Chapter 31

“Colonel, there’s a call for you.” 

On Saturday night, after the whistle marked the end of an impromptu night training session, the orderly, Fang Wei, ran over. 

Colonel Shao Zheng wasn’t satisfied with the results of the day’s surprise drill. 

As the soldiers were dismissed, he walked toward his office, discussing areas for improvement with the Third Battalion Commander. 

Hearing Fang Wei’s call, he instinctively glanced at his watch. 

**8:45 PM.** 

At this time, there was likely only one person who would call him. 

Without showing any particular expression, he turned back to the Third Battalion Commander. “Take note of the areas I just pointed out for improvement, organize them properly, and add your own thoughts. I want them on my desk tomorrow.” 

The Battalion Commander saluted crisply. “Yes, Colonel!” 

“And another thing,” Shao Zheng added, his tone firm, “I’ve emphasized this countless times—you must at least know the names, hometowns, and ages of your soldiers. The new recruits have been in the camp for over three months now, yet there are still some whose names you can’t recall? What do you plan to do, check the roster every time? Or should I keep trailing behind you to remind you?” 

The Battalion Commander, who was four years older than Shao Zheng, felt his face burn with embarrassment. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, but he couldn’t refute a single word. 

Shao Zheng, seemingly unfazed by the man’s discomfort, continued in a stern voice, “You’re a seasoned officer. You should know very well what it means on the battlefield if you can’t call out a soldier’s name. I don’t want to see such a fundamental issue in our regiment again.” 

Of course, the Battalion Commander understood the gravity of such a failure. Realizing his mistake, he responded in a resolute voice, “Colonel, rest assured, this will never happen again.” 

Hearing this, Shao Zheng stared at him for a moment before sweeping his gaze over the deputy commander and the other company commanders present. He issued a final warning: “In three days, I will conduct another random inspection…” 

Although Shao Zheng hadn’t spelled it out explicitly, everyone present understood the unspoken threat. 

If things didn’t improve next time, it wouldn’t just end with verbal reprimands. A full-scale public criticism across the entire army was very much on the table. 

At that thought, the men felt a chill run down their spines. They stood straighter, their voices ringing with determination: “Yes! We guarantee to complete the task!” 

Seeing their reaction, Shao Zheng’s usual calm demeanor returned. He raised a hand to pat the Battalion Commander on the shoulder. “Alright, dismissed.” 

Once they were out of earshot, one of the company commanders wiped the sweat off his brow and muttered, “The Colonel is about my age, and he doesn’t usually throw his weight around. But why does he make me so nervous during moments like this?” 

The Battalion Commander also wiped his face, forcing a wry smile. “Do you think someone becomes a Colonel at 26 for nothing? Every bit of that rank was earned on the battlefield, with real guns and bullets. If it weren’t for his age holding him back from higher posts… Forget it, no point talking about this. We’ve got a long night ahead of us. Let’s head straight to my office.” 

“…” 

Returning to his office, Shao Zheng removed his cap, gesturing for the orderly to take the night off. He downed the now-cool tea in one gulp before picking up the ringing phone. 

The person on the other end had evidently been waiting, as the call connected after just two rings. 

Shao Zheng’s contact this time was Zhao Yuantao, a childhood friend with whom he’d grown up. 

Zhao Yuantao was a lively and well-connected person, one of the few from their residential compound who hadn’t joined the military. Currently, he was working as a manager at an automobile factory in Shanghai. 

Both of them had been preoccupied with the matter at hand, so they skipped the pleasantries and dove straight into the subject. 

According to the information Zhao Yuantao had dug up, the man who had impersonated Liu Kai was actually named Pan Hui, a high school classmate of Liu Kai’s. 

It turned out Pan Hui’s family background was nothing remarkable, contrary to the impressive facade he put on. At most, to an ordinary person, his family might appear to have a few connections. 

Pan Hui came from a working-class family with six children, five older sisters, all of whom had married into well-off families. 

The sisters, deeply influenced by their parents, remained devoted to supporting their one and only brother, even after getting married. 

Among them, the second sister’s husband was the most capable, holding the position of a bureau chief in Shanghai. 

It was through this brother-in-law’s influence that Pan Hui had managed to acquire the fake identity. 

At this point, Zhao Yuantao explained why Pan Hui had gone so far as to impersonate someone and relocate to a remote village in H Province. 

Given his family’s resources, securing a job for him shouldn’t have been difficult, and there was no reason for him to endure the hardships of rural life. 

The truth, however, was that Pan Hui had committed a crime. That was why he needed to hide in such an obscure place under a false identity. 

At this point, Zhao Yuantao snorted disdainfully over the phone. “Zhengzi, you wouldn’t believe it. The Pan family isn’t even worth mentioning—they’re nothing more than nobodies. But they sure are resourceful. Honestly, not even the big shots in your and my families could pull off some of the things they’ve managed. Guess what that scumbag Pan Hui did…” 

Shao Zheng poured himself another cup of tea, letting out a soft grunt. “Spit it out already.” 

“Ha! Look at you, still so sharp-tongued. Fine, fine, I’ll tell you…” Though he bantered lightly, Zhao Yuantao relayed the details he had uncovered over the past few days. 

Pan Hui had started dating when he was barely a teenager. 

His family exaggerated his achievements wherever they went, though the neighbors, despite their disdain, didn’t think much of it at the time. 

Even though Pan Hui was often caught by acquaintances going to the movies with different female comrades, most people would only gossip behind his back, calling him a bit of a playboy at worst. 

After all, these relationships were consensual, and neighbors rarely felt inclined to report such matters. 

Perhaps, in the beginning, Pan Hui only wanted to take advantage of small favors. 

But after successfully deceiving a female comrade into giving herself to him, he became dissatisfied with mere flirtations. 

One instance led to another, and over time, Pan Hui realized that his victims rarely dared to make a scene. The few who were bold enough to confront him were quickly silenced—his parents or older sisters would step in, pay some money, and smooth things over. At worst, Pan Hui would get a scolding from his family, but it didn’t affect him much. 

With every incident resolved so easily, Pan Hui’s malicious tendencies grew unchecked. 

His twisted desires became more insatiable. 

One time, he brought his new girlfriend to a deserted alley. As he pressed her against the wall, he glanced at the bustling crowd not far away and felt an exhilaration that drove him to force himself on her. 

Afterward, when the girl cried and threatened to report him for harassment, Pan Hui did feel a twinge of fear. But he remained confident that his parents and older sisters would step in to settle the matter once again. 

And they did, just as he expected. He didn’t even need to show his face. The family paid for a job opportunity for the girl’s household, and the matter was resolved without further drama. 

Relieved, Pan Hui also felt emboldened. 

But with his confidence came darker urges. 

He was no longer satisfied targeting women he was in relationships with. It didn’t feel exciting enough. 

So, he shifted his focus to strangers. 

He began observing. 

He began hunting. 

Eventually… he set his sights on an unfamiliar but beautiful woman. 

However, he hadn’t expected his first attempt to end disastrously. 

The woman’s family might have been ordinary, but she wasn’t afraid of causing a scandal. She was stubborn, resistant to bribes, and determined to see the matter through, even though Pan Hui hadn’t succeeded in his assault. She insisted on making it a public battle, even if it meant mutual destruction. 

For the first time, Pan Hui felt a genuine sense of fear. 

Yes, just a little bit of fear. 

Because Pan Hui still firmly believed that, no matter what happened, his family would sort things out for him. 

In fact, he even looked down on people like that. In his eyes, the only reason the woman was causing such a ruckus was because the money hadn’t been settled properly. 

In the end, the matter was resolved by his second brother-in-law. 

He hired some lowlifes to spread rumors, slandering the woman’s family, calling her a loose woman and saying her older sister, who was about to get married, was just as shameless. When the woman’s family became preoccupied with damage control, Pan Hui, now under a new identity arranged by his second brother-in-law, went to Shanshun Village to lay low. 

Upon hearing this, Shao Zheng had lost all interest in these filthy details. He interrupted his childhood friend’s lengthy recounting: “Alright, you’ve done your part. After the second son-in-law of the Pan family takes the fall, get the police in Shanghai to coordinate with those in H Province and take Pan Hui away. Oh, and make sure the family he slandered gets their reputation cleared.” 

Zhao Yuantao replied, “That’s easy. I don’t have any respect for that family either. Don’t worry, it’ll be wrapped up in three days at most.” 

Hearing this, Shao Zheng relaxed slightly. “Thanks, brother.” 

“Don’t mention it, man. But now that you’ve got everything handled, you have to tell me… Is this all for the girl?” 

“Shut up! Do you think I’m some kind of animal?” Shao Zheng laughed and swore, then hung up the phone. 

After hanging up, he didn’t rush to get up but instead paused, his smile fading into a pensive expression. 

…Even though Chen Jun and Chen Yi were there to protect her, the girl would be fine, but having scum like Pan Hui in front of Yuyu… it would definitely tarnish her innocence. 

And that girl’s personality was so gentle, her voice so soft and quiet. Would she be scared? 

At that thought, Shao Zheng, who truly cared for her as a younger sister, found himself unable to sit still. 

He stood up, turned off the lights, locked the door, and hurried out to the family quarters. 

“Why are you here?” Chu Wuwen, who had just returned home after dealing with matters in the unit, opened the door and let Shao Zheng in.

Following Shao Zheng into the house, he noticed the red “Double Happiness” character pasted on the wall and finally realized that something was amiss. He glanced around the main room and asked, “Where is Sister-in-law?”

Chu Wuwen was busy scooping water from the vat into a large wooden basin to soak dirty clothes. Without even looking up, he replied, “She’s still at the hospital and hasn’t come back yet. She said she’d be done by ten. I’ll head out at nine-thirty to pick her up. If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”

Hearing this, Shao Zheng found himself a stool to sit on and started talking to his brother about the news he had just received.

A few days ago, when he first suspected that guy named Pan Hui, it had already sparked anger in Chu Wuwen.

But now, upon hearing about that scumbag’s background and confirming that he indeed harbored vile thoughts toward his younger sister, Chu Wuwen’s pent-up rage was on the verge of boiling over.

If it weren’t for the limits of his current circumstances, Chu Wuwen would’ve flown straight back to his hometown and beaten the man until he couldn’t take care of himself anymore.

At the same time, he felt a pang of heartache.

His sister was clearly so well-behaved and understanding, yet these disgusting individuals always seemed to find their way to her.

Last year it was one of them, and this year it was another.

Being pretty wasn’t Yuyu’s fault.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Unable to control his temper, Chu Wuwen scowled and let out a curse.

“What’s going on?” A voice interrupted him as Bian Jiuxiang entered the house, placing her bag down and looking puzzled at her husband’s outburst.

Only after she asked did she notice there was someone else in the living room. Raising her eyebrows, she smiled and greeted him, “Old Shao, you’re here?”

Shao Zheng, a regular visitor who often came over for meals, was already quite familiar with Bian Jiuxiang. He responded with an easy smile, “I’ve got something to discuss with Old Chu.”

Meanwhile, Chu Wuwen casually wiped his damp hands on a cloth and walked toward his wife. His gaze swept over her, full of concern. After confirming there was nothing wrong, he frowned and asked, “Weren’t you supposed to finish work at ten?”

Bian Jiuxiang slapped away the hand her husband was reaching out with and rolled her eyes in an unladylike manner. “I’m just pregnant, it’s not a big deal… There wasn’t much going on at the hospital, so the director let me leave early. Don’t worry, I didn’t come back alone. I walked with Sister-in-law Juan from the San Tuan family.”

Her appearance was strikingly beautiful, and even rolling her eyes only made her look more charming.

At least that’s how Chu Wuwen felt. Seeing his wife’s little temper, the fire in his heart subsided significantly. 

Knowing that she disliked his nagging, Chu Wuwen didn’t say anything further. Instead, he gently squeezed her hand before returning to his small stool to continue scrubbing the laundry. 

But then… thinking about his younger sister’s situation, his face darkened again. 

No longer in the mood to do laundry, Chu Wuwen set the task aside for the moment, frowning as he began discussing the matter with Old Shao. 

The two didn’t try to keep it from Bian Jiuxiang. 

While pouring herself a glass of water, Bian Jiuxiang casually threw a few tea leaves into the men’s cups, making do with some simple tea. But as soon as she overheard their conversation, she exploded: 

“What?! Where did this piece of trash come from? Was Yuyu scared? What are Old Four and Old Five even doing? If it were me, I’d have slapped that bastard across the face first! Shameless! How dare he? Does he think Yuyu is someone he can lust after? Disgusting!” 

Seeing his wife so furious, Chu Wuwen hurried over to placate the fiery dragon: 

“Wife, calm down first. This is going to be resolved soon. Yuyu’s fine; she doesn’t even know about it. Old Five didn’t tell her.” 

But Bian Jiuxiang felt they were being too slow. 

“That’s only because that so-called Hui is a coward. What if he wasn’t? At this pace, Yuyu might have already suffered by now. Tomorrow, I’m calling Old Four and Old Five myself. Before trash like this gets locked up, it needs a good beating first. We’d be doing society a favor!” 

Chu Wuwen nodded repeatedly, agreeing with her. 

“You’re absolutely right, Wife. Old Shao and I were thinking the same thing. Earlier, we were unsure about that Hui guy’s character and didn’t want to wrongly accuse a decent person. But now that we know, we’ll call Old Five first thing tomorrow morning. How about that?” 

Shao Zheng chimed in to back him up: 

“Exactly, Sister-in-law. Pan Hui’s a criminal, even if he didn’t succeed. Just the attempt is enough to get him locked up for years. Especially in recent years, with public sentiment so strict, this guy committing such a blatant offense could even become a high-profile case. If that happens, he might even face the death penalty.” 

Hearing this, Bian Jiuxiang felt a little better. 

Her anger wasn’t entirely out of concern for her sister-in-law, though. 

Having grown up with such striking beauty, Bian Jiuxiang had faced far too much malicious judgment throughout her life. 

She still remembered back in middle school when a male classmate blatantly said that men’s vulgar remarks about her weren’t their fault—it was hers, for looking like someone “unrespectable.” 

At first, Bian Jiuxiang had been scared and self-conscious. 

But later, when her grandpa and parents found out, they firmly told her that it was not her fault. 

It was those ill-intentioned people who were truly dirty. 

“Don’t be afraid if someone bullies you—fight back with everything you’ve got. If you can’t handle it alone, call your siblings to fight alongside you.” 

From that moment on, Bian Jiuxiang’s temper grew increasingly fiery. But no man dared to say anything vulgar in her presence again, let alone lay a hand on her. 

When she got married last year, she met her sister-in-law, Yuyu. That girl was truly exceptional—pure, gentle, and kindhearted. 

Now, seeing that her sister-in-law was encountering the same disgusting behavior she herself had faced, Bian Jiuxiang felt it was her duty, both as a sister-in-law and as a fellow woman, to have a proper talk with Yuyu. 

After all, Yuyu was only an 18-year-old girl. She couldn’t allow her to internalize the malicious whispers of others or end up wronging herself because of the desires of evil men. 

With this thought in mind, Bian Jiuxiang voiced her concern: 

“Get rid of that toad Hui as quickly as possible. Also, if Yuyu is willing, have her come stay at the military unit. It’s the safest place she can be.” 

This suggestion, so straightforward and practical, left both Chu Wuwen and Shao Zheng momentarily stunned—they’d never thought about it that way before. 

—

Two days later. 

Something major happened in Shanshun Village. 

Four police officers in uniform arrived in the usually quiet village. 

After some effort, they managed to track down Liu Kai—who was actually Pan Hui—on the back mountain, where he was digging traps. By then, his face was already bruised and swollen. 

When the police arrested him, they didn’t hide the details from the villagers. 

They publicly explained some of the crimes Pan Hui had committed and even took the opportunity to educate the villagers about the law. 

It was during this time that Cao Qiuhua learned for the first time about the toad’s lecherous intentions toward Yuyu. 

At the same time, Chen Nongmo—Yuyu herself—only then realized everything her brothers had done behind the scenes to protect her. 

She was naturally moved. 

Chen Nongmo had never imagined that Pan Hui, the man who had once made her tremble with fear, would be captured so easily. 

From the few words the police had let slip earlier, it seemed that even if he didn’t face the death penalty, he would still be locked up for decades. 

With this thought in mind, as she lay in her mother Cao Qiuhua’s arms, being gently patted on the back, Chen Nongmo couldn’t help but burst into laughter. 

It was genuine joy. 

Not only was the heavy weight in her heart completely lifted, but she also felt deeply loved by her family. 

“Laughing… you’re still laughing? You little rascal, heartless girl! Such a big thing, and you dared to keep it from me? We’ve spoiled you rotten!” Hearing her daughter’s laughter, Cao Qiuhua let her go, scolded her lightly, and then turned to give her son a hard slap on the back. 

Chen Yi rubbed his nose, knowing full well his mother was angry about being kept in the dark. 

After dealing with her overly independent twins, Cao Qiuhua turned back to her daughter, lovingly smoothing her long hair. “Yuyu, you’re all grown up now. Your big brother and sister-in-law suggested you stay at their military unit for a few months. You don’t have much to do at home anyway, so why not go and stay for a while?” 

Although she was reluctant to part with her daughter, the events of the day had caused quite a stir. The villagers might be understanding, but those from neighboring villages were bound to start spreading rumors about Yuyu. Before long, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would come with shameless marriage proposals. 

Compared to a temporary separation, Cao Qiuhua couldn’t bear to see her daughter hurt by unfounded gossip. Sending Yuyu to the military unit seemed like the best choice for now. 

Chen Nongmo understood her mother’s worries. In truth, she didn’t care much about any potential rumors. But she had other plans in mind, so she didn’t answer immediately. 

After bidding farewell to the concerned villagers who had gathered, she waited until there were no outsiders around to reveal her thoughts. “Mother, I’d like to go to the border first to see Father and Mother. I miss them.” 

This time, Cao Qiuhua didn’t object. She knew her daughter had always wanted to visit Demao and his wife, but she couldn’t help but worry. “Do you want to go now? Well… Old Five is starting school soon, so it might be up to Old Four to go with you.” 

Hearing this, Chen Jun, who had been walking behind the mother and daughter, lit up. Escorting his sister to the border meant he’d get to travel and explore—something he was more than willing to do. 

The tall, handsome young man stepped forward eagerly, thumping his chest as he assured her, “Mom, don’t worry! I’ll take Yuyu there myself.” 

Cao Qiuhua gave him a side-eye and sighed, “It’s exactly because you’re the one taking her that I *can’t* relax. You’ll probably lose yourself out there, and Yuyu will have to be the one to find you.” 

Chen Jun…