The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 96

With her mother staying by her side, Song Mingyue felt truly cherished. Wang Yufen hadn’t brought much luggage, and when Mingyue offered to take her out to buy new clothes, Wang Yufen refused. “I’m an old woman; I don’t need to dress up. Once the weather warms up, I’ll just buy some cloth and make a few autumn outfits.”

“Mom, you’ve sacrificed so much for me,” Mingyue insisted. “Let me show some filial piety and take care of you for once.”

Mingyue felt a deep sense of guilt. When she first arrived in this era, she had been confused and isolated. Whether she was in Moshi or Pingcheng didn’t make much difference to her. But Wang Yufen had lived in Pingcheng her entire life and had never traveled far; the fact that she had come thousands of miles for her daughter was a heavy, profound expression of love.

“How could I not be used to it?” Wang Yufen said, smiling as she brushed Mingyue’s hair under the dim light. “Just knowing you’re here and that I can take care of you is enough. When you have your own child, you’ll understand. A mother’s first thought is always her child.”

Mingyue couldn’t quite fathom that level of selflessness yet, but she felt incredibly lucky to have Wang Yufen as a mother.

Throughout the New Year, Zhao Xing had not returned. Her parents were still angry at Song Mingyue and refused to speak to her. It was rumored that Zhao Xing had secretly run away from her aunt’s house, and no one knew where she was—until a letter arrived for Mingyue from Beijing.

“Mingyue, I’ve arrived in Beijing,” the letter read. “I met Wang Mo, and we are together now. I’m satisfied with this life; I’m happy. I was too tired in that house. Please don’t tell my parents, but I hope we can keep in touch.”

Song Mingyue read it with intense focus. When Wang Yufen asked who it was from, she simply said, “A friend who moved to Beijing.”

Mingyue worried for Zhao Xing. While her parents had been oppressive, they were at least family. A man, however, was not always a reliable refuge. She replied, urging Zhao Xing to protect herself. She believed that only by being strong herself could a woman be truly secure. But she also knew that women in the throes of love were rarely rational—after all, she was currently head-over-heels for Chen Che, and the constant fear that he might be in danger in the spring kept her up at night.

On the sixth day of the New Year, stores began to reopen. Mingyue and Wang Yufen spent the day shopping. When they returned home, Zhang Jingjing was waiting.

Seeing Mingyue, Jingjing rushed over and hugged her. “Moon, I missed you so much!”

Mingyue was surprised. “Why are you back so early? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be back until after the Lantern Festival?”

Jingjing looked away. “There was nothing to do at home, so I came back.”

Mingyue knew she was lying. Before she could probe, Wang Yufen came out of the kitchen with steamed buns. “Jingjing, you must be hungry. Sit and eat.”

After the meal, Mingyue pulled Jingjing aside. “What happened?”

“Moon, I’m getting a divorce.”

Mingyue was stunned. “Did he do something to you?”

Jingjing was eerily calm. She had realized she didn’t care about what Old Yu did anymore; she just wanted to be free. The hurdle, however, was the military marriage laws of the time—divorce was incredibly difficult to obtain without the soldier’s cooperation, and it could severely damage his career.

“I plan to move out,” Jingjing said. “Eventually, he’ll agree.”

“Are you sure? Is there no room for compromise?”

“None.”

“Alright,” Mingyue said firmly. “I’ll help you find a place tomorrow. As long as we have money, we’ll find something. Stay with me tonight.”

Jingjing refused, fearing that if she stayed, the gossip mills in the compound would blame Mingyue for the breakup.

During dinner, Mingyue brought up finding an apartment. Wang Yufen, unaware of the situation, asked in surprise, “Everything is fine here—why are you moving out?”

Jingjing didn’t answer, and Mingyue quickly changed the subject. The truth was, Old Yu had been drunk during the holiday and had tried to force himself on Jingjing. When she resisted, he flew into a rage, mocking her and bragging about another woman. That was when Jingjing realized he had been unfaithful for a long time. She felt sickened and determined to leave him.

Business was slow after the New Year, so Mingyue wasn’t rushing to reopen the store. She spent the next day house-hunting with Jingjing. Everything they saw was either dilapidated or unsafe.

Mingyue suddenly had a bold idea: Why rent when we can buy? Real estate was cheap, and even if they had to take out a loan, it would be a sound investment for the next twenty years.

“It’s not just for you,” Mingyue told Jingjing. “We’ll partner up and buy it together. You live there, and if I ever move out of the compound, I’ll have a place to go, too.”

Jingjing was hesitant, but the idea of owning a home with her best friend was tempting. They spent the entire day scouting potential homes, returning home just as the sun set.

When they entered the house, Old Yu was there, sitting opposite Chen Che. The atmosphere was freezing.

“Zhang Jingjing!” Old Yu stood up, furious. “You gave me the cold shoulder in front of my entire family and just walked out? You’ve gone too far!”

Jingjing stood her ground. “You’re the one who went too far. I’m moving out, and we are getting a divorce.”

“Divorce? Over this little thing? Did she put you up to this again?” Old Yu pointed at Mingyue.

Before he could finish, Chen Che stood up, grabbing Old Yu’s hand and crushing his finger with terrifying force. Old Yu screamed in pain.

“I warned you,” Chen Che said, his voice cold and commanding. “Do not bother her.”

The sheer pressure from Chen Che silenced Old Yu. Jingjing, sensing the danger, said quickly, “Since you’re here, let’s go home and talk. This has nothing to do with Mingyue.”

Old Yu cast a venomous, hateful glare at Mingyue before turning to drag Jingjing away. Mingyue felt a surge of panic. Old Yu was a chauvinist with a violent temper; Jingjing wasn’t safe.

As they walked out, Mingyue followed, but Chen Che caught her hand. “Moon, what are you doing?”

“I’m worried he’ll hit her. He looked like a madman.”

Chen Che squeezed her hand. “I’ll go with you.” With Chen Che by her side, Mingyue finally felt she had the courage to face whatever came next.