“Xiao Hu, has the commander returned?”
“Yes, he’s in his office.”
After making the phone call yesterday, Zhou Zhan immediately went to request leave from his superior, only to be told that the commander was away. He had spent the entire night worrying about his father’s health condition.
Standing outside the office door, he knocked lightly twice.
“Come in!”
“Master Xin, Political Commissar Qi.”
Xin Yuanzhou in the office smiled upon seeing who had entered, rising from his chair with genuine joy shining in his eyes.
“You’ve accomplished another great achievement this time. The higher-ups have taken notice. I knew you had it in you, kid.”
“Thank you for your trust, Commander. I will continue to serve the nation, the military, and the people!”
“Haha, that’s the spirit!”
Xin Yuanzhou patted Zhou Zhan’s broad, sturdy shoulder with satisfaction.
“What brings you here today? Have you finished the mission debrief report?”
“Tian Cai is handling this report. My father is ill, and I’d like to apply for two weeks of family leave.”
“I’ve been waiting two or three years for you to request this leave. It’s been so long since you’ve been home, you really should go back to see your parents and that wife you’ve been neglecting.”
“Commander, about that application I submitted last time…”
Before Xin Yuanzhou could respond, Political Commissar Qi, standing nearby, cut off Zhou Zhan’s next words.
“Don’t even think about that divorce application! No matter how many times you submit it, I’ll reject it every time!”
“Political Commissar, you know our marriage was forced from the beginning. There’s no genuine affection between us. This mistake has already lasted three years – before anything worse happens, I don’t want to keep holding her back.”
“If there’s no affection, then cultivate it! How many people these days actually have feelings before marriage? Everyone develops them after wedding! Since you acknowledge it’s been three years already, quickly submit an application for housing and bring your wife here to join you as a military dependent. Once she arrives, you’ll have plenty of time to build your relationship!”
“I…”
“Enough. Your leave is approved. As for the divorce application, I share Political Commissar Qi’s opinion.”
With his superiors clearly signaling for him to leave, Zhou Zhan could only take his approved leave form and exit the office.
With his application rejected, there was nothing more he could do about the divorce for now.
It seemed he would need to have a serious talk with that woman who had schemed to marry him and disrupted his family during this return home.
……
Unlike the troubled Zhou Zhan, Wen Nianxin was currently sitting on a chair in her room, holding a mirror and carefully studying the face reflected in it.
This was the first time since crossing over that she had seriously examined her current appearance.
Previously, because she was too heavy, her face had been very fleshy. Even slightly lowering her head would create two or three layers of double chin, which she found hard to accept. She hadn’t wanted to look at her reflection at all, even when washing her face – just giving it a quick glance without letting her gaze linger.
Through reduced eating and exercise during this period, the flesh on her face had noticeably decreased, and her facial contours were beginning to emerge.
Only now did she discover that the original host actually had quite attractive facial features.
A pair of sparkling eyes, lively and clear. Long eyelashes that fluttered with each blink. A straight and elegant nose bridge, and below it lips with a faint pink hue that appeared tender and dewy even without lipstick.
Although they were the same age, in terms of appearance, the original owner’s face had more vitality and energy compared to her previous self.
Perhaps it was because she had never experienced the exhaustion of working overtime, staying up late, or being weighed down by life’s struggles.
“Nian Xin, may I come in?”
Hearing the knock, Wen Nianxin put down the mirror in her hand, stood up, and opened the door.
“I thought you were still sleeping since you hadn’t come out.”
“I wasn’t sleeping. I was planning to pack my luggage.”
After entering the room, Zhou Mu closed the door behind her and sat down on a chair.
“Mom, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”
After more than a month, Zhou Mu had gradually grown accustomed to Wen Nianxin’s politeness.
The current Wen Nianxin was the complete opposite of her former self, who used to frequently curse and shout. Zhou Mu greatly preferred her younger daughter-in-law now.
She had even remarked to Zhou Father how fortunate that fall had been—though it cost nearly twenty yuan for the clinic stay, it had made the troublemaker in their family wise up. It was a blessing in disguise.
“You’re returning to your parents’ home tomorrow. If it weren’t for our third son’s job, which doesn’t allow him to control his own schedule, he would definitely go back with you as your husband.”
“Mom, it’s alright. Didn’t we already agree on this the day before yesterday? There’s plenty of time in the future, and many opportunities.”
“When you’re back home, if your parents ask, please help explain on behalf of that rascal third son. Tell them that once he has time, he’ll visit with gifts to apologize.”
“Alright, I will.”
Wen Nianxin understood that her mother-in-law didn’t want her son to incur serious displeasure from his in-laws before even formally visiting them.
As for this, she truly didn’t mind. After all, the original owner wasn’t close to her father, and her stepmother only showed her feigned affection.
As for her half-siblings, every one of them wished she would die outside and never return home.
If they found out she was married but had a poor relationship with her husband—or rather, only a marriage in name, with nothing but a legal bond—they would probably laugh even harder than outsiders.
“Your marriage to our third son was rushed, and we couldn’t give you anything at the time. Here is four hundred yuan—it’s the belated bride price, along with money for purchasing items and hosting a banquet, all calculated together. Keep it safe.”
Zhou Mu pressed the money, wrapped in a handkerchief from her pocket, into Wen Nianxin’s hand.
This was a decision she and the old man had made after discussing it.
The reason they hadn’t given it to her earlier was entirely because the previous Wen Nianxin was too reckless. No matter how much money she was given, she would spend it all in no time.
If she had only spent it on herself, that would have been one thing, but she was easily swindled by others. Hence, Zhou Mu had never dared to give it to her.
Now that their third son’s wife had reclaimed the debts owed to her, it seemed she wouldn’t be as foolish as before.
“Mom, this is too much.”
According to the current customs for marriages in their community, fifty yuan was already considered a high bride price.
Families with better conditions might buy the bride a watch or a bicycle, but even that wouldn’t amount to four hundred yuan.