It took Zheng Xuefeng most of the morning to reluctantly arrange for Wang Baozhu and her three children. He had the cooking team prepare a meal specifically for them, then rushed off to find the commander and Ye Zhengjun. After hearing the situation, they were left baffered.
They had never heard of someone like Wang Baozhu before.
"So she’s really ..." Ye Zhengjun didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Zheng Xuefeng picked up his cup, which had a small chip in it from when Ye Zhengjun had dropped it, and gulped the half-cup of water. "She’s incredibly difficult to deal with. Now, I have nothing but admiration for Qingxue. She did well to fight back. Half of the day, I’ve been hating myself for not giving Wang Baozhu and her children a beating. If it weren’t for Zhu Rong, I would have acted already.", he said.
The commanding officer was surprised. "Even you, who is known for being an exceptionally decent person, are contemplating this?" Zheng Xuefeng was known throughout the unit for his pleasant demeanor and cordiality, and no one had ever seen him lose his temper before.
"There is more to it than can be put into words," Zheng Xuefeng said with a bitter smile.
Ye Zhengjun frowned and said, "What a bother! My wife will join me in a few days and with such neighbors, how will we live? Have to be cautious day and night? It’s not so much the fear of thieves stealing as it is them eyeing your stuff. Qingxue couldn’t even keep her clothes safe from Wang Baozhu, let alone others’ possessions. My wife doesn’t have many hobbies, but now that conditions have improved, she likes to dress up."
Though Ye Zhengjun referred to his wife as his ’old partner’, the truth was that he was under fifty and his wife in her early forties. However, they had been married for over thirty years and casually referred to each other as such.
Zheng Xuefeng spread his hands to indicate that he was at a loss.
There was a dilemma: Should they keep Wang Baozhu and her children, and risk spoiling everyone else’s lives, or send them away? Zhu Rong held rank now, and Wang Baozhu and her children were technically eligible to accompany him as part of the military family. They even had approved applications to this effect. How would Zhu Rong react if they were turned away? And how would the rest of the soldiers feel? There were no precedent or rules in place to turn away shameless military families.
There were too many factors to consider.
The commanding officer gave a tired sigh, "Let’s inform Lu Jiang first, tell him to reduce his workload and maybe delegate his duties to Shang Kun. He can then go home for lunch and return at night for sleep. I’m uneasy about Wang Baozhu’s family staying in the housing compound. Xibao is so young. By the way, Xuefeng, did you say that Qingxue is pregnant again?"
"Indeed! I think, Wang Baozhu must have crossed a line for Qingxue to react the way she did." Guarding one and expecting another, every child is precious to its mother. How can a mother not protect her children? It served Wang Baozhu right!
No one believed Feng Qingxue was at fault, but they were at a loss, and their expressions conveyed the same sentiment.
What to do with Wang Baozhu’s family?
Sending them back wasn’t a viable option, and did they really want the family to continue terrorizing their neighbors back home? It was likely that their neighbors were rejoicing at their departure for the military, and would dread their return.
If they were allowed to stay, there would still be the issue of how to handle the other families. Not everyone had the guts of Feng Qingxue.
Most importantly, some families would certainly bring their children along to be united with their husbands. Could they justify exposing innocent children to the malice of Wang Baozhu’s family? They could not bear that thought.
It was then that Zhu Rong came requesting to be assigned to guard duty at the outpost.
What was the toughest assignment?
In the Border Military Region, the toughest place was the outpost, the hardest soldiers were those who manned the outposts. The numbers ranged from three to five and up to a hundred. Some stayed there throughout the year, irrespective of weather conditions.
... Most people get four million, six million, eight million but today, I got twelve million. Recently, even at the bare minimum, I received ten million. How can you not provide me with ticket recommendations for this month? Have mercy on me, o(╥﹏╥)o