Chapter 22: Instructor Meng Treats Everyone to Dinner

Wei Dong composed himself. “Our instructor is inviting you to dinner at his place.”

“Tonight?”

“Mm.”

After a moment, he asked, “You don’t want to go?”

Lian Yuqing replied bluntly, “Of course I’m going. Free meal, right~”

Then she realized, “You came home just to tell me that?”

“Yeah.”

He really looked like a dutiful and obedient husband. Lian Yuqing curled her lips. “I’m not stupid enough to offend the instructor.”

Wei Dong didn’t even take a sip of water before leaving again.

After being interrupted like that, Lian Yuqing didn’t feel like thinking anymore and decided to just take a nap.

When the day’s training ended, the soldiers of the 7th battalion were full of complaints.

No one knew what had happened—after the battalion commander left for a bit and returned, his face was so dark it could drip water. Naturally, the training intensity doubled.

They happened to run into Meng Qinghai, who smiled and said, “Perfect timing, come back with me.”

Wei Dong replied, “Old Meng, I need to stop by home first.”

“What for, to change clothes or something?”

Cheng Xu chimed in, “Exactly, right?”

Wei Dong explained helplessly, “My wife doesn’t know where your place is.”

“Don’t worry, your sister-in-law already picked her up. She’s probably home watching TV already. Let’s go.”

Wei Dong glanced in the direction of his house. He only came back to his senses when Cheng Xu called out to him.

Cheng Xu draped an arm over Meng Qinghai’s shoulder, completely informal. “Old Meng, ever since he got married, that iceberg has turned into a wife-watching stone.”

Meng Qinghai shoved him off and sneered, “And you have any right to tease him? Look at how old you are. Every time your dad sees me, he scolds me for not doing my job, saying it’s my fault you’re still single.”

Cheng Xu immediately begged, “Come on, Old Meng, don’t start. It’s not like I don’t want to get married—there’s just no one suitable~”

“The arts troupe, the military hospital, the school—so many girls like you, and none of them suit you? What, are you waiting for a fairy?”

Cheng Xu boldly said, “If there were someone like Dongzi’s wife, I’d marry her right away.”

Wei Dong caught up to them, and Cheng Xu nudged his arm. “Dongzi, how did you manage to marry your wife? Does she have any sisters? Introduce one to me!”

“Nearly died to marry her.”

He dropped that sentence and walked off.

What Wei Dong meant was that he had nearly been beaten to death by traffickers when rescuing Lian Yuqing back then, but Cheng Xu misunderstood and got emotional. “The stone has finally softened.”

You have to understand, in ten years of military life, the number of girls who liked Wei Dong wasn’t fewer than those who liked Cheng Xu. The difference was that Cheng Xu would turn them down politely, while this guy would just say, “I’m not interested.”

It had broken so many girls’ hearts.

When Meng Qinghai opened the door, the house was bustling.

The sound of women chatting in the kitchen drifted outside. Someone had a particularly hearty laugh.

Five or six children were running and screaming in the living room.

On the sofa, two women sat—one on each end—clearly keeping their distance.

One was Lian Yuqing, the other was Jiang Min, the wife of Deputy Battalion Commander Pan Yuecheng of the 7th Battalion.

Lian Yuqing was on the verge of breaking down from the noisy kids. This wasn’t her house, so she couldn’t lash out. She turned up the TV volume to drown out the noise.

Now, her ears were assaulted by both the TV and the kids. Furious, she shut the TV off without caring whether the other woman on the sofa was watching it or not.

When she saw Wei Dong walk in, her eyes lit up and she immediately ran over, grabbing his arm and whispering in his ear, “Quick, find a way to shut those brats up. I’m going deaf.”

Wei Dong glanced at the kids and couldn’t help but chuckle. This woman who could take on four members of the Wei family by herself was now defeated by a few children.

Unbeknownst to him, the few rough men in the room saw this scene and instantly felt that the relationship between Wei Dong and his wife was amazing.

Even Cheng Xu couldn’t help feeling a bit envious—he suddenly wanted to get married.

“Dongzi, you’re too busy staring at your wife—aren’t you going to introduce her?”

Wei Dong came back to his senses. “Old Meng, this is my wife, Lian Yuqing.”

To Lian Yuqing, he said, “This is our instructor, Old Meng.”

Meng Qinghai grinned. “Comrade Xiao Lian, Dongzi is really lucky to have married you!”

Lian Yuqing tucked her hair behind her ear, not shy at all. She smiled and said, “Even though you’re the instructor, I’ll call you Brother Meng in private, okay? It feels too distant if you call me Lian Yuqing.”

Meng Qinghai burst out laughing. “Still, Yuqing knows how to talk! You guys call me ‘Old Meng’ so much I actually feel old.”

Under Lian Yuqing’s “threat,” Wei Dong made the kids go downstairs to play.

Meng Qinghai had invited a lot of people for dinner. Soon, the place was full of loud, rough men smoking around the dining table. Lian Yuqing immediately frowned and covered her nose.

She turned to the side and said, “I’ll go to the kitchen and see if I can help.”

Just as she stepped forward, Jiang Min said, “I’ll go too.”

…

The kitchen was large enough to fit four or five women working without getting in each other’s way.

Cheng Weiwei delivered cleaned vegetables to Xu Qiuhong. They were not only spotless but neatly arranged too. Xu Qiuhong was very pleased. “Look at how great Weiwei is. Why hasn’t she found someone yet?”

Cheng Weiwei blushed. “Sister-in-law, don’t tease me.”

Another sister-in-law chimed in, “Don’t be modest, Weiwei. There aren’t many girls like you who are hardworking and quick with chores. Honestly, you should be like Xiao Jiang and Dongzi’s wife—helping out here so we aren’t so busy.”

The other women were all older and efficient with chores. Cheng Weiwei was the only young girl among them.

“My dad always says men work hard. If we can help lighten their burden, it brings harmony to the family. Besides, how could I let you all do everything? I’d feel guilty.”

Just as she finished, Lian Yuqing’s voice piped up. “Sisters-in-law, I came to see if I could help out. Otherwise, I’ll feel guilty~”

“Mm, I’m here to help too,” added Jiang Min.

Cheng Weiwei awkwardly turned her head. “Sister Min.”

Jiang Min didn’t even look at her.

In the family compound, the only one who didn’t do housework was Jiang Min. Now that Lian Yuqing had joined, that made two. And with what Cheng Weiwei had just said, anyone with half a brain could tell who she was criticizing.

Usually, Cheng Weiwei and Jiang Min got along fine—they worked and went home together. But now, Jiang Min felt disgusted.

Sensing the awkward tension, Xu Qiuhong quickly spoke up. “Xiao Jiang, Xiao Lian, help bring the bowls and chopsticks out. We’ll be eating in ten minutes.”

Lian Yuqing glanced at the food in the pot and teased, “Sister Xu, I’m helping now, so make sure I get two extra bowls of rice later!”

Xu Qiuhong laughed. “With your tiny frame, how many bowls can you eat?”

Lian Yuqing carried out the dishes, and Jiang Min grabbed another stack. Cheng Weiwei tried to help her, but Jiang Min dodged.

“Sister Min, let me help. You’ve been working all day.”

“No need.” Her tone was ice cold, and Jiang Min walked out.

Cheng Weiwei clenched her teeth. It must’ve been Lian Yuqing who turned her against me.