Chapter 50

A few days later, Wang Ling made a special trip to Jin Xiuzhu's home to tell her that she had turned down Wenjun's proposal.

Naturally favoring Jin Xiuzhu, she said directly, "I didn't say that Jingzhi disagreed because she's still in school; that would sound like an excuse. People aren't fools; they might not say anything, but who knows what they'd think. I just told them that your family had arranged a marriage for Jingzhi before, and since the children are still young, you wanted to wait a bit longer."

"As for the future, if anyone asks, we can simply say it fell through. They wouldn't keep pressing the matter. We can only say it wasn't meant to be. Do you see my reasoning?"

Jin Xiuzhu nodded and courteously smiled at Wang Ling. "Sister-in-law, you've thought of everything."

The door to the room was open, and Bai Jingzhi, sitting at her desk, heard their conversation.

She immediately realized that speaking was indeed an art. The same meaning could change entirely when expressed differently.

In the living room, Wang Ling said with some irritation, "What else could I do? I didn't want to offend you and have you mad at me. Next time, I'm definitely not doing any more thankless tasks like this."

Jin Xiuzhu thought to herself that Wang Ling did these kinds of things often.

But she said kindly, "I know, and I appreciate your good intentions. Although I don't like the person, I do appreciate your effort."

Wang Ling then smiled with relief.

Jin Xiuzhu asked, "Who is this Wenjun? Why do you have to give her so much face?"

With Qian Yufeng no longer in the military, Jin Xiuzhu was out of the loop on many matters.

Wang Ling waved her hand and then took a sip of tea. "It's not about giving her face, but about maintaining good relations. No one knows how long she and her husband will stay here."

Lowering her voice, she continued, "I don't know much about her husband, except that he seems to come from a regular military background. However, I've heard that her stepfather has an unusual background. Apparently, her mother remarried her stepfather, and she and her brother lived in their hometown until they were older. Their jobs were likely arranged by her stepfather, though now that she's following her husband into the military, she's given up her job."

"What about her brother?"

Wang Ling replied, "I did some inquiries. He seems fine, and I've seen his picture—he looks decent enough, and his job is good too."

Jin Xiuzhu shook her head, thinking that the women here were really foolish. How could they base marriage solely on the man and his job?

"From what you've said, he sounds even less suitable. Relying on his mother and stepfather, how could he make his own decisions? At home, he probably doesn't have much say. Jingzhi is soft-spoken and needs someone decisive, capable, and firm in character. Family background is secondary."

Wang Ling couldn't argue with Jin Xiuzhu. She had strong opinions, and no amount of persuasion would change her mind.

"Then it's settled. Jingzhi is still young, so there's no rush. After I spoke to them, they didn't say much. I told them that if we find someone better in the future, we'll consider them. It seemed like she was a bit disappointed, as she must have liked Jingzhi quite a lot."

Jingzhi was indeed likable. If Wang Ling's son weren't so young, she would have considered it.

"Wenjun also mentioned that her brother has high standards and always wants to compete with his younger half-brother. But how could he be the same? I suspect the younger brother is her mother's child with her stepfather."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, agreeing with that assessment.

"It's no wonder he hasn't married yet. He probably wants to outdo his younger brother."

And Wang Ling's mention of Wenjun's stepfather's unusual background suggested that the younger brother likely grew up pampered. Sibling rivalry was common, and Wenjun's brother had delayed marriage to find someone better than his half-brother. If Bai Jingzhi married him, she might become a pawn in his competition. This was not a good match.

Wenjun's willingness to abandon her job to follow her husband into the military indicated that the family dynamics were complex.

In a moment, Jin Xiuzhu's thoughts raced, grateful that she had rejected the proposal from the start.

She told Wang Ling, "Forget it. It wasn't meant to be, so there's no need to dwell on it."

Then, changing the subject, she asked, "How is Sister Qian doing in the canteen? I haven't seen her in a while."

Wang Ling laughed at this. "She's doing great. Every time I see her, she looks fatter. I bet she's been eating well."

Jin Xiuzhu also chuckled.

"She works hard and is very popular in the canteen. She gets along with everyone. Whenever I go to the canteen, I can hear her talking."

Now responsible for serving food daily, Qian Yufeng would sometimes set aside a portion for Jin Xiuzhu if she arrived late. Each meal would include a chicken leg or fatty meat hidden in the rice, making Jin Xiuzhu hesitant to eat with other leaders, fearing discovery.

Bai Jingzhi heard all the conversation in the living room. Hearing her sister-in-law's evaluation of her and her thoughts on her future spouse, she felt warm inside, appreciating the feeling of being protected by family.

After Wang Ling left, Bai Jingzhi went out and sat next to Jin Xiuzhu, helping her sort scraps of fabric.

Jin Xiuzhu turned to look at her. "Did you hear?"

Bai Jingzhi nodded gently.

Jin Xiuzhu calmly said, "Although you're still young, it's time to consider these things. While studying at school, you should look for classmates from good families and backgrounds to get to know."

Bai Jingzhi looked up at Jin Xiuzhu.

Jin Xiuzhu continued, "Our family may have been wealthy and well-respected in the past, with connections in the capital, but without mutual benefits to maintain those relationships, we're not on equal footing for a marriage alliance. Even if we could use those connections to marry you into a better family, life wouldn't be easy. You'd have to expend a lot of effort to please your in-laws and adapt to a completely unfamiliar environment. If you were wronged, your brother and I wouldn't be able to support you. That would be exhausting, and I don't recommend it."

"If you want a comfortable life, it's best to choose a family of similar status or a partner with their own capabilities. However, the most important thing is the character and ability of the partner. Their family members' personalities should also be good. Other aspects can be less important."

"Don't think it's too early to consider these things. Academic success is crucial, but so is this. Your Sister Wang is right: if you're not attentive, the good ones will be taken. Whether men or women, excellent people are rare. When you find someone good, act quickly and secure them first."

This was the first time Bai Jingzhi had heard such views, and she looked at Jin Xiuzhu in surprise.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't feel she had said anything wrong. Women in this place were sometimes ignorant and foolish, blindly following their parents and elders, who themselves knew little. They focused only on the financial and employment prospects of potential partners, rarely considering their character.

As Qian Yufeng had told her, there was a girl in the canteen whose mother had arranged her marriage to her current husband. Both the husband's parents were employees, but the husband himself was mentally challenged. Although he had arranged a job for her in the canteen after their marriage, both of their children were also mentally challenged. Her father-in-law had been laid off, and her mother-in-law was about to retire. There was no hope for a better future.

Bai Jingzhi hesitantly nodded, believing her sister-in-law's words were likely correct.

Turning her head, Jin Xiuzhu noticed her daughter looking at her with curious eyes and chuckled. "What, are you thinking about getting married too?"

Fu Yanyan responded, "I'm never getting married."

Jin Xiuzhu huffed, "If you can take care of yourself in the future, then don't get married if you don't want to. Getting married isn't that great either."

Fu Yanyan glanced at her in surprise, then fell silent.

Bai Jingzhi found it amusing as she suddenly thought of something. Her expression turned hesitant before she turned to Jin Xiuzhu and began telling her about her adoptive parents. "Before I returned home, my adoptive mother came to the school. She said that things were very bad at home. Both she and my adoptive father lost their jobs, and our house is about to be repossessed. My younger sister doesn't want to go to school anymore."

According to her adoptive mother, not long after they left, her adoptive father was called in for a talk by his factory's leadership. They said that their family's actions had a very negative impact and that they couldn't let them continue working there. Her adoptive father went to another leader in the factory, the one who helped him stay on after her uncle had killed someone. But this time, nothing worked. Eventually, that leader refused to even meet with her adoptive father.

Then, the whole family relied on her adoptive mother's income. Somehow, news of what happened spread to her adoptive mother's factory, and she lost her job too.

Her younger sister kept demanding new clothes and a new house.

After a pause, she continued, "I gave her all the pocket money I had on me at the time. Then I told her that I couldn't help them and that they should find a way out themselves."

Over the years, her adoptive mother had supported her uncle's family quite a bit. When she suggested that her adoptive mother ask her uncle for help, her adoptive mother got angry. She didn't understand why her adoptive mother would be angry.

"My adoptive mother said they might have to leave S City. Before they did, she wanted me to come back for one last meal together. I was busy with my final exams, so I didn't go."

The main reason was that she didn't know how to face them. She felt that if she didn't go, they would still occupy the same place in her heart. If she went, everything would truly be over.

Jin Xiuzhu frowned. "She just said to come back for a meal?"

Bai Jingzhi had been worried that her sister-in-law would be angry, but she never expected her to be concerned about such a trivial matter. After some thought, she replied, "Yes, that's what she said."

Jin Xiuzhu thought for a moment and said, "If they say something like that again, tell them you'll treat them to a meal at the school cafeteria. You're too busy to go out."

Bai Jingzhi looked at her sister-in-law in confusion.

Jin Xiuzhu shook her head and smiled. "There will be many people around. They won't dare to make any unreasonable demands."

It was better to be cautious, but there was no need to mention that to Bai Jingzhi.

Fu Yanyan turned to look at her aunt. She agreed with Jin Xiuzhu's plan. Someone as innocent as her aunt should find a partner with a pure heart and a simple family background in the future.

Bai Jingzhi nodded thoughtfully and agreed.

In the morning, Jiang Mingchuan went out. Although his injury hadn't fully healed yet, he could walk with crutches. His superiors had called him to handle official documents.

At noon, after eating, Jin Xiuzhu asked Fang Min to go for a walk.

Usually, Zhu Ying would keep an eye on her, but since Zhu Ying wasn't around, Jin Xiuzhu was worried that Fang Min wouldn't be careful enough.

Fang Min obediently held her belly and followed Jin Xiuzhu downstairs. The two of them walked around the canteen and supply cooperative, bought some snacks, and then went to check on their private plot of land. They picked some vegetables to cook for dinner.

Fang Min hadn't claimed a private plot, as she didn't know how to manage it. Neither did Jin Xiuzhu. However, Jiang Mingchuan used to come over after dinner to take care of it. Sometimes, when he forgot, Old Lady Wu would help them out.

Old Lady Wu had planted these vegetables for them.

As they reached the stairwell, they saw Zhao Yun coming down the stairs.

It had been a while since they last saw Zhao Yun in the hospital. At first glance, Jin Xiuzhu noticed that she seemed heavier.

Without much thought, Jin Xiuzhu moved aside with Fang Min to let her pass.

Zhao Yun looked at Jin Xiuzhu, pursed her lips, and eventually couldn't resist stopping next to Jin Xiuzhu. She asked, "I heard you're pregnant?"

Every time she saw Jin Xiuzhu, she wore loose clothing, making it hard to notice.

Jin Xiuzhu remembered that a few days ago, Yang Yingxiong had accidentally mentioned her pregnancy at home.

At the time, Jin Xiuzhu saw the guilt on his face and comforted him, saying it was fine.

She wondered what Zhao Yun meant by bringing this up now. Was she trying to remind her that Yang Yingxiong had shared her personal affairs? Or was she mocking her for only getting pregnant now?

Jin Xiuzhu didn't think Zhao Yun had any good intentions.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled at her without confirming or denying it. Instead, she said, "You're worrying too much. By the way, you don't look too well. Are you overworking yourself?"

It was almost as if she was telling her to mind her own business instead of worrying about whether or not she was pregnant.

Zhao Yun felt that Jin Xiuzhu was mocking her for looking ugly and fat. Her expression darkened, but she forced a smile and said, "Everyone says this child will be a boy, which is why I don't look too good. It wasn't like this when I was pregnant with Yingying."

"Is that so? My pregnancy looks pretty good."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled even wider and turned to Fang Min. "That's great. Mingchuan has been hoping for a daughter just like me. Now his wish has come true."

Fang Min didn't understand the implications of their conversation. She touched her belly gently and said softly, "I also want a daughter. Then we can be good sisters in the future."

Seeing that Jin Xiuzhu wasn't upset and was actually happy, Zhao Yun felt annoyed, even if she suspected Jin Xiuzhu was just pretending. She tugged at the corner of her mouth and left without saying anything else.

After Zhao Yun left, Fang Min asked Jin Xiuzhu, "Didn't you two have a falling out? Why are you talking again?"

Jin Xiuzhu hummed. "Who knows? Since she initiated the conversation, I couldn't ignore her. It's kind of fun to annoy her."

She turned and glanced at the retreating figure, letting out a soft laugh. Did she really think Jin Xiuzhu was a pushover?

When the opportunity arose, she wouldn't let her off easily.

Fang Min nodded. "She's strange."

"What's strange about her? She knew I cared about Yang Yingxiong and deliberately said those words. If Yang Yingxiong hadn't told me beforehand, I would have had a grudge."

Then, she recounted what had happened with Yang Yingxiong a few days ago. Fang Min was taken aback. "She...?"

She couldn't find the words, unsure if Jin Xiuzhu had misunderstood. But then she remembered that Jin Xiuzhu was much smarter than her and wouldn't make such accusations lightly.

She asked softly, "How could she scheme against a child?"

Yang Yingxiong had already suffered enough.

Jin Xiuzhu remained calm. "Because she can't stand seeing our family doing well."

Fang Min frowned as she looked at Jin Xiuzhu, who suddenly smiled at her. "Some people just can't bear to see others better off than themselves."

"I once heard an old joke from the village elders," Jin Xiuzhu continued. "It was about an ancient wealthy family where the man had several wives. Two of his concubines entered the household at the same time; one was favored while the other was not. The unfavored one envied the other and always arrived earlier for greetings. Later, she noticed that the favored one was coming later each time, so she started arriving even later herself. Even when they arrived at the same time, she would enter a step later. Eventually, the main wife took notice. She didn't dare to deal with the favored one, so she found an excuse to get rid of the unfavored one."

Fang Min had never heard such a story before. After listening, she realized Jin Xiuzhu was making a pointed remark. She nodded. "That's quite interesting."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled but said nothing.

Interesting?

If Fang Min knew that the unfavored one was sold by the main wife, would she still find it interesting?

Of course, she wasn't entirely innocent either. She had used such underhanded tactics in the past with great skill.

Fang Min parted ways with Jin Xiuzhu at the door. When she got home, she didn't go straight to bed but went to the study to write down the story Jin Xiuzhu had told her.

At the end, she wrote: "My friend Xiu Zhu always has unexpected stories. One day, I must ask her to tell me more."

Satisfied, she closed her notebook, which bore the title *A Military Wife's Tales* on its cover.

---

By late August, Bai Jingzhi was due to start school, and the whole family accompanied her to the city's train station.

Bai Jingzhi sat by the window, waving quickly at them.

He Yan's eyes reddened again. "Auntie, write to us when you get to school."

"Okay."

Once the train was out of sight, the family of four left.

On their way back, He Yan couldn't help asking, "Dad, can we pick up Auntie when winter break comes? I've never seen a university."

Jiang Mingchuan thought for a moment. "We'll see."

He didn't want to make promises he might not keep, fearing unforeseen circumstances. However, he considered it feasible since they wouldn't be returning to the capital for the New Year and wouldn't need to take annual leave.

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu looked expectant but then deflated, remembering her condition. "Daydreaming again, huh? You're starting school too. Have you finished your homework?"

He Yan felt uneasy at this question, as he still had some homework left.

Without hesitation, Fu Yanyan betrayed her brother. "I saw him copying Wei Ningqing's homework yesterday."

Upon hearing this, He Yan hurriedly ran ahead.

Jin Xiuzhu called out behind him, "He Yan!"

Jiang Mingchuan shook his head. "This child."

Fu Yanyan couldn't resist giggling.

With Bai Jingzhi gone, it was time for He Yan and Fu Yanyan to start school.

This was Fu Yanyan's first time attending school, and the whole family took it seriously. Their daughter was only five years old, entering school early. Jiang Mingchuan and Jin Xiuzhu woke up early to prepare breakfast. After eating, the whole family escorted her to school.

Jin Xiuzhu and Jiang Mingchuan walked in front, followed by Fu Yanyan in the middle, with He Yan, Wei Ningqing, and Yang Yingxiong trailing behind.

After walking for a while, Yang Yingxiong whispered to He Yan, "Your parents came to see you off?"

He Yan looked helpless. "They insisted on coming, as if I'd lose my sister or something."

Wei Ningqing found this amusing, thinking the entire He family was quite entertaining. Previously, he had found Battalion Commander Jiang intimidating, having seen him lead military training, which was quite intimidating.

However, after getting to know him better, he discovered that Jiang was actually very kind.

Yang Yingxiong whispered again, "My little sister is starting school today too."

He Yan asked, "Is it okay that you're not accompanying her?"

Yang Yingxiong shook his head. "It's fine. She doesn't like playing with me."

He Yan responded with a simple "oh." He didn't fully understand Yang Yingxiong's sister. His own sister, although she claimed not to like him and often bullied him, always thought of him when good things happened.

Wei Ningqing interjected, whispering, "Your sister looks like a leader now."

She was surrounded by admirers.

He Yan replied, "Yeah? She's so proud of herself."

In the middle, Fu Yanyan was speechless. Which pair of eyes saw her being proud?

Didn't they see that her parents were walking ahead without paying attention to her, leaving her alone in the middle while the three of them walked side by side behind her?

Still, Fu Yanyan cherished the experience of being sent to school by the whole family for the first time. In her previous life, she could only envy her classmates.

The feeling was indeed wonderful.

Today was the first day of school, and many students had already arrived. However, Jin Xiuzhu's family still drew considerable attention, as it was rare for parents to accompany their children on the first day, especially since Jin Xiuzhu was pregnant.

Seeing the crowded classroom, Jin Xiuzhu stayed outside and had Jiang Mingchuan clean the first-row seat for their young daughter, who would surely have trouble seeing from the back.

He Yan placed his sister's backpack in the drawer and found small stones to prop up the wobbly desk.

Fu Yanyan stood beside the podium, watching her father and brother fuss over her setup.

Unfazed by the curious gazes of the other children around her,

Just then, Zhao Yun led her daughter to the door. Upon seeing Jiang Mingchuan and Jin Xiuzhu, she paused, pursed her lips, and pretended not to see them, heading straight for the back door.

After entering, she had her daughter sit at the back, turning her back as she spoke to avoid Jiang Mingchuan, who was wiping the desks in front.

Tang Ying didn't particularly want to sit at the back; she also saw Fu Yanyan up front. She recognized her – she lived downstairs from them. Her whole family had come to see her off, even Yang Yingxiong was there.

She was a little upset; this morning, her stepfather had also said he would come to see her off, but her mother said it wasn't necessary.

Otherwise, someone could have wiped her desk for her too.

When Fu Yanyan saw Tang Ying, her feelings were complicated. The same scene had played out in her previous life, except their roles were reversed.

In her previous life, she was the one sitting at the back.

But Tang Ying was luckier; in her previous life, Jin Xiuzhu hadn't seen her off, and she had walked to school alone, then sat at the back feeling inferior, watching Tang Ying being doted on by many people.

She remembered that after Tang Ying's family left, Tang Ying had brought a few new friends over to her, grinning as she asked, "Where are your family? Why didn't they come to see you off?"

Fu Yanyan couldn't recall how she had answered back then, only that she felt terribly sad.

After finishing his tasks, Jiang Mingchuan left with Jin Xiuzhu. Before leaving, he instructed his daughter to tell her teacher or brother if anything happened, then he told He Yan to look after his sister and not let anyone bully her.

He Yan assured him seriously, "Don't worry, I'll come check on her right after class."

Jin Xiuzhu waved at her daughter, "Be good, you can go home in the afternoon."

Fu Yanyan calmly acknowledged.

She watched them leave. Once they were gone, He Yan patted his sister's shoulder and, trying to sound mature, said, "Don't be sad, partings are temporary. You'll see them soon, and you still have your big brother."

"Shut up," Fu Yanyan retorted.

He Yan feigned hurt, "You're not cute when you say that."

Fu Yanyan rolled her eyes at him before taking her seat.

Then she dismissed him, "You can leave now."

He Yan was speechless.

Beside them, Wei Ningqing and Yang Yingxiong chuckled quietly. After leaving, He Yan defended himself to his two friends, "She's just really upset, afraid I'd see her crying."

Wei Ningqing and Yang Yingxiong glanced back and noticed He Yan's sister sleeping at her desk, her delicate face facing the door, showing no signs of having cried.

They nodded solemnly, "Makes sense."

He Yan sighed in relief, feeling that he had maintained his older brother's dignity.