Inside the military compound, after Zhou Runqing saw Lin Yuqiu off, the noise in the canteen also subsided.
The cook prepared a separate soup pot, which Zhou Wanyi ate with relish. However, the two people at the table had little appetite. They ate a few mouthfuls of rice, which tasted like cardboard, and soon put down their bowls and chopsticks, got up and walked out in silence.
Seeing this, Zhou Wanyi finished the last slice of meat and got up to follow.
She took Li Shiyun’s arm, glanced at Zhou’s mother walking ahead, not understanding why her mother had suddenly changed her mind, and then looked at Li Shiyun’s expression.
Her eyes darted around, her braid swung high, and she leaned close to Sister Shiwen’s ear, saying indignantly, “Sister Shiwen, in my heart, you will always be my sister-in-law.”
Li Shiyun smiled softly, but the corners of her lips betrayed a hint of unease.
Zhou Wanyi then said confidently, “We grew up together since we were little. I’ve seen how good my brother has been to you. I can’t understand why he suddenly changed.”
“But I feel that my brother used to like you.”
“When he comes back from the army, he brings me a gift, and then he brings you a gift. What else could this be but liking you? There are so many girls in the compound, but he has never given a gift to anyone else.”
Li Shiwen lowered her head slightly, unwilling to let others see her vulnerability. Her fingertips dug into her palms, and her voice was so low that it seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, with a trembling tone at the end: “Perhaps I have misunderstood since I was a child. Runqing is a very good person.”
She looked at Zhou Wanyi again, suppressing the redness in her eyes, and gave a kind and gentle smile: “Wanyi, please don’t say that in the future.”
“I just knew your brother before she did, but feelings don’t have an order of precedence.”
Zhou Wanyi hugged Li Shiyun’s arm tightly again, snuggling against her shoulder and saying coquettishly, “I don’t care. I don’t like that woman at all. As soon as she came, my brother was afraid that I would bully her. He was very fierce to me and even wanted to send me to the army to suffer.”
When they reached the bottom of the family compound, Zhou’s mother turned around and glanced at Zhou Wanyi. Zhou Wanyi obediently ran forward, hugged her mother, and threw a tantrum, saying that she would rather die than go to the island.
Zhou’s mother looked at Li Shiyun again, her smile as warm and friendly as ever.
“Wanyi, you should go back and rest early.”
Li Shiwen’s eyes were red, but she was too proud to show the slightest sign of losing her composure, and gently called out, “Auntie.”
Zhou’s mother sighed softly, her tone carrying the helplessness of an elder, and also a hint of guilt: “Your aunt has always treated you like a daughter. But Runqing is determined, so you should try to come to terms with it sooner rather than later.”
When Li Shiyun returned home, Li Changchun, the director of the political department of the military region, was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. As soon as he saw his beloved daughter, he immediately threw down the newspaper, his face beaming with a doting smile. His fawning manner was so strong that he practically wagged his tail.
“Oh, my darling daughter is back! You went to the Zhou family’s house right after work and came back so late. Have you eaten yet? Daddy will make you something right away. Sweet and sour pork ribs or braised fish, it’s up to you!”
Mr. Li followed his daughter upstairs. When she rushed into her room and slammed the door shut, he realized something was wrong. He then heard soft sobbing coming from inside and became extremely anxious.
“My dear daughter, don’t scare Daddy. Why are you crying? Who bullied you? Tell Daddy, and Daddy will get revenge for you!”
“That Zhou kid seems to be back from leave in the army. Did he dare to bully you?”
“Dad’s going to settle accounts with that brat right now!”
Inside the room, Li Shiyun remained silent at first, but upon hearing her father’s doting coaxing, all her pent-up grievances poured out like a flood. When pressed by her father, she couldn’t help but choke back tears and reveal her true feelings: “Dad, he’s getting married.”
Outside the door, Li Changchun heard his daughter crying hysterically. He had never seen his daughter so heartbroken. As a father, he wished he could kill the man who had hurt his daughter.
Li Changchun’s face was ashen. He strode downstairs and immediately called the island regiment headquarters where Zhou Runqing was stationed to inquire about the veracity of the information.
He hasn’t received any news yet; could it be that these subordinates are only paying lip service?
When the call was answered, the island delegation confirmed that they had indeed received Zhou Runqing’s marriage report.
What made him even more disheartened was that this report had been specifically instructed to be sent directly to the deputy director without his knowledge, the director of the political department.
Li Changchun was furious. He was angry that the Zhou family boy had actually submitted a marriage application, trying to keep him in the dark. He was utterly disrespectful to his superiors. He was even angrier that his daughter had suffered such great harm.
Although Zhou Runqing has a commander father, if it weren’t for his father’s repeated support and backing by the military region’s party committee, how could this young man have risen to the position of regimental commander in one step!
Now this guy has not only publicly humiliated him and made a political mistake, but he’s also trying to marry some capitalist’s daughter!
And she even made her own precious daughter suffer!
Li Changchun immediately grabbed the receiver again, his fingers quickly swirling around the dial a few times. After a short, mechanical click, he waited for the call to be transferred.
As soon as the call of “Old Chen” rang out, the phone began to buzz quietly in the quiet room. Through the crack in the door where light was filtering in from upstairs, Li Shiwen stood there, stunned, her expression growing serious.
A cold mist hung over the military region’s administrative building in the early morning, and jeeps had been parked downstairs all night.
Deputy Director Chen hurriedly entered the office building and headed towards his office. Suddenly, he noticed a figure standing at the end of the corridor.
A thin layer of frost had settled on the military uniform, clearly indicating that they had waited all night.
He took out his key, opened the door, and went inside. Turning to look at the person stepping in, a hint of helplessness appeared on his face.
“The director called last night and gave you a severe scolding, saying that you disregarded organizational order and had no respect for your superiors!”
“Although the regimental headquarters approved you, your partner comes from a capitalist family. The military region’s political review is so difficult that even your own father couldn’t pass it!”
“And your age,”
“These are the director’s exact words: A 25-year-old regimental commander carries the weight of the nation on his shoulders, not on personal feelings. Getting married a couple of years later is the organization’s way of nurturing you!”
Deputy Director Chen delivered a sharp and scathing verbal critique, while the person opposite him stood ramrod straight, exuding an indomitable spirit, his eyes filled with unwavering confidence, showing not a trace of fear.
He admired the child and had watched her grow up since she was a child, but in the end, he couldn’t bear to do it. “Don’t you understand what the director is thinking? He only has one precious daughter. If you insist on marrying this girl, then you can keep delaying! Don’t expect him to agree!”
He earnestly advised, “If you’re determined, and he’s determined too, you can afford to drag things out, but you’ll also ruin that young girl’s life.”
Zhou Runqing frowned, stared at Deputy Director Chen, and said, word by word, “Uncle Chen, I know you’re in a difficult position, but I’m determined to go through with this marriage.”
“The regimental headquarters must have already informed you by phone about the marriage report. The official documents will arrive soon, so please proceed with your review.”
“I will go and talk to Uncle Li in person.”
After saying that, he turned and left.
After leaving the government building, I drove to the family compound.
They didn’t even stop when passing by their own house, and drove straight to another duplex apartment building.
Outside the study, the secretary knocked on the door.
“Director, Regiment Commander Zhou is here.”
Li Changchun was buried in the first batch of documents under his desk, his reading glasses having long since slipped off his nose.
When he looked up, his gaze behind his glasses held a touch of worldly wisdom and shrewdness. He let out a short, cold laugh and said simply, “Let him in.”