Chapter 11

While Lu Cheng was away getting food, Wen Ning wandered around the house assigned to her by the Military Unit.

Ever since inexplicably transmigrating to this era, Wen Ning had felt uneasy. Everything here was different from the Great Liang Dynasty she knew—poorer, yet filled with astonishing contraptions that left her wide-eyed.

Now that she had a home—the Great General’s home, her own territory—Wen Ning felt a flicker of stability. The brick-and-tile bungalow reminded her of the courtyard houses of the Great Liang Dynasty. Yet the bed inside puzzled her, it didn’t seem like a bed at all.

At  Duke Zhenguo’s Manor, the beds were crafted from exquisite huanghuali wood, intricately carved and draped with embroidered curtains.

But this “bed” was nothing like those in Wen Family’s village—not made of wood, but of something hard and stone-like. Wen Ning stroked the surface, her red lips pursed. Could anyone sleep comfortably on this?

The new house had three spacious bedrooms, and the main hall faced south, flooding the courtyard with light. The courtyard was currently empty, but Wen Ning already envisioned it overflowing with roses and peonies.

The back garden of Duke Zhenguo’s Manor had once been a riot of vibrant colors, a symbol of prosperity and abundance. During the height of summer, Wen Ning had loved to stroll through the garden with her cousins, enjoying the lake and the flowers. But now, times had changed. Her family was gone, and the memory of that lush garden had vanished, replaced by the bare courtyard before her.

At least this place is mine, Wen Ning comforted herself. Things will get better. I’ll live well with the Great General and see if there’s a chance to return to the Great Liang Dynasty.

As Wen Ning stood pondering in the courtyard, she heard rustling sounds from beyond the wall. Looking up, she glimpsed shadowy figures moving in the cracks.

Could it be thieves?

Wen Ning hurried toward the wall and found two children standing there, glaring at her with unfriendly eyes.

The boy, around thirteen or fourteen years old, wore a green military uniform and carried a deflated military satchel. He stood tall, chest puffed out and stomach tucked in, trying to appear taller. His face bore a striking resemblance to Lu Cheng’s, about five or six parts similar, and his sharp eyes burned with hostility.

The girl beside him was slightly shorter, dressed in a thin gray padded jacket. Her features were delicate, and two short braids stuck straight out from either side of her head.

In that instant, Wen Ning suddenly remembered that Lu Cheng’s younger brother, Lu Kanglei, and younger sister, Lu Kangyun, were also important supporting characters in the novel.

Wen Ning recalled that Lu Cheng’s father had died in battle, and Lu Cheng had joined the army at the age of fourteen. Madam Lu had been reluctant, fearing her eldest son would follow in his father’s footsteps.

But Lu Cheng remained stubborn, wanting to fight on the front lines, capture enemy spies, and defend his country. After enlisting, he sent his monthly wages and allowances home, allowing Madam Lu to provide a decent life for her two younger children.

Two years ago, however, Madam Lu passed away due to poor health. Lu Cheng brought his younger siblings to live with him at the military base, but his demanding duties forced him to entrust them to his aunt, paying their living expenses every month.

Lu Cheng was now twenty-five. His mother had given birth to him when she was only seventeen, and the strain had damaged her health, preventing further pregnancies for many years. She unexpectedly conceived again at twenty-eight, giving birth to her second son, Lu Kanglei, followed by her youngest daughter, Lu Kangyun, two years later.

This age gap, combined with Lu Cheng’s naturally reserved and serious demeanor and his frequent deployments, limited their opportunities for bonding. The younger siblings were somewhat intimidated by their eldest brother, struggling to exchange more than a few words when alone with him.

Lu Cheng, sensing this, rarely lingered in their presence. When they did meet, he interacted with them as if they were soldiers under his command, further hindering the development of close familial ties.

In the book’s plot, Lu Cheng was the quintessential “beautiful, strong, and tragic” character, designed solely to support the male and female leads by providing financial and practical assistance.

To fulfill this role, the author had him framed into a forced marriage, followed by a chaotic domestic life where his original self constantly stirred up trouble, even dying in an accident while running away with someone.

Lu Cheng’s younger siblings were also destined to become cannon fodder, driving the male lead to despair and willingly sacrifice his skills, wealth, and connections to the original protagonists.

Lu Kanglei and Lu Kangyun harbored deep resentment toward the original self for scheming against their elder brother, viewing her as a villain. Initially, the original self cared about her reputation in the Family Compound and hoped to manipulate Lu Cheng’s siblings.

However, her past ruthlessness disgusted the two younger Lu siblings, making her task far from easy. After a few failed attempts, her patience wore thin.

With Jiang Rong’s subtle encouragement, she seized the opportunity while Lu Cheng was away on a mission to humiliate his siblings. Lu Kanglei and Lu Kangyun, barely in their teens, were no match for her schemes. As a result, their minds gradually warped, leading them down dark paths.

Lu Kanglei, through a misstep, became a troubled youth. He broke his leg in a fight with local hooligans, leaving him permanently disabled. This created a rift with his older brother, and they rarely contacted each other.

Lu Kangyun, orphaned at a young age, developed a volatile temperament. She was repeatedly deceived in love, encountering one scumbag after another, leaving her emotionally scarred.

Wen Ning recalled the book’s plot. After the original owner followed her husband to the military base, there was a scene where Lu Cheng’s younger siblings came to cause trouble. The original owner wasn’t exactly a pushover, but concerned about her reputation in the Family Compound, she tried to coax them home with forced smiles.

When Lu Kanglei and Lu Kangyun rebuffed her with insults, she resorted to force. New to the area and unwilling to be seen as a malicious sister-in-law, she attempted to drag them inside. In the ensuing scuffle, all three tumbled to the ground, sustaining minor injuries.

The Lu Family became the laughingstock of the Family Compound.

Fourteen-year-old Lu Kanglei glared at Wen Ning with undisguised contempt. He and his sister had witnessed everything from the previous year. “You wicked woman!”

“Who are you two? Why are you being so rude?” Wen Ning feigned ignorance, pretending not to recognize them.

“This is my brother’s house! How dare you say you don’t recognize us?” Lu Kanglei exploded like a firecracker.

“Oh? Your brother?” Wen Ning tilted her chin slightly, observing them. “Then why didn’t you call me ‘sister-in-law’ first?”

“We’d never call you that!” Lu Kanglei retorted, his dislike for this woman burning in his eyes. She was clearly bad news.

“If you won’t call me ‘sister-in-law,’ then you’re not Lu Cheng’s siblings. Leave now and don’t disturb my meal.” Wen Ning smiled calmly, her tone light and breezy, leaving the two stunned.

“Of course we’re my brother’s siblings!” Lu Kangyun protested, her delicate brows furrowing.

“Then why won’t you call me ‘sister-in-law’?”

“I… you…” Lu Kanglei stammered, speechless for the first time in his life, his small brain spinning in confusion.

Lu Kangyun stepped in, restraining her older brother. The twelve-year-old girl straightened her back and declared, “You wicked woman! Get out!”

Wen Ning crossed her arms, a faint amusement playing on her lips. “And what if I refuse?”

Lu Kangyun retorted fiercely, “Then we’ll never come back!”

Lu Kanglei and Lu Kangyun had heard that if they refused to live in the house their eldest brother had allocated to them, Wen Ning, as their sister-in-law, would inevitably face gossip. People would say she couldn’t tolerate the two younger siblings.

In those days, reputation was everything; a single rumor could ruin a person. Despite their youth, the siblings found this logic compelling.

Wen Ning, however, remained unfazed. “Good. That suits me perfectly. It’s settled then. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Lu Kanglei and Lu Kangyun exchanged bewildered glances.

Didn’t that auntie say Wen Ning would definitely try to persuade them to stay? That was supposed to be their chance to make a scene and expose her misdeeds!

Something was clearly wrong.

Lu Cheng returned from the mess hall with his meal. By the time he reached his house, the others had vanished. The courtyard gate stood wide open, and his irritation lingered, fueled by his inability to control this woman.

A faint regret gnawed at him. What madness had possessed him to marry Wen Ning and bring her with him to the military? Pushing open the door, the scene inside only deepened his remorse.

The flat courtyard had running water, with two faucets positioned along the left side. A row of sinks was built beneath the higher faucet for washing things. The lower faucet was currently running, filling a steaming basin with a rhythmic splash that echoed like a lively melody in the empty courtyard.

Amidst the sound of the water, Lu Cheng’s gaze was drawn to Wen Ning’s dazzling white legs. Her jade-like feet were small and delicate, her calves shapely and smooth…

Wen Ning had removed her shoes and socks in the courtyard, swaying her porcelain-white feet in the warm water. The icy chill washed away the lingering soreness from their mountain trek, along with the grime from the trail.

Carried away by the pleasure, she even rolled up her trousers to her knees, letting the water cascade from her knees down to her calves.

“What are you doing in broad daylight?” Lu Cheng averted his eyes, staring intently at a falling leaf. “Put your shoes back on and pull your pants down!”

“You wouldn’t carry me, making me walk those awful paths. My cloth shoes were filled with mud. I would have died of discomfort if I hadn’t washed them,” Wen Ning replied cheerfully, as if playing in a stream. She watched the water droplets splash across her feet, relishing the warmth and comfort.

After a quick rinse, Wen Ning sat on a wooden chair and called out to Lu Cheng, “Regimental Commander Lu, hurry and get me a towel. I need to dry my feet.”

Lu Cheng: “…”

Lu Cheng, his face dark, rummaged through his luggage for a clean towel and handed it over. His gaze flickered briefly to her dazzlingly white feet before quickly averting his eyes. “Don’t do that in broad daylight again.”

Wen Ning leaned forward to study his expression. He’s being so prudish! she thought. I wouldn’t expose my feet to just anyone. In my era, feet were never to be seen, especially not by men.

But this was her home, and he was her husband.

“You’re so old-fashioned, Regimental Commander Lu!” Wen Ning pouted, clearly displeased.

“And your button…” Lu Cheng’s eyes lingered on the woman before him.

Exhausted from the walk home, she had shed her thin cotton-padded coat and unfastened the top button of her inner mandarin-collared jacket, revealing a sliver of snow-white skin that was almost blindingly pale. “Fasten it! What would people think if they saw you like that?”

Wen Ning was feeling rebellious. “Can’t I unbutton my shirt if I’m hot?”

“Even if you’re hot, you shouldn’t!”

“Are you telling me you walked all this way and didn’t get hot? Didn’t unbutton anything?” Wen Ning’s gaze swept over Lu Cheng. His military shirt was buttoned up so tightly, every button fastened with meticulous precision. He was infuriatingly proper. She recalled that he always looked like this—it was terrifying!

“Every button, right up to the top collar hook, is fastened according to regulations,” Lu Cheng replied. He had always strictly adhered to military rules, especially those concerning uniform standards.

Wen Ning glared at him, then glanced at his perfectly buttoned shirt, her eyes lingering on the tiny collar hook at the top. This is ridiculous! she thought. Let him be so uptight! Sooner or later, I’ll rip that thing off!