During lunch, Wen Ci, after getting her meal, took the initiative to sit beside Yu Qing. As they ate, she curiously asked, “Dr. Yu, do you know how to dance?”
She thought to herself that since she had agreed to participate in the dance performance, she should do it well. The military art performance would not only be seen by the soldiers of the entire Northwest Military Region but also by members of the touring cultural troupe.
They couldn’t let the hospital down.
Yu Qing nodded. “A little. When I was young, there was an educated youth in our village who was a dancer. After she was sent down, she lived next door to my house, and I secretly learned from her for a few years.”
In the 1970s, during the period of the “Down to the Countryside” movement, urban families could only keep one child with a city household registration. Families with multiple children had to send some of them to the countryside.
The educated youth next door to Yu Qing’s family was a dancer from the city.
“A dancer?” Wen Ci widened her eyes and smiled faintly, saying, “Then how about coming to my place after work today to practice?”
“Sure.”
…
Since Huo Jingyuan’s family arrived in the Northwest, the regimental commanders had been encouraging soldiers to bring their families to join them in the military base, even providing travel subsidies.
As a result, military wives were moving into the family quarters every day.
Xue Li passed by the gate of the family quarters and saw a familiar figure. He squinted to get a clearer look, and his face scrunched up in confusion as he muttered, “How did she get into the Northwest Military Region?”
Suddenly, the woman carrying luggage turned around and glanced at Xue Li. The moment their eyes met, Xue Li chose to flee, rushing straight to the office of the Northwest Military Region’s regimental political commissar.
The political commissar was reviewing the list of family members joining the soldiers. Xue Li walked up to the desk and saw the documents on the table. The approval process for family members to join the soldiers was not strict.
All that was needed was a marriage certificate and local proof.
“Commissar, she’s here!”
Xue Li’s face was filled with panic.
“Who?” The commissar slightly furrowed his brows. Seeing Xue Li’s exaggerated expression, he spoke calmly, “Don’t beat around the bush. Just say it.”
“Qin Yun’s wife.”
Hearing this, the commissar widened his eyes and stared at Xue Li. He took a deep breath and asked with a serious expression, “Xue Li, are you sure you didn’t mistake her for someone else?”
“Absolutely not. She even made eye contact with me.”
The commissar murmured, “Could it be that she’s back to seek revenge on Old Huo, marrying someone else to use the identity of a military wife to re-enter the Northwest?”
Over a decade ago, family members could also join soldiers in the Northwest, but the conditions back then were far harsher than now. The families had to build crude shelters themselves.
Huo Jingyuan walked into the office and, hearing the commissar’s words, turned his gaze to Xue Li. He slowly walked behind him and asked, “Who’s here?”
“No one.” Xue Li covered his mouth.
“Hmm?”
After a moment of thought, the commissar’s dark eyes fell on Huo Jingyuan. He decided to come clean. Now that Huo Jingyuan’s wife was in the Northwest, keeping this from him could lead to unpredictable actions from Qin Yun’s wife.
“Qin Yun’s wife is here. She must have married someone else to join the military in the Northwest. I still need to check who she married.”
Huo Jingyuan’s expression remained calm, as if he already knew about this. His deep, ink-like eyes lowered slightly as he said, “She married Qin Jin.”
“Qin Jin? That name sounds familiar.”
Xue Li slapped his thigh, “Could it be the captain from the neighboring regiment?”
“It’s him.”
Qin Yun had once been another ace of the Northwest Military Region. He was a few years older than Huo Jingyuan, but their promotions had progressed at a similar pace.
Unfortunately, five years ago, during a mission, Qin Yun single-handedly held off the enemy to cover the retreat of his comrades.
He died a glorious death on the battlefield.
Huo Jingyuan was also among the troops covering the retreat.
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