Zhao Family
The old Police Officer made the final decision: “Lock them all up and interrogate them slowly.”
Xu Xiaomei shrieked in response,
“Chen Mianmian, Wang Ximei should’ve strangled you at birth!”
She shouted again,
“She lost six good daughters, but left you, such an ingrate!”
The onlookers crowded around, three layers inside and out, packed so tightly not even water could seep through.
Police Officer Xiao Li shouted loudly,
“If you don’t clear out, you’ll all be cuffed and taken away.”
Chen Jinhui was also shouting,
“Director Jiang, hurry and find my brother-in-law, tell them to come get us out!”
But it was too late; both he and his wife were handcuffed and taken away by the police.
The crowd, their curiosity piqued, swarmed around Chen Mianmian once again.
The crowd didn’t know the truth, but they were good at filling in the blanks with their imagination.
An old aunt asked,
“Just because your younger brother misbehaved, your military officer husband kicked you out when you’re this pregnant?”
Another big sister asked,
“Do you have any money or ration tickets? Do you need us to donate something to you?”
Someone else offered advice,
“You should go to the army with your big belly and ask their leader to stand up for you.”
As they talked, everyone started to criticize Zhao Lingcheng: “Your man’s an officer, but he’s too much! You’re pregnant with his child, a couple of harsh words would be fine, but how could he kick you out?”
Chen Mianmian responded politely to everyone on the surface, but her eyes were searching for the old Police Officer.
The other police had all left, but he was still there.
While the others had come on foot, he had ridden a bicycle.
He had just unlocked his bike and was about to leave, when Chen Mianmian pushed through the crowd and hurried after him.
The old Police Officer seemed to be waiting for her on purpose.
He patted the back seat and said,
“Get on, I’ll take you to the Hospital.”
The crowd, seeing this, all said,
“Poor child, go with the police to the Hospital and get checked out properly.”
Chen Mianmian said goodbye to everyone one by one: “Thank you, big sister. Thank you, auntie. Goodbye!”
The old Police Officer still had doubts about the case.
As they walked, he asked,
“Did your brother really try to sell you to some old bachelor?”
Actually, Section Chief Wei was not an old bachelor at all—he was young and came from a good family.
Strictly speaking, he was also a victim.
But to crush Chen Jinhui, Chen Mianmian had to stick to her lie: “Yes.”
The old Police Officer frowned,
“Are you lying?”
Jing Jing Wu had arrived at some point and quickly interjected,
“Uncle Police Officer, Chen Mianmian is a good comrade.When she was in school, she volunteered every day to help in the cafeteria, did all the dishes for her classmates, and cleaned up for everyone. You can go ask at Hexi Red Specialized School—she was the first Living Lei Feng of the school’s first class. She wouldn’t lie.”
Zhao Lingcheng had sent the female supporting character to the Red Specialized School so she could study.
But she never attended a single class seriously—instead, she worked for free, cooking, washing dishes, and handling logistics for her classmates.
She had a handsome military officer husband and was especially hardworking, so everyone liked her.
But in reality, she did all that for her own family, for Chen Jinhui—after all, she was a classic sibling supporter.
Since Jing Jing Wu was praising her to the skies, and to maintain her persona, Chen Mianmian endured the embarrassment and continued with the sweet talk: “The Leader said we should all learn from Comrade Lei Feng, and I am a good child who listens to the Leader.”
The old Police Officer was moved: “Looks like I misunderstood you.”
Chen Mianmian didn’t mind the flattery and added,
“Serving the people—that’s what we should do.”
The old Police Officer asked again,
“Officer Zhao knew your brother beat you, but instead of dealing with him, he kicked you out?”
Jing Jing Wu cursed,
“A red egg who abandons his wife and child, he’s not worthy of being a soldier.”
The old Police Officer’s eyes were sharp as torches, and Chen Mianmian pretended to stay calm.
Zhao Lingcheng was from the capital, tall and handsome, but had a bit of a temper.
He not only sent the female supporting character to school, but handed over all his wages from the start and never asked about household expenses.
But her family always claimed to be poor, so the female supporting character, like a hamster, would bring anything she got from the Base back to her family.
Chen Jinhui and his wife, her several younger brothers—all their clothes, belts, glasses, watches—were Zhao Lingcheng’s.
A perfectly good home was stripped bare until only four walls remained.
Gradually, Zhao Lingcheng was afraid to go home and slept on a cot in his office.
He wasn’t at fault, but Chen Mianmian let outsiders ruin his reputation, which was a bit immoral.
But looking at her round belly and thinking of the possible difficult birth, she whimpered like a kitten,
“Mm~”
Worried that wasn’t enough, she deliberately added,
“I don’t blame him. I just hope to give birth safely.”
Jing Jing Wu was moved by her act and said,
“Mianmian, you’re so humble, so pitiful.”
She looked at the old Police Officer,
“Uncle, you have to help her!”
They had arrived at the Hospital entrance.
The old Police Officer said first,
“I happen to know a soldier named Zhao Lingcheng.”
He added,
“I’ll find a way to get in touch with him.”
From the way he spoke, it seemed he wasn’t just acquainted—they were probably close.
Chen Mianmian perked up,
“How should I address you?”
The old Police Officer got on his bicycle and rode off,
“That’s not important. Protect yourself and your child!”
It seemed he really did know Zhao Lingcheng, but didn’t know the reason for the divorce.
After confirming Chen Mianmian was pitiful and innocent, and Zhao Lingcheng was at fault, he was willing to help.
With him, and with the telegram sent to Zhao Hui, Chen Mianmian felt more at ease.
She patted her belly and said in her heart,
“Just now I spoke badly about Niuniu’s father. Niuniu must be unhappy, but it was for our safety. When you’re born, I’ll make it up to your father.”
At that, there was a movement in her belly.
Niuniu must have heard and agreed with her.
She’d make up for ruining Zhao Lingcheng’s reputation later, but for now, Chen Mianmian had to do whatever it took!
The female doctor pressed her hands on Chen Mianmian’s belly for a long time, then shook her head and sighed.
Jing Jing Wu immediately sensed something was wrong and asked anxiously,
“Doctor, how’s the baby? Is everything alright?”
The doctor didn’t answer directly, but asked,
“What’s the pregnant woman’s class background?”
Jing Jing Wu rushed to answer,
“Red Five Categories.”
The doctor asked again,
“Any Rightist within three generations? Any relatives who’ve been detained?”
Chen Mianmian thought to herself, is getting pregnant nowadays like taking a civil service exam, needing a political review?
The doctor explained,
“The fetal position feels bad, likely to be a difficult birth. If your family background is good, I can help you apply for an A-Ultrasound and get a more experienced senior expert to analyze it, maybe intervene early.”
She added,
“You know what an A-Ultrasound is, right? It lets us see the fetus inside the belly.”
Jing Jing Wu’s tone turned mysterious,
“It’s at the army’s Military Industrial Base, right?”
She rubbed her hands,
“Doctor, her brother was just detained, which might affect her review, but she’s been abandoned by her officer husband. She’s really pitiful. Please help her apply for an A-Ultrasound. I’ll pay, no matter how much it costs.”
It seemed Niuniu would have a difficult birth and hemorrhaging was inevitable.
A-Ultrasound was probably something like a B-Ultrasound, a device to check the fetus.
The Military Industrial Base’s excellent medical care was available to locals, but required a political background check.
If her family was clean, Chen Mianmian could go too, but now that Chen Jinhui was detained, she lost her qualification.
The doctor looked at her bruised belly, took out a notebook, and said,
“Let’s register your information.Pay a 35-yuan deposit. I’ll try, but don’t get your hopes up. The files are reviewed jointly by the Base and the Public Security Department—we can’t interfere.”
Niuniu was in a bad position—the buttocks would come out first, and then the midwife would pull her out crippled.
Chen Mianmian took out her wallet, emptied her passbook, cash, and even the five yuan she’d meant for Jing Jing Wu, scraping together enough for the doctor.
When you see a temple, you burn incense—she just hoped to give birth safely.
After leaving the Hospital, already thin Chen Mianmian looked sallow and walked unsteadily.
Jing Jing Wu saw this and was anxious.
They happened to pass a State Guesthouse, and she said,
“Wait here, I’ll get you something nutritious.”
She went into the restaurant, which was filled with the rich smell of meat, and came out a long time later, bent over and head down.
When she passed Chen Mianmian, she whispered,
“Hurry, let’s go!”
The two of them hurried back to the Reception Guesthouse, and only once they were in the room did she unbutton her padded jacket.
Inside was a bowl with a few pieces of rib.
Chen Mianmian instinctively grabbed one and bit down,
“Smells amazing!”
Jing Jing Wu smiled,
“Clear-broth lamb ribs. Our classmate Guli heard about your situation and sent them to you.”
She added,
“It’s the lean season, and even she had a hard time getting meat. Eat up!”
Chen Mianmian mused,
“Are all our classmates working in service jobs?”
Jing Jing Wu was round-faced and chubby.
She said proudly,
“We’re all from Martyr Families. Good jobs like being a server should go to us.”
Only then did Chen Mianmian realize that being a server these days was a secure, desirable job.
It was said that Quancheng’s sheep ate the salty grass of the Gobi, so the meat was naturally flavorful.
Chen Mianmian had only heard about it, never tasted the real thing until now.
Today, she finally tried it, and she had to admit—it was delicious.
Tender, juicy, and full of flavor, she took a big bite and looked at Jing Jing Wu,
“You should have some too.”
Jing Jing Wu said sincerely,
“I get diarrhea from lamb. You eat.”
She spoke to her belly,
“If mommy eats well, the baby will grow strong.”
There were only three pieces of meat.
After Chen Mianmian finished, she was about to throw the bones away.
But Jing Jing Wu snatched them up,
“Keep the bones, I’ll make lamb soup with them tomorrow morning.”
She carefully put the bones away, settled her old classmate on the kang to sleep, and only then left.
Chen Mianmian gently stroked her belly, which moved again.
It was as if Niuniu had eaten her fill and was lazily burping.
For now, she had only one goal: to give birth safely—no long-term plans yet.
But she swore secretly, she would repay Jing Jing Wu and Guli for helping her.
If nothing unexpected happened, she’d stay at the Reception Guesthouse and wait for the Zhao Family to come get her.
But as the saying goes, the tree wants to stay still, but the wind keeps blowing—and the wind came faster than she expected.
Early the next morning, she was brushing her teeth when Jing Jing Wu brought in a bowl of soup.
It was indeed made from those three bones, with a hot, golden cornmeal bun.
As soon as Jing Jing Wu set down the bowl, someone knocked on the door.
She opened it and was stunned,
“Director, do you need something?”
It was Director Jiang.
He said,
“Xiao Chen’s mother is sick. The family sent word—she needs to go home right away.”
He started pulling the bedding off the kang.
“Pack up, check out of the room.”
Jing Jing Wu protested,
“The doctor said she might have a difficult birth. She needs treatment and can’t leave.”
Director Jiang folded the bedding himself,
“Her mother is dying—how can she not go home?”
Chen Mianmian sensed something was wrong and went out to look at the second floor, just in time to see the Accounting Office door being closed from the inside.
Xu Xiaomei’s family lived in the suburbs of Quancheng, about 30 kilometers away.
After Chen Jinhui started at the Iron Pipe Office, he hadn’t been assigned housing, so the two of them usually stayed in the Accounting Office.
Chen Mianmian asked Director Jiang,
“Was Xu Xiaomei already released?”
Director Jiang was busy folding bedding and ignored her.
Jing Jing Wu was shocked,
“No way, only locked up for one night?”
She went out and saw the Accounting Office door open.
A young man carrying a thermos came out.
He wore a grass-green Minbing uniform, and on his wrist, a brand-new Seagull Watch gleamed in the sunlight.
That was Xu Xiaomei’s second brother, Xu Cigang.
He went downstairs to the kitchen to get hot water.
Jing Jing Wu understood,
“Xu Cigang has good connections at the police station. He’s the one who got Accountant Xu out, right?”
She still felt uneasy, but since this was about Chen Mianmian’s mother, she asked,
“Are you going back to your family’s home?”
She whispered,
“Those three Xu brothers are tough to deal with.”
All of Xu Xiaomei’s brothers were currently Minbing, and the eldest was Vice Captain of the Quancheng Minbing Team—indeed, not easy to handle.
Xu Cigang was obviously there to get his sister out, so would he do something against Chen Mianmian?
The answer was obvious, because she had personally destroyed their iron rice bowl.
Besides, her mother, Wang Ximei, could live to be 98—she was healthy as could be. Director Jiang was just using it as an excuse to kick her out.
Actually, the female supporting character’s divorce wasn’t just because of her family.
Her marriage and that drowning incident were both a conspiracy, a trap set for Zhao Lingcheng by the Xu Family siblings and Chen Jinhui.
Chen Mianmian couldn’t go back to her family, because she was only spared by her mother’s fleeting kindness.
Wang Ximei had always told the female supporting character that she should have been strangled or sold, but was allowed to live, so she owed her mother a lifetime of gratitude.
If Wang Ximei found out she’d sent Chen Jinhui to jail, she’d kill Chen Mianmian on the spot.
Director Jiang finished tying up the bedding, locked the room, and left.
Seeing that Chen Mianmian had no choice but to leave, Jing Jing Wu said,
“I’ll take a day off and go with you.”
Chen Mianmian touched her belly and said,
“No, go to the Public Security Bureau and tell them there’s a murderer here. Have them come arrest someone!”
Jing Jing Wu was stunned, but after what happened with Chen Jinhui, didn’t ask more—just said,
“Alright.”
The female supporting character’s marriage and that drowning incident were a conspiracy from the start.
Yesterday, because the people involved weren’t present and there was no evidence, Chen Mianmian didn’t make a fuss.
But today, Xu Cigang had actually come back.
And he was openly wearing the evidence—so what was she waiting for?
She took a big bite of the rough cornbread and drank some soup to build up her strength, then prepared to fight back.
At the same time, on the wide, straight Gobi road, a military jeep was speeding along.
In the back sat a woman in her early forties, with a straight posture and dignified face, gazing thoughtfully out the window.
The driver asked,
“Zhao Director, what’s so urgent that we had to come into town so early?”
The woman glanced at the spring green sprouting on the April Gobi and replied dreamily, as if talking in her sleep.
She said,
“Our Zhao Family has been waiting for a new life for far too long—far, far too long!”