu Wenyan had changed her approach. Her tone, once domineering, was now filled with sadness and resentment. If someone didn’t know better, they might think Captain Cao shared a personal connection with her. Maybe Captain Cao was afraid of losing control?

While Lin Ting pondered this, she saw Cao Wenze’s face pale. He handed Miaomiao over to Hu Xiu and said, “Auntie, I won’t be home for dinner,” before storming off, bag in hand.

Liu Wenyan, still following him, stamped her feet in frustration.

Huo Xiao, observing Cao Wenze’s retreat, glanced at his wife and mother. “I’ll check on him after I drop you both off.”

Hu Xiu silently prayed: Go, go. Xiao Cao is so pitiful. Please comfort him. I’m afraid he might get depressed.

Cao Wenze was indeed troubled.

The anger that had been festering for months was now dangerously close to exploding. When he noticed Liu Wenyan still trailing him, his frustration grew, and he started running.

He ran for an entire hour.

The storm in his heart barely stayed contained.

When he finally reached his dorm, exhausted and uncertain of his next steps, he saw Huo Xiao there.

Cao Wenze hesitated at the door for a moment before walking in. “Captain.”

Seeing how drained he looked, Huo Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Want to talk?”

Cao Wenze paused but eventually nodded.

This was passive resistance… Huo Xiao felt helpless, yet he understood the struggles Cao Wenze was facing. If it were him, he likely wouldn’t have the same patience.

Getting straight to the point, Huo Xiao said, “Don’t act out of anger. Even if you go after that person, your career will be over. If you trust me, wait a little longer. I’ll arrange a transfer for you.”

Cao Wenze almost spoke up, wanting to deny any intentions of action.

But when he met his captain’s knowing gaze, words failed him.

The truth was, he had considered submitting an anonymous letter of complaint to his superiors.

As he had mentioned before, Political Commissar Liu was manipulative, and his wife, Wen Hui, acted arrogantly, often crossing ethical lines. Over the past few months, Cao Wenze had collected significant evidence.

Submitting it could likely result in Liu’s demotion—maybe even a complete downfall.

However, Liu had been a hero in the past and had never committed any major work-related mistakes. As a fellow soldier, Cao Wenze was hesitant to betray his comrade, even if he had the evidence.

Wiping his face, Cao Wenze finally spoke. “Captain, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I can’t leave.”

Last month, he had applied for a transfer, only to be denied by Political Commissar Liu.

At that moment, Cao Wenze realized that Liu’s promise to help restrain his daughter was just an excuse to make his life difficult—revenge for past disrespect.

Liu had boxed him into a corner, leaving him with two choices: retire or marry Liu Wenyan.

This had kept him on edge for weeks.

Just as he was about to reach his breaking point, Liu Wenyan had struck again, throwing more fuel on the fire.

The events of the day had pushed him to his limit, and now he couldn’t take it anymore.

Perhaps it was time to take a chance. He was tired of this life.

As the anger returned to his face, Huo Xiao stood up and patted his shoulder, offering more support. “I told you, I’ll arrange your transfer, and it will be done in half a month.”

Huo Xiao had decided to intervene because he disapproved of what Political Commissar Liu had done, and since Cao Wenze was his subordinate, he couldn’t just stand by.

Although he hadn’t intended to get involved in such a personal matter, Huo Xiao knew that intervening was necessary.

Cao Wenze was quick to realize that Huo Xiao had likely been planning his transfer for a while and understood the captain’s concerns that had been kept hidden.

After a moment of contemplation, he asked, his voice hoarse, “When?”

Huo Xiao answered, “From the moment you submitted your transfer request.”

Cao Wenze’s response was filled with doubt. “Does the regiment commander know… will the brigade commander agree?”

Huo Xiao didn’t answer directly but patted his shoulder once more, saying, “Wait another half month. Even if you’re unhappy, take care of yourself first. We’ve worked hard to reach where we are. Are you really willing to throw it all away?”

These words struck Cao Wenze hard. As he watched the captain walk away, a sense of clarity washed over him.

There were things he had to do!

But… those things could wait a few more days.

Meanwhile, Lin Ting was unaware that her husband was not only offering comfort but also fueling the fire.

After being sent to rest in the bedroom by her mother-in-law and sister, she began reflecting on her eldest sister’s future.

To be honest, had Lin Ting not witnessed Liu Wenyan harshly scolding someone that day, she might not have thought so deeply about her sister’s situation.

She had always viewed her eldest sister as a relative in need of help, and she believed her home was merely a temporary refuge for her—a place she would eventually leave.

However, the shock of what she saw was too overwhelming. Lin Ting couldn’t help but recall how her elder sister had endured relentless rumors in the past.

Rumors can be deadly… There are too many inexplicable people like Liu Wenyan. How much more could her elder sister bear?

Maybe she should find a way…

Just as Lin Ting’s thoughts raced, there were several knocks on the bedroom door.

She snapped back to reality and got up. “The door is not locked.”

Lin Shuang pushed open the door and handed her sister a cup of malted milk. “Dinner will take another hour or two. Drink this first.”

Lin Ting was indeed a little hungry, so she took the drink and sipped a few mouthfuls before asking, “Sister, have you ever thought about staying in Tianjin?”

Lin Shuang was initially bewildered but soon felt a flicker of hope. “Huh? How could we stay in Tianjin?” Though she never expressed it, she longed to raise her children in a new environment.

Moreover, after coming to the big city, Lin Shuang realized that while divorce was still criticized, it was far more common here than in her mountain village.

She was tired of being judged wherever she went.

But… staying in Tianjin wouldn’t be easy.

Thinking of this, she shook her head in disappointment. “Impossible.”

Lin Ting disagreed. “It’s not that difficult.”

Lin Shuang had always thought her younger sister was smarter than her. Feeling a glimmer of hope, she asked eagerly, “How can we stay?”

Lin Ting replied, “First, we buy a house.”

Lin Shuang hesitated.

Lin Ting continued, “There are small houses that cost a few hundred to a thousand. Once we have a house, we can transfer your household registration.”

Lin Shuang frowned. “I don’t have that much money. Even if I borrowed it, I couldn’t pay it back.”

Lin Ting waved her hand. “You can afford it. We’ll find you a job.”

Lin Shuang immediately dismissed the idea. She rolled her eyes at her sister. “Finding a job isn’t that easy. A few years ago, you were a college graduate, and it still took you more than a year to find work… Okay, I know you mean well, but let’s not dream. Just drink up.”

Lin Ting felt helpless. Back in their rural hometown, jobs were scarce, and they had no connections.

But things were different now. With a house and a registered address in Tianjin, the local government would help her sister, a single mother of three, find work.

Moreover, Huo Xiao, along with their second brother, was here to support them.

Finding a job might take some time, but within three to six months, it was definitely possible.

Thinking of this, she wrinkled her nose at her skeptical elder sister. “Sister, just wait. I’ll definitely find you a good job, but you have to promise me one thing.”

Lin Shuang, feeling guilty toward her sister, agreed without hesitation. “Okay, okay, I’ll agree to anything. Just drink it before it gets cold.”

Like coaxing a child, Lin Ting reluctantly finished the malted milk before making her request. “Once you settle in Tianjin, go to night school and take the secondary school diploma exam.”

Lin Shuang was stunned. Memories surfaced—her 15-year-old sister had once been so disappointed in her for dropping out of junior high school and having a child at 20.

Nearly a decade later, the same issue arose again.

After a long silence, Lin Shuang, her nose tingling with emotion, heard herself give a completely different answer this time. “Okay!”