The boat, carrying over thirty people, was pushed through the water by He Zheng and two other rescuers. The gully was deep and flooded, but as they reached higher ground, the water receded. The passengers disembarked one by one, guided by the rescue team waiting on the road.
Six heavy-duty transport trucks were parked along the roadside, several already departing.
One of the remaining trucks was already crowded. He Zheng scooped Jiang Ning up in his arms and lifted her onto the vehicle. He then leaped up after her, positioning himself to shield her from the pressing crowd as she sat in the corner.
Jiang Ning stole a glance at He Zheng, who sat beside her.
His clothes had been soaked since the previous night. Fresh from the water, the wet fabric clung to his body, outlining the powerful muscles of his arms and torso.
He crouched with one hand gripping the truck’s side. The veins on the back of his hand traced a path up his arm, a visual testament to his immense strength.
He Zheng really is the author’s favorite male lead, Jiang Ning thought.
From his face and physique to his character and temperament, he was perfect.
This was a military novel centered on a single male lead with no female counterpart, yet that hadn’t stopped readers from shipping couples in the comments section.
Jiang Ning was so lost in thought that she didn’t realize she was staring. He Zheng shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. He cleared his throat, snapping her back to reality.
Caught red-handed, she thought.
Quickly recovering, she looked past him toward the rear of the truck. “I wasn’t staring at you,” she said, her voice soft and tinged with sorrow. “Your clothes… they just reminded me of Zhou Du.”
He Zheng’s breath hitched. He looked at Jiang Ning, her expression desolate as she stared into the distance, and found himself at a loss for words.
“Sister-in-law,” he said after a long silence, his voice heavy. “I’m sorry.”
Jiang Ning shook her head gently. “It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you.”
Her forgiveness only deepened his guilt.
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the journey. The summer heat was stifling, and the truck was packed, making the ride oppressive and cramped.
An hour later, they arrived at the city’s railway station. He Zheng jumped down first, then reached up and hooked his arms under Jiang Ning’s armpits, lifting her effortlessly from the truck.
He went to the post office to call the military district regimental headquarters, then took Jiang Ning to a state-owned restaurant for a meal. By the time they finished, they were just in time to board their 8:40 PM train.
The skies were completely clear this time, with no sign of another downpour.
The journey passed without further incident. At six the next morning, the train finally pulled into Xinyang City.
As Jiang Ning and He Zheng disembarked, a man in military uniform approached them. He was a burly man in his forties with a square jaw and a friendly smile.
“You must be Zhou Du’s wife,” he said. “I’m Fang Haiguo, commander of the 16th Regiment, 24th Brigade. Battalion Commander Zhou and Deputy Commander He both serve under my command.”
Fang Haiguo had trained both Zhou Du and He Zheng personally, and they were two of his most trusted soldiers. He Zheng’s promotion to deputy regiment commander at such a young age was a testament to his immense potential.
If only Zhou Du hadn’t been killed, Fang thought. He would have been right there with He Zheng.
But Zhou Du had fallen for his country, a hero’s death that earned him the highest honors.
Fang Haiguo’s heart ached as he looked at Jiang Ning, her frame so thin and her belly so round. The organization was always attentive to the families of fallen soldiers, and they knew Zhou Du’s situation all too well. He had no parents and no dependable relatives, leaving his pregnant wife completely alone.
The military had approved He Zheng’s request to bring her to the family compound for care. They had even reserved a job for her when she arrived, ensuring a stable future for both her and her child.
A military jeep waited outside the station, driven by a designated driver from the military district who had accompanied Commander Fang to pick up He Zheng and Jiang Ning.
The four of them ate breakfast at a state-owned restaurant before continuing to the military district .
Throughout the drive, Commander Fang and the driver kept up a steady conversation, with He Zheng chiming in occasionally.
Jiang Ning found herself steadily observing the commander. In the original novel, he’d been given considerable page time. He was a coarse, hot-tempered man, yet deeply attentive. He’d taken special care of He Zheng, and he and his wife had often invited He Zheng and Zhou Du to their home for meals, treating them with genuine kindness.
Tragically, less than two years later, his wife and twin sons had perished in a fatal bridge collapse caused by a stampede. After that, Commander Fang had aged a decade in an instant, becoming a shadow of his former self—silent and withdrawn.
Yet on this trip, he spoke freely with Jiang Ning. He assured her the organization wouldn’t abandon a martyr’s family and had even reserved an official job position for her.
This was wonderful news, Jiang Ning thought.
In this era, without connections or a city residence permit, finding a job was nearly impossible. Zhou Du’s pension and her two hundred yuan would eventually run dry. Even with He Zheng supporting her, she’d have to ask him for money every day. Over time, she wouldn’t have the heart to keep doing that, even if he were happy to provide.
But a job would solve that problem perfectly.
The military district was located far from the city center in a remote area. The drive from Xinyang City had taken at least two or three hours.
As the car approached, Jiang Ning watched the rows of trees blur past the window. When they pulled up to the entrance of the family compound, she saw a stream of soldiers in uniform passing by.
The soldiers stopped to greet Commander Fang and He Zheng. Their gazes all fell on Jiang Ning.
“Who’s the woman next to Deputy Commander He?” one of them asked.
Another soldier, his skin tanned dark, wiped the sweat from his forehead, revealing a bright white smile. “I remember Deputy Commander He’s grandmother saying he was going to Minyue City to pick up Battalion Commander Zhou’s wife. This must be her.”
At the mention of Battalion Commander Zhou, the soldiers fell silent.
Commander Fang pulled He Zheng aside and spoke in a low voice. “Take Zhou Du’s wife back first. I need to head to the regiment. Come to my office this afternoon to collect Zhou Du’s pension and his last five months’ salary. You can then give them to his wife.”
He Zheng nodded.
As Jiang Ning was taking in the military district and the family compound, He Zheng’s voice broke her reverie. “Sister-in-law, let’s go.”
She snapped back to attention and followed him.
They passed through the compound’s large iron gate, where a sentry stood guard. After walking a short distance, they encountered two military wives coming from the opposite direction. Though their clothes were plain, they lacked the patches common in the countryside. Seeing He Zheng, the women stopped to greet him.
The woman in the lead smiled. “Deputy Commander He, have you just returned?”
“Yes,” he replied.
The woman’s gaze drifted to the one standing beside him. She was slender, her belly rounded with pregnancy, her long, raven-black hair braided and draped over her shoulder. Her exposed skin was pale and luminous. Her face, with its curved brows and almond-shaped eyes, was strikingly beautiful—so beautiful that she would outshine every other military wife in the compound.
The woman formed a guess in her mind. “Is this Battalion Commander Zhou’s wife?” she asked.
She knew Deputy Commander He had gone specifically to collect Battalion Commander Zhou’s wife.
He Zheng nodded. “Yes.”
He introduced the women to Jiang Ning. “Sister-in-law, this is Commander Fang’s wife, Auntie Huang.” He gestured to the other woman. “And this is Auntie Zhu.”
“Auntie Huang, Auntie Zhu,” Jiang Ning said softly.
Huang Yuefang marveled silently. Not only was the woman beautiful, but her voice was lovely too. Before Battalion Commander Zhou had left for his mission, he’d come over for a meal and praised his wife to the heavens, describing her as the most beautiful woman in the world. Seeing her now, she realized he hadn’t been exaggerating.
What a pity, Huang Yuefang thought. Battalion Commander Zhou died so young. Now this beautiful young wife has been left a widow.
Huang Yuefang chatted amiably with Jiang Ning for a moment before turning back to He Zheng. “Deputy Commander He, you’d better get going. Your grandmother has been waiting for you at home.”
He Zheng nodded and led Jiang Ning away.
As she turned to leave, Jiang Ning noticed the woman named Zhu staring at her with a strange expression.
She looked as if she were staring at an enemy.
She’d never even met her before. Where did this inexplicable hatred come from?
Only after they were well out of earshot did Huang Yuefang sigh. “Poor child in her belly. To lose its father before it’s even born.”
Zhu Rong glanced at Jiang Ning’s receding figure and snorted. “Poor? With a face like a vixen, she’ll have men lining up to be that child’s father. Just you wait, Sister Huang. A woman like that is nothing but trouble.”
Huang Yuefang’s expression soured. No matter what, Battalion Commander Zhou’s widow was still part of their 16th Regiment family compound. How could Zhu Rong badmouth her like this? Besides, the poor woman hadn’t even done anything to her. Why was Zhu Rong acting like she’d swallowed gunpowder?
Suddenly, Huang Yuefang lost all interest in going to the supply and marketing cooperative. “I forgot something,” she snapped. “I’m not going. You go by yourself.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
Zhu Rong stared after her. Fine! Who’s begging her to go?
She just couldn’t stand the sight of Battalion Commander Zhou’s widow, and she was going to say it!
Zhu Rong and her husband had been pulling strings for days, bribing officials and trading favors to get their daughter a job at the family compound’s supply and marketing cooperative. It was a coveted position; insiders got first dibs on any rare goods before they even hit the shelves, by which time they were already sold out.
After spending a small fortune to finally make some progress, they discovered the spot had been given to Battalion Commander Zhou’s widow.
All that money, gone!
Of course she was furious—and she absolutely loathed the widow for it. Her husband is dead. What is she even doing here in the military district ?
The family compound consisted of rows of connected houses, each with its own small yard. It was just before the noon meal, and small groups of military wives had gathered along the road. A crowd of children played under the trees nearby. Several women, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, watched He Zheng and Jiang Ning with undisguised curiosity.
He Zheng’s home was the fifth house in the second row.
He stopped at the gate and turned to Jiang Ning. “Sister-in-law, we’re here.”