Chapter 77  2/2

Qiao Wei had no objections, so the family went to a restaurant.

After dinner, they went straight home.

When they got home, Yan Xiang went to take a nap by herself.

Qiao Wei brushed her teeth and went back to the bedroom to nap.

Since Yan Lei was at home in the afternoon, they didn’t need to take Yan Xiang to the unit. Qiao Wei went to work by herself.

As soon as she reached the gate of the unit, Old Xu from the Information Office greeted her. All along the way to the broadcasting station, people greeted her.

“You’re here, Qiao Wei.”

“Today I saw your husband.”

“Your husband is really tall.”

“Yan Xiang really looks like her dad.”

Things like this.

People’s gazes towards her were different now. Some male colleagues seemed uneasy, while some female colleagues were more enthusiastic towards her than before.

Qiao Wei stopped in the corridor and suddenly understood something.

This person of his…

She chuckled.

After finishing work in the afternoon, she went straight home.

Yan Lei was picking vegetables.

Qiao Wei moved to help, but Yan Lei said, “Don’t bother, I’ll cook today.”

Qiao Wei didn’t argue and dragged a small bamboo chair over to sit beside him and watch.

Yan Lei was cutting vegetables and glanced up, asking with a smile, “What are you looking at?”

Qiao Wei smiled and didn’t answer.

At night, when it was time to sleep, Yan Lei didn’t let her sleep again.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“What’s wrong?” Qiao Wei was puzzled.

“You’ve been silent the whole time,” Yan Lei said. “Are you upset?”

Yan Lei noticed that since they were at the broadcasting station, after Secretary Gao left, Qiao Wei seemed to have stopped talking much.

But he was in such a good mood at the time, he ignored it.

It wasn’t until dinner that he noticed something. When she came back from work in the afternoon, she had been quiet all evening.

This was very unlike her. She usually talked a lot, always chirpy and her laughter was particularly pleasant, which cheered people up.

She didn’t smile at all during lunch today, always seeming preoccupied.

Even after returning home, she didn’t speak much.

Something was off.

Yan Lei was a little anxious. Could she be angry?

Maybe he should have informed her in advance before going…

Yan Lei leaned on the kang, looking down at Qiao Wei.”The leader sacrificed himself. Hiding in the trench, after shouting around, it was discovered that I held the highest rank. I had to command…”

“Oh, right, there were military ranks back then. They’re gone now. I often think about how it would be on the battlefield nowadays. When there’s a need to transfer command, it’s impossible to judge ranks at a glance anymore. Who listens to whom? It wastes time…”

Qiao Wei, propping her head with her arm, gazed at his profile as she listened to him recounting the events of the past.

It was her fault.

She had crossed over with the idea of “taking over,” then starting a new life in this world. Taking over her son, taking over her husband.

She never thought much about the rank of “regimental commander.” After all, among the neighbors, they were either regimental commanders or battalion commanders.

It seemed like a common thing.

It was also because the rank of “regimental commander” was almost a standard for male protagonists in military-themed novels of that era.

Because the rank of battalion commander was slightly low, it didn’t give off a strong enough feeling. The division commander was too high, too out of reach, which could easily break the immersion for readers. So many authors of period novels chose “regimental commander” as the identity of their male protagonist.

After reading so many, and being so accustomed to them, she didn’t find them rare or precious.

She even disregarded his title of “the youngest regimental commander.”

It wasn’t until today at the unit when she saw Secretary Gao always accompanying him.

Receptions had their rules. If Yan Lei’s rank wasn’t enough, Secretary Gao would find someone else to accompany him, like the mayor, or the deputy mayor, and under these two, there was still the director.

The identities of the host and the guest had to be appropriate.

But Secretary Gao personally accompanying him, reportedly visiting all the departments. What did that imply? It implied that Yan Lei’s status was at least not lower than Secretary Gao’s, or perhaps even higher.

After all, Secretary Gao was just the secretary of the town committee. The administrative level of the town was equivalent to the village.

Even so, it made Qiao Wei realize the value of “regimental commander.”

At that moment, she was quite surprised.

She realized something she had always ignored.

The other regimental commanders were all in their thirties or forties. High income, high allowances.

Why did she always think this was so normal and common? Workers only earned 30 yuan in wages. Why did she think a salary at level 15 was normal?

Yan Lei was only twenty-six years old. What made him stand out among this group of middle-aged people?

She had never thought about it. Because she had crossed over, he was already successful, with rank, salary, and a bright future.

Qiao Wei gladly took over, starting a brand new life.

She had always told herself that she lived here, and this was the real world.

But she hadn’t thought that since there was a real future, there should also be a real past, real people.

She had never thought to explore Yan Lei’s past.

She just willingly accepted his existing present: a high-ranking position, generous salary, unlimited tickets. A handsome face, enticing figure, boundless energy.

As for why he had become who he was now. What he had sacrificed, what he had endured. She had never thought to explore.

Until today, Qiao Wei finally realized.

In her innermost heart, she had never truly treated Yan Lei as a real person.

He was the male lead.

He was a paper character.

Qiao Wei propped herself up and pressed against Yan Lei.

Yan Lei had just complied with her request, recounting the past that hadn’t been spoken of for a long time. Thrilling, life-threatening moments, desperate breakthroughs, counter-kills and breakthroughs.

He let out a long sigh, some emotions dissipating.

Qiao Wei nestled into his neck, as if she said something.

“Hmm?” he asked, “What?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” he was puzzled.

Qiao Wei didn’t explain.

She propped herself up, leaned down, and kissed his lips.

Yan Lei embraced her back.

 Qiao Wei lay flat, looking at Yan Lei’s face.

Suddenly, she reached out and touched his face.

Ah, did she want to make love?

Alright, that was an effective way.

Yan Lei was about to respond, but Qiao Wei held his shoulder, her arm diagonally pushing against him.

“Tell me about your past,” she said.

Yan Lei was puzzled, “What about the past?”

“About the war,” Qiao Wei said, “About fighting and earning merits, about being a hero in battle, and such.”

Yan Lei was very surprised, “Do you want to hear about it?”

Qiao Wei lay on her side, propping her head with her arm, “Hmm, I want to hear.”

Yan Lei looked at her strangely, “Didn’t you find it boring before?”

Qiao Wei sighed softly, rolling over to lie on her side facing him, resting her head on her arm, “Just tell me, I want to hear.”

Yan Lei lay down, “There’s nothing much. Later on, they all praised me and asked me to talk about how I judged and thought at the time when they wanted me to make a report.”

“In reality, at that time, I couldn’t use my brain anymore. When the shell exploded, my comrade’s severed hand smashed directly onto my face, it felt like I had been slapped. My mind was buzzing.”

She gazed at him for a while. Her actions puzzled him. “Qiao Wei?”

Qiao Wei smiled and then leaned down to kiss him again.

Nice to meet you, Yan Lei.

I am Qiao Wei.