“Mom, I hate Dad.” Zhou Wantang watched Du Nianchu run off, her back full of excitement as she hurried to answer the phone, and said through tears.
She had never met her father.
Back in the village, other children had mocked her for it countless times.
When Mom brought her and Older Brother here to find their father, she’d imagined what he would be like. Like Lan Hua’s dad, he’d lift her high into the air and let her sit on his shoulders so she could see far away.
But she had never imagined this.
Her father was so good to Du Nianchu, whom she hated.
Su Qing froze. She hadn’t realized Zhou Wantang had been so eager to meet Zhou Huaijin.
It felt as if a fine needle had pricked her heart.
Not for herself, but for Zhou Wantang and Yunzhou.
Having an irresponsible father could hurt children in ways that would affect them for the rest of their lives!
Su Qing crouched down and picked Tangtang up.
She kissed her little cheek. “Tangtang, Mom loves you.”
Neither in her previous life nor in this one had she had a good family to grow up in.
She knew all too well the damage a bad family environment could do to a child.
She was distant with people, not because she didn’t want to be warm, but because she didn’t know how. She didn’t know how to love someone.
She had always done everything she could to love Tangtang and Yunzhou.
“Older Brother loves you too,” Zhou Yunzhou said at once.
Zhou Wantang wrapped her chubby arms around her mother’s neck. Her eyes reddened as she nodded. “Mm. I love you both too. We don’t need Dad.”
Su Qing pressed her cheek to her daughter’s, then lowered her head to look at Zhou Yunzhou, walking beside her.
Sometimes, this boy was so understanding it made her heart ache.
“I didn’t get enough of yesterday’s sweet-and-sour ribs. Will you two come have some more with Mom?”
Both children nodded at once.
At the mention of sweet-and-sour ribs, Tangtang’s eyes lit up. Su Qing let out a breath of relief and took the children to the state-run restaurant.
…
Meanwhile, at the switchboard office.
Han Mei waited with Du Nianchu for a while before the phone rang.
She picked it up immediately.
“Mei?”
Zhou Huaijin’s voice came through the receiver, low and magnetic.
“Brother Huaijin, it’s me,” Han Mei said quickly.
“What happened? Did Su Qing bully you and Nianchu?” Zhou Huaijin’s brows drew tightly together.
That woman never knew how to behave. She’d only just arrived at the military family compound, and already she was picking on Han Mei and Nianchu. It was completely out of line.
Zhou Huaijin heard what sounded like Han Mei choking back a sob on the other end of the line.
Then she said, “Brother Huaijin, I’m fine. Comrade Su Qing just arrived at the compound, so she may not be used to the way things are done here and has misunderstood me a little.”
“I don’t mind, but Nianchu…”
“Mom, I want to talk to Dad Zhou.”
When Zhou Huaijin heard Du Nianchu’s voice, his stern expression softened.
Du Nianchu grabbed the receiver and cried, “Dad Zhou, when are you coming back? Nianchu misses you so much.”
“Be good,” Zhou Huaijin soothed her gently. “I’ll come back when I’m done with work. I’ll bring you a present then.”
“Dad Zhou, hurry back. Mom and I are being bullied terribly by Su Qing, and Lu Wan too…”
Han Mei clapped a hand over her daughter’s mouth and took the receiver, addressing Zhou Huaijin. “Brother Huaijin, focus on your work. Don’t listen to Nianchu; children can be a little dramatic.”
“Comrade Su Qing is a good person. She’s just misunderstood me a little. I’ll find a chance to clear things up with her.”
Du Nianchu shouted, “Mom, why won’t you let me tell Dad Zhou that that woman Su Qing slapped me?”
“What?” Zhou Huaijin demanded furiously. “Su Qing slapped Nianchu?”
He’d thought the most Su Qing would do was give Nianchu a smack on the bottom. He hadn’t imagined she’d hit her in the face.
How could an adult pick a fight with a child?
Su Qing was so fat; she must have hit hard. Nianchu was so little—could she even take it?
Han Mei spoke gently. “Brother Huaijin, focus on your work. Don’t let this distract you. I’ll comfort Nianchu. She’ll be fine. As for Comrade Su Qing… I’ll keep my distance from her so she won’t get another chance to hit Nianchu.”
Before Zhou Huaijin could answer, Han Mei looked down at Du Nianchu.
“Nianchu, Dad Zhou’s work is dangerous. He can’t afford distractions. You mustn’t make him worry about little things like this, understand?”
The receiver did little to muffle sound, and every word reached Zhou Huaijin.
“Mei, how can this be a little thing?” Zhou Huaijin’s brows knitted so tightly they could have crushed a fly. “Don’t worry. I’ll see that Nianchu gets justice. Keep away from that woman from now on.”
“I understand, Brother Huaijin.”
After hanging up, Han Mei’s lips curved into a smile.
“Mom, why wouldn’t you let me tell Dad Zhou that Zhou Wantang hit me?” Du Nianchu looked up at her, aggrieved.
Ever since she was little, both the Du family and the Han family had doted on her.
And with Dad Zhou spoiling her too, no one at the military family compound had ever dared bully her.
This was the first time someone had hit her—and they’d hit her twice.
Han Mei crouched down and put an arm around her daughter, gently brushing the tip of her nose.
“Your Dad Zhou doesn’t know yet that that bitch gave him two children. Don’t mention it in front of him. That way, he’ll keep loving you.”
She had no idea how long it would take Zhou Huaijin to come back.
She would keep this secret for as long as she could.
Du Nianchu nodded firmly.
…
After lunch at the state-run restaurant, Su Qing took the children home for a nap. Once she’d sent them to school, she went to see Zheng Chongan.
Zheng Chongan was just about to head to the army.
With Commander Zhou away, he was in charge of the training.
When he saw Su Qing, he immediately asked, “Sister-in-law, what brings you here?”
“I need to ask you something.” Su Qing nodded. “How can I get in touch with Zhou Huaijin?”
Zheng Chongan looked troubled.
“Sister-in-law, Commander Zhou is on a mission. He can’t contact anyone.”
Su Qing fell silent.
If she hadn’t just heard the switchboard operator tell Han Mei to take Zhou Huaijin’s call, she might actually have believed him.
It wasn’t that Zhou Huaijin couldn’t contact people. He just didn’t want to contact her.
His white moonlight, the woman in his heart, was naturally different from everyone else.
She felt no confusion, no resentment, and no sadness.
She and Zhou Huaijin had never had any feelings for each other anyway. She’d come to find him so they could divorce.
“Fine. I understand.” Su Qing didn’t make things difficult for Zheng Chongan. She nodded to him and went back.
Zhang Cuihua, who had heard the two of them talking inside, came out and looked at her husband in confusion.
“You just said you got a call from Commander Zhou this morning. So how come Sister-in-law can’t get hold of him?”
Zheng Chongan glanced at Zhang Cuihua. “Commander Zhou took this mission just to avoid Sister-in-law!”
“Because of Doctor Han?” Zhang Cuihua asked.
Zheng Chongan nodded.
Everyone in the military family compound knew that Commander Zhou and Doctor Han had an unusual relationship.
He even treated Doctor Han’s daughter as if she were his own.
Zhang Cuihua pursed her lips. “Commander Zhou may be good at his job, but he sure has bad taste. Sister-in-law is such a wonderful person, and yet he likes Doctor Han instead of her.”
Men are all pigs.
“Don’t ever say that again,” Zheng Chongan warned Zhang Cuihua. “Loose lips can get you into trouble. Don’t say anything careless in front of Sister-in-law.”
“I know.” Zhang Cuihua nodded. “I’m not someone who doesn’t know when to keep quiet.”
Through the wall, Su Qing was turning over the soil with a hoe, planning to plant some flowers, when she heard Zheng Chongan and his wife talking.