The train clattered on for two days and a night before finally arriving at its destination—the military district where the Forward Base was located.
As soon as they got off, a military-green jeep was waiting at the platform.
The driver, a young guard named Xiao Zhang, saw Lu Huaizhou and immediately snapped to attention, giving a crisp military salute.“Regiment Commander!”
Then his gaze fell on Su Hongxia behind Lu Huaizhou, a flicker of curiosity and sympathy crossing his eyes.
It was clear that the news of the regiment commander marrying a country bumpkin “foolish wife” had already spread through the unit.
“Commander, get in. The political commissar sent me to pick you up.” Xiao Zhang eagerly opened the door, wanting to help with the luggage.
Lu Huaizhou waved him off and got into the front passenger seat on his own, leaning on his crutch.
Su Hongxia carried her treasured jar of lard and tattered bundle, nimbly climbing into the back seat, even lifting Lu Huaizhou’s heavy canvas bag with ease—so effortlessly that Xiao Zhang’s eyes twitched in surprise.
The jeep drove toward the military compound.
Inside, tall poplars lined the grounds, and rows of red-brick, tile-roofed bungalows were neatly arranged. Compared to the muddy roads of Su’s village and the chaos of the county town, everything here seemed orderly and solemn.
The jeep stopped in front of a bungalow with its own courtyard.
This was Lu Huaizhou’s assigned house—private and well-positioned within the compound—a pretty good arrangement.
As soon as they got out, the neighbors seemed to get the signal. Heads peeked out of doorways, some pretended to hang laundry or pick vegetables, but all eyes were on them.
“Look! Look! The regiment commander is back!”
“And the woman behind him—his new wife? She looks like a beggar.”
“I heard she’s a country fool. Look at her eyes—they’re so blank. Definitely not normal.”
“Oh, poor Commander Lu. A flower planted on dung… oh wait, even the flower’s wilted now. Tragic!”
The murmurs carried perfectly into Su Hongxia and Lu Huaizhou’s ears.
Lu Huaizhou’s expression turned icy again, the kind that kept everyone at a thousand-mile distance. His hand gripping the crutch turned white from force.
He didn’t care what others thought of him, but he hated his private matters becoming gossip.
Su Hongxia, however, seemed completely unaware of the malice in their words.
She curiously surveyed the new home.
The courtyard had a small patch of empty ground, maybe suitable for a tiny vegetable garden.
She even gave a big, goofy smile to a woman peeking in and whispering judgments.
The woman froze for a moment at the smile, then sneered and said to her neighbor,“See? She’s a fool. Even if you scold her, she’ll smile at you.”
“Alright, scram! Stop staring!” a sharp female voice cut through.
A woman about thirty walked out of the neighboring yard, slightly plump, wearing a blue cotton jacket. Her hair was permed into a messy nest, and her triangular eyes darted sharply, full of cunning and cruelty.
This was the compound’s notorious gossip—Wang Saozi.
She placed her hands on her hips, first shooing the curious neighbors away, then sauntered over, forcing a fake, overly friendly smile.“Oh my, Huaizhou’s back! And this must be the younger sister-in-law? She’s… quite pretty.”
As she spoke, she openly scrutinized Su Hongxia with undisguised disdain.
“Tired from the road? Come in and rest. From now on we’re neighbors. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything,” Wang Saozi said with exaggerated hospitality, eyes flicking constantly to their luggage.
When she saw Su Hongxia’s tattered bundle and the rustic clay jar, the sneer on her face deepened.
Lu Huaizhou didn’t bother pretending to be polite, just nodded coldly and used his key to open the door.
A thick, dusty smell hit them.
The house had long been uninhabited; dust lay thick on the floor and furniture.
Wang Saozi followed inside, pinching her nose, fanning the air, and saying loudly,“This place needs a real cleaning. Younger sister-in-law, can you handle it? Or shall I help you…”
Before she could finish, Su Hongxia had already set her things down and sprung into action.
She first grabbed a rag and tied up her hair neatly.
Then, from somewhere, she pulled out a broom and began sweeping.
Her movements were quick and efficient, nothing like a fool; the broom seemed alive in her hands, dust neatly gathered with none rising.
After sweeping, she fetched water, wrung out a cloth, and wiped tables, chairs, and windowsills. The speed and precision left Wang Saozi stunned.
This… this isn’t the work of a fool! She was even more capable than most ordinary wives.
Wang Saozi stood there for a while, bored, then found an excuse to leave.“Well… you handle things. I’m going back to cook.”
She twisted her waist and walked off, thinking that while this “fool” was competent, there would still be plenty of chances to laugh at her later.
Once Wang Saozi left, the house fell quiet.
Lu Huaizhou sat in a chair, silently observing Su Hongxia at work.
She had a strange, intense focus. When busy, her eyes were no longer vacant—they sparkled, as if cleaning brought her immense joy.
In under an hour, the formerly dusty room was spotless, clean, and refreshed.
Su Hongxia wiped sweat from her brow, satisfied with her handiwork.
In the national banquet kitchen, cleanliness was paramount—first and foremost.
She piled the swept-up trash in the corner, intending to dispose of it later.
While cleaning an old dusty wooden box, she discovered something underneath.
Curious, she picked it up—a small photo frame with silver edges.
She wiped away the dust with her sleeve, revealing a clear photo.
It was black and white, showing a young woman in a performing arts uniform.
Her hair was in two glossy braids, her features delicate, smile bright and confident, eyes sparkling like stars.
She stood beside a piano, radiating a unique aura Su Hongxia had never seen in this era—the presence of an artist.
This woman looked beautiful and talented.
Su Hongxia’s heart skipped a beat.
Holding the frame, she tilted her head and asked Lu Huaizhou innocently,“Brother, who is this… pretty lady?”
Lu Huaizhou, reading a book, looked up.
When his gaze fell on the photo, his expression became complex—nostalgia, melancholy, and a subtle irritation even he hadn’t noticed.
After a few seconds of silence, he took the frame from her hands and casually placed it on the table, his voice colder than before:“Someone irrelevant.”
He said no more, returning to his book as if it contained something supremely important.
But Su Hongxia perceptively noticed… he was holding the book upside down.