Chapter 19

“Xiaoching, don’t listen to the child. Guagua is only three and a half years old, what does he know? Quickly use the tone of the regiment leader’s wife and give Xiao Sheng a good lecture. What’s so great about being a battalion commander? My son-in-law is a regiment leader, he’s not afraid of anything. If Xiao Sheng dares to disobey you, I’ll have my son-in-law fire him.”

Zhang Lihua was old and her eyesight was poor, she didn’t notice that her daughter was acting strange. She continued to nag, encouraging Dongfang Xiaoching to go and make trouble for Sheng Tunan.

“Hehe,” at this time, Zhan Xinyue and Sheng Tunan had already walked over. She looked at Zhang Lihua as if she were looking at a fool, “Wife? Don’t talk nonsense, that’s a capitalist poison.”

In the 1970s, words like “wife” and “miss” were not good words.

Sheng Tunan also had a cold face, “My girlfriend was allergic just now, so I rushed to the hospital. It’s not that I’m being impolite.”

He had become a battalion commander through his excellent combat skills, fighting bravely time and time again, and earning several major merits. The army was strictly disciplined, it was impossible for him to be demoted without reason.

Moreover, while Li, the regiment leader, was his superior, he was a man of integrity and would never do something like listening to gossip.

Therefore, Sheng Tunan only found Zhang Lihua’s words laughable. No matter what, even if he faced unfair treatment in the future, he would still defend his loved one, Zhan Xinyue, whom he had waited two lifetimes to get.

If a man, for the sake of his so-called future, weighs the pros and cons and doesn’t speak up for his loved one, what kind of man is he?

“Sister, are you in pain?” Li Yucheng struggled out of Zhang Lihua’s arms and went to Zhan Xinyue, tilting his little head and looking at her face, which was still slightly swollen.

Children don’t understand what allergies are, but they know that going to the hospital is because they are sick, and when they are sick, it hurts.

“Sister, I’ll blow on it for you, blowing on it will make it not hurt.” The little dumpling tilted his head and grabbed Zhan Xinyue’s pants, trying to climb up.

Sheng Tunan wouldn’t dare. What if he blew saliva on Zhan Xinyue’s face? That would be terrible. He quickly picked up Li Yucheng and put him in Dongfang Xiaoching’s arms, saying, “Guagua, be good, Sister took medicine and it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

He didn’t dare to tell them about Zhan Xinyue’s saliva allergy. What if it got out? Wouldn’t that give those who hated her a handle?

Zhan Xinyue squatted down slightly and touched Li Yucheng’s head, “Thank you, Guagua. Sister doesn’t hurt anymore.”

As soon as Zhan Xinyue got closer, Dongfang Xiaoching’s expression became even more stiff. She hugged the child and moved back a little. Zhan Xinyue was puzzled, she stared at Dongfang Xiaoching, making her face even paler.

“Guagua’s mommy, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell because it’s too hot?” Zhan Xinyue asked softly.

Dongfang Xiaoching was stunned for a moment, then immediately said, “Yes, yes, I just finished eating, it’s too hot, there are too many people here, and it’s too stuffy. I’m taking the child home.”

Then, she anxiously said to Zhang Lihua, “Mom, let’s go back. Make me some mung bean soup to cool me down.”

Zhang Lihua looked at her daughter’s delicate little suit jacket and touched her forehead, puzzled, “You haven’t even broken a sweat, and it’s not hot either. You’re weak, you’ve always been afraid of the cold, not the heat, haven’t you?”

“Mom, don’t ask. I have a headache. Let’s go.” Dongfang Xiaoching had already stood up and was holding the child as she walked out, with a distinct air of fleeing in a panic.

Zhang Lihua was worried about her daughter’s health, so she hurriedly followed. Her daughter was now the regiment leader’s wife, she had to take good care of her.

“Sister, goodbye.” Li Yucheng twisted his body, climbed onto Dongfang Xiaoching’s shoulder, and waved his chubby little hand at Zhan Xinyue.

“Goodbye.” Zhan Xinyue also waved goodbye with a smile.

The state-owned restaurant was crowded, not a good place to talk. Sheng Tunan and Zhan Xinyue exchanged a glance and decided to pack some rice noodles for Grandma first.

The old lady’s digestive system had deteriorated, and her teeth weren’t very good either. Zhan Xinyue specially asked the chef to cook the rice noodles softer. Fortunately, rice noodles were easier to digest than noodles, and the old lady could still eat them. She chose steamed pork, which was soft and tender, and it cost 15 cents plus two ounces of ration coupons.

The two of them packed the food, got in the car, and prepared to drive back to Chang Hong Brigade.

“Is Guagua’s mom the regiment leader’s original wife?” The two of them got in the car, closed the door, and started the car. As they drove out of the commune and onto the country road lined with metasequoia trees, Zhan Xinyue held the packed rice noodles and asked.

“No. The regiment leader is 50 years old this year, his original wife has passed away. Guagua’s mom is only 38 years old. She used to be an actor in the county theater, then she found a way to get into the art troupe. It was about ten years ago, I can’t remember exactly how many years it was, but anyway, when Dongfang Xiaoching was in her twenties, she went to our army to perform and fell in love with our regiment leader. They got married.”

The country roads in the 1970s were bumpy, Sheng Tunan tried to drive as smoothly as possible. Zhan Xinyue looked at the man’s handsome profile and swallowed, continuing to ask, “So Guagua’s mom is also remarried?”

Ten years ago, Dongfang Xiaoching was also in her twenties. In the 1970s, there were almost no female comrades who didn’t get married by the age of 23.

“Yes, she’s remarried. Her first husband died of illness. Military personnel need to undergo political review before getting married. At that time, her family situation was investigated very clearly by the logistics department. But she didn’t have any children with her first husband. The regiment leader and his original wife did have a daughter, who is now a doctor at the army hospital.”

“Why are you suddenly so concerned about Guagua’s mom?” Sheng Tunan was curious.

Before Zhan Xinyue could answer, he seemed to suddenly realize something, he tapped the steering wheel, “Xinyue, I just remembered, five years ago, Guagua’s mom’s eyes didn’t droop, they were very similar to yours, both very beautiful. Are you suspecting that she is your biological mother?!”