Chapter 15

This was the first time Lu Yu saw Jiang Nian smile.

She looked beautiful when she smiled.

During their time together, this was also the first time he saw the liveliness and exuberance that someone her age should have. Unlike before, when she spoke or did anything, she always kept her head down. Speaking so little and seeming to have an invisible wall separating her from everything around her.

He also had a vague feeling that Jiang Nian was a bit afraid of him.

“You’re back just in time. The food is almost ready.”

Jiang Nian lowered her head to hide the embarrassment in her eyes, turning to place the eggs into a bowl and preparing to heat oil for cooking. Lu Yu glanced at the eggs in the bowl and remembered seeing Xu Yan running out of her house as he was about to arrive home.

It must have been Xu Yan who brought them.

He sat by the stove to light the fire.Through the rising white smoke from the hot oil, he noticed that Jiang Nian’s eyes were red from crying. His eyes gradually grew cold.

Adding more dry wood to the fire, Lu Yu asked, “Sister-in-law, did Zheng Hong bully you?”

It didn’t sound like a question, more like a statement of fact.

Jiang Nian paused her cooking, lightly biting her lower lip. Whether it was the spiciness from the chili or the feeling of grievance, tears welled up in her eyes again.

Teetering on the edge of falling, those tears made her look pitiable.

Lu Yu glanced at her, his hand gripping the dry kindling tighter. “I will make Zheng Hong give you an explanation. She won’t bully you for nothing.”

This was his promise to her.

She was his sister-in-law, and he wouldn’t let anyone bully her. When he decided to bring her to the army, it was not only to prevent her from repeating the tragedies of her past life but also to ensure she wouldn’t suffer any more grievances.

Jiang Nian didn’t respond. She simply released her lower lip and continued to stir-fry the food in the pot.

When it was time to cook the noodles, Lu Yu got up and stopped her. “I’ll do it.”

Jiang Nian didn’t argue. She turned and walked out of the kitchen to the well, washing her face again with her back to the kitchen. As she covered her face with her hands, she couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips.

Holding back a laugh was so difficult.

Inside the kitchen, Lu Yu cooked the noodles and added plenty of meat to Jiang Nian’s bowl. He carried the two bowls to the yard and placed the meat-filled bowl in front of Jiang Nian.

Looking at the large bowl of noodles and the heap of meat, Jiang Nian felt overwhelmed. 

She glanced at Lu Yu’s bowl, which was mostly broth and vegetables with little meat, and spoke softly, “This is too much, I can’t finish it all. Let me give you some.”

Before she could finish her sentence, Lu Yu had already eaten half of his bowl of noodles.

He looked at the remaining food in her bowl, put down his bowl and stood up. “Wait a moment.”

Guessing what he was about to do, Jiang Nian quickly took his chopsticks and transferred most of the meat and noodles from her bowl to his. By the time Lu Yu returned with a pair of clean chopsticks, Jiang Nian was already eating.

Lu Yu looked at his bowl of noodles and the large portion of meat, then at Jiang Nian who was eating quietly and felt an indescribable feeling in his heart.

After lunch, Lu Yu washed the dishes and told Jiang Nian as he was leaving, “I’ll be back late tonight.”

Jiang Nian, washing clothes by the well, replied softly, “Okay.”

After he left, Jiang Nian straightened up and stretched her back. Without a washing machine, hand washing was labor-intensive, especially on the back and hands. It wasn’t so bad in summer, but winter would be a different story.

Thinking about staying here long-term made her feel dizzy.

Not long after Lu Yu left, Feng Mei came over. Seeing Jiang Nian hanging clothes in the yard and looking better than before lunch, she felt relieved. She picked up a piece of clothing from the basin and helped Jiang Nian hang it up.

Seeing Feng Mei, Jiang Nian smiled. “Sister Feng.”

“Yes.”

Feng Mei, holding the clothesline leaned closer to Jiang Nian. “What did Deputy Commander Lu say?”

Jiang Nian was taken aback and then understood. “Was it you who told him about the incident with Zheng Hong?”

Otherwise, how would he have known? And gone straight to the point when he entered the kitchen?

Feng Mei replied, “I didn’t have to. The news has spread all over the family quarters. My husband heard about it on his way home and was so angry that he slammed the table, saying he would talk to Captain Lu about it tonight. He said this affects the entire regiment’s morale and Zheng Hong’s attitude is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with.”

“And one more thing,” Feng Mei added with a chuckle, “Zheng Hong took her son and went back to her mother’s place, probably to avoid Captain Lu tonight. But running back to her parents’ house won’t help. Captain Lu will personally bring her back.”

Jiang Nian figured that Lu Yu had mentioned he’d be late because he planned to discuss the matter with Commander Song and Captain Lu.

Feng Mei nudged her. “What did Deputy Commander Lu say? You’re practically his sister-in-law and you had suffered such a grievance. Did he say anything?”

Jiang Nian smiled. “Lu Yu said he wouldn’t let me be bullied for nothing.”

Satisfied, Feng Mei said, “Good then.”

Captain Lu returned at seven in the evening and learned about today’s events.

It was also the first time he discovered that Zheng Hong had shamelessly been pestering Captain Liu behind his back  with an excuse of asking for help during the two years she stayed at the family quarters.

If he had known about Zheng Hong’s past with Liu Qiang earlier, he would never have married her, even if it meant death. During their engagement period, he often wondered why Liu Qiang seemed so hostile towards him.

Upon returning home, Captain Lu found it empty, confirming Zheng Hong had indeed run to her parents’ place.

After discovering Zheng Hong and Liu Qiang’s past, he had felt resentful but agreed to let her stay at her mother’s place, hoping that some distance would cool things down. It was only her tearful plea two years ago that made him bring her back.

It was pitch dark when Captain Lu came out of his house.

He rushed to Commander Song’s house and as soon as he entered the house, he saw Commander Song sitting on a bench next to a square table while drinking water from an enamel jug in his hand. When he saw him come in, he snorted.

Deputy Commander Lu sat on the bench, his handsome face looking somewhat fierce under the warm yellow light.

“Commander Song, I know about what had happened between Zheng Hong and Deputy Commander Lu’s sister-in-law.”

Looking at Lu Yu, Captain Lu said, “Deputy Commander Lu, I know mere words won’t suffice. Tomorrow, I will bring Zheng Hong back and have her apologize in person.”

Lu Yu’s expression was cold and he looked at Captain Lu with a serious look. “Zheng Hong as a military wife, calling my sister-in-law a ‘jinx’ who caused the deaths of her husband and father-in-law shows her malicious mindset. As Deputy Commander, I can’t tolerate a military wife tarnishing the organization’s reputation without remorse. And personally, as Jiang Nian’s brother-in-law, I can’t let someone bully her at our doorstep and get away with a simple apology.”

With each word Lu Yu spoke, Captain Lu’s momentum diminished further.

Commander Song slammed his enamel cup down on the table, glaring at Captain Lu with a stern expression. “Look at what your wife has done! Our regiment is a laughingstock among the others today!”

Captain Lu frowned deeply, bowed his head and asked Lu Yu, “What do you suggest we do? I’ll follow your lead.”

Lu Yu said, “Zheng Hong must write a self-criticism and apologize to Jiang Nian in front of the entire regiment.” He noted the instant stiffening of Captain Lu’s expression and a cold glint in his eyes. “When she committed this serious offense, she should have been prepared to face the consequences. If Zheng Hong is illiterate, Captain Lu can write it for her.”

Captain Lu held back his words and said nothing. Making Zheng Hong apologize publicly would be an enormous blow to his pride.

Seeing his silence, Lu Yu continued, “Zheng Hong’s offenses are serious. As a military wife, she failed to discipline herself and intentionally disrupted the marriage between Captain Liu and Comrade Xu Yan. She verbally abused the widow of Martyr Xu Cheng, deliberately provoking and damaging the harmony among the military wifes.”

He looked at Captain Lu and said in a stern voice, “We need to make her reflect deeply in front of the whole regiment. This will have a deterrent effect and will also make her remember this lesson!”

Commander Song also looked at Captain Lu, knowing the victims were Lu Yu’s sister-in-law and it was appropriate for him to handle the matter.

Captain Lu clenched his fists and gritted his teeth before reluctantly agreeing, “Fine! I’ll bring her back tomorrow!”

Leaving Commander Song’s house, Captain Lu glanced at Captain Liu’s yard with a complicated expression before biting his lip and heading back home.

Returning home, Lu Yu closed the gate and noticed the light on in one of the rooms on the east side of the courtyard. A bucket sat by the door. He walked straight to the kitchen and found a bit of hot water left in the pot.

Jiang Nian must have already heated the bathwater.

The stove had a warm dinner prepared. Five scallion and corn pancakes, egg drop soup, and a plate of stir-fried green beans. Lu Yu brought the food to the small table in the yard. As he was about to pull over a stool to sit down, he heard a sharp scream from Jiang Nian’s room.

This was followed by a loud crash.

Lu Yu’s expression changed instantly. He rushed over, calling out, “Sister-in-law, what happened?”