Lu Changzheng’s expression darkened, and a chilling killing intent radiated from him.
Someone had actually bullied his wife?!
“What happened? Tell me everything.”
Lu Zhixin briefly explained Ji Wanning’s situation.
Ji Wanning’s father had been a soldier who died in the military district. Her mother had remarried, and Ji Wanning had been sent to the countryside before returning to the military district only six months ago to live with the Lin family. Lu Changzheng already knew all of that.
Even without hearing the details, he had known that Comrade Ji’s life in the Lin family couldn’t have been easy.
“…Doctor Lin Wenbin’s daughter, Lin Yun, is always targeting Sister in Law. Sister in Law’s mother always takes Lin Yun’s side as well. This time, they even drove Sister in Law out of the house. She’s already moved into the temporary family housing compound.”
Although Lu Zhixin had yet to meet his sister in law, hearing all this was enough for him to know that she had definitely been mistreated.
“Boss, you have to stand up for Sister in Law.”
As he looked up, Lu Zhixin saw his boss’s face as dark as storm clouds before a downpour, the oppressive aura making it difficult to breathe. His lips were tightly pressed together, his jaw clenched, and the fury brewing in his eyes seemed ready to spill over.
Lu Zhixin knew that his boss was genuinely angry this time.
It made sense. Boss had only just married Sister in Law.
They were still in the sweetest stage of newlywed life.
Hearing that his wife had been bullied was naturally something he couldn’t tolerate.
At that moment, Lu Changzheng’s face was as dark as thunderclouds.
He had known Comrade Ji’s life in the Lin family had been difficult, but he had never imagined it had been this difficult.
No wonder…
No wonder the very first thing she had asked during their blind date had been about applying for family housing.
She had spoken so lightly about it at the time that he had assumed she was at least getting by reasonably well in the Lin family.
Now the truth had proven otherwise.
She had suffered greatly.
Comrade Ji was such a kind and gentle woman.
How could those people bring themselves to bully her?
Lu Changzheng believed that since he was now her husband, it was his responsibility to protect her.
He strode forward.
He had never walked slowly, but now his steps were even more urgent.
“Hey, Boss, where are you going?”
“Go back and investigate the Lin family further. I want detailed information on every one of them.”
Leaving only those words behind, Lu Changzheng walked away.
Lu Zhixin sighed. Alright then.
Still, he couldn’t help thinking that anyone who had provoked Boss was in for a miserable time.
His boss was fiercely protective of his own people.
Although he was always incredibly strict during training, if anyone bullied his men without reason, Boss would definitely make them pay for it.
That was also why none of them ever wanted to leave, no matter how harsh the training became.
They all understood that Boss was doing it for their own good.
Watching Lu Changzheng’s retreating figure, Lu Zhixin suddenly slapped his thigh.
“Isn’t that the direction of the temporary family housing compound?!”
“Right! Sister in Law has been treated like that. She’s probably hiding in her room crying right now. This is exactly when she needs Boss to comfort her.”
But then he pictured his iron blooded, stern, expressionless boss trying to comfort someone.
The image alone made him shiver.
Only a few minutes later, Lu Changzheng arrived at the temporary family housing compound.
Several elderly women were sitting outside in the sunshine, chatting while enjoying the midday warmth.
Only at noon in the Northwest was the sun warm enough to make being outdoors comfortable. Otherwise, everyone would stay inside to escape the cold.
As soon as Lu Changzheng arrived, he asked where Ji Wanning lived.
“Oh, Teacher Ji? She lives in Room 103. She’s at the kindergarten right now and hasn’t come back yet, but she should be home soon,” Aunt Wu answered instinctively.
Only after Lu Changzheng had walked away toward Room 103 did the women suddenly come to their senses.
“Xiuzhen, how could you tell a stranger where Teacher Ji lives? What if he came to cause her trouble?” Aunt Zhang exclaimed.
Aunt Wu slapped her forehead.
“You’re right! Why did I tell him without thinking? I saw the military uniform and just answered automatically. Soldiers from our military district are all people of good character.”
The other women nodded. That was certainly true.
Still, although the officer was handsome, he looked rather cold.
Just one glance at him had made their hearts skip a beat.
They had almost been afraid he might suddenly throw a punch.
Teacher Ji was so gentle and soft spoken.
Hopefully she wouldn’t be frightened by him.
Otherwise, they would feel terribly guilty.
Time quietly passed, and the morning slipped away amid the teachers’ lessons.
At noon, after class ended and Ji Wanning escorted each child home, she walked back to the temporary family housing compound with Niudan, who also lived there.
The moment she entered the compound, she immediately noticed the surrounding aunties looking toward her.
At the same time, they all called out, “Teacher Ji, you’re back! Someone’s waiting for you outside your door. Go have a look.”
Ji Wanning froze in surprise, wondering who it could be.
Before she had time to think about it, Niudan continued chatting away in his childish voice, telling her about life in the temporary family housing compound.
“…Brother Zhao walks Sister An home every day. Sister An’s face always turns bright red, just like a red apple.”
Although they had never eaten apples before, one of his classmates had brought one to school, and Niudan had seen how wonderfully red it was.
“I took Ludan to ask Sister An why her face was so red. She turned even redder and told us children shouldn’t know about those things. Sister Ji, what are the things we’re not supposed to know?”
“And, Sister Ji, I think my dad is always hitting our mom.”
His cheerful expression disappeared, replaced by sadness.
Ludan nodded beside him.
Ji Wanning’s delicate brows drew together.
Could Niudan and Ludan’s father really be abusing their mother?
If that were true, it absolutely couldn’t be ignored.
“At night, we always hear Mom crying behind the curtain, saying, ‘No more.'”
“One time, I got up to use the bathroom and saw Dad…”
At that point, both boys’ eyes turned red.
Niudan clenched his little fists.
“The next day I talked to Dad and told him not to bully Mom anymore.”
“Then Dad and Mom didn’t talk to each other for quite a while. Dad said he hadn’t bullied Mom, and Mom also said Dad hadn’t bullied her.”
“But I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Sister Ji, what should we do?”
Thinking about how much their mother loved them, the idea of her being beaten by their father made both brothers heartbroken.
“Sister Ji, if Ludan and I report Dad to the leaders, will he stop hitting Mom?”
Ji Wanning nearly twisted her ankle and almost stumbled.
She no longer cared about her own embarrassment and hurriedly stopped them.
“Niudan, Ludan, you absolutely mustn’t tell the leaders or anyone else! Your father really isn’t bullying your mother!”
If those words spread from Niudan’s mouth, their parents would probably be too embarrassed to ever leave the house again.
Looking into Niudan’s earnest little eyes, she realized he had genuinely been considering it.
Niudan paused, his reddened eyes staring blankly at her.
“Sister Ji… are you telling the truth?”
“Of course.”
“But sometimes Ludan and I see Mom the next morning with red marks on her neck. If Dad didn’t hit her, then what happened?”
Ji Wanning’s fair cheeks flushed as well.
Although she was already married, she had never experienced such things herself.
She had only occasionally overheard the village aunties discussing them back when she lived in the countryside.
“Oh dear… Niudan, Ludan, just listen to your parents and to me, alright?”
Niudan lowered his little head with a sigh.
Obedient Ludan copied his older brother, both boys drooping their slightly yellowish heads like wilted vegetables.
“Sister Ji, we understand.”
Watching the brothers wave goodbye before returning home, Ji Wanning continued toward Room 103.
She still had to clean the room.
As for food, she could spare some time later to eat at the cafeteria.
However, just as she approached Room 103, she looked up and saw a tall, broad shouldered figure standing outside her door.
She recognized him from his silhouette alone.
It was her flash marriage husband.
As she drew closer, she could finally see his face clearly.
But…
The instant she saw him, Niudan’s earlier words suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
Now that she is married…
Wouldn’t she and Comrade Lu eventually have to do the same things in bed at night that Niudan’s parents did?
In an instant, Ji Wanning’s fair face turned scarlet, burning with heat.
Ji Wanning… your thoughts have gone astray!