Chapter 4: Good fortune comes, marry a wife and bring a child

Shen Sisi said seriously, “Senior Gu, I know you want to help me, but marriage isn’t child’s play, especially a military marriage.  With someone like me, and my family background, it will affect your career.”

Why would a promising young battalion commander want to marry someone like her?

Her father had been falsely accused and died without clearing his name.

And her?

A former educated youth sent to the countryside, unmarried with a child, a sickly child at that.

Even if he closed his eyes and picked someone at random, they would be better, more suitable for him.

Marrying her wouldn’t help Gu Chengfeng’s career, it would only cause trouble, potentially ending his career or even leading to demotion.

Seeing her blushing, her pink lips slightly pursed, her eyes misty, Gu Chengfeng was anxious, unsure how to persuade her.  In a moment of urgency, he blurted out,

“I can help you transfer your household registration, you can live with me in the military compound, the military hospital’s facilities are much better than the county hospital, and…”

“Enough!” Shen Sisi didn’t dare to continue the topic. “Let’s stop this, Senior Gu. Let’s eat, the food will get cold.”

Seeing her unmoved, preferring to marry someone else through blind dates rather than give him a chance, his gaze was dark, filled with a strong possessiveness. He gritted his teeth, a low groan escaping his throat: “I… I’m injured…”

“Injured?” Shen Sisi felt her heart skip a beat, her gaze anxiously scanning him.

Gu Chengfeng closed his eyes, his vision darkening.  He consoled himself:  A wound to the heart is still a wound, nothing wrong with that.

Then, steeling his resolve, the rest of his words tumbled out between his teeth: “Don’t ask the specifics, anyway… I can’t get married and have children, you understand.”

Shen Sisi’s mouth formed a perfect O, before she could react, she heard a snort of laughter from behind, loud and exaggerated.

She turned to see another soldier in a military uniform, half a head shorter than Gu Chengfeng, looking refined and cultured, laughing uproariously at the doorway.

Feeling a sharp glare, Feng Yanzhou suppressed the corners of his mouth, but inwardly he was laughing hysterically: “Comrade, I can attest that what he just said is true!”

“You are…?” Shen Sisi looked at the man, who had a naturally cheerful face, giving off a bright and sunny vibe.

“This is my comrade, Feng Yanzhou, Political Commissar Feng.” Gu Chengfeng glared at him, his cheeks flushed crimson: “Old Feng, this is Miss Shen Sisi, Teacher Shen’s daughter, that I mentioned, and her daughter Niu Niu.”

Feng Yanzhou’s eyes lit up. It was her, indeed beautiful! No wonder Old Gu had been pining for her for so many years, even after she had a child, he still wouldn’t give up.

Shen Sisi had no idea what was going on in his mind, only marveling that this man, barely in his twenties, was already a political commissar, truly remarkable.

“Commissar Feng, please sit, let’s eat together.” Shen Sisi warmly pulled out a chair.

Feng Yanzhou didn’t stand on ceremony. He took off his gloves, looking at Gu Chengfeng, whose face was red, his eyes full of unrestrained amusement.

Gu Chengfeng, in order to chase a girl, had thrown all caution to the wind. This was the first time he had seen the iron wolf of the Wild Battle Zone One, humble himself to this extent for a woman, claiming injury to avoid marriage, truly eye-opening.

Gu Chengfeng glared at him furiously, his eyes warning him that he would be dead if he dared to spread this.

“Commissar Feng, you just said…” Shen Sisi’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Ah… I’m not exaggerating, this problem of his does indeed affect his ability to find a wife, and even more so, to have children.” Feng Yanzhou said seriously.

Shen Sisi suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.  Was Gu Chengfeng injured on the battlefield?

Her gaze involuntarily lowered.  A stalwart, outstanding man, injured in such a vital area, unable to marry and have children, he must be heartbroken!

She didn’t look down on him, she just felt sorry for him, her heart inexplicably ached.

Seeing Gu Chengfeng’s discomfort, and Feng Yanzhou’s playful smile, she immediately frowned: “Commissar Feng, Senior Gu is like this, and you’re still laughing at him, that’s too much…”

“Oh…” Feng Yanzhou was actually intimidated by a little girl.

She was already protective of him?

“As a political commissar, not only are you not helping him, not guiding him, you’re mocking him, your ideological awareness is problematic!” Shen Sisi gave him a cold look, didn’t invite him to eat, and helped herself to some braised pork, placing it in Gu Chengfeng’s bowl.

“Senior Gu, eat more.” she comforted him.

Gu Chengfeng’s mouth twitched slightly, his heart heavy, he shamelessly asked: “Do you still think we’re not a good match?”

He said it lightly, but his eyes never left Shen Sisi’s face, waiting for her answer.

Shen Sisi was silent, her chopsticks tapping the rice, forgetting to feed Niu Niu.

Niu Niu, hungry, helped herself, grabbing a piece of braised pork and stuffing it into her mouth.

Seeing this, Feng Yanzhou smiled warmly at Niu Niu, then beckoned her over. The little girl crawled to his side and let him feed her with a spoon.

Shen Sisi wanted to take the child back, but Feng Yanzhou gently “snatched” her away.

He had just been scolded by Shen Sisi, and was looking for a chance to make amends. After all, this was his future sister-in-law, he couldn’t afford to offend her.

He smiled ingratiatingly: “Let me feed her, you two talk, you two talk.”

Feng Yanzhou was gentle and patient, his aura as soft as water, very endearing to children.

Seeing him skillfully feeding the child, balancing meat and vegetables, making funny faces to amuse Niu Niu, Shen Sisi let them be.

Turning her head, she found that Gu Chengfeng hadn’t touched his food, like a stone statue, waiting for her answer.

“It’s too sudden, this isn’t a small matter, I… I’ll think about it!”

Gu Chengfeng understood that this was a gentle rejection.

His mood was very low, an imperceptible gloom appearing in his dark eyes.

“It’s okay, I’ll wait for you.” He knew Shen Sisi had concerns, but he, Gu Chengfeng, wasn’t one to give up easily.

He had already missed her once, and didn’t want to miss her again!

Gu Chengfeng didn’t want to be rejected again, nor did he want to embarrass her, so he picked up his chopsticks and gave her a piece of glistening five-spice pork belly.

“Don’t think too much, eat first… If you change your mind, come to my aunt’s house, same place.”

“Mm, okay.” she replied perfunctorily.

After dinner, Shen Sisi didn’t have the heart to continue her blind date. She held Niu Niu and said goodbye to the two, planning to go back to her aunt’s house to give Niu Niu her medicine.

Looking at her slender back, Feng Yanzhou stroked his chin, muttering: “She’s a beautiful girl, with a generous personality, it’s a pity…”

Gu Chengfeng looked at her with predatory eyes, determined to win: “There’s nothing to pity.”

Then, his expression dimmed: “I only regret that I came too late, causing her so much hardship…”

“It’s not your fault, we were in the desert, even ghosts could kill people, who could contact the outside world? It’s just that our Battalion Commander Gu suffered, to win the beauty, he even said he was sick.” Feng Yanzhou teased.

Gu Chengfeng kicked him, leaving a “beautiful” shoe print on his shiny shoes: “The deputy battalion commander’s appointment hasn’t been announced yet, control your mouth.”

“It’s a done deal… As old comrades, I congratulate you on your double happiness, good fortune, marrying a wife with a child…” Feng Yanzhou’s eyes were laughing, and he had already run two meters away.

“You’re itching for a beating, you can talk about me, but don’t tease her…”

“Not even married yet, and you’re already protective, you two are truly a perfect match…”

“Get lost!”