Chen Huandi was stunned and speechless.
Since childhood, she had often helped her mother deal with her younger sisters, and it had been painful for her too. Burning them was too smelly; burying them meant wild dogs would dig them up and drag them around.
She hated having daughters. Fortunately, she had been lucky and gave birth to two sons after marriage.
She didn’t know Zhao Hui and couldn’t understand her. She thought, Who actually wants a daughter? Is she crazy?
But as a rural woman, she was naturally afraid of military and police authority—especially since Zhao Hui had arrived in a military vehicle.
Unable to figure out what was going on, she quietly slipped away.
Zhao Hui told the driver to pack up the luggage and said with a smile, “Let’s stay somewhere better tonight.”
Wu Jingjing still felt uneasy and asked, “Auntie, can’t you just take Mianmian home directly?”
Zhao Hui had spent the entire day handling paperwork and retrieving files, arranging for Chen Mianmian to follow the army.
But a military-industrial base had strict rules, and matters involving classified units couldn’t be explained to civilians.
So she simply said, “There are still procedures to complete. But don’t worry—Mianmian will be able to go to the base soon.”
She felt a bit apologetic. After helping Chen Mianmian into the car, she added, “I checked your file. The good news is that since you never transferred your household registration after leaving the base, it’s still there, so returning will be easier.”
Then she said, “You’ve been away for nearly half a year. The base needs to review your movements. You understand, right?”
Chen Mianmian understood. The first time the original host went to the base, she had been investigated by the police for a full month.
She was also surprised by Zhao Hui’s sincerity.
Logically, since she had been divorced for half a year and was now pregnant, it would be normal for the husband’s family to doubt the child’s paternity.
And Zhao Lingcheng was the only remaining heir; naturally, the family would prefer a boy.
But Zhao Hui’s attitude made Chen Mianmian feel that bringing the baby back to the Zhao family was the right choice.
She said, “No rush. As long as I return before giving birth.”
Zhao Hui shook her head. “No. We must go to the base within three days for a full examination.”
Then suddenly she exclaimed, “Oh no—quick, to the hospital!”
The driver slammed on the brakes and was about to turn around, but Chen Mianmian said, “Auntie, don’t worry. It’s just the baby moving.”
Zhao Hui froze. “So that’s the baby? She’s moving?”
Chen Mianmian took her hand and pressed it against her belly. “Feel it? Isn’t it amazing?”
Her abdomen shifted gently—the vibrant sign of a growing life.
Zhao Hui blurted out, “As expected of someone from our Zhao family. She’s amazing.”
She had read Chen Jinhui’s case file and knew he had beaten his own sister badly in an attempt to force an abortion.
But the child had endured—worthy of being descended from five heroic grandfathers—and had waited for rescue.
When the old patriarch eventually learned all this, Zhao Hui couldn’t imagine how emotional and overjoyed he would be.
…
Getting someone into a military-industrial base within three days was no easy task.
Since Zhao Hui belonged to a different unit, she still had to return and coordinate more procedures.
Meanwhile, she arranged a new place for Chen Mianmian to stay—the steel factory guesthouse, a large compound typical of the north.
She handed Chen Mianmian over to Director Qiu. “I’ll leave her in your care.”
Director Qiu still had work for Chen Mianmian, so she readily agreed. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.”
Unlike the state-run guesthouse made of mud bricks, this one was a newly built red-brick building.
As Chen Mianmian walked down the corridor, she heard running water and stopped. “This isn’t a pit toilet.”
Director Qiu smiled. “Ours is a flush toilet!”
Chen Mianmian immediately turned to run, but after a few steps came back. “Can I borrow some toilet paper?”
Director Qiu tore a piece from a newspaper. “Go ahead.”
Chen Mianmian urgently needed to relieve herself—otherwise even her baby would complain about the smell.
Afterward, Director Qiu showed her to a guest room.
Finally, there was no dirt-smelling kang bed. She could sleep on a proper bed.
She had already finished translating the document and placed it in an envelope.
Since it was a foreign-language text, Director Qiu didn’t dare read it herself and took it to the leadership for review.
Dinner was at the factory canteen: potato stew with cabbage, almost no oil, and coarse sorghum grains as the staple. It was rough and hard to swallow.
As Chen Mianmian struggled to eat, she heard a child outside say, “There’s meat—it smells so good.”
Looking out, she saw a woman swallowing her saliva and telling her son, “Be good, eat my portion too.”
After picking through her food, Chen Mianmian finally found a tiny piece of meat. When she ate it, it was indeed delicious.
This was the standard meal for ordinary factory workers.
Militia units ate slightly better because they could cut rations from prisoners.
The best food was in classified military units—but entry required ability and selection.
The richest benefits, however, belonged to the railway system, which controlled logistics.
That was why Xu Xiaomei had schemed so hard to get her brothers into the railway system.
Sleeping on a soft straw mattress, Chen Mianmian slept soundly until morning.
After washing her hair and body thoroughly, she finally felt clean again.
As she sat by the bed combing her hair, Director Qiu knocked on the window. “Comrade Xiao Chen, time to get up.”
It was already April. Her wool coat was too warm, so she left it unbuttoned.
She had long, glossy black hair, still slightly damp, so she let it fall loose.
Director Qiu stared in amazement. “No wonder you married into a high-ranking family—your features are truly delicate.”
She took her to the mechanical command center and into the secretary’s office.
As soon as Chen Mianmian entered, a middle-aged man shook her hand. “Excellent translation.”
He added, “I heard you’re from a ‘red and expert’ background. Your translation is even better than those professors.”
Director Qiu introduced him. “This is Director Yan. He’s been praising you nonstop.”
At first, she hadn’t believed Chen Mianmian, since everyone knew the level of those schools.
But after the leader saw the translation, he praised it highly, so she was convinced.
She added, “If you weren’t busy having a baby, you could work full-time at our factory.”
Director Yan looked at her belly. “If you weren’t joining the army, I’d personally appoint you as my secretary!”
Having a child was only temporary—Chen Mianmian still needed a job.
She couldn’t promise anything yet, so she said, “If there’s any work, please assign it to me. I’m free these days—just give me a chance to contribute to the country.”
Not only was her translation good, but she spoke well too.
Director Yan excitedly slapped the table. “There’s plenty of work! With your attitude, I won’t treat you unfairly!”
Thus, while waiting for Zhao Hui, Chen Mianmian secured a temporary job.
Director Qiu was surprised. Every time she completed a translation, Director Yan praised her.
Factory positions were limited, but he specifically said that if Chen Mianmian was willing to join, they would give her a permanent position.
Because English carried political risks, Director Qiu hadn’t dared read the documents.
But Chen Mianmian, just a “red and expert” student, was praised so highly—how good could she be?
She couldn’t understand it, but she became more respectful toward Chen Mianmian.
The steel factory became a backup option. If nothing better came along, she could work there.
In truth, her translation skills were average—but she knew how to meet expectations.
Two days passed. According to the plan, Zhao Hui should come to pick her up.
Director Qiu paid her four yuan and two yuan worth of grain coupons.
Chen Mianmian used it to buy two jin of cake and five large bags of local specialty yak milk powder.
She gave Wu Jingjing and Guli each one bag of milk powder and a jin of cake as thanks, and kept three bags for herself.
Since arriving, she had only eaten coarse grains, which were hard to endure.
She remembered the base diet was similar, so she prepared extra milk powder.
Zhao Hui arrived on time early in the morning, the military vehicle driving straight into the compound.
Director Qiu helped pack and load the bedding, but Chen Mianmian kept glancing at the gate uneasily.
Because the “falling into the water to force marriage” scheme had been planned by Xu Xiaomei and had earned her 500 yuan.
Now her husband and brother were both in jail, and Chen Mianmian was about to leave Quan City—would she really accept that?
As if on cue, a bicycle rushed into the compound. It was Xu Xiaomei, with Chen Huandi riding behind her.
As promised, Chen Huandi threw an envelope at her. “The severance letter!”
Then she pointed at the gate. “Go get Jinhui and Xu’s brother out of jail immediately, or our mother will report you!”
Zhao Hui and Director Qiu were both stunned.
Director Qiu asked, “Report what? Why?”
Chen Huandi didn’t know how to explain and looked at Xu Xiaomei.
Xu Xiaomei said, “My mother-in-law can testify that Chen Mianmian followed the officer, framed him, and stole his property.”
Chen Huandi added, “Our mother is at the police station. If you don’t go, she’ll report you on the spot.”
A mother accusing her own daughter—did she not care if her pregnant daughter went to jail?
Zhao Hui and Director Qiu were completely shocked.
Xu Xiaomei smirked, as if saying, You’ve got no choice now.
But Chen Mianmian smiled and turned to Chen Huandi. “The money Xu Xiaomei gave our mother is in a passbook, right? She reported it lost before giving it. You can confirm that at the bank. Also, the 300 yuan our mother entrusted her with—she already transferred it into her own account. And the medicine I gave our mother—she replaced it. The real one is with her own mother.”
Chen Huandi was stunned.
Xu Xiaomei screamed, “Chen Mianmian, you’ll die horribly!”
Chen Huandi finally understood. “Xu Xiaomei, you used my family’s money to support your own family?”
Seeing things go wrong, Xu Xiaomei tried to flee on her bicycle.
But Chen Huandi grabbed her. “Come with me to the credit union!”
Dragging her away, she shouted, “How dare you steal our money to support your family!”
The two struggled and left the compound.
Zhao Hui finally understood. “Your sister-in-law stole your mother’s money and gave it to her own family.”
Director Qiu added, “Draining your husband’s family to support your own—your mother must be furious.”
Yes, Chen Mianmian had once devoted herself to supporting her brother—but Xu Xiaomei was even worse.
She had three brothers and was even more extreme.
The difference was that Xu Xiaomei was clever and subtle.
If Wang Ximei reported her, Chen Mianmian would have no way to fight back.
But if Wang Ximei discovered that all the money her daughter had sacrificed for had been stolen by her daughter-in-law?
Then the two women would tear each other apart and forget everything else.
That gave Chen Mianmian time to focus on her pregnancy.
Once inside the jeep, she opened the severance letter.
It had been written by Xu Xiaomei: Wang Ximei would be supported by Chen Jinhui and his wife.
It had no legal effect, since children are obligated to support their parents.
But Chen Mianmian could use it later to reclaim the 500 yuan bride price and 200 yuan divorce compensation.
…
As the car sped along, Zhao Hui smiled. “Lingcheng will leave the desert today and return to the base. We’ll see him tomorrow. I’ve already informed his superiors—they’ll tell him he’s going to be a father.”
She sighed softly. “I can’t imagine how happy he’ll be.”