Regimental Commander Ma was taken aback. "The money is to honor my mother, and for my two brothers' weddings."
"Oh," Lin Zhilan nodded. "Now that they're married, you'll have to take care of their childbearing too, right? You'll have to pay for the kids' food, clothes, and schooling, right? And when your nephews grow up and get married, you'll have to take care of that too, right?
And it doesn't end there. Your nephews will have kids too. You should tell Xiaodong and the others right now that they need to work hard to make money in the future. You still have several cousins back in your hometown waiting for you to send money back to support their families..."
Her words were so sharp and her tone so sarcastic that Ma Daniu was completely stunned.
Before she could finish, Su Lang wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back.
Lin Zhilan struggled a bit, angrily pinching Su Lang's hand twice. "I haven't finished speaking yet!"
"Save it for when we get back, tell it to me."
"Su Lang, you're infuriating me!"
"..."
Their voices faded away in the distance until they completely disappeared.
Ma Daniu was so dumbfounded by her words that he couldn't utter a single sentence in rebuttal.
The soldiers under his command always envied Regimental Commander Su the most, saying his wife was both beautiful and capable. They should be brought here to see this scene!
See if this rose has thorns or not!
"Ahem," Li Jiang finally spoke his first words since arriving. "Sister-in-law, if you need anything, just shout; we can all hear you. Regimental Commander Ma, talk things over properly. I'll be heading back first."
Liu Chunhua quickly said, "Thank you, Regimental Commander Li. Sorry for the trouble."
"It's nothing, no worries."
Li Jiang quickly walked out of the courtyard gate.
Only Liu Chunhua and Ma Daniu were left in the house.
The two fell silent for a moment before Ma Daniu sighed. "Chunhua, do you really have to push me like this?"
Two lines of tears slipped from the corners of Liu Chunhua's eyes. "Ma Daniu, I have done right by you and your family.
I know you earn all the money in this family. I've held it in and never said anything, but what Doctor Lin said today is exactly what's in my heart. Are you going to carry your two brothers forever, and later on, will the burden fall on my son too?"
Ma Daniu grabbed a handful of his hair. "I never thought of it that way, but I promised my father on his deathbed that I would take good care of my mother and two younger brothers."
"Hasn't it been enough?" Liu Chunhua cried. "They're both married now. How much more care do they need?"
She wiped her tears. "How about this: you divorce me and give me half your salary every month. I'll raise the three kids for you, and you can give the rest of the money to whoever you want. I won't care."
"Tsk, why are you bringing up divorce again?"
Ma Daniu rarely saw his wife with such a resolute attitude. Moreover, what Liu Chunhua had said earlier about wanting their son to live like Jiang Chengzhou had truly struck a nerve with him.
He finally relented. "Starting next month, I'll only send twenty yuan back home. Is that okay?"
Lin Zhilan was carried back by Su Lang, still looking unhappy.
She felt that Su Lang had really hindered her performance.
Su Lang led her upstairs. Seeing her still puffing with anger, he couldn't help but find it amusing. "It's their marital argument, why are you so mad?"
Lin Zhilan stated firmly, "I'm drawing my sword to help upon seeing an injustice on the road!"
"I was just worried that when they make up, you'll end up being the bad guy." Su Lang gently tapped his wife's pretty nose. He had seen this kind of thing happen too many times.
In the past, he had a battalion commander under his command who domestically abused his wife and daughter, beating them until they were covered in bruises.
He disciplined the battalion commander and gave him a demerit. But in the end, the family blamed him for being a busybody and for handling it too harshly.
Lin Zhilan snorted softly. "I'm not an idiot. I stood up for Sister Chunhua this time. If she turns around and blames me, I just won't be friends with her anymore."
"As long as you're good with me." Su Lang rested his hands on both sides of the desk, trapping her entirely in his arms.
Looking down from his height, he only took one glance...
Lin Zhilan immediately felt his breathing grow heavy by her ear.
And then, he immediately...
"Su Lang, are you a dog?" Lin Zhilan grumpily punched his shoulder.
She could hear the man in front of her trying hard to calm himself down, but his face was already pressed into the crook of her neck. Lin Zhilan quickly shrank her shoulders slightly to keep him from getting closer.
Su Lang was already restraining himself from pressing against her, but his body instinctively wanted to. Every inch of her was tempting him.
"I'll just kiss you once." Su Lang's voice was already hoarse.
Lin Zhilan could even hear the sound of him swallowing. She felt a bit scared and wanted to run away.
But the man's body was like a block of iron; she couldn't push him away, and there was nowhere to hide.
Steeling her heart, Lin Zhilan reached out and wrapped her arms around the man's neck. "Su Lang, I'm hungry."
Meeting her sly gaze, a flash of helplessness crossed Su Lang's eyes.
He slightly loosened his grip on her.
Lin Zhilan immediately escaped his encirclement. Just as she was about to go downstairs...
She even glanced at his lower body.
And then...
She ran even faster.
Su Lang held his forehead with a bitter smile. Some things were fine when you hadn't tasted them.
But once you had a taste...
You always wanted more.
He was very greedy for it.
When Su Lang returned home the next afternoon, there was a bowl of steamed egg with minced meat on the dining table.
Jiang Chengzhou excitedly shared with Su Lang, "Uncle, Ma Xiaodong's mom brought this over. She said thank you to Auntie."
Lin Zhilan hummed a song proudly as she placed the final dish of kelp soup on the table.
"Sister Chunhua said that Regimental Commander Ma promised to only send twenty yuan back home every month from now on."
Su Lang chuckled, "So this is the spoils of war for our Comrade Zhilan."
Seeing him teasing her, Lin Zhilan shot him a playful glare.
Jiang Chengzhou said, "Ma Xiaodong said his mom told him that she'll take them to Yangcheng to play in a while too."
Kids couldn't keep their mouths shut. After going to Yangcheng to play last year, Jiang Chengzhou had vividly and dramatically recounted the trip to his little friends two or three times.
Even when he got tired of talking about it, the kids who hadn't been there would still ask repeatedly.
"Auntie, when I grow up, I'll send all my salary to you, and then you can take me to Yangcheng to play again."
Lin Zhilan laughed, "Jiang Chengzhou, are you just wanting to go to Yangcheng to play?"
"Hehe."
Lin Zhilan picked a large piece of meat on the bone and put it in his bowl. "When it's your birthday, Auntie will definitely make time to take you and your sister out to play."
Jiang Chengzhou's birthday happened to fall on Guyu. The weather wouldn't be too hot yet, making it perfect for an outing.
"Is Uncle going too?"
Su Lang was secretly picking out the vegetables his daughter didn't like to eat. Hearing this, his chopsticks paused, and he naturally placed the greens back into his daughter's bowl.
"If I'm not on a mission, I'll go with you."
After saying that, he added to cover up his actions, "Baby, eat more vegetables. When you're done, Daddy will get you some more."
Linlin pursed her lips and obediently ate her vegetables.
Jiang Chengzhou was still there pledging his loyalty to Lin Zhilan. "Auntie, I'm serious. I'll give you all my future salary."
"There's really no need for that. Just don't sponge off us when you grow up, and that'll be enough."
According to the current trajectory, as long as Su Lang lived, he would at least reach the rank of Division Commander in the future.
She would also have her pension. Both of them would have state-provided retirement support, so they wouldn't need to rely on their children at all.
Jiang Chengzhou didn't understand. "Auntie, what does sponging off you mean?"
"It means that when you grow up, you can't support yourself and your own family, and you still need us to subsidize you."
Speaking of this, Lin Zhilan guiltily exchanged a glance with Su Lang.
They had sponged off their parents too.
Back in the capital, there was someone else who was sponging...
