The next day.
Zheng Taiping returned to the Family Compound after attending a banquet in the countryside.
From the moment he entered the main gate until he reached home, he noticed many people pointing and whispering about him. But whenever he looked in their direction, they quickly averted their gaze.
He was puzzled but could clearly sense that everyone was gossiping about him.
Filled with confusion, he pushed open his front door.
“Oh, dear husband, you’re finally back! You have no idea how badly Xu Baoer and I were bullied while you were away.”
“Dad, look at my face! It was all beaten up by that worthless older sister. You have to avenge me! Teach her a harsh lesson—knock her teeth out! And make her pay me compensation! I want to buy delicious food! I want to eat meat!”
Zheng Taiping’s heart ached as if cut by a knife when he saw the slap marks on his son’s face. This youngest son had been coddled since childhood; even an accidental bump would worry Zheng Taiping, let alone someone actually hitting him.
“Baobei, don’t worry. Dad will go avenge you right now!”
He casually tossed the things in his hand onto the table and, before even stepping out, began rolling up his sleeves.
Spotting Ding Lan nearby, he gritted his teeth and said, “What’s wrong with you, woman? Can’t you even handle Zheng Lian, that worthless girl who’s already married? How could you let her beat our son like this? What use are you?”
“Oh, husband, you know what Xiao Lian is like. How would she dare lay a hand on our Xu Baoer? If she really dared, would I let her off?”
“If she didn’t do it, was it Zheng Xing who hit him?”
“It was that wretched girl Wen Nianxin who did it!”
“Who?”
Hearing this name, Zheng Taiping felt a moment of disorientation.
It had been almost five years since he last heard that name, hadn’t it?
“Wen Nianxin! That dead girl born to your short-lived ex-wife!”
“She’s back?”
“Exactly! As soon as she returned, she latched onto Director Zhang and his influential circle. She didn’t even step into our home. Not only did she hit our son, but she also flaunted her power, saying we seized the job her mother left her. Now she’s demanding compensation—over eight hundred yuan! Good heavens, Xiao Ming is about to get married. How can we come up with that much money? It’s going to ruin us! If we really give her the money, how will Xiao Ming afford a bride? Even Xu Baoer’s future marriage savings will be wiped out! Husband, you have to find a way out of this for our family.”
While crying and complaining, Ding Lan watched Zheng Taiping’s expression. Seeing his face darken with rage, she knew her goal had been achieved.
In the past, Wen Nianxin had always been most afraid of her father. As a stepmother, Ding Lan couldn’t openly discipline her, so she’d let her father handle it personally!
As for making her return money already in her pocket? Not a chance!
“Give her money? In her dreams! I did her a favor by not selling her off back then, and now she dares ask me for money?”
Zheng Taiping spat viciously to the side. “Where is that wretched girl now? If I don’t teach her a lesson today, she’ll forget who her father is! How dare she show such ingratitude in front of me? I’ll beat her to death!”
“She’s staying at Director Zhang’s house.”
“Zhang… Why is she staying with them? Wasn’t Yu Yaqin especially hostile to her before? How could she allow her to stay at their home?”
Upon hearing it was the factory director’s family, Zheng Taiping forcibly halted his steps.
“Who knows what’s gotten into her? That wretched girl has returned completely changed—nothing like her former self. When I told her to come back, she simply ignored me. After all the kindness I’ve shown her, treating her like my own daughter, now she not only spreads rumors about me in front of outsiders but even fabricates stories, making the neighbors point fingers at me. I hardly dare step outside now.”
“Dad, I’m scared to go out too. They won’t play with me anymore, and they say Mom is a wicked woman.” Seizing the opportunity, Zheng Xu quickly complained to his father.
“Don’t worry, Xu Baoer. Stay home and play these next few days. Dad will definitely set things right for you!”
“I knew Dad would be the best!” The profound bond between father and son in the Zheng family was something outsiders could never comprehend.
Meanwhile, over five hundred kilometers away in the Lao Zhou Family household, Zhou Zhan was packing his luggage, preparing to leave home.
“What kind of mess is this? You clearly took two weeks off, yet after just two or three days back, they’re already calling you to return! We even bought tickets to Mingzhao City for tomorrow, but now because of one phone call, the trip is canceled.”
“Mom, there’s nothing to be done. Our duty as soldiers is to obey orders without question. We follow commands exactly as given, with no room for defiance.”
“Ah…” Zhou Mu used to take pride in her son being a soldier, but now she realized many things weren’t as simple as they seemed.
“What about Nian Xin then? She’s probably already told her family you were coming. You promised to visit, but now you’re going back on your word—won’t this make your in-laws think even less of you?”
Zhou Zhan felt equally helpless about the situation, but the matter was urgent and beyond his control. “I’ve already made a call. Someone will inform her at the guest house.”
“As long as she gets the message, we can’t have Nian Xin waiting around for nothing.” Zhou Mu breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly remembered something, her gaze turning hesitant as she looked at her younger son.
“Mom, if you have something to say, just say it directly. There shouldn’t be any barriers between mother and son.”
“Then I’ll speak plainly—but don’t get angry and refuse to come home for three years again after hearing this.”
“You know exactly why I didn’t come back before. And it’s not that I didn’t want to—it’s just that I’m constantly busy with missions. Even during leave, I only get four or five days at most. The round trip from the military base takes four days alone. I can’t just stay one night and leave the next day.”
“Have you ever considered having Nian Xin join you as a military spouse? I understood why you didn’t think of it before, but she’s truly changed now—she’s different from how she used to be. You’ve been married for three years already. It’s not right for a couple to live apart for so long. You’ll be twenty-seven in two months—if you’re not anxious, I’d still like to hold a grandchild sooner rather than later.”
Before Zhou Zhan could voice his refusal, his mind involuntarily recalled her unintended words during their phone call: “I have no home.” Those three words had haunted him intermittently over the past two days, lingering in his thoughts.
“Mom, I understand. When I return next time, if she still maintains her current temperament, I’ll take her with me. Is that alright?”
He was certain that if he refused outright, his mother would inevitably squeeze out a few forced tears.
“Good! Mom will write often to keep you updated on her situation.
You should go now, don’t delay your important matters.”