Chapter 38

Before answering the phone, Tian Hongxing instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall.

8 o’clock sharp — it should be his daughter calling.

Thinking this, he reached out and picked up the receiver. Sure enough, the voice on the other end belonged to his eldest daughter.

A smile immediately spread across Tian Hongxing’s face. “… They’re here. San Yatou, Si Yatou, and Xiang Yang are all here.”

Looking at the three children gathered around him, the old father showed a warm smile, placing his large hand on his youngest son’s head and giving it a gentle rub before asking, “Should I have Lai Di or Pan Di answer first?”

Upon hearing this, Lai Di and Pan Di couldn’t help but lean in closer to their father, their eyes shining with anticipation.

“Ah? Talk to Dad first? Haha, okay! Okay! Yu Yatou, go ahead!” Just yesterday, Tian Hongxing had felt his daughters were keeping secrets from him and had grown a bit distant. Now his face was flushed with happiness.

But he hadn’t enjoyed the feeling for long before the contents of the conversation made him abruptly stand up in surprise.

He was both astonished and delighted. “Are you serious? Did our second son-in-law secure a female soldier’s position for Lai Di?”

Lai Di looked at her father in disbelief.

Join… join the army?

Her?

How was that possible?

Lai Di knew that these days, the best prospects were either to attend the Workers, Peasants, and Soldiers University or to join the military. But slots for either were scarce, especially for female soldiers.

The old secretary of Chaoyang Village had been working tirelessly to get his daughter into the army, seeking connections for two or three years now without success.

After all, joining the army wasn’t easy — especially as a woman…

Just as Lai Di began to doubt her hearing and her expression darkened, she found herself tightly embraced by her younger sister.

Pan Di shook her older sister with excitement. “Jie, this is amazing! You’re going to be a soldier. It’s just wonderful!”

So… is it… “Is it true? Am I really going to be a soldier? Is this… not a dream?” The overwhelming surprise left Lai Di feeling as if she were in a daze.

“Of course, it’s true! Didn’t Dad just say so?”

Yes, yes — Dad was still talking to Da Jie on the phone. Lai Di took a few deep breaths, patting her cheeks in an attempt to calm herself. She looked at her father expectantly, a mixture of anticipation and unease, unconsciously tensing up.

Meanwhile, Tian Hongxing was listening to his eldest daughter explain in simple terms that their second son-in-law had indeed managed to secure a position for San Yatou in the military.

When she arrived, Lai Di could go straight to the health station and start by learning nursing skills.

This was a stable, skilled job!

As long as San Yatou learned well, even if she retired from the military in the future, she could find work as a nurse in a local hospital. Hospitals everywhere were in need of healthcare workers, and those with military hospital experience were in high demand.

Moreover, even though their third daughter is timid, she’s exceptionally attentive, diligent, and gentle — perfectly suited for nursing.

The more Tian Hongxing thought about it, the happier he became. This… this job was practically tailor-made for San Yatou.

Over the phone, he expressed his gratitude repeatedly, saying, “Er Nuxu^[1]Second son-in-law is so thoughtful, so considerate! Da Yatou, thank your brother-in-law properly on my behalf.”

His eldest son-in-law had proven himself good, and now the second son-in-law was just as dedicated to the family. Tian Hongxing felt both touched and relieved. Being a man himself, he understood that his second son-in-law’s efforts surely indicated a strong bond between the couple.

Having no idea that the job was entirely Tian Mi’s doing, Tian Hongxing’s imagination ran wild, making him even more satisfied with his unseen second son-in-law.

“…Alright, alright, I’ll call Lai Di over,” he said, then signaled for his third daughter to come and take the phone.

Instinctively, Lai Di raised her hand, only to realize that, at some point, her hand had clenched into a fist.

Her face reddened as she nervously took the receiver. “…Hello?”

On the other end of the line, it was now Tian Mi, as she was closer to her younger siblings than her elder sister was.

Tian Mi went straight to the point. “Lai Di, we don’t have much time for this call, so I’ll be brief…”

“Okay, Er Jie, go ahead; I’m listening.”

“It’s true about joining the army. Over the next few days, your brother-in-law will arrange for someone to help you get a train ticket. I don’t have time today to go over the specifics of the journey or what you’ll need to watch out for, but once the ticket is secured, I’ll explain everything in detail. Don’t worry; someone will be there to look out for you along the way. Da Jie and I will be at the station when you arrive…” After a quick rundown, Tian Mi added:

“I need to talk to Pan Di about something, so could you call Si Mei over?”

Taking in all this information at once, Lai Di absorbed everything. But the thought of traveling alone over 2,000 kilometers to the north — when she hadn’t even left their county before — made her feel both nervous and overwhelmed…

Pan Di assumed Er Jie was about to ask her to look after San Jie before her departure, but as soon as she picked up the receiver, all she managed to say was a quick “Hello!” before hearing:

“Si Mei, would you like to come along as well?”

Pan Di was quick to process, pausing only a couple of seconds before asking, “Am I old enough to join the army?”

“No, not as a soldier, but to live on the base with me. Da Jie and I will support your schooling, though starting next year in middle school, you’d need to attend a boarding school in the city, three or four hours away by bus from the base, and come home only on weekends. It’s unfamiliar territory, but could you handle it?”

Actually, Da Jie’s son, Chen Xun, was the same age as Pan Di and would also be starting middle school next year, so the two could have gone together.

But Jie Fu had used his old connections to arrange for Chen Xun to study at a prestigious provincial school next year.

That school was not easy to get into and was primarily attended by the children of military officers. Alongside regular academics, these kids were sometimes taken on field exercises by their teachers.

In Tian Mi’s opinion, it seemed almost like training a preparatory unit for military academies.

Getting Chen Xun admitted had already required pulling strings, so it wasn’t feasible to impose on those connections again. If Si Mei came, she’d likely have to attend a regular middle school in the city.

On her end, Pan Di was completely unprepared for this idea and wasn’t sure how to respond. Luckily, her second sister continued, “There’s no rush. Think it over for a day and let us know. If you decide to come, we’ll buy two tickets. If not, we’ll just get one for San Mei. Pan Di, you could also finish middle or high school back home and join us after graduation… If you want to join the army, when you’re old enough, I can arrange it for you. But, Pan Di, remember, aside from Dad, don’t mention that I can help you join the army, alright?”

The more Pan Di heard, the more confused she became. By the time Xiang Yang took over the call, she didn’t even notice.

Finally, the two sisters looked at each other, seeing the same bewilderment on each other’s faces.

Today’s events had been a huge shock for both of them.

They needed a moment… Yes, no rush.

Just take a moment to process…

“Mi Yatou, do you think Si Mei will come?” Tian Yu immediately asked as her younger sister hung up the phone.

Tian Mi took the chubby little one into her arms, nodded, then shook her head. “I think she’ll probably come, but she might worry about Xiang Yang. That girl Pan Di has a hard mouth but a soft heart^[2]Verbally harsh but soft-hearted.”

After saying this, she turned to her husband. “We’re heading back now, but we’ll probably come by again the day after tomorrow morning to use the phone.” Constantly using her brother-in-law’s office phone made her feel a bit guilty, like they were taking advantage of one resource too much, which was why she’d used Lou Luhui’s office phone today.

Lou Luhui, in a deep, calm voice, reassured her, “No problem, it’s understandable given the circumstances.”

Tian Mi smiled as well. “Alright, then we’re off. Oh, by the way, I made wild chicken soup today. Call Jie Fu after work, and both of you come over.”

“Got it… here, take this,” Lou Luhui said as he bent down to retrieve a small tin of tea leaves from a cabinet below.

“Where did this come from?” Tian Mi opened the tin he handed her, surprised to see it was still half full.

That morning, she’d only learned from her older sister that the tea she’d used for making milk tea was high-quality, the kind the men rarely drank unless it was a special occasion.

Lou Luhui cleared his throat. “Got it from Commissar Liu. I know you enjoy making milk tea, so take it. I already wrote to my dad asking him to send a few more boxes. When they arrive, I’ll return the favor to the commissar.”

Tian Mi…

“Achoo!” At a military headquarters, a middle-aged man in a sharply pressed uniform and commanding presence sneezed unexpectedly.

“Shou Zhang^[3]Senior Official- Refers to the highest ranked leader in a group. Might use Commander-in-chief or sth to that effect later on when I know which position Lou Zhan actually holds. This one is just a … Continue reading? Do you have a cold?” Guard Xiao Li asked with concern.

Lou Zhan waved a hand. “It’s nothing; probably just someone talking about me.”

Years ago, Lou Zhan had been known for his tough, unyielding personality and a tendency to clash openly when he disagreed. But as responsibilities grew, he had gradually tempered into the person he was today.

Though he appeared gentler now, no one underestimated the quiet, lethal decisiveness of a man shaped by the heat of battle.

Doing some quick math, Xiao Li chuckled, “At this time, the Madam must be arriving home.”

Thinking of his wife, eight years younger than himself, softened Lou Zhan’s expression a bit. He wondered if she’d been worn out by this trip.

And his daughter-in-law… What kind of person was she?

Thinking about it, Lou Zhan turned to Xiao Li with instructions. “I’ll be going home for lunch.”

Xiao Li wasn’t surprised, smiling as he teased, “You haven’t seen Luhui for several years. This time, he must have had Madam bring back a lot of good things to show filial respect.”

Lou Zhan’s two guards had been with him for years. Starting from humble beginnings, he had little formality around them in private. Hearing Xiao Li’s remark, he simply shook his head with a smile. “Since ancient times, it’s always been “marry a wife, forget your mother”. It’s already good if that stinky brat doesn’t come asking me for stuff…”

“…”