Chapter 40

Tian Mi straightened up a bit, and her first reaction was, “My dad can get a promotion?”

Lou Luhui pulled her back into his arms and hugged her. “Previously, when my old squad leader—who happens to be the party secretary of your county—was helping investigate the Liu family, he took the opportunity to learn more about your dad. My old squad leader said that your dad has strong abilities and has worked diligently for decades without a promotion. Part of the reason is that he’s too straightforward in his work, unwilling to curry favor, but the main reason seems to be that he himself didn’t want to move up, refusing several promotion opportunities.”

“He doesn’t want to?” It was the first time Tian Mi had heard of someone not wanting a promotion, but she quickly realized that a higher position would mean being busier and having more social obligations.

Since Tian Hongxing wasn’t the type who enjoyed socializing, and given the chaotic family situation, his choice was likely a way to make more time to be with his family.

Understanding this made Tian Mi suddenly feel a pang in her heart.

Because of the original body’s experiences, she had a natural dislike for Tian Hongxing.

But later, as they interacted closely, and she moved beyond her preconceived notions of a one-dimensional character, she found that as a father—especially one from the 1970s generation—Tian Hongxing was quite exceptional.

However, whether due to the loss of his eldest son, Tian Changxi, or something else, he often took a passive stance in matters with his parents and mother, which was really infuriating.

“So, are you saying that if my dad doesn’t want a promotion, this time he’ll be willing?”

Lou Luhui replied confidently, “If your dad doesn’t want to lose all his children except for Tian Changqing, he’ll compromise.”

Tian Mi didn’t respond right away but thought over what her husband was suggesting.

After a few minutes, she still shook her head. “It’s not suitable.”

Lou Luhui bent down to pick up the kettle beside him, gestured for his wife to lift her feet, then added some hot water to the bucket, which had cooled off. He put the cork back into the thermos bottle and asked, “Why not suitable?”

Tian Mi stirred the water in the bucket a few times with her feet, feeling the temperature warm up noticeably. “I hadn’t told you before, but Wang Hongyan—my troublesome sister-in-law—has always wanted to move to the city. And as for Tian Changqing, he’s been hoping for our father to step down so he could take over.”

As she said this, Tian Mi made a disdainful face. “They’ve even planned out what job he’d take: he wants to work at the supply and marketing cooperative. If my dad becomes the station chief and gets assigned a house, it’ll stir things up even more. A station chief’s position could easily be swapped for a job as a cooperative clerk, and maybe with some connections, they’d even arrange a position for Wang Hongyan. Wouldn’t that drive me crazy? Why should we satisfy those two parasites?”

Lou Luhui chuckled and poked his wife’s puffed-up cheek, flattening it as he said, “Silly girl, what are you thinking? Do you know how many towns are in your county?”

Tian Mi was puzzled… she really didn’t know; there didn’t seem to be a specific number in her memory.

“In Linhai County, there are 12 towns and 5 townships, so in theory, there should be 17 police stations in total. Dad could easily go to another station and pick one in the farthest township to be the director… Worst case, he could even work as a police officer in a neighboring county. He could bring Xiangyang along, too. Hmm… It would be best to divide up the family property before any transfer, anyway. After all, Tian Changqing is already married, so dividing the family assets now shouldn’t be an issue.”

Tian Mi considered the feasibility of this plan carefully and instinctively replied, “They won’t agree to divide the family assets.”

Lou Luhui seemed unfazed. “That depends on the terms offered. The household belongings, including Dad’s post-retirement job benefits, can be signed over to them in an agreement. Besides, we’re here to support your younger brother, so he’s not lacking for anything…”

Tian Mi had to admit her husband’s words were tempting. Although the idea of Tian Changqing eventually taking over her father’s job was irksome, those annoyances were insignificant compared to the safety of her younger siblings.

Besides, by the time Dad reaches retirement age, it’ll be the early 1980s. There’s no telling how long the supply and marketing cooperative will even last.

“But what if they’re stubborn and track him down at the new location?”

“They won’t. Dropping by once or twice is fine, but frequent visits would be impossible. Don’t you remember? Nowadays, even to travel a bit further, one has to provide an introduction letter. Especially these years, there are Red Guard patrols even in towns down south. If they show up without an introduction letter and as unfamiliar faces, they might be detained as vagrants. Even if they’re released due to a misunderstanding, after a few times of this, I doubt Tian Changqing and that Wang Hongyan will have the nerve to keep trying.”

Wang Hongyan is lucky to have run into a law-abiding family like the Tians. If it were one of those more hard-handed families, she’d be scared off with just one tough response.

Thinking of this, Lou Luhui’s gaze darkened. He turned his head, kissed his wife’s furrowed brow, and gently comforted her, “Stop worrying. Weren’t you concerned about Wang Hongyan causing trouble? I think she’s just too idle. Let’s give her something to keep her busy for a few years.”

“What kind of thing?”

Lou Luhui picked up a washcloth and handed one to his wife, then began drying his feet. “Let’s find Wang Hongyan a tough sister-in-law. Once her family’s affairs start catching fire, she’ll have no time to plot against others.”

“Wouldn’t that just be harming another woman?” Tian Mi frowned. Who would want to marry a fool, especially one with violent tendencies?

Lou Luhui slipped his feet into his slippers, an enigmatic look in his eyes. “What are you thinking? Of course, the woman would need to agree.”

“Who would agree to that?”

Lou Luhui scooped his wife up in his arms and carried her to the bathroom, speaking mysteriously as he went, “There’s always… a ‘villain’ fit to grind another villain.”

Tian Mi…

The next evening.

Unexpectedly receiving a call from Pan Di, Tian Mi finally understood her husband’s mysterious attitude the previous night.

Holding the receiver, she was left speechless. “Did you say… Wang Hongyan’s brother, that Wang Dabao, got married?”

On the other end of the line, Tian Xue excitedly began to ramble, “Jie, you don’t know how incredible Er Jie Fu is…”

It turns out that after realizing how clever his little sister-in-law Tian Xue was, Lou Luhui had called the police station after work. Very politely exchanging pleasantries over the phone with his father-in-law, he requested to speak with his sister-in-law.

Curious as to why his second son-in-law wanted to talk to Si Yatou, Tian Hongxing went to the school to bring her to the phone.

Later on, Lou Luhui didn’t treat the little girl as just a clueless child but directly shared his plan with young Tian Xue.

Tian Xue was familiar with Zhao Xiaocao.

Her name sounded delicate, but she was actually a big, rough woman, unattractive, and a fierce character who’d served five years in a labor camp at the age of 36.

Calling her a fierce character might not be entirely accurate; she wasn’t inherently bad but rather simple-minded, slower than the average person, and had led a difficult life.

In her early years, Zhao Xiaocao’s family, annoyed by her big appetite, wanted nothing more than to marry her off.

But she was unattractive, with a large build and a notorious temper—if provoked, she’d throw punches, making her a known figure in the nearby villages. No one dared to marry her.

Eventually, during the famine years, her family bit the bullet, offering half a bag of soybeans to marry her off to a bald, old bachelor.

This bachelor, despite never being able to find a wife, still held high standards. After marrying Zhao Xiaocao, he always felt she was beneath him, treating her with frequent scolding and beatings.

Zhao Xiaocao, however, was far from defenseless. She wasn’t quick with words, so when insulted, she responded with her fists. If he hit her, she’d strike back harder, beating the bald bachelor until he cried for his mother.

This chaotic back-and-forth went on for five or six years, but Zhao Xiaocao never managed to bear any children.

So, the fights only intensified.

One day, in the heat of an argument, she seriously injured him, resulting in a labor camp sentence.

In those days, especially in the rural areas, incidents involving bloodshed were shocking, almost as if a murder had occurred. Zhao Xiaocao became even more notorious as a result.

Earlier this year, her sentence ended, and she came out looking even tougher and more ferocious than before.

However, her family didn’t want her back, and the bald bachelor had divorced her after she injured him.

Since then, Zhao Xiaocao had no home and had been living under bridges or in caves, eating mostly by begging. She was weathered, disheveled, and indistinguishable from a beggar.

Zhao Xiaocao might be a bit slow, but she wasn’t stupid.

The Wang family, while modest, was at least a regular household with a home, land, and food, far better than her current life.

Especially after Wang Hongyan married into the Tian family, her quality of life had improved significantly, with regular meals of meat stews.

As for Wang Hongyan’s younger brother, Wang Dabao—though mentally challenged—was well cared for by his family. Fair-skinned, chubby, and tall, he immediately caught Zhao Xiaocao’s eye.

It’s hard to describe Wang Dabao.

He was mentally slow, yes, but he still had his male instincts. Since his teens, he’d liked to spy on village women bathing and harass the young wives and maidens in the village, earning himself a reputation as a notorious pest.

The most revolting part was that when the Wang family parents were confronted about it, they weren’t ashamed at all. Instead, they were smug, thinking their son was smart for wanting to “carry on the family line” and were determined to find a respectable, outstanding woman to pair with their precious son.

This attitude was also one of the reasons why Wang Xiaohong^[1]Not sure who this is referring to. Could be Wang Dabao’s actual name. Since Dabao can literally translate to Big Baby/Treasure. struggled to find a partner in the village. It could be said that the Wang family’s values were rotten at the core.

Now, with Zhao Xiaocao at their doorstep, Wang Dabao—who didn’t have much sense of beauty or appearance—only knew she was a woman, and the two quickly got involved, making it official.

In just half a day, Zhao Xiaocao had become the Wang family’s daughter-in-law, living like a queen.

The Wang family had no choice but to accept it. First, they were afraid of being reported for hooliganism, and second, Zhao Xiaocao was genuinely fierce. If her parents-in-law or sister-in-law dared to scold her, she would respond with her fists.

As she finished telling the story, Tian Xue was practically laughing herself to tears. “Da Jie, you don’t know—when I heard that Wang Hongyan went back to her family today and refused to let Zhao Xiaocao into the house, Zhao Xiaocao punched her straight in the face, making her nose bleed. It’s so satisfying!”

“You sought out Zhao Xiaocao? Are you sure the Wang family won’t find out?”

“I’m not dumb; I disguised myself. Jie Fu had already warned me.”

“…”

After hanging up the phone, Tian Mi was still a bit stunned. She looked at her husband and asked, “How did you know about Zhao Xiaocao?”

“When I went to see my old squad leader, I happened to see Zhao Xiaocao stealing something. Zhou Jianshe and I helped retrieve it, and that’s when we heard the locals talk about her.”

This was… so incredibly satisfying!

Tian Mi hadn’t expected things to develop this way, so that’s why her husband had said, “Evil people are dealt with by their own kind.”

This was… amazing!

Now Wang Hongyan would be kept busy for quite some time.

Seeing the sparkle in his wife’s eyes, Lou Luhui was pleased as well. “You’re that happy?”

“Mm-hmm, very, very happy. Hui Hui, thank you.” If they hadn’t been in the office, she would have jumped up and given him a loving kiss.

Lou Luhui chuckled softly, about to say something when they heard a knock at the door.

The couple turned to see the tall, burly Zhou Jianshe leaning on the doorframe in an exaggerated, eye-catching pose. Noticing their attention, he winked, pinched his voice, and said coyly, “Hui Hui, Commander Wang is calling us over.”

Tian Mi… clenched her fists.

That evening, as soon as Lou Luhui came home, he handed his wife a small, newspaper-wrapped package.

Tian Mi weighed it in her hand, and after a moment’s suspicion, she quickly realized what it was and excitedly asked, “Is this three thousand yuan?”

Lou Luhui changed his shoes, took off his coat, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they walked further inside. “Open it and see.”

Of course she would. The moment he finished speaking, Tian Mi had already peeled off the newspaper to reveal a neat little stack of bills. “How did it arrive so fast…”

Before she could finish expressing her excitement, a sudden thought struck her, and she turned to look at him. “Commander Wang called you over… does that mean it’s time to set off?”

Lou Luhui nodded. “The funds have arrived, so we’re leaving tomorrow morning at six.”

Although she had mentally prepared herself, at that moment, Tian Mi suddenly felt that the three thousand yuan in her hands didn’t seem quite as appealing anymore.

Of course, she wasn’t the clingy type who couldn’t bear to be apart. Her sadness only lingered for a few seconds before she adjusted. “Alright, go wash your hands and eat. After dinner, I’ll make you some food to take with you.”

“No need, the cooking team will prepare rations for us.” After washing his hands, Lou Luhui pulled out a chair, sat at the table, and picked up his chopsticks, first serving his wife a piece.

“It’s not the same. Army food is army food. Today, the farm slaughtered a cow, and Da Jie and I went early to get a few pounds from the quartermaster. I was going to cook it with potatoes, but now it’s perfect for making beef jerky to take with you for the road.” She didn’t know exactly what kind of rations the army would prepare, but extra meat couldn’t hurt—it’d be a little treat, at least.

Lou Luhui opened his mouth to respond, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse, his gaze softening. “After we finish eating, let’s make it together.”

Tian Mi calculated the time needed to make the beef jerky and, seeing it wouldn’t delay their rest, nodded in agreement. “Just as well. You’ve got the strength; you can cut the beef.” Talking about cutting the beef, Tian Mi put down her chopsticks, fetched the beef from storage, and placed it in warm water to thaw before sitting back at the table to finish eating.

All the while, her husband stayed close to her, clearly reluctant to leave. Tian Mi let him linger, sensing his attachment.

After dinner, as the two of them busied themselves in the kitchen making beef jerky, Lou Luhui brought up some matters.

“This morning, I also called Dad.”

“My dad or your dad?” Tian Mi asked.

“Your dad.”

“To discuss his promotion and the division of the family?” 

Lou Luhui put the one-centimeter-thick beef strips into a clean basin and picked up another piece to continue cutting. “Yes, and I also shared some of my suggestions. Dad said he’d think it over and get back to us tomorrow…” He turned to glance at his wife, who was peeling garlic beside him. “I have to leave by six tomorrow morning, so I won’t be able to take Dad’s call. But I’ve arranged with Lao Chen to call and coordinate with Dad at that time. He’ll also handle buying the tickets, probably through our comrade Pan Yue who helped buy your ticket before. You don’t have to worry about San Mei’s journey; Lao Chen will take care of everything.”

It was rare for Tian Mi to hear her husband talk this much—usually, she did most of the talking.

Knowing he was concerned about her family, she listened carefully, nodding from time to time.

In the end, Lou Luhui gave a sincere summary. “If anything comes up, don’t stress alone. If I’m not around, go to Lao Chen. He’s Dad’s son-in-law too; let him take some of the responsibility. Plus, he’s a local with his own connections. Some things that seem challenging to you might be easier in his hands.”

Tian Mi nodded vigorously. “I get it—Political Commissars are crafty.”

“Ahem… as long as you understand.”

“…”

Tian Mi had no idea when Lou Luhui left.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to know; she simply didn’t have the energy to.

A certain husband, feeling it was quite a loss to be separated so soon after their marriage, had made the most of their time together last night.

Tian Mi didn’t understand where he got so much energy, but by morning, she’d overslept and didn’t open her eyes until well past ten.

In these early-to-bed, early-to-rise times, it was… absurd.

After getting up and freshening up, Tian Mi grabbed her rations and headed straight to her older sister’s house. Lately, she was the only one at home, and she was too lazy to cook just for herself. Besides, she could share the latest gossip about the Wang family with her sister.

She’d learned the news yesterday evening, but she’d been in a hurry to get home and cook, so she hadn’t had time to tell her sister the juiciest details.

With the idea that joy is better when shared, Tian Mi barely set foot inside her sister’s house before she started talking about the commotion with Wang Hongyan’s family.

Sure enough, Tian Yu, who was sorting peanuts and preparing for the New Year, slapped her thigh with satisfaction. “Serves her right! That’s karma. Now she’s finally getting a taste of her own medicine, and it’s about time! She’s always such a nuisance.”

Tian Mi nodded eagerly. “With Wang Hongyan’s personality, I’d say Zhao Xiaocao will take up at least half her energy—and maybe even land a few more punches on her! It’d be even better if she gave that coward Tian Changqing a few as well.”

“Right! If a few beatings could straighten them out, I’d be grateful to Zhao Xiaocao’s family for eight generations.”

“…As if that would ever happen!”

After laughing for a while, Tian Yu finally noticed the bag in her sister’s hand. “What’s in that?”

“Oh!” Tian Mi set the bag on the table casually. “Rations. Lao Lou is out on a mission; he won’t be back for about ten days or so. I didn’t feel like cooking just for myself, so I came to your house… Hey! Wait, sis, why are you grabbing that?”

Before Tian Mi could finish, Tian Yu glanced around, grabbed a feather duster, and made a move to whack her.

Seeing her younger sister running around the table, Tian Yu grew angrier and scolded, “You wretched girl! What do you take me for? Coming to your own sister’s house to eat and bringing rations? What kind of sister do you think I am?”

Tian Mi hadn’t expected her sister to get angry over this.

Ducking away from the feather duster, she hastily explained, “…It’s not just a day or two, it’ll be half a month! Food is expensive these days, and everyone’s struggling. Bringing rations when I eat here seems only right! Everyone does it!”

“Oh, so now you’re talking back? I can see you’re asking for trouble!”

“Jie… Da Jie, I’m sorry! I’ll take it back right now, okay?”

The sight of the two sisters chasing each other was truly funny. Xiao Guo Guo, who had been playing with her toes nearby, was now clapping her hands and cheering. “Go, Mama! Go, Second Auntie! Hit, hit!”

Tian Mi shot her niece a playful glare as she passed by, ruffling her hair. “You little brat! Whose side are you on?”

Xiao Guo Guo was the kind of child who got excited when there was action. Giggling, she got to her feet and, with nimble little steps, joined her mom in the chase, clapping her chubby hands in delight.

Before long, the sisters couldn’t keep running with the little one chasing behind them. Tian Yu finally stopped, catching her breath. She placed one hand on her hip and pointed the feather duster at her sister, warning, “Next time you bring rations, you just try it. See if I won’t give you a good smack!”

Now using the chubby girl as a shield, Tian Mi shook her head quickly. “I wouldn’t dare…!” Already married, and still getting smacked? That’d be too embarrassing.

“There’s a fight! There’s a fight!”

Just as Tian Yu was about to put down the feather duster, Wang Chunhua, the camp commander’s daughter, burst in, excitement written all over her face.

Tian Yu exchanged a glance with her sister, thinking that Wang Chunhua must have witnessed their earlier antics. She immediately tossed the feather duster aside and opened her mouth to explain, but Wang Chunhua was both excited and anxious as she exclaimed, “Hey! Let’s go, there’s a commotion!”

Tian Mi was the first to react. “Who’s fighting?”

“Deputy Commander Qian from the Second Regiment!”

Tian Yu was taken aback. “You mean Qian Sheng?”

Wang Chunhua, impatient with her sister-in-law’s slow response, pulled her toward the door. “Of course it’s him! Who else could it be? Come on, hurry up! What if we miss the fun?”

Tian Yu quickly threw on her jacket, her feet stumbling as she rushed. “No, wait… who’s fighting with Qian Sheng? And why?”

Seeing this, Tian Mi also put on her coat and followed, dragging Xiao Guo Guo with her.

As soon as they stepped outside, the sounds of a woman’s scream and the ensuing chaos reached their ears.

Before Tian Mi could even wonder how someone could be fighting in the military and not fear repercussions, Wang Chunhua gossipingly added, “It’s someone from Ge Yun’s family! I don’t know why, but they just started fighting as soon as they arrived.”

Hearing this, the two sisters exchanged looks, remembering the previous incidents of Ge Yun being abused. They instinctively quickened their pace.