Sitting on the bus while snacking on pastries, Secretary Cai couldn’t help but sigh. To live with dignity—look at Director Nan, attending meetings in the county town with leaders arranging special meals just for her. If it were him, Secretary Cao wouldn’t even glance his way even if he were starving to death.
Nan Sheng was also munching on the dry pastries. Though they were tough, it was better than nothing—at least her stomach felt settled.
This meeting made it painfully clear how much the Revolutionary Committee’s influence had waned. Yet, she felt no resentment. Instead, she hoped it would serve as a wake-up call for the city and provincial committees—arrogance never led to good outcomes.
Look at Sanwei Town now—peaceful and harmonious. Everyone woke up and got straight to work, even the Red Guards attended classes dutifully. All of this was the fruit of her labor.
The townspeople regarded Nan Sheng with a mix of fear and respect. It was hard to believe she had managed to rehabilitate the Revolutionary Committee’s reputation in just a few months.
"Director Nan, what do you think of Secretary Cao?"
"Don’t know him well enough to say."
She wouldn’t judge without full understanding.
Nan Sheng was easygoing by nature. As long as her interests weren’t threatened, she rarely bothered with conflicts. If she hadn’t forged ties with the military district commander, she might have put effort into currying favor with Secretary Cao. But now? No need.
Catching her drift, Secretary Cai didn’t press further.
Lin Han was busy today and couldn’t pick Nan Sheng up. She grabbed food from the state-run restaurant and cycled home leisurely, only to find Yuying standing like a telephone pole at her doorstep.
The woman had thinned to a mere shadow, while Nan Sheng, despite her efforts, kept gaining weight.
"Sister-in-law, please help me!"
Yuying dropped to her knees with a thud. "Sister-in-law, I beg you—don’t let Liangzi divorce me!"
No matter how Nan Sheng tried to pull her up, Yuying refused to budge. At this hour, everyone was home eating dinner, leaving no one to intervene.
Luckily, Sizhe was sharp-eared and opened the door, letting Nan Sheng slip inside.
"Yuying, I just got off work and need to feed the kids. Let’s talk later, alright?"
Silence either led to outbursts or twisted minds. Yuying’s outburst had failed—was she spiraling into something darker now?
Her behavior had grown erratic, her gaze vacant yet feverish.
After changing and washing up, Nan Sheng found Sizhe had already set the table.
The kids said Yuying had been waiting at the door when they returned from school. She wouldn’t answer their questions, just kept muttering, "When will Sister-in-law be back? When will Sister-in-law be back?"
Siqi had been too scared to even look at her, locking the door behind them, terrified she might barge in. Now, both children secretly hoped the divorce would happen soon—they couldn’t bear having Aunt Yuying as a neighbor anymore.
Sizhe asked, "Mom, will they really get divorced?"
"Who knows?"
After dinner, Nan Sheng opened the door to find Yuying still standing there, dumbstruck. She motioned toward the window, signaling her to follow.
The kids looked so pitiful—she had to step in and set things straight.
Yuying trailed behind nervously, but her eyes held a desperate, almost sickly plea, as if Nan Sheng were her last lifeline.
"Yuying, deep down, you already know everything. You’re just pretending not to."
Nan Sheng stared directly into Yuying’s eyes, making her feel utterly exposed. Unable to bear the intensity of that gaze, Yuying tried to turn her face away, but Nan Sheng grabbed her chin and forced her to look back.
"What do you want me to help you with? Finding a job or winning back your husband’s affection?"
Yuying lowered her eyelids, not daring to meet Nan Sheng’s eyes. "Liangzi said you’re a great wife—good at your job, a skilled cook, and wonderful with your two children."
Nan Sheng couldn’t help but scoff. "You know perfectly well those are just excuses. What Li Gongliang wants is a son. No matter how well you perform, he’ll always find a reason to divorce you.
All these years, you’ve been beating Wangdi in front of him, just to shift his hatred onto the child. But the older he gets, the more obsessed he becomes with having an heir. And the more terrified you get, the harder you lash out—am I wrong?"
A flicker of fear flashed in Yuying’s eyes. How could Nan Sheng possibly know what she was thinking? Perhaps because her true nature had been laid bare, Yuying no longer bothered to hide.
She raised her head and glared at Nan Sheng, her voice dripping with resentment.
"And why shouldn’t I? If it weren’t for Wangdi, I wouldn’t have failed to bear a son! I wouldn’t be forced into this divorce!"
Nan Sheng thought to herself, That’s not necessarily true. You and your husband are both rotten people. The heavens refuse to grant you a son, and if your bodies weren’t already ruined, you might’ve ended up with seven daughters instead.
She dropped her hand, disgusted at even touching Yuying. What was wrong with having a daughter? A capable one could still provide for her family and let her parents live comfortably in their old age!
"I know you’re trying to use Lin Han to pressure Commander Ye into stopping Li Gongliang from divorcing you. But let me be blunt—it won’t work.
As long as Li Gongliang can still father children, he’ll never give up on having a son. You might stop him once, but can you stop him forever?"
Suddenly, it was as if a light had switched on in Yuying’s mind. Yes… if my husband couldn’t have children anymore, he wouldn’t despise me. He’d never leave me.
"So, don’t come to our house again. You’ve already frightened my children. If you show up one more time, I’ll have Lin Han tell Commander Ye to approve your divorce immediately."
Nan Sheng delivered her final warning, hoping Yuying would leave her alone. But she had no idea what dark plan was brewing in Yuying’s heart.
The more Yuying thought about it, the more convinced she became. She turned and strode away, a twisted smile playing on her lips. Nan Sheng shivered at the sight—this woman had truly lost her mind.
That night, Nan Sheng stayed up late, waiting for Lin Han to return. When he did, she told him everything. "It’s not just the kids who are scared. Even I think Yuying’s gone mad."
Lin Han pulled Nan Sheng into his arms. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. I’ll talk to Commander Ye tomorrow."
He didn’t support Li Gongliang’s divorce—but only if Yuying stopped harassing his wife and children.
Besides, Li Gongliang had already made his stance clear: he’d rather be demoted than stay married to Yuying. Ending things sooner would be better for everyone.
Early the next morning, Lin Han arranged the day’s training at the military base before heading to Commander Ye’s office. "Reporting for duty!"
"Come in!"
Commander Ye looked unusually cheerful. "Perfect timing! I’ve got some fantastic news for you."
Lin Han frowned slightly, wondering what could possibly be so exciting.
"Have you heard about Regimental Commander Guo’s transfer?"
"Yes, I heard he’s being reassigned to the navy."
Commander Ye nodded. "He has connections over there, so there's more room for future growth. And now, your opportunity has come!"
Lin Han was genuinely surprised this time. Could he really be getting a promotion?
He couldn’t quite believe it. "Commander, I haven’t even been a battalion commander for two full years. How could I possibly take over Regimental Commander Guo’s position?"
"That’s exactly why I say you’re one lucky guy."
Commander Ye sighed with admiration. "Your seniority isn’t enough for a regimental commander’s post, but you did spend a year at the military academy for advanced training. The higher-ups don’t want to transfer someone from another military district right now."
"So, they’re planning to promote you to deputy regimental commander first. If you can lead the troops well, you’ll be confirmed in the position within a year or two at most. Tell me, isn’t that an incredible opportunity?"
It really was an incredible opportunity, Lin Han thought to himself.
A promotion meant a raise, and a raise meant more money. With more money, his wife and child could eat meat at every meal and buy new clothes often—just thinking about it made him happy!
