Among his comrades-in-arms, Qin Yun and Huo Jingyuan shared a deep mutual respect. Their relationship was both mentor-student and friendship. Huo Jingyuan was also the only one who knew that Qin Yun had a younger biological brother.
“Are you saying that Qin Yun’s younger brother married his widowed sister-in-law?”
Marrying a widowed sister-in-law was relatively common in this era. Widows were often the subject of gossip, but as long as the family had a filial and age-appropriate younger brother, it was generally preferred not to let the sister-in-law remain a widow.
Huo Jingyuan nodded.
A few years ago, when Qin Jin had just transferred to the Northwest from another military region, Huo Jingyuan had recognized his familiar face and guessed Qin Jin’s identity.
The political commissar’s expression gradually grew serious, and he slowly said, “No, she absolutely cannot stay in the Northwest Military Region. I will personally arrange to transfer Qin Jin out of the Northwest.”
“There’s no need.”
“What do you mean, no need?”
The commissar abruptly stood up from his chair, his brows furrowed as he glared at Huo Jingyuan. His eyes burned with anger as he said fiercely:
“Back then, she stabbed you in the heart with a knife. You, the ‘Living King of Hell,’ were just one step away from actually meeting the King of Hell in the underworld. I’ll handle Qin Jin’s transfer myself.”
Back then, after Qin Yun’s wife learned of her husband’s death, she had repeatedly inquired about the details of the battle. When she found out that Huo Jingyuan had also been in that battle, she took a knife and confronted him, screaming hysterically, “Why didn’t you die instead? Why? Give me back my husband’s life!”
With that, she plunged the sharp blade into Huo Jingyuan’s chest.
He didn’t resist at all.
Huo Jingyuan knew that his sister-in-law was mentally distraught and needed an outlet for her grief. Moreover, Qin Yun had not only saved him on the battlefield but also nearly a hundred soldiers who had been deep in enemy territory.
So he willingly became her punching bag.
Afterward, when he woke up in the intensive care unit, he learned that his sister-in-law had already left the Northwest.
Huo Jingyuan shook his head, “There’s really no need to transfer him. Qin Jin is currently at a critical point in his promotion as a cadre. Transferring him out of the Northwest now would mean he’d have to start over again.”
Promotion standards for cadres varied across military regions, but one consistent rule was that if a soldier was transferred to another region, they would need to serve there for several years before being eligible for promotion again.
“You!”
The commissar clenched his teeth, momentarily at a loss for words. After a long pause, he let out a deep sigh and said, “Then you’ll have to make sure your wife is careful.”
“I know.”
…
At three in the afternoon, Wen Ci stretched and prepared to leave work early. She arrived at the doctor’s office and leaned against the doorframe, blinking at Yu Qing.
“Let’s go, Dr. Yu.”
During her downtime at work, she had already imagined herself on stage. The flowing sleeves of her dance would captivate the audience, but it would require the accompaniment of drums.
With the drums, the sleeves striking the drum surface would create a true visual spectacle.
On the way home, Wen Ci saw many new family members moving in with their luggage. Yu Qing suddenly asked curiously, “How many rooms does the ‘Living King of Hell’ get with his rank?”
“A three-room house,” Wen Ci replied.
Yu Qing blinked in disbelief. Although she knew that the ‘Living King of Hell’ held a regimental-level position, she was surprised that he was allocated a three-room house.
The surrounding three-room houses were eerily quiet.
“Is there no one living around here?” Yu Qing asked.
Wen Ci nodded, “Not yet. I guess it’ll get livelier in a month or two.”
A few days ago, she had asked Huo Jingyuan why the married political commissar, who oversaw the entire regiment, hadn’t moved into a three-room house yet.
Huo Jingyuan told her that the commissar hadn’t moved in because his wife was still out of town, and he didn’t like the idea of living alone in the empty family quarters.
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