A Beachhead
Amidst the salty, fishy sea breeze, the entire battalion's trucks rumbled over the gravel beach.
Huo Yuanzheng jumped down from the truck bed, his combat map rustling as he unfurled it. "First Company, secure Hill 122! Second Company, construct beachhead fortifications! Third Company, organize air defense camouflage!"
The soldiers swiftly swung their shovels to dig cooking pits and set up radio stations, while the mess squad used sand barriers to shield the flames as they cooked porridge.
It wasn't until night had completely enveloped the coastline, after deploying the final sentry post, that Huo Yuanzheng made his way into the pine forest and lit a cigarette.
A gentle sea breeze brought cool evening air to relieve the summer's stifling heat, yet it couldn't dispel the restlessness in his heart.
Just then, a tall figure approached his side.
"What's wrong, still troubled over your wife?"
The newcomer was Political Instructor Zheng Xianghua.
Huo Yuanzheng didn't turn around. The cigarette between his fingers glowed and dimmed in the darkness.
Under the bright moonlight, his sharply defined jawline stood out. He narrowed his eyes, gazing at the pitch-black sea where waves churned in the distance, yet they couldn't extinguish the gloomy fire smoldering in his eyes.
Zheng Xianghua let out a long sigh.
How many times was this now?
Every time, without fail, before even taking leave, Huo Yuanzheng would eagerly count down the days, longing to return and see his precious wife.
And without exception, he would return to the military unit before his leave was even over, his face dark and sullen.
"I heard your wife came to the military unit to see you?"
Huo Yuanzheng gave a soft "Mm," his voice so faint it was nearly drowned out by the sound of the waves, barely audible if one didn't listen carefully.
"Then why are you still wearing such a grim face?"
Zheng Xianghua asked in surprise.
Wasn't he the one who treasured his wife the most? Shouldn't he be jumping for joy that she came to see him at the unit?
Why did he look like someone owed him tens of thousands of yuan?
Huo Yuanzheng fell silent again.
Suddenly, Zheng Xianghua recalled the rumors circulating in the unit and glanced at him.
"Did you have a fight?"
The kind that leads to divorce?
"Something like that."
Huo Yuanzheng's voice was muffled.
It seemed the rumors weren't entirely unfounded.
Zheng Xianghua patted Huo Yuanzheng's shoulder. "As the old saying goes, couples may fight at the head of the bed but make up at the foot. We're men, we should be magnanimous. Go apologize to your wife later. Giving in to your own woman isn't shameful. You can argue, but whatever you do, don't impulsively follow others' example and get a divorce!"
Although his impression of Su Manqing wasn't great—he thought she was too much of a troublemaker—as a political instructor, he couldn't actually advise him to divorce. Zheng Xianghua could only offer advice based on his own experience.
At these words, Huo Yuanzheng, who had been motionless, finally reacted.
Taking a sharp drag from his cigarette, his voice carried an indescribable frustration.
"You don't understand."
Seeing him so stubborn and unyielding, Zheng Xianghua felt somewhat helpless.
"I may not understand all the twists and turns you young people go through, but I do know that if a couple lacks even the courage to humble themselves and apologize, what kind of life is that to live?"
Huo Yuanzheng stubbed out his cigarette, his gaze cold and hard. "It's not about whether to apologize or not."
"Then what is it about?" Zheng Xianghua frowned. "Did she do something to betray you?"
Huo Yuanzheng's jaw tightened. After a moment of silence, he said, "I'm not in her heart."
Zheng Xianghua was taken aback, then chuckled. "That's it? I say, Old Huo, when did you start picking up the sentimental tones of those melancholic scholars? Women—just coax them a little and they'll come around. With your fiery temper, is it any wonder she's wary of you?"
Huo Yuanzheng let out a cold laugh and didn't respond.
Zheng Xianghua continued to persuade, "Besides, if she really had no feelings for you, would she have come all this way to find you? You're a grown man, don't be so petty. Let go when you should—what hurdle is truly insurmountable?"
Huo Yuanzheng stood up, his tone still cold and firm. "I know what I'm doing. There's no need to persuade me."
Zheng Xianghua grew anxious. "You stubborn fool! If you really go through with the divorce, don't come crying with regrets later!"
Huo Yuanzheng walked out without looking back, his voice low. "Regret? Hah."
On the other side, Su Manqing, who had been plagued by nightmares and stayed up all night, slept straight through until the next morning.
It was the first restful sleep she had gotten since the divorce talks began, and she felt much more refreshed upon waking.
It was summer, and the sky was already bright by five in the morning. Su Manqing decided to boil water for a bath first.
After three days of only wiping herself down, she felt like she was starting to smell.
After scrubbing the pot clean, Su Manqing poured several ladles of water into it.
Then, following Wang Xingmei's example, she stuffed a handful of dry leaves into the stove.
Perhaps because she had paid close attention yesterday, Su Manqing managed to light the fire on her first try.
Watching the flames blaze fiercely in the stove, she felt a small sense of pride.
She wasn't useless—she could still be of some use.
After boiling the water, she washed her hair and took a bath, finally feeling as if she had come back to life. She was now full of energy.
Just as she was about to prepare breakfast, she heard Wang Xingmei's voice from outside.
"Manqing, are you in there?"
Su Manqing was puzzled. Why was Wang Xingmei looking for her so early?
"Yes! I'm here!"
Though confused, Su Manqing didn't hesitate to respond loudly. She stepped out of her space and headed toward the door.
To her surprise, as soon as she opened the door, she was met with Wang Xingmei's concerned expression.
"Manqing, are you alright?"
As she spoke, Wang Xingmei gave her a once-over.
Su Manqing grew even more puzzled.
Still, she shook her head honestly.
"I'm fine. What's wrong?"
"Several military wives came to see you yesterday and said no one answered when they knocked. I also came by and called your name several times, but it was completely quiet inside. Where were you yesterday?"
So that was it.
Su Manqing felt a bit embarrassed, her face flushing.
"I wasn't anywhere else. I was just sleeping inside. I must have slept deeply and didn't hear anything."
As soon as she finished speaking, a shocked voice suddenly came from beside her.
"You mean you slept from yesterday morning until now?"
Su Manqing turned toward the voice and saw a female comrade with ear-length short hair and a wheatish complexion.
Though she didn't know who she was, Su Manqing politely nodded at her.
She was about to explain that she had slept so long because she hadn't been sleeping well recently.
But then she noticed the woman's expression turn strange, and she abruptly turned and walked away.
Watching her retreating figure, Su Manqing couldn't shake a vague sense of foreboding.
Just as she was thinking this, Wang Xingmei spoke hesitantly.
"Man… Manqing, the family quarters aren't like Jingshi. Sleeping in late here will make people gossip."
Su Manqing: …
So they really had misunderstood?
With no other choice, Su Manqing had to explain the situation to Wang Xingmei.
But as soon as she finished speaking, Wang Xingmei slapped her forehead in frustration.
"Oh dear, why didn't you say so earlier?"
Su Manqing's sense of foreboding grew stronger.
"What's wrong?"
Wang Xingmei looked at her with a face full of sympathy.
"That person just now is Huang Cuiping. You’ve just arrived, so you might not know—she’s famously the biggest gossip in our family quarters."
Su Manqing: …
A bolt from the blue!
Sure enough, the fact that she slept for a full day and night on her very first day following her husband to the military base quickly spread throughout the entire family quarters.