Chapter 26: Alimony (Part 3)

Chen Fanshi felt the same way. To him, Han Chao, Chen Yuhuang, and Chen Yufeng were his real family.

Zhang Yanli spent her days cursing Han Chao and Chen Yufeng at home—how could that make him happy?

“Goodbye, my dear daughter.” Her father’s voice was sweet as honey.

Back in the house, Chen Yufeng picked up the receipt and blew on the still-wet ink.

With this document, she had proof that all the money Chen Fanshi gave her was voluntary and intended as child support for her and as a marital asset settlement for Zhou Yafang. It had nothing to do with Han Chao.

If Zhang Yanli didn’t report it to the military district, fine. But if she did, not only would it cause a rift between her and Chen Fanshi, but her already tarnished reputation would only worsen.

When that happened, who knew if her good friend Ma Lin would still want to associate with her?

The next day was Saturday, and Chen Yufeng received a telegram from Wang Guoguo, sent from Guihua Town.

It said that she and Zhou Yafang had packed their things and were planning to come.

Han Chao had been working overtime all week, but that afternoon, he sent a soldier to inform her that he would be coming home for the evening.

Coincidentally, Mrs. Wu was out for a walk and teased, “Yufeng, you two really have a great relationship. Wang Shuyu has been working six days straight too, but he never thought to send someone to tell me.”

Being a military wife was tough—if a husband worked for a whole week, even if his wife was pregnant, she’d have to manage alone. No one was there to take care of her. Recently, Mrs. Wu had been saying she was considering going back to her mother’s home for a while.

Chen Yufeng laughed, “He’s just hungry and wants a good meal—that’s why he made sure to tell me.”

That said, with Wang Guoguo and Zhou Yafang arriving soon, and with many of her old acquaintances in the military district, Han Chao was still unaware of this.

Additionally, even though she had just received thirty thousand yuan from Chen Fanshi, she couldn’t touch it until Zhang Yanli made a move. For now, she could only hold onto it.

If Zhang Yanli really caused trouble with the military district, she would present both the money and the receipt as evidence.

So, she still needed Han Chao to use his seven years of battlefield experience to help vouch for her in leasing a storefront.

On Saturdays, the preschool had a day off, so both little girls were at home.

And today was also the first time Chen Yufeng took them to the Daqingshan wholesale market.

It was their first outing, and their excitement showed. Tiantian was a slow runner, so Chen Yufeng had to hold her hand, while Mimi was too quick, so she had to be restrained.

Although they had grown up in town, playing around stalls and shopfronts, the wholesale market at Daqingshan was an eye-opener for them. Rows upon rows of televisions and radios dazzled their little eyes.

When they passed by a fish vendor, Chen Yufeng greeted him out of courtesy but didn’t intend to buy anything. Suddenly, Tiantian yelped, “Mommy! A chicken pecked my butt!”

Turning around, Chen Yufeng saw a fierce-looking rooster inside a nearby chicken cage, pecking at Tiantian.

In the city, most chickens were farm-raised, and free-range chickens were rare. But this vendor’s stall was full of them.

At that moment, the fish vendor, an old man, said, “That’s my old neighbor next door. They just came from Miyun. The old couple raises chickens in the mountains, and their son sells them in the city. If you want one, just ask.”

Chen Yufeng glanced at the proud-looking rooster and pointed at it. “Boss, slaughter that one for me.”

In no time, the chicken was plucked and cleaned. That night, it would become a dish of spicy chicken stir-fry!

For dinner, they steamed white rice, fried the chicken pieces, chopped the chili peppers, and cooked a large pot of sauerkraut soup with red beans. A side dish of braised potatoes and beans, along with two bowls of dipping sauce, completed the meal. Simple, but perfect with rice.

By then, Han Chao hadn’t returned yet. She deliberately posted the military district’s latest notice about leasing storefronts on their front yard gate before taking the two little girls for a bath.

When she returned, she noticed the notice was gone—and Han Chao was in the yard.

“Look, my dad!” Tiantian pointed at Han Chao, then at the neighbor’s house. “And that’s Zhao Wu’s dad.”

Han Chao had changed into an army-green vest and was tidying up the coal shed. His skin was fair, but his muscles were well-defined—his physique was like that of an actor from a foreign movie, though his face was distinctly that of a refined young man.

Next door, Zhao Fangzheng was sprawled out on a reclining chair, his two sons massaging his shoulders.

Spicy chicken stir-fry was a common dish, but to make it truly fragrant, one had to use glutinous chili paste. It had to be cooked piping hot.

The moment the chili hit the pan, Zhao Fangzheng next door, who had been lazily reclining, suddenly perked up and sniffed the air. “Smells amazing.”

When the fried chicken went back into the pan, his wife, Mrs. Bao, had just brought back his favorite pork hock from the cafeteria. But as he ate, he found that no matter how much he chewed, it didn’t seem as fragrant as usual. The smell from next door was making him salivate.

Men were naturally broad-shouldered and imposing, and when Han Chao reached for a plate, his large hands made it look even smaller. “Running a restaurant won’t work—too much oil and smoke. It’ll ruin your hands.”

His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Since his wife had come to the city, she had to find work. But in his view, something like tailoring, like what Qi Cailing did, was at least clean.

Running a restaurant, dealing with oil and water all day? That was too dirty in Han Chao’s eyes.

It wasn’t for any other reason—just the thought of dealing with water and oil every day was enough for Han Chao to disapprove.

Chen Yufeng, however, wasn’t in a hurry. No matter what the issue was, eating came first.

“Daddy, have you been busy lately?” Mimi asked at the dinner table.

Han Chao replied, “Not busy.”

But the truth was shocking. After a thorough investigation this past week, they discovered that almost every battalion had lost magnifying glasses. Some had been recovered, but many were still missing.

If new recruits were secretly keeping those magnifying glasses, there was a chance they might use them against their instructors.

The current batch of recruits had devious minds and unpredictable natures. Some, like Ma Shangbei, might have even been street gang members before joining the military. And the military camp, where bullets and guns didn’t have eyes, was already a dangerous place. While they didn’t fear the dangers of the battlefield, what the leadership truly feared was an internal incident—an event that could cost lives.

If something like that really happened, it would be an earth-shattering scandal.

Tiantian chimed in, “Daddy, on July 1st, for Army Day, we have a performance! I’ll be going to the grand auditorium.”

Han Chao turned to his daughter and said, “Okay, I’ll be there to watch.”

Chen Yufeng felt a bit jealous for no reason. Why hadn’t Tiantian mentioned this to her before?

This useless man barely spoke a few words to the girls, yet they adored him.

Mimi gave him a piece of spicy chicken, and Tiantian scooped up a spoonful of white kidney bean sauerkraut soup for him. Worried he wouldn’t taste the full flavor, she even stirred it for him.

The white kidney bean and sauerkraut soup, when mixed into a bowl of soft, glutinous rice, was visually appetizing enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

After dinner, the two girls went off to watch TV. Tonight’s episode of The Legend of the Condor Heroes was airing. Most people found it old and outdated, but the girls loved it—especially when Huang Rong called out “Brother Jing.” They would turn to their mother and say, “Mommy, Huang Rong is just like you!”

Han Chao hadn’t been home for a week. He walked around the house, inspecting everything. Seeing that the place was both clean and tidy, with nothing urgent to do, he pulled out a few old cotton blankets from the bottom of a chest, took them to the courtyard, and beat the dust out of them.

Afterward, he checked inside and found the bedding was already clean, so he put everything back.

Then, without a word, he left the house.

Chen Yufeng thought he might be angry, not wanting to talk to her, and had gone back to the base.

But a while later, he returned—carrying a large woven sack.

He went into the bedroom and remained silent for a long time.

Curious, Chen Yufeng followed him inside to see what he was doing. As soon as she entered, she saw him holding a pair of scissors, cutting up an old bedsheet.

After cutting it, he pulled out a sewing kit and—unbelievably—started threading a needle.

Chen Yufeng was so shocked her jaw nearly dropped.

A grown man like Han Chao, threading a needle? Was he actually going to sew a pillow?

As someone from the countryside, she had always seen Han Chao as a wild dog in his younger years. But now, watching him pinch a needle with his large fingers, threading it effortlessly, and sewing with precision—she was utterly dumbfounded.

Even city women who had seen all sorts of things would probably be just as stunned.

Han Chao, dressed in his military green undershirt, had rough, strong hands. The tiny embroidery needle seemed practically invisible between his fingers.

Yet, with a single flick, the thread passed through the needle’s eye.

The fact that he could thread a needle at all was already shocking enough.

And after threading it, he even tied a knot at the end of the thread before starting to sew properly.

“Brother, where did you learn this?” Chen Yufeng thought she might be hallucinating.

This man had never done such things as a child. His hands were only ever used for fighting—whether with people, chickens, or dogs.

Han Chao answered, “Vietnam.”

“You’ve been to Vietnam?” As soon as she asked, Chen Yufeng realized how pointless her question was—he had fought in the Vietnam War.

Still, Han Chao patiently replied, “Hanoi, Hue, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City—I’ve been to them all.”

Chen Yufeng reached into the woven sack he had brought and grabbed a handful of buckwheat husks.

“Daddy, what are you doing? Our pillows are made of cotton and soft. We don’t want this,” Mimi said, leaning against the doorway, noticing the buckwheat husks.

But Tiantian responded, “Mimi, Daddy is making pillows for Grandma and Granny.”

Military district pillows were, of course, made of cotton. If Han Chao hadn’t specifically sought out buckwheat husks, Chen Yufeng would have completely forgotten that the two elderly women were used to sleeping on buckwheat pillows and wouldn’t be able to rest well on soft cotton ones.

She had forgotten to prepare pillows for them.

This damn man—she knew he would have changed a lot before coming home.

But she never expected him to change this much.

There were still things they needed to discuss, but not in front of the children. Kids were sensitive—Mimi had once fought Wang Jiajia over a single flaky bun. If she talked about leadership affairs in front of them, she worried they might blurt things out.

Chen Yufeng wasn’t in a rush, though. The two little ones had followed her to the market today—Tiantian had complained about her feet hurting and went to bed early, and by nine o’clock, Mimi couldn’t stay awake either. She drowsily brushed her teeth, and when she started nodding off, Chen Yufeng carried her to bed.

Even in her sleep, the little girl murmured, “Call Daddy over. Let’s all sleep together.”

Han Chao was still sewing pillows.

Chen Yufeng went into the small bedroom and took out the 30,000 yuan.

Seeing the slight arch of his brow, she immediately pulled out the receipt as well.

Then, she told him her suspicions.

She had accepted the 30,000 yuan, but she wouldn’t use it yet. She would wait and see how Zhang Yanli acted before making a decision.

“Okay, just keep it,” Han Chao said. He handed the money and the receipt back to her, then bent down and took out a box from under the small bed. Removing a keyring from his waist, he passed it to Chen Yufeng. “Put it inside.”

Chen Yufeng looked at the box—it was a violin case. Because of its weight, she assumed there was an actual violin inside. But when she opened it, she found it hollow inside.

From its structure, it looked like it was meant to store a gun.

So… was this a gun case disguised as a violin case?

This damn man—his belongings were all so bizarre.

Seeing the warmth in his gaze, Chen Yufeng took out a photograph and placed it on the pillow.

Han Chao stared at it for a long moment before picking it up.

Looking at the little girl in the corner of the photo, he murmured, “My mother?”

“I must open a restaurant. Write the application for me now—I need to go to the Military Affairs Office first thing tomorrow,” Chen Yufeng said. She noticed Han Chao struggling to push the needle through the fabric, so she took it from him, ran it through her hair to lubricate it, and handed it back. Raising an eyebrow with a playful smile, she added, “If you don’t write the application, I won’t tell you what’s going on.”

Under the lamp’s glow, the strong yet delicate-featured man gazed at his wife.

Seven years apart—of course, people change.

But Chen Yufeng had changed too much. As a child, she had always been a naïve girl.

Back then, Qi Cailing would often trick her into handing over her handkerchiefs and marbles. Whenever Qi Cailing claimed she had lost something and started crying, she would foolishly believe it. Time and again, Qi Cailing would walk away with her little trinkets, and Han Chao would have to step in, blocking Qi Cailing and retrieving them for her.

Before going to war, Han Chao had always worried she would suffer losses in town.

But when he reunited with her in Guihua Town, the way she had convinced Wang Guoguo to seek medical treatment in the capital had shocked him.

And at that dinner table, the way she unmasked Chen Fanshi just to prove an antique’s authenticity—

She was right, of course. Han Chao had sent Ma Shangbei to prison, and now Zhang Yanli hated him with a vengeance.

Chen Fanshi sending money was just a ploy to cause trouble for him at the Military Affairs Office.

But what was the deal with this photo?

Han Chao didn’t want to give in, but his wife had already handed him a pen and even shook his arm gently.

She had never done that before—shaking his arm with a slight pout.

Short, wavy hair, big fluttering eyes.

“Running a restaurant is exhausting,” Han Chao said.

Chen Yufeng raised a hand. “I can handle it.”

“I brought you here to live a good life,” Han Chao added.

Chen Yufeng raised her other hand. “I’m capable of working.”

Of course, she had to work—she had no choice. Unlike Qi Cailing, who had an eye for fashion, all she knew was cooking. Han Chao saying he wanted her to enjoy life was just talk. Staying at home for a year might not matter, but if she stayed home for ten years? To borrow a phrase from books, she’d become the “yellow-faced wife” that working military spouses laughed at.

Han Chao picked up the pen and quickly wrote a few lines, completing the application. Then he turned to look at his wife.

Chen Yufeng didn’t hesitate. She kicked off her shoes, sat cross-legged on the bed, and shared everything she had heard from Minister Wang’s wife about “Little A’mi” with Han Chao.

Most of it wasn’t important.

But since even Madam Wang suspected that Director Ma’s child had been kidnapped—and implied that Wang Guoguo was involved—once Han Chao’s mother arrived, this matter would need to be clarified with Director Ma in person.

It wasn’t just Chen Yufeng—everyone in Guihua Town could vouch for the fact that when Director Ma’s daughter went missing, Wang Guoguo was in Guihua Town the entire time and never left.

At the very least, Director Ma should publicly clarify this matter in front of all the leaders.

Han Chao alternated between looking at the photo and looking at Chen Yufeng.

Then he suddenly asked, “Are you sleeping here tonight?”