Chapter 1 Don't call me "Dad," step forward.
"Who is my father? Step forward!"
In 1976, a little boy of about three years old got off the car, ran to the gate of the compound, and shouted inside.
Coincidentally, some people were washing clothes in the yard, and they turned to look at the little boy.
Song Fenglan got out of the car and almost collapsed. What was her son saying?
They came to accompany the army, not to catch someone in adultery!
With his fierce demeanor and loud shouting, anyone who didn't know better would think the child had never met his biological father and that his father treated him badly.
Song Fenglan originally lived in the capital with her child. However, the Song family was classified as bourgeois, and her parents and brothers were sent to a farm. Song's father, not wanting his daughter to suffer in the countryside, entrusted her to Song Fenglan's aunt. Later, Song Fenglan was framed and ended up having a relationship with Qin Yizhou, and the two eventually married.
After obtaining their marriage certificate, Song Fenglan did not live at the Qin family's house, but instead lived at her aunt's house. A few days ago, Song Fenglan's cousin went to her aunt's house and made a scene, saying that Song Fenglan was already married and should move out and live outside, not at home.
Although she said she would stay at her aunt's house again, Song Fenglan actually paid for the rent and food after she started working, so she wasn't exactly eating at her aunt's house for free. However, it wasn't right for Song Fenglan to stay at her aunt's house indefinitely, so she simply brought her son Qin Zihang to join her in the military.
In Song Fenglan's eyes, there was no affection between her and Qin Yizhou. On the very night they registered their marriage, Qin Yizhou received an emergency order and left without even having time to make arrangements for Song Fenglan. Song Fenglan didn't want to face her in-laws alone, so she didn't go to the Qin family home and told Qin Yizhou not to tell his family yet. When Qin Yizhou returned, more than half a year had passed, and Song Fenglan was almost due to give birth.
With her due date approaching, Song Fenglan had no intention of moving into the Qin family home, nor did she want to face them. Only after giving birth did she meet the Qin family. The eldest sister-in-law of the Qin family disliked Song Fenglan, believing her to have a bad family background, making it even less likely for Song Fenglan to move in. Even though Qin's parents were relatively accommodating, Song Fenglan didn't want to suffer.
Since it was Song Fenglan's first time becoming a mother, she couldn't take care of the child, so she continued to live with her aunt, who could also help her take care of the child.
Realizing that she had caused a lot of trouble for her aunt's family, Song Fenglan felt it was inappropriate to continue living at her aunt's house.
For a moment, Song Fenglan watched her son calling from the other side, but she didn't want to go over.
"Who is my father? Step forward!" Qin Zihang repeated himself, afraid that others might not have heard him.
Song Fenglan quickly stepped forward and covered her son's mouth, saying, "Don't shout."
Soon, a woman came to the gate. The weather was quite hot in June, and Song Fenglan was wearing a thin shirt and wide-legged trousers that she had made herself. Song Fenglan was a time traveler; a few days ago, her cousin hit her on the head with something, which awakened her memories of her past life.
After awakening her past life memories, Song Fenglan took a while to process them, feeling a sense of disconnect. But no matter what, her son was her own flesh and blood; there was no such thing as the original owner of the body. Her three-year-old son was already quite mischievous and energetic, so Song Fenglan thought she should let Qin Yizhou take care of him.
"Sister-in-law." The guard walked up to Song Fenglan.
Qin Yizhou went on a mission and didn't come to pick up Song Fenglan. He didn't even know she had come to join him. He hadn't seen the letter Song Fenglan had sent yet; his mission took a long time. When Song Fenglan arrived, no one came to pick her up, so she had to call the military base before someone came to fetch her.
"Sister-in-law, where did this sister-in-law come from?" A plump woman, twice the size of Song Fenglan, stood there. Everyone called her Fat Sister-in-law.
Song Fenglan was extremely beautiful. Her long hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head, adorned with a hairpin with dangling beads. When others saw Song Fenglan standing there, they might mistake her for someone from the performing arts troupe or one of the beautiful actresses from the film studio.
Fat Sister-in-law didn't have a good impression of the people in the cultural troupe. She wasn't good-looking, and her husband had even gone on a blind date with one of them. After Fat Sister-in-law joined her husband in the military, everyone around her felt that she wasn't good enough for him, and that he deserved someone better. But they were already married, so what could they do? They just had to keep going.
"Who are you looking for?" The plump woman had never seen Song Fenglan before, and her heart tightened. She was worried that Song Fenglan was some kind of vixen. She had seen all the military wives in this compound, but none of them were like Song Fenglan. So alluring and flamboyant, she didn't seem like a down-to-earth and simple military wife at all.
The plump woman looked at Qin Zihang again, who was being held by Song Fenglan. She wondered why the child had come here looking for his father. Had they gotten together before marriage, and the child didn't even know who his biological father was? Or was this woman bringing the child to find a man to take responsibility?
"Qin Yizhou." Seeing her sister-in-law's behavior, Song Fenglan wasn't upset. Even she herself might have some reservations about her son's loud outburst. "He's my man."
"Qin Yizhou?" The fat woman didn't quite understand; she didn't know the names of all the men in the army.
"It's Commander Qin," the guard quickly explained.
With this explanation, Fatty understood. They all knew that Commander Qin was already married, but he rarely mentioned his family, acting as if he were never married. They all speculated that Commander Qin's marriage was arranged, and that he didn't like his wife, which was why he didn't like to talk about it. Some even guessed that Commander Qin's wife wasn't good-looking, probably similar to Fatty. These rumors reached Fatty's ears, and she even felt sorry for Commander Qin's wife at one point.
After all, Fatty Sister-in-law had gone with her husband to join the army, while Commander Qin's wife was left alone at home by her husband.
"Commander Qin?" The plump woman was stunned for a moment.
"It's Qin Yizhou, my dad is Qin Yizhou, not the regimental commander, not Nuomi Tuanzi." Qin Zihang didn't know anything about regimental commanders, he just thought of the Nuomi Tuanzi he ate, "nor is it Black Heart Sesame Tuanzi."
The plump woman looked at Qin Zihang. She hadn't thought much of it before, but now, glancing at him, she realized that Qin Zihang and Commander Qin were practically identical. The plump woman felt a little embarrassed; she had just been wondering if there was something wrong with this man.
"Of course your dad isn't a dumpling." Song Fenglan gently rubbed her son's head, telling him not to continue. If he did, everyone would say that Qin Yizhou was all bark and no bite, just like a black-hearted sesame dumpling.
“Yes, my dad is a human being, not a dumpling.” Qin Zihang nodded vigorously.
"I think your dad looks about the same size as a sesame seed dumpling." Someone walked over with a smile. This person was Zhang Chenghai, the husband of the fat woman.
Zhang Chenghai came back on business and happened to see Song Fenglan bringing her child. Zhang Chenghai looked at Song Fenglan and couldn't help but take a second look; she was really beautiful.
The next moment, Zhang Chenghai cried out in pain.
The fat woman pinched Zhang Chenghai's waist hard and twisted it, making him wince in pain.
"These are Commander Qin's wife and son," the plump woman emphasized. "Where are Zhang Chenghai's eyes looking? Is it appropriate for him to stare at someone else's wife like that?"
"I know, I know," Zhang Chenghai quickly replied. "Commander Qin hasn't returned yet; I reckon he'll be back in a couple of days."
"It's alright, we'll wait for him to come back," Song Fenglan said. Having rushed off to her mission the very day they got their marriage certificate, she didn't have high expectations for Qin Yizhou. While it wasn't entirely Qin Yizhou's fault, it would be a lie to say that Song Fenglan had absolutely no feelings about it.
Being a military wife is really not easy. They have to be more able to endure loneliness than other women, and they also have to be both a mother and a father by themselves.
Song Fenglan looked down at her son, who was clinging to her leg. "Seeing so many people, he must be scared now, right?" she thought. "If he hadn't been yelling, there wouldn't be so many people gathered here."
"Have you arranged your accommodations?" The plump woman was a little hesitant. She had just misunderstood. If she was Commander Qin's wife, then there was nothing wrong with her. "I haven't heard that Commander Qin applied for a family compound."
“Let’s stay at a nearby guesthouse for a few days and wait for him,” Song Fenglan said. “I wrote him a letter earlier, but he probably hasn’t received it.”
More than ten days passed between when Song Fenglan sent the letter and when she left with her child.
"Staying in a guesthouse is not bad either."
"Yes, yes, let's stay at the guesthouse first."
"We'll apply for the family housing again after a few days when the person returns."
"The guesthouse is right next door, which is very convenient."
"For a man, business is more important."
...
The other women had watched the commotion for a while longer, and they had been wondering if Fatty Sister would get into a fight with Song Fenglan. Fatty Sister was known for her many arguments, including with her own husband.
However, these people also had other thoughts in their minds. Some of them glanced at Song Fenglan a few more times, and others exchanged glances with her.
Sigh, she's not ugly.
Why doesn't Commander Qin say a word when she's so beautiful?
Will there be any problems here?
Those people didn't say these words, but they all pretty much understood that this was the gist of it.
Song Fenglan didn't pay much attention to the reactions of the people around her. She held her son's hand. Her son was older and heavier, so Song Fenglan didn't carry him all the time. She would let him walk around when he needed to, and she would carry him if he got tired.
The main reason is that Song Fenglan isn't strong enough; she gets tired after holding the baby for too long, and she doesn't want to appear too weak in front of her son.
"Sister-in-law, let's go to the reception area first," the guard said. "It's right next to here, very close."
It's only a dozen meters away, not far at all, which is why the car was parked here.
“Okay.” Song Fenglan nodded.
The guards helped carry their belongings, while Song Fenglan led her son by the hand. After a few steps, Song Fenglan simply picked up the child and carried him, hoping the guesthouse was nearby; if it was too far, she couldn't carry him. Song Zihang nestled in his mother's arms, smiling happily.
"What are you looking at? Still looking?" the plump woman said unhappily, pinching her husband Zhang Chenghai again. "Isn't she prettier than all the women in the performing arts troupe?"
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