An Accidental Military Marriage

The Dragon Boat Festival.

First thing in the morning, Jiang Moli was woken up by An Hui and told to take some salted eggs and zongzi to her parents’ home.

Lu Deyao’s route to work passed by the machinery factory, so Jiang Moli hitched a ride.

She arrived at the Jiang family’s home before 8 a.m.

Jiang Dahai had just finished breakfast and was leaving for work when he ran into her at the entrance of the family courtyard. He quickly asked someone to request a half-hour leave for him from the factory and walked back home with her.

On the way, Jiang Dahai looked at the salted duck eggs and zongzi in her hands, his heart practically bubbling with joy.

’This girl of mine still has some filial piety after all. She knows to bring things to her family during the festival.’

Out loud, however, he asked worriedly, "Your in-laws know you brought these things over, right?"

Jiang Moli placed the items in the basket of his bicycle. "My mother-in-law told me to bring them for you all to try."

"How thoughtful of your mother-in-law. Please thank your parents-in-law for me."

Jiang Dahai let out a long sigh of relief.

He had been genuinely afraid that his daughter was secretly taking things from her in-laws’ house and bringing them to her own family.

The items weren’t worth much, but no family would appreciate a daughter-in-law who was solely devoted to her maiden family.

"By the way, is your mother-in-law’s back pain any better?"

"It’s almost healed."

They arrived at the Jiang family’s home as they spoke.

When Jiang Qing saw Jiang Moli walk in with Jiang Dahai, her heart skipped a beat.

’Did Jiang Moli get kicked out by the Lu Family!?’

Zhou Xiaoqing was on the middle shift today and had just gotten up. She was brushing her teeth in the courtyard, and when she saw Jiang Moli, she sneered, foam spraying from her mouth:

"Jiang Moli, back at your parents’ so early? Don’t tell me you got kicked out by your in-laws."

"Well, well, look who’s still alive."

"What’s that supposed to mean? Are you cursing me?"

"Right back at you."

Zhou Xiaoqing gritted her teeth in anger, then sneered, "Let’s see how long you can stay smug!"

"Don’t worry, I’ll definitely outlive you."

Zhou Xiaoqing stomped her foot in fury.

They went inside.

"You need to work on that temper of yours. Don’t go picking fights with people at the drop of a hat."

Although Jiang Dahai also thought Zhou Xiaoqing had a big mouth, his daughter’s temper was indeed a bit much.

He was a man, and he knew men liked gentle women, not sharp-tongued shrews whose words could pierce your heart.

"Dad, you’re right. I won’t argue next time."

Just as Jiang Dahai was feeling gratified that his daughter was teachable, he heard her add, "I should just slap her directly."

"..."

Jiang Peng piped up, "Exactly! Kindness is mistaken for weakness. Might makes right!"

Jiang Dahai smacked him on the head. "What the hell kind of ’right’ do you know!"

In a fit of rage, Jiang Peng raged for a moment.

Li Hongying hurriedly changed the subject. "Dahai, these zongzi and salted duck eggs are..."

"Our in-law sent them over. Pick a few out for us to eat, and I’ll take the rest to the factory to give away."

"Okay!"

Watching Li Hongying hold the heavy zongzi and salted duck eggs, Jiang Qing was filled with suspicion.

’Jiang Moli had run amok at home and might even have gotten Lu Deyao disciplined.’

’It’s a wonder the Lu Family hasn’t died of anger. How could they still prepare Dragon Boat Festival gifts for the Jiang family?’

Jiang Qing had been colluding with Zhou Xiaoqing and Chen Xue, one on the inside and one on the outside, so she had some grasp of the situation in the Military District Courtyard.

However, her information was only current up to yesterday morning.

She didn’t know that the one who had been disciplined wasn’t Lu Deyao, but Chen Xue’s father, Chen Dadong.

"Moli, do your in-laws know about you making grand promises to find jobs for all our uncles?"

Faced with Jiang Qing’s obviously malicious question, Jiang Moli feigned surprise. "Well now, what a rare sight. If you hadn’t spoken, I wouldn’t have even noticed you were here."

Afraid the two sisters would start fighting, Li Hongying quickly interjected, "Xiao Qing is just like you, she came back to see your dad and me."

"It’s not easy coming all the way back from the countryside. I’m sure she brought lots of tasty treats for you and Dad, right?"

Li Hongying was mortified.

Jiang Qing was also embarrassed; she had come back empty-handed.

Jin Yulan had only sent her back to her parents’ house to ask about the job situation and had told her to return the same day, so she hadn’t let her bring anything.

Besides, the Zhang Family’s financial situation was such that there wasn’t really anything good to bring back to her parents’ home anyway.

It’s just that she hadn’t gone back to her in-laws’ since she returned, and now it was the Dragon Boat Festival.

Jiang Qing looked down on the brash young Jiang Peng, and likewise, Jiang Peng had no fondness for his stepsister, Jiang Qing.

Seeing Jiang Moli bickering with Jiang Qing, he chimed in to help, "Sis, she’s not like you, coming back with armfuls of bags every time, struggling with the weight. She’s so much more efficient, coming back empty-handed."

Jiang Moli had a sudden realization. "Oh, I get it now! Jiang Qing, you were worried Dad and Aunt Ying would be short on oxygen, so you brought them some air, right? I have to say, that’s a pretty unique gift."

Jiang Qing was an extremely proud person, and the siblings’ mockery undoubtedly trampled all over her pride.

Furious, she turned and stormed out.

"Xiao Qing..."

Li Hongying anxiously chased after her.

Jiang Dahai glared at Jiang Moli irritably. "You two are sisters. Don’t be so unforgiving when you have the upper hand."

"Dad, this is women’s business. You men should stay out of it."

Jiang Dahai could only stare blankly. "..."

’Whoever starts it is to blame.’

’Jiang Qing wanted to see her make a fool of herself, so she didn’t mind turning Jiang Qing into a fool instead.’

With the gifts delivered, Jiang Moli tidied up and prepared to leave.

Jiang Dahai still had to go to work at the factory, so Jiang Peng eagerly escorted Jiang Moli to catch her ride.

In a dark alley, Li Hongying was earnestly imploring her daughter not to keep antagonizing Jiang Moli. "Your Uncle Jiang has been good enough to you. You’ve been staying here for so long, eating and living here, and he hasn’t said a single word..."

Jiang Qing let the words go in one ear and out the other, her eyes fixed on the brother and sister walking toward the courtyard gate.

’Jiang Moli, this isn’t over.’

’One day, I will pay you back a hundredfold for today’s humiliation.’

...

"Sis, what’s the word on me learning to drive?"

"I’ll arrange it for you after the festival."

"Alright! Once I learn, I’ll make those two bastards Shi Yu and Zhang Lei die of envy."

Although his words about Shi Yu and Zhang Lei were foul, his tone clearly held a brotherly affection.

Recalling Jiang Dahai’s lonely death from illness in the original book, Jiang Moli called out to her system, "During the time Jiang Peng was in the army, what were Shi Yu and Zhang Lei doing?"

After the sound of rustling pages, the system replied, ’Shi Yu was caught scalping ration coupons and was sentenced to two years and seven months. Zhang Lei was sent to the countryside as a male sent-down youth. He stood up for a female sent-down youth traveling with him and a village thug retaliated, breaking one of his legs.’

’So they had their own hands full. It wasn’t that they saw Jiang Dahai was dying and refused to help.’

"Tell Shi Yu to stop scalping coupons. There’s a crackdown going on recently."

Jiang Peng nodded hastily.

Jiang Moli eyed him sideways. "You’re not involved in that too, are you?"

Jiang Peng shook his head. "I wanted to, but Shi Yu’s brother-in-law is running it, and he wouldn’t let me in."

Shi Yu’s brother-in-law thought Jiang Peng had no brains, no capital, and no connections, and didn’t want him taking a cut for nothing.

"It’s not a good thing to be involved in anyway, so it’s right that you’re not! The little money you’d make wouldn’t even be enough to cover the fines."

Jiang Peng nodded like a chicken pecking at grain. "I definitely won’t do it now. I can’t jeopardize my brother-in-law’s future."

Jiang Moli was quite surprised that Jiang Peng had this level of awareness.

Although Jiang Peng was a hothead, he had a pure heart.

Lu Cheng didn’t mind that his sister was lazy and gluttonous, was willing to marry her, and even gave him, his little brother-in-law, money to spend.

A brother-in-law this good was one in a million.

He respected and admired this brother-in-law, Lu Cheng, from the bottom of his heart, so he would never do anything that would be detrimental to Lu Cheng.

"Second, tell Zhang Lei to stay out of Yue Shanshan’s messes. That woman is a walking jinx. Whoever gets close to her will have terrible luck."

Jiang Peng didn’t doubt Jiang Moli’s claim about her being a jinx, but he was puzzled as to how she knew Zhang Lei had a secret crush on Yue Shanshan.

He had only found out himself in the last couple of days.

Zhang Lei was originally assigned to be a sent-down youth at a rubber plantation in the Southwest, but he insisted on swapping with someone to go to the cold and distant Beidahuang.

After some questioning, he found out that Yue Shanshan had been assigned to Beidahuang.

Zhang Lei had a long-standing secret crush on Yue Shanshan and wanted to follow her there.

’So he’s a simp. No wonder he ended up getting his leg broken.’