“Comrade Li Wanqing, take a break for a moment. I have something to tell you,” Cheng Baichuan said.
Li Wanqing showed no intention of stopping what she was doing.
“Just say it. I’m listening.”
Comrade Li Wanqing?
Shouldn’t she call him Comrade Cheng Baichuan too?
She had already heard her daughter’s little thoughts loud and clear.
The little one was still more partial to her mother and knew that money should be handed over to Mommy to manage.
Cheng Baichuan hadn’t brought it up before, so she hadn’t felt comfortable asking about it herself.
But this time, they had a lot of things to buy, and she was running short on coupons.
Cheng Baichuan patted the stool beside him.
“Sit down first. I’ll help you pack everything up later.”
Although he still couldn’t stand for very long, he was much better than when he had first returned.
Helping with some simple chores was still no problem.
Li Wanqing put down what she was holding and sat on the stool.
“Go ahead.”
Cheng Baichuan took a metal box from behind him and handed it to her, looking mysterious.
“Open it and take a look!”
Li Wanqing secretly laughed.
Did the soldiers under his command know their commander could be this childish?
She took the box and opened it.
Inside was some cash, a passbook, and several stacks of various coupons.
Although she had been mentally prepared, Li Wanqing was still stunned.
She didn’t open the passbook, but judging by the amount of cash alone, there seemed to be several hundred yuan.
The coupons were even more varied. There was practically everything.
Seeing Li Wanqing’s shocked expression, Cheng Baichuan inexplicably felt a little proud.
“The money and coupons in here were saved over the past few years. I had Xiao Wu exchange all the old coupons for ones with the latest dates.”
“As for this month’s allowance, I’ll take you to the logistics department to collect it. From now on, I’ll hand everything over to you.”
Li Wanqing paused.
“Everything?”
Cheng Baichuan nodded.
“You’re my wife. Of course I should give you the money and coupons.”
“You’re not sending any of it back home anymore?” Li Wanqing asked again.
He had previously been sending 101 yuan home every month.
Cheng Baichuan thought about it and answered calmly.
“Now that we’ve severed ties, there’s no need anymore.”
Li Wanqing was secretly delighted.
She agreed. There really was no need.
“Let me ask this carefully… How much is your monthly allowance?”
Cheng Baichuan smiled and explained.
“I’m currently still a battalion-level officer. My monthly allowance is 101 yuan. After my position is adjusted, it should increase to 141 yuan.”
“Besides the regular allowance, there are additional bonuses for special assignments, as well as prize money from various competitions.”
“Since I’ve just returned and haven’t officially rejoined my unit yet, I basically won’t have the latter two for now.”
Cheng Baichuan thought Li Wanqing would at least be happy after hearing this.
Unexpectedly, once he finished speaking, her expression became rather strange.
“How much of your allowance did you send home every month before?” Li Wanqing asked.
Cheng Baichuan didn’t quite understand why she was asking, but he answered honestly.
“Twenty yuan a month. But I won’t need to send anything back anymore.”
“Then do you know how much was sent home every month during the two years you were unconscious?” Li Wanqing asked again.
“Could it be that nothing was sent?”
Cheng Baichuan looked confused.
Was that why Li Wanqing and Nuo Nuo had been bullied at home?
But he had clearly made arrangements.
“Don’t worry about this yet. I’ll check with the logistics department later. Maybe I didn’t explain things clearly enough at the time.”
Li Wanqing looked at him speechlessly.
“No need. You explained it very clearly, so the logistics department sent your entire allowance to your parents.”
“Luckily, I brought some money back. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even have had enough for the trip to come find you.”
Cheng Baichuan: …
No wonder Li Wanqing had been looking at him with an expression that seemed to say she was taking pity on someone with a mental disability.
So he had been taking the blame for the logistics department?
Cheng Baichuan frowned slightly.
Thinking about it now, it really wasn’t the logistics department’s fault.
He remembered that the mission had been urgent at the time. He had simply told them, “Send my allowance home,” and rushed off.
He hadn’t told them how much to send!
Later, when he was injured and unconscious, there was naturally no one they could ask for clarification.
Cheng Baichuan’s hand resting on his leg slowly clenched into a fist.
They had taken so much of his money, yet they had nearly driven Li Wanqing and their daughter to their deaths!
“It won’t happen again. From now on, all my money will be for you and Nuo Nuo.”
Li Wanqing blinked at him.
What had gotten into him?
Still, as a man, having this kind of attitude made her think Cheng Baichuan was actually pretty decent.
“All right, then! If you really fall for someone else in the future, we’ll part on good terms for the sake of the money.”
“But let me make one thing clear first: Nuo Nuo is mine.”
Li Wanqing added this quickly.
She didn’t want Nuo Nuo to end up spending her life struggling under the control of a stepmother.
The corner of Cheng Baichuan’s mouth twitched.
What on earth was this woman thinking?
“There isn’t anyone I like. There’s only you and Nuo Nuo.”
“Not having someone now doesn’t mean you won’t have someone later,” Li Wanqing countered.
“……There isn’t anyone now, and there won’t be anyone later either!”
Cheng Baichuan raised his voice.
Li Wanqing stared at him in confusion and muttered under her breath,
“If there isn’t anyone, then there isn’t anyone. Why are you shouting?”
Fortunately, this was a private courtyard.
If they had been living in an apartment building, the entire building would probably have heard him!
Cheng Baichuan: …
Forget it.
She could think whatever she wanted.
Eventually, she would know that he had been telling the truth.
“Wow!”
Li Wanqing suddenly let out a cry.
“Cheng Baichuan, you’re so rich!”
There were actually more than 3,000 yuan in the passbook.
That was completely beyond her expectations.
Li Wanqing held the passbook and looked at him with sparkling, admiring eyes.
Only then did Cheng Baichuan feel a little comforted.
“It’s not that much. I don’t really have anything to spend money on in the army, so I just saved it all.”
“There used to be more, but in the past few years… I gave some of my allowances to the families of fallen comrades.”
At this point, a solemn sadness appeared on Cheng Baichuan’s face.
Once someone chose to become a soldier, they were prepared to sacrifice their lives at any time.
He was no exception.
But whenever he saw the faces of families who had lost a son or a husband, he couldn’t help thinking…
If only he could work a little harder, become a little stronger, perhaps he could protect more people—including the comrades fighting alongside him.
If he hadn’t returned two years ago, he couldn’t imagine what would have happened to Li Wanqing and Nuo Nuo.
Li Wanqing waved her hand in front of Cheng Baichuan’s face.
“I’m asking you something.”
Cheng Baichuan looked confused.
“What did you ask?”
“How much of your allowance do you give to the families of your fallen comrades every month?” Li Wanqing repeated.
This man had actually zoned out.
Cheng Baichuan’s eyes flickered.
He held up three fingers.
“At first, ten yuan a month. After I was promoted to battalion level, it became thirty yuan a month.”
Li Wanqing let out a breath.
“Keep doing that from now on. As for the exact arrangements, you can decide for yourself.”
Cheng Baichuan stared at her in a daze.
“You’re not angry? You even support it?”
“Why would I be angry?”
Li Wanqing’s expression was calm. She genuinely didn’t look angry.
“They sacrificed their lives protecting our country. They deserve our respect. They’re heroes.”
With that, she stood up and continued packing.
She left Cheng Baichuan sitting there in a daze.
Cheng Baichuan gently covered his chest.
His heartbeat thundered like a drum, leaving him at a loss.
He had heard words like these many times before, yet never had they shaken him as deeply as they did now.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me pack!” Li Wanqing called out.
……
Cheng Baichuan could only push his doubts aside and start packing with her.