After dealing with the human traffickers, Xu Xi was about to return to her seat to rest when the young woman called out to her.
“Comrade, thank you.”
Xu Xi curved her lips into a smile. “You’re welcome.”
Seeing that Xu Xi was warm-hearted and easy to talk to, Wang Liya couldn’t help but move a little closer. “My name is Wang Liya, and I’m going to the Pingsha Island Fishing Brigade. Comrade, are you an educated youth from some village?”
As she spoke, Wang Liya’s gaze drifted downward and she noticed Xu Xi’s slightly rounded belly.
A bit embarrassed, she said, “Sorry, I didn’t know you were pregnant.”
Married comrades didn’t need to go to the countryside as educated youth.
Xu Xi: “It’s fine. I’m also going to Pingsha Island. I’m going to find my husband.”
What a coincidence! Wang Liya was delighted.
But seeing how tired Xu Xi looked, she didn’t want to disturb her further and quietly returned to her own seat.
After two days and one night on the train, Xu Xi finally arrived in Pingsha County.
As she was getting off the train, a young train conductor specially came to find Xu Xi.
“Comrade, thank you for promptly discovering and stopping a malicious kidnapping attempt on the spot. We found knockout drugs and drugged flatbreads in their bags.”
“On behalf of the train conductor team, I extend our gratitude and commendation to you! This is the certificate of honor we are awarding you…”
Xu Xi took the certificate of honor, her eyes flickering with emotion.
She hadn’t expected that simply exposing human traffickers would earn her a certificate of honor. A faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips. “It was my duty.”
The conductor was momentarily dazzled by Xu Xi’s smile—this young woman looked truly lovely when she smiled.
His gaze then fell on Xu Xi’s belly, wondering which man was so lucky to marry such a clever and spirited girl.
After leaving the train station, Xu Xi ate a flatbread by the roadside before heading to the dock to catch a boat.
Fortunately, she had the Spirit Spring Water; otherwise, an ordinary pregnant woman really wouldn’t be able to endure such hardship.
Xu Xi looked down at her rounded belly. Only the strong were worthy of being her child.
After another hour on the boat, she finally arrived at Pingsha Island.
Worried that the dock might be too crowded and someone might accidentally bump into her belly, Xu Xi waited until most people had disembarked before picking up her luggage and getting off the boat.
A wave of air mixed with the smell of the sea and dampness washed over her. Xu Xi had lived by the sea for a while before, so she could adapt fairly well to the island environment.
The island was indeed quite large. The shore was filled with people coming to pick up arrivals, but Xu Xi was the only one who stepped off the boat alone.
She randomly found an older woman by the roadside and asked for directions to the island military camp.
The woman gave her a suspicious look but still pointed her in the right direction.
After thanking the woman, Xu Xi picked up her luggage and headed toward the camp. Along the way, she noticed that the island had quite comprehensive public facilities—there were schools, a hospital, and a supply and marketing cooperative.
It was completely different from the remote, harsh island environment she had imagined.
By the time she reached the camp entrance, quite a bit of sand had gotten into Xu Xi’s shoes. Frowning slightly, she suppressed her discomfort and approached the soldier standing guard at the gate.
“Hello, comrade. I’m looking for Battalion Commander Zhou Yue of the First Battalion. I’m his wife.”
The guard gave Xu Xi a surprised look.
“Hello, may I see your identification?”
Xu Xi handed him her letter of introduction, confirming the address and name on it.
The guard had heard a few months ago that their battalion commander had married a wife from the countryside. This woman’s information matched that of the battalion commander’s wife.
His resolute face broke into a polite smile. “Sister-in-law, please wait a moment. I’ll go get the battalion commander right away!”
At that moment, on the training ground.
Zhou Yue, dressed in military green training fatigues, stood at the front of the formation. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, his voice deep and resonant.
“Move faster! Show some spirit! You all look like a bunch of invalids.”
The new recruits were miserable. Who would have thought they’d encounter such a strict leader like Zhou Yue right after joining the army?
Just then, a sentry jogged up to Zhou Yue and saluted him.
“Battalion Commander, your wife is here. She’s at the camp gate right now and wants you to go out to meet her.”
Zhou Yue thought he must have misheard. “My wife is here?”
Wasn’t his wife Xu Xi? But this was an island. How could she suddenly appear here?
Shouldn’t she be back in the village?
Zhou Yue double-checked with the sentry. “You’re sure you’re not mistaken?”
The sentry scratched his head. “I checked the female comrade’s introduction letter, verified her address and name. It also stated she was here for a family visit. It should be Sister-in-law.”
As soon as the words “Sister-in-law” left his mouth, the sentry felt as if the battalion commander had shot him a cold glance.
He lowered his head, not daring to speak further.
Zhou Yue frowned deeply. He couldn’t understand why Xu Xi would run off to the island to find him without a word, without even a letter or telegram.
Although he didn’t like her, now that she was here on the island, he couldn’t just leave her stranded at the gate.
Zhou Yue instructed his orderly, “Zhao Heping, keep an eye on their training for me. I need to go meet someone.”
Zhao Heping: “Yes, sir!”
After Zhou Yue left, the soldiers began whispering among themselves.
“Did I hear that right just now? The battalion commander’s country wife is here? I heard the battalion commander was drugged by that village girl, and they were forced to marry after the deed was done.”
“No wonder the battalion commander suddenly had a wife. So he was drugged! That village girl is downright wicked!”
“The second company commander is from the same village. He said that girl is dark-skinned and ugly, with a fierce temper to boot. No one in the village dared to marry her! Poor our battalion commander.”
Zhao Heping barked, “Stop gossiping and focus on training! Otherwise, when the battalion commander returns, you’ll be in for it!”
Remembering Zhou Yue’s hellish punishments, everyone instantly fell silent and obediently resumed training.
Meanwhile, the unfortunate subject of their discussion, Zhou Yue, was already nearing the camp gate.
The thought of having to interact with that malicious woman, Xu Xi, again made his brow furrow and his fists clench involuntarily.
It was already afternoon, and there were no boats at the dock for her to leave.
Tonight, he could get her a room at the guesthouse. First thing tomorrow morning, he’d take her by boat off the island and buy her a train ticket back.
He absolutely would not let her stay on the island with him for even one extra day.
Having made up his mind, Zhou Yue walked up to the camp gate.
“Battalion Commander Zhou!” The sentry saluted Zhou Yue before opening the gate to let him pass.
Zhou Yue strode out purposefully. His steps suddenly halted when he saw the graceful figure standing under the parasol tree not far away.
His dark eyes flickered with disbelief.
Was this female comrade before him—with porcelain-white skin, clear bright eyes, rosy lips, two playful braids, and dressed in exceptionally eye-catching attire—really Xu Xi?
This couldn’t be right.
They had only been apart for a little over three months. How could Xu Xi have changed so much?
Xu Xi was frowning as she lowered her head, trying to shake the sand out of her cloth shoes, when she suddenly felt an intense gaze fixed on her.
She instinctively looked up and immediately spotted Zhou Yue standing not far away, his figure tall and upright.
Her eyes curved into two crescents as she called out to him in a voice dripping with sweetness, “Hey, Zhou Yue.”