Refusing at this point was impossible.
As Zheng Xuefeng was overwhelmed with regret, Zhu Rong said, "Political Commissar, let’s first take the luggage to the house. After that, I’ll go get food. Wang Baozhu and the three children are not soldiers, it’s not appropriate for them to eat in the canteen."
He had suffered enough embarrassment and didn’t want to make a fool of himself further in public.
Obliged by his duty, Zhu Rong only managed to return home twice in ten years, the last visit being five years ago. Each year and each month, as long as circumstances allowed, he would reliably send his salary, military supply vouchers, and used uniforms home. He never expected his wife and son to turn out this way.
Once, his wife was a gentle and kind comrade, behaving appropriately. Two years after their marriage, he joined the army when their first son was just born and his wife was three months pregnant. She firmly told him, "You go serve the country, I’ll handle everything at home. I’ll take care of our parents and our children, don’t worry. While you are fighting at the front, I’ll protect our home at the back!"
Touched by his wife’s support, Zhu Rong confidently joined the army and strove to become a company commander.
He wasn’t just a low-level soldier anymore, but what about his wife? His children?
Did time change people? Or did experiences change people? Did his wife change because he was too busy serving the country to look after his family? Even the children learned to be like her: greedy and malicious.
Zhu Rong was confused and guilty, feeling it was his long-term absence that led to this situation.
Kind and honest people always look for blame within themselves, while harsh and malicious ones never understand the other’s thoughtfulness. Wang Baozhu glared at Zhu Rong with her sharp eyes and sneered, "Zhu Dasao, what the hell are you implying? I’ve traveled miles with the children to see you, and you think I’m embarrassing you, don’t you? Why can’t I eat in the canteen?"
Zhu Dasao! Zheng Xuefeng held his fist against the corner of his lips, covering the hint of amusement on his face.
Zhu Dasao was Zhu Rong’s real name. Poor families in rural areas often gave inferior names, with many using them as their first names. Zhu Rong was one of them. Zhu Rong was the name given to him by Ye Zhengjun a few years into his service, thinking Zhu Dasao was somewhat unseemly.
Zhu Dasao, wasn’t it just Zhu Sao (pig)?
Zhu Rong sighed deeply, suppressing his indescribable emotions, and said to Wang Baozhu, "It’s not what you think, I just want you to rest in the house while I go and get food. The military has its own rules, the canteen has its own rules, different ranks get different meals. If you blindly plow through with the children, who’ll want to serve you?"
"Isn’t it just getting in line? I’ll queue up then! If anyone dares not to serve me, I’ll smash their pots!" Wang Baozhu dismissed him, speaking to her children, "Right, Fugui, Fuqiang, you queue with me!"
"I’ll just get in line, as long as I get a full meal!" Zhu Fugui rubbed his runny nose with his sleeve.
Aside from times when he was out on a military campaign, Zheng Xuefeng was famously clean. His son, Zheng Bin was very hygienic and Xibao, whom he had seen frequently recently, was neat and adorable. Although Xibao often played in the dirt with the other children on the base, she always appeared clean the following day. She even knew to stand still and wait for an adult to help her wipe her nose when she sneezed.
So, seeing Zhu Fugui’s greasy sleeve, Zheng Xuefeng felt a surge of nausea, feeling as though he might throw up.