Early the next morning, Jiang Yan retrieved the luggage she’d left on the train and climbed into a ride that Zhou Zhengguo had arranged for her.
Three days later, Jiang Yan arrived at the 0713 Military Unit.
A soldier was standing at the main gate, craning his neck and looking eagerly into the distance.
Zhou Zhengguo had told her someone would come to pick her up.
It was probably him. Jiang Yan walked over.
“Hello, I’m Jiang Yan. Are you here to pick me up?”
“You’re the sister-in-law? Regiment Commander Huo’s wife?” Zhao Erniu looked Jiang Yan up and down.
He’d imagined that his regiment commander would marry a heavenly beauty like Doctor Lin. Instead, she looked little different from the young wives back in his village.
To be honest, he felt that Regiment Commander Huo had gotten a raw deal.
In reality, Jiang Yan had delicate, refined features. It was just that she’d spent her days doing farm work in the countryside, leaving her skin dark and rough from the sun. It hadn’t recovered yet.
Lin Shujuan was stingy enough that she hadn’t even been willing to give Jiang Yan an old piece of clothing, so she was still wearing the same outfit she’d worn in the countryside.
It had been washed until the color faded, and there were several patches sewn onto it!
Jiang Yan was also carrying two enormous bundles. At first glance, she looked exactly like a rural working woman who had just arrived in the city.
It was hot, so Jiang Yan casually raised a hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Great. Now she looked even more like one!
Disappointment was written all over Zhao Erniu’s face.
Jiang Yan caught his expression and asked half-jokingly, “What? I don’t look like Regiment Commander Huo’s wife?”
“No, no,” Zhao Erniu hurriedly denied, changing the subject. “Ah, Sister-in-law, let me take you over to verify your identity first?”
Security checks at the military base were especially strict, particularly when it came to verifying the identities of outsiders.
Her documents had to be reported up through several levels for verification. It took quite a while before the guards finally let her through.
Zhao Erniu led Jiang Yan toward the family housing compound.
When Huo Zhanting had been assigned housing, he’d given up the apartment in the dormitory block for the sake of his fellow soldiers and instead chosen a small courtyard with rammed-earth houses.
As the two of them walked toward the courtyard, two women approached them from the opposite direction.
One was the wife of Battalion Commander Zhao, and the other was her niece from her maiden family.
“Xiaomei, although Regiment Commander Huo has two children to support, neither of them is his biological child. Once you marry him, give him two healthy sons and secure your position. Then find a way to drive those two burdens out. They’re not even his own flesh and blood, after all.”
Xiaomei was still somewhat hesitant. She didn’t particularly want to become a stepmother, but she couldn’t bear to give up the prestigious status of being a regiment commander’s wife.
After weighing it over in her heart for a while, Xiaomei finally said to Auntie Zhao, “Aunt, I’ll agree to this marriage, but you have to make it clear to Regiment Commander Huo that the bride price must be a thousand yuan plus the Three Rounds and One Sound. Not a single thing can be missing. And after we’re married, he has to hand his salary over to me.”
As for those two burdens… As long as they behaved, fine. But if they didn’t…
Hmph!
Auntie Zhao had never even considered that Huo Zhanting might refuse. Seeing her niece agree, her face lit up with delight.
“Of course! If he doesn’t offer enough in bride price, he can forget about marrying my Xiaomei!”
She spoke as though Huo Zhanting absolutely had to marry Zhao Xiaomei.
Jiang Yan happened to overhear their conversation as she and Zhao Erniu passed them. Her eyes shifted, and she walked over to ask Auntie Zhao,
“Auntie, are you two discussing Regiment Commander Huo Zhanting’s marriage?”
“Yes…” Auntie Zhao answered openly, as though she could already see her niece married to Huo Zhanting.
But before she could finish, Zhao Erniu’s booming voice cut her off.
“Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand! The regiment commander has always conducted himself properly. He’s never had any improper relationship with any woman!”
Although he felt Jiang Yan wasn’t worthy of his regiment commander, they were already married. He wouldn’t allow anyone to damage Regiment Commander Huo’s reputation.
As he spoke, Zhao Erniu pointed at Zhao Xiaomei for emphasis.
“The regiment commander has absolutely nothing to do with this person, either. He doesn’t even know her!”
Doesn’t know her?
Jiang Yan stared at the aunt and niece in shock.
“From the way you two were talking just now, I thought Regiment Commander Huo would be carrying the betrothal gifts to your house tomorrow to marry her.”
Auntie Zhao looked guilty for a split second, but quickly regained her confidence.
“Isn’t that only a matter of time? Our Xiaomei is such an outstanding girl. There’s no way Regiment Commander Huo would refuse this marriage.”
???
Jiang Yan blinked innocently, then said with complete sincerity,
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Jiang Yan, Huo Zhanting’s wife. We’ve already registered our marriage!”
What?!
Auntie Zhao’s eyes practically bulged out of their sockets.
Zhao Xiaomei looked utterly devastated.
“Regiment Commander Huo is married? Then what am I supposed to do?”
Her tone sounded exactly like that of a jilted ex-girlfriend who had just been abandoned by Huo Zhanting!
“Erniu, is this woman really Regiment Commander Huo’s wife?” Auntie Zhao asked after finally coming to her senses.
“Commissar Sun said so himself. So, Auntie Zhao, please stop arranging fiancées for our regiment commander out of thin air!”
A thousand yuan in bride price plus the Three Rounds and One Sound? Did your niece think she was some kind of celestial beauty?
Bah, bah, bah! Enough of that nonsense!
Zhao Erniu quickly shook the ridiculous thoughts out of his head and ingratiatingly explained to Jiang Yan,
“Sister-in-law, Regiment Commander Huo has gone on a mission, and you hadn’t arrived yet, so the political commissar hadn’t announced the regiment commander’s marriage. Nobody knew about it, which is why people started playing matchmaker. Please don’t misunderstand Regiment Commander Huo!”
Jiang Yan could see that now.
She nodded, indicating that she understood.
At this point, Auntie Zhao seemed to suddenly think of something. She grabbed her niece and hurriedly ran off.
……
It was just a minor episode, and neither Jiang Yan nor Zhao Erniu took it to heart.
Zhao Erniu led Jiang Yan to Huo Zhanting’s small courtyard, gave her the spare key, and left.
There was no one home. Jiang Yan placed her large bundles in the main room and began looking around the home where she would be living for quite some time.
She was fairly satisfied.
Although the rammed-earth house was old and shabby, both bedrooms were spacious. There was also a separate kitchen and a private bathroom.
The kitchen opened onto the backyard, which was quite large. There was even a small private plot of land. Whoever had been tending it had clearly put a lot of effort into it. At this time of year, it was filled with all kinds of seasonal vegetables.
Tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, yardlong beans…
Everything was growing beautifully, and it all looked incredibly appetizing.
Jiang Yan casually picked a large, ripe tomato and two cucumbers. Eating as she went, she continued exploring.
The house also had a front courtyard, which was equally spacious. There was even a peach tree growing in the corner on the left.
Someone had probably already picked all the fruit, because there were only leaves left on the tree.
What a shame.
She’d been looking forward to eating peaches!
A trace of disappointment appeared in Jiang Yan’s eyes, but then she remembered how much empty space there was in the courtyard, and her eyes lit up again.
With such a large yard, she could plant several other fruit trees and build a chicken coop.
Oh, and she could put a rabbit hutch in the corner, too.
Spicy rabbit heads were the best!
At the thought of spicy rabbit heads, Jiang Yan took a fierce bite of the cucumber in her hand.
She wanted some so badly.
By the time Jiang Yan finished inspecting the courtyard, she’d also finished the cucumber and tomato, so she headed into the kitchen to make lunch.
She’d eaten dry rations for three days straight, and she was practically sick of them. Right now, all she wanted was a hot, proper meal.
But when she opened the kitchen cabinets, Jiang Yan discovered that there was absolutely nothing inside.
The stove had been cleaned spotless, and the large iron wok had been polished until it gleamed. It was obvious that it was used regularly.
The courtyard was so full of signs of daily life. How could the cabinets possibly be completely empty?
Forget it. Whatever.
Jiang Yan closed the cabinet, went to her large bundle, took out some flour and seasonings, and decided to make hand-pulled noodles.
Jiang Yan had no idea what the situation around Huo Zhanting was like. Worried that she might not have enough to eat, she’d bought a huge amount of food at the black market before leaving.
Not just dry rations, either. She’d also bought rice, seasonings, cooking oil, and all sorts of other things.
Looking back, it had definitely been wise to prepare for a rainy day!
Jiang Yan took enough flour for ten people and made a huge basin of tomato hand-pulled noodles.
The springy, chewy noodles were soaked in rich tomato broth.
Tomatoes were sweet and tangy this time of year, bursting with juice. Once simmered, they made a thick, savory broth that looked incredibly appetizing.
Jiang Yan loved spicy food, so she added a spoonful of chili sauce and sprinkled some chopped green onions on top.
Fresh, fragrant, spicy and numbing…
Jiang Yan couldn’t even be bothered to get a bowl. She simply lifted the basin and slurped the noodles straight from it.
But just as she began eating, two little radish heads suddenly came charging through the door—