This was the grandest annual celebration in the entire military district.
The massive auditorium, capable of seating three thousand people, was packed to capacity. Even the aisles were crowded with soldiers and family members carrying their own little stools.
The moment the stage curtains rose, the entire hall held its breath.
The large-scale musical drama Gobi Red Flower officially began.
When the spotlight landed on the lead female dancer, an uncontrollable gasp erupted from the audience.
“Wow—!”
She was stunning.
Gone were the dull gray Lenin suits and baggy performance uniforms everyone had grown used to seeing.
The actress was wearing the very red-and-green contrast dance dress designed by Su Huaijin. The pomegranate-red top burned like fire, while the fitted waist accentuated her graceful figure. The military-green epaulets on her shoulders and the embroidered red star on her chest added a touch of heroic elegance.
But the most brilliant feature was the asymmetrical skirt.
As the dancer spun and leaped across the stage, the layered skirt billowed like golden sand dunes whipped up by a desert storm—or like a crimson rose blooming stubbornly in the barren wilderness.
It radiated vibrant life and delivered a breathtaking visual impact.
The men’s costumes were equally impressive. The sharp tailoring and belts inspired by Northwestern ethnic designs perfectly highlighted the soldiers’ masculine strength.
Throughout the entire performance, the costumes became the greatest highlight, elevating the storyline and pushing the spirit of revolutionary romanticism to its peak.
When the show ended, thunderous applause shook the hall for a long time.
The entire cast and crew stepped onto the stage for the curtain call. When the host specially introduced “Chief Costume Designer — Comrade Su Huaijin,” every eye in the auditorium turned toward the side of the stage.
Today, Su Huaijin wore a modified white blouse she had redesigned herself, paired with a dark blue A-line skirt. Her hair was simply pinned up, and a poised, confident smile rested on her face.
She walked onto the stage gracefully and stood at center position, bowing politely toward the leaders and audience below.
At that moment, she became the brightest presence on the entire stage.
Seated in the front row of the judges’ section, Cheng Beitang gazed at the glowing little woman onstage. The usually cold, stern lines of his face had softened into something almost unbelievable. He applauded until his palms turned red, his deep eyes filled with undisguised pride and admiration.
Look.
That was his wife.
Who dared say she was just a spoiled girl who only knew how to spend money?
She was a golden phoenix capable of blooming even in the middle of the Gobi Desert.
…
After the performance came the grand celebration banquet.
Dozens of tables filled the military dining hall as people toasted one another in a lively atmosphere.
Tonight, Su Huaijin was unquestionably the star of the evening.
Countless people came over to toast her, praising her craftsmanship and talent. Even the wives who had once gossiped about her behind her back now wore bright smiles as they surrounded her, asking for sewing tips and advice.
Su Huaijin handled everything gracefully—neither arrogant nor overly modest. Her calm elegance won over even more admiration.
“Comrade Su, hello.”
At that moment, a refined middle-aged man in a neatly pressed Zhongshan suit approached with a wine glass in hand.
Behind him stood Director Wang from the arts troupe, looking extremely respectful.
“This is Deputy Director Liu from the Beijing General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe,” Director Wang quickly introduced, her tone full of reverence. “He came specifically to inspect and guide our military district.”
The General Political Department troupe from Beijing!
This was the highest palace of the performing arts world, a place countless people dreamed of entering.
The surrounding crowd instantly fell silent, looking at Su Huaijin with envy.
“Hello, Director Liu,” Su Huaijin greeted politely.
Deputy Director Liu studied her with admiration and spoke directly.
“Comrade Xiao Su, your designs today truly amazed me. Your talent should not remain buried in this remote Northwestern desert.”
Then he extended an olive branch.
“On behalf of the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe, I formally invite you to join us. If you agree, I can immediately arrange your transfer procedures. Your Beijing household registration and official position will all be taken care of. In Beijing, you’ll have a much broader stage.”
Boom—
The hall instantly exploded into excited chatter.
The General Political Department was personally recruiting her—and even offering a Beijing residency permit!
This was practically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Everyone assumed Su Huaijin would agree without hesitation. After all, she was originally from Beijing. Who wouldn’t want to return to that bustling metropolis?
Not far away, Cheng Beitang paused slightly with his wine glass in hand.
He lifted his eyes and looked toward her silently.
He knew what an incredible opportunity this was.
And he also knew that with Su Huaijin’s talent, she truly deserved a bigger stage. Staying here in the desert with him was undoubtedly a hardship for her.
If she wanted to leave…
Could he really let her go?
His heart felt as though an invisible hand had clenched around it, tight and suffocating.
Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Su Huaijin smiled.
She gently shook her head, her voice soft yet unwavering.
“Thank you for your kindness, Director Liu. I’m deeply honored to receive recognition from the General Political Department. But I’m sorry—I can’t go.”
The entire hall erupted in shock.
Even Deputy Director Liu froze.
“Why? Do you have concerns?”
Su Huaijin turned her head.
Her gaze passed through the crowd and landed precisely on the tall, silent man standing not far away.
Looking at Cheng Beitang, her eyes curved warmly as she smiled with tender affection.
“Because my husband is here.”
She withdrew her gaze and looked back at Deputy Director Liu openly.
“Director Liu, I’m a military wife. Wherever my husband stands guard over the country, that is my home. The Northwest may be harsh, but my husband is here, and so is the life I want to protect. Compared to the grand stage in Beijing, I’d rather stay here and become the lamp behind him.”
Her words rang out with sincerity and conviction.
The once-noisy dining hall fell so silent that a pin drop could be heard.
Several emotional military wives even had tears in their eyes.
This was true devotion.
This was real love.
She had rejected an invitation from the General Political Department just to remain beside her husband through hardship. What an enormous sacrifice that was.
Cheng Beitang sat there listening to her words, feeling as though his heart had been soaked in boiling honey—aching, swelling, and pounding so hard it nearly burst through his ribs.
This foolish woman.
So damn foolish.
And yet… why did he love that foolishness so much?
Deputy Director Liu was deeply moved as well. After a moment of silence, he raised his glass respectfully toward Su Huaijin.
“Wonderful. What a true military wife. Commander Cheng is truly fortunate. Since your mind is made up, I won’t force you. But the doors of the General Political Department will always remain open for you.”
…
This attempted recruitment incident pushed Su Huaijin’s reputation within the military district to its absolute peak.
People admired not only her talent, but also her character and unwavering loyalty to love.
The celebration banquet lasted late into the night.
Su Huaijin had drunk a few glasses of fruit wine, leaving her cheeks rosy and her head slightly dizzy.
Cheng Beitang supported her as they walked out of the dining hall. The desert wind at night was strong, clearing her mind somewhat.
“Cold?”
He removed his military coat and wrapped her tightly inside it, leaving only her watery peach-blossom eyes visible.
“Not cold.”
Su Huaijin giggled foolishly, wrapping her arms around his lean waist and rubbing her face against his warm, broad chest.
“Cheng Beitang, are you happy today?”
“Very.”
Holding her with one arm, he lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his voice low and husky.
“Wife, you really made me proud today.”
Especially the speech she gave while rejecting Director Liu—it felt even better than receiving a first-class military medal himself.
“Hehe…”
She snuggled closer in his arms.
“Then you have to treat me even better from now on. Otherwise I’ll run away to Beijing and leave you single forever!”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Cheng Beitang tightened his arms around her as if he wanted to fuse her into his bones.
“You’re not going anywhere in this lifetime. Alive, you belong to the Cheng family. Dead, you’ll still belong to the Cheng family.”
The two of them walked back toward the family housing area, wrapped up in each other.
The night was gentle, the stars dazzling.
Everything felt so beautiful, so complete.
Su Huaijin even felt that spending the rest of her life here in the Northwest might not be so bad after all.
However—
Fate always loved striking people down at the very moment they felt happiest.
Just as they were about to reach home, a jeep came speeding toward them.
The screech of brakes shattered the quiet night.
Before the vehicle had even fully stopped, Xiao Li, the regiment’s communications officer, jumped out anxiously, waving a telegram in his hand.
“Commander! Commander Cheng! Something’s happened!”
Cheng Beitang frowned and instinctively shielded Su Huaijin behind him.
“Why panic? Has the sky fallen?”
Xiao Li rushed over, panting heavily, his face pale.
“It’s… it’s an emergency telegram from Beijing! Triple urgent priority!”
In those days, telegrams were categorized as ordinary, urgent, or extremely urgent.
And a triple-emergency telegram usually meant only one thing—
Someone in the family had died, or was about to.
Su Huaijin’s heart suddenly clenched.
The slight drunkenness she’d felt vanished instantly.
A terrible premonition surged through her.
“Give it to me.”
Cheng Beitang’s expression darkened as he took the telegram.
Under the jeep’s headlights, he read the message.
The fewer the words, the more serious the matter.
There were only eight short words on the paper, yet they crashed down like eight mountains:
【Elder Su critically ill. Return immediately.】
Boom—
It felt as though thunder exploded inside Su Huaijin’s mind. Her ears rang violently.
Her legs nearly gave out beneath her, and only Cheng Beitang’s quick reflexes kept her from collapsing.
“What… what does that mean?”
Her trembling hands reached for the telegram, her voice shaking uncontrollably.
“Who’s critically ill? My grandfather? Impossible… Didn’t they say he was fine during the last phone call? Didn’t they say Su Wan and the others were lying to scare me? How could this happen…”
She refused to believe it.
The previous letter had been fake—a lie fabricated by her stepmother and the others to frighten and control her.
But this time, it was an emergency telegram sent through official military communication channels.
There was no way it could be false.
“Grandpa…”
Her tears burst forth instantly as overwhelming fear and helplessness swallowed her whole.
She remembered her grandfather carrying her on his shoulders through temple fairs when she was little. She remembered the reluctant look in his eyes when she left home.
If he really…
Would she fail to see him one last time?
“Cheng Beitang, what do I do… I want to go home… I need to see Grandpa…”
She cried helplessly, clutching his clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her entire body trembling violently like a leaf caught in a storm.
The brilliant designer who had dazzled everyone onstage earlier was gone.
Now, she was only a fragile, terrified little girl on the verge of losing the person she loved most.
Seeing her like this, Cheng Beitang felt as though knives were twisting inside his chest.
He gripped her icy hand tightly, his warmth steadily flowing into her.
“Don’t be afraid.”
His voice was calm and steady, without the slightest trace of panic. Like an anchor in a storm, it instantly stabilized her collapsing emotions.
“I’m here.”
He swept her into his arms and strode quickly toward home while issuing orders calmly to Xiao Li behind him.
“Xiao Li! Go to regiment headquarters immediately and prepare a vehicle! Contact the nearest train station and get me two sleeper tickets on the earliest train to Beijing—no matter what it takes! If there are no sleeper tickets, standing tickets are fine! The faster, the better!”
“Yes, Commander!”
Inspired by his commanding presence, Xiao Li saluted sharply and sprinted off to carry out the orders.
Back at home, Cheng Beitang placed Su Huaijin gently on the bed.
Holding her shoulders firmly, he forced her to meet his eyes.
Those dark eyes were filled with unwavering determination and responsibility.
“Huaijin. Look at me.”
His deep voice carried an undeniable strength.
“This is not the time to cry. Grandpa is still waiting for us. We need to go back. Immediately.”
Su Huaijin nodded through her sobs, but her tears wouldn’t stop.
“But… Beijing is so far away… What if… what if we don’t make it in time…”
“There is no ‘what if.’”
Cheng Beitang cut her off firmly.
Using his thumb, he wiped away her tears roughly, though the gesture was filled with infinite tenderness.
“If I say we’ll make it, then we’ll make it.”
He stood and began packing at astonishing speed.
There actually wasn’t much to bring.
A few changes of clothes. Their remaining money and ration coupons. And the iron box containing his father and brother’s martyr certificates—his most treasured possession, something he carried everywhere.
“Bring your identification papers. Don’t pack too many clothes. We can buy more in Beijing.”
Even while packing, he remained orderly and composed.
Su Huaijin watched his busy yet unwavering figure.
After hearing that her grandfather was critically ill, he hadn’t wasted a single word or shown the slightest hesitation.
He was calmer and more decisive than she was.
Like a mountain, he blocked every storm for her during her most helpless moment, holding up the sky that was about to collapse around her.
“Cheng Beitang…”
Sniffling, Su Huaijin wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and pressed her face against his broad back.
“Thank you.”
If she had been alone at this moment, she truly wouldn’t have known what to do.
Cheng Beitang paused.
Turning around, he pulled her tightly into his embrace, resting his chin atop her head as his voice grew hoarse.
“Silly girl. We’re husband and wife.”
“Your grandfather is my grandfather too.”
“Don’t be afraid, wife.”
He whispered the heaviest promise beside her ear.
“Even if the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you.”
Ten minutes later—
A dark green military jeep roared like a wild beast through the deep desert night, racing toward the train station.
Its headlights blazed brightly, illuminating not only the road ahead, but also the uncertain journey awaiting them.
Beijing.
The city that carried Su Huaijin’s childhood memories—and was also filled with family schemes, power struggles, and hidden conspiracies.
At last…
They were going back.