They were sitting right at the entrance to a fork in the road, which stretched quite a distance further in. There was a bend in the road not far ahead, and they couldn't see the end of the road. When they got down, they hadn't seen anyone. After sitting quietly for a while, they heard people talking; it was a man and a woman.
Both men had excellent hearing, especially Huo Qingfeng, whose ears were incredibly sharp. After understanding what they were saying, they exchanged a glance, and Ling Ruoke saw that the colonel's eyes seemed to be spitting fire. The woman was a military wife. She had just been complaining about how bad her husband was, looking full of grievances.
The two must have known that the path down the mountain was extremely steep, and that ordinary people wouldn't take this route, which is why they chose this spot for their tryst. Moreover, an ordinary person, as long as they didn't stray into the side paths, wouldn't have noticed them. Their voices weren't loud; it was just that the couple had excellent hearing.
Ling Ruoke grasped Huo Qingfeng's large hands, silently comforting him. Although he was a soldier, he couldn't interfere in other people's family affairs. No matter what kind of man a woman marries, there will always be some women who aren't so docile. Especially now, with increasingly shallow moral values, keeping mistresses and being a concubine has become a trend, and there's no end to the condemnation.
Huo Qingfeng suddenly stood up and rushed straight inside. Ling Ruoke couldn't stop him and had no choice but to follow. The people inside were also frightened when they saw someone suddenly rush in. They stood up in panic, and the two of them huddled together.
"A woman like you, who doesn't uphold traditional virtues, becoming a military wife is the greatest tragedy for a soldier. If you don't have the ability to be a military wife, you shouldn't have married a soldier in the first place. You could go sell yourself and no one would care for you for the rest of your life!" Huo Qingfeng finished his angry rant and dragged Ling Ruoke away.
The two men were stunned for a moment, then heard the woman curse, "What's it to you, you lunatic!"
Huo Qingfeng walked quickly, and Ling Ruoke was pulled along, forced to run to keep up. Running down the mountain felt like she was about to tumble down. But he was in a bad mood, so she didn't say a word. Once he calmed down, Huo Qingfeng stopped, turned around, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Wife, I'm sorry."
Ling Ruoke hugged him back and patted his back. "Most soldiers are good, but you can't deny that there are a few bad ones. So military wives are the same, so it's not worth getting angry over women like that."
“I know.” But when that woman was cursing her husband, she mentioned his name—one of his soldiers. “I just feel sorry for my soldiers.”
"Her husband is one of your soldiers?" Ling Ruoke was slightly surprised, not expecting such a coincidence. If that were the case, it wouldn't be so surprising. Don't let the colonel's cold demeanor fool you; he's said to push his men to the limit during training, but he actually cares about them a lot. She'd also overheard his soldiers talking about how, during missions, he wanted to take all the danger himself to ensure each of his men returned safely. Perhaps that's why, despite his coldness, his soldiers were so devoted to him.
"Okay, let's go."
It turned out that the woman's husband was named He Jingwen, and he was one of Huo Qingfeng's soldiers. He Jingwen was a man from Shandong, from a rural area. Besides him, he also had an older brother, and his family was quite poor. Before getting married, he sent almost all of his monthly salary home. It was with this money that his family built a house, and his brother bought a small truck to haul goods, and their lives gradually improved.
He Jingwen, always thinking of his family, didn't get married until he was 28. His bride, Wang Shumei, was from a remote mountain village in Z city. She had left after junior high school to work in Z city, where she worked as a receptionist at a hotel. One night, she was almost raped while out partying, but He Jingwen saved her. They fell in love and married in less than two months.
He Jingwen was a lieutenant, a deputy company commander, and therefore didn't meet the requirements for accompanying a military spouse. After getting married, he rented a one-bedroom apartment in Z City for his wife to live in. His family was understanding, and since life was better now, they didn't need him to send money back home. He was an honest man and doted on his wife, giving her all of his monthly salary. At first, life was quite good, but people's hearts change. Wang Shumei, with He Jingwen's salary, spent more and more extravagantly. Working at a hotel, she had seen all sorts of people. Over time, she became increasingly dissatisfied with her life, complaining that her husband didn't earn enough money and was often away from home.
Huo Qingfeng had heard about these things. However, He Jingwen was a man and didn't like others interfering in his family affairs, so he pretended not to know. He originally thought it was just a fuss, but he didn't expect that she would actually be involved with another man. No wonder He Jingwen has been looking gloomy lately, and even got injured during training because he was distracted.
Ling Ruoke listened to the story and felt a tightness in her chest, but didn't know what to say. Stories like this appear in the news almost daily, and the more they are condemned, the more such people seem to emerge. The moral decay and distorted values in society are becoming increasingly severe, making it impossible to guard against them.
After a moment of silence, Huo Qingfeng suddenly said, "I don't have a good opinion of Mei Yanting and Chen Shan at all. I don't want Chen Shan to become the second He Jingwen."
Ling Ruoke remained silent. After the colonel's analysis, she also felt that Mei Yanting was not suitable. "They are both adults and have their own thoughts. If it really turns out badly, they should bear the consequences themselves. Besides, people can change. Perhaps Mei Yanting will change after following Chen Shan."
Nothing is absolute. Some people go from good to bad, and others go from bad to good. Besides, Mei Yanting can't even be considered bad.
"Maybe." Huo Qingfeng narrowed his eyes slightly, looking into the distance, and took a deep breath. He turned to look at her and smiled. "I only need to take care of my good wife."
Upon hearing this, Ling Ruoke tilted her head back and chuckled foolishly. "That's right. The greatest contribution to society is for everyone to take responsibility for themselves and then manage their partners and children well."
All other so-called grand missions are empty promises.
"You see things more clearly than I do." Huo Qingfeng put his arm around her, and had to admit that this was indeed the truth.
Ling Ruoke smiled and shook her head. "It's not that you don't see things clearly; you're a soldier, used to taking the safety of the country and the happiness of the people as your mission, so you think more than I do. With more mixed factors involved, it's natural that you can't see things clearly."
"I sound like I'm pretty great, don't I?"
"That's right. Anyone who dares to say anything bad about my husband, I'll be the first to beat him up."
"..."
By the time we came down from the mountain, it was already evening. Driving back into the city, it was just time for dinner.
Ling Ruoke called Tan Peishi, thinking of going to her house for a meal. However, Tan Peishi had relatives visiting, so Ling Ruoke decided not to go. "We can't have a free meal here. Let's just go home and cook."
"Won't we be too tired? How about we eat out before going back?"
Ling Ruoke thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Let's cook at home. I still prefer to eat food I cook myself."
"good."
The car pulled up to the vegetable market not far from the gate of the residential area. Ling Ruoke told Huo Qingfeng to wait in the car, but he still got out. He carried whatever he bought right away, afraid of tiring his wife.
When they returned from grocery shopping, they found two people beside the car: Chen Shan and Mei Yanting. Chen Shan recognized Huo Qingfeng's Hummer, so she, who had been waiting at the entrance of the residential complex, hurriedly ran over.
"Captain, sister-in-law. We've come to freeload a meal." Chen Shan was also carrying large and small bags, containing vegetables and fruits.
Ling Ruoke noticed that she had bought the same item twice. "Why didn't you call ahead to tell me?"
The two of them just chuckled awkwardly and didn't answer.
Ling Ruoke guessed that they had come because of the bomb. They probably hadn't called beforehand because they were afraid of being turned away. Chen Shan was an honest man, not one to scheme, so this idea of acting first and informing later must have been Mei Yanting's suggestion. She frowned but said nothing. "Get in the car, we're all starving."
Back home, after having some tea, Huo Qingfeng took Chen Shan to the kitchen to wash and chop vegetables. He was worried his wife would get tired, so he prepared everything in advance, just waiting to cook.
Ling Ruoke turned on the TV and chatted with Mei Yanting while eating grapes. Perhaps feeling more at ease after entering the room, Mei Yanting also started talking.
“Sister Ximeng.” Mei Yanting chatted with her for a while, then couldn’t help but try to steer the conversation back to that matter.
Ling Ruoke turned her gaze away from the television and hummed in agreement.
"I really didn't mean to do that. I saw the photos of you two together, and I couldn't tell if they were tampered with. He made it sound so convincing, so I just wanted to do a good deed. I never expected it to turn out like this." Because of this incident, Mei Yanting was uneasy all day, feeling that everyone was looking at her differently than before.
Ling Ruoke didn't want to reason with her anymore. She suddenly felt that no matter what she said, Mei Yanting probably wouldn't listen. "Be more careful in the future. One shouldn't be too scheming, but one shouldn't be without a sense of caution."
"I understand." Mei Yanting smiled immediately, secretly relieved.
Ling Ruoke nodded, said nothing more, and turned her attention back to the television.
She was watching the military channel. Mei Yanting wasn't interested, so she secretly observed her profile. Her gaze swept across the room's furnishings, and the more she looked, the more she thought Xi Meng's house was truly beautiful and comfortable. She also longed for a comfortable home, to live a peaceful life, free from wandering and the worries of daily necessities.
In the kitchen, Huo Qingfeng and Chen Shan were working hard. Even if a soldier's cooking skills weren't great, his knife skills were excellent.
"Captain, I... I want to file for marriage registration," Chen Shan said in a simple and honest manner.
Huo Qingfeng paused, then turned to look at him. "Have you thought it through?" Actually, there was no need to ask; after their last conversation, he knew this would happen. Chen Shanren was honest and responsible; since he had a relationship with Mei Yanting, he was definitely going to marry her.
"Captain, I also long for the life of a wife, kids, and a warm bed." He added with a silly chuckle, his face full of honest sincerity.
Huo Qingfeng had intended to offer him some advice, but ultimately decided against it. Just as Ruoke had said, everyone has their own choices, and whatever the outcome, as long as they are willing to bravely bear the consequences, that's enough. He reached out and patted Chen Shan on the shoulder, saying, "Alright! Planning to hold the wedding here, or back in your hometown?"
"I want to take Tingting back to my hometown so my parents can see their daughter-in-law." It's not easy for soldiers to get married, and Chen Shan's marriage is something his parents have always been concerned about.
Huo Qingfeng nodded, agreeing that this was a better approach. "But you'll have to treat the brothers to a meal later, or else I'll deal with you!"
"No problem, Captain! Absolutely!" The army is a place that cultivates passion and brotherhood. They've been through countless hardships and faced life-and-death situations together; their bond is even stronger and more genuine than blood ties.
Huo Qingfeng slapped him across the face, and he laughed at himself, as did Chen Shan.
Soon after, the rice cooker beeped, indicating that everything was ready to be picked and chopped, just waiting for the chef to start cooking.
"Honey, it's all done." Huo Qingfeng came out, sat down next to Ling Ruoke, and naturally put his arm around her waist.
Ling Ruoke popped a grape into his mouth, then put the grape down and wiped her hands with a tissue. "Then I'll go cook it."
The moment Mei Yanting saw Huo Qingfeng appear, she jumped up like a mouse seeing a cat, her fur standing on end. She stood up and ran after Ling Ruoke. "I'll go see if anyone needs help."
Huo Qingfeng only prepared four dishes and a soup, but the portions were generous. Clearly, he didn't want too many dishes and tire out his wife.
Looking at the sliced fish, Ling Ruoke couldn't help but admire the soldier's knife skills once again. Each slice was the same thickness and remarkably similar in shape, a feast for the eyes. Besides working as bodyguards and doormen, veterans might also be able to work as vegetable cutters in high-end hotels.
"Sister Ximeng, is there anything I can help you with?" Mei Yanting followed her in, circling around her eagerly. Even if there was nothing she could help with, she didn't want to stay in the living room. When Sister Ximeng was around, her brother-in-law's gaze was much gentler. When Sister Ximeng wasn't there, his gaze was like a knife, making it impossible to look at him.
Ling Ruoke started the fire while looking around. "It seems like no one's done. They've all finished. Why don't you go outside and watch TV with them? There's cooking smoke here."
Actually, their kitchenware is quite high-end, and there's hardly any oily smoke in the kitchen.
"The two men are chatting, and I can't get a word in edgewise. I'll just stay here with you." She didn't have much in common with Huo Qingfeng, or even with Chen Shan.
Chen Shan was honest and simple, not good with words. But he treated her well; his strong physique was like a wall, making her feel safe. On the first day they officially became a couple, he handed her his bankbook, saying that his monthly salary would be deposited into it. She had never met a man like him before. So even though Sister Xi Meng had said so much, she still wanted to marry Chen Shan. Just based on how good he was to her, she felt she could get through any hardship.
Ling Ruoke didn't say anything more and focused on cooking. Once it was done, she had Mei Yanting take it out and prepare to eat.
Seeing that four dishes had already been served, Huo Qingfeng strode in. The last one was boiled fish, a huge pot of it, and he was worried that she might accidentally burn herself.
As soon as Mei Yanting saw him come in, she hurriedly retreated, as if she had seen a ghost.
Huo Qingfeng glanced back at her and said, "Why does she look at me like she's seen a ghost?"
“She’s a rather sensitive person. Why did you come in? Why don’t you chat with Chen Shan?” Ling Ruoke turned her head and rubbed her chin against his waist as he put his arm around her waist.
"That kid's a coward, you can't get a word out of him, what's the point of talking to him?" he said, nuzzling her neck.
Ling Ruoke chuckled and glanced at him, saying, "You're not much better yourself."
Huo Qingfeng didn't say anything, but simply held her waist firmly.
The boiled fish was quickly prepared, a huge pot of it, still bubbling when Huo Qingfeng carried it out. The aroma of Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies mingled with the freshness of the fish, making one's mouth water.
The two women didn't eat much during the meal.
The man, however, devoured the food like a locust plague, finishing off even the last bit of sauce. After finishing, he conscientiously washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen, polishing it until it shone.
While drinking tea, Chen Shan suddenly took out a stack of money.
The other three had no idea what he was doing and looked at him with puzzlement. Was he going to give out red envelopes?
Chen Shan scratched his head and said, "Captain, I heard from Tingting that you rented that house. I think it's a good place to live, so I'll let her stay there in the future. I heard you paid a year's rent. How much was it? Tell me, and I'll pay you back."
Ling Ruoke was taken aback. "Chen Shan, this—"
"The rent is 300, so it's 3600 in total. My friend stayed there for a month, so 3300 is fair," Huo Qingfeng stated generously. In his view, it's only right to repay debts, and no one should take someone else's help for granted. Even if you couldn't repay it at the time, you should still repay it once you can.
Upon hearing this, Mei Yanting glanced at Huo Qingfeng, her mouth agape in astonishment. She hadn't expected him to accept it so readily.
Chen Shan grinned, showing his white teeth, and counted out the money, handing it to him. "Hey, that's great!" He looked more like he was receiving a red envelope than repaying a debt.
Huo Qingfeng took the money and casually placed it on the table.
Mei Yanting looked at the stack of red banknotes, then looked away and saw Chen Shan grinning foolishly at her. She didn't know what to feel.
Ling Ruoke paused for a moment, then understood what he meant. Yuan Meng had also said that kindness should have its limits, and one should not let others take one's help for granted.
After they left, Ling Ruoke grabbed his hand and said sorry.
Huo Qingfeng smiled and said, "I know you're too kind. Luckily, Chen Shan is my subordinate. If he were my superior, someone with ulterior motives could have made a fuss about it, and it would have been considered bribery. Besides, it's only right to repay debts, and he can't be an exception just because he's my brother. This is a matter of principle. I forgot about it for a moment, otherwise I would have had you ask Mei Yanting to get it back. Help from others is essentially a form of unearned gain. If you accept help without thinking about giving back, it will eventually become a habit, and you'll always be asking others for things."
Ling Ruoke nodded, understanding that what he said was true. At the same time, she secretly made a mental note: she needed to be more careful in her future interactions with others, lest she fall into a trap and harm him.
The two of them lingered and watched TV for a while longer. Then Huo Qingfeng pulled her to take a shower together, and a passionate and tender moment ensued.
After leaving the bathroom, Ling Ruoke pushed the cloying colonel onto the bed to sleep and wrote a novel for a while. Her thoughts were flowing smoothly, and she only wrote for half an hour before turning off the computer. As soon as she approached the bed, the colonel suddenly reached out and pulled her down, drawing her into his arms.
Ling Ruoke went hiking today and exercised in the bathroom, so she was a little tired. She snuggled into the colonel's arms and fell asleep in no time.
In the middle of the night, half-asleep, Ling Ruoke felt something was amiss. She let out a soft moan and reached out to touch the space beside her—it was empty. Suddenly, she opened her eyes.
By the dim light from the window, she saw that she was alone in bed. "Qingfeng? Qingfeng?" There was no response.
Ling Ruoke threw off the covers and got out of bed, running downstairs to look for someone. The living room was dark and empty; she searched all the guest rooms, but no one was there either; finally, she ran up to the roof, but still no one was there!
Ling Ruoke leaned against the door on the rooftop, her mind in turmoil.
Did he go back to his unit? Why did he go back without saying a word?
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