Tactics
After dealing with the four individuals, it was already evening. There was a military transport vehicle parked on the road, and apart from Qian Xiao’an, there was another driver, Xiao Zhang, in the vehicle. They had come to Kunming to purchase a batch of supplies.
“Sis-in-law, you must be tired from the journey. Don’t worry, after you get on the car, you can have a nap. We’re used to driving at night…” Qian Xiao’an said as he helped load their luggage into the back compartment. The compartment wasn’t full, and Xiao Zhang was driving. Qian Xiao’an sat in the front passenger seat, while Gu Sheng and Zhan Aiping climbed into the back compartment.
Her two boxes of books were stacked in the compartment and could serve as seats. Zhan Aiping sat on them and scooted over to make room for Gu Sheng.
The inside of the compartment was pitch black, with just a tarp overhead to shield them from wind and rain. If they lay close to the rear window, they could still see the sparse stars outside in the moonlit night.
The night was exceptionally quiet.
As the vehicle swayed and bumped its way out of the city and onto the mountain road, it was inevitable that there would be bumps and jolts inside the vehicle. If two people were sitting close, there might even be some accidental head bumps.
Gu Sheng naturally wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her within his embrace, with her head resting on his chest. These past few days, he had grown accustomed to having this “little delicate one” leaning on him. Although he often complained about how troublesome women could be, he couldn’t deny that he found great pleasure in it.
Even though he was still relatively inexperienced in intimate matters, Gu Sheng was no longer the young Comrade Gu who would stiffen up at the slightest touch on her waist. He had evolved into a successful underground party member, deeply involved in revolutionary work.
Since Zhan Aiping had slept a lot during the day, she wasn’t very tired at the moment. Gu Sheng spoke to her in a low voice, “It’s been a while since you’ve experienced this kind of feeling, hasn’t it?”
Zhan Aiping chuckled and asked, “Are you talking about being crammed into a compartment like a piglet?”
Regardless of the era, the transportation of soldiers always followed a similar pattern, with a group of people sitting on the floor inside a compartment. If they were new recruits, they might even wear a big red flower on their chests.
“Piglet?” Gu Sheng responded with a wry smile.
Zhan Aiping raised her hand and gently touched his handsome face, sighing, “Old Gu, you’re not a piglet anymore; you’ve graduated from that stage.”
Gu Sheng asked, “What about you?”
“I’m the pig farmer,” she replied.
Gu Sheng chuckled, “Enough with that.”
“Let’s switch roles, and that would make sense,” Gu Sheng teased as he placed his hand on her belly, his smile carrying a deeper meaning.
Gu Sheng had not been acting like a lazy piglet during their journey.
Zhan Aiping warned, “Don’t get handsy. There are people in front of us.”
This man, it seemed that he was quick to adapt. Earlier, he would blush at the slightest touch on her belly, but now he was reaching out voluntarily.
Up front, Qian Xiao’an had strategically leaned back, wishing that his head could move further back. The murmured conversation behind him was inaudible due to their low voices, possibly whispered into each other’s ears. Combined with the noise of the engine, the words became indistinct when they reached his ears. He knew they were talking, but he couldn’t make out the specifics of their conversation.
Qian Xiao’an couldn’t help but feel frustrated.
Gu Sheng, Captain Gu, was handsome and came from a good family background. He was regarded as a high-level prize by many military wives. He didn’t usually pay much attention to women, even when numerous attractive female soldiers and nurses threw themselves at him, he would maintain a stoic demeanour, ignoring their advances. He was like Commander Jiang, an eternal bachelor.
He had even stated that he wasn’t considering marriage, that he didn’t like delicate women, and that beauty was irrelevant. But now, the man who had claimed not to consider marriage had suddenly married a stunning woman and brought her along.
As for this stunning woman, she looked delicate, but her…
Thinking back to Zhan Aiping’s seamlessly executed scissor leg and the kicks to the groin earlier today, Qian Xiao’an couldn’t help but shudder.
— In private, what would such a couple say to each other?
Facing such a stunning woman, was their Captain Gu behaving like other newlywed soldiers, being obedient and tender to his new military wife, completely transformed?
For them, the spectacle was something they could enjoy multiple times a year.
But today, Gu Sheng had been keeping a stern face the whole time, not even trying to comfort the girl who had just arrived and encountered such an incident. Wasn’t he supposed to be sweet-talking her now?
Qian Xiao’an strained his strategic backward lean but still couldn’t hear their conversation clearly.
“When we participated in the competition back then, we were dragged around like this too, and they left us in the deep mountains and wilderness,” he reminisced. They had been blindfolded, spun in circles, and then had to determine their location based on the terrain and topography, completing tasks at various coordinates.
Zhan Aiping hated this the most, not that she couldn’t do it, but her reactions were a bit slow.
Gu Sheng, on the other hand, was different. He was like a living map, and even when they played video games, he could accurately report his coordinates.
So being with him was quite advantageous, and it was the first time she had this much fun.
Gu Sheng said, “If it weren’t for me, you’d have lost your way.”
Zhan Aiping tutted and said, “Go ahead, keep bragging.”
Gu Sheng put his arm around her shoulder and said, “I’ll take you target shooting on International Women’s Day in the future. Your family will still get some benefits.”
Zhan Aiping suddenly got closer to him, and in Gu Sheng’s line of sight, she pointed ahead and mouthed, “Will he think you’re flattering me shamelessly?”
Gu Sheng caught a glimpse of the looming of someone’s head with a faintly emerging bald spot and then looked down to see the smile at the corner of Zhan Aiping’s mouth. He thought to himself that if this precious girl in his arms behaved obediently like this every day, even if he lost face, so be it.
The car beneath them was driving towards the base, towards their future home. The woman he loved was willing to spend her life with him. She had become his wife and his family member. She had come all the way to Yunnan Province with him, and she was even willing to have children with him…
Now, Gu Sheng’s mind was filled with thoughts of pampering his wife, of taking care of her. She was already under his spell, so why wait until the military campaign failed? He might as well make his move now.
Young Comrade Gu had already armed himself with “Old Wang’s thinking.” Tomorrow, as soon as they arrived at the family quarters, he would be a model husband who doted on his wife.
“Let him think whatever he wants. Are you tired? Do you want to lean on and rest for a while?” It was a windy night, and it was a bit chilly. Gu Sheng wrapped Zhan Aiping in a thick coat and then held her in his arms, serving as her human cushion.
This delicate girl found even the bunk bed uncomfortable, let alone a box full of books.
Zhan Aiping, who had been lifted off the ground, was momentarily stunned, but the warmth of his embrace securely held her.
“At night, I’ll hold you while you sleep. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall,” Gu Sheng softened his voice to comfort her.
Zhan Aiping: “…”
“When we got on the car, I prepared a thermos of hot water, it should still be warm tomorrow morning. I’ll make you powdered milk when you wake up…”
…
Zhan Aiping snuggled against the man’s chest, wondering if Gu Lao Wu had really been captivated by the grand promises she had made. Was he willing to give up his pride?
As a newly appointed and unscrupulous boss, she had thought of several grand promises today, and she hadn’t even shown him any yet. Gu Sheng had only taken one promise, and he was already willing to be a loyal employee?
Lost in these thoughts, Zhan Aiping fell asleep.
The next morning, the car stopped at the warehouse entrance. Gu Sheng had indeed prepared formula for her. He climbed down from the car like a monkey, leaving her waiting inside. He even managed to get a freshly boiled egg from somewhere. After she finished her breakfast in the car, Gu Sheng stood beneath it, holding her hand and gently lifted her down, placing her securely on the ground.
Witnessing this scene, the driver, Xiao Zhang, said, “Captain Gu, you are really considerate to your wife.”
Gu Sheng casually replied, “My wife is a girl from Shanghai. She used to live in a big city, so she’s a bit delicate.”
Zhan Aiping: “…?”
Qian Xiao’an’s eyes widened: “!!!!”
A bit delicate?
Qian Xiao’an’s scalp tingled at the sight of Zhan Aiping effortlessly taking down three strong men.
After getting off the transport vehicle, they boarded a military jeep. This vehicle drove straight into the family quarters on the other side of the camp. Zhan Aiping sat in the car and nudged Gu Sheng with her elbow, whispering, “You, you…”
Why was he suddenly calling her delicate?
Before she could finish, Gu Sheng seemed to have understood her meaning long ago. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Isn’t that what you said? You want to be a delicate little lady now.”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
She even wanted to be a pampered giant baby!
Zhan Aiping looked up at Gu Sheng’s profile and suddenly smiled. She couldn’t help but wonder why this man was so good to her. He always knew how to win her over. Zhan Aiping felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around Gu Sheng’s neck. She wanted to say something but stopped herself. In the end, she only managed to say, “Gu Lao Wu, living with you… is not bad at all.”
After saying that, she changed to hugging his arm and happily leaned on him. She was determined not to be the one to confess her feelings first. Since they were just making do with each other, then so be it.
“Isn’t it nice?” Gu Sheng smiled and thought to himself that this was true “tactics.”
He had initially said no to dowry, refused to give her his salary, and let her handle all the housework to lower her expectations and defences. This way, she wouldn’t suspect his intentions. Once she accepted these conditions and agreed to come to Yunnan Province with him, he would start treating her well. He would proactively buy furniture and help with household chores, and then find a reason to hand over his salary to her later.
Step by step, this silly wife would be overjoyed.
Although his initial intentions were not like this, as the saying goes, “A black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat.” No matter what schemes were used, as long as the goal was achieved, it was good enough.
Tactics are flexible and adaptable.
Old Wang had previously painted a bunch of blueprints for a bright future in front of him, and he had also talked about countless ways to pamper his city girl wife. Even though his wife was not from Shanghai, she had spent several years there, and she deserved the treatment of a city girl. He would just do as he promised.
He would pamper the wife he had married with his own abilities.
The car entered the family quarters and stopped at the entrance. Zhan Aiping and Gu Sheng got out of the car, and their luggage was taken out as well. After a brief inspection, they entered the camp area, which was quite large, stretching as far as the eye could see. On one side was the family quarters, and on the other side was the “office” area, where several units were stationed.
As soon as they got out of the car, they felt the outside air was exceptionally fresh. All around them was green, rows of trees reaching high into the sky, creating a lush canopy. Outside the camp area were vegetable fields and farmland, and in the distance, you could hear the sounds of cattle and sheep. Mechanized farming hadn’t become widespread yet, so most of the work still relied on animal power. Many villages raised water buffalo and yellow cattle.
Inside the camp area, it was like a world of its own. There were sentries at the entrance of the family quarters, and inside, there was a clinic, a service centre, a basketball court, and even a kindergarten. As soon as they entered, the sound of military bugles immediately rang out, and throughout the day, there were numerous trumpet calls.
“Little Gu? Captain Gu, you’ve brought your new wife? Oh my, this girl is so pretty. Is she your new wife?” The selected women’s director, Li Yuxia, along with several military wives, came forward to greet them. They had heard that a new military wife had arrived, so they all came to meet her and say hello.
Men at home also had gossip and curiosity, but unfortunately, they weren’t present at this time, so they couldn’t come and see what Gu Sheng’s new wife looked like. Instead, they delegated the family members to check it out.
They waited for a while and finally saw them.
“We were just talking about you two earlier, saying Cao Cao has arrived,” Li Yuxia looked at the couple in front of her. The man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful. However, the more she looked, the more something seemed off. This didn’t match what they had discussed.
**Nomad: In this instance Cao Cao is used to refer to the arrival of someone notable or influential in this case Gu Sheng**
Not only was she stunned, but even the other military wives around her exchanged puzzled glances.
They had heard that Gu Sheng’s new wife was a former female soldier, a military doctor who was tough and capable. Some had even seen Zhan Aiping at the base and said, “Zhan Aiping? I know her. She stands by Gu Sheng’s side just like his little brother.”
…Like his little brother?
The girl in front of them was so delicate and fair-skinned. She clearly looked like a pampered city girl from a big city. There was no way she could be mistaken for a brother.
Could they have made a mistake?
The two of them looked perfect together!
“This is Mrs. Li, and this is Mrs. Tian…” Gu Sheng introduced her. His ability to memorize maps was strong, and his ability to remember people was even stronger. He rarely forgot anyone he had met.
Zhan Aiping greeted them with a smile, “Hello, everyone.”
One of the wives, whose last name was Zhou, was called out by name and was pleasantly surprised that Gu Sheng remembered her. She couldn’t help but smile, which made her feel more favourably toward the couple.
Gu Sheng had some reputation in this family quarters. He was good-looking, capable at work, and came from a good family background. Many people wanted to introduce potential partners to him.
However, the outstanding flower of the highlands had taken a trip to Shanghai and solved her own personal problem. This might be disappointing news for the women from the Arts Troupe and the Military Hospital.
Of course, for these married military wives, it didn’t matter who Gu Sheng married. Since he still remembered them, Mrs. Zhou extended an invitation, “Little Gu, when you and your wife have some free time, come over to our place for a meal and taste my cooking.”
“Sure,” Gu Sheng readily agreed, and he turned to Zhan Aiping, saying, “Mrs. Zhou, Mrs. Tian… all of them are good cooks.”
The cooks in the kitchen often cooked based on their mood, and the quality of their cooking varied. Besides, the meals were often simple and repetitive. Occasionally, they would go to the homes of military wives for a meal to improve their dining experience.
These days, comrades in the kitchen who could cook well were in high demand everywhere. Of course, it also depended on having a smart logistics officer to allocate rations reasonably, or else there would be an abundance of meat at the beginning and meagre portions of vegetables later.
In the military, each unit had its own way of raising pigs and growing vegetables, and the level of farming and cooking skills varied. But in the end, it was often not as enjoyable as the small kitchens in the family quarters.
Gu Sheng put his arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, “I know all the wives who cook delicious meals in the family quarters. I’ll let you know in advance which dishes are the best, and you can go taste their specialties.”
Zhan Aiping was left speechless and thought, “How many families have you mooched meals from, buddy? And you’ve gained experience from it.”
—But mooching meals is indeed quite enjoyable.
Good buddies should mooch meals together.
Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but want to be buddy-buddy with him, saying, “You’re a true buddy.”
This had become a habit between them from some time ago. After saying that, Zhan Aiping coughed and realized something was not right. Her current attire was not suitable. She wanted to make a good impression when entering the family quarters for the first time, so she deliberately presented herself as a gentle and refined young lady.
She couldn’t afford to lose her image on the very first day.
“I was just joking with Fifth Brother,” she added.
Li Yuxia: “…”
The other wives: “…”
—This really did make her seem a bit like his little brother.
As the women’s director, Li Yuxia was genuinely concerned about the adaptation of the newly arrived military wives to their new lives. If they needed assistance, the wives in the family quarters would lend a helping hand and provide guidance to these young newcomers.
Especially in the case of someone like Zhan Aiping, who had a beautiful and stylish appearance, fair skin, and clearly looked like a city girl from a big city, she was considered a high-priority target for attention. Such newcomers were often the ones most likely to encounter “issues” in their families.
However, Zhan Aiping seemed a bit different from the typical city girls?
Li Yuxia thought to herself, “…”
Although she couldn’t quite figure out the details yet, Director Li planned to categorize Zhan Aiping as the type of “city girl” for now. That was because her appearance was highly deceptive—she was beautiful, fashionable, educated, and likely to find a job and earn her own salary.
Well, this category was the one most prone to problems.
Regardless of the era, maintaining beauty and elegance came with its costs. Before a young woman got married, she enjoyed the freedom to spend her salary as she pleased—buying fancy shoes, clothing, going to the movies, and attending ballet performances—living a rich and fulfilling life.
After getting married, however, with the added responsibilities of household expenses, raising children, and the desire to maintain the lifestyle she had before marriage, things could become overwhelming. This often led to some form of “issue.”
So, in some families, even though both spouses earn salaries, their standard of living may not be as good as that of a family where only the husband works. In such households, the wife manages the household, does the housework, takes care of the family, and cooks. These smaller families tend to be more comfortable and harmonious.
Gu Sheng’s wife, however, seemed to be different.
Li Yuxia remarked, “Why aren’t you saying that my cooking is delicious?”
Gu Sheng replied, “Director Li’s house has fruit trees by the doorstep that bear seven or eight different kinds of fruits. They are quite tasty. We’ll go to her house to get some fruits to eat later.”
Zhan Aiping thought to herself, “Is this guy aware of everything? Is he planning to take me around for free food and drinks in the future, becoming a couple of family quarters freeloaders?”
Li Yuxia asked, “What about your house, Little Gu? When you and your wife moved in, I noticed you have everything else, but there’s nothing in the kitchen. You don’t even have basic pots and pans. Are you not planning to cook at home?”
“And you said we should go to your place for a meal. You’re the newcomers here. Shouldn’t you invite us for a warm home-cooked meal first?”
Gu Sheng replied, “My wife doesn’t know how to cook. We plan to eat at the canteen. As for a home-cooked meal, I intend to have Xiao Xie from the third company’s kitchen come over and prepare a few dishes.”
Zhan Aiping interjected, “I want to cook. Director Li, I want to use the kitchen. Director, please tell me where to get all the necessary kitchen supplies.”
Li Yuxia was left speechless.
What was going on with this couple?
The man wanted to eat at the canteen, while the woman insisted on cooking her own meals. Wasn’t his wife willing to cook for him? Why was she so insistent?
Zhan Aiping extended an invitation, saying, “I want to cook our home-cooked meals. When the time comes, all the wives can taste my cooking—”
“Hold on,” Li Yuxia grabbed Zhan Aiping’s hand. “Comrade Xiao Zhan, you’re a good comrade and a good military wife. You’ve been through a lot on this journey, and there’s no need for you to exert yourself like this. Tomorrow, we’ll have Xiao Xie from the kitchen come and prepare a few dishes. Let’s focus on warming up your home, and there will be plenty of opportunities for us to taste your cooking.”
She thought to herself, “Your husband is planning to eat at the canteen in the future anyway. I wouldn’t dare to eat your cooking even if you made it.”
In order to maintain harmony in the newly arrived military families, it was better to let Comrade Xiao Zhan “back down” a bit. Some people were not aware that their cooking wasn’t great.
However, Li Yuxia was still very satisfied with Zhan Aiping, the new military wife. Her attitude indicated that their future days wouldn’t be too rough, and it saved Li Yuxia from having to mediate conflicts.
Zhan Aiping thought to herself, “…”
She glanced at the man beside her and couldn’t help but think that he was quite skilled at tarnishing her reputation.
Mrs. Tian shifted the topic, saying, “Captain Gu, your wife is wonderful. She genuinely wants to be with you. You should cherish her.”
Gu Sheng nodded and acknowledged, “She came all the way here with the army for my sake, so I will definitely cherish her. In the future, at home, I’ll lend a hand wherever I can. I hope all of you will take care of her.”
“Of course, of course,” Li Yuxia and the others nodded in agreement. However, after Li Director gave her approval, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
Did these words really come from Gu Sheng?
While Gu Sheng was handsome, his demeanour was rather “aloof.” When he was giving orders, his face could be as cold as ice, and his eyes showed no mercy. He wasn’t exactly the gentle type.
Even their political commissar, Zhang, had said as much, mentioning that Gu Sheng wasn’t someone who knew how to treat women well.
…But if he didn’t treat women well, did he treat his brothers well?
“Sisters, don’t be fooled by his smooth talk,” Zhan Aiping chimed in proactively. “Gu Sheng says he won’t hand over his salary, and he even wants me to handle all the household chores. He just wants to be a hands-off boss.”
“He also claims he’s too busy with work and rarely comes home. He said all I need to do is help him with some laundry when he returns.”
Gu Sheng: “…”
Li Yuxia and the other military wives: “…” Are you willingly marrying him like this? Is it all about his looks?
What’s going on with this couple?
One doesn’t want his wife to cook, and the other doesn’t want her husband to hand over his salary or do household chores.
…It seems like they’re a perfect match when it comes to being “stubborn.”
— It seems like they’re just making do with each other. The two of them match each other perfectly in their ‘faces’ from head to toe.
*Nomad: Hey everyone! So, the chapters in this novel have been really long, and instead of breaking them up, I’ve decided to set up a regular upload schedule every two days at 6 am London/UK time. This fits better with my current free time situation, and I’ll do my best to stick to it. Work’s been crazy busy lately, but sometimes I might surprise you with an extra chapter or two, so stay tuned! Also, just a heads-up: I struggle to update NU regularly, so you’ll see updates here first before they appear there. Thanks for your understanding and support!
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