Yang Chunmei thought she was just being stubborn.
“Qiao’er, I’m being serious with you!”
Lian Qiao’s almond-shaped eyes reflected the candlelight. “Sis, I’m being serious too.”
This time, she had come with a family visit introduction letter issued by the neighborhood committee. According to regulations, she could only stay in the military compound for seven days. However, her brother-in-law had submitted an application, requesting temporary residence on the grounds that she was helping with childcare, which extended the stay by only one month.
And it was still nearly a year before Manzhouli officially opened its border trade.
The household registration issue became a major obstacle.
Her cousin’s suggestion was like a lamp lit in the fog.
Although Lian Qiao’s marriage in her previous life was a joke, she hadn’t lost faith in love.
Her grandparents had stayed together until old age. Her eldest and second aunts hadn’t married into wealthy families, but they had both found good husbands, and their marriages were harmonious.
She had seen what true love looked like.
As for why she had married Zhao Hongbin in her previous life, it was simply because she wanted a home of her own, and he happened to appear at the right time.
She hadn’t even loved him.
In this era, unmarried women faced all kinds of criticism. Trying to build a career was even more difficult.
Housing, healthcare, travel—even staying at a hotel required an introduction letter.
Without marriage, she wouldn’t even have a legal place to stay.
Without marriage, she wouldn’t even be recognized as having an “independent identity.”
Whenever she wanted to do something, the first thing people would say was:
“What kind of woman goes out and shows her face like that?”
So, she had simply married the wrong person.
Now that she was reborn, she wanted to stay in Manzhouli, by her cousin’s side.
She wanted to live her life again.
Her cousin’s suggestion was undoubtedly the best option.
Marrying a soldier at least guaranteed good character. Her household registration would be directly settled in the military compound, so she wouldn’t have to part ways with her cousin. They could also look out for each other.
Lian Qiao put down the milk powder and sat next to her cousin, holding her hand.
“Sis, if we can find a suitable person within a month, I’ll get married.”
Yang Chunmei also got excited and squeezed her hand in return. “That way, we’ll never have to be apart again, Qiao’er. I mean it!”
“I mean it too! You and brother-in-law can help me choose.”
Lian Qiao’s serious tone finally dispelled Yang Chunmei’s suspicion that she was joking.
“Qiao’er, let’s be honest with each other. Even though your marriage and divorce happened almost back-to-back, you’re still considered a divorcee. The options might be…”
“I know, so only introduce someone suitable. As long as he’s a good person.”
She was still a virgin, but with the label of a divorcee, unmarried young men would definitely be out of reach. She might even have to marry someone and become a stepmother.
She had never raised a child herself and didn’t know how difficult it would be.
Mostly, she wasn’t very confident in her own ability to have children.
Yang Chunmei sighed. “Even if we’re in a hurry, we can’t make a big fuss about it. Your brother-in-law will have to ask around. If it weren’t for that bastard Zhao Hongbin, you could have your pick of anyone in this compound.”
Her regret was genuine.
Lian Qiao comforted her. “Hey, I’m not picky.”
…
Early the next morning, as soon as the military bugle sounded, Lian Qiao got up to help her cousin with the baby.
Holding the delicate, jade-like baby in her arms felt like facing a formidable enemy. It took her a while to get used to it.
Yang Chunmei, who had to breastfeed the baby intermittently at night, was sleeping soundly. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, Lian Qiao thought that at least her presence would allow her cousin to rest properly.
Going through postpartum recovery alone had taken a toll, leaving her looking quite haggard.
Lian Qiao quietly prepared the milk powder and sat on a small stool by the door, holding her little niece.
The June breeze brushed against the neck, carrying a hint of warmth.
Located near the Sino-Russian border, the climate here warmed up later than inland regions, with extreme temperature differences between morning and evening.
The newborn sun cast a warm glow over the compound, where olive-green uniforms filled the paths.
The officers living in the family quarters had to attend morning drills early, and soon after, the meal call would sound, followed by the men returning home with their lunchboxes.
Not long after, the assembly call would ring again, making the compound even livelier.
The officers from the family quarters would head out to report to the barracks, while the working family members hurried off to their jobs, often holding the hands of children carrying small olive-green schoolbags.
After the bustle, the compound finally quieted down, leaving only the military wives who stayed behind at home.
Lian Qiao was a new face, naturally drawing quite a bit of attention.
Yang Chunmei was gentle and introverted, not mingling much with the other wives and aunties. Since she had been confined for postpartum recovery and hadn’t been seen for a while, she couldn’t introduce her cousin to the others.
“Who are you?”
Lian Qiao looked up at the wall of a person standing before her.
The woman was dark-skinned, her hair styled in a common rural bun. She wore a gray top with diagonal fastenings, its collar left unbuttoned, revealing a floral-patterned undershirt underneath.
“I’m Yang Chunmei’s cousin, here to help take care of the baby.”
“I’m Niu Aixiang, living right next door to you. I’m on good terms with your sister. Oh, I’m here to borrow some soy sauce. I’ll go buy some from the service center and return it later.”
Without waiting for Lian Qiao’s agreement, Niu Aixiang brushed past her and entered the house, acting without any hesitation, as if stepping into her own home.
Lian Qiao watched helplessly as she took the entire soy sauce jug away, feeling a bit uneasy but saying nothing.
She watched her little niece finish the milk in the bottle, then carried her inside.
The sun had risen, and the swaddling blanket felt a bit too warm, so she wanted to change it for something lighter.
“Niu Aixiang came by?” Yang Chunmei sat up, yawning.
Lian Qiao handed her little niece over to her. “Yes, she came to borrow soy sauce. She didn’t bring a bowl but just took the whole jug away.”
She rinsed the milk bottle with water, poured some hot water from the thermos into a small basin, and placed the bottle inside to sterilize it.
While changing the baby’s diaper, Yang Chunmei said:
“That’s just how she is. You’ll get used to it. She comes over every day to borrow things but never returns them. Her husband is on good terms with your brother-in-law, so it’s really hard to say anything.”
Dealing with such a neighbor, Yang Chunmei had grievances she couldn’t voice.
At first, she thought Niu Aixiang was a simple, warm-hearted woman from the countryside. But within a couple of days, she discovered the calculations hidden beneath that simplicity.
Neighbors in this military family compound were almost impossible to change—they were people you’d have to live alongside for a lifetime.
Sometimes, she couldn’t help but complain to Li Guozheng, but men didn’t understand these things. He just told her to be more tolerant, saying his comrade Zhao Hewang had it tough.
In truth, Yang Chunmei also felt that Zhao Hewang had a difficult life.
Because his elder brother had died early, he was burdened with the responsibility of caring for his widowed sister-in-law and her two children.
His parents pressured him to marry his widowed sister-in-law, and he reluctantly agreed.
Lian Qiao was quite displeased. “And you can tolerate that?”
“Just bear with it a little longer. She just had a baby too—what else can you do?”
This time, Lian Qiao was truly stunned.
Both had given birth, but while Yang Chunmei was still recovering her strength, Niu Aixiang showed no signs of it at all.
“I really can’t tell.” Lian Qiao took her little niece back, bouncing her gently in her arms. After feeding, the little one was already drowsy, so well-behaved it made one want to give her a little nibble.
“She has two children left by her eldest brother Zhao Hewang. Having already given birth twice, a third one naturally comes easier.”
This truly opened Lian Qiao’s eyes.
Yang Chunmei carefully explained the neighbor’s situation to her and sighed.
“Zhao Hewang is pitiful, and she isn’t having it easy either. With two children, if she doesn’t marry her brother-in-law, how will she manage? She can’t even read a single character.”
Lian Qiao thought it over and agreed, “Lending something is no big deal, but our family doesn’t owe her anything.”
Feelings aside, reason stands on its own.
Yang Chunmei reached out and tapped her nose. “Don’t worry about these things. Worry about yourself first. When your brother-in-law comes over at noon, I’ll talk to him and make sure to pick the best one for you.”