Chapter 13

Jiang Rong never expected Wen Ning to show her such disrespect. This woman had always been so gullible, believing almost everything she said. Why had she been acting so differently lately?

Last time, at Jiang Rong’s wedding, Wen Ning had insisted on getting back her cloth ration coupons and sugar coupons. She even demanded a few cents in change, claiming it was to offset the cost of hairpins and hair ties.

Afterward, Jiang Rong had convinced herself that Wen Ning was simply jealous of her marriage and acting out of spite.

But why was she still acting this way here at the Military Region?

“Ningning, how could you say that? Weren’t we always the best of friends?” Jiang Rong put on a pitiful expression, her eyes glistening with feigned hurt. The nearby military spouses chimed in, scolding Wen Ning.

“Regimental Commander Lu’s wife, how could you say that? Weren’t you both from the same production team?”

“We were in the same production team, but we weren’t close,” Wen Ning replied. She clearly remembered how Jiang Rong had not only given the original, foolish Wen Ning terrible advice back in the village, but had continued to sabotage her behind her back even after they moved to the Military Region, all while pretending to be her friend.

Today, Wen Ning was determined to sever ties completely. Otherwise, Jiang Rong would cling to her forever, leaving her with no way to explain the truth.

“Our families aren’t particularly close. Oh, right, Comrade Jiang Rong has taken quite a few things from me over the years. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be reduced to buying a few yards of fabric to make winter clothes. It’s too cold here to survive without at least two padded coats.”

Wen Ning’s words caused Jiang Rong and several military spouses to pale. Jiang Rong felt a mix of shame and fear—how could Wen Ning ruin the image she had worked so hard to maintain?

This woman actually brought up such a thing on her first day in the Family Compound?

“Huh? Little Jiang took your clothes?”  Commander Liu’s wife, who had been gossiping earlier about Wen Ning’s extravagant spending, perked up at the mention of Jiang Rong.

Oh my! Two new military dependents have arrived in the Family Compound recently. This is going to be a real drama! I don’t know either of them, but I’m here for the show!

“Absolutely. She’s borrowed fabric several times, sugar coupons, hair ties, and clips too,” Wen Ning said with a smile, turning to Jiang Rong. “But Comrade Jiang Rong assured me they were just loans.”

Jiang Rong cursed inwardly, her expression softening only slightly when Wen Ning added that last line. “Yes, yes, they were loans. I wouldn’t just take things without asking.”

The military spouses exchanged uneasy glances, sensing something was amiss.

“Yes, it was a loan,” Wen Ning said, her smile as warm as a spring breeze.

She looked soft and sweet, her lips curving into a graceful arc as two dimples peeked out from her cheeks. “You repaid some when you got married. When do you think you can settle the rest of the cloth and sugar coupons? After all, it’s not easy for anyone to save up these things.”

Jiang Rong’s heart pounded with alarm. This Wen Ning was completely different. Could she have been reborn like Jiang Rong herself? Maintaining her composure, Jiang Rong agreed, resolving to find a private moment to probe Wen Ning’s true nature.

Having successfully recovered some outstanding debts, Wen Ning’s steps were lighter as she returned home. When she reached her doorstep and saw the soldiers delivering furniture, her smile remained radiant.

Once the furniture was in place, the five young recruits who had helped carry it prepared to leave. Just then, the Regimental Commander’s wife returned. Struck by Wen Ning’s radiant smile, the two soldiers at the front stumbled backward, colliding with the three behind them.

The five recruits snapped to attention, stealing glances at the Regimental Commander. His displeased gaze swept over them, making their breath catch in their throats. They straightened their backs once more, chests puffed out.

“Comrades, thank you for your hard work,” Wen Ning said, oblivious to anything amiss. Eager to show her appreciation, she reached for the pound of fruit candies she had bought earlier at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

The five raw recruits didn’t dare meet the Regimental Commander’s wife’s eyes. They waved their hands frantically, refusing the candies, and scurried away.

They couldn’t possibly accept anything from the people, even if it was from the Regimental Commander’s household.

Lu Cheng watched Wen Ning, who resembled a mischievous little fox, excitedly inspecting the furniture in each room. She insisted on opening the wardrobes herself and eagerly pulled out drawers to examine their contents.

Remembering the recruits’ awkwardness, Lu Cheng’s expression darkened. “You need to be more composed,” he said sternly.

“Composed?” Wen Ning’s slender fingers traced the five-drawer chest in the main room. Lu Cheng had commissioned an old master craftsman to make it from mountain yellow wood, resulting in an exquisitely crafted piece of furniture with top-grade timber.

Wen Ning was generally pleased with it, but she bristled at her husband’s words. “What’s wrong with how I’m acting?”

As a princess, she had received rigorous etiquette training since childhood. She had witnessed countless grand occasions and, aside from occasional private playfulness, always maintained impeccable decorum in public.

Lu Cheng was speechless at her retort.

Her defiant gaze left him utterly exasperated. There was simply no reasoning with her!

The new furniture had been arranged in the house. The kitchen cabinet had two tiers: the upper tier had glass doors, through which Wen Ning could see the bowls, chopsticks, and plates they had just bought that day. The lower wooden doors were locked, where military spouses typically stored precious grains like enriched flour and mixed wheat-and-corn flour.

Each of the three bedrooms now had a wardrobe, a long red-brown wooden table, and a low chest.

Wen Ning was naturally most interested in the kang, a heated earthen bed. Lu Cheng had explained that it was built from sun-dried mud bricks and could be warmed by burning firewood in winter—something she had never seen in her hometown. The kang was covered with a woven mat made from split sorghum stalks, dried and woven into strips. It felt surprisingly sturdy and authentic, offering Wen Ning yet another novel experience.

At that moment, Lu Cheng was busy at the kitchen stove, preparing to heat the kang. He used pre-split firewood to start the fire, diligently pumping the bellows. Wen Ning watched, mesmerized by the process. This is so interesting! she thought, suddenly eager to experience sleeping on the heated kang.

“Xiao Lu!”

“Lu Cheng, are you home?”

Voices called from the doorway. Wen Ning glanced through the window and saw a man in military uniform and a woman in a thin padded jacket walking into their courtyard.

Wen Ning immediately surmised they were a married couple.

Watching Lu Cheng greet them, she noticed the man patting his shoulder, suggesting a close relationship.

“Regimental Commander Lu,” Wen Ning called out as she emerged from the inner room, drawing the attention of all three in the courtyard. “This is…”

“Oh my, no wonder everyone says Regimental Commander Lu’s wife is as beautiful as a celestial fairy! She’s even prettier in person!”

“Sister-in-law, you’re too kind!” Wen Ning demurred, though her eyes sparkled with delight, her peach-blossom eyes narrowing into crescents as she basked in the compliment.

“This is Political Commissar Huang and his wife, Sister Luo. Brother Huang, Sister Luo, this is Wen Ning.” Lu Cheng easily recognized Wen Ning’s smug expression, amused by how pleased she was with a simple compliment.

“Political Commissar Huang, Sister Luo, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” Wen Ning could sense the warmth of their bond with Lu Cheng and their genuine kindness toward her.

“Xiao Lu, you’re a lucky man to have such a lovely wife!” Sister Luo exclaimed. From the moment she saw Wen Ning, she was struck by her delicate features and clear, bright eyes, instantly warming to the young woman.

Yet a lingering doubt remained, could the rumors of her ruthless scheming be true?

Suppressing her doubts, Sister Luo walked over to Wen Ning, grabbed her hand, and began to scrutinize her. The more she looked, the more she admired her beauty. Turning to Lu Cheng, she said, “You need to soften that temper of yours. Don’t treat your wife like one of your soldiers.”

“Exactly!” Wen Ning instantly took a liking to Sister Luo and seized the opportunity. She glanced at Lu Cheng and pursed her lips.

Lu Cheng: “…”

Political Commissar Huang, who had never seen Lu Cheng at a loss for words before, burst into hearty laughter.

“Come on, you must be tired today. Have dinner at our place. I can tell you about the Family Compound,” Sister Luo said, leading Wen Ning next door, her chatter never stopping. “Those men are so thick-skinned. If you need anything, just ask me.”

“Thank you, Sister Luo!”

By the time Wen Ning had walked next door, she had already learned the basics.

Political Commissar Huang and Lu Cheng were old comrades-in-arms, having faced life and death together. They were practically brothers, and Sister Luo treated Lu Cheng like her own younger brother.

Lu Cheng was twenty-five, well past the age for marriage. Many of his peers already had toddlers running around, yet he remained single.

Political Commissar Huang and Sister Luo had introduced him to countless potential partners, but none had worked out.

That’s why Sister Luo and the others were overjoyed to see Lu Cheng finally bring his wife home.

Sister Luo led Wen Ning into her house, a single-story dwelling with the same layout as Wen Ning’s own home: three bedrooms and a central living room. A kitchen and outhouse were attached to either side.

Having followed her husband to the military base nearly a year ago, Sister Luo had built a chicken coop in the empty yard beside the kitchen, where she kept three hens.

She had also cultivated a small vegetable garden on the other side, making her yard far more lively than Wen Ning and Lu Cheng’s new home.

“You’re new here, so you probably don’t know anyone yet,” Sister Luo said, ignoring her husband and Lu Cheng as she pulled Wen Ning inside. “There aren’t many military families here, but most of us are quite friendly. We’re all bored staying home all day, so we love to visit each other for a chat. Come on, Da Mei, Qiuju, Guifen, look who’s here—Little Lu’s wife!”

She introduced Wen Ning to the neighboring wives. “Their husbands have been stationed at the Military Region for years and are close to Xiao Lu. Get to know them well—they’ll be a great help if you ever need anything.”

Wen Ning gratefully accepted Sister Luo’s kindness. In a new place, the hardest part was quickly integrating. With Sister Luo as her guide, she could avoid many pitfalls.

Wen Ning greeted everyone as Sister Luo introduced her. The military spouses on the kang were particularly enthusiastic.

“Oh my! This is Regimental Commander Lu’s wife! What a lovely young woman!”

“Come, sit down!”

Four military spouses were on the kang, their shoes off, legs crossed, chatting while cracking melon seeds and knitting. A low kang table in the center held a plate of melon seeds, peanuts, and a few red hawthorn berries.

Sister Luo gestured to Wen Ning. “Come on, dear, make yourself at home. We’re all family here. And you all, Little Lu’s wife is new here, so let’s help her out with anything she needs.”

“Of course! Just let us know if you need anything!”

Seeing Sister Luo’s invitation, Wen Ning immediately took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang. She crossed her legs with practiced ease, as if she’d been doing it her whole life.

Five women were now on the kang, all in the same relaxed posture. Wen Ning’s peach-blossom eyes widened in shock. This… this is so improper!

In her own era, a lady caught sitting like this would have been disciplined with a ruler by her etiquette tutor. Such a posture was strictly forbidden!

“Come on, Sister Ning!” Sister Luo patted the empty spot beside her.

Wen Ning retreated two steps, waving her hands with a troubled expression. “No, thank you. I’d rather not…”

Meanwhile, Lu Cheng and Political Commissar Huang were talking in the courtyard. The faint sounds of cheerful laughter drifted from the inner room. Lu Cheng strained his ears, but he didn’t hear Wen Ning’s voice. A moment later, he suddenly realized:

Why should I care?

“Xiao Lu, you’ve finally tied the knot,” Political Commissar Huang said, his tone earnest from years of giving ideological guidance. “Even if this marriage wasn’t your first choice, that’s all in the past. Your wife seems lovely today. Just focus on building a good life together now. Let’s not dwell on what’s gone by.”

Lu Cheng looked at the older brother who had always been so kind to him, but the emotions churning in his heart were difficult to articulate.

He couldn’t quite figure out what kind of person Wen Ning was—she was like a dense fog.

“Well, let’s just take things one step at a time,” he said.

“Let your sister-in-law show off her cooking tonight! You’ve been running around for days. You deserve a good rest,” Political Commissar Huang said, leading Lu Cheng toward the inner room. “I’ll ask her if we have enough dishes. If not, I’ll have Lao Yang bring some fish. Your wife’s first dinner here shouldn’t be anything less than special.”

“Brother Huang, there’s no need to go to so much trouble.”

“Nonsense! Just leave it to me!”

As they reached the doorway, they saw several military spouses sitting cross-legged on the heated kang.

While Political Commissar Huang chatted with his wife, Lu Cheng’s eyes immediately found Wen Ning among the group.

Wen Ning had taken off her cloth shoes and was sitting with her slender legs tucked beneath her.

She was cracking sunflower seeds with one hand and eating hawthorn berries with the other, her face animated as she talked with the military spouse beside her.