The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 100

Song Mingyue’s intention was to go alone, without asking her mother, Wang Yufen, to accompany her.

However, everyone around her opposed the idea. Even Zhang Jingjing could not understand her decision: “Yueyue, you are heavily pregnant now. That place is far more underdeveloped than Mo City. Wouldn’t it be better to stay here and give birth, then go join him later?”

“If you go now, it will only make it harder for Battalion Commander Chen to focus on his work. Besides, the shop still needs you here.”

Despite everyone’s persuasion, Song Mingyue remained steadfast. To her, the prospect of losing him was far more agonizing than the difficulty of the journey.

Entrusting the house to Zhang Jingjing, she and her mother, Wang Yufen, packed their belongings simply and set off for the place where Chen Che was stationed.

At the train station, it was crowded. Song Mingyue squeezed through the throngs of people while cradling her stomach. Wang Yufen shouted from the side, “There is a pregnant woman here! Please, try not to crowd us.”

She sighed, still trying to dissuade her daughter: “We have a perfectly good home to live in. Why on earth must we run off to a place like that?”

Song Mingyue remained silent. Deep down, she felt guilty toward Wang Yufen, knowing that having a daughter like her must be a constant source of worry. However, now that she was setting off on a long journey, Wang Yufen could not just sit by and watch. Moreover, with the rough travel ahead, having someone to care for her would certainly make things easier.

As the train pulled away, the scenery outside turned into a blur. Song Mingyue sat by the window, watching the landscape with hollow, unfocused eyes. Wang Yufen had intended to offer her some corn, but seeing her daughter’s expression, she felt a pang of heartache. Her daughter was a person of deep sentiment; having once been so devastated by the trauma involving Liu Jiabao, she could no longer bear another emotional blow.

If she needs to go to find peace of mind, then so be it, Wang Yufen thought.

“Are you hungry?” Wang Yufen asked, trying to comfort her. “Would you like some corn? Try to get some sleep.”

“I’m not very hungry,” Song Mingyue replied.

“You are expecting; you need your rest. Try to sleep—Mom is right here beside you.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“Silly girl, there’s no need to thank your own mother. Chen Che is a kind man who performs good deeds; he has great fortune and will be safe.”

Song Mingyue nodded. She realized that in this situation, all she could do was give her best effort. Even if destiny was beyond her control, she did not want to be left with regrets. Yet, the mere thought of a future without him made her heart ache so much she could barely breathe.

After two days and two nights of jolting travel and two transfers, Song Mingyue and her mother finally arrived at M County, where Chen Che was stationed.

The area was truly desolate; the county town did not even have a decent main street. Song Mingyue had Chen Che’s address, so she went to the local police station with the letter he had written to ask for directions.

The location was some distance away from the county center, situated in a rural village deep in the mountains. However, there was a large factory there that employed people from all over the country, so its economic conditions were considered superior to the rest of M County.

The officers in uniform not only told them how to get there but also asked if they were going to the factory to find someone.

Wang Yufen spoke up first: “We aren’t going to the factory. My son-in-law is in the military stationed nearby. Have you heard of it?”

“Your son-in-law is a soldier?”

“Yes, they came from Mo City.”

The men looked at Song Mingyue’s protruding belly and realized she was a military spouse; their expressions immediately softened.

“Comrades, please sit and rest for a moment. I will request permission from my superiors. We have a truck; we can take you there.”

Song Mingyue quickly declined, “It’s alright, we can go on our own.”

“It’s not close to here,” one of the men replied. “If you go yourselves, you won’t arrive until nightfall. It’s not convenient. Let us take you.” Another young man chimed in, “Your husband serves the people, and we serve the people—it’s the same thing.”

Reality dictated that the journey would indeed be arduous. Song Mingyue didn’t insist on being polite; having help was, in fact, the best outcome.

They rode in the back of the truck. A soldier helped them with their luggage. He told Song Mingyue, “A unit arrived there a few months ago, but we don’t know exactly what they do. We were even told not to disturb them.”

Song Mingyue smiled. “I’m not entirely sure of their specific mission either.”

“Comrade,” the soldier continued, looking at her, “you are very far along, aren’t you? Why travel such a long way? The roads are rough; it would be such a pity if something were to happen.”

Song Mingyue answered, “I was worried about my husband being here alone. Coming to see him provides me more peace of mind than sitting at home.”

Watching these two well-dressed women—especially the expectant mother, whose fair skin and fine dress clearly marked her as someone from a big city—the young soldier began to understand the weight of their situation. The mission must be difficult and dangerous for their families to be this concerned. He felt an even greater sense of admiration for Chen Che. If he had the chance, he too would dedicate himself to the motherland without hesitation. Since he lacked that opportunity, he was determined to take good care of this comrade’s family.

He offered Song Mingyue a military overcoat. “It’s windy here. If you want to sleep, take a nap and cover yourself with this to avoid catching a cold.”

The dirt road was uneven and the ride remained bumpy. Despite the bright sun, a strong wind howled past her ears. Song Mingyue couldn’t sleep. She observed the dwellings they passed—mostly mud and straw houses. If she had seen this for the first time, she would have been terrified. But after all she had been through, she felt calm.

She realized she had grown significantly. She saw how generations of people were making silent sacrifices to build the prosperity of the future. She suddenly thought of Pei Xiaoyu. Because the shop was so busy, Pei had stopped attending school regularly, noting that many students left to return to farm work or dropped out because they couldn’t afford fees.

Knowledge can change destiny, she thought.

Previously, those words hadn’t carried much weight for her. But seeing these villages and thinking of Chen Che’s dedication, a new idea blossomed in her mind: If they could make it through this safely, once she returned to Mo City and earned enough money, she would invest in building a school—a school specifically for girls, with no tuition fees. She simply wanted to make a small, personal contribution to society.

She made a mental note of this goal, strengthening her resolve that her family must return home safely.

Four hours later, upon entering a place called Zhangdun Village, the soldier said happily, “Comrade Song, don’t worry, we are almost there.”

This area was indeed much better than the outside. The soldier explained that because the region had oil resources, university students from all over the country had come to work here, contributing to its development. The village was mostly populated by outsiders and consisted largely of brick houses, a stark contrast to the mud huts along the road.

“Do the locals feel unbalanced seeing these houses?” Song Mingyue asked.

“Of course not. They earned their way into the factory through their own abilities,” the soldier replied. “The villagers focus on farming; everything is distributed according to labor.”

People in this era were still very simple and honest.

Chen Che’s station was further inland, behind the village. They had chosen this site due to the oil deposits. After traveling another ten kilometers, they finally saw a large compound. Before they even arrived, several men in green uniforms approached them.

“This is a restricted area. Please leave immediately.”

The soldier spoke up: “Comrades, we are here to see someone.”

“There is no one here for you. You have the wrong place.”

The soldier pointed to Song Mingyue, “This family member is here to see her husband.” He turned to her: “By the way, what is your husband’s name again?”

Song Mingyue, supporting her back, spoke politely, “Excuse me, is there a man named Chen Che here? I am his wife, and I have come to find him.”

The soldiers exchanged glances, then asked again, “You are Battalion Commander Chen’s wife?”

“Yes.”

“Please come in and rest for a moment. I will inform the Battalion Commander.”

The young soldier from the truck was delighted. “Comrade Mingyue, so your husband is already a Battalion Commander! That is truly remarkable.”

Song Mingyue smiled but said nothing, her heart entirely focused on what lay beyond the gate. They were treated with great courtesy, and the soldiers even helped move their luggage.

About twenty minutes later, as Song Mingyue sat on a bench in the guardhouse watching the large iron gate, a familiar figure suddenly came into view. She quickly stood up, pushed open the door, and waved.

Chen Che thought he was hallucinating.

Not long ago, he had received a letter from Old Yu. While in the research lab, he had been consumed by longing, but the mention of a male student who had known Mingyue previously had stirred a dark, jealous restlessness within him—especially since he was thousands of miles away while that other man had been by her side.

When he was told that a woman claiming to be his wife, heavily pregnant, was waiting at the gate, his mind went blank. He rushed over, and when his eyes finally fell upon the figure he had missed every single day, it was the first time in his life he felt like weeping with joy.