Chapter 70 Complaint Letter
"Commander, something's happened. We just received an anonymous telegram from the mainland. It's a formal complaint accusing you of abusing your power to protect relatives of criminals. And... it also says you have a chaotic private life and serious moral issues!"
The young soldier from the communications company lowered his voice, each word like a cold pebble striking the silent night. Qin Lie held the thin telegram paper, feeling as if it weighed a ton.
His hands, the hands that could hold a gun steadily and make new recruits cry on the training ground, were now trembling uncontrollably.
"Relatives of criminals?" Qin Lie pondered these words repeatedly, and then his mind went blank for a moment before he understood.
Who else could it be but that little bastard Jiang Qiang! He was beaten and driven away, and in his resentment, he resorted to this most vicious and insidious method of revenge! To say he was protecting the relatives of criminals is clearly an attempt to drag his good-for-nothing brother down with him, the regimental commander! But what does "chaotic private life and serious problems with conduct" mean?
Qin Lie's mind was in chaos. He turned to look into the room, where Jiang Wu was sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, the moonlight bathing her in a soft, picturesque light. A sudden pang of pain shot through his heart. He could bear to suffer a little grievance himself, but if this kind of filth were to be poured on his wife... he dared not think about it.
"Commander, the political commissar already knows about this. He said you need to go to his office first thing tomorrow morning to write a detailed explanation." The young soldier looked at Qin Lie's ashen face and lowered his voice even further. "Moreover, this telegram was forwarded in encrypted form, which means the higher-ups are taking it very seriously. I'm afraid... they'll send an investigation team down."
"I understand." Qin Lie waved his hand, signaling the young soldier could leave. He closed the door, leaned against it, and felt all the strength drain from his body. He had spent half his life in the military, never flinching even amidst gunfire, but now, a small, anonymous telegram sent a chill down his spine like never before. This kind of attack from the shadows was more frustrating than any real battle.
Jiang Wu slowly walked over, took the telegram from his hand, and glanced at it before her eyes turned cold. "Jiang Qiang, well done." Her voice was calm, without anger or panic, but beneath that calmness lay a chilling aura that made Qin Lie's heart tremble.
"Wife, don't be afraid." Qin Lie snapped out of his daze and pulled her into his arms, his voice hoarse. "This has nothing to do with you! It's my fault... it's my fault for not handling things well, and he turned around and accused me. Tomorrow I'll go to the political commissar and explain everything! I, Qin Lie, am a man of integrity, and I'm not afraid of their investigation!"
“Investigate? How do they want to investigate?” Jiang Wu looked up at him. “Investigate whether you really protected Jiang Qiang? What crime did Jiang Qiang commit? Did he steal or rob? He touched me inappropriately in the yard that day and disrespected Mom. As his son and husband, it was only right for you to teach him a lesson! No one could say no to that!”
"As for 'a chaotic private life and questionable conduct'..." Jiang Wu's lips curled into a cold smile, "That's utter nonsense. You go between the army and home every day, a routine more punctual than a clock. If they want to investigate, let them investigate thoroughly! I want to see what they can find out!"
Seeing Jiang Wu's calm and composed demeanor, Qin Lie's panicked heart miraculously calmed down. He felt that as long as his wife was by his side, even the biggest problems seemed insignificant.
“But… when the investigation team comes down, there will be a lot of gossip in the family compound. I’m afraid… afraid it will damage your reputation.” This was Qin Lie’s biggest concern. He, a grown man, didn’t care, but Jiang Wu was pregnant. If people pointed at her and gossiped about her, how uncomfortable would that be?
"Reputation?" Jiang Wu smiled lightly. "When has my reputation ever been good? Ever since I married into this island, haven't I heard enough of those words like 'bad background,' 'vixen,' and 'country girl'? But now? Don't Aunt Zhou and the others still treat me like one of their own?"
She touched her already prominently protruding belly. "People can say whatever they want, we can't control them. What we can do is live our lives better, so better that they all have to shut up!"
The next day, Qin Lie went to the political commissar's office early in the morning. Jiang Wu, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened, ate breakfast, and then sorted through the little clothes that the military wives had helped sew the day before. Looking at those cute little clothes, she suddenly had a new idea.
As her belly grew bigger each day, she couldn't fit into any of her old clothes anymore. Now she mostly wore altered pieces of Qin Lie's oversized clothes, or those old-fashioned, loose-fitting dresses that Zhong Tinglan had bought for her. They were comfortable, but she always felt something was missing. Why couldn't pregnant women dress a little more nicely?
Once the thought took hold, she couldn't suppress it any longer. She spread out paper and pen, and images of comfortable and beautiful maternity wear designs from later generations floated into her mind. High waistlines could perfectly conceal the pregnant belly while elongating the figure; accordion pleats at the hem would create a flowing and graceful movement; and delicate lace trim at the neckline would add a touch of femininity. She even designed styles suitable for breastfeeding mothers, with a concealed opening at the chest.
She was so engrossed in her painting that she didn't even notice when Zhou Nianci came in. "Xiao Wu, what are you thinking about? So absorbed!" Zhou Nianci's loud voice rang out from the doorway, holding a bowl of freshly cooked chicken soup. "I heard that Commander Qin..."
Before she could finish speaking, her attention was drawn to the design sketches on Jiang Wu's table. "Wow! What kind of dress is this? It looks so beautiful! This skirt, with its high waist and wide hem, must be so comfortable to wear!"
"This is the maternity dress I drew for myself," Jiang Wu said with a smile. "I figured that since we're pregnant, we can't be all drab and unkempt every day. We need to dress ourselves up nicely so we can feel good."
“That’s right!” Zhou Nianci slapped her thigh. “That’s exactly the point! When I was pregnant with my son Tiedan, I wore my husband’s tattered military uniform every day. It was so baggy and big, like a sack. I even looked at myself in the mirror and felt disgusted!”
She picked up a design sketch, liking it more and more as she looked at it. "Xiao Wu, you're so skillful! This drawing looks just like one in a magazine! What... what's this called?"
"This is called a 'suspender skirt,' and you can wear a shirt underneath. This is called a 'babydoll top,' and you can wear loose pants with it," Jiang Wu patiently explained to her.
Zhou Nianci's eyes lit up. She was always fond of beauty, and hearing Jiang Wu's words immediately piqued her interest. "Xiao Wu, could I borrow this design to take a look? I want my younger sister to make one for me, just like this! No, I want to make one for my sister-in-law; she's about to give birth!"
"There's no need to borrow it," Jiang Wu said generously, handing her the drawings. "If you like them, Sister-in-law Zhou, take them. I've drawn a few more; would you like to take a look?"
This really stirred up a hornet's nest. Zhou Nianci showed off those design sketches, which looked like fashion magazine spreads, in the family compound, and all the women in the compound were in an uproar.
"Oh my god! This dress is so beautiful! Is it really for pregnant women?"
"With that raised waistline, you can't even see her belly; it just makes her legs look longer!"
"This lace trim is so delicate! I want one too!"
Before long, military wives seeking Jiang Wu's design sketches practically wore down the Qin family's doorstep. Jiang Wu accepted every request, sketching one after another. Soon, a brand-new fashion quietly emerged in the island's family compound. The women took out their best fabrics and, following Jiang Wu's designs, began making fashionable maternity clothes.
Suddenly, the residential compound was no longer filled with the same baggy dresses, but with a variety of beautiful sights. Some wore high-waisted dresses, others wore pinafore dresses, each with a protruding belly, yet they walked with their heads held high and chests out, their faces beaming with confident smiles.
The matter of Qin Lie being reported seemed to have been overshadowed by this sudden "fashion trend." The topic of conversation among people was no longer "Is Commander Qin really problematic?" but rather, "Your babydoll dress looks so good today, which one did Xiao Wu design?"
Every day when Qin Lie returned from the army, this was the scene he saw. His wife sat leisurely in the yard, surrounded by a group of chattering women discussing which fabric was more comfortable and which lace was prettier. Meanwhile, the scandalous things he had been reported for seemed to have never happened.
Looking at the calm and serene smile on Jiang Wu's face, he suddenly understood. His wife was telling everyone, and him, in her own way—we're doing great! The sky won't fall!
However, things didn't go as smoothly as expected. A few days later, a ship from the mainland docked at the island's pier.
Two men in Zhongshan suits, with serious expressions and briefcases in their hands, disembarked from the ship. They went straight to the military headquarters building.
The investigation team has arrived.
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