A military green Liberation-brand truck was parked by the roadside.
Beside the vehicle, seven or eight women were either sitting or standing while holding their respective rattan baskets, chatting and laughing about everyday matters.
However, this lively atmosphere seemed to pause abruptly when the couple suddenly appeared.
Without exaggeration, at this moment, Gu Fangbai felt the air freeze solid.
It was Chu Yu who finally broke the silence first: “Hello, sisters-in-law.”
“Little Chu is back? This female comrade beside you… must be your wife, right?” A woman in her forties with a Hulan haircut and a stern expression was the first to speak.
Chu Yu glanced sideways at his wife and, seeing she wasn’t flustered, smiled and introduced: “Yes, this is my wife, Gu Fangbai.”
Upon receiving confirmation, the previously observing women immediately became animated:
“Oh my, so it’s true? Comrade Gu is really beautiful.”
“I remember Little Chu is from Jiangnan, right? No wonder they say Jiangnan produces beauties.”
“Indeed, how is her skin so fair?”
“Her hair is lovely too, so black and straight.”
“So the rumors were true after all. I thought those boys were just boasting.”
“Battalion Commander Chu is so lucky…”
“……”
No one could blame them for being so excited—Battalion Commander Chu’s wife had quite a reputation. Now that they were meeting the legendary beauty who excelled in every aspect, it was only natural for everyone to be curious.
Seeing the military wives surrounding her without any ill intentions, Gu Fangbai smiled and greeted them: “Hello, sisters-in-law.”
“My goodness, her voice is lovely too,” sighed the middle-aged woman with the Hulan haircut who had spoken first. She then nudged aside the obstructing Chu Yu and took the initiative to introduce both sides before finally introducing herself: “I’m Lin Xifeng, wife of Regimental Commander Yue Zhongguo. Little Chu happens to be under Old Yue’s command. If you need anything in the future, Little Gu Comrade, you can come to me. I’ll definitely help however I can.”
This wasn’t just politeness—Lin Xifeng genuinely cared for him because of her husband. She knew very well how much her husband valued Little Chu.
Now that this perennial bachelor had finally married, and to such a delicate beauty with a red and dedicated background no less, of course she had to treasure her?
Thinking this, Lin Xifeng’s usually stern face managed to squeeze out a smile.
Gu Fangbai was aware of Regimental Commander Yue’s reputation as a devoted leader. She immediately set aside her inner reserve and said sincerely: “Thank you, sister-in-law. If you don’t mind, you can call me Fang Bai.”
“Of course I don’t mind! Fang Bai, the train ride must have taken about 30 hours, right? Was it smooth?” Lin Xifeng’s smile widened, this time more genuine compared to her earlier forced expression… This girl looked ethereally beautiful yet wasn’t aloof in personality, seeming quite easy to get along with.
Gu Fangbai smiled in response: “It was quite smooth. Chu Yu took good care of me along the way.”
“Taking care of you is only right—you’ve traveled all this way to accompany him…” After saying this, Lin Xifeng turned to Little Chu who had been standing nearby and asked teasingly: “Isn’t that right, sister-in-law?”
Chu Yu was currently riding high on newlywed bliss. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he readily agreed: “Sister-in-law is absolutely right!”
Most newlywed couples tend to be thin-skinned and easily flustered by teasing. Everyone had been waiting to see them blush and become flustered, but who would have thought they’d remain so composed?
Instead, it startled the few people waiting to watch the drama, followed by even louder laughter:
“Oh my, I never realized before that Battalion Commander Chu has such a mischievous side.”
“Mischievous? More like a henpecked husband.”
“Being henpecked is good! A man needs to be henpecked to live a good life.”
“That’s true, just look at our Regimental Commander Yue…”
“Hahaha…”
Amid the banter, time seemed to fly by.
After changing topics twice, all the waiting personnel had arrived.
The last to return was Old Wu, the procurement officer. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Battalion Commander Chu, he smiled at the women: “Hop in, ladies army!”
And so, everyone climbed cheerfully into the truck bed.
The truck bed was quite high. Worried his wife might be unaccustomed to it, Chu Yu supported her waist from behind and gave her a boost.
Inevitably, this earned him another round of good-natured teasing…
“Battalion Commander Chu, there’s still a seat up front. Aren’t you going to take it?” The young soldier driving, seeing Chu Yu also climbing into the back, thought he didn’t know about the empty seat and immediately called out to him.
But before Chu Yu could respond, Old Wu, the procurement officer beside him, gave the young soldier a light smack on the back of the head and laughed, “No wonder you can’t find a girlfriend! Battalion Commander Chu isn’t a bachelor anymore. He needs to stay with his wife, doesn’t he?”
Well, that made everyone laugh even harder.
It wasn’t until the blushing, flustered young soldier scrambled into the driver’s cabin and started the engine that the roaring laughter gradually subsided…
=
The drive from the city to the military base took about an hour.
The road was quite bumpy. By the time the truck came to a stop in the open area in front of the battalion headquarters, Gu Fangbai, who was on the verge of vomiting, finally felt like she had come back to life.
Chu Yu nimbly jumped down, then turned to half-support, half-carry his wife as she got down. Concerned, he asked, “Are you alright? Still feeling nauseous?”
Gu Fangbai took a few deep breaths: “I’m fine, much better now. Go get our bags.”
Lin Xifeng, still in the truck bed, waved her hand: “Don’t bother, I’ll take them to the Family Compound. Come by my place later to pick them up.”
That was even better. The couple still needed to go to the military affairs office to register her identity and sort out her household registration and supply relations. Carrying all their bags would be inconvenient. Gu Fangbai naturally expressed her gratitude again.
Chu Yu then climbed back into the truck, retrieved a canteen and a satchel containing various documents, and jumped down again. He supported his wife as they walked to a large tree not far away: “Want some water?”
Though not thirsty, seeing the canteen lid offered to her, Gu Fangbai took it and drank.
“More?”
“No, you have some too.” The early July sun was quite harsh, especially around 11 a.m.
Chu Yu wasn’t so refined; he tilted his head back and took several big gulps.
Perhaps he was thirsty, or maybe he drank too quickly, a small trickle of water escaped from the corner of his mouth and trailed down his prominent Adam’s apple, threatening to disappear into his collar. Gu Fangbai’s hand moved faster than her brain, instinctively reaching out to stop it…
“Cough, cough… cough…” Chu Yu, not expecting his wife to touch his Adam’s apple, was caught off guard and started coughing violently.
Gu Fangbai was even more surprised by the Battalion Commander’s strong reaction. Taking the canteen, she patted his back: “Are you okay?”
“Cough… I’m fine… cough…”
Though he claimed to be fine, Chu Yu coughed for a while before recovering, then looked helplessly at his wife: “We’re in public, don’t touch randomly.”
Knowing he had misunderstood, Gu Fangbai rolled her eyes: “What are you thinking? I was wiping water off you.”
Alright, his mind had been in the gutter. Chu Yu cleared his throat uncomfortably: “Then… shall we go register?”
“Okay…” Gu Fangbai appeared completely unruffled, but only after Battalion Commander Chu turned around did the corners of her mouth lift slightly. This man… was somewhat adorable.
The military affairs office was located on the first floor of the battalion headquarters.
Two soldiers waiting to handle procedures were seated on the bench outside the office door. The couple had to endure curious stares from others for over ten minutes before finally entering the room.
Inside, upon recognizing the visitors, the young clerk immediately stood up and saluted: “Battalion Commander, when did you return?”
“Just arrived. Xiao Liu, this is my wife Gu Fangbai. She’s here for Sui Jun. Please help her with the procedures.” Chu Yu was brief and to the point.
Xiao Liu had already been stealing glances. Now that formal introductions were made, he immediately flashed a bright smile, his voice booming: “Hello, Sister-in-law!” Simultaneously, his inner self triumphantly placed hands on hips – their first battalion had completely turned things around! Who said that even if the battalion commander married someone with good background, she’d be unattractive? She was clearly a fairy.
“Hello.” Gu Fangbai returned the smile while handing over the series of certificates issued by the neighborhood committee and Su Shi Armed Forces Department.
Seeing this, Clerk Liu immediately suppressed his wandering thoughts and efficiently retrieved a file folder from the cabinet. He pulled out a stack of forms and a thick notebook from inside. When habitually preparing to write, he remembered something and looked up with a smile: “Sister-in-law is literate, right?”
Most sisters-in-law coming for Sui Jun were over thirty, meaning they were born around the 1930s. Back then, regardless of gender, few were literate, and he had grown accustomed to filling out forms for them.
But the sister-in-law before him exuded scholarly refinement – she clearly didn’t appear illiterate.
Sure enough, the beautiful young woman sitting opposite nodded: “I’m literate.”
No sooner had she spoken than Clerk Liu deftly handed over the paperwork, along with an unscrewed fountain pen: “Then please fill it out yourself, Sister-in-law.”
Name, place of origin, education level, relationship to serviceman… Gu Fangbai took the papers and pen, briefly scanned them, then began writing answers to each question in sequence…
=
While the couple was busy at battalion headquarters.
News of Battalion Commander Chu’s highly praised wife arriving for Sui Jun spread rapidly from ten to hundreds, soon sweeping through the entire Family Compound like wildfire.
Although several military wives who had seen her praised her repeatedly, most hadn’t witnessed her personally and remained somewhat skeptical.
It wasn’t that they didn’t believe good girls existed in this world, but rather that they couldn’t believe such an outstanding flower would be willing to marry down to Battalion Commander Chu – this piece of cow dung.
Yes, it was that realistic.
In this era where class status outweighed everything, no matter how outstanding Battalion Commander Chu might be, few dared to marry him.
Thus, whether watching for entertainment, out of curiosity, or with critical eyes… for various reasons, by the time Gu Fangbai completed procedures and arrived at the Family Compound, she was directly surrounded like a zoo gorilla.
It was only when Lin Xifeng, who had heard the news, rushed over that the young couple drowning in crowds and questions was rescued: “…Your place lacks pots and bowls, so don’t bother with the cafeteria. Just make do with a meal at our place at noon.”
Chu Yu had often freeloaded meals at his superiors’ homes before, so he naturally had no objections, yet he still left the final decision to his wife.
Gu Fangbai didn’t hesitate either, smiling as she said, “Then we’ll be troubling you, Sister-in-law.”
“Hey! No trouble at all. For all of us to gather here from every corner of the country—who knows what great fate brought us together? It’s only right that we support each other.”
Gu Fangbai responded with a few cheerful laughs, then asked curiously, “Sister-in-law, are you not from around here?”
At this mention, Lin Xifeng sighed, “I’m half-local, you could say… My hometown is in the Northeast. Later, I came to Jinggu for Sui Jun and have been here for over ten years…”
The Family Compound consisted of rows of red-brick single-story houses.
Generally, the higher the rank of the officer, the larger the house and the deeper its location within the compound.
Thus, it took the three of them several minutes of chatting and laughing before they reached their destination.
Before entering, Lin Xifeng pointed to the row of houses in front of hers, “See, the one on the far right is your place. It’s just a few steps from home. When you’re free, Fang Bai, you can come over and chat with me.”
Gu Fangbai replied, “I will.”
“You’re here! Are the procedures all settled?” Battalion Commander Yue, hearing the commotion, came out to greet them, his gaze instinctively scanning the only unfamiliar face.
He had a fierce appearance and a large build. Worried he might scare the young woman, Lin Xifeng swatted her husband’s arm and scolded, “Who are you trying to intimidate with that dark expression?”
Battalion Commander Yue felt wronged and retorted gruffly, “You’re blaming me for getting tanned?”
He was indeed dark—almost pitch black. Gu Fangbai inwardly felt relieved that Battalion Commander Chu’s complexion was merely sun-tanned, then greeted him politely, “Hello, Chief.”
Battalion Commander Yue waved his hand, “No need for ‘Chief.’ You’re Little Gu, right? Just like Little Chu, you can call me Battalion Commander Yue or Old Yue!”
Gu Fangbai offered a slightly shy smile, “Hello, Battalion Commander Yue.”
“Good, good… Come on inside.” Battalion Commander Yue tried his best to smile, attempting to appear more approachable.
He couldn’t help it—for Little Chu’s marriage, he had worried himself sick over the past year.
Now that this heaven-sent match had finally arrived, he had to handle it carefully. What if she ran away?
Especially since this young woman wasn’t just exceptional in background but also in character and appearance.
To put it bluntly, even before the Chu family fell on hard times, she would have been a good match for that rascal.
Completely unaware of her husband’s ulterior motives beneath his upright exterior, Lin Xifeng simply linked arms with the young woman and led her inside, “You must be hungry? Let’s talk while we eat…”
=
The liveliness in the Family Compound didn’t quiet down just because the young couple had left.
In fact, with the main subjects absent, the gossip only grew more uninhibited.
For instance, Lin Xifeng, concerned that some family members might view them with prejudice, had earlier specifically mentioned Gu Fangbai’s impeccable red and dedicated background. Now, this became one of the topics of discussion.
Although most people held kind or sympathetic views, the world never lacks those with foul intentions.
Sure enough, among the group gathered under the shade of a tree, holding their bowls and chopsticks while chatting over their meal, an abrupt, discordant voice emerged:
“…This old woman truly doesn’t understand the world nowadays. What ‘orphan of a martyr’? Isn’t she just a cursed star who brings misfortune to her parents and grandfather? A few years back, even a leper wouldn’t have dared marry her, and now she’s considered a good match? Honestly, even if you offered her to me for free, this old woman wouldn’t want a daughter-in-law like that.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the previously lively crowd fell into an immediate silence.
Everyone craned their necks to look, and sure enough—it was Old Lady Li, the most unpopular resident of the Family Compound, notorious for exploiting her daughter-in-law.
Old Lady Li was the kind of person even dogs would avoid in the Family Compound. Illiterate yet obsessed with outdated rules and trivialities, she embodied the classic case of “the less one knows, the more stubborn they become.”
If not for her son and daughter-in-law being decent people, someone would have reported her long ago… No one knew how long she had been lurking in the back.
The quick-witted eldest sister nearest to her nudged her friend beside her: “Scoot over that way.”
Her friend obligingly shifted her stool but muttered under her breath, “It’s not even crowded on your side.”
The sharp-tongued sister pulled a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, took a drag, and then said disdainfully, “Shouldn’t we keep our distance from certain people? What if the empty-headed catch fire?”
At this remark, those who caught on immediately burst into laughter.
The one or two who didn’t understand at first doubled over with laughter after others explained the joke.
Only Old Lady Li remained clueless…
=
Gu Fangbai was completely unaware of the drama unfolding behind her.
Even if she had known, she wouldn’t have cared. After all, she and her husband would soon be transferred away… They were just strangers to her.
She had already finished her meal at Sister-in-law Lin’s house. When saying goodbye, she left two packs of specialty snacks from Su Shi as a gift.
Chu Yu, being strong, effortlessly carried both bundles by himself.
Walking alongside him, the couple reached their assigned house in just a few minutes.
From the outside, it looked no different from Battalion Commander Yue’s home.
But once they unlocked the door and stepped inside, the differences became apparent.
First was the size.
As a battalion commander, Chu Yu was allocated only 30 square meters.
There was no bathroom. Aside from a roughly 15-square-meter bedroom, the remaining space was divided between a living area and a kitchen.
Though the layout was cramped, with few possessions in this era, it didn’t feel overly crowded for two people.
Moreover, with its solid cement floor, white lime-painted walls, and nearly new wooden furniture… Gu Fangbai was quite satisfied.
Chu Yu had been watching his wife’s expression and, seeing her gradually relax, he eased up as well: “I still have two days of leave. Tomorrow, we’ll take a ride into the city to shop for supplies. If there’s anything about the house you don’t like, we’ll replace it!”
“Replace what? That’s wasteful!” Though she appreciated his thoughtfulness, Gu Fangbai reminded him, “We won’t be living here long. How would we move everything if we accumulate too much?”
Hadn’t she even left behind the dowry prepared by his uncle and aunt?
Chu Yu frowned. He always wanted his wife to live more comfortably. Why should a girl who’d never known hardship lower her living standards just because she married him? It wasn’t as if they couldn’t afford better.
With that in mind, he persisted: “It’s fine. I can ask an acquaintance to help with transportation later.”
“That’s still troublesome.” Just thinking about 1960s logistics, Gu Fangbai knew how inconvenient it would be.
Seeing that Battalion Commander Chu was about to say more, she changed the subject: “When are we holding the wedding banquet? Isn’t it official only after we’ve hosted the feast?”
Author’s Note: Update tomorrow still at 8 PM. (Just realized posting at this hour keeps me from staying up late, so my worn-out body can finally adjust its schedule [sobbing][sobbing][sobbing])
Keep going crazy for collections!! [Heart][Heart][Heart] Please leave comments!! Please give nutrient solutions!!! Randomly dropping 100 red envelopes in this chapter, mwah! [Peeking shyly](*╯3╰)