Chapter 25

"Hey, you two haven't finished shopping yet. Are you planning to move the department store back? I've never seen anyone buy things like you do, wanting to spend all the money at once."

Zhang Xiangqian was getting impatient waiting, and while pushing his bicycle, he couldn't help but urge Xu Zhao: "Hurry up, we still have to go to the meat processing factory to buy meat. If you're late, there won't be any meat left."

He knew an employee of the meat processing plant. Every time he came to the county, he would go to the meat processing plant to buy a few pounds of meat. The meat at home was all eaten, and the children were craving for meat, so he had to buy some meat to take home and appease the children.

Fortunately, the car Zhang Xiangqian was driving had a large space, so he filled the car with his things, even the back seat.

Zhang Xiangqian couldn't stop talking. He complained while driving: "Comrade Xu Zhao, I'm here to do hard labor for you today. It's ok to pick up people, but I also have to help run errands and carry things. That breakfast was too cheap for you. I don't care. I want to treat you again. I don't count the cafeteria. I want to eat at your house."

Xu Zhao did not comment. He and Jiang Huihan were newlyweds, and it was normal procedure to invite relatives and friends to a meal. When there were new family members coming to the army, they would also invite people to dinner. However, this matter would have to be asked by Jiang Huihan. He didn't mind cooking, but his cooking skills were average.

Zhang Xiangqian was not lying. The road was indeed very winding and bumpy. It felt like my stomach would jump out in the next second.

Fortunately, she had taken motion sickness medicine in advance, and the medicine took effect. Jiang Suihan closed her eyes and tried hard to hold back the feeling of nausea, afraid that she would vomit as soon as she opened her mouth.

After going around in circles for more than two hours, we finally arrived.

They got off the bus and registered first. Jiang Suihan and Jiang Leyun’s household registration had not been transferred to the base yet, so they got temporary access cards first.

"Captain Xu, Captain Zhang!" Wang Dahe saw the two men and quickly ran over to greet them.

"It's just right. Your battalion commander's family is here. Come and meet them." Without waiting for Xu Zhao to speak, Zhang Xiangqian took the lead in introducing Jiang Suihan and her brother to Wang Dahe.

Wang Dahe couldn't help but open his mouth and scratched the back of his head: "Hello, sister-in-law!"

Oh my God! Captain Xu is married!

This is such explosive news, I have to go back quickly and tell everyone the good news.

Jiang Suihan smiled and said, "Hello, Comrade Wang Dahe, nice to meet you!"

Wang Dahe couldn't help blushing, feeling a little embarrassed to look at Jiang Huihan, and stammered, "Hello, sister-in-law!"

My sister-in-law is so beautiful and speaks so gently.

Captain Xu is so lucky to have married such a good wife. I hope he can marry one day. He will be satisfied if he can be half as good as his sister-in-law.

I don’t know if my sister-in-law has a younger sister. I’ll find a chance to ask her one day. Maybe he will be as lucky as Captain Xu.

Zhang Xiangqian looked at Wang Dahe and said, "What are you doing here? Are you waiting for us?"

Wang Dahe scratched the back of his head and said, "A fellow villager sent me some things, but the army wouldn't let me take them. I'm going to take them back to him now."

Xu Zhao asked Wang Dahe, "Did everything go well in the camp during my absence?"

Wang Dahe immediately straightened his face and said, "Everything is normal in the camp. We are all looking forward to your early return, Battalion Commander."

Zhang Xiangqian immediately interrupted: "You are lying with your eyes open. Don't think I don't know what you bastards are thinking about all day. Are you looking forward to Xu Zhao's return? I'm afraid you are just saying it the other way around. Do you hope Xu Zhao will come back to torture you?"

Wang Dahe blushed and stammered, "Captain Zhang, you think too much. We don't think so."

Xu Zhao has always been strict in the army. He is not only strict with himself, but also with the soldiers under him, which makes everyone frightened and afraid of him.

Xu Zhao was calm and composed, and waved his hand: "Okay, you go back first."

Wang Dahe saluted, turned around and ran away, wishing he had wings and couldn't wait to share the first-hand information with other brothers in the camp.

Zhang Xiangqian helped to move the things down: "I won't go in, go return the car first, remember to owe me a meal."

Xu Zhao was single before and lived in a military dormitory. On the day after receiving the certificate, he called the political commissar, hoping that the leader would arrange housing for him as soon as possible and he would come back to submit a formal written application.

Political Commissar Zhou cursed Xu Zhao on the phone, calling him a bastard. He was not in the army, but he still took on a lot of trouble for him. The Jiang family's background was a bit problematic, and it could be fooled by turning a blind eye, but he was afraid that someone would take it seriously, so the political commissar suggested waiting until Xu Zhao returned to the army before discussing the matter of him joining the army.

Xu Zhao said that time was tight and he couldn't wait any longer. Later, the matter was solved by Xu Zhao's comrade-in-arms at the Mingjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau. The comrade-in-arms took some effort to find out about the Jiang family's past. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Jiang family owned quite a few factories and had a large family business. Otherwise, Jiang's father would not have the money to study abroad.

Comrades investigated and found out that the head of the Jiang family at that time, Jiang Huihan's grandfather, had donated a large amount of money and supplies to the People's Liberation Army. Not many people knew about this, but there were always people who knew about it. This gave them a lot of room for maneuver. Through evidence collection and operations, the Jiang family could be transformed into red capitalists, and then Jiang Huihan's background would no longer be a problem.

Xu Zhao specially invited his comrades to dinner and asked them to help him get to the bottom of the matter as he had to hurry back to the army. Moreover, his comrades were locals and had more connections than him.

Xu Zhao pushed the door open with his luggage and walked in, saying as he walked, "The buildings have been allocated, and there are only a few courtyards left. I asked the political commissar to help me pick one. If you don't like it, we can move to another one when there is an empty house."

He was always worried about having wronged Jiang Huihan, a girl in her prime who had traveled thousands of miles with you to this remote place to suffer, and had never said a word of complaint. You felt guilty for not being nice to her.

Jiang Suihan took a look around and became more and more satisfied. The yard was not very big, but not small either. She could take her time to tidy it up and grow some vegetables and flowers. There was a utility room and a kitchen on the first floor, and three rooms on the second floor, one large and two small, which was definitely enough for living.

What a great place, a two-story building with its own small yard. You can close the door and do something without worrying about being seen.

"This courtyard is so good, why didn't anyone choose it?"

Xu Zhao put his things down and explained to her, "It's not that there is no one to choose from. The previous occupant of this yard was a regiment commander. He was injured in a mission last month and had to retire and return to his hometown, so this yard became empty. We were lucky that the political commissar was quick to get it for us."

There are many people in the family compound who are interested in this yard. It has three rooms and a yard of its own. According to him, living here is much better than living in an apartment building.

He added: "One bad thing about this place is that unlike buildings, there is no running water. On weekdays, you have to fetch water from the river, which is not very convenient."

Seeing him sweating profusely, Jiang Huihan took out a handkerchief and handed it to him to wipe his sweat: "It is a little inconvenient, but I still prefer living here compared to the building. Each person has a room, it is not crowded, and you can have your own private space. You can do whatever you want after closing the door. It's so comfortable."

She asked again: "Can't we dig a well in the yard?"

Xu Zhao took the handkerchief and suddenly felt reluctant to use it to wipe his sweat. "I'm not sure. There doesn't seem to be anyone in the army who knows how to dig a well. The nearby brigade should have one. I'll find time to go ask them someday."

Jiang Leyun came in with something in his arms, grunting: "Sister, which room do I live in?"

Jiang Suihan glanced at each room. Apart from the size, the layouts of all the rooms were the same. She pointed to the room on the south side and said, "This room has good lighting. How about you sleep in this room?"

Jiang Leyun grinned and said, "Okay, this one, I like this room."

He was so happy that he could live in a room of his own again. It was inconvenient for him to share a room with his sister before, and it was a bit awkward for him as a boy.

The larger room is naturally for the adults to sleep in, and the remaining room can be used as a study. The more he looks at it, the more he feels that this courtyard is a great choice. If he lived in an apartment, Xu Zhao's position would not allow him to get such a large house.

I have to find some time to thank Xu Zhao's leadership. He has helped me a lot.

It was estimated that the team leader and his family had left not long ago, so the dust in the house was not very thick. Jiang Suihan found an old piece of clothing, cut it up and used it as a rag. Jiang Leyun was very well behaved and did not slack off. He followed the adults' instructions and worked consciously.

He had a clear goal. He went to clean his room first, lying on the bed, not missing any corner. When he found some places where there was dirt missing, he turned around and cleaned it again. With his efficiency, he couldn't finish the room by noon.

It was at this time that Jiang Suihan discovered that her brother had obsessive-compulsive disorder, and she was suddenly speechless.

If a child likes to work, let him do it, as long as he doesn't make trouble.

She called Xu Zhao over and pointed at the window that had been cleaned for a while: "I can't reach the upper window, you clean it."

Xu Zhao took the rag without saying a word and stretched out his hand, which was higher than the window.

Jiang Suihan looked up and couldn't help asking him, "How tall are you?"

Xu Zhao turned his head and glanced at her: "I measured my height in the army last year, 1.86 meters."

The army measures height and weight every year. He remembers that his height was 1.84 meters last year. He has grown two centimeters this year. He doesn't know if he will grow taller next year.

Jiang Suihan said sourly: "You've grown so tall, it seems that the food you've eaten since you were a child has not been wasted."

Her height is just over 1.61 meters, and she can add two or three centimeters more when wearing shoes. This height is considered tall among southern girls, and it raises the average. However, compared with northern girls, she lags behind.

Standing next to Xu Zhao, the difference in height was quite obvious; this man was a full 25 centimeters taller than her.

Xu Zhao compared Jiang Suihan's height and said, "Not that short."

He has two older sisters, both of whom are 1.67 meters tall. Compared with his sisters, Jiang Suhan is indeed a little shorter.

Jiang Suihan curled her lips: "You might as well not say anything."

She is not yet twenty years old, and her parents are not short. Once she is settled, she will ask where she can order milk nearby. Drinking milk every day should help her grow a little taller, even one or two centimeters will do. She is not greedy.