Chapter 7 Then let's divorce Fatty.

Qiao Xingyue asked this casually because she was wondering why Comrade Xie changed the bed sheets and blankets in the middle of the night.

By the time she belatedly realized what was happening, the man in front of her was blushing even more intensely.

It actually looks especially cute!

How could Qiao Xingyue not know why?

There are only two reasons why a man washes his bedsheets in the middle of the night: either he wet the bed or he had a dream that soiled the blankets.

Clearly, it's the latter.

Knowing that Comrade Xie was shy, Qiao Xingyue didn't press the matter further. "Comrade Xie, I'm taking Ningning back to her room to sleep."

"Hmm." Xie Zhongming didn't blink, but his mind was in turmoil. He quickly strode downstairs.

...

Water room.

The tranquil night was completely shattered by the sound of rushing water.

Xie Zhongming buried himself in front of the tap, scooped up water, and poured it on his face again and again.

The cold water splashed against my face, but it couldn't extinguish the overwhelming sense of shame and guilt.

For five years, he had never had any romantic feelings for any woman, nor had he ever dreamed of being with a lesbian...

This dream I had today was absolutely absurd!

He splashed another handful of water on his face and then turned the tap on full blast.

"Zhongming?"

Jiang Beiyang, who had just returned from night training, was preparing to go home.

Jiang Beiyang's father was also a former leader of the Jincheng Military Region. The house allocated to the Jiang family in the family compound happened to be right next to the water room.

Their two-story house with a small courtyard originally included a water room and a kitchen, but Xie Zhongming was worried that washing bed sheets at home would disturb his parents and grandmother.

Besides, who washes bed sheets in the middle of the night?

I was caught red-handed by Comrade Qiao, and I don't know how to explain it. If my parents see me, I'll be even more embarrassed.

So he went to the communal water room.

In the middle of the night, Jiang Beiyang was attracted by the sound of rushing water. When he went closer, he found that his good friend was washing his bed sheets.

Despite the chilly spring night, Xie Zhongming was wearing a military green vest.

Two arms were exposed.

Under the dim light, he rubbed the bed sheet quickly and forcefully, his arm muscles and veins bulging.

Then I noticed that his forehead was covered in sweat, and the back of his ears was flushed.

As a man himself, and one who was over twenty and still unmarried, Jiang Beiyang understood everything.

Jiang Beiyang stepped forward and hooked his arm around Xie Zhongming's shoulder.

"Zhongming, why are you washing bed sheets in the middle of the night? Did you dream about some woman?"

"Let me think." Jiang Beiyang's hand was pushed away by Xie Zhongming, who then deliberately leaned closer and said, "Anyway, it's definitely not Fatty. Zhongming, tell me honestly, you weren't dreaming about the fair-skinned and beautiful Comrade Qiao, were you?"

Xie Zhongming's ears felt hot.

I simply can't calm down.

After so many years of living a life of simplicity and abstinence, this is the first time I've been so unable to control myself because of a female comrade.

He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. He was, after all, a married man. No matter how much he loathed Fatty, he shouldn't have any impure thoughts about Comrade Qiao because of their marriage.

His mind was in turmoil, but he gave Jiang Beiyang a cold look and said, "You want to lead the way in doing five hundred weighted clapping push-ups for morning exercises tomorrow?"

Oh my god!

Five hundred push-ups are out of the question.

And you want him to do a high-five while carrying a heavy load?

"Are you some kind of exploitative landlord? I just got back from night training the new recruits, and now you want me to lead the morning exercises?"

Jiang Beiyang and Xie Zhongming have been friends since childhood.

Although Xie Zhongming was the superior and Jiang Beiyang was the subordinate.

But Jiang Beiyang usually liked to joke with Xie Zhongming. He hooked his arm around Xie Zhongming's shoulder and said, "Tell me honestly, who did you dream about?"

Xie Zhongming gripped the enamel basin tightly, coldly raising his eyes, "Go back to sleep!"

...

The next morning, Xie Zhongming did not go for his morning exercise because his wound had not fully healed and was infected.

But he was used to waking up early, and as usual, he got up at 5:30. After washing up, he locked himself in his room and read a book for a while.

Hearing noises coming from Comrade Qiao's room across the street, probably because she was getting up to make breakfast, he gripped the book pages tightly with his fingers.

Only when the footsteps disappeared downstairs did his clenched fingers relax.

Xie Zhongming did not go downstairs for breakfast that day.

He didn't come downstairs until he heard Comrade Qiao say that he was taking the two kids to the military service center to buy vegetables and meat.

Huang Guilan looked at her son and saw that he was in good spirits and didn't seem sick. Why was he half an hour late coming downstairs today?

"Fourth brother, why are you so late coming downstairs?"

"I spent the whole morning writing a report."

Xie Zhongming sat across from his parents at the square table, picked up a potato-filled bun, took a big bite, and his back involuntarily straightened as he thought of the absurd dream he had last night. Fortunately, Comrade Qiao had taken the child out to buy groceries; otherwise, he wouldn't know how to face her.

After taking another bite of the bun, Xie Zhongming realized that the potato buns made by Comrade Qiao were stir-fried with lard, making them exceptionally fragrant—far more fragrant than any buns he had ever eaten at any state-run restaurant.

Comrade Qiao's skill in making steamed buns is truly exceptional.

...

Achoo!

Qiao Xingyue was walking in the courtyard, which was painted white and covered with slogans, when she suddenly sneezed several times in a row.

I wonder who's talking about her?

Aunt Lan trusted her a lot and gave her a month's living expenses, letting her arrange her own meals. This amounted to 120 yuan.

One hundred and twenty yuan, when divided equally, amounted to four yuan a day for living expenses, plus grain and meat coupons.

At that time, pork cost 80 cents a pound. Four yuan could buy five pounds of meat. Of course, she couldn't just buy meat. Anyway, she ate well, slept well, and had a good life at Commander Xie's house.

These past two days, Aunt Lan has continued to give her a lot of rice and meat. She's really afraid that if she keeps eating like this, she'll gain weight back to her previous 200-plus pounds.

...

At the Xie family home, Xie Zhongming was eating half a steamed bun and drinking porridge.

At this moment, Jiang Beiyang rushed in from outside the main room, holding a telegram sealed in an envelope.

Upon seeing Xie Zhongming, Commander Xie, and Aunt Lan having breakfast at the square table, he quickly strode over and handed the telegram in his hand to Xie Zhongming.

"Zhongming, an urgent telegram from Chadian Village. I wonder if something happened to Fatty."

Xie Zhongming took the telegram, opened it, and read it.

Huang Guilan, who was standing next to him, noticed his furrowed brows and asked with some concern, "Fourth brother, could it be that something has really happened to Fatty?"

Xie Zhongming remained silent.

He gripped the telegram tightly in his hand, his face grim and somber.

Xie Jiang took the telegram, glanced at it, and asked, "Why is that fat girl causing trouble in the village again?"

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into?" Huang Guilan wasn't angry at first, but after taking the telegram from Xie Jiang's hand and reading it carefully, even with her good temper, she couldn't help but feel so angry that her lungs ached.

"How did Fatty get into such big trouble this time? She stole eight hundred yuan from a fellow villager?"

The telegram was sent by the village head of Chadian Village, saying that Fatty had stolen eight hundred yuan from a fellow villager. That money was for the bride price, the purchase of a three-wheeled vehicle and a radio, and the cost of the wedding banquet.

If I can't pay back this money, I won't be able to get married.

The villagers also said that if Fatty couldn't pay back the money, they would send her to jail.

What's even more infuriating is that Fatty took the 800 yuan to the department store in the city and bought delicious food and pretty clothes, spending it all in just a few days.

Huang Guilan was so angry that her hands trembled. "How can this fat girl eat so much? She ate and spent all eight hundred yuan in just a few days. No wonder she's gained over two hundred pounds. Fourth brother, you married such a troublemaking wife. Are you going to be her cash cow for the rest of your life?"

Jiang Beiyang chimed in, "Zhongming, Aunt Lan is right. We can't give this money to Fatty anymore. Otherwise, she'll know she's caused trouble and you'll always be cleaning up her messes. She might cause even bigger trouble in the future, and you'll have to pay even more money in the future."

Jiang Beiyang added, "Zhongming, in my opinion, this time you should just decisively reject Fatty and then directly file for divorce with the military."

Xie Zhongming took the telegram from Huang Guilan's hand and held it tightly in his hand.

He collected many telegrams like these, demanding money or compensation from him.

Over the years, he has lost count of how much money he has lost in compensation to Fatty.

After careful consideration, he calmly said, "No, I have to go to Chadian Village this time. I must find out the truth about this matter. Even if we're going to get a divorce, I'll wait until I see Fatty and settle this matter first before submitting a divorce report to the organization."

After a long silence, Xie Jiang finally spoke up, "The fourth brother is right. Even if they want a divorce, they should go to Chadian Village to see Fatty. They can talk things out face to face."

As he spoke, Xie Jiang patted his son's shoulder, "Fourth son, make sure you handle things properly when you see Fatty. This kind of woman is really not suitable to be a military wife."

Others only know that his fourth son got married.

But nobody knows what kind of wife the fourth brother married.

When asked, Xie Jiang would stammer and give vague answers.

If his comrades found out that Fatty was a lazy, gluttonous, and petty thief, he would be utterly ashamed.

Even five years ago, when the old lady Chen Suying asked what kind of granddaughter-in-law Zhongming had found for her, Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan lied and said that the fourth son's wife was tall, beautiful, educated, and kind.

Xie Jiang added, "Fourth brother, if Fatty doesn't agree to the divorce this time, let her name her price. How much does she want? Our Xie family will compensate her."

Xie Jiang also felt sorry for his son.

She didn't want her fourth son's lifelong marital happiness to be ruined by Fatty.

After careful consideration, Xie Zhongming nodded and said, "Dad, I will handle this matter well."

Because of Fatty's situation, he lost all interest in eating breakfast.

After quickly packing my luggage, I went to the train station and bought a train ticket to Kunming for the afternoon.

Since it was still early, he went to the military general hospital again and specifically booked an appointment with a male urologist.

The doctor, wearing black-rimmed glasses, noticed the infection and clicked his tongue, saying, "It's gotten this badly infected, why are you only coming to the hospital now?"

Xie Zhongming didn't want to drag this out until now.

He went to the military region's medical department twice, but both times only female doctors were available.

Being seen naked by Comrade Qiao was already embarrassing enough; he didn't want a second female doctor to treat him, and he was even less willing to let Comrade Qiao deal with his infection.

He would rather stay infected like this.

That's why it's been delayed until today.

Fortunately, it wasn't too serious. The doctor removed the stitches and performed debridement and drainage. "Pay attention to hygiene and change the dressing promptly every day."

After leaving the military hospital, he went to the train station, arriving just in time.

He arrived in Kuncheng the next day, took a car to Shanquan Town, and then found an oxcart to take him to Chadian Village.

After several detours, we finally arrived at Fatty's thatched cottage.

Next to Fatty's thatched house was Aunt Liu's house.

Everyone in this village has the surname Liu.

When he went to Chadian Village on a mission, he stayed at Pangya's house.

That evening, I drank a bowl of sweet potato porridge cooked by Fatty's mom. Little did I know that Fatty's mom had laced that bowl of sweet potato porridge with veterinary drugs.

It wasn't until the fat girl straddled him at night and forced him to do *that* that he realized what was happening.

When Aunt Liu saw him, she recognized him at a glance. "Oh, is this Comrade Xie?"

Xie Zhongming was not wearing his military uniform today.

He wore a white shirt tucked into navy blue trousers.

His back was naturally straight.

Aunt Liu stood in front of him carrying pig feed. Her hunched body only reached his chest, so she had to look up at his handsome figure.

"Comrade Xie, are you on another mission in our Chadian Village?"

Upon seeing his elder, Xie Zhongming's stern expression softened with a gentle smile. "No, Aunt Liu, I've come back to see Pangya." Aunt Liu's smile turned to surprise. "Ah, Pangya? Wasn't Pangya dead? Comrade Xie, didn't you know?"

"Dead?"

It felt like being hit on the head with a club.

Although Xie Zhongming never liked Fatty.

But she was, after all, a living, breathing human being.

"Aunt Liu, you're not joking, are you?"

Aunt Liu said seriously, "How could I be joking? If you don't believe me, ask your mother-in-law. Right now, she's over there carrying manure. Go ask her."

Before he finished speaking, Xie Zhongming quickened his pace, leaped over a ridge, and nimbly arrived in front of Fatty's mother.

Fatty's mother is named Zeng Xiuzhu.

At first, Xie Zhongming didn't recognize her, but upon closer inspection, he realized that she was indeed Pang Ya's mother.

He hurriedly asked, "Mom, where's Fatty?"