“You!” Ding Jihuan grit her teeth in fury. However, unable to counter, she could only repeatedly console herself in her mind that getting the divorce settled was what mattered most right now.
Mu Zhaozhao cast a amused side-eye at her. “’You’ what? You haven’t even explained your affair yet! You’re on the verge of losing your shot at being the side chick, and here you are worrying about whether you’ll have food on the table? Talk about poking your nose into other people’s business!”
Hearing her words, Yue Xianzhi’s face turned visibly green. Ding Jihuan pulled back her neck and fell silent.
Mu Zhaozhao snickered inwardly: What a pity! I won’t get to stay and watch their internal dogfight!
“Fine, I agree to pay you two hundred yuan over four months!” Yue Xianzhi slapped the table and declared.
Mu Zhaozhao knew it. An arrogant, self-absorbed scum like him would definitely agree out of fear that she would raise a storm with his superiors.
“Then let’s go apply for the divorce paper right now!” Mu Zhaozhao said nonchalantly, without a trace of reluctance or lingering affection on her face.
At the mention of divorce, Yue Xianzhi felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Seeing how eagerly Mu Zhaozhao was looking forward to it made the suffocating feeling even more pronounced.
Just as the two were about to step out the front gate, Lu Xiaohu returned. Catching sight of Mu Zhaozhao, he yelled, “You bad woman! What did you say to my mom about me? She gave me a beating yesterday!”
Mu Zhaozhao glanced back at Ding Jihuan. “That was still too light of a beating. If you don’t know how to discipline your child, I don’t mind teaching you.”
With that, she picked up a wooden stick from the ground and struck Lu Xiaohu across the buttocks. “That’s for having no manners! Who taught you to go around calling people a bad woman?”
Lu Xiaohu jumped up and down, wailing hysterically, “Stop hitting me! My mom said you’re a bad woman—I learned it from her!”
His cries drew the nearby neighbors over. Hearing that Ding Jihuan was actually corrupting the child like this behind people’s backs, everyone threw disapproving glares in her direction.
Ding Jihuan wanted to explain, but amid the chaos, she had no idea how to speak up. Left with no choice, she picked up another wooden stick from the ground and struck Lu Xiaohu’s buttocks as well.
“Nonsense! When did I ever teach you to speak ill of others?!”
After enduring a combined beating from both sides, Lu Xiaohu’s bottom felt like it was about to split open. Sniffling, he wailed loudly, “Who did I provoke?! Why is everyone beating me?!”
Mu Zhaozhao chuckled, tossed aside the stick in her hand, and paid them no further mind. She turned to Yue Xianzhi and said, “Let’s go. We need to find the Political Commissar; submitting the divorce application is urgent.”
Standing to the side, Yue Xianzhi suddenly changed his tune: “Mu Zhaozhao, can we hold off on the divorce for now? A new Commander has just arrived at the military region; submitting a divorce application right now will reflect poorly on me.”
On one hand, he was genuinely afraid of the negative impact; on the other hand, he simply couldn’t bear handing over all that money to Mu Zhaozhao, so he was trying every trick to wriggle his way out of it.
“No way! I am getting this divorce no matter what! Hurry up and move it!” Mu Zhaozhao’s expression turned stern.
She was utterly exasperated with Yue Xianzhi. He was truly a useless coward who always caved at the critical moment.
Wearing a conflicted expression, Yue Xianzhi pushed on, “Mu Zhaozhao, how about I send Ding Jihuan and her son away, and you move in with me on the base? We won’t get divorced—would that work?”
Hearing this, Ding Jihuan—who was still beating her child nearby—stopped dead in her tracks. She looked at Mu Zhaozhao in sheer terror. If she and her son were truly sent away, what would become of them?
How could Yue Xianzhi say something like that? Was it all because of what happened at the guesthouse?
“In your dreams! Are you out of your mind, Yue Xianzhi? You tricked me for two years, and you think you can keep doing it? I suggest you move it right now if you don’t want me making a scene!”
Mu Zhaozhao spoke loudly enough that all the neighbors in the family compound heard her, and they began whispering among themselves, condemning Yue Xianzhi.
Unable to save face, Yue Xianzhi put on a tough front: “Fine, a divorce it is! We’ll go find the Political Commissar right now.”
And so, the two smoothly made their way to the Political Commissar’s office.
The Political Commissar was a man in his fifties. Though the hair at his temples had turned gray, his back was straight as a ramrod, looking remarkably warm and approachable in his military uniform.
He sat upright as if waiting for someone.
When he saw Mu Zhaozhao and Yue Xianzhi knock and enter, a flash of disappointment crossed his face.
Somewhat perfunctorily, he asked, “Little Yue, what brings you here? And this lady is…?”
Mu Zhaozhao smiled and introduced herself generously, “Hello, Commissar. My name is Mu Zhaozhao, Yue Xianzhi’s legal wife. We’re here today to submit our divorce application.”
She could tell the Commissar was short on time, so she got straight to the point without dragging her feet.
The Political Commissar, Zhou Xingguo, was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected Yue Xianzhi’s wife to be so stunning, nor so graceful and composed in her demeanor.
He couldn’t help but frown. “Xiao Yue, I have to say this—you’re blessed with such a wonderful wife, so why aren’t you settling down and living your life properly? Why the divorce?”
True to his role as a commissar who loved giving guidance counsel, he began inquiring.
Yue Xianzhi remained sullenly silent. At a time like this, how could he possibly bring himself to say he was willing to get a divorce?
“Commissar, I…”
Mu Zhaozhao beamed a bright smile and took over smoothly, “Commissar, there’s no affection between us, so there’s no need to force us together. A divorce is best for both of us. I hope you can understand.”
Having secured the compensation money from Yue Xianzhi, she refrained from exposing his affair on the spot. However, she had her own little calculation: so many people in the family compound had seen and heard everything—was she really afraid that the military leadership wouldn’t find out in the future?
Hearing this, Zhou Xingguo glanced at Yue Xianzhi. “Is that what you think as well? Do you agree to the divorce?”
Recalling Mu Zhaozhao’s earlier warning, Yue Xianzhi had no choice but to nod. He mumbled, “I agree, Commissar.”
Seeing that their minds were set, Zhou Xingguo refrained from further persuasion. “Alright then, I accept your divorce application. However, a military marriage requires step-by-step submission and approval from higher authorities, which takes about a month. Come back to see me in a month to pick up the divorce papers.”
Mu Zhaozhao understood. Dissolving a military marriage was a hassle, so she was mentally prepared for it.
“Alright, thank you for your trouble, Commissar. I’ll come back in a month.”
With that, she bowed slightly and stepped out of the Commissar’s office.
Yue Xianzhi couldn’t stay much longer either. Dazed, he saluted and followed her out.
As Mu Zhaozhao walked down the hallway of the military building, she saw two men approaching from the opposite direction—one of whom was the man from that night.
Today, he was dressed in a formal military uniform. Sharp and tailored, it perfectly outlined his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His legs were ridiculously long, making him look just like a male lead stepping out of a modern Republican-era drama, complete with his own background music.
Without a hint of shyness, Mu Zhaozhao continued walking forward with calm confidence until she brushed past him.
She felt that the man’s gaze never landed on her once. She couldn’t help but doubt her own charm—after all, she was the campus belle of Tsinghua and Peking University in her past life. Was she really that unnoticeable?
On second thought, though, it was actually great that he didn’t notice her. It proved he didn’t know she was the girl from that night. Passing each other as strangers was for the best, lest they get overly entangled in the future.
Just now, Mu Zhaozhao had also noticed the man’s epaulets. She wasn’t very familiar with rank insignias, but seeing so many stripes on them, he had to be a high-ranking officer.
After Mu Zhaozhao walked past Ruan Jingsheng and Shan Chengming, Shan Chengming excitedly tugged on Ruan Jingsheng’s sleeve.
He whispered, “Jingsheng, did you see the female comrade who just passed us? She looks like an angel descended to earth! I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful!”
Ruan Jingsheng gave him an annoyed glance. “Wipe your drool. You said the exact same thing last month.”
“Which only proves this one is even prettier than last month’s!”
Shan Chengming actually wiped the corner of his mouth, but finding nothing there, he realized Ruan Jingsheng had tricked him again.
He said in disbelief, “Jingsheng, did you really not take a proper look at her just now? What a shame!”