Chapter 50.2

After washing up, Ruan Mingfu intended to return to her room but was stopped by her “plastic friend.”

“I’m a bit scared of being here alone. Will you sleep with me?”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

She wanted to refuse but seeing her friend’s pitiful look, and remembering the “threat” from the dog man, she hesitated for only three seconds before agreeing.

The guest room had a large bed, and there was plenty of space for both of them.

Soon, they both fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Xie Yanzhao, who had been waiting in the master bedroom, had nearly worn out his book from reading. He glanced at his watch. It was past nine.

He remained still.

Listening to the noises around him—the door next door opening and closing, followed by the lights going out—everything grew quiet.

Xie Yanzhao knew Ruan Mingfu probably wouldn’t come back tonight.

He leaned against the headboard, glancing at the empty space beside him, biting his lip in frustration.

So much for his skills!

Xie Yanzhao laughed angrily.

He put the partially read book back on the table, turned off the light with a snap, and the room was instantly engulfed in darkness.

He lay in bed, gritting his teeth.

He will deal with her tomorrow!

…

Perhaps due to plans to visit Li Xiaoyue, several sisters-in-law arrived right after Ruan Mingfu finished breakfast.

They looked at Gu Yilin with bright eyes.

“Sister-in-law, why are you hiding such a beautiful sister?”

“She looks really lively!”

“Girl, are you seeing anyone? We have plenty of eligible bachelors here for you to choose from!”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

She suspected Sister Lin had become addicted to matchmaking and wanted to introduce every young woman she met.

Gu Yilin’s eyes lit up.

Her main purpose for coming to the military base, besides seeing Ruan Mingfu, was to find a suitable match to show her mother. If a military wife was introducing potential suitors, they should also be soldiers, right?

Gu Yilin was about to nod when Ruan Mingfu spoke.

“Sister-in-law, she’s still young. There’s no need to rush. Give it a few more years, and I’ll definitely have you introduce her then.”

Gu Yilin: “…”

Her “plastic friend” was ruining her plans!

Sister Lin wasn’t a bad person, just a bit too keen on matchmaking.

She also had a thing for pressuring people into marriage.

She had brought it up with Ruan Mingfu before, and since then, Ruan Mingfu had mentioned it less frequently.

“Well then,” Sister Lin wasn’t upset. Instead, she smiled at Gu Yilin. “I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if there are any good candidates.”

“Okay!”

Gu Yilin’s response was loud and clear.

It startled everyone, but then they all laughed.

The laughter was good-natured, not mocking.

Sister Wang’s smile revealed her teeth. “This girl is bright, just like me.”

…

Ruan Mingfu held the prepared items and said, “You stay here with Wangcai and watch the house.”

Gu Yilin: “…”

It was only after Ruan Mingfu left that she realized what she’d been told.

What did she mean by staying here with Wangcai?

Did that mean she was being treated like Wangcai?

They had just slept in the same bed last night, and now she was being dismissed like this.

How infuriating!

Gu Yilin’s frustration was beyond anyone’s understanding, while Ruan Mingfu and the others were on their way to the hospital. The journey was quiet, and no one knew what to say.

It was Sister Wang who broke the silence.

“Sister-in-law, did you smell the meat fragrance coming from next door?”

“What meat fragrance?”

Ruan Mingfu was puzzled and asked in return.

“Oh, she wouldn’t know,” Hu Wanning chimed in. “She’s been so busy lately, out early and back late, that even the dog’s been left unfed. Wangcai’s been staying with me.”

Sister Lin was curious. “Sister-in-law, what have you been so busy with?”

“Not much,” Ruan Mingfu said, a bit shy. “I just spent a couple of days translating at the tea exhibition.”

“Translating?!”

Except for those who already knew, the others were surprised with their mouths open.

“Oh, this is work for cultured people,” Sister Wang said, speaking quickly.

Although they weren’t highly educated, they knew the importance of translating. They looked at Ruan Mingfu with admiration for intellectuals.

“Sister-in-law is really impressive.”

“My kid has trouble learning pinyin, not to mention the foreign language.”

“Sister-in-law is amazing…”

He Cuixiang’s heart tightened.

Fortunately, she had made the decisive choice to send He Chunhua back to the countryside. With Ruan Mingfu being both beautiful and a translator, any man would know how to choose without hesitation.

Her sister was only causing embarrassment and gaining nothing.

Ruan Mingfu smiled demurely, “I’m not as impressive as you all say. It’s just that my parents were quite strict when I was young.”

Sister Wang, upon hearing this, looked thoughtful.

“Regardless, sister-in-law, you are quite impressive.”

“Indeed, being a translator, you know, can earn dozens of yuan for each job…”

As soon as the words were spoken, the eyes of the several sisters-in-law brightened.

The idea of money appealed to them far more than the concept of culture. Sister Wang’s eyes were especially filled with a fervent light.

Although they missed their chance, they still had sons and daughters to push. Even if it was just once every ten days, it would amount to more than a hundred yuan a month.

Oh my, isn’t this better than being a laborer?

The sisters-in-law with children were eager to go home and urge their little ones to study hard.

The younger wives without children also showed longing expressions.

“Let’s go,” Hu Wanning quickly said, “By the way, Sister Wang, what were you about to say?”

Sister Wang quickly concealed her expression, “Oh, I heard from others that the old lady took the nutrition money given by Captain Gu and locked herself in her room, eating and drinking extravagantly, not even giving a scrap of meat to others.”

“A postpartum woman has to drink thin porridge at every meal.”

The old lady herself had become plump and glossy, her wrinkles smoothed out.

Anyone who didn’t know would think she was the one postpartum.

He Cuixiang gasped, “Is she really so cruel?”

She recalled her own mother-in-law.

Mother Wu was quite kind to her. Except for the first three days after the wedding, household chores were rotated among the three daughters-in-law. Fair and even-handed, He Cuixiang admired her mother-in-law for that.

When she left, she was given quite a few things.

Since her mother-in-law cared for her, He Cuixiang knew she couldn’t be ungrateful. She also gave a bit of money before leaving, which left no room for the other two sisters-in-law to complain.

She had arranged with Wu Gang to send ten more yuan each month.

Her mother-in-law had even recently sent her many dried vegetables.

He Cuixiang couldn’t understand how some mothers-in-law could be so vicious.

“The old lady is indeed heartless,” Sister Wang recounted, “The money was given to her by Captain Gu before Li Xiaoyue gave birth, intending for her to take good care of Li Xiaoyue. But instead, she took the money and did nothing.”

“Could it be that Captain Gu isn’t her real son?”

Which mother could be so heartless?

A daughter-in-law might be an outsider, but surely not a granddaughter.

Li Xiaoyue suffered severe blood loss and was very weak, with no milk to feed the baby. The baby cried out of hunger, but Captain Gu was driven away when he sought money from the old lady.

Unable to get the money, Captain Gu had to borrow from his comrades.

In no time, everyone in the unit knew what the old lady had done.

Recently, the talk of the unit had been dominated by this old lady.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” Sister Wang continued, “Even the wives who used to get along well with the old lady are now ignoring her.”

“…The old lady is now associating with Aunt Liu.”

Mentioning Aunt Liu, Sister Lin displayed a look of disgust.

“If you ask me, these two are like two peas in a pod.”

“Indeed…”

“I heard that old lady was the one who pushed Li Xiaoyue during childbirth. Why didn’t Captain Gu send her back to her hometown?”

Military life needs peace and quiet. The fewer troublemakers, the better.

Sister Wang shook her head, “Who knows what they’re like.”

To her, the Gu family with the old lady was a pit of fire, and she felt sorry for Li Xiaoyue.

For a moment, everyone was a bit melancholic.

“If you ask me, the one among us who is the luckiest is still Xianglan,” Sister Wang looked towards Li Xianglan, “Right, Xianglan?”

Li Xianglan tugged at her lips, her expression bitter, not knowing how to respond.

She had grievances she couldn’t voice!

Some evil mothers-in-law are obvious in their cruelty, while others are deeply concealed, presenting themselves well to everyone.

Encountering such a person, Li Xianglan’s situation was even worse than Li Xiaoyue’s.

At the hospital, Sister Lin led everyone directly to the second floor. She had already called Li Xiaoyue’s ward when she arrived, so there was no need to ask around.

The ward was large, with eight beds, but only three were occupied.

All were new mothers.

Li Xiaoyue’s bed was in the middle, with the other two patients opposite her.

The ward was quiet, with hardly any conversation.

Ruan Mingfu was shocked by Li Xiaoyue’s appearance.

She was so thin that a gust of wind might blow her away. Her complexion was ashen, and the veins on her exposed hands were bulging, with needles still inserted. The large gown she wore made her appear even more emaciated.

Compared to the plump, healthy-looking Li Xiaoyue before, it was like looking at a different person.

The sisters-in-law were also taken aback.

Li Xiaoyue, lying in bed, saw them coming and struggled to rise. Sister Lin stepped forward and carefully helped her up.

“I’ll help you.”

Li Xiaoyue’s face was tired, but her demeanor remained gentle. Only the furrowed brow revealed her inner sorrow.

“Sisters-in-law, what brings you here?”

“We came to visit you,” Sister Wang said, pulling out a lunchbox, “This is chicken soup I made this morning. The chicken was freshly killed and simmered for an hour. Knowing your condition, I didn’t add any salt.”

“Drink it while it’s still hot.”

Sister Wang opened the lunchbox, revealing a generous amount of chicken, and its special aroma filled the air.

She had brought an entire chicken.

Li Xiaoyue’s eyes immediately turned red.

“No, thank you,” she said, her eyes glistening with tears as she swallowed but still refused, “Sister-in-law, I appreciate your kindness, but please take it back for the children.”

“That won’t do!”

Sister Wang took a spoon from the empty lunchbox beside her and scooped some meat and soup, pressing it towards Li Xiaoyue’s mouth.

“Xiaoyue, you still need to nurse the baby. How can you manage without proper nutrition?”

Ruan Mingfu then noticed that there was a small bed next to Li Xiaoyue’s sickbed.

On it lay a plump baby, looking quite cheerful. Even without breast milk, Li Xiaoyue had taken good care of the baby. On the nearby table was a bag of open baby formula.

Feeling the warmth on her lips, Li Xiaoyue finally couldn’t hold back.

Tears, as big as soybeans, fell down and quickly wet the blanket in front of her.

Ruan Mingfu looked on with a complicated expression, and everyone else was equally moved.

“Xiaoyue, you shouldn’t cry during your confinement,” Sister Lin said quickly, “Drink the soup that Sister Wang made, it will be good for you.”

Hu Wanning also couldn’t bear to watch, “Sister Lin is right, drink it quickly.”

Li Xiaoyue wiped her face with a hand, “Thank you, everyone.”

She took the soup and began to eat. After being simmered for an hour, the chicken was tender and fell off the bone easily.

As she ate, her heart felt increasingly heavy.

Her own mother-in-law had shown more kindness than this.

“This must be your daughter,” Sister Wang remarked, looking at the baby who had awakened and was gazing at them with her large, dark eyes, “She’s so beautiful, clearly a future beauty.”

“May I hold her?”

“No need to be polite,” Li Xiaoyue said with a smile when speaking about her daughter, “She’s very brave and not at all shy.”

Sister Wang picked up the baby, and as Li Xiaoyue had said, the baby wasn’t scared at all. Instead, she flashed a toothless smile at everyone.

Ruan Mingfu curiously approached and reached out to touch the baby’s little fingers, but the baby grabbed her index finger instead.

The little girl was quite assertive and wouldn’t let go of her hand.

“You’re good with kids, sister-in-law,” Sister Lin teased, looking at her, “When will you and Commander Xie have one of your own?”

Wow!

The suggestion was quite unexpected.

Ruan Mingfu laughed awkwardly, “We’ll see when fate decides.”

A curious military wife giggled, “Since Comrade Ruan gets along so well with girls, maybe your future child will also be a girl.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone’s expressions turned somewhat awkward.

“A daughter is a good thing. Others might want one but can’t have it,” Ruan Mingfu said with a half-smile, “Does this sister only have sons?”

“In my opinion, sons are just troublemakers. You raise them with great effort, have to prepare dowries, and help take care of them… What’s the point of that?”

“If sons succeed, that’s good, but if they’re useless and can’t even maintain their own assets…”