Han Tieshan narrowed his eyes slightly. He had also heard quite a few rumors today about his capable subordinate’s newlywed wife—spoiled, picky, and with a fiery temper.
She had only been here for a day, yet she had already stirred up the entire residential compound.
After a moment of contemplation, his gaze fell on Qin An’s face. “You want to build a toilet for your wife?”
Qin An did not avoid the question and nodded firmly. “Yes, Division Commander! She’s new here and isn’t used to it. Building a toilet will prevent any future incidents that might cause a negative impact.”
Han Tieshan chuckled at this and waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no explicit rule in the army forbidding it. As long as it doesn’t inconvenience others or violate regulations, it’s fine.”
Qin An’s tense expression relaxed slightly, and he immediately straightened his back. “Thank you, Division Commander!”
With that, he turned and walked out, his mind still lingering on the image of Cheng Xi’s angry retreating figure earlier.
When Qin An returned to the residential compound and pushed open the door, his eyes immediately fell on the toilet in the yard.
He froze, his handsome face filled with disbelief.
Did she do this?
Could someone as delicate and pampered as her manage this?
And in just one day?
He walked further inside, his gaze fixed on the toilet.
Although it looked simple and not particularly sturdy, it was still decently constructed.
Just then, Cheng Xi had finished bathing and stepped out of the washroom next to the toilet.
Cheng Xi was still damp, her hair freshly washed and hanging wetly over her shoulders, droplets of water trickling gently down the ends.
Her small face was flushed from the steam, like a ripe peach—tender and enticing.
She wore a pure cotton nightgown that reached just below her knees, revealing a slender, pale calf and ankle, with even her toes looking plump and adorable.
Fresh from her bath, she looked especially radiant, and… she had curves where curves should be.
Qin An felt his throat tighten involuntarily.
He swallowed unconsciously, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before quickly looking away, his voice deeper than usual. “Did you build this yourself?”
Cheng Xi lifted her eyelids to glance at him, her tone still carrying a trace of lingering resentment. “How could I manage that? Sister-in-Li Jing helped me.”
Qin An frowned slightly.
Li Jing?
That was Commissar Chen’s wife—the woman he had risked his life to save from drowning during a mission by the river, only to be forced into marrying her.
He hadn’t expected her to help Cheng Xi. It seemed Cheng Xi had gotten along quite well with Li Jing in just one day.
After saying this, Cheng Xi picked up her basin and walked into the house.
Qin An followed her inside, watching her slender back as he asked, “Have… have you eaten dinner?”
Without turning around, Cheng Xi replied, “Yes, Sister-in-Li Jing made me noodles.”
As she spoke, she opened the door to her room, stepped inside, and then—bang—the door slammed shut heavily.
Qin An stood outside the door, his body stiffening slightly, a rare hint of embarrassment flashing across his face.
Was she still angry with him for refusing to help her build the toilet this morning?
Truly a spoiled young lady’s temper.
He awkwardly rubbed his nose.
This was the first time he had ever been shut out by someone.
After a moment of confusion, he turned and walked back into the yard, pushing open the toilet door.
Then, he froze.
Two pits were lined up side by side, covered neatly with wooden planks.
In the corner stood a bamboo pole serving as a ventilation pipe, with a small clay pot beside it filled with wood ash.
The bottom of the pits was lined with a layer of lime, and there was no unpleasant odor at all.
Next to it was a small bathing area, with a drainage ditch dug into the ground so water could flow directly outside.
This wasn’t just thrown together haphazardly.
It was thoughtfully designed.
Without a college education, it would be nearly impossible to achieve something like this.
It seemed she wasn’t just a delicate, pampered young lady after all.
Qin An’s gaze fell on the wooden boards of the latrine, and a flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes.
Early the next morning, as dawn was just breaking.
Qin An was already busy in the courtyard.
He picked up the bricks stacked on the ground, applied cement, and began laying them at the base of the latrine.
Although the latrine looked decent enough, it wasn’t sturdy—a strong wind could easily knock it over.
If it collapsed and she made another scene at the training ground, it would be even more troublesome.
So he decided to take matters into his own hands and reinforce the latrine to make it more stable.
Zhao Yinghua next door was an early riser. Hearing the noise, she threw on her coat, pushed open the back door, and stood on tiptoe to peer into Qin An’s courtyard.
Seeing Qin An squatting there laying bricks, her eyes lit up instantly.
“Well, well, Battalion Commander Qin, already hard at work so early in the morning?” Zhao Yinghua leaned over the wall, her voice sharp and loud, as if she wanted the whole street to hear.
Qin An didn’t look up, continuing with his work.
Unfazed, Zhao Yinghua leaned in even closer. “Was it your new wife who forced you into this?”
She had heard from her husband last night that Cheng Xi had gone to the training ground to find Qin An, demanding he build a latrine in the courtyard, only to be flatly refused on the spot.
Hearing that had given her immense satisfaction.
What good was being pretty?
What use was being delicate?
If a man didn’t care for you, it was all for nothing.
But now, here was Qin An, squatting there laying bricks.
That familiar pang of envy surged up in Zhao Yinghua again, and she couldn’t hold back her words. “Capitalist-class young ladies are just so particular. We’ve been using dry latrines for over a decade, and we’ve been just fine, haven’t we?”
She drew out her words a little longer. “If you ask me, a woman shouldn’t be spoiled too much.”
Qin An’s hands paused for a moment.
He looked up and glanced at Zhao Yinghua.
The look was faint, expressionless, yet somehow it carried a chill that made one feel uneasy.
The words Zhao Yinghua had been about to say stuck in her throat. She forced out a dry laugh. “I… I’m just saying this for your own good.”
“Sister-in-law,” Qin An finally spoke. “What happens in my home is none of your concern.”
With that, he lowered his head and went back to laying bricks.
Zhao Yinghua’s face burned as if she’d been slapped from a distance.
She stood by the wall for a few seconds, wanting to say something to save face, but faced with Qin An’s cold expression, she couldn’t muster a single word.
In the end, she awkwardly retreated.
Only after closing the back door did she dare mutter under her breath, “Taking kindness for ingratitude. Just you wait, you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
She picked up her vegetable basket and headed out. At the entrance of the alley, she ran into a few other women who were also up early to buy groceries. She immediately sidled up to them and lowered her voice. “Did you know? Battalion Commander Qin was forced by his wife to get up early and reinforce their latrine!”
One of the women exclaimed in surprise, “But I went in to take a look yesterday. It was quite nicely done inside, even had a ventilation pipe.”
Zhao Yinghua waved her hand dismissively. “What’s the use of that? It’s just a few broken planks slapped together—pretty to look at but useless. A strong wind would blow it right over! And I saw it with my own eyes—he was laying bricks before dawn. How could that be fake?”
The women exchanged bewildered glances. “With Battalion Commander Qin’s temperament, would he really let her have her way?”
"What else can you do if you're unwilling? She makes a scene!" Zhao Yinghua curled her lip. "I live next door to them, don't I know? That capitalist's daughter from Shanghai has a terrible temper. Yesterday she even made a scene right on the training ground. If you ask me, this marriage is bound to fall apart sooner or later."
"Just wait and see. You all know Battalion Commander Qin's temper—when has he ever let anyone push him around like this? It was forced on him in the first place. How many days do you think he'll put up with it?"
Just then, several more wives turned out from another alley, each carrying a vegetable basket.
"What are you talking about? So lively."
Seeing more people, Zhao Yinghua no longer lowered her voice. "Just talking about Battalion Commander Qin's family matters! I saw it with my own eyes this morning—before dawn, Battalion Commander Qin was kicked out of bed by that capitalist's daughter to build a toilet!"
The newcomers widened their eyes. "No way? Battalion Commander Qin—who could possibly kick him out?"
"Can't kick him out? You haven't seen it!" Zhao Yinghua grew more animated. "I heard it clearly next door—Cheng Xi slammed the door so hard it shook the heavens!"
"Let me tell you, what's the use of a woman being pretty? She can't do any work, throws up for half the day just going to the toilet, and has a temper that knows no bounds. Battalion Commander Qin must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to end up with a wife like that!"
The crowd grew larger.
Someone passing by with a laundry basin stopped to listen; others who had already walked past turned back.
"Really?"
"Would I lie to you?" Zhao Yinghua patted her chest. "When have I, Zhao Yinghua, ever told a lie? That Cheng Xi is just a spoiled young lady—can't do a thing herself, only knows how to order men around!"
Someone in the crowd muttered quietly, "That's too arrogant… Battalion Commander Qin is a battalion commander, after all…"
"Exactly!" Zhao Yinghua grew even more excited, raising her voice another notch. "I've seen plenty of women like her! Thinking just because they have a bit of looks, the whole world should revolve around them. I'll say it right here—"
She pointed a finger into the air. "Within a month. This marriage is definitely going to fall apart!"
"Right, right," someone chimed in.
"How did Battalion Commander Qin end up with such a…"
"Hey, you said she made a scene at the training ground yesterday, and Battalion Commander Qin refused her on the spot, but after she made a fuss back home, he gave in. That woman has some serious tricks up her sleeve!"
Seeing others join in, Zhao Yinghua grew even more pleased with herself, her voice rising another pitch. "Tricks? You call those tricks? That's called shamelessness! Let me tell you, just last night—"
"Battalion Commander Qin!"
Suddenly, someone shouted sharply.
Instantly, everyone fell silent, following the speaker's gaze.
Qin An stood at the corner of the alley, holding a bucket of water.
His military uniform sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, his hands still stained with cement dust.
No one knew how long he had been standing there.
Zhao Yinghua's finger remained pointed in mid-air, forgotten.
Her face flushed red, then turned pale, then ashen.
The entire alley fell so quiet that only the creaking of the bucket handle rubbing against the rim could be heard.
Qin An's gaze swept over the crowd before finally settling on Zhao Yinghua's face.
He spoke expressionlessly, "I wanted to fix it myself."
His voice wasn't loud, but the alley amplified it, making every word crystal clear.
He paused.
"Cheng Xi never made a scene with me."
He walked through the crowd, bucket in hand.
No matter what, she was his wife in name. Being ostracized like this only brought shame to him as well.
The group of sisters-in-law gathered around automatically made way.
No one spoke.
It wasn't until Qin An's figure disappeared at the end of the alley that the crowd seemed to thaw and come back to life.
One of the sisters-in-law cautiously tugged at Zhao Yinghua's sleeve. "Yinghua, didn't you say you saw it with your own eyes…"
"I… I…" Zhao Yinghua's lips trembled, unable to squeeze out a single word.
Someone nearby whispered, "Regiment Commander Qin himself said he wanted to fix it."
"Then what she said earlier…"
Several gazes fell on Zhao Yinghua.
Zhao Yinghua's face flushed deep purple, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
The sky had completely brightened, and Cheng Xi was awakened by the sound of a loud military bugle.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, making her squint.
Perhaps she had been too exhausted from building the toilet yesterday, but she had slept soundly on such a hard bed board last night.
She got up, still aching all over.
Suddenly, a series of clattering noises came from the courtyard.
The direction was exactly where she had painstakingly built the toilet yesterday.
Cheng Xi's heart skipped a beat.
Was someone going to tear down her toilet?
She immediately panicked, not even taking the time to put on her shoes properly, and rushed frantically toward the door.
When she reached the courtyard, she froze.
Qin An was squatting beside the toilet, intently laying bricks.
Today, he was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt that clung tightly to his body, the muscles on his forearms subtly shifting with his movements.
The morning light fell on him, and fine beads of sweat glistened on his honey-colored skin.
Perhaps the sweat on his forehead was bothering him, or maybe it was just too stuffy, but he lifted the hem of his T-shirt and casually wiped the sweat from his forehead. His firm abs and clearly defined V-line were instantly exposed.
Moreover, his muscles weren't the exaggerated, bulky kind but just the right amount of lean muscle. Every inch of his physique exuded a wild tension, with a strong wave of hormones hitting her face.
This sight was a hundred, no, a thousand times more appealing than the deliberately posed male models Cheng Xi had scrolled past in the 21st century.
Cheng Xi's face instantly flushed bright red, and her heartbeat skipped a beat involuntarily.
And just then, Qin An lowered the hem of his T-shirt and looked toward her.
Their eyes met.