Rely
Zhan Bo returned home with a cigarette in his mouth. Someone in the courtyard saw him and, with ill intentions, said, “Old Zhan, I really envy you. Both your daughters married well. My daughters can’t compare.”
Zhan Bo, expressionless, neither happy nor unhappy, replied calmly, “I have two good sons-in-law.”
The person laughed and continued, “Don’t be jealous of me. If you’re jealous, I’ll have your daughter divorce and find herself a better husband.”
Zhan Bo responded, “It’s natural for a husband to be older than his wife.”
“And besides, Pingping and Jiajia aren’t biological sisters. In my life, I only have one real daughter.”
After saying this, Zhan Bo ignored the mocking looks from the others and turned to walk home, suppressing his discomfort, extinguishing the cigarette in his hand.
Zhan Aijia’s marriage had deeply frustrated Zhan Bo, almost making him lose face. He didn’t even want to acknowledge this stepdaughter anymore.
Now that it was done, there was nothing he could do.
Zhan Bo was constantly angry, even venting his frustration on his second wife, Zhu Jiaorong.
Luckily, his biological daughter and son-in-law were coming back with his own grandchildren, which made him feel proud again.
“Real daughters are always more reassuring,” he thought.
It wasn’t just Zhan Bo who felt uneasy; Zhu Jiaorong was also disturbed by her own daughter, Zhan Aijia’s, actions. Her daughter had married a man over ten years older, with three children—all boys—and she was about to become their stepmother.
Zhu Jiaorong had scolded Zhan Aijia many times: “Are you a fool? Do you think being a stepmother is easy?”
Zhan Aijia always dismissed her with indifference: “Haven’t you been a stepmother all these years, living quite comfortably?”
Having grown up watching Zhu Jiaorong live a good life as a stepmother, Zhan Aijia wasn’t against the idea. She even believed she could do it better and more comfortably.
Lin Gang was the best man she could find, and she couldn’t let him slip away. She also wanted to show off in front of Zhan Aiping, confident she could handle this man and win over her three stepsons, making them respect her for life.
Zhu Jiaorong, exasperated, replied, “How could you understand my struggles? I became a stepmother so you wouldn’t have to, yet you followed in my footsteps.”
Zhan Aijia answered, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve watched you be a stepmother all my life, and I’ll surpass you. I’ll live well. Right now, I’m the regimental commander’s wife, and soon, I’ll be the brigade commander’s wife, and one day, even the wife of a general.”
“Mom, are you jealous that I married better than you?” Zhan Aijia said smugly, convinced of her own cleverness.
Zhu Jiaorong scoffed, “Jealous of you? You’ll regret it soon enough. At home, you wouldn’t even get me a cup of tea, yet now you’re running around serving someone else’s kids. Do you think they’ll ever see you as their mother? They’re just ungrateful brats.”
“Ha!” Zhan Aijia spat out a sunflower seed, mocking her mother. “Do you think the sons I raise will ever be yours?”
Zhu Jiaorong was too angry to respond.
But Zhan Aijia didn’t care. She understood now that even though she was Zhu Jiaorong’s biological daughter, she was not a son. All of Zhu Jiaorong’s attention was focused on her biological brother, Zhan Mingkang. She couldn’t rely on her mother.
Her stepfather, Zhan Bo, was also unreliable, and her brother, Zhan Mingkang, was an even bigger disappointment.
Zhan Aijia knew she had to find her own way out.
So what if she was a stepmother? At least she was the regimental commander’s wife, able to outshine Zhan Aiping, and she would have a solid support system for the future.
When Zhan Aiping returned, she was determined to show off in front of the Zhan family.
Gu Sheng had successfully secured a vacation, and the couple had already bought sleeper train tickets, packed their luggage, and prepared to head north with their two children. They were first going to visit Zhan Aiping’s family.
Zhan Aiping had entrusted her plants and vegetables to Jiang Meihui, reminding her, “Don’t go picking my flowers.”
Jiang Meihui nodded helplessly.
Zhan Aiping, too, felt helpless. Even if Jiang Meihui did pick the flowers, she wouldn’t know.
Jiang Meihui couldn’t help but joke, “You’re worried about me now, but you should be more worried about your children messing with your flowers later. Today, your son will pick two flowers, and tomorrow, your daughter will pull off all the leaves…”
Zhan Aiping replied, “That won’t happen.”
“If my kids dare mess with my flowers, their father will handle them.”
“Their father? I doubt he’d be that harsh.”
Zhan Aiping laughed, “My husband, Comrade Gu, is far from soft-hearted.”
Jiang Meihui was speechless.
“Alright, Meihui, I’m leaving. We’ll see each other after the new year. Let’s hope you’ve shed a few pounds by then.”
Jiang Meihui sighed softly.
Losing weight seemed so difficult, especially with the holidays, where good food was all around.
Zhan Aiping and her husband had packed a lot of luggage for their trip, as they were heading north during the winter, where it would get colder. The grandparents had sent a few colourful cotton-padded jackets for the kids, which Zhan Aiping stuffed into their bags as well.
Looking at all the bags, Zhan Aiping sighed, “It’s like we’re moving.”
Gu Sheng smiled, “It’s not easy going back home.”
“True.”
They first took a military vehicle to the city, then boarded a train at the station. The two little ones, who had never been on a train before, were excited, screaming as they watched the green trains roll in.
“Sit tight,” Gu Sheng said as he went to fetch hot water. Zhan Aiping, sitting on the lower berth with her two energetic kids, had her hands full. The one-year-old twins were full of energy and couldn’t stay still for a moment unless they were asleep.
They stood on the seat, bouncing their legs and kicking off their shoes before they felt content.
After kicking off their shoes, they insisted on getting down to walk.
Zhan Aiping quickly stopped them, “I told you, no walking without shoes.”
One of the twins, Guobaorou, whined as he shook his head, “Mama… want walk!”
“Want, want!” Xiaotangyuan squeezed to the side, trying hard to escape her mother’s clutches, but failed. Instead, she spotted her father.
Gu Sheng put the water down, picked up the two small cloth shoes from the floor, and put them back on the siblings one by one.
The siblings, now forced to wear their shoes, were not happy and wriggled their way into their mother’s arms.
Zhan Aiping remarked in disdain, “Tell me, are we raising two little pigs?”
Gu Sheng responded, “They’re your little piglets. How would I know?”
“You two are keeping those shoes on. No taking them off,” Zhan Aiping warned, worried that the kids would run around the dirty train car in just their socks.
Now that the two mischievous children could walk, they would dart around whenever they had the chance, their little arms and legs full of energy.
Zhan Aiping said, “Take them for a walk to burn off some of that boundless energy.”
Accepting his fate, Gu Sheng took the kids for a walk, one under each arm, leading them down the aisle of the train.
The siblings loved walking, but they also tired easily, constantly switching between walking and demanding to be carried.
After a while, Gu Sheng returned with the two of them. After being away from their mother for just ten minutes, the siblings started running excitedly back to Zhan Aiping.
“Two waddling little ducklings.”
As their train headed further north, the weather grew colder. Zhan Aiping and her husband put on brand-new military coats, which they had barely worn before, retrieved from the bottom of the chest and freshly laundered. The siblings wore the floral cotton-padded jackets sent by their grandparents, layered over sweaters and topped with little patterned cotton hats.
Once dressed up like this, the two kids resembled little balloons, so much so that a fall likely wouldn’t even hurt.
“Your son and daughter look so silly,” Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but laugh, falling into Gu Sheng’s arms.
With their bright floral jackets, Zhan Aiping sneakily taught them to put their hands in their pockets, making them look like two tiny old men.
Gu Sheng said, “…”
“Aren’t they your son and daughter too?”
Zhan Aiping just smiled without saying anything.
“If you keep laughing at them, karma will come for you.”
The two children had been weaned, but their energy was still boundless during the trip. They constantly called for “Mama” and “Papa,” demanded flashcards, and even wanted to sing songs. But they didn’t want their dad to sing; only their mom would do.
Gu Sheng chuckled and teased, “Mom, they want you to sing.”
Zhan Aiping flatly refused, “No way.”
Little Tangyuan shouted, “Mama sing!”
Her brother chimed in, “Want! Want!”
“Why are the kids so annoying, just like you?” Zhan Aiping glared at Gu Sheng. “Did you teach them to ask for songs? Did you tell them to make me sing?”
…
The family bickered and laughed as they travelled north. At one point, Zhan Aiping was forced to sing, but the kids were unimpressed. They even covered their ears and said it sounded bad, which infuriated her.
“From now on, I’ll sing lullabies to you both every night to put you to sleep.”
“No… no!” The siblings clung to each other, shaking their legs frantically. They didn’t want to hear their mom sing; it was too scary.
Their reaction only fuelled Zhan Aiping’s determination. She turned to Gu Sheng and said, “When we get back, you’ll teach me how to sing. I’ll show these kids what their mom is capable of.”
Gu Sheng chuckled, “Alright.”
After getting off the train, they transferred to another vehicle and finally arrived at the compound where Zhan Bo’s family lived. When Zhan Aiping and Gu Sheng entered, they ran into a few familiar faces. An old man stared at her for a moment, adjusting his glasses. “You’re Zhan’s oldest, Pingping, right?”
“Yes, Uncle Jiang, I’m Zhan Aiping. This is my husband, Gu Sheng.”
The old man nodded in realization. “Oh, oh, you’ve become so pretty. Such a grown woman now, and your children are already this big…”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, they arrived at Zhan Bo’s house. There was no need to knock; Zhan Bo was at home. When he saw Zhan Aiping, he seemed to be in a daze for a few seconds.
The snow from the previous night hadn’t melted, covering the ground in a white blanket. Zhan Aiping, in her military coat, looked like a green flower blooming in the snow. She wasn’t wearing a hat, her long black hair tied up behind her, and her striking red lips and beautiful features shone brightly against the snowy background, making it hard to look away.
Zhan Bo stared at her blankly, and a familiar face came to mind.
Zhan Aiping’s mother, Ai Feihong.
Ai Feihong had been beautiful, and Zhan Aiping resembled her a great deal. She had the same striking beauty, with a stubborn and proud demeanour.
Zhu Jiaorong, on the other hand, wasn’t as beautiful as Ai Feihong.
Zhan Bo hadn’t liked Ai Feihong’s personality, but if he had to choose again, he would still marry her.
“You’re back. It’s good that you’re back,” Zhan Bo sighed. “You really look like your mother.”
Zhan Aiping didn’t pay much attention to his words and didn’t respond. Instead, she pulled her children closer. ” Youyou, Yuanyuan, say hello to your grandpa.”
Guobaorou held a little red toy car, while Tangyuan clutched a cloth tiger. Upon hearing their mother, they obediently called out, “Grandpa.”
Their voices were soft and still childlike, their words not entirely clear, but the word “Grandpa” could be made out.
Hearing this, Zhan Bo’s eyes welled up with tears of joy. “My two little grandchildren. It’s cold outside; let’s head inside.”
They all went inside, and shortly after, Zhu Jiaorong and her son, Zhan Mingkang, returned. Zhan Mingkang, a chubby eleven-year-old, still had a small frame, a buzzcut, and a little runny nose from being outside, his cheeks rosy.
As soon as Zhan Mingkang entered, he called out to Zhu Jiaorong, “Mom, I want some sweet soup.”
He was Zhu Jiaorong’s only son and Zhan Bo’s “child of old age,” the youngest in the family. He had always been spoiled by his mother. Anything good to eat or drink was always given to him first, and he had grown accustomed to enjoying the best treatment at home.
Zhan Mingkang always got what he wanted. When his older siblings, Zhan Aijia and Zhan Mingzhao, were still at home, he had been bossy and demanding. When it came time to eat, he always got the chicken legs and wings, and he got to choose the best new toys. If he wanted something his older siblings had, he would take it, and if they refused, he’d complain and say they were bullying him.
Zhan Mingkang wasn’t very familiar with his eldest sister, Zhan Aiping, and didn’t take her seriously.
Zhan Bo said, “Your sister’s back. Call her Sister Pingping.”
“Mom, is my sweet soup ready?” Zhan Mingkang pretended not to hear and ran off to drink the soup.
After all, he was the youngest in the family, and no one could get him to do anything—not even his mother, who would give in to him every time. He was the apple of her eye.
“This kid…” Zhan Bo shook his head in frustration. He had no way of dealing with his spoiled youngest son. Every time he tried to discipline him, Zhu Jiaorong would cry her heart out and beg him to stop.
Zhan Bo had no choice, and so Zhan Mingkang was raised this way.
Zhu Jiaorong was the complete opposite of Ai Feihong. Ai Feihong was very strict with her children, while Zhu Jiaorong… well, as the saying goes, “a loving mother spoils her son.”
Although Zhan Bo loved his youngest son, he was fully aware that this child would be unreliable in the future.
Zhan Bo turned to Zhan Aiping and said, “As his older sister, you shouldn’t bother with him.”
Zhan Aiping didn’t even look up. She had only come home for a visit and had no interest in interacting with Zhu Jiaorong and her son.
In this new place, the siblings, Guobaorou and Xiaotangyuan, were not shy at all. They happily asked their mother for toys. Their uncle had sent them lots of toys from the capital, including building blocks, ethnic dolls, a fun little wooden pushcart, and even a small tin car.
These tin cars had been made since the 1960s, intricately crafted to look like a miniature version of the Hongqi sedan, and they were red. Guobaorou loved his little car, so much so that he would sleep holding it at night.
Besides the red one, he also had a blue car. Guobaorou would push one car with each hand, making them race across the floor.
“Whoosh—whoosh—” he made random noises as he pushed the cars forward. After a few steps, he hurriedly ran after them, his little feet pattering along.
He could play this boring game by himself for half the day.
Zhan Mingkang came out and saw the two little cars in Guobaorou’s hands. Like most boys, he loved cars, and the blue one especially caught his eye because it was rare compared to the red, grey, and green cars usually found in stores. He wanted to play with it.
So he walked up to Guobaorou and tried to snatch the blue car from his hand.
Zhan Mingkang was strong, and Guobaorou’s small hands were soft, so he couldn’t hold onto the car. He watched helplessly as it was taken from him.
“Mom! My car!” Guobaorou looked around for his mom, then anxiously continued watching his car.
Zhan Aiping, clearly irritated, came over, grabbed Zhan Mingkang’s arm, and with her other hand, tried to take the car back. But Zhan Mingkang was stubborn. He held on tightly and even lifted his leg to kick Zhan Aiping.
Seeing this, Zhan Aiping didn’t hold back. She knocked him to the ground and stomped on his hand to retrieve the toy car. “You’re a grown boy, and you’re stealing toys from a little kid? What kind of person are you?”
Zhan Mingkang cried out in pain, yelling, “Mom! Mom! Sister is trying to kill me!”
Zhu Jiaorong rushed out, her face looking upset. “Zhan Aiping, how can you act like this? You just got home, and you’re already beating up your brother. He… he’s not like Jiajia, he’s your own brother!”
Zhan Bo, who had been chatting with Gu Sheng, also came out. He frowned and asked, “What’s going on?”
Zhan Aiping replied, “He’s a grown boy and still snatching toys from little kids?”
Zhu Jiaorong said, “He’s been spoiled and domineering since he was young. As his older sister, you shouldn’t hold it against him.”
Zhan Aiping let out a cold laugh, showing no mercy with her words. “How old is he? Is he mentally challenged?”
“I don’t want a useless brother like this.” She glanced at Zhan Mingkang with contempt and disgust.
“Mom…” Tears welled up in Guobaorou’s eyes as he ran toward Zhan Aiping. She picked him up and noticed that his palm was bleeding. Fury surged through her, and she turned and slapped Zhan Mingkang twice.
“If I ever see you again, I’ll beat you up!”
Zhan Mingkang was stunned. “You dare hit me?”
“I hit you because you’re a loser,” Zhan Aiping sneered and turned to Zhan Bo. “This is the son you raised? It’s the father’s fault for not teaching him properly. What kind of person is he?”
Zhan Bo’s face darkened. “Zhan Aiping, how can you talk to me like that?”
Zhan Aiping, her expression cold, said, “If I’m not welcome here, I’ll leave right now. My family and I won’t come back. Let’s just pretend we’re no longer family. I don’t want a rotten person like him as a brother.”
She turned to leave, carrying her child. Zhan Bo quickly stepped in front of her. “Wait, wait, wait. How did things get so bad as soon as you came home? Zhu Jiaorong, hurry up and send your son back to his room. Stop embarrassing us.”
“If you keep acting like this, let’s get a divorce. I can’t stand you or your children anymore.”
The word “divorce” came out of Zhan Bo’s mouth in a burst of anger. He had been under a lot of stress lately. First, Zhan Aijia had married an older man, which upset him. Then seeing Zhan Aiping reminded him of Ai Feihong. On top of that, his youngest son had turned into a useless brat, pampered into oblivion by his mother. Now, in front of his good son-in-law Gu Sheng, his son had the nerve to bully his grandson. Zhan Bo didn’t even want this wife or these children anymore.
This group of children had brought nothing but shame to him.
Zhu Jiaorong was shocked. She quickly pushed Zhan Mingkang toward his room. Even though this was her beloved son, she still spoke harshly, glaring at him. “Go to your room!”
“I don’t want to go!” Zhan Mingkang protested.
“Go!” Zhu Jiaorong glared at him, though this was her cherished son, she spoke sternly because she was also terrified. Lately, she had been feeling anxious. Zhan Bo had been upset with her ever since Zhan Aijia married. Now that the word “divorce” had come up, Zhu Jiaorong was frightened.
She had always thought that with her youngest son by her side, Zhan Bo would never divorce her. That’s why she had pampered him so much. But now, divorce?
Her head buzzed. She no longer cared about spoiling her son because, deep down, she knew her husband was more reliable than her child.
“Go to your room and think about what you’ve done.”
Once inside his room, Zhan Mingkang was dumbfounded. This was the first time his parents had sided against him in a fight. They were no longer supporting him just because there were two younger children around.
Now, the pair of one-year-old siblings were the centre of attention.
That night, Zhan Mingkang ate dinner alone in his room. Zhu Jiaorong had brought the food to his door, knocked, and left it there without entering.
Zhan Mingkang heard the knock but pretended not to.
“Zhu Jiaorong, come and eat,” Zhan Bo called.
“Yes, coming.”
Despite all of Zhan Bo’s flaws, he was still her husband, the man she depended on for the rest of her life. Zhu Jiaorong dared not defy him anymore. She left the food at the door and walked away.
She was truly afraid now that Zhan Bo might actually divorce her. In this critical moment, she had no time to worry about her son. If she were divorced, she and Zhan Mingkang would live miserable lives.
Swallowing her fear, Zhu Jiaorong went to the living room for dinner.
Zhan Mingkang lay on his bed, having thrown a bunch of stuff onto the floor. He was still waiting for Zhu Jiaorong to come in and plead with him, to comfort him, and to clean up his room. But after waiting for ten minutes, the knocking stopped. All he could hear was the cheerful noise of everyone gathered in the living room.
When Zhan Mingkang was a child, he never ate properly. When he was six or seven, his mother would chase after him with a bowl of food, feeding him as he ran around. In those days, when others barely had enough to eat, he enjoyed the best the family had to offer, and he took it all for granted.
He looked down on others with contempt. While others struggled to find food, he was being fed while running around. He always felt that he was different from the rest.
Even now, Zhan Mingkang only ate the dishes he liked. Every day, Zhu Jiaorong had to cook separately just for him, making his favorite dishes. No one else in the family could eat until he had first picked what he wanted from the meals. Only after he had chosen could the others have his “leftovers.”
Zhan Mingkang’s stomach growled with hunger, and he finally couldn’t resist opening the door. He saw a plate of food placed outside but realized it wasn’t what he liked. They had slaughtered a chicken today, but they hadn’t even given him the drumstick.
Furious, Zhan Mingkang kicked the plate, sending the food and utensils clattering to the ground. He cursed loudly, “Even a dog wouldn’t eat this.”
He cursed twice, his voice booming like thunder.
Afterward, he slammed the door shut with a sense of defiance.
Outside, the noise quieted for a moment, but soon the lively chatter resumed. Zhu Jiaorong didn’t come to check on him.
Zhan Mingkang’s stomach continued to rumble as he lay under the covers, thinking about the chicken that he had thrown to the ground earlier.
Zhu Jiaorong had heard the commotion from her son’s room. She wanted to check on him, but seeing the displeased look on Zhan Bo’s face, she gave a forced smile and stayed put.
Zhan Bo said calmly, “Wasting food is shameful. If he doesn’t want to eat, let him go without tonight.”
Zhan Aiping sat with her son, Guobaorou, in her arms. She had already disinfected the cut on his hand. The little one had been fussy after crying earlier and now clung tightly to his mother.
Next to them, Xiaotangyuan sat on her father’s lap, holding a spoon and feeling quite pleased with herself. “Mama, rice…”
“Daddy’s, daddy’s…” She tugged at her father’s sleeve. After just two bites of food, she stopped eating properly and wanted the rice her father had cooked. Even though she was still very young, she already knew her father’s cooking was the best.
“Daddy’s rice.”
Zhan Aiping understood what she meant and said, “When we get home, Daddy will cook for you again.”
Zhan Bo was surprised. “At home, Xiao Gu cooks?”
Zhan Aiping replied casually, “Who else would it be? Me?”
Zhan Bo: “…”
Zhan Bo had barely cooked a few times in his life. Ai Feihong had always been too busy to cook, so they ate in the dining hall most of the time.
It wasn’t until he married Zhu Jiaorong that he finally had hot meals at home.
Now, hearing that Gu Sheng cooked at home every day, Zhan Bo was taken aback.
Meanwhile, Zhu Jiaorong barely had any appetite. She poked at her food, her thoughts drifting back to when Zhan Aiping had been in confinement after giving birth. Gu Sheng had stayed by her side the entire time. But during her own two confinements… Zhan Bo had hardly taken care of her, not even willing to make her a simple soup, always complaining that she was too picky.
After dinner, Gu Sheng and Zhan Aiping took their two children back to her old room. Inside were many of her old belongings—childhood clothes and textbooks. Gu Sheng lay on her small bed with the two kids, happily flipping through her old middle school books.
As he flipped through them, he chuckled, “Wifey, you were pretty good at drawing little stick figures.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “My note-taking skills were even better. Didn’t you see? The whole book is filled with notes.”
“Yes, yes, my wife is amazing, absolutely amazing.”
Xiaotangyuan, cuddling her ethnic doll, was feeling sleepy. She softly called out, “Mama…”
Zhan Aiping tucked her and Guobaorou in bed together, placing them toward the inside. “Comrade Guo, help put them to sleep.”
Gu Sheng lay back, hands behind his head. “You sing them to sleep.”
“If I sing, they’ll never fall asleep.” Zhan Aiping kissed each of her children on the cheek. “Be good now, go to sleep.”
Xiaotangyuan quickly closed her eyes. She was really tired and soon drifted off to sleep. Guobaorou fidgeted a little, wanting to hold his mother’s arm as he slept, clinging to her like a little koala. Once he had fallen asleep, Zhan Aiping gently “peeled” the little koala off her arm.
After tucking them in properly, Zhan Aiping lay down beside them. Soon, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. Gu Sheng whispered, “I really want you right now.”
Being in his wife’s childhood room, lying on the bed that had once belonged to her, Gu Sheng was feeling quite excited.
Zhan Aiping smiled and pushed him away, “Don’t mess around.”
“Just let me hold you for a bit.”
Gu Sheng held her close, and surrounded by his warmth, Zhan Aiping quickly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Zhan Aiping woke up late. Outside, it had started snowing again. No one wanted to get up early in such cold weather. Gu Sheng, however, had gotten up and borrowed the kitchen to make porridge for her and the children.
Zhan Aiping and the kids ate breakfast together. The children wanted to go out and play in the snow, so she and Gu Sheng took them outside to watch the snowflakes for about ten minutes before bringing them back inside.
“No more snow for now. Mama will play with you two and your building blocks.” The kids were still young, and she didn’t want them to catch a cold, so she wouldn’t let them stay in the snow for too long.
Around ten o’clock, Zhan Aijia and her husband Lin Gang arrived. Lin Gang was about ten years older than her, though he didn’t look particularly old—just a few fine lines around his eyes. His complexion was a bit dark, but only upon closer inspection could you tell.
Lin Gang had well-defined features, looking slightly above average in appearance. Standing beside Zhan Aijia, they made a rather fitting couple. If it weren’t for the fact that he already had three sons, even Zhan Bo would have thought Lin Gang was a good son-in-law.
But Lin Gang was older and had three sons. Even more embarrassing was the fact that his three children were from two previous marriages: the eldest from his first wife, and the second and third from his second wife. Now, Zhan Aijia was his third wife…
It had been over a year since they last saw each other, and newly married, Zhan Aijia was all smiles when she saw Zhan Aiping. She sweetly called out, “Sister Pingping.”
She wore a stylish new coat that Lin Gang had bought for her, and she was clearly delighted. She had dressed up deliberately today, hoping to show off a little in front of Zhan Aiping.
Of course, she had no intention of getting into any conflict with her.
She guessed that part of Lin Gang’s reason for marrying her had something to do with Gu Sheng being her brother-in-law. At first, Zhan Aijia wanted to marry Lin Gang because of his position as a regimental commander, hoping to outshine Zhan Aiping. But after spending some time living as his wife, she decided she would settle down and live a good life.
If she could avoid getting into conflicts with her sister and brother-in-law, she would. Lin Gang wasn’t aware of the sisters’ past conflicts.
Back when she was living at home, Zhan Aijia had sided with her mother, glaring at Zhan Aiping with hatred. But now, as Lin Gang’s wife, and with no in-laws to answer to, she was the “head of the household” in her own home.
This feeling was wonderful. She no longer had to scrape by in the Zhan family, living cautiously because she was a stepdaughter, constantly trying to please her stepfather, Zhan Bo.
Now she had her own husband and her own home, and she no longer felt much attachment to the Zhan family.
“Brother Gang, this is my sister, Zhan Aiping.” Zhan Aijia introduced her to Lin Gang with a smile, but when she saw Lin Gang’s expression, her smile stiffened for a moment.
Lin Gang stared directly at Zhan Aiping, surprised by how stunningly beautiful Zhan Aijia’s elder sister was. She stood in the snow wearing a military coat, and there was something uniquely captivating about her.
Zhan Aiping said, “You’re here? Congratulations, Zhan Aijia. Happy newlywed life.”
Zhan Aijia forced a smile and cursed inwardly, You seductive vixen, always trying to lure people in.
“Thank you,” she replied.
She intimately linked arms with Lin Gang, secretly gritting her teeth. Then, as if casually, she said, “My sister’s always had good luck. She married a great man and even had twins. I used to be so envious of her.”
Lin Gang looked at her in confusion. “Really?”
Zhan Aijia nodded, “Yes, but my sister has quite the temper. She doesn’t do any work at home. Most men wouldn’t be able to stand her, but only my brother-in-law can, because they’ve known each other since childhood.”
Hearing this, Zhan Aiping merely raised an eyebrow. Based on what she had just observed, she could tell that Zhan Aijia cared about Lin Gang.
Even though Zhan Aijia was trying to badmouth her, Zhan Aiping didn’t bother to refute it. She had no interest in proving she was some ideal, dutiful wife.
Lin Gang frowned, “Don’t badmouth your sister like that.”
He hadn’t expected his “brother-in-law” to be so tolerant and meek.
Zhan Aijia chuckled softly, “I’m not badmouthing her. Everyone envies my sister. You should learn a thing or two from my brother-in-law.”
Lin Gang muttered under his breath, “What’s there to envy? A woman isn’t meant to be pampered like that.”
Upon hearing this, Zhan Aiping raised an eyebrow, finding Lin Gang’s attitude rather off-putting.
Zhan Aijia, however, just smiled and said nothing in response.
They all went inside and sat down. Zhu Jiaorong called Zhan Aijia over to talk privately. She whispered, “Can you go talk to your brother? He’s not listening to me anymore.”
Zhu Jiaorong then told Zhan Aijia about what had happened the previous day. Complaining, she said, “It’s been two years since she’s been back. Why did Zhan Aiping even bother coming back? I don’t even consider her my daughter anymore. She’d better not come back just to stir up trouble.”
“Go talk to your brother, after all, he’s your real brother.”
Zhan Aijia smiled faintly upon hearing this but wasn’t in a hurry to follow her mother’s advice.
Learning about the incident from yesterday made Zhan Aijia feel secretly pleased. Even though Zhan Mingkang was her biological brother, as his sister, she also resented their mother’s blatant favouritism.
In the past, she had deliberately ignored these issues, believing that because her brother was a boy, he was their mother’s treasure and the pillar of Zhu Jiaorong’s standing in the family. Zhan Aijia had tolerated everything, thinking all the good things belonged to Zhan Mingkang.
But now that she had her own family, she was no longer the stepdaughter living under someone else’s roof. She didn’t have to accept the unfair treatment she once endured. She was now the wife of a regiment commander. Why should she continue to cater to her stepfather and a brother spoiled rotten by their mother?
Straightening her new, stylish coat, Zhan Aijia replied in a light tone, “Mom, Brother Gang is here today. How can I have time to deal with my brother? I think you should stop trying to persuade him. Let him calm down in his room by himself.”
Zhu Jiaorong was stunned. “You…”
Her own daughter didn’t seem to care about her brother as much anymore.
Zhu Jiaorong realized that after getting married, her daughter had changed. She no longer had any real affection for the Zhan family. It seemed like even if she were asked to revert to her original surname, she wouldn’t care.
Zhu Jiaorong couldn’t help but advise her, “Jiajia, you need to be good to your brother. He’s your real support in the future.”
Zhan Aijia laughed, “Since when does a sister rely on her brother, Mom? He’s your support. As for me, I’ll have my own son in the future. Even if I don’t, I still have three stepsons.”
“I’m already married and gone from this family.”
Zhu Jiaorong’s face turned icy, feeling as though her daughter had betrayed her.
“Mom, I’m going to talk to my sister and brother-in-law,” Zhan Aijia said as she left.
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