Chapter 7 The First Conflict and His Defense
Life in the military compound was more regular and more monotonous than Su Wanqing had imagined.
Every morning, the sharp reveille would pierce the sky precisely, announcing the start of a new day. Lu Zhanting would be like a precise machine, getting up, doing morning exercises, then returning to his room, eating the breakfast she had prepared, changing into his military uniform, and disappearing into the depths of the camp.
He remained a man of few words, but a tacit understanding had developed between them. She cooked, he washed the dishes. She tidied the house, and he would silently move heavy objects that required strength. They didn't communicate much, but through these silent actions, they gradually built a trust that belonged to "comrades-in-arms."
That morning, Lu Zhanting went to a meeting at the regimental headquarters and probably wouldn't be back until noon. After cleaning the house, Su Wanqing realized that there wasn't much salt left. She remembered the hand-drawn map Lu Zhanting had given her before, which clearly marked the location of the service station.
This was the first time she had ever been "moving around" in this compound alone.
She changed into a clean blue cloth shirt, combed her hair neatly, looked in the mirror to make sure she looked presentable and elegant, and then took the money and cloth bag and went out.
The afternoon sun was just right, not too hot, but warm and gentle on the skin. The compound was quiet; the men were training or working in the barracks, while the children were attending school for their families. Occasionally, you could see groups of two or three military wives, either hanging laundry in their yards or gathering under the shade of trees to sew shoe soles and chat about everyday life.
Upon seeing Su Wanqing's unfamiliar face, all eyes turned to her, filled with undisguised scrutiny and curiosity.
Su Wanqing could feel those gazes. She didn't flinch, but simply straightened her back, wore a polite, slight smile, and nodded politely to everyone who looked at her.
Her composure and humility made some people who originally wanted to watch the spectacle feel embarrassed to keep staring at her.
According to the map, the service center is located on the east side of the residential area, requiring you to cross a small public area. There are several rows of public sinks there for people to wash clothes and vegetables.
Before she even got close, Su Wanqing heard a burst of laughter coming from the other side.
The laughter stopped abruptly when she appeared at the intersection carrying a cloth bag.
Around the pond, four or five military wives were gathered. The one in the lead was Aunt Li, whom they had met when they moved in, who lived diagonally across the street. She had high cheekbones, thin lips, and a pair of shrewd and mean eyes that darted around.
When Aunt Li saw Su Wanqing, she immediately nudged the person next to her with her elbow, curled her lips, and said with a forced smile, "Oh, isn't this Battalion Commander Lu's new daughter-in-law? Where are you going?"
Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for everyone around to hear.
Su Wanqing paused, knowing this was a hurdle she had to face. She stopped, turned to them, her expression still calm: "Hello Aunt Li, hello ladies. We've run out of salt, I'll go to the convenience store to buy some."
"Going to the service center, huh?" Aunt Li drawled, looking Su Wanqing up and down. "You've already taken charge of the household so soon. You're really capable. Unlike us, we're all clumsy and the men have to take care of things at home."
On the surface, her words were praising Su Wanqing, but in reality, they were a veiled criticism of her eagerness to seize power, implying that she was not a dutiful wife.
A round-faced military wife standing nearby immediately chimed in, "That's right. Battalion Commander Lu is the youngest and most promising battalion commander in our military region. So many people are eyeing him. We all thought he would at least marry someone of equal social standing, like the daughter of some high-ranking officer. But unexpectedly, he ended up marrying... someone from the countryside."
She emphasized the word "countryside" with particular force, her tone revealing no undisguised contempt.
Su Wanqing's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the cloth bag. The rough texture of the bag pressed against her palm, calming her chaotic thoughts.
She knew that if she showed any anger or cowardice, it would only embolden them.
“I do come from the countryside.” Su Wan-qing’s gaze swept calmly across their faces, her tone indifferent. “However, marriage is a matter of fate, not background. My husband doesn’t care about these things.”
She deliberately emphasized the words "my husband".
Aunt Li was taken aback by her neither-soft-nor-hard attitude, and her face turned somewhat unpleasant. She had thought that this seemingly quiet girl would be blushing with embarrassment and at a loss for words after what they said. Unexpectedly, she actually dared to talk back.
“Oh, so you’re calling him ‘my husband’ already, how affectionate.” Another military wife with a sharp face laughed sarcastically. “We’re just curious, how did you and Battalion Commander Lu meet? We’ve lived in the same compound as Battalion Commander Lu for years, and we’ve never seen him say more than a word to any of the women. You… you’re quite something.”
The implication in those words was even more malicious. It was practically implying that Su Wanqing had used some improper means to seduce Lu Zhanting.
The air around them seemed to freeze. Some of the military wives who had just been watching the commotion felt that what they were saying was a bit much, but none of them dared to speak up and offend Aunt Li and her group.
Su Wanqing's face finally lost all color.
These words were more hurtful than the gossip of the village women. They were like tiny needles, pricking her heart.
She could disregard what others said about her humble origins, but she couldn't tolerate such slander about her relationship with Lu Zhanting. Although this marriage began as a transaction, in her heart it was sacred and serious. She had gambled her entire life to obtain this protection.
She took a deep breath, just as she was about to retort, when a voice as cold as ice suddenly rang out from behind them.
"You guys have a lot of free time?"
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority and a chilling aura.
Everyone seemed to be frozen in place, suddenly stiffening, and then turning around as if electrocuted.
Suddenly, Lu Zhanting appeared not far behind them. He wore a crisp military uniform, his epaulets gleaming in the sunlight. He wasn't wearing a military cap, revealing his neatly styled short hair. His sharply defined face was expressionless, but his deep eyes seemed to hold an icy storm, so cold that it was impossible to look directly at him.
He had just finished a meeting at the regimental headquarters and was on his way home for dinner when he unexpectedly witnessed this scene.
His wife, the girl who always appeared calm and resilient in his presence, was now surrounded by a group of women. Her face was pale, her lips tightly pressed together, and her knuckles were white from gripping the cloth bag so tightly. She looked like a fawn surrounded by wolves, feigning strength, and the sight ignited a sudden fire within him.
"Commander Lu... Battalion Commander Lu..."
Aunt Li's face turned deathly pale instantly, her lips trembling, and all her previous arrogance vanished. The other military wives were so frightened that they lowered their heads, wishing they could disappear into the ground.
Lu Zhanting ignored them.
He strode over to Su Wanqing. He didn't say anything, but simply reached out and took the tightly clutched cloth bag from her hand. Then, with his other hand, he put his arm around her trembling shoulder and pulled her halfway into his embrace.
His palms were large and warm, and even through the thin fabric, they exuded a reassuring strength.
Su Wanqing's body stiffened, and she subconsciously looked up at him.
His profile remained sharp, but when he looked at her, his cold gaze melted instantly, becoming deep and focused.
He didn't ask anything, but with this action, he declared his stance to everyone.
After doing all this, Lu Zhanting slowly turned his head, his cold gaze falling once again on Aunt Li and the others.
"I think I just heard you discussing my wife's background?" His voice was calm and even, but it made Aunt Li and the others' hearts jump into their throats.
"No...no, Battalion Commander Lu, we were just...just joking around with the new sister-in-law, chatting casually..." Aunt Li forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace, and stammered as she explained.
"A joke?" A dangerous smile curled at the corner of Lu Zhanting's lips. "My wife, Lu Zhanting's wife, is not something you can joke about?"
He stepped forward, and the imposing presence of his tall figure caused several women to unconsciously take a step back.
"Who I marry and what kind of woman I marry is my own business, Lu Zhanting. Since when did it become your place as family members to interfere?" His voice suddenly turned cold. "Or is it that your husbands are too idle in the army, giving you time to gossip and undermine unity among military families?"
When the serious charge of "undermining unity among military families" was slapped on Aunt Li, her legs went weak. She knew things had gotten out of hand.
"Battalion Commander Lu, we were wrong, we'll never dare to do it again..."
"I heard that Clerk Li is currently applying for promotion." Lu Zhanting's gaze locked onto Aunt Li, and he said, word by word, "A family with a bad reputation seems to have a significant impact on the evaluation of cadres. What do you think, Aunt Li?"
These words struck Aunt Li like a bolt from the blue.
Her face instantly paled, her lips trembling so much she couldn't utter a complete sentence. She knew Lu Zhanting wasn't joking. Given his absolute authority in the Tiger Battalion, a single word from him to the regimental political commissar would be the end of her husband's career.
"I was wrong... Battalion Commander Lu, I was really wrong... I was foul-mouthed, I talked nonsense... Please, be magnanimous and don't hold it against me..." Aunt Li almost knelt down with a "plop," pleading with a sob in her voice.
The other military wives were also terrified and repeatedly bowed and apologized.
Looking at their terrified faces, Lu Zhanting felt no pity. He simply swept his gaze coldly over them and, in a declarative tone, clearly stated:
"Listen up, everyone. Su Wanqing is my lawfully wedded wife, the woman I acknowledge. From now on, if anyone dares to speak ill of her behind her back or cause her any grievances, don't blame me, Lu Zhanting, for being ruthless."
“I don’t care what your husbands do; to me, they’re all the same.”
"Did you all understand?"
"Understood! Understood!" The women nodded vigorously, barely daring to breathe.
"roll."
Lu Zhanting uttered a single word from his throat.
The group of women, as if granted a pardon, scattered in a panic, not daring to linger for even a second longer.
The once noisy poolside suddenly became empty, leaving only Su Wanqing and Lu Zhanting.
The surrounding air returned to silence, with only the rustling of the wind through the leaves.
The taut string snapped suddenly at that moment. Su Wanqing's eyes welled up with tears, quickly blurring her vision.
She wasn't a crybaby. She didn't cry when Zhao Jianhe broke off their engagement. She didn't cry when the villagers pointed and gossiped about her. Just now, when Aunt Li and the others publicly humiliated her, she also forced herself not to shed a single tear.
But at this moment, under the man's powerful protection, and after feeling that unquestionable safeguarding, all the pent-up grievances, anxieties, and fears surged into her heart like a flood bursting its banks.
It's not that she isn't sad, it's just that she doesn't dare to show weakness.
And this man gave her a reason to be weak.
She lowered her head, not wanting him to see her disheveled state, but the tears that she couldn't control still slid down her cheeks and fell onto the cement floor, spreading out a small dark stain.
Lu Zhanting tightened his arm around her shoulder. He didn't speak, nor did he awkwardly try to comfort her. He simply stood there quietly, using his body to create a safe haven for her.
After a long silence, he finally spoke in a low voice: "Go home."
He didn't let go of her; he simply put his arm around her shoulder and led her towards home.
Su Wanqing kept her head down, her face buried between his firm chest and arms, smelling the clean scent of soap and a faint smell of sweat on him. The embrace wasn't gentle, it was even a little uncomfortable, but it made her feel safer than ever before.
She knew that from this moment on, no one in this military compound would dare to look down on her or bully her.
Because she is Lu Zhanting's woman.
This man fulfilled his promise to "protect you for life" in the most direct and domineering way.
Back home, Lu Zhanting closed the courtyard gate, shutting out everything from the outside world.
He released her hand, walked to the table, poured a glass of warm water, and placed it in her cold hand.
"Have some water."
Su Wanqing silently took the water glass, the warmth of his hand still lingering on the glass. She held the glass and sipped the water slowly, the warm water flowing into her stomach and gradually calming her turbulent emotions.
She looked up at him, her eyes red.
Lu Zhanting stood before her, his tall figure looming over her. He looked at her reddened eyes and the tip of her nose, his brows furrowing involuntarily, a hint of annoyance and self-reproach flashing in his eyes.
“It was my oversight,” he said in a deep voice. “I should have thought of it.”
He shouldn't have let her go out alone to face those complicated environments and people's hearts.
Su Wanqing shook her head, her voice still slightly choked: "It's none of your business. Thank you."
"There's no need for thanks between us." Lu Zhanting looked at her and repeated the words he had said many times before. He paused, raised his hand, and his rough fingertips clumsily wiped away the tear stains remaining at the corner of her eyes.
His movements were very light, with a kind of careful tenderness.
The scalding heat made Su Wanqing's heart tremble.
She looked at the man before her; his resolute face, illuminated by the room's light, no longer seemed so cold. His eyes were as deep as the sea, clearly reflecting her small, tear-streaked face.
At this moment, Su Wanqing suddenly felt that her decision to marry him, which she had risked everything for, was the most correct thing she had ever done in both her lives.
This marriage, which began as a transaction, seems to have quietly changed without anyone noticing. Something called "warmth" and "dependence" is sprouting and quietly growing in this small home that has just weathered a storm.
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