A woman’s watch?
Su Wan’s head snapped toward Xiao Li. The sudden mention of this item sent her mind racing.
"Xiao Li, what did the watch look like? I never saw it. Could it have been lost in the mail?" Su Wan was instantly worried.
A watch these days cost anywhere from eighty to one hundred and twenty yuan, and you even needed a special watch coupon.
Even with her own years of savings and the three hundred yuan and ration tickets Lu Zhengchuan had sent back, Su Wan couldn’t bring herself to buy a watch.
"What? Sister-in-law, you didn’t receive it?" Xiao Li grew anxious too. He didn’t have such a high allowance; a watch like that would cost him two or three months’ pay. He felt the sting even more than Su Wan and gestured frantically with his hands. "It was a Seagull mechanical watch for women, with a red band."
An image immediately flashed through Su Wan’s mind.
It was of Zhang Yun mentioning at the dinner table that Zheng Zhizhi had bought a red woman’s watch, which was said to be extremely beautiful.
She had also once inadvertently seen the red watch on Zheng Zhizhi’s wrist.
At the time, she hadn’t paid it any mind. ’Why envy others? It’s better to study, get into university, land a job assignment after graduation, and earn the money to buy one myself.’
And now, was she being told that Lu Zhengchuan had bought it for Zheng Zhizhi?
Su Wan couldn’t help but feel angry. ’Lu Zhengchuan is so spineless. If he likes Zheng Zhizhi, why did he have to marry me?’
"Sister-in-law, I’ll go find the battalion commander right now and ask him to help track down the watch. If something from the base goes missing, the post office will definitely be held responsible."
Su Wan bit her lip and shook her head. "It’s also possible Lu Zhengchuan hasn’t mailed it yet. It’s so expensive, after all. I’ll ask him about it when he gets back."
Of course, Su Wan wouldn’t let Lu Zhengchuan know that she already knew about the watch.
’If he’s set on hiding it, he could just brush me off with any old excuse. It would just tip him off and make him realize I know he’s been seeing Zheng Zhizhi behind my back.’
’What if he destroys the evidence of their affair?’
Xiao Li scratched his head and said with a smile, "Oh, right. I didn’t even think of that. You’re the smart one, Sister-in-law."
"Well, Sister-in-law, I’ll go buy the groceries now."
Xiao Li left.
Although Su Wan was in a terrible mood, she didn’t neglect herself. A glance at the outhouse in the yard confirmed it was just a simple latrine, unsuitable for bathing. So, she carried the thermos into the bedroom to wash up with a wooden basin.
After washing up.
She rubbed some clam oil she had brought with her onto her lower abdomen.
Her baby bump wasn’t obvious. At three months, it was just a slight curve, no different from having a full stomach.
This was why no one had noticed all day that Su Wan was pregnant.
She had just finished washing her hair.
Just then, Lu Zhengchuan returned, carrying a stove.
"Where did that stove come from?" Su Wan asked, looking at him as she dried her hair with a towel.
"Sister-in-law Zhang lent it to me. She heard we were hosting Battalion Commander Wang’s family for dinner tonight and had me bring it back. She said it was to thank you for fixing her bike chain," Lu Zhengchuan said as he placed the stove in the kitchen.
After putting it down, he came out and saw Su Wan still sitting on the chair, drying her hair.
As he drew closer, he could smell the faint, pleasant scent on her.
Lu Zhengchuan’s steps slowed. He looked at her curiously and asked, "Since when do you know how to fix a bicycle chain?"
He remembered that in the village, it seemed only the Zheng Family had a bicycle.
"Did you borrow the Zheng Family’s bike in the village to ride to the county town?"
Su Wan looked at him, wanting to ask: ’Are you trying to show off that the Zheng Family has a bicycle and my Su family doesn’t?’
"Couldn’t I have learned by helping people fix bikes at the scrap collection station when I was studying in the county town?" Su Wan lifted her chin, her voice deliberately sharp.
Lu Zhengchuan was taken aback. He had never seen her so aggressive.
"...You could have." Lu Zhengchuan wasn’t a complete fool; he could hear the emotion laced in Su Wan’s words. "You don’t like the Zheng Family?"
"Do *you* like them?" Su Wan couldn’t believe he had the nerve to ask such a question.
Lu Zhengchuan thought for a moment before replying carefully, "The Zheng Family gave me food to eat some years ago. They’re decent people."
Hearing this, Su Wan’s gaze filled with suspicion. In the village, the Zheng Family was a source of gossip and criticism. She could not agree with describing them as ’decent.’
"What is it?" Lu Zhengchuan frowned. "You really don’t like the Zheng Family?"
"That’s right, I don’t like them." Su Wan stated it plainly, making no effort to hide her feelings.
Lu Zhengchuan didn’t want to argue with her. He looked down, avoiding the topic. "If you don’t like them, you don’t like them. It’s not like the Zheng Family has anything to do with us anyway."
"I’ll go get the stove started. What dishes are we making tonight?" Lu Zhengchuan decided to just get to work instead of commenting on the matter of the Zheng Family.
Su Wan couldn’t be bothered to argue either. ’He’s just deliberately distancing himself from the Zheng Family until we get divorced.’ She waved a hand languidly. "Xiao Li went to buy the groceries. Just cook whatever he bought. But we don’t have a full set of bowls and chopsticks in the kitchen. You can either go borrow some or buy them."
"I’ll go borrow some."
Lu Zhengchuan turned and went out.
Just then, a wave of nausea hit Su Wan. She covered her mouth and ran into the bathroom to throw up.
"Urgh..."
Outside, Lu Zhengchuan borrowed some bowls and chopsticks from their next-door neighbor, Wang Mei. Just as he was about to turn back home, she called out to him.
"Battalion Commander Lu, wait a moment." Wang Mei hurried over, holding a small jar, and thrust it into his hands. "This is some pickled vegetables I made myself. Comrade Zhao Qing said your wife seems to get a little carsick. Take this back for her to whet her appetite."
"Thank you, Sister-in-law Wang." Among all the battalion commanders in the military district, Lu Zhengchuan was the youngest. The wife of every battalion commander was addressed as "Sister-in-law."
Cradling the jar and the dishes, he returned home just in time to hear the sound of Su Wan vomiting in the bathroom.
He first put the items in the kitchen, then took a cup of hot water and walked quickly to the bathroom door. He called out, "Su Wan, are you still not feeling well? Drink some hot water."
The sudden sound of his voice startled Su Wan, and her back went rigid.
She whipped her head around and met Lu Zhengchuan’s deeply concerned gaze.
Her voice stuttered. "Wh-when did you get back?"
"Hmm?" Lu Zhengchuan looked up, confused. "Just now. Drink some hot water."
"Sister-in-law Wang sent over some pickled vegetables for you. She said it would help with your carsickness. I thought you were feeling better, but I guess you’re still unwell after your nap."
’So he hasn’t found out I’m pregnant. He’s convinced it’s just carsickness.’
The knot in Su Wan’s stomach loosened. For now, she had no intention of telling Lu Zhengchuan about her pregnancy.
She knew that once news of the pregnancy got out, Lu Zhengchuan would definitely cut off contact with Zheng Zhizhi for the sake of the child, which would make it even harder for her to find evidence.
Besides, she had only been on the base for a day and had already found several pieces of evidence of their close contact.
She believed that in less than a month, she could find the crucial evidence to resolve this matter. Then, the ball would be in her court.
"Yes, I’m still a little unwell. Xiao Li said you have medicine in your personal quarters. Go get some for me. And while you’re at it, bring back the letters I sent you before. I’ll start cooking. Go on, hurry back."
Su Wan gave him no chance to refuse. After giving her instructions, she took the enamel cup and slipped into the kitchen.