Zhou Runqing frowned and glanced over, saying in a deep voice, “You’re becoming more and more tactless. Father and Uncle Li work together, and the two families have been neighbors for many years. What kind of behavior is this, stirring up trouble?”
Zhou Wanyi made a face, not afraid at all of this older brother who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside and had spoiled her since childhood.
Zhou Runqing emphasized again, speaking seriously: “I have already submitted my marriage application. I will tell my family who my partner is after it’s all settled. Stop talking nonsense. If you cause any more trouble, I’ll send you to the army for some tough training.”
Zhou Wanyi wasn’t scared by being sent to the army; instead, she was so frightened by her brother’s marriage application that she stammered and even lost her appetite for the apple in her mouth.
“What? Bro, you filed for marriage?”
“So you’re saying the object of your affections isn’t Sister Shiyun?”
“Besides Sister Shiyun, who else are you going to marry? Tell me clearly! Mom and Dad won’t agree, and neither will I!”
Zhou Wanyi stood angrily in front of her brother, hands on her hips, wanting to find out who it was.
Sister Shiwen is her sister-in-law in her heart, and also the daughter-in-law that her parents prefer. No one can separate them!
Looking at his younger sister’s boisterous and noisy manner, Zhou Runqing felt his forehead throbbing. He recalled a gentle and quiet face, and his furrowed brows seemed to be magically smoothed out.
“Get out, I have something to do.”
Zhou Wanyi was reluctantly sent away, but she wanted to go out and question the guard, Xiao Liu, to find out more about the woman.
Unfortunately, by the time she chased after him downstairs, the guard had already driven away. Furious, she stomped her feet and ran away towards the family compound.
Inside the study, Zhou Runqing picked up the military telephone and dialed a number.
When the call connected, he said in a deep voice into the receiver, “Is this the Rongcheng Military Region Rehabilitation Hospital? This is Zhou Runqing. Could you please vacate a single bed for me to care for in my own name? I will pay all the expenses myself.”
“Yes, it’s for my fiancée’s mother. Also, the elderly lady isn’t in good health, so could you please help me find an experienced caregiver to look after her daily needs? I’ll settle the fees according to regulations. Please arrange it as soon as possible, thank you.”
It was already afternoon when the security guard, Xiao Liu, received the necessary documents from the neighborhood office.
If it weren’t for the official letter from the military, the other party wouldn’t have readily provided proof, and even claimed that the Lin family were capitalists.
Xiao Liu dared not make a fuss, worried that if this matter was not handled properly, it would affect the regimental commander. He took the certificate and drove back to the military region’s mailroom, preparing to send it to the regimental headquarters urgently.
Before he could even enter the mailroom, Zhou Wanyi, who was hiding in the shadows, blocked his way.
“Unless you tell me who my brother is going to marry, I won’t let you in today.”
Xiao Liu said helplessly, “This is the commander’s order, Wanyi, please don’t make things difficult for me.”
Zhou Wanyi said decisively, “Send it! Anyway, once the report reaches Uncle Li, no one will agree.”
Zhou Wanyi was still furious and decided to complain first. She rode her bicycle to the military region office building and went straight to her father’s office, but was told by her father’s communications officer: “The commander is out and will not be back until tomorrow.”
Undeterred, she rode her bike to the cadre office of her mother’s performing arts troupe. There, she saw her mother sitting elegantly behind her desk, sipping tea and looking at the performance list. Leaning against the door, she gasped, “Mom, something terrible has happened to our family!”
Zhou’s mother put down her teacup and the list. Seeing that her face was flushed with anxiety, she said slowly, “What’s the panic? Don’t blame your brother for scolding you for making such a fuss.”
Zhou Wanyi said anxiously, “My brother has submitted his marriage application, but we don’t even know who his fiancée is yet, and you’re still sitting here drinking tea.”
“What?” Zhou’s mother stood up abruptly, forgetting all about her work, even more anxious than her daughter: “Come on, let’s go home and ask your brother what happened.”
At that moment, a telephone rang inside the family compound.
Zhou Runqing walked to the table, answered the call, and the other party’s tone was unmistakably polite: “Commander Zhou, a bed has been expedited for you. It’s right next to the nurses’ station, and the location is quite good. You’d better check in as soon as possible.”
“We’ve found an experienced caregiver according to your request. When would you like to come so I can make arrangements?”
Zhou Runqing nodded: “Okay. I’ll bring people over right away.”
“Okay, I’ll arrange it right away.”
After hanging up the phone, there was a knock on the door.
Xiao Liu came in and reported: “Commander, all the formalities have been completed and sent to the regimental headquarters along with the marriage certificate.”
Zhou Runqing nodded: “Thank you for your hard work.”
Xiao Liu smiled and leaned closer, “As you instructed, I also spoke with Political Commissar Wang. He will immediately report your marriage to Deputy Director Chen upon receiving your marriage report, so please don’t worry. He even called to wish you a happy marriage!”
Zhou Runqing’s lips curved slightly, adding a touch of warmth to his cold and aloof features.
“Please thank Old Wang for me. When we get back to the island, I’ll send him a box of wedding candy.”
“Yes, Commander.” Xiao Liu replied with a smile, but couldn’t help but say, “I just ran into Wanyi again, and she kept asking about Comrade Lin’s identity. I’m worried about Comrade Lin’s background; it’s always a potential problem. Commander, why don’t you give the Commander a heads-up first?”
Zhou Runqing replied decisively, “No need.” He then instructed, “Come out with me.”
Xiao Liu nodded and followed the regimental commander’s steps, but couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
He knew the regimental commander’s concerns. The commander cared most about the regimental commander’s future. If he had known in advance, he would never have allowed a family like Comrade Lin’s to marry into the Zhou family.
Zhou Runqing and his bodyguard had just driven away when Zhou Wanyi and her daughter returned. They caught a whiff of exhaust fumes as Zhou Runqing’s jeep sped away.
Zhou Wanyi suddenly had a bright idea. “Mom, my brother won’t say anything. Could it be that his marriage partner has some kind of problem with his background?”
Zhou’s mother frowned even more. “Don’t talk nonsense. Let’s talk about it when your father comes back.”
Inside the military hospital, Lin Yuqiu massaged her mother’s body again. As she walked out of the corridor with a towel in her hand, she saw Zhou Runqing and the bodyguard Xiao Liu walking towards her.
She looked at the still unfamiliar man. His tall and upright figure shone through the corridor window. Even in the dim light of the setting sun, the strong outline outlined by his pine-green military uniform was hard to conceal. His deep gaze seemed to fall on her with a tangible presence.
She tried to appear calm, but inside she was still somewhat embarrassed and at a loss.
The two, who were clearly strangers, were now engaged. Suddenly, they felt a strange unease, unlike the composure they had felt the last time they met.
Lin Yuqiu felt a burning gaze on her cheek. Not daring to look up, she turned to look at Xiao Liu, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Comrade Xiao Liu, why are you so late?”
Xiao Liu paused for a moment, glanced at the regimental commander beside him with an inscrutable expression, and then replied with a smile: “It’s like this, Comrade Lin, a bed has become available at the sanatorium, and the regimental commander said he’ll take your mother there as soon as possible.”
As he spoke, Xiao Liu, with great tact, took the basin from Lin Yuqiu’s hand and said, “Comrade Lin, you go and complete the discharge procedures. I’ll wash this.”
As Lin Yuqiu watched Xiao Liu walk away, the presence of the figure behind her became increasingly obvious. She then prepared to go to the nurses’ station to complete the discharge procedures.
Suddenly, a deep, magnetic male voice came from behind, “Is your hand feeling better?”
Lin Yuqiu stared at the empty corridor ahead, momentarily stunned that this person was talking to her. She turned her head and nodded, pretending to have just heard him: “Hmm? Much better.”
The man glanced at her, took out a tube of ointment from his pocket, and said calmly, “Use this, it works very well.”
Lin Yuqiu was stunned for a moment, then took the ointment and glanced at it. It was an aluminum tube with a military code and the words “for military use only” printed on it.
This ointment is very effective. She once fell and scraped her leg, and her older brother used this ointment on her several times, and it didn’t leave a scar.
She put it in her pocket, and said softly and politely, “Thank you, Commander Zhou.”
After saying that, he quickly walked towards the nurses’ station.
The man raised an eyebrow slightly at the woman’s distant demeanor and followed behind her.
When they arrived at the nurses’ station, the nurse handling the paperwork glanced behind her with a gossipy look, and Lin Yuqiu also noticed that the man was standing to the side behind her.
Her back was tense, but she didn’t dare to turn around.
The nurse smiled and handed over the discharge papers: “Comrade Lin, please sign here.”
After Lin Yuqiu signed the form, the nurse handed her a bill: “This is the deposit slip and the bill. You can settle the payment at the inpatient billing office.”
Lin Yuqiu reached for it, but her other hand was faster. Her magnetic voice, though separated by distance, seemed to burn warmly against Lin Yuqiu’s ear.
“I’ll do it.”
Lin Yuqiu’s heart skipped a beat, and she awkwardly dodged away, unable to resist glancing back at the man behind her.
Zhou Runqing took the order, glanced at her indifferently, still as calm as ever, as if nothing had happened, and said casually, “Let’s go.”
Lin Yuqiu touched her burning earlobe and followed after them.
Upon arriving at the hospital’s cashier, the man presented his military officer ID and other documents, and there were still a few dollars left to pay out of pocket.
Seeing the man take money out of his pocket, Lin Yuqiu immediately took her own money out of her pocket and said firmly, “I’ll pay for it myself.”
The man looked at her delicate appearance, which concealed a cold and stubborn demeanor, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.
Back in the ward, Zhou Runqing asked Xiao Liu to fetch an iron wheelchair from the hospital.
Lin Yuqiu hurriedly helped her mother up, but she couldn’t lift her off the bed. Her posture was slightly awkward, and a few strands of hair were damp with sweat and stuck to her cheeks, making her face look even whiter and pinker.
Zhou Runqing walked over and gently patted her arm, signaling her to get up.
“I’ll do it.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuqiu stood up and watched as Zhou Runqing easily picked up his ailing mother and placed her in a wheelchair. Suddenly, her eyes welled up with tears.
No one knows how much she wished she had strong arms during those days and nights of caring for her mother.
Although her mother was unable to move, her eyes showed a questioning look when she saw Zhou Runqing, leaving Lin Yuqiu at a loss for words.
How can I tell my mother that this is the husband she has only met once and is about to marry?