Yang Yufen asked the doctor about the results. They wouldn’t be ready anytime soon, but since the hospital also had a traditional Chinese medicine physician, she immediately dragged the absent-minded Qin Nian over for another consultation.
The elderly doctor felt Qin Nian’s pulse and then asked her to switch hands.
“You’re probably pregnant. Your health is quite good. Just keep taking care of yourself the way you have been. Eat nutritious food and don’t overwork yourself.”
He didn’t prescribe any medicine.
After saying those few words, he simply called in the next patient.
Yang Yufen led Qin Nian outside.
Qin Nian could hardly believe it.
She was really pregnant.
“Come on. Since we’re already out, let’s go collect Xianjun’s military allowance.”
Yang Yufen spoke up.
Qin Nian nodded.
This time, as she climbed back into the cargo compartment of the tricycle, she suddenly smiled.
This wasn’t such a bad feeling after all.
A moment later, however, she thought about her work.
She was pregnant now.
Would her mother-in-law insist that she stop working and rest?
But the first phase of the project had gone so smoothly, and the second phase was about to begin.
She didn’t want to give it up.
Military District
“Chief, what do we do now? How are we supposed to tell Comrade Shen Xianjun’s family? He’s the only son in the family. His mother is all he has left. If she learns the news and something happens to her, how could we face our comrade?”
“Commissar Zhao, what’s your opinion?”
The political commissar frowned deeply.
“Comrade Shen Xianjun is married. We can inform his wife. She’s a good comrade.”
The room fell silent for a moment after Zhao’s suggestion.
Finally, the commander slapped the table.
“Agreed.”
Just then, a soldier rushed in.
“Report! Commissar! Comrade Shen Xianjun’s mother and wife have arrived at the base. They already know!”
Everyone who had just reached a decision froze.
Shen Xianjun’s mother was here?
And at such a coincidental time?
This was bad.
Very bad.
The commander, company commander, battalion commander, regimental commander, and Commissar Zhao all leapt to their feet and hurried toward the office where Yang Yufen and Qin Nian were waiting.
Qin Nian had never imagined it would be like this.
Shen Xianjun was missing.
He had disappeared during a mission.
That was why there had been no news of him.
She herself wasn’t completely devastated.
After all, she hadn’t known him for very long.
But what about her mother-in-law?
How heartbroken must she be?
Qin Nian looked at Yang Yufen with concern.
Yang Yufen was indeed upset.
Not because her son was missing.
But because she was wondering what would happen to his military allowance.
He wasn’t officially dead.
He couldn’t be classified as a martyr because he was still alive.
Others didn’t know that.
She did.
But she couldn’t say it.
Without that allowance, her daughter-in-law would have to support both herself and a child.
That would be far too difficult.
The group of military leaders arrived incredibly quickly.
Before Yang Yufen could finish sorting through her thoughts, they were already there.
“Comrade Yang Yufen, Comrade Qin Nian, we sincerely apologize.”
The first thing they did was offer a heartfelt apology.
“You entrusted your son to us, Comrade Yang, yet we failed to protect him. Comrade Shen Xianjun is an outstanding soldier. This mission was extremely important. We never expected such an incident to occur, and we are deeply sorry.”
As they spoke, the entire group bowed toward the two women.
“No, no, please don’t.”
Yang Yufen quickly waved her hands.
“It was his honor. The day I sent him to join the army, I already knew this day might come. He’s only missing. There is no confirmed news. That means he’s still alive somewhere. The one who’s truly suffered is my daughter-in-law. If she weren’t pregnant, the military could help arrange a divorce so they could each go on with their lives.”
Her words struck the officers like a thunderbolt.
The situation had somehow become even worse.
The men exchanged anxious glances.
Commissar Zhao stepped forward.
“Aunt Yang possesses remarkable understanding and awareness. Comrade Qin Nian is also one of our finest revolutionary comrades. Since Comrade Shen Xianjun is missing, we will do everything possible to find him. We will never abandon any of our comrades.
“Please rest assured. Until Comrade Shen Xianjun is found, his military allowance will continue to be paid. Aunt Yang and Comrade Qin must take good care of yourselves. Your health comes first.”
Yang Yufen had assumed that once her son disappeared, the allowance would stop.
She hadn’t expected it to continue.
Still, if he remained missing for two years, it probably wouldn’t last forever.
She would have to find some way to earn money eventually.
“Good, good. Thank you to the military and the country. My daughter-in-law is pregnant and shouldn’t experience too much emotional stress. I’ll take her home. From now on, I’ll stay here and take care of her until the child is born and old enough to go to school.”
Hearing this, the officers felt both guilty and moved by the family’s trust.
At the same time, they thought it was a good arrangement.
If the women encountered any difficulties, the military base would be close enough to help.
Later, they could also speak with the leaders at the research institute and ask them to look after Qin Nian.
“I’ll arrange for a military vehicle to take Aunt Yang and Comrade Qin back.”
“No need, no need. We came on a tricycle. We can get back ourselves.”
The officers still weren’t reassured.
In the end, they assigned someone to escort the two women back to the institute and report once they arrived safely.
After they left, the leaders couldn’t help sighing.
“No wonder Comrade Shen Xianjun earned so many commendations. A child raised by a mother like that could hardly turn out poorly. She’s so understanding and reasonable.”
“I heard she once served in the local militia and was known as one of the commune’s Iron Women.”
The officers were full of admiration.
On the way home, Qin Nian remained silent.
Until they arrived at the house.
They had originally planned to buy winter clothes for Yang Yufen today.
Instead, they had bought nothing and learned such devastating news.
Qin Nian had no idea how to comfort her mother-in-law.
“Nian Nian, don’t worry.”
Before Qin Nian could find the words, Yang Yufen spoke first.
“Even if Xianjun never comes back, Mom will still take good care of you. Focus on your pregnancy. If you want to work, then work. Just make sure you stay happy. That’s what’s best for you and the baby.”
Not only did she receive comfort from her mother-in-law—
she received a warm embrace as well.
Yang Yufen’s gentle pats on her back fell one after another like soft feathers.
Qin Nian could no longer hold back her tears.
“Mom, I understand. And don’t worry either. I have a salary. As long as I keep working at the institute, we can stay in this courtyard for as long as we want. Mom, you’ll live here with me from now on.”
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law comforted each other.
When Director Hu and Professor Wen received the news, they were deeply worried.
After all, they had been the ones who introduced the marriage.
Now, shortly after the wedding, the husband had disappeared.
Officially he was only missing.
But if even the military couldn’t find him, the chances of him still being alive were slim.
What a tragedy.
Even worse, Qin Nian had discovered she was pregnant at exactly this time.
Shen Xianjun had been raised by a widowed mother.
He was her only child.
There was no way she would willingly let Qin Nian divorce and abandon the baby.
Which meant Qin Nian was now tied to the Shen family for life.
And Director Hu and Professor Wen had lived through difficult times themselves.
Thinking even more pessimistically, what if Shen Xianjun’s mother eventually blamed Qin Nian for her son’s disappearance?
People could change.
It didn’t matter how kind she seemed now.
Director Hu couldn’t even enjoy his leave.
He immediately took his wife and hurried to Qin Nian’s courtyard.
When they arrived, they didn’t dare walk in right away.
They listened carefully outside the gate.
Everything seemed quiet.
But somehow, that made them even more nervous.
Could something have already happened?
“Nian Nian! Nian Nian!”
Professor Wen called out twice.
Inside the house, both women heard her.
Yang Yufen answered first.
“Took you long enough!”
She told Qin Nian to stay inside and wait while she went to open the door herself.