Chapter 25

“Why are they going hunting in the mountains again? Didn’t they just go a few days ago?” During dinner, only Chen Gang had returned, and Tian Yu found out after asking that her brother-in-law had led a team up into the mountains, and they still hadn’t returned to the base by now.

Tian Mi frowned, instinctively glancing out the window at the sky.

Winter nights were long, and though it was not yet six o’clock, dusk had already settled, and it wouldn’t be long before it was completely dark.

Chen Gang washed his face, then used the lingering warmth of the towel to cover his face. Only when he felt the skin, numbed by the cold, start to tingle with heat did he remove it and let out a breath: “The farm down below needs irrigation repairs, so the demand for meat has exceeded the budget. We can’t have the soldiers eating nothing but boiled cabbage in saltwater every day, so we have to find a way ourselves.”

As he spoke, he rinsed the towel in the washbasin and hung it on a bamboo pole to dry. After emptying the basin, he stepped out of the washroom.

Seeing both his wife and sister-in-law wearing worried expressions, he chuckled to reassure them: “It’s fine. Lao Lou’s got great skills. I bet they’re just delayed because they caught something big. Let’s eat first and save him a portion.”

Upon hearing this, Tian Yu rolled her eyes at her husband, annoyed by his casual attitude. It was almost dark—how could it be the same as hunting in daylight? The mountains were dangerous to begin with, especially at night.

If she wasn’t worried that saying too much would make her sister even more anxious, she would’ve clawed at her husband. She instructed, “Mi Yatou, go grab an empty bowl from the kitchen.”

Once her younger sister had gone to the kitchen, Tian Yu, frowning with worry, said, “Every winter there’s a grain shortage, especially these past few years. I don’t even know when this will end. I’m thinking of going into town with the procurement truck over the next couple of days to stock up on supplies. I’ll take Mi Yatou with me so she can get familiar with the area.”

“Go ahead, take more money and ration tickets with you. It’s almost New Year’s, so buy a new outfit for both yourself and the little sister,” Chen Gang said. When her younger sister arrived, she had brought many things, and as her brother-in-law, he had taken note.

“I don’t need any clothes. Buy some for Mi Yatou instead. She’s getting married, so she’ll need a couple of new sets.”

“If the younger sister buys something, you should buy something too. What? Are you out of ration tickets? I’ll trade with my comrades if you are.”

“No, I have tickets.Er Mei got me two new outfits in Shanghai, and I haven’t even worn them yet. What do I need so many clothes for?” Tian Yu scolded her husband with an amused glance. This man, always worrying as if he thought she was either starving or freezing every day, never stopped fussing.

Chen Gang chuckled, “You can never have too many clothes.”

“If you’ve got the money, why not exchange it for grain tickets and stockpile more food…” As she spoke, Tian Yu took the empty bowl her younger sister handed over, scooped some food from the dish, and muttered again, “I just wonder when we’ll stop having these grain shortages.”

Chen Gang sighed as well, “It’ll get better. Things will keep getting better…”

Tian Mi pressed her lips together, not saying anything, but she silently agreed in her heart. Yes, the country would get better and better, and one day, it would stand at the top of the world.

“Enough, let’s not talk about this anymore. Time to eat.”

After setting aside a portion for Lou Luhui, the family sat down around the table and began to eat.

But before they had eaten more than a few bites, they heard loud, bustling noises outside.

Chen Gang was the first to react. He set down his bowl and stood up with a smile: “Looks like we’ve had a big harvest today.”

Saying this, he had already wrapped himself in his military coat and quickly walked out.

Seeing this, Tian Mi and her sister exchanged a glance and hurried after him.

When they got outside, Tian Mi realized that more than half of the family members in the residential area had come out.

Tian Yu grabbed her sister’s hand, and the two quickly blended into the crowd.

“I just heard someone say that the soldiers carried back a lot of wild boars. Wow, did they raid a whole nest of them?”

“Who cares if they did or not, as long as we get some meat!”

“True. I also heard that this time it was Commander Lou leading the team. Tsk tsk tsk, have you noticed? Whenever Commander Lou leads, they always bring back a few extra heads of game.”

“You don’t need to tell us that, everyone knows it.”

“If you ask me, a man should be like Commander Lou—handsome and capable. And have you seen how strong he is? Heh, his little wife is going to be one lucky woman. If he were my man, well, in bed—”

“Hey! Watch your mouth. The Tian sisters are right here.”

Someone pointed out, and the woman who had been speaking so freely finally noticed. Somehow, the Tian sisters had ended up right behind them.

Not thinking she’d said anything wrong, the woman’s eyes gleamed with mischief when they met the gaze of the pretty young Tian sister. She laughed even more suggestively: “Heh, Saozi may be crude, but she’s not wrong. You’ll see once you’re married if what Saozi says isn’t the truth.”

There are always those kinds of people who enjoy making jokes they think are funny. Tian Mi held onto her elder sister’s arm, looking back at the unfamiliar woman with a bright and straightforward smile, “Thank you for the compliment. I will pass your praise to Comrade Lou Luhui, word for word!”

Hearing this, the woman looked embarrassed. She hadn’t expected her teasing to be turned around like that.

Especially now that she thought about those suggestive comments she’d made earlier—if they made it to Regiment Commander Lou’s ears, that fierce man…

She shivered at the thought, shrank her neck, and bowed her head, keeping quiet. Inwardly, she muttered, “How can this young girl be so sharp?”

It wasn’t just her. The other military spouses were also a bit surprised.

This girl seemed so non-confrontational. Just standing there, doing nothing, she gave off a friendly and approachable vibe.

Plus, since she’d come to the base, she had always stuck by her sister’s side and stayed low-key, giving the impression that she was mild-mannered and easygoing. Who would have thought…

She was calm, poised, and with just a few words could subtly put people in their place.

How should one describe her? Anyway, she was an impressive girl. It seemed they’d need to be a bit more careful around her in the future.

Many people are like this. When they first meet someone, they like to test the waters. But once they realize that person isn’t soft cotton but a thorny bush, they quickly retract their claws.

Simply put, they bully the weak but fear the strong.

Tian Yu, who had been worried that her little sister might get bullied, now smiled until her eyes curved with pride…

Her little sister was amazing!

“That was Liu Xiuju, the wife of Battalion Commander Zhu from the Second Regiment. She’s a bit scatterbrained and doesn’t have much of a filter. Don’t bother dealing with her too much in the future.” Though Tian Yu was pleased with her sister’s quick wit and toughness, she still gave a few words of advice.

Tian Mi was curious, “How old is Battalion Commander Zhu?”

That military spouse looked to be in her early forties. As far as she knew, the army had age limits for officers. If they didn’t get promoted by a certain age, they had to retire.

This question clearly piqued Tian Yu’s desire to share gossip. She slowed her pace, pulling her sister along, and when they had distanced themselves from the others, she lowered her voice and said, “Battalion Commander Zhu is 33 this year, and Liu Xiuju is 39. It’s said that Zhu was tricked into marrying her by his own family.”

Tian Mi felt that the old her had been like a little fairy who didn’t enjoy gossip. But in this entertainment-starved era, gossip… is quite satisfying!

“…Zhu’s family was poor. He ran off to join the army when he was a teenager. He worked hard, took risks, and eagerly participated in literacy programs to learn culture and knowledge. That’s how he climbed up to the position of company commander, which is quite impressive. When it was time to find a partner, his family conveniently sent him a letter, saying they had found him a good match. Since Battalion Commander Zhu hadn’t been home in years, he thought it would be nice to marry a girl from his village who he knew well, so he agreed to return and meet her. Then, guess what happened?”

Why was she dragging this out? Tian Mi was fully engrossed and quickly played along by asking, “What happened? Was this ‘good match’ Liu Saozi?”

“No way! If that were the case, I wouldn’t even bring it up… When Battalion Commander Zhu got home, his family had indeed found him a good girl. The two seemed to get along well. You know how it is with soldiers on home leave; with travel time factored in, they don’t have much time left. So, they went from meeting to getting married in just a week. On the wedding day, Zhu got drunk thanks to his relatives, knocked out, and when he woke up the next morning, the bride in his bed had turned into Liu Xiuju.”

“What’s going on? Did Liu Xiuju steal the groom?” Tian Mi was dumbfounded, her mind already spinning up various dramatic soap opera scenarios.

Tian Yu, exasperated, raised her hand and flicked her sister’s forehead. “If it were that simple, I wouldn’t just say Battalion Commander Zhu was unlucky—he was actually conned by his own family.”

What Tian Mi heard next shattered her worldview.

Apparently, the “good girl” Zhu’s family had set him up with was Liu Xiuju’s younger sister, who was already married. Although Liu Xiuju wasn’t much less attractive than her sister, she was a widow whose first husband had died, leaving her with three children.

In those days, surviving alone was tough, let alone with three kids, and remarrying was even harder for her. But it wasn’t impossible—Liu Xiuju just didn’t want to settle for someone with poor conditions or unattractive looks.

When she heard that the Zhu family wanted to marry off their eldest son, she remembered seeing Battalion Commander Zhu back when he was just a platoon leader and found him to be quite handsome. That sparked her plan.

Knowing her own circumstances—being six years older than Battalion Commander Zhu—she figured that going through the normal process wouldn’t work. So, she came up with a scheme: she had her closest sister, who was already married, attend the matchmaking in her place.

During this, she also gave Zhu’s family 200 yuan from the compensation she received after her first husband’s death.

Zhu’s family, who had little attachment to their son who had been away for years, didn’t mind. To them, the 10 yuan he sent home each month wasn’t enough anyway, and an extra 200 yuan was a deal too good to pass up. It didn’t matter which woman he married, as long as she could bear children.

Moreover, Liu Xiuju promised that after marriage, she would continue to send them more money for their retirement, which sounded much better than taking a risk with a new bride. A new, strong-willed wife might even cut off that 10 yuan per month altogether.

In the end, with some manipulation and persuasion, Zhu’s family—uneducated and greedy for money—went along with the whole charade.

By the time Battalion Commander Zhu sobered up the next day, everything was already a done deal.

“This… This is beyond absurd. And Battalion Commander Zhu just accepted it?” After hearing the whole story, Tian Mi felt it was like absurdity itself had walked through the door. This tiny military family compound sure housed some big stories.

“What else could he do? Back then, he was in the middle of a crucial career step—getting promoted to Battalion Commander. If Liu Xiuju had made a scene, his future would’ve been ruined. Battalion Commander Zhu is a rural soldier who worked his way out of a remote mountain village. Climbing to where he is now must’ve cost him so many risks and sacrifices. Do you think he’d be willing to give it all up and go back to farming? Of course not. So, he had no choice but to accept Liu Xiuju and her three kids.” This sort of thing wasn’t uncommon either. In those days, soldiers were in high demand, and situations like this, where they got trapped into marriages, were all too common.

“So… did Battalion Commander Zhu and Liu Xiuju have any kids together after that?”

Upon hearing this, Tian Yu said meaningfully, “Do you really think your sister knows all this so well by chance?”

Tian Mi immediately understood. “Did Battalion Commander Zhu tell you all this?”

“Who else could it be? Back then, after returning to the army alone, it was only after being promoted to Battalion Commander that he confided in his Regiment Commander about the entire story of his forced marriage. Though there wasn’t enough evidence to do anything about Liu Xiuju, he managed to paint himself as a sympathetic victim. So later, when Liu Xiuju showed up with her three kids, no one said a word when Battalion Commander Zhu stayed in the bachelor’s dormitory and refused to go home.”

“He’s probably waiting for an opportunity,” Tian Mi mused. “Waiting for Liu Xiuju to make a mistake, waiting for a chance to get a divorce.”

Tian Yu nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Everyone says the same thing. Battalion Commander Zhu didn’t get to where he is by being a simple man. He’s unlucky, just like Xiao Yun.”

Tian Mi tugged the corner of her mouth. If it had been her who’d been trapped like that, she was sure she’d be even more cunning than Battalion Commander Zhu. She’d find a way to make that person pay—if she didn’t know how, she’d study how to do it. Liu Xiuju only took advantage of the unique circumstances of the past few years. Otherwise, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

As for what would become of Liu Xiuju in the future, that was obvious.

Of course, Tian Mi didn’t feel any sympathy for her either.

The game that was hunted had to be sent to the mess hall for processing.

But to keep everyone happy, whenever there was a good catch, the soldiers were always informed.

During such times, the mess hall would be packed. Some experienced soldiers would even join in to help with the butchering and processing.

Boiling water, removing fur, skinning the animals… Everyone’s face was filled with the joy of the harvest.

When Tian Mi and her group arrived, they were greeted by this bustling scene.

The mess hall was already packed, and cheers and shouts of approval could be heard constantly.

Men’s competitiveness was ever-present. They’d even make competitions out of who could slaughter pigs the fastest or who could chop meat the most precisely.

Worried about being stepped on, Tian Mi didn’t push her way forward. She was also concerned about whether her significant other had gotten injured, so she turned her head, scanning the crowd for him.

By this time, twilight had fallen, and the soldiers were holding torches. Among the flickering lights, the tall, upright figure of a man was still prominent.

When her gaze finally landed on him, he was standing with a slight smile on his lips, listening to his comrades as they talked.

Tian Mi blinked and kept staring at him. This was… a side of him she hadn’t seen before.

When they first met, the man in the photo had a stern expression.

When they met again, rather than stern, it would be more accurate to describe him as cold and forbidding.

He was certainly handsome, but he carried such a powerful and oppressive presence that it made him seem unapproachable.

At that time, Tian Mi had even sighed to herself, marveling at how she never expected not only to have traveled through time and gained special abilities but also to end up with a fierce and intimidating cool guy as her boyfriend.

However, after spending time together, she realized that although the man looked intimidating and wasn’t fond of smiling, he was actually considerate and gentle.

But today, she seemed to see another side of him.

It turned out that he, too, could express joy from the harvest, unexpectedly down-to-earth, and even… a little cute.

Perhaps sensing her focused gaze, the man suddenly lifted his head and, without any hesitation, looked straight in her direction.

When he recognized who was watching him, he froze for a few seconds before instinctively breaking into a bright smile.

He was already handsome, but now, under the flickering firelight, his chiseled features appeared even more striking, with an unexpected touch of warmth.

Tian Mi thought, it must be the firelight playing tricks.

Yet her heart began to uncontrollably speed up, “thump, thump, thump~.”

This was… the first time she’d seen the man smile so freely.

So handsome!

No wonder some people would spend a fortune just to win a smile from a cold, aloof beauty…

While Tian Mi’s thoughts were running wild, the man had already made his way through the crowd toward her.

Tian Mi blinked, hiding the awe in her eyes, and gave him a once-over. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

Although Lou Luhui had already stopped smiling, the corners of his mouth were still slightly curved. Hearing her words, his heart softened. “No, I’m not hurt.”

Despite his reassurance, Tian Mi was still a little worried. But since they were outside, she couldn’t check thoroughly, so she asked, “Can we head back now? It’s just in time for dinner.”

“Sure.”

“Then… shall we go?”

Upon hearing this, Lou Luhui instinctively touched the bag on his back. Feeling the contents inside, he coughed lightly. “Mm.”

Seeing him agree, Tian Mi turned to find her older sister, only to meet a pair of mischievously smiling eyes.

Tian Mi silently stared back…

Tian Yu immediately turned her head, dragging her husband away with her.

“Da Jie and Da Jiefu probably want to stay a bit longer. Why don’t we head back first?” Tian Mi withdrew her gaze as if nothing had happened and looked up at the man.

Lou Luhui pulled out a small flashlight from his pocket, shining its faint light at her feet. “Let’s go.”

“…”

Snowflakes began to drift down from the sky again.

The two walked side by side. This time, with the help of the darkness, there was no longer a gap between them large enough for another person to fit.

Both were lost in their thoughts, and the atmosphere was somewhat silent.

As the noise and joy behind them grew fainter and they fully entered the darkness, Lou Luhui, whose mind had been replaying the word “shameless,” reached out…

…and gently tugged at the sleeve of the girl’s long military coat.

Tian Mi paused in her steps and looked at the man. Though the twilight made it hard to see clearly, she could still sense his cautious probing.

She stayed silent for only a few seconds before freeing her hand from her sleeve and taking his hand in return.

And, as expected, it was soon enveloped tightly in his broad palm.

Tian Mi curled her lips into a smile and started walking again.

Stepping on the freshly fallen snow, she muttered softly, “My hand is a bit cold.”

Lou Luhui immediately moved closer and slipped her small hand into his own pocket. After a few moments, he asked gently, “Is it still cold?”

“Not anymore!”

Hearing this, Lou Luhui let out a soft chuckle, holding her hand even tighter.

He didn’t know what other girls were like, and he had no interest in finding out. But his little sweetheart, it seemed like everything about her was soft and sweet, even her voice as she said, “I brought you a gift.”

Tian Mi was surprised. “You brought me a gift from the mountain?” Could it be something furry, like a rabbit? A squirrel?

Thinking this, she glanced behind the man.

She had noticed earlier that he was carrying a green military bag—not very large, but big enough to hide a rabbit.

Hmm… it didn’t seem like it though. A rabbit would have made some noise.

So, what could it be?

She felt a bit of anticipation…

Just then.

A faint light shone ahead, signaling they had entered the family quarters.

Lou Luhui let go of her hand. Once they stepped inside the house, the room lit up brightly. Only then did he carefully pull out what he had been guarding in his bag throughout the trip.

Seeing his serious expression, Tian Mi instinctively held her breath… then blinked…

So, the gift was… a slightly squished bouquet of plum blossoms?

Lou Luhui hadn’t expected this. Despite his careful efforts, the plum blossoms he had been guarding along the way were still crushed. He had even gone out of his way to bring a special bag and carefully place them inside.

For once, a rare expression of embarrassment appeared on his face. Just as he was about to take the flowers back, they were already in her hands.

Tian Mi held the bouquet, examining it. Actually, with a little trimming, it would still look quite pretty.

She was about to offer some comforting words, but her expression suddenly froze.

She stared in disbelief at the item in the middle of the bouquet. After confirming several times that she wasn’t seeing things, she found herself at a loss for words to describe her feelings.

Really, Tian Mi could never have imagined that at the center of the plum blossoms, there was… a ginseng root.

Yes, an actual, genuine ginseng root, and it looked quite old, too.

If she hadn’t bought one before, she might not have recognized it.

So, what kind of aesthetic was this? Who wraps a ginseng root in a bouquet of plum blossoms to give to someone?

Her confusion was so apparent that Lou Luhui quickly explained, “My mom once told me that girls like flowers, so years ago, my dad would often buy her some. In recent years, with certain restrictions, my mom has been raising two cacti that my dad gave her…”

Tian Mi’s lips twitched. Cacti do bloom, so that wasn’t unreasonable.

“…I don’t know much about flowers, and there’s no place to buy any around here. I remembered seeing plum blossoms during a hunting trip, but I thought it might seem insincere to give just flowers. So I added the biggest ginseng root I found during that trip…” He sighed, frustrated that, despite his efforts, the whole bouquet had been crushed. He had expected maybe only the outermost flowers would get squished, but it turned out the entire thing had been deformed.

“I really like it! Girls do love flowers.” Tian Mi thought that when someone gives a gift, regardless of whether you like it or not, you should show appreciation—especially since she was hoping for more gifts in the future. Encouragement was key for long-term development. Plus, she genuinely liked the flowers.

To show she was sincere, she brought the plum blossoms closer to her nose and sniffed… Hmm, it smelled like ginseng.

Seeing that the man still seemed unsure, she immediately got up and went to the kitchen. She found an empty plastic container—the kind she used for lobster—and filled it halfway with water. Then, she took out some scissors and carefully trimmed a few of the plum branches.

Lou Luhui followed her into the kitchen, and the first thing he saw was the girl tenderly tending to the flowers, her expression soft and serene. His heart suddenly melted completely.

Even though his carefully prepared gift was now a little worse for wear, she still treated it with care. The sense of satisfaction he felt was something he had never experienced before.

It even gave him the sudden urge to prepare ten or even eight more gifts for her right away.

This wasn’t like him at all, but strangely, he didn’t dislike the feeling…

He stepped closer, stopping just a fist’s width away from her, and said nothing—simply watching her with warm, gentle eyes.

Tian Mi, seeming a bit tired from standing, subtly shifted and leaned most of her weight against him.

Lou Luhui wasn’t prepared for her movement, and his muscles instantly tensed. After a few moments, he slowly relaxed, even his breathing becoming controlled, afraid of startling her.

“By the way, in private, call me Tian Tian^[1]甜 – sweet, or Tian Mei,” Tian Mi said casually, as if she hadn’t noticed his momentary stiffness. She placed the first trimmed flower into the bubblegum container, then picked up the second one, speaking as if it were nothing.

“Tian Tian!”

Lou Luhui’s voice was deep and resonant, very distinctive. To describe it more romantically, it was rich with a magnetic quality.

At first, Tian Mi had thought that since they were a couple, and headed towards marriage, it was only natural to use more intimate names in private. But she hadn’t expected that such an ordinary pair of syllables would somehow take on a tender, intimate tone when said by him.

Even the usually bold Tian Mi felt a little shy.

So, she kept her head down, continuing to trim the flowers.

Snap! Snap!

A few minutes later, all the trimmed plum blossoms were arranged in the container.

Tian Mi adjusted the angle slightly, then held the flowers up, smiling brightly at the man. “How does it look? Pretty, right?”

Lou Luhui’s gaze fell on her smiling face, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. “Very pretty.”

More beautiful than the flowers!

Tian Mi…

Tian Mi’s gaze drifted for a moment. She set the flowers on the stove and softly said again, “I really like the flowers. I’ll cherish them.”

Lou Luhui wanted to say that if she liked them, he would pick more whenever he had time. There was no need to be so cautious.

But before he could speak, he heard her say quietly, “The day after tomorrow, I’m going to the market with my sister.”

“I’ll give you some money and ration tickets!” The words slipped out instinctively.

“Pfft…” Tian Mi burst out laughing. But this time, she didn’t refuse. Instead, she looked at him mischievously and said, “I’ll get you a gift too.”

Lou Luhui smiled as well. He understood that the girl had recognized his attempts at testing her, and she had accepted them. At that moment, his heart was pounding with excitement. It took him a while to steady himself before replying hoarsely, “Alright, I’m looking forward to it. But don’t tire yourself out—no need to knit sweaters or anything like that.” Too much strain on the eyes.

“So… whatever I give you, you’ll like?”

“Yes, I’ll like anything.” After saying this, Lou Luhui suddenly realized what she had meant earlier. He thought to himself, no matter what gift the girl gives, he would treasure it.

Of course, it would be even better if it were something that could be passed down through generations, so that one day he could hand it down to his grandchildren (to show off)…

“Tomorrow… when we get back tonight, I’ll apply for a marriage report, okay?”

“…Okay.”

“Then… in a few days, I’ll take leave and take you to the city to buy some things, okay?”

“Okay.”

“So… we’re getting married?!”

Tian Mi kept her eyes curved in a smile, gazing at the man. She nodded affirmatively when she heard his question: “We’re getting married!”

So, being thick-skinned really works! Lou Luhui felt as though his whole body was ignited.

Once his passion was kindled, he found it difficult to control his thoughts. He instinctively raised his sweaty hand that had been hanging at his side, wiped it quickly on his pants, and then wrapped it firmly around the girl’s waist.

Then… he bent down, slowly and tentatively moving closer to her soft, crimson lips.

Closer…

His palms began to sweat again… He was just about to kiss those alluring lips…

“Hey? Have Mi Yatou and Meifu^[2]Younger sister’s husband. not come back yet?”

Bang!

“…Ow.”