Chapter 13

“Over the past few years, your work attitude and capability have not gone unnoticed. You completed the last mission exceptionally well. After consulting with several senior officers, we have unanimously decided to promote you to regimental commander,” Wang Zhong said kindly. Lin Zhengrong was hardworking and intelligent, qualities they all highly valued.

Advancing from battalion commander to regimental commander was indeed a tremendous achievement.

Lin Zhengrong hadn’t given it much thought lately; his mind had been preoccupied with concerns about his family. Previously, Chen Guowei had mentioned the possibility of a promotion, but Lin hadn’t taken it seriously.

“You look so happy,” Wang Zhong smiled.

“Thank you for your trust, Commander. I will not disappoint your expectations!” Lin Zhengrong stood up and saluted. His hard work was finally paying off, and he was genuinely excited.

“Sit down, sit down. This is good news. If you keep working hard, your future will be bright!” Wang Zhong said, then suddenly asked, “By the way, what did you want to talk to me about just now?”

Lin Zhengrong sat upright, his broad shoulders exuding responsibility. “I’ve been receiving frequent letters from home recently. I haven’t been back for many years, and I wanted to ask your permission, Political Commissar, to take some leave.”

“That’s understandable. You really should go back to see them. Although we are soldiers of the people, we are also children to our parents and husbands to our wives. We have responsibilities to our families,” Wang Zhong said, glancing at the calendar. “Here’s what we’ll do: once your appointment as regimental commander is official, you can take leave and go home. That won’t be long.”

Lin Zhengrong agreed—getting the official appointment first would make him feel more at ease.

“Oh, and since you’re being promoted, you can apply to the army for housing. When you go home this time, see if you want your wife and children to come with you. It’s better for a couple to be together. Otherwise, you’re always alone, and the young ladies in the unit might mistakenly think you’re single.”

Several times, people had asked Wang Zhong if Lin Zhengrong had a girlfriend. When they found out he was married, they were all a bit disappointed. Among the men under his command, Lin was the most handsome and tall.

A family accompanying the army?

Lin Zhengrong hadn’t considered it, but what if Jiang Qiuyue came along?

He didn’t dwell on it, simply told Political Commissar Wang that it was fine, but in his heart, he didn’t take it seriously. He was busy with military duties and had no time to concern himself with such matters.

Although he had decided to go home, Lin Zhengrong still made a trip to the supply cooperative and asked the clerk, “Do you sell dried shrimp or other seafood here?”

“The items you’re asking about are in high demand. Once we stock them, they’re gone immediately,” the clerk replied.

When Lin asked when they might restock, the clerk said she didn’t know and went back to her work. Back at the dormitory, Chen Guowei reminded him that he could ask the villagers nearby; maybe his fellow villagers would have some.

Lin Zhengrong went to the village and bought two pounds of dried shrimp and other seafood, thinking that in a few days, when he returned home, he could bring some back himself instead of mailing it.

He thought to himself, this time Jiang Qiuyue would surely be satisfied.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qiuyue was busy drying mushrooms—or rather, supervising Lin Beibei and Lin Nannan as they dried mushrooms.

This year’s mushroom harvest was bountiful. Every household’s courtyard was drying mushrooms.

“Exactly—turn each cluster over like this. Beibei, Nannan, you’re doing great. Keep going. Mom will go fry some taro pancakes for you,” she said.

Early that morning, Jiang Youcai had brought over taro and yams, claiming they were homegrown, delivering some to his cousin’s house and bringing a bit for Jiang Qiuyue as well.

Seeing the taro, she felt hungry. She had made dough early that morning, shredded the taro finely, and seasoned it with chili powder, scallions, and salt.

The dough was filled with a generous amount of taro shreds. Jiang Qiuyue also added a piece of salted pork, then rolled it thin with the rolling pin. Through the dough, the taro shreds and bright red chili flakes were visible.

There was a small fire in the stove. Once the oil was hot, she placed the taro pancakes in the pan.

As the dough touched the oil, it sizzled. Soon, the aroma of fried dough filled the small courtyard.

When one side turned golden, she flipped it and continued making the next pancake.

Lin Beibei hurried over, standing on tiptoe to peek into the pan. Jiang Qiuyue pulled the children back. “Careful, the oil might splash. Take your sister and go drink some herbal tea, or you’ll get a heat rash from eating taro pancakes.”

“Alright!” Lin Beibei ran back to the room to pour the tea, first for his sister and mother, then for himself.

When the taro pancakes were golden on both sides, Jiang Qiuyue took them out to cool. She had made four pancakes in total.

It wasn’t that she was stingy, but oil and flour were precious these days—she couldn’t afford for them to eat too much.

“Beibei, take this piece to Zhuangzhuang. We owe the Niu family for the taro, so let’s share,” she said, placing the pancake on a plate and patting her son’s soft little bottom. “Bring it back right after. Don’t accept anything from Grandma Niu, and tell her Mom said no.”

They had already received a lot from the Niu family, and Jiang Qiuyue didn’t want to keep taking their food. Even though the vegetables were from her own garden, they had been lovingly tended by others.

She had a small plot of land in her own yard. When Jiang Youcai and others were around, she had asked them to help prepare the soil.

In the vegetable plot, she had planted scallions, chili peppers, and long beans. Today, the long beans had sprouted. Lin Beibei had gotten up early to water them—very diligent.

“Nannan, this one’s for you,” Jiang Qiuyue said, pulling a stool to sit at the kitchen doorway with her daughter.

She had tried to guide Lin Nannan several times but to no avail. The little girl had suffered serious psychological trauma and needed time to heal.

The taro pancakes were fragrant and crispy, with silky taro inside, infused with the aroma of salted pork.

Taking a bite, Jiang Qiuyue squeezed her eyes shut in happiness.

At that moment, a sudden cry came from outside the yard. Jiang Qiuyue dashed out.

A plate shattered on the ground. Lin Beibei sat crying loudly, facing a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl Jiang Qiuyue immediately recognized as her younger sister-in-law, Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao held a taro pancake. “Beibei, why are you crying? When has your mother ever not given me good things right away?”

She was about to kick Lin Beibei when a strong force pushed her away.

“Who the hell... Sister-in-law, what are you doing?”

“Smack!”

A sharp slap rang out as Jiang Qiuyue struck Lin Xiao across the face.

At the same time, Jiang Qiuyue helped Lin Beibei up. “Where did she hit you? Tell Mom, and I’ll get you justice.”

“Auntie snatched... snatched the pancake and pushed me!” Lin Beibei sobbed, looking at the broken plate on the ground. “I didn’t mean to break the plate. Auntie pinched me, so I couldn’t hold on.”

Lin Beibei’s arm was not only red but also scraped and bleeding—about the size of half a palm. Before Lin Xiao could react, Jiang Qiuyue slapped her again.

“Jiang Qiuyue, have you lost your mind?” Lin Xiao’s swollen cheeks showed how hard she had been hit. “How dare you hit me? I’ll fight you!”

Before Lin Xiao could get close, Jiang Qiuyue kicked her to the ground. To dare hit her son, she must have eaten a lion’s heart.

“Lin Xiao, your parents didn’t teach you well. Today I’m going to deal with you,” Jiang Qiuyue said, sitting on Lin Xiao and slapping her twice more. “Beibei is just a little kid. If you steal his food, I wouldn’t hit you this hard. But if you dare lay a hand on him, I’ll hit you until you beg for mercy!”

Lin Xiao was utterly defenseless against Jiang Qiuyue’s blows. Jiang Qiuyue’s recent strength was not for nothing. By the time Wang Chunhua and others came back from the fields, Lin Xiao looked like a battered pig’s head.

“Mom!” Lin Xiao sobbed, running to them. “Jiang Qiuyue has gone mad! Look what she did to me!”

Before, Lin Xiao had always bossed Jiang Qiuyue around, and Lin Beibei and Lin Nannan, the two little bastards, were easy targets. Today, seeing Lin Beibei holding a delicious taro pancake, she directly reached out to snatch it.

Hearing Lin Xiao call “Mom,” Wang Chunhua didn’t immediately recognize her. When she did, she raised her hoe and rushed toward Jiang Qiuyue.

“You ungrateful wretch! Xiao Xiao is your sister-in-law. How dare you beat her like this?”

Jiang Qiuyue sidestepped, grabbed the hoe, and pulled it away with force, causing Wang Chunhua to fall flat on her face.

Before, Jiang Qiuyue had been careful to maintain a good relationship with the Lin family—for the sake of the inheritance and her own reputation. Now that it was clear Wang Chunhua and her husband favored their own, mistreating Jiang Qiuyue and her children, most people no longer saw her resistance as excessive.

Lin Fugui frowned. “Jiang Qiuyue, you’ve gone too far this time!”

“Dad, which one of us is being unreasonable—me or Lin Xiao?” Jiang Qiuyue lifted Lin Beibei’s arm. “Look at the wounds on this little kid. Lin Xiao attacked him. Do you still think I’m in the wrong?”

“Oh, you probably don’t think so, because in your eyes, Dazhu isn’t your real son, and Beibei isn’t your real grandson. How could you feel any sympathy?”

Nearby neighbors had come back. Aunt Niu saw Lin Beibei’s injured arm. “Oh my goodness, who did this to you?”

Lin Beibei sobbed quietly that it was his aunt.

When Aunt Niu turned to look at Lin Xiao, she saw the slap marks on her face and gasped, “Qiuyue, you... you hit her back?”

“Yes,” Jiang Qiuyue nodded.

“Well done!” Aunt Niu clapped. “You should have stood your ground a long time ago. It’s good you’ve finally woken up. What use is it to slave away for the Lin family? They treat you as an outsider anyway.”

Jiang Qiuyue sighed. “Yes, Aunt. I’ve come to realize that now. Anyone who bullies my children, I’ll fight to the death! Can Nannan stay at your place for a while? I’ll take Beibei to the clinic to get checked out. He’s so little—I don’t know if there’ll be any lasting damage.”

Aunt Niu agreed, but Lin Nannan clung stubbornly to Lin Beibei’s clothes, indicating she wanted to go too.

Wang Chunhua got up and refused to let Jiang Qiuyue leave. “You beat Lin Xiao like this, and you still want to go? No way!”

“What’s that? Mom wants to fight me too?” Jiang Qiuyue glared coldly. “Today, Lin Xiao started the fight. If you’re not afraid the whole village will know how cruel and malicious she is, and how she abuses the kids, then bring the battalion commander here. I’m ready anytime!”

Holding her two children, Jiang Qiuyue passed Lin Fugui, emphasizing, “Dad, you’re a bit smarter than Mom. You should know your reputation in the village is already pretty bad, right?”

Lin Fugui, proud of his face, thought: …And it’s all Jiang Qiuyue’s fault!

“Dad, you can’t let her go!” Lin Xiao cried, reaching for her father’s hand, but he shrugged her off, leaving her stunned.

“Stop crying. You can’t beat anyone, and you still have the nerve to cry? Go home!” Feeling the neighbors’ stares, Lin Fugui’s face flushed.

Jiang Qiuyue took Lin Beibei to the clinic for treatment. Fortunately, it was only a surface wound, though quite large. When the medicine was applied, Lin Beibei’s tears flowed freely.

Seeing him cry, Lin Nannan sniffled along.

Jiang Qiuyue’s heart ached. Such well-behaved children, and Lin Xiao truly deserved to be damned.

“Take this bottle of medicine home. Apply it twice a day until the wound scabs over, then you can stop,” said Jiang Zeyu, the village barefoot doctor who usually treated villagers’ minor ailments.

This was the second time this month he had seen Jiang Qiuyue. He noticed she seemed to have changed a lot—not just that her complexion had brightened, but something deeper, a spirit and vitality radiated from her.

“Thank you, Doctor Jiang. We’ll head back now,” Jiang Qiuyue said, leading the children home. Unfortunately, the taro pancake was ultimately eaten by Lin Xiao.

Back home, she sat the children down to eat pancakes while she grabbed a sturdy wooden stick and went to smash the Lin family’s door.

They had broken her plate and ruined her hard-made taro pancakes; they would have to pay for it!