Chapter 11 – The Military Compound

Ruan Jinnian saw that he was still standing, so she pointed to the soft sleeper across from her.
“You’ve been busy all morning. Hurry and sit down to rest.”

“I only managed to get one soft sleeper ticket,” Lu Jinyuan replied, his gaze on her warm and lingering.

The moment she heard that, Ruan Jinnian quickly shifted further inside.
“Husband, you sit.”

“No need.”

Lu Jinyuan glanced at the narrow berth.
After years of military training, a short trip like this was nothing to him.

Ruan Jinnian got up and tugged at his hand.
“If you don’t get a proper rest, how will you take care of me and the baby?”

Her small, soft, slightly chubby hand—pregnancy had given her a little extra plumpness—made his heart itch. He finally sat down along the edge of the bed.

Before long, the other lower berth was occupied by a woman and a girl of about six or seven.

The little girl was clean and neatly dressed, her cheeks round and rosy, clearly a child much doted upon.
The woman whispered something to her that made her burst into bright, ringing laughter.

Watching them, Ruan Jinnian’s eyes softened with tenderness. She instinctively clasped Lu Jinyuan’s hand.
“Husband, it’s so good to have you here.”

“I’ll always be with you,” Lu Jinyuan replied, holding her hand firmly.

Ruan Jinnian hadn’t been lying down long when the train’s security officer came by to check tickets. Seeing Lu Jinyuan in full military uniform, he snapped a salute.
“Comrade, please show your ticket.”

Lu Jinyuan returned the salute and took out the neatly kept tickets from his pocket.

After checking, the officer glanced again at Lu Jinyuan’s uniform.
“You’re from the Army Special Forces, aren’t you?”

“Good eye, Comrade,” Lu Jinyuan said with a smile.

Noticing Ruan Jinnian’s pregnancy, the officer’s tone warmed further.
“If you need anything, just let me know.”

“Thank you, Comrade.”

Ruan Jinnian felt completely at ease.

Three days later.

They arrived at a remote small town. After making a call from the public phone booth, Lu Jinyuan waited for a vehicle from the military district to pick them up.

The couple found a quiet spot and set down their luggage.

Not just the suitcases—Ruan Jinnian also produced a sewing machine, quilts, a pile of cured pork ribs, smoked meat, sausages, and all sorts of other supplies.

“Wife… isn’t this a bit much?” Lu Jinyuan’s mouth twitched at the sight of the sewing machine.

Ruan Jinnian blinked.
“Not much at all. Once we’re at the military base, lots of things won’t be available. Better to bring them now rather than take them out later.”

He had to admit, his wife thought of everything.

An hour later.

A dark green jeep pulled up in front of them.

“Regimental Commander Lu,” the orderly soldier jumped down from the vehicle and saluted.

“This is my wife, Ruan Jinnian,” Lu Jinyuan said immediately.

“Hello, sister-in-law.”

“Wife, this is Xiao Zhou,” Lu Jinyuan briefly introduced.

Zhou Xiangyang’s gaze finally settled on Ruan Jinnian. Seeing her pregnant yet far from bulky, her delicate face framed by soft hair, he greeted respectfully,
“Hello, sister-in-law.”

“Hello,” she replied politely.

Zhou Xiangyang scratched his head. Not only was she beautiful, but her voice was just as pleasant.

Lu Jinyuan noticed him still standing there.
“Xiao Zhou, load everything into the car.”

“Yes, sir.” Zhou turned—only to gape at the piles of items on the ground.

When his eyes fell on the sewing machine, he nearly choked.
“Regimental Commander, you and sister-in-law brought all this?”

Lu Jinyuan’s expression stiffened slightly.
“Mm.”

Zhou clicked his tongue in amazement. Even with a pregnant wife in tow, the commander still managed to bring half a household’s worth of goods.

The two men loaded everything into the jeep.

Over an hour later, the vehicle rolled through the gates of the southern border military compound.

In the distance, lush green slopes gave way to a chain of mountains stretching like the backbone of the earth.

Lin Beixiao and Song Mingyi were already waiting at the gate. Ever since Lu Jinyuan had called, they had been on standby.

But Lin Beixiao’s mind wasn’t entirely at ease. A few days ago, Yan Qingxue had come to him, anxious and guilty, confessing she’d been too busy with rehearsals and had forgotten to send the telegram to Lu Jinyuan.

That was when he realized—she hadn’t sent it at all.

He knew Lu Jinyuan’s temper. When the man came back, there would be an account to settle. Torn between the girl he liked and his sworn brother, he decided to take the blame himself.

“This guy Jinyuan—finishes his mission and immediately runs off to fetch his wife. I want to see just how amazing she is,” Song Mingyi said with open curiosity.

Lin Beixiao stayed silent.

“Why aren’t you talking? You’ve been acting weird these days. Something happen?” Song Mingyi glanced at him.

“Nothing,” Lin Beixiao replied.

Song snorted in disbelief.

“There they are!” Song Mingyi straightened at the sight of the jeep.

The vehicle pulled up smoothly at the compound gate.

“Jinyuan!”

Song Mingyi strode forward, but as soon as the door opened, Lu Jinyuan climbed out without even glancing at him. He turned back instead, extending his hand.
“Wife, careful.”

Song Mingyi ignored the snub and craned his neck to look inside the vehicle—only to be startled when a young woman, heavily pregnant, bent down to step out.

Lu Jinyuan’s wife… was expecting.

Holding his hand for support, Ruan Jinnian stepped gingerly onto the ground.

When she looked up, her delicate features caught both men’s eyes.

For a brief moment, Lin Beixiao and Song Mingyi were stunned—then quickly looked away, realizing it wasn’t right to openly stare at another man’s wife.

One glance between them, and they understood why Lu Jinyuan treasured his childhood sweetheart so much—she was stunning.

Lu Jinyuan’s expression cooled when he spotted Lin Beixiao.

“Jinyuan, sister-in-law, I’m sorry,” Lin Beixiao said at once.

Ruan Jinnian blinked in confusion. She didn’t even know this man, and he opened with an apology?

Lu Jinyuan swung a fist into his shoulder.
“Lin Beixiao, what did you promise me?”

He hadn’t sent the telegram, leaving his wife and mother to worry.

Song Mingyi was dumbfounded. Why were they throwing punches the moment they met?

“What’s wrong, Jinyuan?” Ruan Jinnian quickly pulled him back.

Lin Beixiao, keeping Yan Qingxue’s involvement to himself, said,
“I’m sorry. I had urgent matters and forgot.”

“Heh.” Lu Jinyuan gave a cold laugh.

“What are you talking about?” Song Mingyi asked, completely lost.

“When I went on a mission, I asked him to send a telegram to my family. He didn’t,” Lu Jinyuan explained.

Song Mingyi finally understood—but remembered that Yan Qingxue had been the one holding the note at the time. Still, he said nothing.

“Sister-in-law, it’s my fault,” Lin Beixiao apologized sincerely again.

Ruan Jinnian hadn’t expected it to be about that, but thinking back to how she and Mother Lu had worried for so long, she still didn’t want things to become too tense over it.
“You’re all busy with military affairs. As family, we’ll be more understanding.”

“…” Lin Beixiao was briefly speechless.

This woman was skilled with her words.

Song Mingyi thought nothing of it—if anything, he admired her for keeping the bigger picture in mind.

“Beixiao didn’t do it on purpose. He’s been so busy lately he hasn’t been getting proper rest,” Song Mingyi added in his friend’s defense.

Lu Jinyuan didn’t push it further, though his face stayed dark.

Knowing the matter was dropped, Lin Beixiao handed over the documents and keys in his hand.
“Political Commissar Yan heard you were back. This is the courtyard house assigned to you.”