Chapter 18: Making Ginger Sugar Water for the Battalion

Not long after Cheng Jinghao left, it started drizzling outside, and soon the rain began to intensify.

Lin Momo wasn’t really in the mood to eat anymore. After tidying up the meal, she washed up and sat on the bed, reading a book while waiting for Cheng Jinghao.

After a moment, she took out a piece of ginger from her space and brewed some ginger sugar water. She figured it would be good for him to drink when he returned to warm up.

The villagers from the nearby areas had already started harvesting the barley.

Zhao Zhigang had found Cheng Jinghao working in the field. When Cheng Jinghao left earlier, he asked Zhao to go to the military district and gather the men from their battalion.

“Old Cheng, I’ve gathered the men from our battalion. The three companies have gone to the nearby three villages.”

“Good, get to work quickly. We need to finish harvesting before the heavy rain hits,” Cheng Jinghao nodded, continuing his task without stopping.

“Understood!” Zhao Zhigang replied.

“Captain Cheng, thank you so much!” The village head said, seeing the soldiers helping with the harvest. He was so moved that he didn’t know how to express his gratitude.

“Village head, don’t mention it. It’s what we, the people’s soldiers, should do. Let’s get to work,” Cheng Jinghao replied, urging them to hurry.

“Right, right,” the village head didn’t dare delay and immediately organized the villagers to work faster.

As Cheng Jinghao worked alongside the villagers to harvest, he kept checking the barley. In fact, it would be best to wait a few more days to harvest it, but the rain had arrived so suddenly. If they didn’t finish before nightfall, they risked losing the crop altogether.

With the help of the entire battalion, the harvest from the three villages was quickly completed. Cheng Jinghao directed the soldiers to help the villagers store the grain in the warehouse, then organized everyone to head back to the military district.

When Cheng Jinghao entered the yard, Lin Momo immediately heard the noise and rushed outside.

“How was it? Did you finish the harvest?” Lin Momo asked.

“It’s all done,” Cheng Jinghao was about to take off his raincoat.

“I made ginger sugar water for you. Drink some to warm up,” Lin Momo said, heading to the kitchen to pour him a cup of ginger sugar water.

“Momo,” Cheng Jinghao paused in the middle of taking off his raincoat. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

“What is it?”

“Can you give me some brown sugar? The men from my battalion helped with the harvest, but it wasn’t a military district mission. I called them out to help personally, and I want to make some ginger sugar water for them at the military district’s mess hall.”

“Of course,” Lin Momo nodded, taking out a good amount of brown sugar and a lot of ginger.

Lin Momo then grabbed another raincoat and hat from the wall. “I’ll go with you.”

“No, Momo, the rain is too heavy,” Cheng Jinghao quickly stopped her.

“But Cheng Jinghao, I’m a military family member now. I want to do what I can to help,” Lin Momo insisted.

Unable to convince her otherwise, Cheng Jinghao finally relented and agreed to take her along. Before they left, he asked Zhao Zhigang to have a bowl of ginger sugar water at their house.

When Zhao Zhigang heard they were heading to the mess hall, he put on his raincoat and hat, asking Ke He to watch the children at home, and followed them.

By the time they arrived at the mess hall in the evening, the lights were already off. Cheng Jinghao went to the cook’s office to get the key to the mess hall, and the three of them began working inside.

After boiling a large pot of ginger sugar water, Cheng Jinghao and Zhao Zhigang carried it to the soldiers’ dorms to distribute it, while Lin Momo stayed in the mess hall to continue boiling more.

Gradually, more and more soldiers heard the news. They came to the mess hall on their own, so Cheng Jinghao and the others didn’t need to go around delivering it.

The warm ginger sugar water settled into the soldiers’ bellies, and when Lin Momo saw their satisfied smiles, her lips curled up into a smile as well.

“Commander, Political Commissar, look at them. The entire battalion, out in the middle of the night, is not only leaving the military district but also making food,” a male voice came from outside the door.

Lin Momo, who was pouring ginger sugar water for the soldiers, froze for a moment, and the soldiers straightened up one by one.

“Commander, Political Commissar,” the soldiers, led by Cheng Jinghao and Zhao Zhigang, all saluted in unison.

“Commander, Political Commissar, this must be severely punished,” the man continued speaking.

The regiment commander glanced at the man and then turned to Cheng Jinghao.

“Where did you take everyone?”

“Commander, the battalion commander…” The soldiers were about to speak, but Cheng Jinghao raised his hand, and they immediately fell silent.

“I took them to help the villagers with the harvest. This was my idea, and I am willing to accept any punishment from the organization,” Cheng Jinghao stood straight and said.

“And me. We’re partners. Don’t think you can take the blame alone,” Zhao Zhigang stepped forward.

“And us, we’re all volunteers.”

“And us…” One by one, the soldiers stood up.

Lin Momo had never seen such a situation before, and she could feel the heat of blood boiling inside her.

“You’re Cheng Jinghao’s wife?” Political Commissar Cao walked up to Lin Momo, glanced at the ginger syrup in front of her. “You’re generous to give out such good stuff, this ginger syrup looks very thick.”

“Yes.” Lin Momo looked up at the man in front of her, who was in his fifties. He was imposing yet gave her a kind feeling.

“Why did you come to the cafeteria?” Political Commissar Cao asked.

“Cheng Jinghao wanted to cook ginger syrup for everyone, so I came. The brown sugar was part of my dowry, and the ginger was from Beijing,” Lin Momo’s voice grew quieter.

“Haha.” Both Political Commissar Cao and Battalion Commander Chen laughed.

Then, Battalion Commander Chen glared at the man who had walked over to him. “Liu Shuanggui, you, as a soldier of the people and the commander of the battalion, are not as good as a military wife.”

“What does being a soldier of the people mean? It’s to serve the people. Cheng Jinghao took the whole battalion to help the villagers, and they’ve been gone for hours. Don’t think Cao and I didn’t know about it when an entire battalion leaves the military district.”

“Commander, they clearly…”

“Even if Cheng Jinghao didn’t take the whole battalion to help with the harvest, Cao and I would still have made arrangements. Today, the entire battalion did very well.” Political Commissar Cao looked at the soldiers.

“This matter, Cao and I will report it. The battalion should be commended.”

“Of course, we can’t let our military wives put out their dowry like this,” Battalion Commander Chen smiled at Lin Momo.

This made Lin Momo feel a bit embarrassed; she was just explaining where the things came from.

“No need, no need, I volunteered to give it.” Lin Momo’s face turned even redder as she spoke.

“This ginger syrup is a good thing in the Tibetan area. We can’t let your generosity go to waste.” Political Commissar Cao laughed.

“Kid, you found yourself a good wife.” Battalion Commander Chen patted Cheng Jinghao on the shoulder.

“Alright, you all drink your ginger syrup. We’re going now. Tomorrow the entire battalion gets half a day off, don’t get sick.”

With that, Battalion Commander Chen and Political Commissar Cao left, completely ignoring Liu Shuanggui.

“Stealing chickens but losing the rice,” Zhao Zhigang walked up to Liu Shuanggui and gave him a sideways glance.

“Liu Shuanggui, see you at the training ground tomorrow afternoon,” Cheng Jinghao said, throwing him a cold sentence.

He walked up to Lin Momo, noticed her red face, and smiled slightly. “Scared?”

Lin Momo shook her head. She wasn’t scared, just a little embarrassed.

“You guys…” Liu Shuanggui looked at Cheng Jinghao and Zhao Zhigang, his anger reaching its peak.

“Aren’t you going?” Zhao Zhigang glanced at him.

“You wait,” Liu Shuanggui was furious and waved his sleeve as he walked away.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the training ground tomorrow.” Cheng Jinghao shouted at his back.

This caused the soldiers in the battalion to burst into laughter. Who didn’t know that Battalion Commander Cheng was unbeatable in the Southwestern Military District?