Chapter 4: The battalion commander husband is too protective of his own; one look from him scares away the awful neighbor!
The military green jeep bumped along the country dirt road, its wheels kicking up clouds of yellow dust.
This was Su Wanqing's first time riding in this kind of car.
It's faster than the oxcarts in the village, but also bumpier.
She gripped the handrails in front of her with both hands, her body swaying with the car, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the man driving beside her.
Lu Zhanting changed into a clean set of casual clothes, the two stripes and one star on his shoulders reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight streaming in from the window.
He kept his eyes on the road ahead, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his posture as steady as a rock.
His arm muscles are smooth and firm, and his jawline is extremely taut.
He didn't say a word from beginning to end.
That silence made Su Wanqing feel that she was not his newlywed wife, but rather some kind of cargo he was escorting.
From the moment she received that red marriage certificate from the county's armed forces department, her life took a completely different turn.
She knew nothing of where the road led.
The car headed north.
The low adobe houses have disappeared, replaced by smooth asphalt roads and tall poplar trees.
The earthy fragrance in the air dissipated, replaced by the industrial smell unique to towns, mixed with coal smoke.
The past is being left behind at an alarming rate.
The Red Flag Commune where she was born and raised, the familiar field ridges and rivers, and that unbearable marriage agreement, all blurred in the dust behind the car.
Su Wanqing felt no attachment, and even a sense of relief.
But what lies ahead—good fortune or misfortune?
The only sound inside the car was the monotonous roar of the engine, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
Her nominal husband, Lu Zhanting, was like an iceberg that never melts—cold, hard, silent, and unfathomable.
Was marrying him really the right thing to do?
She remembered his words, "I will protect you for the rest of my life," and thought of her parents finally being able to stand tall in the village.
She forcefully suppressed the unease in her heart.
This is a deal.
She only needs to play the role of "Lu Zhanting's wife".
After an unknown amount of time, the car slowed down.
Ahead stood a tall gatehouse, with two heavily armed sentries standing tall and straight like pine trees.
On the white wall, eight bright red characters read, "Protecting our home and country is everyone's responsibility," exuding a sense of iron will.
An invisible, chilling aura made Su Wanqing subconsciously tense her back.
The jeep came to a stop in front of the gate.
A sentry stepped forward in goose-step, and upon seeing the person in the driver's seat, his body instantly straightened, and he snapped to attention with a standard military salute.
"Greetings, Battalion Commander!" The voice was loud and clear, making the air buzz.
Lu Zhanting simply nodded slightly.
The sentry immediately pressed the button, and the barrier slowly rose.
The car restarted and smoothly drove through the gate.
Su Wanqing glanced back; the two sentries were still standing ramrod straight, their eyes fixed straight ahead.
This is military discipline.
Rigorous, cold, and possessing an awe-inspiring power.
Upon entering the military compound, a bright and open view suddenly appeared before me.
Everything here is perfectly orderly.
The wide cement road, the neatly trimmed holly trees, and the rows of red brick and gray tile barracks and family quarters look as if they were measured with a ruler.
In the distance, the soldiers' battle cries could be faintly heard from the training ground, full of power.
The air was clean, serious, and tense.
Su Wanqing was like a child who had mistakenly entered a land of giants, curiously and cautiously observing this brand new world.
Everything here is out of step with her life over the past twenty years.
"The training ground and office area are on the left; family members cannot go there casually."
Lu Zhanting's voice suddenly broke the silence.
He kept looking ahead, only pointing to the left with his chin.
"On the right is the family quarters and logistics area, which includes a service center, a clinic, and a canteen."
His introduction was concise and to the point, like he was assigning tasks.
"Mm," Su Wanqing replied softly, silently keeping it in mind.
The jeep drove through the camp, attracting a lot of attention.
The fact that a strange, young, and beautiful woman was sitting in the passenger seat is news in itself.
Su Wanqing felt that gazes were falling on her from the roadside and behind the windows of buildings.
Curiosity, exploration, scrutiny.
She was like a novel object placed in a display case, being looked at from head to toe.
She instinctively gripped the hem of her clothes, straightening her back even more.
The car stopped in front of a row of red brick houses with individual courtyards.
Residence of officers at or above the battalion level.
Lu Zhanting turned off the engine, opened the door, and got out of the car.
Su Wanqing also unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door.
As soon as she put one foot on the ground, a woman in her forties with a slightly plump figure walked out from the courtyard next door.
The woman was wearing a blue polyester shirt, had fashionable permed hair, and was carrying a basin of freshly washed clothes.
Upon seeing Lu Zhanting and Su Wanqing, she was taken aback at first, then her face lit up with a warm smile as she quickly walked over.
"Oh my, Battalion Commander Lu is back! And this is..." Her gaze swept over Su Wanqing, sparkling with undisguised curiosity.
"My wife, Su Wanqing." Lu Zhanting's introduction was simple and direct.
He took Su Wanqing's small suitcase from the back seat, looked at the woman, and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Sister Liu".
"So it's your sister-in-law! Oh, we've been waiting for you!" The woman, addressed as Sister Liu, smiled even more warmly, put down the basin she was carrying, and took Su Wanqing's hand. "I'm Liu Guifang, who lives next door. Your husband is the company commander of the guard company. From now on, we're neighbors. If you need anything, just tell me, don't be shy!"
Her enthusiasm was like a flame, which eased some of Su Wanqing's restraint.
She gave a polite smile: "Hello, Aunt Liu, my name is Su Wanqing."
"Oh, good, good! You're really handsome!" Liu Guifang pulled her hand and looked her up and down, praising her. "Battalion Commander Lu is so lucky! Come on, you must be tired after getting off the bus, hurry up and come inside to rest. I just cleaned this house for your husband Lu a couple of days ago, just tell me if you need anything."
Before he could finish speaking, the door across the street creaked open.
A thin woman with high cheekbones walked out carrying a broom, and a sharp gaze pierced straight at her.
His gaze swept over her, carrying a hint of criticism and disdain, finally settling on her clean but clearly country-style clothes, and he curled his lip slightly.
Liu Guifang's smile faded slightly, but she still greeted her politely, "Aunt Li, are you out sweeping the floor?"
Aunt Li was a family member of a clerk in the regiment. She ignored Liu Guifang and instead spoke in a sarcastic tone. Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Oh, I was wondering what brought our Battalion Commander Lu back today. Turns out he's brought a new bride into the family. That's quite a rare thing."
Su Wanqing's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
The sourness in his words was almost palpable.
Lu Zhanting paused in his action of opening the door.
He turned to the side, his gaze indifferently fixed on the woman.
There was no warning, no anger.
It was a pure, malevolent aura forged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood; it was cold, deathly still, and could freeze a person's bones instantly.
Aunt Li opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single syllable; the sarcasm on her face froze into an ugly mask.
Her eyes darted away, and she swept the broom haphazardly in front of her house, not daring to utter another word.
The world is quiet.
Liu Guifang awkwardly tried to smooth things over: "That's just how the Li family is, they're all talkative, sister-in-law, don't take it to heart."
Su Wanqing smiled at her but didn't say anything.
She knew this was just the beginning.
A powerless country girl became the wife of the commander of the Fierce Tiger Battalion, which annoyed and envied many people.
"Go in."
Lu Zhanting had already opened the door, his voice still calm, yet it shut out all the gossip outside.
"Okay, sure." Su Wanqing replied and nodded to Liu Guifang. "Sister Liu, I'll go in first."
"Go ahead, go ahead, come find me next door if you need anything." Liu Guifang waved enthusiastically.
Su Wanqing followed Lu Zhanting through the door.
The moment the door closed, hushed whispers drifted in from outside.
"...She looks quite demure, but she really has the ability to win over King Yama Lu..."
"That's right, I heard she's from the countryside, and she's risen to prominence like a phoenix..."
"I'm just afraid this branch is too high, and I won't be able to stand firm..."
Su Wanqing did not stop walking.
She looked up at the place that was about to become her "home".
The room has two bedrooms and a living room; the cement floor is swept clean, and the walls are snow-white.
A few pieces of slightly worn wooden furniture, a table, and a few chairs.
The whole room exuded a cold, hard, and empty atmosphere unique to single men.
Lu Zhanting placed her luggage bag in the corner.
He pointed to the room on his left: "Bedroom."
He then pointed to his right: "The study, your room."
Su Wanqing was taken aback and looked at him.
Lu Zhanting's expression remained unchanged as he stated a fact.
"We had a marriage of convenience."
I won't touch you until you nod.
His words were so frank they were almost rude, but they put Su Wanqing's mind at ease.
She was worried about how to face the situation tonight.
“I respect your decision,” she said earnestly, looking into his eyes.
Lu Zhanting looked into her clear eyes, which held no shyness or coyness, only frankness and tranquility.
He nodded.
This woman is even more sensible than he thought.
Su Wanqing walked to the door of her room and looked inside.
A wooden bed and a wardrobe.
It's extremely simple.
This is her new life, a new beginning.
From today onward, she will play the role of "battalion commander's wife" in this completely unfamiliar environment.
The road ahead is long.
Su Wanqing looked at the place that would soon be called "home," her eyes showing no sign of retreat, only calm determination.
Now that she has chosen this path, she will walk it well.
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