Chapter 26: You are not worthy of insulting my wife

“Let’s find a place to talk in private,” Gu Weicheng said. 

He led Zhou Qingshan to the back mountain, a spot some distance away from the military district. Xiao Li instinctively chose not to follow. 

Zhou Qingshan didn’t think much of it, assuming that Gu Weicheng was simply afraid of others finding out about Li Xia’s past and losing face, so he had deliberately chosen a secluded place. 

“Commander Gu, you know who I am, so you must also be aware of what happened between Li Xia and me. Even though she’s married to you, the person she truly loves is me. All these years, she’s been harassing me. When she found out that I had a girlfriend, she resented me so much that she went to the university and reported me. And… and we’ve already been intimate! Li Xia is nothing but a used woman, a cheap wench! Commander Gu, she—”

Before Zhou Qingshan could finish saying “She tricked me,” Gu Weicheng’s fist had already smashed into his face. 

“Ah—!” 

Gu Weicheng possessed immense strength. Back when they were digging trenches, he could carry several sandbags by himself. This punch landed with a sickening crunch—bones breaking under the force. 

Zhou Qingshan was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground. He tried to speak, but all he could feel was searing pain in his mouth—no words would come out. 

Only now did he realize what kind of terrifying man he had provoked. His eyes filled with fear as he looked up at Gu Weicheng. 

Would Gu Weicheng kill him? 

Regret consumed him—he should never have messed with this dangerous man! 

But Gu Weicheng wasn’t a murderer. He was a soldier, and his gun and bayonet were reserved only for enemies and spies.

But his fists—those were meant for dealing with anyone who dared insult his wife! 

Gu Weicheng grabbed Zhou Qingshan by the collar, lifting him effortlessly like a helpless chick. His voice was cold and commanding: 

“You have no right to insult my wife. I’m giving you one chance to tell the truth. If even a single word is a lie, you will bear the consequences.” 

Drip, Drip. The sound of liquid hitting the ground echoed in the silence. 

Zhou Qingshan had wet himself. A large dark stain spread across his pants, and urine dripped onto the ground. 

Gu Weicheng glanced down, his sharp brows furrowing. Was this really the kind of pathetic man Li Xia used to like? 

Zhou Qingshan was on the verge of collapse. The look in Gu Weicheng’s eyes just now—he truly seemed like he was ready to kill him. 

He couldn’t speak anymore, but he could still write. With trembling hands, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pen he carried with him and scribbled down the truth. 

He and Li Xia had never been intimate. Li Xia had gone to the city to demand the money he owed her. He had paid her back, but she reported him anyway. He couldn’t stand the thought of her living a good life, so he had deliberately sought revenge by smearing her name.

At the final moment, Zhou Qingshan still chose not to expose Su Wenyen. 

If he kept Su Wenyen’s involvement a secret, he could use this matter as leverage to demand money from her later. But if he exposed her, it would be total destruction—he’d end up with nothing. 

Gu Weicheng read what Zhou Qingshan had written. It was exactly what Li Xia had told him before. 

If this had happened before Li Xia had relocated to the army base, and Zhou Qingshan had said these things to him back then, Gu Weicheng wasn’t sure whether he would have believed it or not. 

Maybe he would have, maybe he wouldn’t. But he definitely wouldn’t have had the unwavering trust in Li Xia that he had now. 

These past few days, after spending time with her, he had seen what kind of person she was. There was absolutely no way she was the kind of woman Zhou Qingshan had tried to paint her as.

In the past, he had been curious about what Zhou Qingshan looked like, wondering what made him inferior to this man. But now that he had finally met him, Gu Weicheng found it utterly laughable. 

To think that he had once doubted himself because of someone like this! 

Looking at Zhou Qingshan now, he felt even more certain that what Li Xia had told him was the truth. 

How could she have ever truly liked someone like this? 

Now that he knew the truth, Gu Weicheng didn’t even want to spare Zhou Qingshan another glance. 

“Get lost. Don’t ever let me see you again.” 

…

When he returned home, Li Xia was already cooking. 

Pushing open the courtyard gate, he saw An An sitting on a small wooden stool in the yard, flipping through a picture book. The moment she saw her father return, her eyes lit up with joy. 

“Daddy, you’re back!” 

“Mm, Daddy’s back. Let’s continue our work.” Gu Weicheng smiled and got back to work with An An, hammering and nailing with rhythmic clinks. 

Before long, a small wooden rocking horse was completed. 

“Try sitting on it,” Gu Weicheng said. 

An An eagerly climbed onto the rocking horse, her little body swaying as it moved. She laughed delightedly—it was so much fun!

“Mommy, Mommy! Daddy made me a rocking horse!” An An shouted excitedly. 

Li Xia peeked out from the kitchen, glancing over. Oh! It really was a rocking horse—and quite a well-made one at that. She hadn’t expected Gu Weicheng to have such skills. 

The last time they were tidying up the courtyard, she had casually mentioned wanting to get a rocking horse for An An. She hadn’t thought much of it, but Gu Weicheng had clearly taken it to heart and made one so quickly. 

She raised an eyebrow at Gu Weicheng and then asked An An, “Is Daddy amazing?” 

“He’s super amazing!” An An said enthusiastically. 

Hearing that, the corners of Gu Weicheng’s mouth lifted—ever so slightly. 

On the way home, he had carefully considered whether to tell Li Xia that Zhou Qingshan had come looking for him. In the end, he decided not to bring it up.

A person of no importance—there was nothing worth mentioning. 

Sister-in-law Tao observed everything and couldn’t help but sigh. A family should be together. Ever since Li Xia brought the child to join the military family relocation, even Commander Gu had started smiling more often. 

…

The Su Household 

After returning home, Su Wenyen was in an exceptionally good mood, humming a tune as she moved about. 

By now, Zhou Qingshan should have already met with Gu Weicheng and told him all about Li Xia’s sordid affair, right? 

She wondered how Gu Weicheng had reacted upon hearing the news. A man as outstanding as him—already a regimental commander in his twenties—would never be able to tolerate having such a shameless wife. 

They would probably get divorced immediately.

When the time came, she would stay by his side with patience and tenderness. Over time, their feelings would naturally grow. An An needed a mother, and Gu Weicheng needed a wife—she would marry Gu Weicheng as a matter of course. Everything would fall into place effortlessly. 

Thinking of this, Su Wenyen felt utterly delighted. 

Even though she had encountered a few setbacks in this life after being reborn, hadn’t she resolved them all? 

The position of the commander’s wife—she was destined for it! 

…

In the living room, Chen Lina overheard Su Wenyen humming a tune and couldn’t help but comment to Su Wenbin, “Wenbin, I don’t mean to criticize your sister, but she seems completely heartless. Mom and Dad should have arrived at the labor farm by now, and we have no idea how they’re doing. How can she still be in the mood to hum songs?” 

Ever since trouble befell the Su family, Chen Lina had feared that Su Wenbin might get implicated. Still, she had gone out of her way to pull some strings and send care packages to the Su elders, genuinely worried about them. 

Yet Su Wenyen, their own daughter, acted as if nothing had happened. 

Su Wenbin also disapproved of his sister’s behavior—humming songs when the entire household was shrouded in gloom. 

But in front of his wife, he still defended his sister, saying, “She’s had a rough time these past few days. Let her be happy if she can.”

“I actually think she’s become more sensible than before. She knows we’re visiting Commander Gu’s home tomorrow and even suggested bringing a homemade dish. 

“In the past, she would never have considered these social courtesies. Lina, my sister was born when my parents were already old, and she was spoiled from childhood onwards. Please, for my sake, try to tolerate her a little more, alright?” 

Su Wenbin tightly clasped Chen Lina’s hands as he spoke. 

Looking at her husband—who had clearly become much more worn down than before—Chen Lina’s heart ached for him. 

“Don’t say that, Wenbin. Your sister is my sister too. It’s only natural.” 

Meanwhile, Su Wenyen was in the kitchen, carefully preparing a dish with meticulous attention to detail. She even arranged the plating beautifully. 

The people on the base usually ate in the cafeteria and had probably never seen such elegantly presented dishes. She could already imagine how amazed they would be when they saw her masterpiece.