Just as it was clearly their big day, yet her parents weren’t by her side, she had to be hurting inside. Lu Mingye felt a pang of heartache for her.
He comforted her awkwardly, “Don’t be sad. Once things settle down over there, my comrade will send us letters. Then you’ll be able to write to your parents too.”
“Really? I can write letters to them?” Shen Ruanruan looked pleasantly surprised, but then quickly shook her head. “No, forget it. It’s enough if he just helps pass along that we’re safe. If someone finds out, your comrade might get implicated.”
Even in this situation, she was still thinking about other people first. Their Ruanruan was truly beautiful inside and out… Lu Mingye’s heart softened even more.
His fingers curled slightly, wanting to pat her head.
“It’ll be fine. My comrade’s village is pretty special—almost everyone there is from the same extended family. They don’t mess around with all those political games. He’s very careful. Nobody will find out.”
After confirming again and again that she really could contact her parents in the future, Shen Ruanruan finally smiled brightly once more.
…
It was already getting late. After eating lunch at the state-owned restaurant, the two headed back to the military family compound. As they passed the checkpoint, they were stopped.
“Deputy Battalion Commander Lu, Sister-in-law, you’ve got parcels waiting in the mail room.”
Shen Ruanruan froze for a second before jumping off the back seat of the bicycle.
“Lu Mingye, I totally forgot! I mailed a bunch of packages before I came here!”
Her parents had never lacked money. Since childhood they loved buying her beautiful clothes, and after growing up, she’d become used to it. Even in her previous life, after marrying Su Jingming, when he refused to give her money, she still never treated herself poorly. Despite all the snide remarks from her in-laws, she continued buying pretty dresses for herself.
In that kind of suffocating environment, if she hadn’t found little ways to make herself happy, she probably would have collapsed long ago.
Earlier, Lu Mingye had actually been wondering about this. Back when Shen Ruanruan stayed in the village with her parents as a child, she practically wore new clothes every couple of days. Why had she suddenly become so restrained now?
That was why he’d handed over his entire salary booklet to her. He wanted her to keep buying the things she liked. Whatever her parents could give her, he wanted to do the same with all his strength.
The mail room was nearby. The moment Shen Ruanruan entered, she spotted several huge parcels—all her belongings.
After signing for them, Lu Mingye hoisted one package under each arm and carried them outside.
“Should I help?” Shen Ruanruan reached for one of the smaller ones, but the man strode over and grabbed her hand.
“If I make you do heavy lifting while I’m standing right here…” he said seriously, “would I still count as a man?”
The sentry nearby widened his eyes slightly. Listen to that. Deputy Battalion Commander Lu was actually this good at doting on his wife? Clearly he just couldn’t bear to let her do any work, but stubbornly refused to say it outright.
No wonder such a delicate little wife was willing to stay with him. So this was what “iron soldier, tender heart” looked like…
Once the packages were secured to the bicycle, Shen Ruanruan had no idea how he’d tied them all down. Somehow they all fit, and looked surprisingly stable too.
Though there was definitely no room left to sit anymore.
So the two of them walked home together.
From afar, it looked like a girl in a red dress chatting cheerfully away, while the tall man in military uniform beside her barely spoke. Yet from the way his body leaned subtly toward her, and from the softness in his expression, anyone could tell something was going on.
“Tsk, Ruoqi, look at that. Deputy Battalion Commander Lu may usually look fierce and cold, but who would’ve thought he’d spoil his wife this much? The past few days he bought all those big household items, built that washing room, and now there are even more packages. Wonder what’s inside. This Comrade Shen sure is lucky!”
A military wife walking back into the compound with a younger woman happened to see the scene.
The younger woman, Tang Ruoqi, stared blankly for a moment.
Before she got married, her father had actually set his sights on Lu Mingye too. A deputy battalion commander at such a young age—his future was clearly promising. So her father had gone through his superior to bring up a possible match.
But Lu Mingye had rejected it outright without giving any face at all.
Tang Ruoqi had been humiliated back then. She’d even privately confronted Lu Mingye, demanding to know what was wrong with her.
The man had only replied carelessly, “It’s not you. I’m the problem,” before walking away.
Not many people knew about it, but she still couldn’t let it go. In the end, she settled for second best and married a divorced man.
Her husband was five years older than Lu Mingye and also a deputy battalion commander. Technically, for his age, that rank was already impressive. That was precisely why her father had wanted her to marry him.
But comparisons were unavoidable.
Tang Ruoqi had always thought Lu Mingye treated everyone with the same cold indifference. Yet now there was suddenly an exception?
It wasn’t that she particularly liked Lu Mingye. She just felt unwilling to accept it. That soft, delicate-looking girl beside him—what was so special about her?
“A woman’s good fortune shouldn’t depend on a man,” Tang Ruoqi said coldly after glancing at the couple ahead. “Relying on yourself is better than relying on others. My father taught me since I was young that even after marriage, women should still have careers of their own. That’s the only way to have confidence in your husband’s family.”
The military wife walking beside her didn’t actually know her very well. In truth, Tang Ruoqi hardly interacted with anyone in the compound. They’d merely bumped into each other at the entrance and walked back together out of politeness.
The wife had only casually sighed in admiration, yet Tang Ruoqi’s words immediately rubbed her the wrong way—especially because she herself didn’t have a job.
But was that really by choice?
She’d grown up poor in a family that favored sons over daughters. She had little education, kids to raise, endless chores… how could work be easy to find? Tang Ruoqi was different. She had a capable father backing her up.
Tang Ruoqi’s father was the director of the town textile factory. Ever since she moved here after marriage, she’d always carried herself with an air of superiority.
Honestly speaking, with her conditions, couldn’t she have married a younger man in his first marriage?
Why insist on marrying Gao Sheng instead?
Not that Deputy Battalion Commander Gao was bad. But objectively speaking, if it were you, would you choose:
Everyone knew being a stepmother was difficult.
And yet the father and daughter still chose the latter.
That wasn’t even the end of it. Somehow, Tang Ruoqi’s father had even managed to pull strings and get her a job at the military district hospital. People were practically green with envy.
Again—it all came down to having a good father.
Unlike them, whose fathers only wanted to “sell off” their daughters for a good bride price to marry off their sons.
“Right, right. You’re a hospital medic. Of course we can’t compare to you,” the military wife said sarcastically.
Then, seeing she was almost home, she quickened her pace and hurried off without another word.
Left standing there, Tang Ruoqi finally realized the sarcasm and stamped her foot angrily.
This was exactly why she hated associating with these country women—unreasonable, petty, crude, and impossible to talk to!
…
Meanwhile, Shen Ruanruan had no idea people were gossiping about her behind her back. The moment they got home, the first thing she did was start unpacking her parcels, while Lu Mingye went to hide their marriage certificates.
“Wifey, I put yours away too!”
He held the marriage certificates like precious treasures while searching for a hiding spot. Suddenly, both of them froze.
Lu Mingye hadn’t realized that in his excitement, he’d accidentally said aloud the term of endearment he’d only ever used in his heart. Shen Ruanruan also hadn’t expected him to change the way he addressed her so quickly after marriage.
Should she change how she addressed him too?
At this era, what should wives call their husbands? Head of the household? Father of my future children? My man?
Shen Ruanruan immediately shook her head in disgust. Those sounded way too rustic for her taste.
After thinking it over, she decided “A’Ye” suited him best.
Seeing her freeze, Lu Mingye thought she was upset. Just as he was about to say, “If you don’t like it, I won’t call you that anymore,” she suddenly spoke first.
“Got it, A’Ye. Bring your things over too. I’m organizing my clothes anyway, so I’ll see how much space I should clear out for yours.”