Chapter 46.1

As soon as Zhao Xianfeng arrived at the camp, he called Li Mu over to talk with him.

Li Mu saluted and said: “Colonel Sir Zhao, I, Li Mu, am reporting as ordered. What can I do for you?” 

Li Mu is a simple and honest man; he can be regarded as a somewhat cultured old man. He can also complete the task delegated to him successfully. When he’s on the battlefield, he will always be the one who is at the forefront, and due to this, there is also a great chance that he can be promoted in the future. However, the thing he is somewhat lacking is that he doesn’t take care of or watch over his family that much, he would always thinks about how to train them all day long.

Zhao Xianfeng didn’t beat around the bush with him either; he told him everything he knew and said: “Han Cheng kindly asked me to remind you that when it comes to cultivating one’s moral integrity, ruling the country, and attaining world peace, it must be implemented in your family first. If your family can’t do it, how can you talk about world peace? Your problematic wife has taught your son to be corrupt; he even stole and bullied the son of a martyr. She is a teacher, but can’t even be a role model. This problem can be big or small. While there is still a chance to redeem them, you must think about what you can do from now on. Don’t wait for your wife to make an irredeemable mistake, and all your efforts from the past up to the present will be in vain.  

Li Mu really broke out in a cold sweat. Although he is a rough person, he is not stupid. He is not ignorant of his family’s virtues. However, he did not expect that she would even allow Dashu to bully Zhuzi. This woman covered up for her son and even offended Director Han, who saved his life, causing other people’s children not to attend her classes and making Director Han’s wife want to take his wife’s place in class.

What a mess!

“Sir, don’t worry. As long as you grant me a half day off, I will go back and discipline my family right now!” Li Mu believes that this problem must be solved urgently.

Zhao Xianfeng looked at Li Mu, who was gritting his teeth and was really worried that he would come home and beat his wife. He reminded him, “I’ll allow you to take a leave of absence. If you have something to say, just say it. You can’t beat female comrades and children with your hands. Do you understand?”

Li Mu scratched the back of his head and said, “Don’t worry, Sir. I won’t hit my wife even if I’m angry, but the child needs to be disciplined. I didn’t have enough time to stay at home, he was afraid of me, so he didn’t dare show me his bad side. In short, there’s no need to worry. I have a sense of propriety.”

Zhao Xianfeng also said everything that should be said. After all, it’s a family matter, and he doesn’t want to interfere too much. He granted him leave and asked him to go home.

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Cheng Lifang took her son to school as usual.

She doesn’t know if some rumors have spread, but she always feels that everyone looks at her differently than usual. She always feels that something is weird. If she really loses her job as a teacher, she might get criticized by others.

All of this was Su Xiaoxiao’s fault. She was doing great when Su Xiaoxiao was not here.

With this in mind, Cheng Lifang hates Su Xiaoxiao even more.

When Li Mu arrived at school, Cheng Lifang had just finished her first lesson.

At this point in time, Cheng Lifang unexpectedly saw Li Mu at school. She thought he was going to the battlefield again and came to say goodbye.

“Where’s the war again?” Cheng Lifang asked.

Li Mu looked at her. He had married Cheng Lifang at the age of twenty, and seven or eight years had passed in the blink of an eye. He either trained in the camp all day long, or went to the battlefield, and indeed, he did not take good care of her and his son.

Cheng Lifang is not the only member of the family, and Li Mu also admitted that he was wrong. He suppressed his temper and said, “There’s no war. Go and call out our son and follow me to Director Han’s house.'”

Cheng Lifang looked at him in horror and said, “Go where? What are we going to do at Director Han’s house?”

Li Mu is a person who fought with blood on the battlefield and had been stained by blood before. The person who pulled him back from the underworld was Han Cheng. 

Li Mu has a ruthless aura about him that is not aggressive but powerful. To be honest, Cheng Lifang is a bit afraid of him.

After hearing Li Mu talk about this, Cheng Lifang already guessed what the cause was.

Li Mu: “To apologize, what else can we do there? Are you not aware of what you’ve done?”
Cheng Lifang’s eyes flickered, and she said stiffly, “I won’t go. She wants to rob me of my job. Everyone is waiting to see me embarrassed. Why should I apologize to her? At worst, I will not be a teacher!”

Cheng Lifang burst into tears when she thought that her man wouldn’t take her side.

This is the gate of the school. There are quite a few people watching the excitement during recess. Li Mu doesn’t want to lose face either, so he pulled her aside. He said quietly: “Lifang, tell me what your son has done. Children shouldn’t be taught like this. I’ll call my mother to teach you. Go home and take care of the family. My salary is still enough to support the family.”

“Your eye is always high up above, domineering outside, and you have a bit of greed for petty gains. That’s okay, but we can’t be vague in front of big issues! Zhuzi’s father was once my comrade in arms, I couldn’t help him at that time, and I can only feel regret. I can no longer be poked and prodded by my wife’s children to bully the orphans of martyrs! I don’t want the family members of other soldiers to say that my family is not teaching others’ children well! If I can’t even manage my own home properly, the medals and honors I’ve earned in exchange for my life on the battlefield are meaningless. Do you understand?”

Cheng Lifang cried bitterly and crouched on the ground; she refused to step back.

Su Xiaoxiao made such a fuss, is she afraid? She was naturally afraid. Who knew that someone like Su Xiaoxiao, who had just come out of the countryside and didn’t know the height of the world, would make this matter known to everyone, and would even report it level by level until her goal was achieved?

She has been holding back since last night and did not dare tell anyone. She was afraid that the fierce man in her family would beat her. Although Li Mu hasn’t touched her finger since she got married, they haven’t bared their hearts to each other. Now, even she didn’t know whether she felt relieved or if the jar had been broken.

After Li Mu finished telling her this, she was not so scared anymore. He didn’t mean to hit her or divorce her, but the last defense line in his heart completely collapsed.

“Alright, don’t cry,” Li Mu pulled her up from the ground. “If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. If you sincerely apologize to others, won’t it be over if you correct it? The worst result is staying at home, but you can’t teach your child this way. If the child is not taught well, his life will be ruined, I will stay at home more in the future. The child is still young. Let’s teach him together.” 

Cheng Lifang was completely relieved now and wiped away her tears: “If you ask me to apologize to Su Xiaoxiao, I can’t do it. Let me apply to the logistics department. In the future, she can teach as she likes, and the water in the well won’t offend the river.”

She didn’t want to go, and Li Mu couldn’t drag her along either. So, he just told her to go home and cook. Let her go back early with the child after class.

Cheng Lifang is greatly flattered. He usually treats his soldiers like his own brothers. Not to mention that at noon, he rarely comes back for dinner. He eats with his soldiers in the camp, and sometimes even lives there. It’s no exaggeration to say that for the first time after all these years of marriage, the three members of their family will eat lunch together.

Only when Li Mu saw her expression did he realize how outrageously he had neglected this family. Not to mention Colonel Zhao, even the brigade commander and division commander usually go home for lunch. They try to stay with their families as much as possible. He really should have done this earlier.

“Okay, I’ll try to come back and have lunch with you all at noon.”

After Li Mu finished speaking, he patted his wife on the shoulder and turned away.

Cheng Lifang looked at Li Mu’s back and wondered whether she should hate Su Xiaoxiao or thank her.