Chapter 24: The Magnifying Glass (Part 3)

Using a magnifying glass to start a fire was common knowledge in military training. During field exercises, every soldier was issued one precisely for situations where no other fire-starting materials were available.

But who would have thought that a new recruit would steal one to commit a crime?

Just moments ago, the two commanders had been criticizing Han Chao, but now they were visibly embarrassed.

From the moment Ma Shangbei stole the magnifying glass, his intent was premeditated. He deliberately caused the firearm mishap.

This had nothing to do with Han Chao. Ma Shangbei had tampered with the bullets with the deliberate goal of harming Platoon Leader Song.

Even worse, the reason he dared to do this was because if he succeeded, he would be credited with a merit award and transferred to the Hong Kong garrison.

The responsibility of Commander Luo and Commander Ma in this matter was far greater than Han Chao’s.

A long silence filled the living room.

Chen Yufeng checked the time—it was almost seven o’clock.

Her two daughters were probably starving by now.

Time ticked by, second by second, until finally, Commander Luo spoke. “Wang Shuya, notify the Security Department immediately. Have them work with the Public Security Bureau to make the arrest. Han Chao, go back and write a full report detailing everything. Tomorrow morning, all officers at the company level and above will convene for a meeting to review this case.”

“Yes, Commander!” Both subordinates saluted in response.

Wang Shuya turned to leave but nudged Han Chao and gestured toward the kitchen.

At that moment, Chen Yufeng was packing up, her back facing them.

Wang Shuya then gestured toward Commander Xu and gave a thumbs-up.

As comrades, Han Chao understood what he meant. After all, Commander Xu was divorced and not even fifty yet—matchmakers were constantly knocking on his door. So naturally, seeing a woman in the kitchen would make people wonder if she was his new love interest.

The thumbs-up? That was because, even from behind, the woman in the kitchen had an outstanding figure.

In fact, Wang Shuya silently thought to himself, Commander Xu hasn’t lost his charm. His ex-wife, Ma Lin, was once the beauty of the military academy, and now he’s found someone even younger and prettier.

Han Chao was never one to stare at women—he had always believed in avoiding impropriety. But the moment he glanced into the kitchen, he was drawn in—not by the woman, but by her outfit.

A white blouse tucked into a green skirt, paired with black leather shoes. It was modest yet remarkably elegant.

At that moment, Han Chao thought to himself, I should buy my wife an identical outfit.

Chen Yufeng kept her back turned, waiting for Han Chao to leave.

Logically, once Han Chao left, she could leave right after—perfect timing.

But Commander Xu didn’t know she had come here in secret. So, as he reached the kitchen door, he suddenly turned back and said, “Han Chao, your wife is in the kitchen. You should head home together.”

Han Chao froze for a moment before striding into the kitchen, just as Chen Yufeng turned around.

The couple locked eyes.

Wang Shuya also whipped his head around. Upon seeing Chen Yufeng clearly, he immediately slapped himself.

They weren’t strangers—they saw each other regularly. She was his comrade’s wife!

What the hell had he been thinking just now?

“Comrade Chen, you should go home together,” Commander Xu said again.

Han Chao’s gaze swept from his wife’s face down to her chest, then to the woven bag filled with canned goods at her feet. Finally, under her bright yet pleading smile—silently begging him not to get angry—he picked up the bag and walked out first.

..

Taking the elevator—something she had planned to enjoy—was completely forgotten now that Han Chao was with her.

Wang Shuya was beyond embarrassed and kept whispering apologies to Han Chao.

Han Chao’s expression was ice-cold. The look in his eyes was just as fierce as when he had confronted Ma Shangbei earlier.

With a ding, the elevator reached the ground floor, and Wang Shuya quickly slipped away.

Embarrassment was only part of it—the main reason was that crimes committed within the military had to be reported to the Public Security Bureau. The Security Department only had the authority to detain suspects, but any actual investigation required official police involvement. He had to go to the Public Security Bureau to file a report.

Meanwhile, Han Chao had to return home and write his report.

As the couple walked home, Han Chao carried a large load of jars and bottles while Chen Yufeng trailed behind him like a scolded wife.

Not a single word was spoken between them the entire way.

When he was a child, he was the same—whenever he got angry, he wouldn’t say a word.

There was one time she made a handkerchief mouse for Qi Cailing, and he stayed mad for three whole days.

Chen Yufeng cautiously tried to make peace. “Commander Xu gave me fifty yuan, but I didn’t take it—I left it there.”

This made Han Chao stop in his tracks. He turned his head and asked, “Why didn’t you take it?”

Seeing that Chen Yufeng didn’t respond, he continued, “The kitchen is full of smoke and fire. You worked hard all day—why wouldn’t you accept the money?”

“Commander Xu is a good person. Besides, isn’t he quite good to you?” Chen Yufeng said.

“The toughest and most ruthless soldiers in the entire division are in my battalion, Feng’er. I help him train and control them, and in return, he speaks well of me in front of the higher-ups. It’s like those old plays we used to watch—any situation needs one person playing the good cop and another playing the bad cop,” Han Chao explained.

The summer days were long, and at this hour, the sun had just set.

The tall buildings cast heavy shadows over the yard, making the place feel stifling—nothing like the spacious and comfortable courtyards of the regimental family quarters.

After cooking all day, Chen Yufeng’s stomach growled with hunger.

She understood what Han Chao meant—no one goes out of their way to help someone unless they have something to gain. Just like in those novels—if Zhang Songtao didn’t have connections in the logistics department, Qi Cailing wouldn’t have married him.

Still, Chen Yufeng felt this trip had been worth it. Even though she hadn’t finalized things with Commander Xu, she had learned that several top leaders in the military district had once been sent down to Mengzi and that they all had a deep love for Yunnan cuisine.

Once she opened her restaurant, she wouldn’t have to worry about customers.

On the way there, Xiao Qin had driven them, but heading back, they had to take the bus because it was too far.

At the bus stop, Chen Yufeng noticed that, after work, none of the military men carried anything—the ones holding bags were all women. Meanwhile, she was lugging around a woven plastic sack from the town, which looked both shabby and ridiculous. She wanted to carry it herself, but Han Chao wouldn’t let her.

“Give it to me. I’ll carry it. This bag looks so shabby,” Chen Yufeng said.

Han Chao still refused and simply replied, “It’s too heavy. I’ll carry it.”

Chen Yufeng felt a little embarrassed, but as soon as they got on the bus, she overheard a woman say, “Hey, look at that guy. Which regiment is he from? He’s so handsome, and he even carries things for a woman?”

She turned around and saw that they were looking at Han Chao, who stood among the crowd.

His fair skin, tall stature, and sharp features made him stand out in the packed bus like a crane among chickens.

Another woman chimed in, “His wife is lucky.”

The bus was crowded—full of military personnel and their families. It was already past seven, but many people still carried groceries, rushing home to cook. Han Chao placed the woven bag on the floor, held onto the rail with both hands, and positioned Chen Yufeng securely in the space between his arms.

Many other couples were also commuting together, but in this era—especially in the military—married couples often kept their distance in public. That made the way they stood together quite unusual.

The men were busy chatting and didn’t pay attention, but several women on the bus glanced at Chen Yufeng with a mix of admiration and jealousy.

That was when Chen Yufeng realized something new—because they had grown up together, Han Chao instinctively protected her. He also enjoyed doing household chores, which were traits that women appreciated the most.

Right now, he had a terrible reputation among the military wives in the compound. Maybe she should let him do more housework to change how they saw him?

As soon as they stepped into the house, they saw Tiantian and Mimi watching TV.

“Sister Yufeng, the kids already ate at my place. If you need to cook, just make something for yourself—no need to cook for them,” Sister Bao said as she stepped out.

“Alright, thank you, Sister,” Chen Yufeng replied.

“We’re neighbors—no need to be so polite. If I weren’t around, you’d help me watch over Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu too, wouldn’t you?” Sister Bao said before hurrying back inside to continue watching TV.

Not only were Tiantian and Mimi there, but Zhao Wen and Zhao Wu were also present.

Sister Bao was hooked on watching One Plum Blossom, and since the two boys didn’t like it, they came over to watch Journey to the West with Tiantian and Mimi instead.

Chen Yufeng went to the kitchen to cook.

Meanwhile, Han Chao, still holding a grudge, felt even more irritated when he saw Zhao Wen and Zhao Wu in the house. He assumed they would bully his daughters.

On the table, there were sunflower seeds, pickled pears, and green plums—snacks that Tiantian had prepared for her two guests while they watched TV.

Tiantian was sweet and hospitable—she had already forgotten about Zhao Wu bullying her the day before.

But while his daughter had let it go, Han Chao hadn’t. He was about to find an excuse to teach Zhao Wu a lesson when Mimi suddenly called out, “Brother Zhao Wu, throw away the sunflower seed shells!”

Zhao Wu obediently ran over, took the shells from Mimi’s hand, and tossed them into the trash can.

Han Chao and his mischievous daughter exchanged a knowing look—he silently asked: What’s going on?

Mimi pointed at her own head, then waved the bottom of a beer bottle in the air with a sly grin.

So, the only reason Zhao Wu, a usually unruly boy, was willingly acting as Mimi’s errand boy was that he wanted to learn how she had burned his hair?

He wanted to master the trick so he could use it on someone else?

A seven-year-old boy willingly being bossed around by a six-year-old girl?

Han Chao suddenly realized that it was a good thing Mimi was a girl. If she were a boy, she’d be even more reckless than him.

Since the girls had already eaten, dinner for the two of them was simple—stir-fried pork slices with spicy pickled peppers, a bowl of soft vegetables, and a dipping sauce. Each had a bowl of rice, and that was enough.

Throughout the meal, Han Chao remained silent.

After eating, he cleared the dishes, washed them in the kitchen, and then went to the small bedroom to write his report.

Chen Yufeng wasn’t good at writing and greatly admired her husband’s ability to do so. Knowing he would need something to refresh himself while working, she specially brewed a cup of Pu’er tea from the batch she had bought the day before and brought it over.

After sending Zhao Wen and Zhao Wu home, she bathed her daughters, told them a bedtime story, and coaxed them to sleep early.

She hadn’t yet discussed the matter of opening a restaurant with Han Chao. Since he was home today, it was the perfect time for a serious conversation—especially with her mother-in-law and Zhou Yafang arriving soon.

Of course, he was probably still sulking and unwilling to talk. But Chen Yufeng had her ways of making him speak, especially since she had discovered a major secret at Commander Xu’s house today.

And that secret—Han Chao definitely didn’t know.

It was already past ten in the evening. Chen Yufeng carried in a pot of hot water, quietly observing from behind. Seeing that Han Chao was almost finished writing his report, she refilled his cup and said, “Brother, have you ever looked closely at the photos on Commander Xu’s wall?”

Han Chao paused for a moment before signing his name, then writing down the date. Only then did he reply in a calm voice, “I’ve seen them.”

“There’s a photo with your mom in it. I bet you haven’t noticed that.” Chen Yufeng continued.

Han Chao finished writing the date before finally looking up at his wife. His fair-skinned, sharp-featured face showed clear confusion.

“You’ve never looked at the women in those photos, have you? There’s an old picture with eight people—three of them are women. One of them is your mother,” she added.

Han Chao had seen the photos on his superior’s wall many times—he reported to him regularly, after all.

But he had only ever paid attention to the male leaders in the pictures, never the women.

Still, how could his mother, Wang Guoguo—an ordinary rural woman—appear in a group photo with Commander Xu and his comrades?

Not to mention that when Commander Xu had once seen the jade pendant passed down in Wang Guoguo’s family, he had commented that it looked remarkably similar to his own family heirloom.

Wang Guoguo wasn’t originally from Guihua Town. Though she had never spoken about her origins, her cooking skills suggested she was from Yunnan. Meanwhile, Commander Xu, Commander Luo, and Commander Ma had all been sent down to Mengzi, Yunnan, during the re-education movement. If Wang Guoguo appeared in a photo with them, that meant they must have known each other.

Now, the “stubborn man” would surely be curious. But Chen Yufeng deliberately kept silent, waiting for him to ask.