Chapter 9 Xie Zhongming's wife is from Chadian Village
Qiao Xingyue then heard clearly.
It turns out that Comrade Xie's wife really is from Chadian Village!
What a coincidence!
Seeing that she didn't speak, Aunt Mei, maintaining her loud voice, asked again:
"Comrade Xiao Qiao, didn't you know that Zhongming's wife is from Chadian Village?"
Qiao Xingyue, carrying a net bag of vegetables and eggs, and two and a half pounds of pork belly tied with hemp rope, smiled faintly:
"Aunt Mei, I just started working at Commander Xie's house, so it's not convenient for me to ask about these things."
"I just heard the name Chadian Village sound familiar, so I asked casually. I didn't mean anything by it."
A couple of days ago, she asked Comrade Xie why his wife didn't come to the army with him.
It was just a casual question, nothing more.
Unexpectedly, this aroused Comrade Xie's suspicion.
I don't know what that man suspected her of.
Even now, she is still worried about losing her job. This job is too important to her and An'an and Ningning. Only by keeping her job and getting money can she pay for Ningning's medical treatment.
It seems she'll have to be more careful about what she says from now on.
So she decided not to inquire any further and greeted Zhang Hongmei with a smile, "Aunt Mei, I'm going to buy some more soy sauce."
"Perfect timing, I'm also going to buy soy sauce, let's go together on the way."
Zhang Hongmei, following beside Qiao Xingyue, casually asked, "Comrade Qiao, you also know about Chadian Village?"
As Qiao Xingyue walked, she answered, "I stayed there for a short period of time before."
But she didn't like Chadian Village.
That place is a poor and desolate place, full of unruly people.
She stayed in Chadian Village for two short months while she was still known as Fatty.
Because she weighed over 200 pounds at the time, the whole village made all sorts of jokes, mockery, and ridicule towards her. Even her own mother, Zeng Xiuzhu, and her brother, Liu Dazhu, disliked her. They said incredibly hurtful things to her; many village children even threw stones at her, calling her ugly, fat, and saying she was fatter and uglier than a pregnant sow…
Fortunately, she has now gotten rid of the identity of Fatty and will never return to Tea Shop Village again, nor will she recognize the original owner's biological mother and brother.
She was also unwilling to talk too much about the matter of Chadian Village.
Seeing that she had stopped talking, Zhang Hongmei, who was walking beside her, continued to chatter on and on.
"Comrade Xiao Qiao, isn't it strange? Zhongming and his wife have been married for many years, but his wife has never come to the army once."
"But I heard from the old lady of the Xie family that Xie Zhongming's wife is as beautiful as a fairy and is also very capable."
The old lady of the Xie family is Chen Suying, who is paralyzed on one side.
Back then, after Xie Zhongming and Pangya got married, Xie Jiang and Huang Guilan didn't want the old lady to worry about the fourth son's affairs, so they didn't tell her how Pangya's family had schemed against the fourth son. They lied and said that the fourth son's wife was as beautiful as a fairy and was also very capable.
At that time, the old lady was not yet paralyzed and often wandered around. When chatting with others, she was most proud of her fourth granddaughter's wife, saying that she was both beautiful and capable. As a result, everyone in the compound knew that Xie Zhongming had married a beautiful and capable wife.
However, Zhang Hongmei's son, Jiang Beiyang, is an exception.
Because Jiang Beiyang and Xie Zhongming went to Chadian Village together to carry out the mission back then.
Jiang Beiyang has always forbidden Zhang Hongmei from inquiring too much about Xie Zhongming's wife.
The more she was forbidden, the more Zhang Hongmei felt a pang of distress, like being scratched by a cat.
As they spoke, the two arrived at the military service center.
Zhang Hongmei handed over the soy sauce bottle, took a pound of soy sauce, and then lowered her voice to whisper to Qiao Xingyue:
"Comrade Xiao Qiao, isn't it strange? Since Zhongming married a beautiful and capable wife, why hasn't he let her come to the army to live with him?"
Qiao Xingyue also found this question somewhat strange.
But she wasn't going to ask any more questions. "Aunt Mei, I don't really know either."
The two men, one after the other, took the prepared soy sauce and walked out of the military service center together.
Zhang Hongmei continued to inquire:
"Comrade Xiao Qiao, you really don't know about Zhongming's wife?"
"If you know, you can talk to Aunt Mei, and she promises not to tell anyone."
As she spoke, Zhang Hongmei stopped and made a gesture as if she were swearing an oath to the heavens.
Then, out of curiosity, I asked:
"Is it because Zhongming and his wife don't have a good relationship?"
Qiao Xingyue's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.
The people in this compound really love to gossip.
But she didn't want to get involved.
She replied decisively, "Aunt Mei, I really don't know."
Then, she moved the soy sauce bottle to her left hand, which was holding the pork belly, and said, "Aunt Mei, all I want to do at the Xie family is to do more work and do everything well. I won't ask any questions that aren't my responsibility. So, if you want to inquire about these things in the future, just ask Aunt Lan."
"I need to rush back to take care of my grandma, Aunt Mei, I'll be going now."
She is efficient in her work and walks with a brisk pace.
Her tall, slender figure quickly disappeared into the morning mist.
Carrying a piece of pork belly tied with hemp rope, along with potatoes, cabbage, eggs, and a bottle of soy sauce in a net bag, Qiao Xingyue wandered through the alleys of the courtyard.
March is the time when spring returns to the earth.
The rose bushes planted in the courtyard have started to bloom, and the paulownia trees next to it have also blossomed with purple flowers.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of flowers.
Compared to her village, Shantang, which reeked of chicken and cow manure, this place smelled so much better.
The red brick wall was painted white and covered with slogans:
The people, and only the people, are the true driving force in the making of history.
—We come from all corners of the country, united by a common revolutionary goal.
Every slogan is inspiring; the conditions here are so much better than in the countryside.
An An and Ning Ning also particularly enjoy living here.
She was determined to stay in the family compound and work hard for the Xie family, striving to become their long-term nanny. So, she quickly returned to the front of the Xie family's two-story house.
There are some flowers and plants, as well as some vegetables, planted in front of the yard.
Qiao Xingyue casually picked a few plump garlic sprouts, preparing to make twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts today.
Inside the main room.
Upon hearing the news Xie Zhongming brought back, Huang Guilan looked worried and asked, "Fourth brother, is Fatty really missing?"
Xie Zhongming's eyebrows and eyes remained unchanged, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "Hmm."
Huang Guilan stopped her needlework, placed the half-mended Xie Zhongming's military green shirt on her lap, and then sighed deeply, "What are we going to do now? He's disappeared, how are you going to divorce Fatty?"
Xie Zhongming had never been able to make up his mind about getting a divorce.
Previously, he had mistakenly believed that Fatty was stealing chickens and causing trouble in Chadian Village, so every time Jiang Beiyang and his parents advised him to get a divorce, he had considered filing for divorce.
But since those things weren't done by Fatty, and were all accusations pinned on Fatty by her mother and older brother, he had no reason to bring up divorce again.
"Mom, finding Fatty is the most important thing right now."
The trail to Fatty's disappearance ended in Chadian Village.
However, he has already reported the case to the police, and they will notify him from the military base once they have news from the police.
"Fourth brother, if you can find Fatty, you should divorce her. I'd rather you pay Fatty more money than have your marriage go through such a rough patch. Fatty's mother and brother are always swindling and cheating, and Fatty isn't much better."
"Mom, about this matter..." Xie Zhongming's voice was interrupted when he heard footsteps coming from outside the main room.
Looking up, I saw Qiao Xingyue returning from grocery shopping.
Qiao Xingyue could only vaguely hear the mother and son talking in the main room.
But she didn't hear exactly what was said.
Seeing that Comrade Xie suddenly stopped talking, she knew he must be chatting with Aunt Lan about something she couldn't know. So she tactfully greeted the two of them, went to the kitchen to put down the meat and vegetables, then took an enamel basin, filled it with hot water, and went to the old lady's room.
She didn't ask any further questions about what they talked about.
When Huang Guilan saw Qiao Xingyue enter her grandmother's room, she quickly closed the door.
She said with great satisfaction:
"This Comrade Qiao is not only efficient at his work, but also very perceptive."
She had only been at the Xie family for a few days, but she already wanted to keep Qiao Xingyue here permanently.
Xie Zhongming lowered his voice and said, "Mom, Grandma can't be upset. Don't let her know about Fatty's matter."
Huang Guilan continued her needlework, saying, "Don't worry, Mom knows."
Xie Zhongming walked to the door of his grandmother's room.
The fingers, with their distinct knuckles, landed on the red-painted door panel and tapped lightly.
The person who opened the door was An'an with a big smile on her face.
She raised her little head, gazing at Xie Zhongming's tall and imposing figure, her voice as cheerful as a wind chime:
"Uncle Zhongming!"
"Um."
Xie Zhongming saw Qiao Xingyue wring out a hot towel and wash her grandmother's face.
He took two toys out of his military green trouser pocket and handed them to An'an and Ningning.
Those were two wind-up frogs with green skin and red eyes.
An Anning and Ning Ning had seen this kind of toy before in Gongqiao Village, Shantang Village.
But a wind-up frog costs two cents, and Mom couldn't bear to buy it for them, nor did she have the money. They were sensible and never complained about buying it, but they had been thinking about it for a long time.
"Here are the toys your uncle brought back from Kunming!"
The two kids' eyes lit up as they took it, exclaiming in unison, "Wow! A wind-up frog! Thank you, Uncle Zhongming!"
After getting the toys, the two kids squatted on the ground and started playing.
The elderly woman, Chen Suying, looked at the travel-worn Xie Zhongming and asked, somewhat incoherently:
"Fourth brother, why didn't you bring your wife to the compound?"
Xie Zhongming never let the old lady know the truth about his marriage to Pang Ya.
The old lady always thought that his daughter-in-law was a civilian cadre in the Kuncheng Military Region, and that she was tall, thin, beautiful, and very capable.
The old lady had no idea about Fatty, and had never even heard of Fatty's name.
Knowing that her grandson had married a capable and beautiful woman, the old lady had long hoped that the young couple could live together so that she could have a great-grandson soon.
Ideally, I could also have a baby girl as well-behaved and adorable as An An and Ning Ning.
Because the Xie family, starting with Xie Jiang, has only had boys, not a single girl.
This time, the fourth son said he was going to visit relatives in Chadian Village, but he didn't bring his granddaughter-in-law back, which made the old lady a little disappointed.
Xie Zhongming discovered that one lie requires countless lies to cover it up.
But in front of his grandmother, he had no choice but to lie.
Then he added, “Grandma, your granddaughter-in-law holds an important position in the Kuncheng Military Region and it’s difficult for her to leave. Otherwise, I would have brought her back to take care of you long ago.”
Qiao Xingyue quietly massaged her grandmother.
I didn't consciously listen to what they were talking about, but I could hear it all clearly.
Only then did I understand the real reason why Commander Xie and his wife had been living apart for so long.
It turns out that Comrade Xie's wife is also a soldier holding an important position.
However, she didn't ask any more questions. She remained silent and carefully and quietly massaged her grandmother's stiff and numb left arm.
Xie Zhongming glanced at her indifferently.
She held her grandmother's arm, her palms resting on her grandmother's stiff shoulders and neck, kneading them inch by inch.
"Grandma, is the pressure just right?"
The voice was crisp and decisive, without any hesitation, yet it also revealed a gentle and considerate nature.
With each pinch, the wisps of hair on her forehead fluttered gently.
Her soft, wispy hair brushed against her delicate face and then against her slender, fair neck.
The way they worked so diligently was incredibly eye-catching.
From the moment he entered the room, she didn't look at him again, nor did she ask him anything.
Xie Zhongming deliberately sized her up for a while.
His gaze was sharp as a hawk's—was this woman no longer interested in his affairs today?
Qiao Xingyue is also a person who knows her limits. A couple of days ago, she asked an extra question, which aroused Comrade Xie's suspicion.
Today she buried herself in her work, not uttering a single unnecessary word, and not even making eye contact with Comrade Xie.
However, while she was working hard, she always felt that Comrade Xie's gaze was always on her.
Although I don't know what his eyes look like, I always feel that his gaze is as heavy as a stone.
The pressure made her heart clench, but she didn't forget the force with which she massaged the old lady.
When she pressed on a certain acupoint of Grandma's, she gradually increased the pressure, saying, "Grandma, it might hurt here because it's blocked. But it's a good thing that it hurts. Press it a few more times, and with acupuncture, it will gradually clear up. Grandma, please bear with it."
Xie Zhongming stood still.
The scrutinizing look in his eyes gradually relaxed. "Comrade Qiao, it seems you are quite proficient in traditional Chinese medicine."
Qiao Xingyue continued with her work, saying, "I only have a basic understanding; I can't say I'm an expert."
"Oh!" Xie Zhongming asked casually without even blinking, "May I ask who Comrade Qiao's teacher is?"
This question caused Qiao Xingyue's subordinates to pause in their actions.
Xie Zhongming noticed this subtle reaction, and saw that she was incredibly decisive and composed.
"I've never formally apprenticed to a master, but my family has a history of studying medicine."
“In the 1950s, my parents took me to the countryside shortly after I was born, and we never had the chance to return to the city.”
"So I grew up in the countryside, but I learned a lot of medical knowledge from my parents, but they have passed away."
Qiao Xingyue had two guesses: either Comrade Xie suspected her of trying to seduce him, or he suspected her of being a spy. Whether it was the former or the latter, she would lose her job.
Hopefully, this explanation will dispel his doubts and prevent her from losing this invaluable job.
If she were to tell Comrade Xie about her past as a chubby girl who had never been to school, not only Comrade Xie, but anyone would doubt her.
How could an uneducated country woman not only be proficient in medicine but also speak English?
"I'll leave the task of taking care of Grandma's health to Comrade Qiao."
"I'll try my best." She didn't make any absolute statements because she didn't want to be too high-profile.
After saying goodbye to his grandmother, Xie Zhongming went to the military base.
After he left, Grandma talked to Qiao Xingyue for a long time, saying that her grandson was a cautious person, but his questioning just now had no other meaning, and told Qiao Xingyue not to overthink it.
She added, "Xingyue, my granddaughter-in-law is just as tall, slim, and beautiful as you, and she's also very capable. The only regret is that they've been married for five years and still haven't had a child."
When talking about her granddaughter-in-law, the old lady looked proud and suddenly spoke more fluently.
It seems that the old lady often praises her granddaughter-in-law in front of others.
Qiao Xingyue thought to herself, "Comrade Xie is a young regimental commander, and he's handsome and dashing. His wife must be beautiful and capable; she can't be anything less than perfect."
Just as she was about to agree with the old lady, Huang Guilan outside suddenly cried out, "Ningning, what's wrong with you, Ningning, Ningning?"
"What's going on?" Qiao Xingyue also rushed out of the old lady's room.
The scene in the main room made Qiao Xingyue panic.
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