"Lin Han, keep up the good work. I believe in your ability to lead the troops well!"
"Yes, sir! I won’t let Commander Ye down!"
Lin Han was a soldier trained by Commander Ye. His rapid promotion reflected well on the commander.
"By the way, shouldn’t you be training the troops at this hour? Did you need something?"
Lin Han then brought up a personal matter. "Liangzi and his wife keep fighting nonstop, disturbing the entire building."
Commander Ye’s temper flared at the mention of it. "That bastard Li Gongliang won’t listen to reason. I’ve torn up his divorce application three times already. Fine, go back and tell him to submit it again. This time, I’ll approve it. Let them divorce immediately—let’s see what great future he’ll have after this!"
For a soldier, promotions weren’t just about military achievements—character mattered too. Li Gongliang’s divorce would stain his reputation, and with Commander Ye displeased, his days ahead would be tough.
After leaving the office, Lin Han intended to find Li Gongliang right away and urge him to finalize the divorce. But before he could, a soldier from his battalion got injured during training, forcing him to rush the man to the military clinic.
Fortunately, it wasn’t serious. "Don’t worry, he’ll recover in a few days and can return to duty!"
The injured soldier, Dahua, had been overly excited while scaling an obstacle, smashing his head against it before tumbling down from four meters high. The double impact left him dazed, but apart from a mild concussion, his limbs were unharmed.
After settling Dahua, Lin Han was pulled into other tasks. By the time he wrapped up, it was already the end of the workday. He headed to Li Gongliang’s dormitory, only to find him missing.
"Has anyone seen Battalion Commander Li?"
"Reporting, Battalion Commander! No!"
"Has anyone seen Battalion Commander Li?"
"Reporting, Battalion Commander! No sight of him!"
After questioning several people, Lin Han finally got an answer—Yuying had come to the military base and taken Li Gongliang home.
Pausing briefly outside his own door, Lin Han noticed an unusual silence from the opposite apartment. He quickly unlocked his door and stepped inside.
His wife had left him a meal of steamed rice and cured chicken—absolutely delicious. He made a mental note to get a live chicken soon for a different flavor.
It had to be said—since being with Nan Sheng, Lin Han had grown more willing to splurge on good food.
Hearing the commotion, Nan Sheng emerged from the room. Watching Lin Han eat with gusto, she poured him a glass of warm water. "Slow down, or you’ll upset your stomach."
Lin Han’s lips curled slightly as he obediently slowed his pace. Eager to share good news, he said, "Sweetheart, I’ve got something exciting to tell you."
Nan Sheng poured herself half a glass of water and sat across from him. "Did Commander Ye finally approve their divorce?"
"He did! But there’s more—I’m being promoted to deputy regimental commander!"
"Really?" Nan Sheng’s face lit up. "That’s so sudden! There weren’t even any rumors before."
Lin Han relayed Commander Ye’s words. "Do you think the division commander might have hinted at this?"
Nan Sheng agreed. At that level of authority, a single offhand remark could send subordinates scrambling to interpret intentions.
This might very well be a signal—proof that the higher-ups were satisfied with the current state of affairs regarding Mr. Li Liangbai.
Teasing him, Nan Sheng batted her eyelashes. "Battalion Commander Lin is so capable. Once you become regimental commander, then division commander… you wouldn’t think about replacing your wife, would you?"
Lin Han’s heart itched with affection. Who cared about food when his wife was the real delicacy?
After some playful mischief, Nan Sheng drifted off to sleep. Lin Han held her close and whispered, "You’re the one who might replace me someday."
The next morning, the family was jolted awake by agonized screams. Siqi burst into terrified sobs, while Sizhe hurried to comfort her in their room. The poor child had been trapped in a nightmare, struggling to distinguish dream from reality.
Lin Han told Nan Sheng to rest a little longer while he checked outside, bringing their little one to their bed. Siqi buried herself against her mother, finally feeling safe—but the anguished cries from across the hall refused to stop.
By the time Lin Han stepped out, neighbors from upstairs and downstairs had gathered. Exchanging glances, they began pounding on the door. Li Gongliang’s howls were so intense—had Yuying stabbed him?
To their surprise, Yuying opened the door almost immediately. There was no bloodshed—just Li Gongliang writhing on the floor.
Zhang Yiheng blurted, "Sis, did you two get into a fight?"
Yuying looked oddly exhilarated, as if a long-awaited resolution had arrived. "He used to beat me all the time. Today, I just kicked him once. Not too much to ask, right?"
When the crowd noticed where Li Gongliang was clutching, they fell silent. This wasn’t about one or two kicks—a hit there could be fatal.
"Quick! Everyone, help carry Liangzi to the military clinic!"
Yuying tried to follow, but the others refused, fearing she might deliver another crippling blow if her temper flared again.
Too rattled to sleep, Nan Sheng got up to make egg pancakes. As the family stepped out, they heard Yuying singing revolutionary songs from across the hall. Their footsteps quickened.
Downstairs, Hua Fen pedaled over on her bicycle. "Sis, let’s go together!"
Once they were a distance away, she couldn’t hold back. "Sis, do you have any idea what really happened between Liangzi and his wife?"
Nan Sheng had no clue. She’d only heard Li Gongliang’s screams, and Lin Han hadn’t returned after leaving earlier.
"I honestly don’t know. Have you heard something, sis?"
Hua Fen nodded vigorously. "I was there. Yuying kicked Liangzi right in the… you know. He was rolling around in pain—might even be permanently damaged now."
That spot? Permanently damaged?
At first, Nan Sheng didn’t grasp it—until Hua Fen’s meaningful glance made it click. Then her mind went blank.
Hadn’t she just said yesterday that as long as Li Gongliang could still father children, he’d never give up on divorce? So… had Yuying solved the problem at its root?
