Chapter 60.1

“Okay.”

There was a moment of silence on the phone.

Both of them remained quiet for a while. After a moment, Lu Yu said, “Wait for me, I’ll be back soon.”

Jiang Nian wanted to ask him about the specific day and place, but considering his missions and military secrets, she dismissed the thought: “Okay.”

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Nian’s gloomy mood was considerably lifted.

She went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some granulated sugar, planning to make caramelized sweet potatoes when she got back. It was snowing heavily now. Jiang Nian brushed off the snow on her head. Just as she walked to the intersection between the regimental headquarters and the family quarters, she ran into Tang Ze and Song Bai. They were in the same regiment, and it was breakfast time, so they were probably heading to the cafeteria together.

Tang Ze greeted, “Younger sister.”

Jiang Nian nodded with a smile, “Hmm.”

Song Bai glanced at the sugar in her hand, hesitated, and then asked, “Is there anything else needed at home?”

Jiang Nian quickly shook her head, “Nothing is needed.”

Since Lu Yu left, Song Bai often came over to help her. Every time he came, he would bring some snacks for her. Even though she refused, Song Bai still insisted, saying she should eat more to avoid getting too thin, lest Lu Yu come back and scold him. It made her feel embarrassed every time. Whenever Song Bai came, she would prepare more delicious food for him to take back to the dormitory.

It was the only way she could repay him.

Song Bai looked at the snow on Jiang Nian’s eyelashes. She was wrapped in a red scarf, making her snow-white face look even more beautiful. Her black hair was draped over, with some snowflakes on it. Song Bai tried hard not to let his gaze linger too much.

Jiang Nian shivered from the cold and stomped her feet. “I’m going back first.”

Tang Ze waved his hand, “Alright.”

Song Bai watched Jiang Nian’s figure as she hurried away and couldn’t help but say, “Slow down, be careful not to slip.”

Jiang Nian didn’t look back, “Got it.”

Tang Ze nudged Song Bai’s arm with his elbow and raised an eyebrow, “Do you like Jiang Nian? You’ve been so attentive these past few months.”

Song Bai avoided his gaze, unbuttoned two buttons of his collar, and said, “Let’s eat.”

“Did I guess right?”

Tang Ze grabbed Song Bai’s shoulder, “Come on, if you really like Jiang Nian, wait for Lu Yu to come back and propose to her.”

Song Bai: …

He glanced at Tang Ze and said, “How about we practice tonight?”

Tang Ze let go of him, “Forget it, wait for Lu Yu to come back. You can practice with him.”

Song Bai raised an eyebrow and scrutinized Tang Ze up and down, making Tang Ze tense up. “I want to go back early to accompany my wife! Unlike you, a bachelor!”

Song Bai: …

The snow this year was intermittent, not as heavy as last year.

Jiang Nian ran back home, closed the courtyard gate, and was about to go to the kitchen when she caught a glimpse of something red on the wall. It was a piece of red cloth cut into strips and hung on the wall, some hanging in her courtyard, with embroidered mandarin ducks on them.

She hadn’t noticed in her hurry this morning.

But it definitely wasn’t there yesterday. Seeing the snow on the red cloth, it was probably hung last night deliberately in a conspicuous place for her to see.

Jiang Nian: …

This Sun Ying was definitely not right in the head.

Thinking about how the author described Sun Ying in the book as beautiful, kind-hearted, and delicate, Jiang Nian felt disgusted.

But since this embroidered mandarin duck curtain was exchanged by Sister Chen for meat, it belonged to them. They could do whatever they wanted with it.

Jiang Nian cooked porridge in the morning, stir-fried a dish, and made candied sweet potatoes. She sat by the window, occasionally looking up at the snow in the courtyard, which had accumulated a layer. After eating, Jiang Nian warmed her hands and started sweeping the courtyard. As she swept more snow, it piled up thickly, making it a bit difficult. After sweeping the snow from the west side of the courtyard wall, she moved towards the house. As she passed by, she was startled by several red cloth strips hanging on the wall.

Jiang Nian: …

Although it had nothing to do with her, the red cloth fluttering on the wall was eerie.

She swept half of the snow, ran back into the house due to the cold, and warmed her hands. She planned to continue sweeping in the afternoon. She sat in front of the embroidery frame and embroidered the cloth. Last time, Zhang Xiao said that Peng Yin had recently started to criticize her again, saying that she would have a big belly soon, asking if she wanted to work or have a baby. The embroidery shop is a quiet place for embroidery, not a place to listen to children crying. 

Zhang Xiao said that Zhu Jun would be promoted to a captain after the New Year. At that time, he would apply for a courtyard in the family quarters, and he could come to see her every day. Jiang Nian didn’t say anything, but she knew that after Lu Yu came back, she might not be able to stay much longer. 

Commander Song has already left. The days will be gone.

As dusk fell, there was a knock on the courtyard gate. Jiang Nian got up to open it, and from the corner of her eye, she saw several red cloth strips fluttering on the wall. Her heart skipped a beat in fright, and she couldn’t help but cry out. Although she knew there were red clothes hanging on the wall and was mentally prepared, the sudden scare still caught her off guard.

“Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?!”

Song Bai’s worried voice came from outside the courtyard gate.

Before Jiang Nian could say anything, Song Bai vaulted over the wall from outside and saw Jiang Nian standing under the tree in a daze, her face pale with fright. He hurried to open the courtyard gate wider before approaching her with a furrowed brow. “Sister-in-law, are you feeling unwell?”

Seeing Song Bai, Jiang Nian’s fear subsided a bit. “I’m fine.”

She was truly exasperated!

She had had enough of Sun Ying!

This time, Jiang Nian felt completely aggrieved if she didn’t deal with Sun Ying.

“Jiang Nian.”

Xu Yan came in from outside, seeing Jiang Nian’s pale face and thinking she might be ill. “Are you catching a cold?”

Song Bai keenly noticed Jiang Nian’s occasional glances towards the eastern wall. He turned his head and saw the red cloth strips fluttering on the wall. At first glance, it was quite eerie. He was tall and reached the wall, pulling down the red cloth. As he did so, the other end of the red cloth also came loose. The cloth was damp and cold with snow, cut into strips with scissors.

With sharp eyes, Song Bai looked beyond the wall towards Tang Ze, who had just walked out of the house. “Tang Ze!”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nian seized her chance and whispered to Xu Yan, “Go call Commander Tang and Sister Chen. I’m afraid Song Bai and Tang Ze will start fighting.”

She deliberately exaggerated the situation, hoping to bring Commander Tang and Sister Chen over.

Xu Yan glanced at Song Bai’s stern expression and also sensed that something serious was amiss. She ran off.

Tang Ze was startled by Song Bai’s shout. Then he heard Sun Ying saying she didn’t feel well inside the house. So, he addressed Song Bai, “Stop yelling. You’ve scared my wife.”

With that, he returned indoors.

Song Bai clenched the red cloth tightly. Lowering his head, he saw the shattered mandarin duck embroidery on the cloth. Glancing at Jiang Nian’s pale and hurt face, he turned and ran out of the courtyard. Within seconds, a loud bang came from the neighboring courtyard door!

Jiang Nian was startled and ran out to see Song Bai kicking open Tang Ze’s courtyard door.

Jiang Nian: …

If it were Lu Yu, he would have handled it differently.

If it were her, she would have used methods beneficial to herself, but she never expected Song Bai to come directly and aggressively confront Tang Ze.

The door burst open loudly, and the noise attracted neighbors to come out and watch.

Even Liu Qiang, Liu Jianye, and Liu Jianwu came out.

Inside the house, Tang Ze helped Sun Ying sit up. Hearing the commotion outside, Tang Ze frowned. Sun Ying grabbed his hand tightly: “My stomach doesn’t feel well.”

Tang Ze patted her hand and reassured her: “I’ll be back soon.”

“Tang Ze!”

Song Bai’s voice pierced through the window, startling Sun Ying. Tang Ze’s face turned pale with anger. He got up and rushed out. Sun Ying tried to grab him but missed. She felt a bit guilty, fearing the situation would turn against her.

Sun Ying anxiously walked to the window to look outside.

In the courtyard, Song Bai threw pieces of red cloth torn into strips at Tang Ze. Tang Ze’s face turned dark. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Look at this yourself!”

Song Bai coldly watched Tang Ze tear off the red cloth from his head: “Isn’t it just a piece of torn—”

He abruptly stopped talking.

Tang Ze turned over the piece of red cloth with unevenly cut mandarin duck embroidery, his face changing. He looked up and saw Jiang Nian standing at the courtyard door, her face somewhat pale, perhaps from anger. Tang Ze instinctively tightened his grip on the red cloth and turned to see Sun Ying leaning against the window. Sun Ying’s sudden eye contact with Tang Ze startled her, and she quickly shrank back.

“What’s going on? Why are you fighting?!”

Before Chen Fang arrived, her voice was already heard.

Tang Ze’s face changed, and he tightened his grip on the red cloth even more. His face showed a sense of helplessness. Song Bai didn’t expect Chen Fang to come over. Even Sun Ying, who was inside the house, heard Chen Fang’s voice and felt a jolt in her heart.

“What’s going on?”

Commander Tang also arrived and ran over with Chen Fang. Seeing Jiang Nian at the door, Chen Fang’s face turned pale. Seeing Song Bai and Tang Ze facing off in the courtyard, Commander Tang estimated that this matter was probably related to Deputy Commander Lu’s sister-in-law.

“Sister-in-law, it’s okay.”

Tang Ze hid the red cloth behind him, but Chen Fang, with sharp eyes, saw it. Chen Fang glared at him and said, “Let me see.”

“It’s just a piece of cloth, there’s nothing to see.”

Tang Ze didn’t give it to Chen Fang. Commander Tang saw the cloth blown by the wind behind Tang Ze, with black silk threads on it, and immediately thought of the mandarin duck curtains that Chen Fang asked Jiang Nian to embroider when Tang Ze got married. Commander Tang frowned and glanced at the house. It was better to discuss family matters behind closed doors.

Chen Fang stubbornly pushed away Commander Tang’s hand and snatched the red cloth from Tang Ze, looking at the torn curtain with miserable mandarin duck embroidery. Chen Fang’s face turned pale with anger, and her hands trembled. This was something she had personally funded, cutting expenses to afford the silk thread, and making Jiang Nian embroider two pairs of mandarin ducks. Now it was being desecrated like this!

“Sister-in-law, don’t be angry, I—”

“Did Sun Ying do this?!”

Chen Fang glared into the house, then thought of Jiang Nian at the door, turned her head to look at Jiang Nian: “Jiang Nian, tell me, what’s going on?”

Song Bai said, “Sister Chen, you don’t need to ask her, I know.”

Tang Ze frowned, his eyes warning Song Bai to be careful, but Song Bai ignored it directly and said in a deep voice, “”This red cloth was hung on the wall. When Lu Yu’s sister-in-law came out, she was scared. So, I pulled the cloth off.”

Commander Tang rubbed his forehead in annoyance: It’s over, there will be no peace at home.

Chen Fang’s hands trembled. She asked Jiang Nian, “Is what Song Bai said true?”

Military wives who came to watch the excitement all looked at Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian pursed her lips and softly responded, “Yes.” Xu Yan beside her also said, “I can testify.”

Chen Fang laughed angrily. Commander Tang wanted to take her home first, but Chen Fang shook him off forcefully: “Don’t pull me!”

“I, Chen Fang, am the daughter-in-law of your Tang family. I am not your parents’ biological daughter, nor am I Tang Ze’s biological sister! I treat Tang Ze as my own brother. I took care of him when he got married for the first time, and I took care of him when he got married for the second time. I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy red cloth and silk thread, cut two pounds of meat, and bought three pounds of eggs for Jiang Nian to help me embroider two pairs of mandarin ducks, just to make sure Tang Ze’s wedding curtains were the most beautiful! Did I ask him for this money? No!”

“Yes, my family is poor, and over the years your Tang family has been supporting my family, so I’ve willingly served your Tang family like an ox or a horse, treating your brother Tang Ze as my own brother. My family doesn’t have the money that Sun Ying’s family has. Even if her Sun family is better off, she shouldn’t treat people’s hearts like this!”

As Chen Fang spoke, she started to cry. Commander Tang also felt sorry for his wife and pulled her, but Chen Fang shook him off: “Don’t pull me!”

She forcefully tore the curtain to shreds and threw it on the ground. She looked up at Tang Ze with a glare: “If your wife doesn’t like the curtain, tell me. Why did you cut it and hang it on the wall for Jiang Nian to see? Despising me alone isn’t enough. You have to despise Jiang Nian too?”

Tang Ze lowered his head in guilt: “Sister-in-law, don’t be angry.”

“Don’t talk to me!”

Chen Fang pushed Tang Ze away and shouted into the house, “Sun Ying, let me tell you, I’m not easy to mess with either! Everything I eat and use is from Tang’s family. It’s my man’s. It’s not from your Sun family. When you’re pregnant, I’ll take good care of you. Whatever you want to eat, I’ll make it for you. Don’t forget, I’m also a daughter-in-law of this family. We’re all the same. Why should I indulge you? From now on, I, Chen Fang, will never have anything to do with your family again! Don’t come to my house for meals either!”

After wiping away her tears, she looked at Commander Tang still standing there and sneered, “What’s wrong? Don’t want to go back either?”

Commander Tang: …

He said to Tang Ze, “Your wife did something really inappropriate.”

After saying that, he followed his wife away.

Chen Fang has followed him for so many years, endured so much hardship. As a husband, he isn’t blind.

Chen Fang walked to the door and said to Jiang Nian, “Go back. Sun Ying is not a good person.”

Jiang Nian watched Commander Tang and his wife walk farther into the snowy night. She turned to Tang Ze. Tang Ze rubbed his face irritably and glared at Song Bai, “Why aren’t you leaving yet? Not enough excitement?”

Song Bai: …

He glanced at the window and spoke in a displeased tone, “In the future, manage your wife well. If Lu Yu were here today, things wouldn’t have been this simple.”

Tang Ze knew clearly that although he and Lu Yu were not in the same regiment, everyone got along well. Lu Yu cared most about his sister-in-law.

Not only was his sister-in-law’s embroidery cut, it was also hung on the wall to provoke and intimidate others. Who would be comfortable with such a thing?

Song Bai and Jiang Nian left, and the military wives outside dispersed as well.