Chapter 35 Uncle Zhongming's wife is fat and ugly
Qiao Xingyue's attention was not on the newspaper in Xie Zhongming's hand.
Commander Xie had a habit of reading newspapers every day, and his family subscribed to all sorts of newspapers. This newspaper was probably given to him by Xie Zhongming.
As she led An An and Ning Ning out of the guesthouse suite, the first thing she noticed about Xie Zhongming was that although he was still wearing a white polyester shirt, the style of the shirt was different from yesterday.
The buttons on yesterday's white shirt were white.
Today, however, the buttons on his shirt were the same military green as the pants he was wearing. The collar was clean and neat, and the cuffs were rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong wrists. The veins on his arms were clearly visible, showing firm and steady muscle lines.
The guesthouse stairs were bathed in the warm morning light. Xie Zhongming climbed the steps, his cloth shoes landing steadily on the stairs. His tall and upright figure soon arrived in front of Qiao Xingyue and her two daughters.
His sharp and composed demeanor, unique to soldiers, made even the ordinary morning light seem more powerful.
As he got closer, the newspaper he was holding in his left hand emitted a fresh, pleasant smell of ink.
The newspaper is brand new; it looks like it was just printed today.
Qiao Xingyue casually asked, "Comrade Xie, did you go to pick up the newspaper for Uncle Xie early this morning?"
"Okay." Xie Zhongming responded casually, then added, "I'll go call my dad. You and Dad can take Ningning to the hospital to get the test results later. I have other things to do, so I won't be going to the hospital with you."
He added, "There are a lot of people in the hospital, so I'll take An'an out with me."
This arrangement is perfect.
Qiao Xingyue nodded and said gratefully, "Then I'll trouble Comrade Xie to look after An'an for me."
You're too kind!
Qiao Xingyue's politeness left Xie Zhongming with an indescribable sense of frustration.
During her month at the Xie family home, she and her mother, Huang Guilan, became very close, like mother and daughter.
Why do I feel like a stranger when I'm with him?
He frowned and added, "Comrade Qiao, my mother said we're all family, so don't be so polite in the future."
When Qiao Xingyue was with Aunt Lan, she did feel a sense of closeness, like that of a family member.
But even in civilian clothes, Commander Xie's iron-blooded aura remained undiminished. He stood before her, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his shoulders and back as sharp and defined as if carved by a knife. This aura, like an invisible wind, made Qiao Xingyue's chest tighten.
But she still readily agreed, "Okay, I won't stand on ceremony with Comrade Xie anymore."
He said this, but his eyes were looking elsewhere, not even glancing at Xie Zhongming. This sense of distance and propriety made Xie Zhongming's forehead crease even tighter. But he also knew that Comrade Qiao's sense of propriety was only because he had a wife, so he kept his distance from her.
"Comrade Xie, I'll take An'an and Ningning to the guesthouse canteen for breakfast first, and then we'll meet up with Commander Xie later."
Watching her slender figure leave, and An'an's small, peaceful form, Xie Zhongming's brows furrowed deeply.
At this moment, Xie Jiang came downstairs. Xie Jiang's asthma had been acting up lately, and although it wasn't severe, he was coughing more and more frequently in the mornings.
He stood at the entrance of the stairwell, coughed a few times, feeling something stuck in his throat, making it difficult to breathe. But he was a veteran cadre in the military, and even though he looked weak, his posture remained as upright as an old pine tree.
He watched his son's retreating figure and asked, "Zhongming, what are you thinking about?"
Xie Zhongming then looked away. "Dad, if we still can't find Fatty after this missing person notice is posted, I'll file for divorce with the military."
Xie Jiang only learned yesterday that Pang Ya had already given birth to two grandchildren for the Xie family, but they didn't know if they were boys or girls. Xie Jiang almost suspected that Pang Ya was Qiao Xingyue.
But after Lao Si reminded him, he thought about it again. Pang Ya was Zeng Xiuzhu's daughter from Chadian Village. She had never been to school and couldn't read a single word. She also weighed over 200 pounds. Xing Yue, on the other hand, could perform surgery and acupuncture. She had taught children arithmetic, literacy, and Tang and Song poetry from a young age. She was a completely different person from Pang Ya.
“Zhongming, perhaps Pangya and the two children died long ago after being swept away by the river. That was their fate, and you can’t blame them. You have a long life ahead of you, and Dad supports you in filing for divorce.”
As he spoke, Xie Jiang reached out his hand, "Let me take a look at the missing person notice in the newspaper."
Upon hearing this, Xie Zhongming spread out the newspapers in his hand, took one copy each of the "Youth Daily," "Economic Daily," and "Farmers' Daily," and handed them to Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang took the newspaper, unfolded it, and said, "You're really willing to spend a fortune to find Fatty. This prominent center-part advertisement must have been expensive."
"Yes. One hundred yuan per issue."
"This piece, with three versions, must cost at least three hundred yuan?"
"Yes, I plan to have the newspaper publish it in three consecutive issues."
"That would cost at least nine hundred yuan?"
This is equivalent to half a year's salary for Xie Zhongming.
"You rascal, you're always so frugal, patching your clothes again and again, and haven't bought new clothes for years. But you're never stingy with Fatty. You used to send a lot of living expenses to Chadian Village."
The missing person notice in the middle of the advertisement featured a black-and-white photo of Xie Zhongming and Qiao Xingyue's wedding. The photo clearly showed Qiao Xingyue's chubby face, starkly contrasting with the handsome, tall, and slender Xie Zhongming beside her. They seemed to belong to two completely different worlds.
It's easy to see from the photos that both of them are conflicted, unwilling, and completely mismatched.
Although Xie Zhongming in the photo was unwilling, his eyes carried the aura and strength of a soldier, while Pang Ya looked dazed and listless, as if her obesity had caused her to be dispirited.
In fact, when the wedding photos were taken that day, Qiao Xingyue, who had just transmigrated, had not yet adapted to her identity as Fatty. She was also overwhelmed by the overly potent breeding drug she had taken the night before. The drug had such a strong aftereffect that she was in a daze for several days afterward and could not remember many things.
When Xie Zhongming returned to Jincheng District from Chadian Township and took out the marriage certificate, he described the whole story and Zeng Xiuzhu's chubby appearance in the village. Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan felt like the sky was falling.
The outstanding talents they painstakingly cultivated for the country ended up marrying a chubby girl who weighed over 200 pounds, was lazy, and illiterate.
It's like a cabbage being rooted up and rotten by a pig.
“Zhongming, if there’s still no news about Pangya after these missing person notices are published, you should be more decisive, file for divorce, and start a new life.”
"Yes!" Xie Zhongming's voice also revealed a firmness.
He and Fatty had no emotional foundation to begin with, and he was forced to marry her. Now that it has been confirmed that Fatty and her child have fallen into the fast-flowing river, it's time for him to end this marriage and move on.
...
Half an hour later.
Qiao Xingyue and Xie Jiang took the sick Ningning to the hospital to get her test results and have a follow-up appointment. Meanwhile, Xie Zhongming, along with An'an and the people Xiao Songhua brought, posted the newly printed newspapers throughout the streets and alleys of Kuncheng.
The people Xiao Songhua brought today were all soldiers on leave from the army. Among them was a woman named Chen Jiahui, who grew up with Xie Zhongming in Jincheng and was later transferred to Kuncheng with Xiao Songhua.
This woman named Chen Jiahui grew up in Jincheng and is recognized as the most beautiful woman in Jincheng.
Before Xie Zhongming married Pang Ya, many people tried to arrange marriages for him, including Chen Jiahui. At the time, Xie Zhongming did not agree, saying that he would only consider personal matters after he was promoted to regimental commander.
Chen Jiahui was not discouraged and said she would wait for him to be promoted to regimental commander. Unexpectedly, he encountered the incident with Fatty in Chadian Village and was forced to marry Fatty.
Chen Jiahui was in pain and sadness for a while, but she accepted her fate and only hoped that Xie Zhongming and Pang Ya could be together and be happy.
Today she wore a faded light blue polyester shirt, her hair in two braids, looking quite plain. She quickly and skillfully spread rice paste evenly on the wall, her wisps of hair clinging to her skin with sweat, making her eyebrows and eyes appear even brighter. When she smiled, shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, instantly revealing her delicate beauty and vitality.
She was brushing rice paste onto the red brick walls of the street, glancing occasionally at Xie Zhongming, who was standing far away from her. She noticed that Xie Zhongming was leading a little girl of about four or five years old, and she was quite curious.
Whose child is this? She's as pretty and cute as a doll.
He stopped brushing the rice cereal, stared at the cute doll, and asked softly, "Songhua, is that adorable little girl Commander Xie's niece? I haven't been back to Jincheng for the past few years. Could it be that his older brothers finally gave birth to a girl for the Xie family?"
Starting with the matriarch Chen Suying, the Xie family had always hoped for a daughter, but they only had sons. Then Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan had five sons. The eldest and second eldest of these sons had four children in a row, all of whom were also boys.
If the Xie family had a daughter, she would definitely be pampered like a precious gem.
"Sigh!" Xiao Songhua sighed at this moment.
Chen Jiahui's smile froze instantly, and the shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth disappeared. "Brother Songhua, why are you sighing?"
The tough guy Xiao Songhua never sighed, but for some reason, Chen Jiahui's chest tightened. "Could that be Commander Xie's daughter? Commander Xie sent Fatty to accompany the army?"
If Zhongming and Pangya really did have a daughter, she should congratulate and send her blessings.
No matter how painful it was, five years have passed, and it's time for her to let go.
At this moment, Xiao Songhua pasted the newspaper on the red brick wall that Chen Jiahui had painted with rice paste, saying, "Take a look at the newspaper."
Chen Jiahui then took a closer look and exclaimed, "What? Fatty had two kids with Zhongming a few years ago? But they both fell into the moat of Kuncheng and were swept away by the river?"
These are three living, breathing lives!
Chen Jiahui felt a sinking feeling in her chest.
If it weren't for the Fatty incident, Xie Zhongming might not have agreed to date her back then, but if she had insisted on waiting for him to be promoted to regimental commander, she might have had a chance to become Xie Zhongming's girlfriend.
Although Chen Jia Hui didn't like Pang Ya, those were three living beings, and the two children were so young. She hoped that Pang Ya and the children would live well.
Seeing Chen Jiahui lost in thought, Xiao Songhua then answered, "That girl is the daughter of Xie Zhongming's housekeeper. The housekeeper's other daughter has asthma and came with Commander Xie for a chest CT scan."
Chen Jiahui didn't hear what was said next.
In her mind was the image of Fatty and her two children falling into the river and being swept away by the current—poor woman, poor children, why can't they just live peacefully and safely?
"Jia Hui, if Xie Zhongming still can't find Fatty and those two kids after this newspaper ad, he'll file for divorce with the military."
Chen Jiahui was still thinking about the poor chubby girl and the two children, and didn't hear what Xiao Songhua said.
It wasn't until Xiao Songhua called her several times that she snapped out of her reverie. "Songhua, what did you just say?"
For a fleeting moment, Xiao Songhua's gaze towards Chen Jiahui held a hint of bitterness, but this bitterness vanished quickly, replaced by his usual hardness.
"Xie Zhongming is preparing to submit a divorce report to the organization. Jia Hui, this is a great opportunity for you. Do you want to apply for a transfer back to the Jincheng Military Region?"
Chen Jiahui didn't speak. She pondered for a moment, then said with a firm look in her eyes, "Even if Commander Xie had filed for divorce, and the military had approved it, I shouldn't have any more feelings for him. Commander Xie's wife and children are missing and may have passed away. He must be feeling terrible right now, and I can't add to his distress."
"You haven't dated anyone all these years, isn't it because of Xie Zhongming? If he gets divorced, why don't you try to win him over?"
Chen Jiahui neither admitted nor denied it, picked up the bucket in her hand, and continued to brush rice paste onto the wall, saying, "Let's put up newspapers!"
"Songhua, what did you just say about that pretty girl? Who is she to Commander Xie?"
"The daughter of Xie Zhongming's nanny."
Wow! The nanny's daughter is so cute and pretty, the nanny must be very beautiful too, right?
When Chen Jiahui smiled, the shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth captivated Xiao Songhua, who quickly averted his gaze as if burned. Remembering Qiao Xingyue's fair and clean-cut high school-aged face, Xiao Songhua's words trailed off again.
It's best not to mention Qiao Xingyue's matter to Jia Hui, lest Jia Hui be upset again if she finds out.
On the exterior wall of the department store, An'an held a newspaper in her hand and followed closely behind Xie Zhongming. After Xie Zhongming finished washing the rice paste, An'an handed him a newspaper. The two, one big and one small, cooperated very well.
After finishing one of the newspapers, Xie Zhongming continued brushing the rice paste. While waiting, An'an looked down at the stack of newspapers she was holding. The top one was the "Youth Daily." The little girl could read, and the most eye-catching thing on the newspaper was the missing person notice in the middle.
Huh? There's a picture of Uncle Zhongming on it!
After Xie Zhongming finished washing the rice cereal, the little girl pulled out a newspaper and handed it to him, "Uncle Zhongming, did you place the missing person notice in the newspaper?"
Xie Zhongming took the newspaper, pasted it onto the red brick wall, patted it, and said, "Hmm."
"Uncle Zhongming is looking for someone?" An'an looked down and recognized many of the words on the photo. "Is this your and Aunt's wedding photo? Why is Aunt so fat? She's as fat as a head..."
He's as fat as a pig.
But An An didn't say the last few words.
Realizing she had been impolite, An'an quickly explained, "Uncle Zhongming, Auntie may be chubby, but she's actually quite cute!"
Her smile was awkward; she had told a lie against her will. Her fingers twisted the new clothes Huang Guilan had made for her. Feeling guilty, she finally lowered her eyes, picking at the newspaper in her hand, not daring to look at Xie Zhongming anymore.
But Uncle Zhongming's wife in the newspaper is indeed too fat. What kind of girl can be so fat? How much meat must she eat every day?
Her mother is prettier; she's beautiful and slim, like a fairy.
An'an had also fantasized about what it would be like if Uncle Zhongming were her father, but Uncle Zhongming already had a wife.
When she sees her mother later, she will tell her that Uncle Zhongming's wife is fat and ugly, and not pretty at all.
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