The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 60

In this era, the man was the pillar of the household. This was especially true for those living in the military family compound; because their presence there depended entirely on their husbands, their lives revolved around them.

Lao Yu was not a bad man. Compared to most men in the compound, he actually knew how to cherish his wife.

Song Mingyue did not want this business venture to damage the relationship between Zhang Jingjing and Lao Yu. Seeing Jingjing weeping so piteously while clutching her sleeve, Mingyue felt deeply conflicted. Mingyue herself didn’t place much weight on traditional domesticity, but she knew that Jingjing was still a product of her time.

Song Mingyue sighed. “Jingjing, Lao Yu’s opinion matters. You need to think this through and decide what is truly most important in your life.”

Jingjing shook her head stubbornly. “Regardless, Mingyue, you cannot leave me behind.”

“Alright, I promise,” Mingyue replied. She spent a while longer comforting her until Jingjing finally managed a smile.

However, the problem remained unresolved; it was a dilemma with no easy answer. If Jingjing wanted to build a career, she would inevitably neglect the home. And if she neglected the home, Lao Yu would be unhappy. Even forty years into the future, many women struggled to balance career and family, let alone now.

Before leaving, Jingjing told her not to worry, promising she would have a heart-to-heart talk with Lao Yu. But Mingyue remained uneasy, sensing that things wouldn’t be that simple.

Because the atmosphere was so tense, Mingyue ultimately didn’t tell Jingjing about the guaranteed contract to supply watermelons to the state-owned factory. While it was an excellent opportunity, Honghe Commune was only so big. After two or three more harvests, the watermelons would be gone, and they would need to find a new source of income.

That night, after showering and lying in bed, Song Mingyue noticed there was still no sound from outside. Chen Che was still working overtime.

The situation with Jingjing and Lao Yu had left her pensive. She felt incredibly lucky; Chen Che never interfered with her affairs. No matter what she chose to do, he supported her unconditionally in silence. Without Chen Che, she wouldn’t be able to maintain such a deep love for life while working so hard. He wasn’t the only reason for her happiness, but he was a massive part of it.

Then again, if Chen Che didn’t have this personality, she probably wouldn’t have fallen for him in the first place. In the end, she concluded one thing: she and Chen Che were a match made in heaven.

It wasn’t until two or three in the morning that Chen Che finally returned.

Half-asleep, Song Mingyue reached out her arms to embrace him, mumbling, “Why are you just now getting back?”

Chen Che leaned over and kissed the corner of her eye, his breath still slightly labored. “Yueyue, I have to go away for a while. Stay safe at home by yourself and wait for my return.”

At this, Mingyue snapped awake. “You’re leaving? Now? Where to?”

“Yueyue, this mission is quite important. I can’t talk about the details.”

Understanding the necessity of his secrecy, she didn’t press him further and got up to help him pack. In truth, every time he went away, she was terrified. She couldn’t forget the original plot where he eventually sacrificed his life. Though that moment hadn’t arrived yet, her heart could never find peace whenever he was out of her sight.

She wasn’t very good at packing, so Chen Che ended up doing it himself while Mingyue chatted by his side. “When you’re out, don’t go poking your nose into other people’s business, okay? Other people’s problems have nothing to do with you. Chen Che, you aren’t a bachelor anymore—don’t go around trying to be a hero. You have a wife at home. If something happens to you, think about what she’ll do.”

Chen Che listened dotingly to her nagging. When she mentioned the word “wife,” he leaned in to kiss her and stroked her hair. “I know. I’m a man with a wife now. I promise to return safely and not give my wife anything to worry about.”

“No, Chen Che, I’m being serious.”

“Yueyue, don’t worry. I go out on missions all the time; I have plenty of experience.”

No, you don’t, she thought. If you had experience, how could you end up dying in a foreign land a year from now? But she also knew that no matter what she said, he wouldn’t listen. He was a soldier; serving the people was etched into his very marrow. If someone were in danger, he would be the first to rush in to save them.

Mingyue stopped nagging. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a deep, earnest kiss. “Commander Chen, come back in one piece.”

Her tender, soulful gaze nearly made Chen Che lose himself. But the beautiful moment didn’t last long; moments later, Jiang Manman came knocking at the door.

It was the middle of the night. Every household was asleep and there were no streetlights, so Jiang Manman had navigated her way over with a flashlight. “Brother Chen Che, are you ready? Everyone is waiting for you.”

Song Mingyue’s mood instantly soured. “You’ve got to be kidding me. She’s going too?”

“Yes. This project involves her department.”

Seeing that Chen Che hadn’t responded, Jiang Manman saw the light inside and actually let herself in. Mingyue immediately pulled Chen Che into a deliberate, passionate kiss.

When Jiang Manman walked in, she was greeted by the sight of the two of them locked in an inseparable embrace. Mingyue then purposely pushed him away, acting as if she hadn’t known Jiang Manman was there. “Don’t you know how to knock before entering someone’s home?”

Jiang Manman was already in a bad mood and snapped back defiantly, “I did knock! You two just didn’t hear me.”

“Oh. If we don’t hear you, you keep knocking. Entering without the owner’s permission is extremely rude, you know.”

Jiang Manman was on the verge of tears and looked to Chen Che for help. However, the Commander only had eyes for his wife. Jiang Manman had come all this way hoping to assert her dominance and show Mingyue how close she was to Chen Che. Now, she felt like a complete fool.

Chen Che ignored her entirely. He picked up his luggage and said a soft, lingering goodbye to Mingyue, his eyes full of reluctance. Only after stepping out of the courtyard did his face turn cold. He said unpleasantly to Jiang Manman, “We are not in the same squad. There is no need for you to come to my house to call for me. I don’t want to see this happen a second time.”

Without waiting for a response, he walked off alone into the night. A few steps later, the main group caught up. They boarded the trucks and set off quietly under the cover of the hazy moonlight.

The next morning, the compound’s broadcast station had just started its music when Song Mingyue woke up. She needed to find Pei Xiaoyu to discuss the watermelon business.

As she sat up, she noticed Zhang Jingjing standing by the gate of the courtyard, peeking through the gap. Mingyue dressed and walked into the main room, calling out, “If you have something to say, why don’t you come inside?”

Jingjing pushed the door open and stood up straight. “Mingyue, why are you up so early?”

“You’re here this early—did something happen?”

Jingjing looked embarrassed. “About last night… I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“It’s fine. Did you make up with him?”

Jingjing’s tone became much more serious. “Mingyue, don’t worry about me and him. Everything I told you last night came from the bottom of my heart. I know I’m not the smartest and I don’t know much, but I have strength. I will do my best to help you.”

Mingyue had thought a lot last night too. She couldn’t ignore what Jingjing truly wanted just because she was worried about her marital harmony. There was nothing wrong with wanting to earn her own money. Otherwise, Jingjing would spend her whole life subservient to Lao Yu, acting as nothing more than a servant. Why should she have to live like that?

Mingyue looked at her intently. “Jingjing, have you really made up your mind?”

“I have.”

“Alright. Then let me tell you some good news. Director Zhou Chun came by last night. He wants us to supply watermelons to the factory on a regular basis.”

Jingjing started jumping for joy. “Ahhh! Really? Mingyue, why didn’t you tell me last night? I could have slept so much better!”

The atmosphere had been so suffocating last night that Mingyue hadn’t dared to speak.

“Maybe you should still talk it over with Lao Yu,” Mingyue suggested. “What we’re doing isn’t illegal; just tell him it’s a way to pass the time.”

“I’ve already made a bet with him,” Jingjing said, though she sounded a bit worried. “I told him that in six months, I’ll be earning more than him. Mingyue… we can make that happen, right?”

“You should have told him you’d earn more in a month than he does in six. Just earning ‘more’ than him isn’t much of an achievement.”

Jingjing’s smile relaxed. “I’ve made breakfast. Let’s eat together, then hurry to the commune to buy the melons.”

They had planned to ask Zhao Xing if she wanted to join them—or at least let her know, since she had a real job. To their surprise, Zhao Xing dropped an even bigger bombshell: “Mingyue, Jingjing, I have something to tell you, but you have to keep it a secret. I’ve left the Art Troupe. I’m officially unemployed now.”

Jingjing gasped. “Why would you leave? That’s such a good job—it’s an ‘iron rice bowl’!”

“Jingjing, you don’t understand. My supervisor was always picking on me. No matter what I did, she had to criticize me. I’ve put up with her for a long time.”

The breaking point had come yesterday. The supervisor had mocked Zhao Xing for being “dumped” by Wang Mo, haughtily telling her to change her temper, “otherwise, even a loser like Wang Mo won’t want you.”

That was Zhao Xing’s trigger. Without hesitation, she had stepped forward and slapped the woman several times. The Art Troupe defined it as a serious assault and told Zhao Xing to go home and “reflect” on her actions.

Ever since Wang Mo left, Zhao Xing had been thinking. A big reason he left was because the system here was so bizarre; some of the local families with two working parents looked down on everyone else and had no concept of respect. She had wanted to quit for a long time, and this incident provided the perfect exit.