Under the sky, ablaze with colorful clouds, a massive Dongfeng Engineering Truck stood parked in the vast Gobi wilderness.
Across the desert, several Changjiang 750s roared toward it, trailing dust behind them.
The vehicles stopped, and the men—each clad in military uniform, their skin tanned dark—removed their helmets, sending a shower of sand to the ground.
Every man spat a mouthful out as soon as he got off, and what came out was nothing but dry, gritty sand.
After more than half a month squatting in the desert, eating in the wind and sleeping in the dew, taking shifts through the night, everyone looked a mess—grimy and bleary-eyed.
Except for Chief Engineer Zhao Lingcheng, who was completely different from the rest.
When he took off his helmet, there was a carefully wrapped black headscarf underneath.
Once he pulled it off, his face was perfectly clean.
He unscrewed his canteen from his waist and poured water over his head and face, rinsing himself off completely.
After staying in the desert for so long, everyone else had given up on appearances, their skin shining dark with oil and sweat.
But Zhao Lingcheng, from the very first day, had stuck to his strict physical sun protection routine, year after year, never wavering.
His complexion was several shades fairer than everyone else’s.
Combined with his sharp features and bold brows, he stood out from the crowd.
His energy and patience were the envy of every team member.
Seeing his subordinate Zeng Yunrui looking downcast, Zhao Lingcheng put down his canteen and asked patiently, “You only tracked the false signal?”
Zeng Yunrui answered, ashamed, “Yes, I only recorded the signal released by the 13 System.”
Zhao Lingcheng pulled out his notebook.
“Come here and listen. What exactly is the difference between a real signal and a fake one?”
What Zeng Yunrui admired most about the Chief Engineer was his personal hygiene.
Desert nights were cold, and water was scarce.
If they could avoid washing, they did, and everyone stank to high heaven.
But Zhao Lingcheng insisted on finding water to bathe and wash his clothes.
After more than half a month, he didn’t have a trace of body odor.
He had a good temper and endless patience.
Since Zeng Yunrui arrived at the Base, he had never seen Zhao Lingcheng lose his temper with anyone.
Of course, he did have a temper, and when he lost it, it was explosive.
It was said that his divorce from his ex-wife was because of their clashing tempers.
An excellent man, once divorced, would naturally be urged to find a new partner as soon as possible.
Zeng Yunrui, entrusted by others, was supposed to help the Chief Engineer with matchmaking.
After finishing their work, he said, “Let’s rest when we get back. Tomorrow, let’s play basketball together, and then have dinner at my place. My wife will cook some local dishes for us.”
He planned to introduce a girl to the Chief Engineer when they got to his house.
With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a muscular build, Zhao Lingcheng was of course athletic—he liked basketball and tennis both.
But he replied, “The U2 Reconnaissance Plane could fly over the nuclear Base again at any time. We must develop a counter-strategy as soon as possible, and the data and report need to be submitted immediately. You all go home and rest after we get back, I’ll work overtime to prepare the summary report.”
All the subordinates said in unison, “Won’t that be too hard on you?”
The freedom to immerse himself in work—how could such a wonderful feeling be described as hardship?
Zhao Lingcheng smiled modestly, but with a distant air.
“Don’t disturb me.”
But as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly sneezed three times in a row.
Zeng Yunrui offered a dirty handkerchief, but Zhao Lingcheng didn’t take it.
Instead, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a pack of tissues.
They were inside the truck—there was no wind—so why did he feel a chill on his back?
After half a month on guard, they had finally intercepted firsthand information on the enemy aircraft, but could there still be something missing?
The enemy plane was threatening the nuclear Base, and they needed to form an effective aerospace strike formation immediately.
But if the data was wrong, it could be disastrous.
It looked like he’d have to double-check the data all over again.
The next morning, Chen Mianmian was the first to get an A-Ultrasound.
The result was about the same as Dr. Gu’s Hand Diagnosis: placenta previa, with a recommendation for Cesarean Section.
Because placenta previa often came with heavy bleeding, she’d need to go back to the hospital for a checkup every week.
This made it easier for the doctors to monitor the fetus and choose the right time for the Cesarean Section.
All expenses for Base family members were completely covered, but for ordinary people, a Cesarean Section would be expensive.
Zhao Hui immediately spoke to the leadership, then brought Chen Mianmian to the Political Office to fill out a remarriage application.
Since her Capital Account was still at the Base, once the application was filled out, she could go home.
After finishing all the paperwork, the two of them went back to the hospital for breakfast.
The Base’s food was much better than at the Steel Factory.
The millet porridge here was made with polished millet, fine and smooth, fragrant and sweet.
There were also big, snow-white, fluffy steamed buns—one hot bite and your mouth was full of delicious aroma.
After several days since she’d arrived, Chen Mianmian finally had a proper, tasty breakfast.
After eating, and while waiting for Zhao Lingcheng, the two of them left the hospital to stroll along the street.
Looking at the lush lawn, Zhao Hui mused, “When I came here three years ago, the lawn wasn’t nearly this nice.”
She added, “Our lawn always got eaten by mice. I need to ask how they dealt with the rodents here.”
A memory surfaced in Chen Mianmian’s mind.
As it turned out, the Base used to have a severe mouse problem.
Even if they managed to grow a lawn, it would be gnawed bare in a few days.
The mice here lived in burrows and only ate grass roots, so poison didn’t work, and they were especially hard to catch.
But the supporting female character had a special skill—catching mice.
The mice here had been caught to extinction by her alone.
But she didn’t call them mice—she called them Xiaxia, and Xiaxia were actually quite cute.
While she was thinking, an Orderly ran over, snapped to attention, and saluted.
He said, “Reporting, Colonel! Commissar Qi asked me to inform you that Engineer Zhao is still working overtime and probably won’t be out until the afternoon.”
Zhao Hui asked, “Did Commissar Qi tell him about our situation? How did he react?”
The Orderly saluted again.
“Reporting, I’m not sure.”
Zhao Hui was actually feeling pretty uneasy.
Because Zhao Lingcheng and Chen Mianmian were a divorced couple, with unresolved resentment between them.
Now, for the sake of the child, they were forcing themselves to get back together.
He must be pretty unhappy about it, too.
But he was about to become a father—shouldn’t he put aside any grudges, at least for now?
Did the leadership tell him about his ex-wife’s pregnancy?
If they did, surely he wouldn’t deliberately avoid her by using overtime as an excuse, knowing she was waiting for him?
Actually, Zhao Lingcheng had always disliked children and had little patience for them.
But now, it wasn’t about love—it was about responsibility for his own child.
He couldn’t possibly refuse to take on the role of father just because the marriage had fallen apart, right?
That’s what Zhao Hui was thinking, but she comforted Chen Mianmian, saying, “Lingcheng really wants to see you and the baby, but he’s just too busy to get away. Wait until the afternoon—he’ll come and take you and the baby home.”
But checking her watch, her anxiety was plain to see.
She had to return to her own Family Unit by four in the afternoon.
If Zhao Lingcheng still hadn’t shown up by then, she wouldn’t be able to scold him in person or stand up for her nephew’s wife.
Chen Mianmian would have to face him alone.
What if he lost his temper and upset her, putting the pregnancy at risk?
The more Zhao Hui thought about it, the more anxious she became, sighing repeatedly.
By comparison, Chen Mianmian seemed much calmer.
Of course, she had come fully prepared to face her ex-husband.
First, before coming, she’d made out a Debt Note for a total of 1,200 yuan, with Zhao Lingcheng as the debtor.
The supporting female character’s Bride Price was 500 yuan, and she’d taken another 500-plus afterward.
Adding in various Labor Protection Supplies, Chen Mianmian totaled it to 1,200.
She was willing to pay it back, and she’d be the one raising the child, so what did he have to be angry about?
She had no intention of earning that money the hard way, either—she would have Chen Jinhui and Wang Ximei pay her back.
Then there was Wei Yun, Wei Section Chief, who would eventually be brought down for embezzlement.
Currently, anyone who reported and provided evidence of embezzlement could get Reward Money, up to 200 yuan.
Once back in Quancheng, Chen Mianmian planned to work, collect debts, and earn some extra money on the side.
In a flash, it was noon and time for lunch.
But as they entered the cafeteria, they heard someone say, “Engineer Zhao has a new girlfriend? Why is his ex-wife here, too?”
Zhao Hui immediately confronted the woman who spoke.
“Are you talking about Zhao Lingcheng?”
She pressed further, “Who’s his new girlfriend? What’s her name?”
The woman was intimidated by her presence and quickly replied, “Colonel, I just heard rumors, that’s all. I was talking nonsense.”
While waiting in line for food, Zhao Hui’s face grew darker and darker.
She was so looking forward to the baby’s birth, yet her nephew was already seeing someone new—what should she do?
Once they got their food, she reassured Chen Mianmian, “Don’t worry. No matter who he’s seeing, I’ll order him to break up on the spot. You don’t need to blame yourself—just focus on your health and the baby. Only by staying happy will you give birth to a strong child.”
She said this so forcefully that everyone who knew Zhao Lingcheng was secretly sticking out their tongues.
But Chen Mianmian thought it was probably just a rumor—baseless gossip.
After all, when she’d followed the story, she’d shipped Zhao Lingcheng and the female lead as a couple.
According to the book’s timeline, the female lead hadn’t even arrived at the Base yet, and the romance plot hadn’t begun.
She was just borrowing the nest to lay her egg; she wouldn’t interfere with the story’s romance, so what was there to feel guilty about?
Lunch was a sticky, rusty-tasting noodle dish—very hard to eat.
From her memories, it was made from a high-yield miscellaneous grain called Arrow-Tongue Pea flour.
Arrow-Tongue Pea was cold- and drought-resistant, with a high yield, but as a coarse grain, it couldn’t compare to fine rice or wheat flour in taste.
However, it was said that if you paired it with Xiaxia meat, it became delicious.
Chen Mianmian paused with her chopsticks—she remembered that the supporting female character had stockpiled lots of Xiaxia in the Base Family Compound.
Not just fur, but also dried Xiaxia meat, for eating with various coarse grains.
She still didn’t know if Xiaxia were actually mice, so she certainly didn’t dare eat them.
But if the meat was so tasty, couldn’t she sell it and make a little money?
By three thirty in the afternoon, Zhao Hui was calling again to hurry things along.
No surprise—the leadership said Zhao Lingcheng was still working overtime and couldn’t be disturbed.
But she had to leave, so she handed all the remarriage paperwork to Chen Mianmian and told her to go home first.
It wasn’t until she was leaving that she remembered she’d brought fabric and clothes for the baby.
She dug a few faded baby outfits from her travel bag and said, “These were worn by the healthiest and smartest babies at our Family Unit when they were born. I’ve washed them many times and sun-dried them. Keep them for our baby.”
The tiny clothes, though old, were especially soft and cottony.
Zhao Hui took out a few pieces of patterned fabric.
“This cloth can be used for clothes or as diapers.”
Chen Mianmian felt money in the fabric and instinctively wanted to refuse, but Zhao Hui immediately said, “It’s for the baby.”
She added firmly, “If Lingcheng refuses to take responsibility, you send a telegram right away. I’ll take leave and come over to beat him up—beat him until he agrees, and you give birth to the baby safely.”
Chen Mianmian tried to hold back, but her eyes still reddened.
“Thank you, Aunt Hui, from both me and the baby.”
She really liked Zhao Hui and would raise Niuniu to be just as outstanding as her great-aunt.
After saying goodbye to Zhao Hui, it was time to head to the Family Compound.
The Service Office sent an Orderly to help move her luggage, and all the way, Chen Mianmian was thinking about Xiaxia.
It was a chubby, plump rodent—very hard to catch.
It was said the meat was not only delicious, but the bones were as valuable medicinally as tiger bone.
Shoes and bedding made from its pelt were not only warm, but could also cure rheumatism.
Wang Ximei used to have rheumatism, but after the supporting female character made her a pair of Xiaxia-fur pants, she was completely cured.
The more Chen Mianmian recalled, the more miraculous it seemed—she couldn’t wait to witness it herself.
At the same time, Zhao Lingcheng was standing at his desk, tapping away on an abacus to the soothing sound of music.
This was the final data check—victory was close, and he was in a great mood.
When he heard a knock at the door, he quickly turned off the music.
He’d been listening to a banned English song.
His voice was impatient: “Didn’t I say not to disturb me?”
It was Commissar Qi Yan’an, asking, “Your ex-wife is here to discuss remarriage. Are you sure you don’t want to go home earlier?”
Outside, the setting sun lit up the clouds like fire, and the numbers on the page made Zhao Lingcheng feel cheerful.
But the words “ex-wife” were like a sudden sandstorm, sweeping him up in an instant.