The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 48

Even after leaving the family compound, Zhang Jingjing was still filled with doubt. She turned to Song Mingyue and asked, “What exactly happened? Did you and Commander Chen have a fight? He looked so pitiful back there.”

Pitiful? Mingyue thought. He’s doing just fine.

Seeing the look on Mingyue’s face, Jingjing was 100% certain. She tried to smooth things over. “It’s normal for couples to bicker. Old Yu and I fight too. But Yueyue, you and the Commander have been through so much. You traveled all the way to S County to find him—it wasn’t easy. Whatever it is, can’t you just talk it out?”

“I’ll think about it. Let’s focus on our business today.”

Mingyue felt her mind was a mess. She decided to shove the thoughts aside and throw herself entirely into her work.

When they arrived at the Honghe Commune, Pei Xiaoyu’s mother was waiting for them. Her rheumatism seemed slightly better, though she was still frail. “Some thieves were in the village a few days ago,” she told them, pointing toward the fields. “Xiaoyu was afraid they’d steal the watermelons, so she’s been sleeping out there the past few nights. I’ll take you.”

“No need, we know the way,” Mingyue said, waving her off.

Even though it was within the village, the field area was desolate. From a distance, they could see a crude shack built at the edge of the patch. Inside, Pei Xiaoyu had finished washing up and was sitting on a small stool, studying. Seeing them, she stood up immediately. “You’re here!”

The shack was tiny—only enough room for one small bed and one person. Adding anyone else made it cramped. Jingjing looked around, stunned. “You sleep here at night?”

Between the bugs and the lack of a door, it felt incredibly unsafe. But Xiaoyu was indifferent. “Thieves have been around. I feel more at ease sleeping here so nothing happens to my family’s crop.”

Mingyue couldn’t help but admire her grit. To Xiaoyu, their arrival meant her worries could finally be put to rest. She hadn’t dared pick the melons early for fear they wouldn’t show up, which would have wasted the harvest.

The three quickly got to work. They loaded a cart with the largest, roundest melons. “Jingjing told you about our partnership, right?” Mingyue asked.

Xiaoyu appreciated how Mingyue treated her as an equal despite her age, unlike others who would dismiss her with, “What does a kid know?”

Having been in the sun for days, Xiaoyu’s skin was darker, making her eyes look even more spirited. “She told me. You don’t need to give me the rest of the money.”

“Good. Once the melons are at the compound, we’ll discuss the stall logistics.”

The sun was scorching. Before long, Mingyue and Jingjing were drenched in sweat, while the younger Xiaoyu moved much faster. They eventually headed back toward the village with a cart of about a dozen melons.

The three of them could push the cart together, but Xiaoyu alone wouldn’t have been able to manage it. Mingyue realized that for the arts competition tomorrow, they couldn’t waste time traveling from the commune to the city—it was a half-day trek on foot. The compound, however, was much closer to the city center.

“Xiaoyu, do you have school tomorrow?” Mingyue asked.

“No, I took today off, and tomorrow is a holiday.”

In rural schools, it was common for attendance to be low during farming seasons. Since Xiaoyu’s grades were excellent, her teachers didn’t mind her studying on her own.

“Then pack your things,” Mingyue suggested. “Come back to the compound with us tonight. We can head to the competition directly from there tomorrow.”

Xiaoyu was flattered. She knew the military compound was a place for intellectuals and people who contributed to society—a world away from her life as a single-parent child in the countryside.

“But I…”

“It’s fine,” Mingyue insisted. “You’ll stay at my house. It’s just for one night; don’t feel pressured.”

Xiaoyu looked through her wardrobe, but most of her clothes were hand-me-downs and rags. She couldn’t find a single decent outfit for the compound.

Meanwhile, Xiaoyu’s mother grew suspicious. She quietly called the Commune Secretary over. She worried there was a catch—why would two strangers be so kind to her daughter?

When the Secretary arrived, he found Mingyue and Jingjing helping Xiaoyu pack. He cross-examined them. “You say you’re from the military compound. Do you have proof?”

Proof? They had come empty-handed. Their ration books and identification were back at the compound.

Jingjing, being hot-tempered, argued back. “We really are good people! We’re army wives. Why would we want to hurt anyone?” Her agitation only made the Secretary more suspicious.

Mingyue pulled her back. “What kind of proof do you want?” she asked the Secretary calmly.

“Give me the names of your family members. I’ll send someone to fetch them. You two aren’t going anywhere until then,” the Secretary said sternly, convinced they were scammers.

Mingyue remained composed. She assumed the messenger would find the sentry at the gate, who would then alert Yin Xiumei.

Hours passed as the sun began to set. Rumors spread through the commune that two strangers were “preying” on Pei Xiaoyu’s family. A crowd gathered to watch.

“I saw them last time!” one villager shouted. “They wanted to buy melons, but I offered them a lower price and they refused. Who turns down a deal unless they’re up to no good? They’re scammers!”

“Pei the Second, you’re just bitter because they didn’t buy from you!” another yelled.

A fight nearly broke out among the villagers until someone screamed, “Look! They’re coming! Someone from the city compound is actually here!”

The crowd parted as people gasped. A man in a crisp military uniform, tall and strikingly handsome, walked through the throng. He looked exactly like the heroic soldiers on New Year posters. The villagers, most of whom had never seen a high-ranking officer in person, stared with wide eyes.

Chen Che walked with a steady, powerful gait, his expression cold and imposing.

“Secretary, this is Commander Chen from the compound,” a villager whispered.

“Are you sure? He looks so young.”

“It’s definitely him. He’s this lady’s husband.”

Mingyue hadn’t expected Chen Che himself to come. She had been sitting there calmly, knowing it was just a misunderstanding, but the moment she saw him walking toward her, a surge of “grievance” hit her—the kind of feeling you only want to show to someone you love.

Chen Che walked straight to her. He raised a hand to touch her, then hesitated mid-air, his eyes filled with deep affection. “Mingyue, I’m sorry you were treated this way.”

Mingyue looked into his eyes, and for a moment, they were both lost in each other.

The Secretary, realizing the blunder, quickly shook Chen Che’s hand. “It was all a misunderstanding. Xiaoyu’s family is vulnerable; we have to be careful.”

“It’s understandable,” Mingyue said gracefully. “It’s good to have such awareness. We don’t blame you.”

Xiaoyu’s mother, now relieved, pressed a few saved-up yuan into Xiaoyu’s hand. “Take this. You can’t go to the city without money.”

“Mom, I’m just staying one night. Keep it,” Xiaoyu insisted.

The Secretary offered to host them for dinner, but Mingyue declined. They needed to get back before dark.

The cart that required three women to push was now moved effortlessly by Chen Che. He handled it as if it weighed nothing.

Pei Xiaoyu watched him with awe. She leaned toward Mingyue and whispered, “Is this your husband?”