’Although she planned to divorce Lu Zhengchuan, she didn’t want to be stuck with a bad reputation. An explanation was still necessary.’
’That’s right.’
’It seems the rumors are quite different from the real person.’
After muttering to herself, Zhao Qing offered some comfort. "It must be a misunderstanding. The gossip I heard also came from the mailroom."
"I don’t know who in the mailroom is spreading these lies."
Su Wan knew the root of the problem was the letters forged by Zheng Zhizhi. She shook her head lightly. "Rumors stop with the wise. Once I’m there in person and people see me, they won’t spread nonsense anymore."
"That’s true." Zhao Qing smiled and stepped forward to take her arm, extending an invitation. "Wanwan, since you’ve already called me Saozi, don’t stand on ceremony. Come with me to the compound."
As she spoke, Zhao Qing urged Xiao Xu, "Xiao Xu, could you please help with the luggage? How are we getting back to the base this time? Will there be room for us to sit?"
"We’re all taking the military supply vehicle. We can ride in the back of the truck, and there’s room for one more person, Comrade Su."
Xiao Xu diligently helped carry all of Su Wan’s luggage.
Not wanting to cause herself any extra trouble while pregnant, Su Wan agreed to go with them.
As Zhao Qing enthusiastically led her out of the train station, she couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "Saozi, how much does it cost to ride in the military vehicle?"
Zhao Qing was inwardly suspicious. The rumors at the base painted Su Wan as a selfish, stingy gold digger. ’But that must be false, right? A truly stingy person would never offer to pay for a ride in a military vehicle. They’d probably feel entitled and argue that the army’s duty is to serve the people for free.’
Zhao Qing thought for a moment before suggesting, "Wanwan, you’re Battalion Commander Lu’s family. You don’t need to pay to ride in a military vehicle. But if you want to show your appreciation, you could just give everyone a few pieces of milk candy."
As she spoke, she took out some sweet pastries she had brought from her hometown and shared them with Xiao Xu and the other young soldiers.
Su Wan thought for a moment, then took out some homemade peanut brittle from her luggage. "Xiao Xu, and all you soldiers, thank you for your help. This is just some homemade peanut brittle, nothing fancy. Please take them, it’s just a little something sweet."
Xiao Xu was taken aback, clearly flattered. He had obviously heard the rumors about Su Wan on the base as well.
"Comrade Su, we can’t accept this. You’re a member of a military family, so it’s our duty to help bring you to the base. If Battalion Commander Lu were here, he would have arranged for someone to pick you up personally."
Su Wan sighed softly. "Are you refusing because you look down on my gift? I know my reputation at the base isn’t good..."
’Since Zheng Zhizhi wants to ruin my reputation, I’ll just have to make sure I thrive at this base.’
’A good reputation will also help get the base leadership on my side. After all, Lu Zhengchuan is an officer and I’m just a civilian. I’m at a disadvantage when it comes to status.’
Xiao Xu and the other soldiers had never seen a beautiful young woman act so vulnerable. Blushing, they all started waving their hands frantically. "No, no, we don’t look down on it at all!"
"That’s right, how could we possibly look down on it? Comrade Su, anyone can see you’re an intellectual, not like us coarse men in the army. We’re not good with words, so please don’t mind us." Xiao Xu quickly clarified his stance, reaching out to take the peanut brittle and immediately sharing it with the comrades next to him.
As it happened, the person in charge of military supplies this time was Squad Leader Qi Yuan. Lu Zhengchuan had been his commanding officer when he was a new recruit, and now they were in the same camp. Not only were they comrades-in-arms, but Qi Yuan also reported directly to him.
After eating a piece of the peanut brittle Su Wan had offered, he frowned and said admonishingly, "Saozi, Battalion Commander Lu is a good man. I just hope you can settle down and live a good life with him. It’s not good to be so focused on social climbing."
His words were a clear affront to Su Wan, so much so that even Zhao Qing was shocked and instinctively tried to mediate.
Unexpectedly, Su Wan just calmly hummed in agreement and nodded. "Mm, Squad Leader Qi is right."
’It’s not like I don’t know how to play the part of a virtuous wife in front of others.’
Qi Yuan froze. Gazing at Su Wan’s striking profile, he grew ashamed. "Saozi, I... I’m not good with words. Please don’t take offense."
Before Su Wan could reply, he rushed to make amends. "Saozi, I’ll contact Battalion Commander Lu right now and tell him the good news of your arrival."
"There’s no need. It wouldn’t be right to disturb his work. I’ll follow whatever arrangements the army has made." Su Wan declined his suggestion in an approachable manner, appearing especially considerate of Lu Zhengchuan.
Her sensible response was clearly unexpected, contradicting the rumors and defusing the conflict with Qi Yuan.
Zhao Qing and the others felt like they were on an emotional roller coaster.
A deep blush was visible even on Qi Yuan’s tanned face. He strode forward with a grunt, picked up Su Wan’s and Zhao Qing’s luggage, and called for everyone to get on the truck. He even gave up his own seat.
"Saozi, you take the passenger seat."
Su Wan shook her head. "Give it to Wang Saozi and Little Hao."
Zhao Qing politely refused. She wasn’t a fool; she knew this was Qi Yuan’s way of making amends.
Her pregnancy was indeed making her uncomfortable, so Su Wan didn’t refuse the kind offer.
She climbed into the military truck, which headed toward the military compound located outside the city, near Yun’an County.
"Saozi, look! Isn’t that Battalion Commander Lu?" As the truck stopped outside the camp entrance, they happened to see a few jeeps returning.
The driver, Xiao Wang, pointed at Lu Zhengchuan, who had just gotten out of a nearby vehicle.
They had only been separated for three months since their wedding, but Su Wan had never really had much of a relationship with Lu Zhengchuan to begin with. Looking at him now, she found him familiar, yet there was a sense of distance.
Before Su Wan could decide whether to roll down the window and greet him,
Xiao Wang exclaimed, "Isn’t that Xiao Xu from the Arts Troupe next to Battalion Commander Lu? I hear Xiao Xu and the others have been performing in all the camps recently, and their shows have been a huge success."
Su Wan glanced over. Lu Zhengchuan was in his olive-drab uniform, his boots caked with mud, clearly having just returned from the field.
Following behind him were a number of female soldiers from the Arts Troupe. Dressed in green and red, with long or shoulder-length hair, and carrying olive-drab satchels, they were a vibrant and eye-catching group.
Just...
"Which one is Xiao Xu?" Su Wan asked. Even though she already suspected Lu Zhengchuan had deep feelings for Zheng Zhizhi, to be fair, he wasn’t being intimate with any of the female soldiers right now.
Hearing this, Xiao Wang subconsciously stole a glance at her, looking a little guilty.
"Ah, Saozi, don’t be angry. I didn’t mean to imply that Battalion Commander Lu and Xiao Xu are close."
Su Wan: "..." If she couldn’t tell that Xiao Wang was genuinely just clueless and not maliciously trying to stir up trouble, she would have had a few words for him.
’If you hadn’t said that, a normal person wouldn’t have even thought to be suspicious.’
"I’m not angry. I just didn’t see anyone acting particularly close with Lu Zhengchuan, so your comment was a bit misleading, Xiao Wang..." Su Wan prompted him.
When she pointed out how misleading his comment was, Xiao Wang realized his blunder and immediately apologized in embarrassment. "Sorry, Saozi! I’m clumsy with my words. I don’t know how to speak properly."
"It’s fine. If you read a few more books, you’ll learn how to speak better."
Xiao Wang’s face turned beet red. ’Saozi is saying I’m uncultured! Waaah!’
To ease the awkwardness, Xiao Wang quickly explained in a low voice, "Saozi, I get it. I’ll go back and read some books. But what I just said... it’s because a lot of the female soldiers from the Arts Troupe pursued Battalion Commander Lu before he got married. That part is true, I wasn’t just making things up."