An Accidental Military Marriage

The moment she stepped through the gates of the military base, Jiang Moli became completely docile.

When Lu Deyao told her to greet someone, she greeted them. When he told her to smile, she smiled.

This was a restricted military area, not a place to fool around.

Lu Deyao first took her to his office.

The leadership at the military base was incredibly busy; you couldn’t just meet them whenever you wanted.

Lu Deyao had his aide brew her some tea and brought her some newspapers to pass the time.

After some time, a call came from the commander’s office, telling him to bring Jiang Moli over.

Lu Deyao woke Jiang Moli, who was sleeping on the sofa. "Xiao Jiang, wake up. The commander wants to see us."

Jiang Moli stretched lazily as she got up from the sofa, looking baffled at the handkerchief Lu Deyao offered her.

Lu Deyao pointed to the corner of her mouth. "Wipe off the drool."

"Oh."

Watching her simple-mindedly wipe away the drool, Lu Deyao worried inwardly. ’This girl’s got some nerve. She’s about to meet the commander and isn’t the least bit nervous. She slept like a log.’

After tidying herself up, Jiang Moli followed Lu Deyao to meet Wu Lifeng.

Wu Lifeng was in his early sixties, with graying temples, but he was full of vigor. His eyes were especially deep and sharp, with a scrutinizing gaze that seemed to pierce right through to her soul.

"Sir, this is how it all started. On the day of my homecoming visit, several of my uncles came to borrow money. I thought to myself that they still owed my father a mountain of debt, so I told them to pay back their old debts first. But they said they couldn’t because they needed the money to buy jobs for my cousins. They said if I helped arrange jobs for them instead, they would repay the money they owed my family."

"I figured, if I didn’t agree, wouldn’t they just use that as an excuse to default on their debt? So I agreed that as long as they paid back the money, I would help arrange jobs for them. My younger brother spread the word to our other relatives, and every last one of them started showing up at my parents’ house."

As she spoke, she took out the ledger she had prepared the night before and placed it on Wu Lifeng’s desk.

"They did indeed come to my door with money, but it wasn’t to buy jobs—it was to repay their debts. I’ve recorded every single transaction. You can send people to investigate each of my relatives’ homes."

Wu Lifeng flipped open the ledger and glanced at it.

"As for this whole affair, my father-in-law, Comrade Lu Deyao, was completely unaware. And I never once thought of using my husband’s family or my father-in-law’s connections to arrange jobs for my own relatives."

"And taking a step back, even if I wanted to do something like that, my father-in-law would never agree. He barely even gives me, his daughter-in-law, the time of day. He’d have to be out of his mind to help arrange jobs for my family."

Lu Deyao: "..."

’Don’t think I can’t tell you’re insulting me.’

Wu Lifeng shot Lu Deyao a teasing glance, clearly amused that his relationship with his daughter-in-law was so poor.

He then asked Jiang Moli, "So how do you plan to arrange jobs for your relatives?"

"I have my own methods, but I can guarantee that I won’t be seeking special treatment, much less breaking any laws or regulations."

Wu Lifeng handed the ledger back to her. "Alright, I understand the situation."

Jiang Moli said, "In that case, you can’t scold my father-in-law anymore. He’s an old man, and it’s so hard on him, having to take the blame for his unfilial children and grandchildren."

Lu Deyao: "..."

’At least you’re self-aware.’

Jiang Moli continued chattering, "However, this whole incident has given me a new perspective on the military base."

"Oh? Do tell," Wu Lifeng said, watching her with leisurely interest.

Jiang Moli said, "I used to think the military base was a solemn, sacred, and inviolable place. Every time I passed the main gate and saw the bright red five-pointed star, I would be filled with an unconscious sense of awe."

"But today, I’ve discovered that the military base is actually quite down-to-earth, not so different from our machinery factory’s family compound. Everyone’s just an ordinary person who likes to spread gossip when they have nothing better to do."

"Also, I have a small personal suggestion, which you can just listen to for fun, Sir. When the base’s vehicles aren’t in use, you could offer a short-term driver’s training course. This would not only generate some extra income for the base but also cultivate talent for the country. You’d be killing two birds with one stone."

"And I’ll be the first to say it: if the base does offer a driver’s training course, I’ll be the first to sign up."

Leaving the commander’s office, Lu Deyao looked at Jiang Moli’s fair and pretty face, his heart thumping with unease.

’The third son’s wife was probably just speaking off the cuff, right?’

’Calling the cadres gossiping busybodies... that accusation was far more sophisticated than simply ratting him out.’

’The third son’s wife is just a fool. She shouldn’t be smart enough for that. Right?’

Once they were outside the military base gates, Jiang Moli turned to Lu Deyao and said, "Dad, you should get back to work. I’m leaving now."

With his hands behind his back, Lu Deyao instructed her, "It’s hot out. Go straight home, and don’t go messing around outside."

"I know."

As Jiang Moli left the military base, news that Lu Deyao had taken her to "apologize" to the leadership spread like wildfire through the family compound.

The Dragon Boat Festival was tomorrow.

The family committee had organized for the women of the compound to make zongzi, which would be sent to the troops.

To motivate everyone, the family committee had also divided the participating women into groups.

The group that made the most zongzi would have each member rewarded with a one-jin meat coupon.

An Hui, Wu Miaoyun, Wu Lan, and Qiao Jing formed a group with Ma Hongmei.

While they were in the middle of making zongzi, they heard the news from the base, and Wu Miaoyun couldn’t help but remark to An Hui:

"Your family’s Xiao Cheng, his personal ability is truly undeniable. Promoted to battalion commander at such a young age—who in the compound doesn’t envy you? But his taste in women... it’s really a bit lacking. He found such a troublesome wife, then dusted off his hands and went back to his post, leaving you and Lu to clean up the mess."

Qiao Jing chimed in, "If you ask me, the Meng family’s second daughter is quite wonderful. Her family background, looks, and education are all top-notch. I heard her family arranged a match for her with an associate professor at a university."

"An associate professor? Wouldn’t he be pretty old?"

"I’m not sure about that, but there’s nothing to be done. The Meng girl isn’t young anymore, either."

As mothers themselves, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity and regret for Meng Wei.

She had wasted so many years, only to become an old maid.

Wu Miaoyun was especially glad that after Lu Cheng rejected a match with her own daughter, she hadn’t stubbornly insisted, but had immediately arranged another match for her eldest instead.

Otherwise, she feared her eldest daughter would have followed in Meng Wei’s footsteps.

Just as they were about to finish the zongzi, another piece of gossip trickled back from the base: an officer had been internally warned and criticized.

The roomful of military family members erupted in a flurry of hushed whispers.

"Hey, who do you think was disciplined?"

"It’s hard to say."

Though they said it was hard to say, every one of them, intentionally or not, glanced toward An Hui.

An Hui continued making zongzi as if nothing was wrong, her expression unreadable.

Wu Miaoyun, Wu Lan, and Qiao Jing secretly exchanged glances, clearly suspecting that Lu Deyao was the one who had been disciplined.

That troublemaker Jiang Moli had finally dragged her in-laws down with her.

"It’s just a warning. It’s not that serious. After this blows over, everyone will forget about it."

Wu Miaoyun said this, but her eyes were fixed on An Hui.

Anyone could tell her words were meant for An Hui.

A warning was the lightest form of punishment in the military, a verbal reprimand that wouldn’t be entered into one’s file or leave a permanent stain on their record.