Zhou Jingran carried Tu Xiuxiu’s daughter, Ke Xin, and followed Tu Xiuxiu into the family compound.
Tu Xiuxiu’s entire right hand was wrapped in gauze, and two braids hung down over her chest.
Her already fair skin seemed to glow softly in the morning sunlight.
With her graceful figure, dressed in a floral dress and round-toed heels, she and the tall, handsome Zhou Jingran looked like a perfectly matched couple.
When Zhang Yunmei turned to look, she noticed that as Tu Xiuxiu walked, her left arm would occasionally brush against Zhou Jingran’s arm as he held the child.
Tang Rubao crossed her arms and laughed. “See? They look more like a family of three.”
Zhou Jingran’s face flushed with anger at her words.
He strode over, his sharp gaze fixed on Tang Rubao. “Don’t talk nonsense!”
Tang Rubao sneered at him. “You didn’t come back last night.”
“Xiuxiu was in the hospital, and Xinxin had no one to take care of her, so I went to look after her,” Zhou Jingran said, his dark eyes clouded.
Tang Rubao looked at Ke Xin in his arms.
The little girl was delicate and adorable, with two small braids and bright, clear eyes.
She thought of her own daughter, beautiful, intelligent, obedient, and well-behaved.
Every time her daughter asked where her father was, her dark eyes would shine with both hope and disappointment.
Other children had fathers, but her daughter had never even known what hers looked like, from birth until death.
In her past life, Tang Rubao had written to Zhou Jingran about their daughter’s illness.
He never replied.
He didn’t even send money.
Only then did she realize just how cold and indifferent he could be.
He didn’t love her, not even the child she bore for him.
Tang Rubao let out a cold laugh. “Zhou Jingran, you treat Xinxin like your own daughter and care so much about Xiuxiu. Divorce me and marry her, give Xinxin a complete, warm family.”
The moment the word “divorce” was spoken, everything fell into dead silence.
Tu Xiuxiu and Zhang Yunmei stared at Tang Rubao in shock, mouths agape. Had she lost her mind?
Zhou Jingran glared at her, fury blazing in his eyes. “Can you stop being unreasonable?”
“I’m not being unreasonable.” Tang Rubao glanced around and saw more and more military wives gathering to watch. “You only give me five yuan a month, yet you go to Xiuxiu’s place every few days. I know you love her.”
“If my father hadn’t forced you to marry me, you and Xiuxiu would already be a loving couple.”
“Zhou Jingran, I don’t want you anymore. I want a divorce.”
After saying this, Tang Rubao pretended to wipe away tears and ran out of the compound.
Zhou Jingran trembled with anger. She didn’t want him anymore?
Wasn’t she the one who used to follow him everywhere, saying she liked him and wanted to marry him?
“You know, Xiuxiu really is quite close to Battalion Commander Zhou.”
“I heard Xiuxiu say before that he gives her twenty yuan a month, but only five to Tang Rubao.”
“Well, Xiuxiu is the most beautiful girl in the performing troupe, pretty, talented, and educated. I heard Tang Rubao didn’t even finish elementary school and can’t read much.”
“At least she knows her place, she realized Zhou and Xiuxiu are a good match and agreed to the divorce.”
“No matter what, Tang Rubao married him first. No matter how outstanding Xiuxiu is, she shouldn’t interfere in someone else’s marriage. As they say, it’s better to destroy a temple than to break up a marriage.”
…
Hearing the military wives gossiping and pointing at him and Tu Xiuxiu, Zhou Jingran’s chest heaved with anger.
Holding Ke Xin, he turned and was about to chase after Tang Rubao, to drag her back and make her explain that he had never mentioned divorce.
“Jingran!”
He had only taken two steps when Cheng Gang’s voice sounded behind him.
Zhou Jingran stopped.
Cheng Gang strode up to him. “Are you and Tang Rubao really getting a divorce?”
Zhou Jingran’s mind echoed with her words: ‘I don’t want you anymore.’
Anger surged within him. He stared at Cheng Gang with dark, intense eyes. “Political Commissar, if she wants a divorce, then let her have it.”
She’ll regret it!
Cheng Gang frowned in frustration. “You brat, can’t you at least try to coax her? The divorce application—”
“Political Commissar, I’ve already written it!” Zhou Jingran snapped. Since she dared say she didn’t want him in front of everyone, he would make it clear in front of everyone that he was the one who didn’t want her first.
Cheng Gang raised an eyebrow. He had already compared the handwriting on the divorce application with Zhou Jingran’s usual reports, it matched perfectly.
He had come to understand the situation and mediate, but now it seemed unnecessary.
Glancing at Tu Xiuxiu beside Zhou Jingran, he said seriously, “You’d better think this through. Once the divorce application is submitted, it can’t be withdrawn.”
Zhou Jingran’s voice was filled with resentment. “There’s nothing to think about!”
…
Tang Rubao hadn’t gone far.
After leaving the compound, she hid behind a pillar at the entrance, secretly watching.
When she saw the political commissar shake his head and leave after speaking with Zhou Jingran, she finally felt relieved.
Did that mean the application would be submitted?
Once submitted, approval would come in about a month.
Then she and Zhou Jingran could officially divorce.
The thought filled her with a sense of liberation.
Especially seeing Zhou Jingran’s face darken, turning pale, then livid, made her feel strangely satisfied.
Sometimes, nothing felt better than seeing the person who hurt you suffer.
After the crowd dispersed, Tang Rubao casually walked back into the compound.
When she got home, she saw Zhou Jingran taking out rice, preparing to cook porridge for Tu Xiuxiu.
Zhang Yunmei sat on the wooden sofa, holding Ke Xin. “Xiuxiu, what’s wrong with Tang Rubao? Why did she suddenly bring up divorce?”
Tu Xiuxiu looked at Zhou Jingran with a complicated expression.
She admitted she had feelings for him.
But Zhou Jingran had a mentally challenged younger sister, already twenty years old and still unmarried, a lifelong burden.
Even though he treated her gently and generously, she looked down on his family background.
If his family had been better, she might have tried every means to marry him.
She didn’t intend to marry him, but she liked how well he treated her.
She wanted things to stay this way.
Then she turned back and said, as if advising Tang Rubao, “As a woman, you should be more generous. Don’t keep talking about divorce.”
But in her heart, she thought ‘If they really divorced, and Zhou Jingran wanted to marry her… what would she do?’