Chapter 53 It's alright! Fights at the head of the bed are resolved at the foot.
Firstly, Xie Zhongming genuinely felt he had let Comrade Qiao down.
Secondly, An'an and Ningning are his own flesh and blood, and he must give them a complete family.
After hearing Xie Zhongming's determination, Chen Shenghua patted him on the shoulder again, "Zhongming, it's not too late if you want to make amends. Uncle Chen supports you, you must take responsibility."
His weathered face was no longer stern, but instead held the concern of an elder for a younger person. His earnest tone revealed not only a leader's high hopes for his subordinates, but also a fatherly support.
Xie Zhongming was someone Chen Shenghua watched grow up. Even if Xie Zhongming couldn't be his son-in-law, he would treat him like half a son.
Chen Shenghua not only hopes that he can contribute to the country and be a good man who stands tall and upright, but also hopes that his personal love life can be smoother.
Five and a half years ago, when Xie Zhongming went to Chadian Village to do a mission, he was drugged with a breeding drug by Pangya's family and had a one-night stand with Pangya. He was then forced to marry Pangya. At that time, everyone was lamenting that such a good man had been taken advantage of by a pig.
Who would have thought that years later, Fatty would appear before Zhongming with her two daughters, posing as Comrade Qiao?
Perhaps this is a destiny arranged by God.
“However…” Chen Shenghua frowned slightly.
He then asked, "Zhongming, Fatty never went to school a single day when she was in Chadian Village, and she couldn't even write her own name. Now, Comrade Qiao can not only perform surgery on you, but also do acupuncture. I heard from Beiyang that she seems to know a foreign language? What exactly did she go through during the five years she was missing? How could she transform from an illiterate village girl into someone so resourceful, decisive, calm, intelligent, and capable, with so many skills at her disposal?"
When Xie Zhongming returned from Chadian Village to submit his marriage application, the military conducted a background check on his fiancée, Pang Ya.
Fatty is a village girl who was born and raised in Chadian Village. She can't even write her own name, and she has a bad character, often stealing chickens and dogs.
In just five years, Fatty not only underwent a complete transformation in appearance and personality, but also seemed to have a completely different mindset.
This inevitably aroused Chen Shenghua's suspicions.
Seeing the doubt written all over Chen Shenghua's weathered face, Xie Zhongming's back tensed up. "Commander, you still don't believe that Comrade Qiao is Fatty?"
After a moment of contemplation, Chen Shenghua said firmly, “No, I have no doubt about Comrade Qiao’s identity. An’an and Ningning look seven or eight parts like her, so they are definitely her biological daughters. And both An’an and Ningning have the hereditary disease of your Xie family. Ningning’s lung defect structure is the same as your father’s, so she must be of your Xie family bloodline. It is Comrade Qiao’s experience over the past five years that has made me have some concerns.”
“You mean…” Xie Zhongming thought of an answer.
Chen Shenghua nodded.
He and Xie Zhongming had been superior and subordinate for many years, but their relationship was more like that of father and son, with a deep connection.
They both knew what the other was thinking.
"Zhongming, do you remember the spy you encountered in Chadian Village a while ago who wanted to kill you?"
"Does the division commander suspect that Comrade Qiao's sudden transformation from a rural village girl into a resourceful, brave, and capable individual over the past five years is due to special training? Is she a female spy specially trained by an overseas organization to approach me with a soft approach?"
From the very beginning, his father, Xie Jiang, reminded him to be careful of the people who approached him.
Chen Shenghua analyzed, "If foreign organizations want to find the best dagger to stab us in the heart, then it has to be said that Comrade Qiao is definitely a good choice. However, I can tell from Comrade Qiao's eyes that she has no malicious intentions. People's behavior can be faked, but a person's eyes cannot lie."
Chen Shenghua has seen countless people, and he has always been very accurate in judging character.
There was a firm sense of goodwill in Comrade Qiao's eyes, which was by no means feigned.
Moreover, after she subdued the thug at the hospital last time, he repeatedly suggested that she work for him, but she refused. If she were a spy, wouldn't it be easier for her to get close to him than to get close to Xie Zhongming?
But Comrade Qiao didn't. All he wanted was to provide An Anning with a stable life.
Upon hearing this series of analyses, Xie Zhongming said with unwavering conviction, "Comrade, Comrade Qiao is definitely not one of those spies. The skills she has learned are perhaps those she was forced to acquire to survive in recent years due to the hardships of life."
Chen Shenghua nodded. "I also believe that Comrade Qiao is definitely not a spy, but her abilities are indeed questionable. How could an illiterate village girl undergo such a complete transformation in just five years?"
Yes, from Fatty to Qiao Xingyue, not only did her appearance change drastically, but her wisdom and personality also seemed to have become completely different people.
But Xie Zhongming believed that Comrade Qiao was indeed Fatty!
Chen Shenghua patted Xie Zhongming on the shoulder again, "Don't worry, I also believe that Comrade Qiao is Fatty. This means that Comrade Qiao is your destiny."
It has to be said, this is a destiny or fate.
"Zhongming, make amends and seize the opportunity."
Xie Zhongming was extremely gratified to receive Chen Shenghua's support. He stood at a straight military posture, saluted Chen Shenghua, and said with unwavering determination, "Thank you, Commander. I will definitely make the most of this opportunity."
Chen Shenghua gestured for Xie Zhongming to sit down, then sat down himself on the simple sofa in the division headquarters. "Zhongming, there are no superiors or subordinates here now. Sit down, and your uncle will have a good chat with you."
"Yes." After Xie Zhongming sat down, his shoulders and back remained straight, his hands resting on his knees, sitting upright.
Chen Shenghua picked up his enamel mug, took a sip of jasmine tea to moisten his throat, and said, “Zhongming, I’ve thought about this matter carefully, and it’s true that you’ve wronged Comrade Qiao and the two children. You’ve been married to Comrade Qiao for five and a half years, but you haven’t let her come to the army to live with you, nor have you ever returned to Chadian Village to visit her. If it weren’t for the telegram from Chadian Village last time, asking you for a large sum of money again, you probably wouldn’t know that Comrade Qiao has been missing for many years. Write an application report for a family compound later. The organization will arrange a small courtyard for you, Comrade Qiao, and An’an and Ningning’s family of four.”
Since they are a couple with two children, it's no longer appropriate for them to live with Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan.
This was exactly what Xie Zhongming wanted to do. He was also preparing to apply for the family compound, but he didn't expect Commander Chen to have thought of it for him. "Thank you, Commander."
"Once you've won Comrade Qiao over, you'll have to get the wedding arranged, at least a few tables of food and drinks. I'm looking forward to drinking your wedding wine."
Xie Zhongming also looked forward to that day.
Chen Shenghua sighed and said, "The only regret is that I can't be your father-in-law in this lifetime. But it doesn't matter, my Jia Hui is excellent in every way, and her true love is waiting for her."
You can't force matters of the heart.
Chen Shenghua did not hold any grudge against Xie Zhongming for not accepting his daughter Jia Hui. On the contrary, he sincerely wished Xie Zhongming well and treated him like his own child.
When Chen Jiahui was mentioned, Xie Zhongming's eyes were full of praise. "Comrade Jiahui is a good comrade. There will be someone more suitable than me to protect her."
...
In the afternoon, Xie Zhongming took half a day off and rode his old bicycle to a department store in the city a few kilometers away from the military base.
The department store has three floors, and there are sales clerks at each counter.
The first floor mainly displays food, grains, oils, non-staple foods, and daily necessities; the second floor displays clothing and shoes; and the third floor displays larger items. Xie Zhongming searched for a long time but couldn't find any women's underwear.
Last night, while washing Comrade Qiao's clothes, I accidentally discovered that there were several small holes in the crotch of his underwear, indicating that he had probably worn it for several years.
As the husband, he needs to buy his wife a few new pairs of underwear.
Finally, at a counter on the second floor, he saw cotton underwear displayed in a glass cabinet, both men's and women's styles, and he stopped, looking slightly embarrassed.
Even though it was a little awkward, he had the spirit of a soldier. Standing in front of the counter, his posture remained as upright as a pine tree. As soon as he stood there, the sales clerks at the surrounding counters couldn't help but cast their gazes at him.
This young man is really handsome. He's wearing military green trousers and a light green shirt, with badges on his shoulders. He's probably a high-ranking officer.
One of the women selling bed sheets walked around to the underwear counter, leaned against the glass display case, and asked, "Young man, are you married? My daughter works at the grain and oil bureau, and she's very pretty. Are you dating someone?"
“Auntie, I have a wife now,” Xie Zhongming replied politely.
The sales clerk at the underwear counter gently patted the bed sheet lady's arm, "That young man is shy, don't cause trouble here, go back to your counter, someone wants to buy bed sheets."
As she spoke, the woman at the underwear counter noticed Xie Zhongming's gaze lingering on the women's underwear and asked with a smile, "Comrade, are you buying underwear for your wife? This is the first time I've ever seen a man buy underwear for his wife. Is she a newlywed? Your wife is very pretty, isn't she?"
A military officer as tall and handsome as him, with badges on his shoulders, must have married a very beautiful wife.
When someone complimented his wife on her beauty, Xie Zhongming's taut lips curved into a slight smile.
On second thought, he realized that Comrade Qiao was angry because she was fat and he had never let her come to the army to live with him. The smile on his lips vanished instantly.
He admitted it.
He had indeed been somewhat disgusted by her weight of over 200 pounds.
It was his fault.
But now that he knows that Comrade Qiao is actually Fatty, and that she went through all sorts of hardships to raise An'an and Ningning for him, and that An'an and Ningning are smart and clever because of her, even if she gains weight back to her previous weight of over 200 pounds, he will still do his best to live a good life with her.
"Auntie, my wife likes white underwear. Could you get me a few pairs to look at?"
He stared at the underwear displayed in the glass cabinet. After the woman at the counter took them out, he looked at them, touched them, and noticed that the material was very soft. "Is it pure cotton?" he asked.
"Don't worry, it's pure cotton." The auntie was seeing a man buy underwear for his wife for the first time, and she couldn't help but praise him, "Comrade, you really know how to take care of your wife. Your wife is so lucky to have married you."
Xie Zhongming was not happy despite being praised.
It is precisely because he does not cherish his wife and is an irresponsible man that Comrade Qiao has suffered so much over the years raising two children.
He stopped inspecting the quality of the underwear, his brow furrowed.
His brow furrowed in a state of utter confusion.
"What's wrong? Did you upset your wife? Are you two having a fight?" the aunt asked casually.
Xie Zhongming honestly replied, "It's my fault, I made my wife angry."
"The young couple may quarrel in bed, but they make up before they get out of bed. A little coaxing from the woman is all it takes," the aunt said with a smile.
Xie Zhongming was troubled. He had made a fundamental mistake and had never taken the marriage seriously from the beginning. It wasn't something that could be easily appeased by Qiao.
But no matter how difficult the road ahead, he was determined to earn Comrade Qiao's forgiveness. "Auntie, how much are these underwear?"
The auntie smiled and said, "These cost seven cents each."
Xie Zhongming thought the material of these underwear was soft and skin-friendly, which seemed good, but he wanted to buy a better quality one for Comrade Qiao. "Are there any better quality ones?"
"They're all pure cotton, and the ones you have are of relatively good quality. There are also ones for nine cents a pair, but I don't recommend you buy those, because the ones for nine cents a pair are from large factories. They're expensive because they're from large factories, but the material is actually the same."
Textiles from large, reputable factories are definitely good.
Xie Zhongming wanted to dress Comrade Qiao in expensive clothes, so he simply said, "Auntie, could you get me five pairs that cost nine mao each? Thank you."
"Five of them would cost an extra dollar, it's really unnecessary."
"Just take nine cents."
"Comrade, you really love your wife. Okay, I'll get you nine cents a pack. Five packs might be a bit too much. I think three packs would be just right."
"We need five."
Comrade Qiao probably hasn't bought a new pair of underwear in all these years. Since Comrade Qiao is very clean, we should buy her a few more pairs to change into.
He bought five pairs of underwear, and then five bras for Qiao Xingyue, also white and pure cotton. Buying just for Qiao wasn't enough; he also bought a few pairs of underwear for An An and Ning Ning.
"Comrade, why did you buy ten pairs of underwear for your child? Will they even be able to wear them all?"
Xie Zhongming's lips curled slightly, "My family has twins, two daughters, five for each of them, just right."
"Comrade, you are so lucky! Your wife gave birth to twins for you."
"My wife had a very tough time giving birth to these two kids."
Besides underwear, Xie Zhongming bought several sets of summer clothes for the mother and her two daughters, and then took the money and ration coupons to buy a fan.
The weather was getting hot, and he had originally planned to fix the broken fan in his room and take it to Comrade Qiao's room. However, even if the fan was fixed, it would make a lot of noise, and he was worried that it would disturb Comrade Qiao and the two children's rest at night, so it would be better to buy a new one.
After buying these, he also bought White Rabbit milk candy, colorful fruit candy, red shrimp crisps, and whistle candy for An An and Ning Ning, as if he wanted to make up for all the candy An An and Ning Ning hadn't eaten over the years.
Seeing that he had weighed out so much candy, the sales clerk couldn't help but ask, "Sir, is there some happy occasion in your family that makes you buy so much candy?"
People only buy this much candy during holidays and celebrations; who usually hoards this much candy?
"No, my daughter likes sweets, so I bought them for her."
"Comrade, you really spoil your daughter. This candy must last her for half a year, right?"
...
At 4:30 p.m., Xie Zhongming returned to the Xie family home early. He squeezed the brakes at the gate of the courtyard and his tall figure nimbly dismounted from the bicycle.
The double wooden doors at the entrance of the courtyard were painted red, but over the years, the paint has worn off considerably due to wind and rain.
There's a rather high threshold at the entrance.
He easily lifted the old-fashioned bicycle and carried it into the courtyard. A brand-new Seagull brand fan was tied to the bicycle, along with several large bundles of candy and several sets of clothes bound in brown paper and secured with ropes.
In the courtyard, Huang Guilan, An'an, and Ningning helped Qiao Xingyue weed the vegetable garden.
An elderly woman was also sitting on a small stool nearby, helping to weed.
The vegetable garden was neither too big nor too small, about seventy or eighty square meters. After Qiao Xingyue reorganized it, it was divided into rows, each with different vegetables. On it hung bright red tomatoes, large purple eggplants, as well as green peppers, green beans, cucumbers, loofahs, bitter melons, water spinach, and sweet potato leaves, all growing particularly lushly.
The group looked up at the sound, and the first to speak was the old lady sitting on the small stool, "Zhongming, why are you back so early today?"
"Grandma, I took half a day off today to come back early." Xie Zhongming glanced at the old lady, replied politely, and then turned his gaze to Qiao Xingyue.
Seeing that Qiao Xingyue had tied the tall loofah vine with red yarn, and that she hadn't even glanced at him since he entered the room, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest—Qiao Xingyue must really dislike him.
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