Face
Zhang Lirong managed to keep her smile, but she didn’t believe Zhan Aiping. She knew Zhan’s family had two young children, both around one or two years old, and both parents worked—her home was probably a mess, so where would they find time for things like that?
Zhan Aiping didn’t hold back, “You’re so eager to be a stepmother—do you even know about Captain Luo’s child from his hometown?”
Zhang Lirong scoffed, “That’s all in the past. It was an arranged marriage from the old days, and the child went to the countryside with his mother. He has a cousin who can’t have kids, so the family’s decided that once Captain Luo remarries, the child will be adopted out.”
Thinking that the child was out of the picture, Zhang Lirong felt there was nothing to worry about.
Zhan Aiping raised an eyebrow, thinking she’s walking into the fire pit willingly, but she kept her thoughts to herself. If the family wanted to adopt the child out, then so be it.
She gave Zhang Lirong a piece of advice, “Think about how this man treated his previous two wives. Then think about what that means for you…”
Better look out for yourself.
Captain Luo was a self-centred man, utterly selfish and shameless.
Zhang Lirong let out a little huff, clearly ignoring Zhan’s words.
Good advice is wasted on those destined to suffer, and compassion cannot save those who abandon themselves.
Zhan Aiping couldn’t be bothered with her anymore. She was off to pick up her husband and kids to head home.
She glanced down the hallway, expecting to see Gu Sheng and the kids, but they were nowhere to be found. Where did they go?*
Confused, she decided to head to the day-care herself, where she found all three still hanging around in the little kids’ section.
Gu Sheng stood at the doorway in his uniform, arms crossed, with two little ones clinging to his legs.
Like a pair of door guardians, the kids clung to their dad’s legs, playing peekaboo, popping out to the left, then to the right.
Hands on her hips, Zhan Aiping looked at them with a sigh, “Are you pretending to be trees here? Time to go!”
Gu Sheng grinned, “You taught them well. They said they won’t leave unless Mommy comes.”
“No one else but Mommy can take them,” he added.
Zhan Aiping’s mouth twitched; she couldn’t decide if her kids were smart or just stubborn.
—Had they just ignored their own dad?
At least her two little ones were well-prepared against strangers.
“Mommy!” Guobaorou and Tangyuan called out in unison as they saw her, immediately letting go of their dad and toddling over with their little duckling steps.
Crouching down, she gave each a little kiss on the cheek, “Good kiddos, listening to Mommy.”
“But this is Daddy. Mommy asked Daddy to pick you up.”
Tangyuan replied, “We go with Mommy.”
Tangyuan insisted, “Mommy said only go with Mommy.”
“Alright then, let’s go with Mommy.” Zhan Aiping cheerfully picked up both kids, then glanced over at Gu Sheng, winking. “Did Daddy feel jealous?”
Gu Sheng shrugged, “What’s there to be jealous about? You’ll just hand them over to me soon anyway.”
She laughed, “Sure, sure. Our kids are getting heavier by the day, so you can take the load.”
Tangyuan piped up, “I want Daddy to lift me high!”
Tangyuan clearly preferred Daddy’s big, high-up lifts to Mommy’s carry.
Settling into Gu Sheng’s arms, Tangyuan looked down at her mom with a big grin, “Higher than Mommy!”
Zhan Aiping rolled her eyes, “Old Gu, this little girl of ours isn’t so loyal after all!”
Guobaorou wriggled his feet, “I want Daddy too!”
“All yours. You’re all taller than Mommy. Guess I’m the lowest-ranking member here.”
Gu Sheng replied, “No, you’re the leader, the engine. The leader’s taking us all home, right?”
Zhan Aiping wiggled her finger at them, “Alright, follow me closely.”
Auntie He, who was sweeping nearby, watched their interaction and laughed, “What a close-knit family you are.”
Ordinary families rarely had this kind of bond.
Blushing, Zhan Aiping led her husband and kids out of the hospital. Before they made it far, Gu Xiangyi caught up, calling out, “Sis-in-law, I’m coming with you! I need a free meal.”
“Auntie!”
“Yes, kiddos! So sweet! Call me that again!”
When Zhan Aiping saw Gu Xiangyi, she paused, suddenly remembering who Zhang Lirong was.
Oh no, Zhang Lirong used to be the late first wife of Dr. Wu!
**Nomad: Before Aiping travelled back into the past Zhang Lirong was married to Wu Jun (the doctor Gu Xiangyi likes and went to Yunnan for)**
Gu Xiangyi had recently arrived at the military hospital, and though she hadn’t ended up with Wu Jun, it seemed strange that Wu Jun hadn’t married Zhang Lirong either.
And now, with Zhu Hui divorced from Captain Luo, Zhang Lirong was marrying Captain Luo instead?
A buzzing sound filled Zhan Aiping’s mind. She suddenly realized that Zhang Lirong marrying Captain Luo might not be as tragic as she’d thought. By not marrying Wu Jun, she’d actually avoided a fate of an early death.
Now, who knew what the future would hold.
Zhan Aiping shook her head, thinking that each person had made their own choices.
“Little Sis, come over and join us for dinner. I’m cooking today,” she offered.
“Oh no, Sis, I rarely get the chance to visit—I want to eat my brother’s cooking,” Gu Xiangyi replied.
“You picky little sister-in-law,” Zhan Aiping scoffed.
“Stingy sister-in-law,” Gu Xiangyi shot back, laughing.
The five of them headed home together as the sun set. In the glow of the evening light, the roses in Zhan’s yard were in full bloom, their petals bathed in golden sunset hues, as if dipped in molten gold—breathtakingly beautiful.
Meanwhile, Zhang Lirong had filed her marriage request with Captain Luo, and soon, she’d be moving into the compound. They’d been granted a new house, as Zhang Lirong refused to live in the home Captain Luo had once shared with Zhu Hui.
Feeling on top of the world, Zhang Lirong was thrilled to become a captain’s wife. She envisioned a happy, sweet married life ahead, planning to make her colleagues, and even the other military wives, envious.
But after arriving in the compound, she noticed that many households had roses planted outside. One yard, in particular, had an impressive display—a large, lush bed of roses so vibrant it almost hurt her eyes.
A twinge of unease hit her.
A moment later, she saw Zhan Aiping step outside with a pair of scissors. Zhan Aiping smiled at her as she clipped a few roses.
Zhang Lirong’s lips pressed tightly together; she hadn’t wanted to see Zhan Aiping, though she did like the roses Zhan Aiping held. She thought that if Zhan Aiping offered her a few, she’d feign some compliments before dismissing them as inferior.
Zhan Aiping held her bouquet of roses, sniffing them with a contented smile, and then beamed at Zhang Lirong. “Getting married soon and moving in, right? Congratulations!”
“See these roses in our yard? My husband Gu Sheng grew them himself. He never lets me give them away. If I did, he’d get upset—he’s quite possessive.”
“Lovely, aren’t they?” she asked with a sweet smile, holding her roses close. “He only lets me ‘ruin’ them with my own hands.”
Zhang Lirong felt a pang of resentment, thinking, With two kids, those roses of yours will be destroyed soon enough.
Zhang Lirong didn’t like Zhan Aiping, mainly because she was Gu Xiangyi’s sister-in-law.
Before Gu Xiangyi arrived, Zhang Lirong had flirted with Wu Jun, keeping things just shy of official. But ever since Gu Xiangyi entered the scene, Wu Jun had been acting strangely.
Zhang Lirong wasn’t even particularly interested in Wu Jun; he was more of a backup. They both treated each other as such, chatting when they had no better options, then going silent when someone more suitable came along.
This was their unspoken agreement.
What Zhang Lirong resented was the thought that her backup plan might actually end up marrying the general’s little sister.
Wu Jun had bragged to her, claiming Gu Xiangyi was infatuated and had followed him all the way there.
As if I can’t find someone better, Zhang Lirong thought smugly.
Roses? Who couldn’t plant a few roses? She turned to head home but was soon greeted by the sight of another woman holding a bouquet of roses—a plump, cheerful woman with adorable dimples when she smiled.
It was Jiang Meihui, who was also getting married soon. Dr. Chen had gifted her a big bunch of homegrown roses, and she was overjoyed, hurrying to show them off to her brother and sister-in-law.
“You must be Captain Luo’s new wife?” Jiang Meihui greeted Zhang Lirong.
Zhang Lirong looked down her nose at her, asking, “Why do you have a bouquet of roses? Did someone tell you that you’re a ‘red rose’ too?”
Jiang Meihui chuckled, “Did Captain Luo tell you that? Seems he’s copying our Dr. Chen.”
Zhang Lirong blinked in surprise. “?”
What does this plump woman mean? she wondered.
Jiang Meihui added, “Everyone knows your Captain Luo is just copying Dr. Chen.”
With that, Jiang Meihui sauntered off, beaming with pride.
Zhang Lirong’s face froze.
She’d come to the compound hoping to show off, yet it was others who’d flaunted their happiness in her face.
What’s there for that plump woman to brag about? Could any man actually love her?
Furious, Zhang Lirong gritted her teeth, thinking, Next time I run into her, she’ll see.
Later, she turned her anger on Captain Luo.
“All those things you told me—were they just copied from someone else?” she demanded.
Captain Luo, smoking, felt irritated. He hadn’t actually expected to end up with Zhang Lirong; he’d just been talking.
After his divorce, Commander Jiang had flaunted his own situation in front of him more than once, and Captain Luo had memorized a few things to use on women. To his surprise, they worked.
In truth, Captain Luo had never thought much of women; his approach was to woo them in, then teach them to be dutiful wives, raising children and handling housework, so he’d look good.
But now that they were married, his patience for Zhang was already wearing thin.
Captain Luo felt that this woman didn’t understand her place.
Too tired to placate her, he continued smoking, his expression blank. “Calm down.”
“I’m having a smoke.”
Women’s intuition is often spot on, and seeing Captain Luo’s reaction, Zhang Lirong’s heart skipped a beat. She recalled Zhan Aiping’s earlier words: “Think about how this man treated the last two women, and then think about yourself…”
Biting her lip, she realized that they were already married. If they divorced now, she’d become the laughingstock of the entire hospital.
No, Zhang Lirong will never be a joke! She steeled herself. Better to go down fighting than to be shattered into pieces.
Suddenly, she stood up, strode over to Captain Luo, snatched the cigarette from his hand, and slapped him twice before he had time to react.
Zhang Lirong wasn’t an ordinary woman; she was a military nurse. While most people might be intimidated by tall, strong men or soldiers, she wasn’t. After all, she’d held a hundred of those things in her line of work.
“Slap! Slap!”
The two hard, resounding slaps stunned Captain Luo. In his entire life, he’d never been struck by a woman. His first wife had been a timid village girl who hardly dared to speak up, always catering to him. Even after being wronged, she’d withered away like a frightened bird. Zhu Hui was similarly gentle, obedient, and accommodating at first.
But this Zhang Lirong—was she crazy? How dare she hit him?
Captain Luo’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Zhang Lirong’s eyes were even fiercer, practically blazing with fury. “What, Luo? Do you want to hit me back? I’m your wife now. If you dare lay a hand on me, I’ll go straight to Director Li, I’ll make a scene with your superiors. I’m not some weakling like Zhu Hui. If you treat me badly, I’ll make sure your career is over.”
Impulsive and fiery, Zhang Lirong genuinely wasn’t afraid of confrontation. If things went downhill, she was ready to bring it all crashing down.
No matter what, she would never become a laughingstock. If that happened, she’d make sure Captain Luo paid dearly.
Unlike Zhu Hui, who had once loved him, Zhang Lirong didn’t hold back. She valued herself above all else, prided herself on her reputation, and relished being envied. If people ever mocked her, it would be worse than death.
If it came to that, she’d rather be dead—she was fearless now.
“Let’s get this straight today,” she said, voice cold. “In front of others, you better show that you love me deeply. You’ll do the laundry, and you’ll do it for all to see. You’ll sweep the floors, and you’ll plant roses to fill the entire yard.”
“If you can’t manage that, then we’ll just see what happens!”
**Nomad: Captain Luo has met his match hahahaha**
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