Chapter 15: Xiao Zheng Must Be Hiding Something in His Heart

Dongdong was four years old—he probably shouldn’t be going into the women’s bathhouse anymore.

An Huan felt a twinge of regret. She should’ve waited until Xiao Zheng got off work so he could bring their child to bathe instead.

Zhou Meihua picked up on her hesitation and said, “What’s the big deal? My boy can take Dongdong to the men’s bathhouse.”

An Huan asked Dongdong gently, “Would it be okay if you went to bathe with your big brother?”

Dongdong wasn’t shy and was quite curious about older boys. He nodded eagerly and said, “Sure, Mommy! Give me my little underwear and big towel. Oh—and soap too!”

Zhou Meihua called to the boy skipping ahead, “Shi Xiaojun! Take your little brother to the men’s bathhouse and make sure he’s cleaned up, alright?”

Shi Xiaojun glanced at Dongdong. Seeing that he was cleaner and prettier than a girl, he looked a bit disgusted. “Why should we guys bring him? Let him go to the women’s bathhouse.”

“He’s not even grown hair yet—what kind of ‘guy’ is that?”

Zhou Meihua raised her hand as if to hit him.

Shi Xiaojun dodged nimbly and made a goofy face at her, grinning.

“Shi Xiaojun!” his older sister Shi Xiaoshan shot him a sharp look. “You want a beating?”

Shi Xiaojun instantly straightened up and replied properly, “Got it, I’ll wash little brother clean.” Then he took Dongdong’s hand and walked into the men’s bathhouse.

Zhou Meihua scoffed, “What a little rascal. Only his sister can handle him.”

An Huan smiled and looked at Shi Xiaoshan, who had stayed quiet all this time. The ten-year-old girl had short hair cropped behind her ears and tanned skin. At a glance, she almost looked like a boy.

An Huan asked, “Xiaoshan, where do you go to school?”

Shi Xiaoshan answered coolly, “First County Primary. Fourth grade.” With her upturned phoenix eyes and serious demeanor, she gave off a spirited vibe.

Zhou Meihua chimed in, “There are two primary schools and two middle schools in the county. The best ones are First Primary and First Middle. All the kids from our Courtyard go to those.”

An Huan asked, “Is there a kindergarten?”

Zhou Meihua nodded. “There’s a kindergarten and a nursery right here in our base. All the staff are military wives.”

An Huan nodded in understanding.

The bathhouse had no private stalls—just a row of showers and two large rectangular soaking pools.

One glance across, and it was all bare skin.

One sniff, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur and soap.

Neither the sights nor the smells were pleasant.

An Huan hesitated, mentally bracing herself for a long while before she finally began undressing.

But the moment she finished, a chorus of stares turned toward her.

“Wow, look at that flawless skin! Even-toned all over!” someone exclaimed.

An Huan felt so embarrassed she wished she could curl up and disappear.

Zhou Meihua shouted with a laugh, “Quit staring, all of you! What are you looking at the little wife for? Didn’t your own bodies grow?”

The crowd erupted in laughter.

“Sure they did, but we sure didn’t grow like that.”

“An Huan, what did you grow up eating? A full chest, curvy hips—and you’ve already had a kid, but your waist is still so slim, and your stomach is smooth as a drum. If I didn’t know, I’d think you were still a girl.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, that rough Deputy Division Commander Xiao sure hit the jackpot.”

An Huan flushed all over. She found a quiet corner, washed as fast as she could, and made a beeline for the exit.

Zhou Meihua asked in surprise, “You’re not going to soak?”

Even though the weather was warming up, it had been a few days since their last bath. Soaking made scrubbing easier.

An Huan shook her head. “No soaking, no soaking.” She rushed out with her head down.

Zhou Meihua smacked her lips, disappointed. She’d been hoping to exchange back-scrubs and build some friendship.

Once outside, An Huan took a deep breath of fresh air—then turned and spotted Ge Hongxia approaching with a younger woman. The two were chatting as they walked.

“You’re saying the Division Commander’s wife bathes at home with boiled water? Every day? That must take so much firewood!”

“Right? Only someone married to the Division Commander could afford a wife like—”

The two women fell silent mid-sentence when they saw An Huan.

An Huan recognized the younger woman with Ge Hongxia—it was Xiao Qiao, the maid from the Division Commander’s household. When she’d visited Wen Xueman, Xiao Qiao had been respectful and well-mannered. Who would’ve thought she’d turn around and gossip about her employers?

Xiao Qiao greeted An Huan with a nervous smile. An Huan returned it politely.

Ge Hongxia didn’t say anything, so An Huan simply ignored her as well.

The two walked past her.

A moment later, Dongdong and Shi Xiaojun came out of the men’s bathhouse, along with a few boys who were friends with Shi Xiaojun.

Earlier, Shi Xiaojun had been reluctant to take Dongdong. Now, he had an arm slung around Dongdong’s shoulders and called out, “Auntie, let little brother sleep at my place tonight!”

An Huan teased, “Oh? You’re already getting along that well?”

Shi Xiaojun replied, “We just had a contest. Little brother is younger than me, but he peed just as far as I did. I’ve decided—we’re sworn brothers now. We may not be born on the same day, month, or year, but—”

Before he could finish, Dongdong cut him off. “Brother Xiaojun, I can’t sleep over. I have to sleep at home.”

Shi Xiaojun looked disappointed. “Then how about going to school with me tomorrow?”

Dongdong said matter-of-factly, “I’m only four. I’m not old enough for school yet.”

Shi Xiaojun pouted, but after a few coaxing words from Dongdong, he cheered up again.

An Huan looked at her son. For someone so young, his emotional intelligence was impressively high…

Once Zhou Meihua and Shi Xiaoshan came out, the group headed home together.

Later, Xiao Zheng also went to the bathhouse after work. As he was leaving, An Huan reminded him, “Don’t forget what you promised me—wash thoroughly.”

Xiao Zheng staggered, almost tripping.

Unfortunately, even after washing thoroughly, it didn’t matter.

As soon as he lay down, he was fast asleep.

An Huan glared at him, puffing her cheeks in frustration.

Something wasn’t right. Xiao Zheng must be hiding something—that’s why he hadn’t touched her.

Lying there, An Huan kept thinking about what was going on between them. In Xiao Zheng’s eyes, they’d been married for five years and had a son, but their relationship had always been strained…

Could it be that he still resented the original An Huan’s affair?

But if he did, then why hadn’t he divorced her? Why had he been so easygoing with her these past few days?

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. Finally, she kicked him on the butt.

His breathing hitched for a second.

Ha! So he was pretending to sleep!

An Huan’s stubborn streak flared.

Fine! If she couldn’t seduce this man into begging her for intimacy, she wasn’t An Huan!