Chapter 5: Will We Be Able to Eat Our Fill Every Day from Now On?

When she saw Ye Qing, she was stunned for a moment, then immediately turned her head away and refused to look at her. Instead, she addressed Gao Hao, asking: “Comrade, you’re the one sent specifically to pick us up, right?”

Gao Hao nodded. “Everyone’s here. Let’s get in the car! Sister-in-law, take it slow.”

She reached out to support Ye Qing, who was carrying a child. The elderly woman rolled her eyes at her and snapped: “Little vixen! Already trying to seduce someone so soon!”

Gao Hao’s brows furrowed ever so slightly.

The jeep headed west, driving further and further into remote areas. At first, there were still villages visible along the road, but as they continued, only vast grasslands remained.

Gao Hao sneaked glances at Ye Qing through the rearview mirror. He thought to himself: They all say that with Regiment Commander Qin’s outstanding conditions, marrying a rural wife is such a loss. But this woman doesn’t look bad at all?

Even though she looked dusty and worn, her beauty still showed through. Her expression was calm and composed—she didn’t look like someone who had never seen the world.

But that Executive Secretary Sun’s mother…

He shook his head. Seems like the rumors weren’t wrong—this one’s not easy to deal with!

“Comrade Gao, when will Qin Ye be back?” Ye Qing noticed Gao Hao watching her and asked right away.

Gao Hao paused in thought. “Sister-in-law, it’s hard to say! Regiment Commander Qin took on a confidential mission this time. No one knows how long it’ll be before he returns. He’s already been gone for over half a year, and there hasn’t been any news.”

Ye Qing felt her heart sink.

That was exactly when he stopped sending her living expenses. Could Su Fang have been right after all? Had something happened to him out there?

No, that couldn’t be! The book didn’t mention Qin Ye being injured, let alone dying in an accident. He was the male lead—how could he die so easily?

The car stopped in front of the hostel. Sun Min waved goodbye, saying she’d visit Ye Qing when she had time, then left.

Gao Hao looked at Ye Qing and said: “Sister-in-law, I really must apologize. Normally, military family members need to submit a report in advance before joining the army base. That way, we could’ve applied for a family compound beforehand. But since you came unexpectedly and Regiment Commander Qin isn’t here, we can only temporarily arrange for you to stay in the hostel.”

Ye Qing didn’t mind. She hadn’t dared to sleep soundly in days—any place where she could rest properly was good enough for her.

Gao Hao picked up Ye Qing’s luggage and turned back to tell Executive Secretary Sun’s mother: “Ma’am, please wait a bit. I’ll take Sister-in-law to the hostel first, then bring you to the family compound. Executive Secretary Sun already applied for it a while ago and has been looking forward to your arrival.”

The old woman nodded haughtily. “Fine! But make it quick—my grandson already wants to see his father.”

With a word of acknowledgment, Gao Hao led Ye Qing to the hostel.

The hostel was fully equipped. After settling them in and explaining the important things to note, Gao Hao left.

Ye Qing wasn’t picky. Following the directions Gao Hao had given, she fetched some hot water. She first washed Nannan, then cleaned herself up. Only after the two of them were scrubbed clean did she hug Nannan and climb into bed.

Both of them were exhausted. As soon as they lay down, they fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake until the sun had set.

Not long after Ye Qing woke up, Gao Hao arrived. He had a food container and several tickets in hand, saying he was going to take Ye Qing to have dinner and show her the way to the canteen.

Just as they stepped outside, they ran into Sun Min running toward them. Sun Min immediately hooked her arm around Ye Qing’s and said to Gao Hao: “Gao Hao, you go do your thing! From now on, I’ll take care of Sister-in-law. I guarantee I’ll look after her properly, very properly!”

Gao Hao scratched his head in embarrassment. “Uh… Sister-in-law, is this really okay? Battalion Commander Guo, he…”

Sun Min frowned. “I already talked to him. When he heard Regiment Commander Qin’s wife came to join the army base, he was so happy, he didn’t even have time to be upset. Why would he oppose it? Besides, can he even stop me?”

Ye Qing almost laughed out loud. This Sun Min really was lively—and very enthusiastic too. To meet such a warmhearted military wife right after arriving, Ye Qing felt incredibly lucky.

That troublesome old hag was automatically filtered out of her mind.

Sun Min dragged Ye Qing forward excitedly. “Come on, Sister-in-law, hurry up! I just went to the canteen and checked—there’s braised pork tonight, and also…”

Gao Hao shook his head and followed them to the canteen anyway.

Partly because he didn’t quite trust Sun Min, and partly because—he hadn’t eaten yet! Might as well grab dinner there too.

When Nannan saw the glossy, red-glazed braised pork, she immediately started drooling. Ye Qing ordered one portion of braised pork, along with a serving of vegetables and a bowl of rice, before sitting down at the table.

Nannan picked up a piece of braised pork and held it up to Ye Qing’s mouth with her chubby hands. In her soft, milky voice, she said: “Mommy, eat the meat! The meat is really yummy!”

Pfft!

Sun Min burst into laughter and pinched Nannan’s little cheek. “How do you know the meat is yummy if you haven’t eaten it yet?”

Nannan stubbornly insisted on feeding the pork into Ye Qing’s mouth, pouting as she said: “Grandma made it before too, but she didn’t let Mommy eat it, and she didn’t let me eat it either! Uncle saved me a piece secretly—it really was so yummy!”

Gao Hao looked at Ye Qing, thoughtful.

He knew Qin Ye sent living expenses to Ye Qing every month. Twenty-five yuan a month! And yet her family wouldn’t even spare a piece of meat for her?

If they were genuinely struggling to survive, he could understand. But clearly, the whole family was eating well—just not the wife and child of Regiment Commander Qin! That was flat-out abuse!

Sun Min wasn’t laughing anymore either. No wonder Ye Qing and her child were both so thin. It turned out they hadn’t been treated well at all back home.

What kind of mother does that? Her own mother worried constantly about her suffering the slightest hardship, and here was someone who wouldn’t even give her daughter and granddaughter a bite of meat.

People really are all different!

She picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into Nannan’s mouth, asking: “So, which is better? The meat here, or the meat your grandma made?”

Nannan’s cheeks were puffed up as she chewed. She nodded and said: “Both are good! I really like it here with Daddy! The meat here is so tasty!”

One portion of braised pork only had five pieces. Besides the first piece, which Ye Qing ate, the remaining four all ended up in Nannan’s belly. She even used a steamed bun to wipe up the sauce and ate it all clean.

After dinner, Nannan rubbed her round little belly and said: “Mommy, I’m really full today! Will we be able to eat until we’re full every day from now on?”

Ye Qing smiled and patted her head, promising her: “We will! Mommy will always make sure you’re full from now on. I’ll never let you go hungry again.”

Damn Su Fang! She didn’t care for her own daughter, and she didn’t even let such a small child eat her fill!

Thankfully, she had transmigrated here. Otherwise, the only fate awaiting Nannan would’ve been an early death—whether she stayed in Qiaotou Village or followed Qin Ye!

—

Zhangjia Town Hospital.

Ding Lanhua lay on the hospital bed, wiping away her tears. She hadn’t been able to keep her baby.

At six months pregnant, she had felt that miraculous life kicking and turning inside her every day. And now it had been beaten out of her—by her mother-in-law! She couldn’t accept it! But there was nothing she could do.

That hair tie had been missing for several days. So why had it turned up in her mother-in-law’s wardrobe? It had to be Ye Qing! She must have stolen the money and planted it to frame her.

It was definitely revenge—Ye Qing resented her for setting her up with Li Zhuzi.

If Ye Qing were here, she would’ve torn her to shreds to avenge her unborn child!

Too bad—she couldn’t find Ye Qing. Where on earth had Ye Qing gone?

Ding Lanhua wiped her tears as she gritted her teeth. “Ye Dazhuang, if you don’t find Ye Qing and give me an explanation, I’m divorcing you!”

Ye Dazhuang clutched his head in agony and squatted on the ground. Su Fang hung her head in silence like a defeated hen.

He wanted to find Ye Qing too, but where could he look? In the past two days, he had searched the entire town, but there was no trace of her.

Could she have gone to the army base to find Qin Ye?

No! She had never left home by herself before. How would she dare to travel so far alone to look for Qin Ye?

They hadn’t even gotten to celebrate his mother-in-law’s sixtieth birthday. His little uncle had nearly beaten him to death—but what did it matter now? The child was lost either way.

Now, his little uncle and mother-in-law wanted to take Ding Lanhua back with them. What could he do?

The only solution was to find Ye Qing as soon as possible and make her take the blame. That way, the Ding family wouldn’t push for a divorce.

Suddenly, Su Fang raised her head. “Dazhuang, I know where to find Ye Qing! Let’s go ask the village chief. If she really went to look for Qin Ye, she would’ve needed an introduction letter from the village!”

Ye Dazhuang stood up immediately. “Yes! Why didn’t I think of that? We don’t need to go to the village chief—we can just ask at the commune! Anyone traveling far away needs an introduction letter from the commune! Especially since Qin Ye is in the military. If she went to the army, she definitely had to go through the commune.”

As he spoke, he grabbed Su Fang and dashed out the door.

At the commune office, the official who had issued Ye Qing’s introduction letter gave Ye Dazhuang a once-over. “You’re Ye Qing’s family members?”

Thinking he had found the right person, Ye Dazhuang quickly nodded. “Yes! Yes! I’m her brother, and this is her mother. Comrade, do you know where my sister went? Please tell us if you do!”