Unexpected Fate

Jiang Nian told Shu Xue and the others to go back first. She followed the sentry into the pavilion to take the call. As soon as the receiver was at her ear, she heard a familiar voice: "Is this Jiang Nian?"

It was Battalion Commander Lu’s voice.

Jiang Nian breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "It's me." She paused and mentioned Lu Yu’s call to him a few days ago. Battalion Commander Lu said, "The comrade at the station told me."

"Little sister-in-law."

Battalion Commander Lu suddenly changed the form of address, his voice turning serious. "There's something I didn't have time to tell Regiment Commander Lu. I was the one who picked up Xu Yan. She and I are together. She's currently at my house, staying with my mother and my child."

Jiang Nian: ???

She was stunned for a long time before she could process Lu Guosheng’s words. "You mean... you and Xu Yan are married??"

Battalion Commander Lu said, "Mhm. I discussed it with Xu Yan before I left a while ago. I was thinking of bringing her to Yuan City to find you and Regiment Commander Lu once I was finished with my work. I didn't expect Regiment Commander Lu to call first."

After hanging up with Battalion Commander Lu, Jiang Nian was still in a bit of a daze. She had never imagined the two would end up together. She had been wondering who the man was who had picked up Xu Yan ten days ago; she never expected it to be Battalion Commander Lu. As she approached the intersection between the Regiment Headquarters and the family compound, she met Lu Yu and a sentry running out. Jiang Nian said, "I spoke with Battalion Commander Lu."

Lu Yu walked to her side. "What did he say?"

Jiang Nian pursed her lips and smiled. "Guess."

Lu Yu: ...

Jiang Nian gave him a piece of news: "He knows where Xu Yan is."

Lu Yu raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding. "Xu Yan is with him." Seeing Jiang Nian’s surprised gaze, he continued, "The two of them are married?"

Jiang Nian: ... She had to admit Lu Yu was truly brilliant; he understood with just a hint. She said, "I never thought those two would end up as a couple."

Now, everyone's development was going against the ending in the book. Xu Yan had a good ending, Sister-in-law Feng’s family was happy, and the people around her were all getting better and better. Jiang Nian looked at Lu Yu. "Battalion Commander Lu said he'll bring Xu Yan to Yuan City to find us at the end of the month."

Lu Yu had work in the regiment and went back. Jiang Nian returned to the family compound alone. In the hallway, she met Chen Ping and her two children. From Chen Ping, she learned that Sister-in-law Lan had accidentally fallen down the stairs this morning while going to the literacy class and injured her waist. She was currently in the county hospital. Chen Ping had just returned from there.

Jiang Nian told Shu Xue about this. The two went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy many things and went to the county hospital to see Sister-in-law Lan. With Sister-in-law Lan injured, there was no one at home to take care of things. For the next few days, Jiang Nian had Xia Ming and Xia Binh eat at her house and made two extra portions of food in lunch boxes for the two boys to take to Regiment Commander Xia and Sister-in-law Lan. Shu Xue wasn't idle either; Sister-in-law Lan’s injury was to her waist muscles, so she followed the doctor's instructions and gave her massages.

Under Jiang Nian’s nourishment and Shu Xue’s massage care, Sister-in-law Lan recovered quite well. On the day she was discharged, she held Jiang Nian and Shu Xue’s hands and wouldn't let go, her eyes red. After her fall, other military wives had come to see her, but most just took a look and left. No one was as thoughtful and caring as Jiang Nian and Shu Xue, especially Jiang Nian, who not only cared for her but also helped look after her family.

Lan Hui patted Jiang Nian’s hand and said, "Lu Yu’s greatest blessing in this life was marrying you."

Jiang Nian smiled. "I'll have to tell Lu Yu those words."

Lan Hui laughed. "Go ahead and tell him I said it. If he ever dares to bully you, Old Xia and I will be the first to teach him a lesson."

Shu Xue laughed and said, "Sister-in-law Lan, what if Chen Yao bullies me?"

Lan Hui said, "If that brat dares to bully you, I'll use a club to teach him a lesson."

Shu Xue laughed and nodded with confidence. "With your words, Sister-in-law Lan, I feel reassured."

The two helped Lan Hui leave the hospital. She could walk slowly now without issue, but she couldn't exert too much effort and needed to rest.

Battalion Commander Lu and Xu Yan arrived at the end of the month. They didn't bring the children. Before arriving, they had called Lu Yu, who had arranged everything in advance. On the day they arrived, he had more free time.

After six months, Jiang Nian saw Xu Yan again. She had changed significantly from half a year ago. Her clothes were no longer gray patched short coats. Her hair was cut much shorter and tied in two braids with two light-colored flowers. Her complexion was much better than before, and the sorrow that once clouded her face had vanished, replaced by a gentle smile. Since knowing Xu Yan, this was the first time Jiang Nian had seen her smile so beautifully—a truly relaxed smile from the heart.

Beside her stood Battalion Commander Lu, his head bowed as he whispered something to her, making Xu Yan smile even more brightly.

"Xu Yan!" Jiang Nian called out and quickly ran out of the barracks. Lu Yu followed behind, afraid she might trip.

"Jiang Nian—" Xu Yan also ran over and hugged Jiang Nian. So much had happened in the past six months. From the arguments and divorce with Liu Qiang, she had thought of suicide, but thinking of her two helpless children, she couldn't bear to. She had struggled in pain day after day until now. If Lu Guosheng hadn't come to find her that day, she might have taken her children and swallowed rat poison.

Battalion Commander Lu watched the two women hug, then turned his gaze to Lu Yu, who was approaching. A smile appeared on his face. "Regiment Commander Lu, long time no see."

Lu Yu also raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Long time no see." He went to the sentry post to sign in, then led Battalion Commander Lu and Xu Yan into the family compound. Along the way, Lu Yu talked with Battalion Commander Lu while Xu Yan held Jiang Nian’s hand, recounting everything she had been through. Before they could say much, they reached the house. Battalion Commander Lu had brought many things this time, including the pickled vegetables his mother had made. Liu Jian Ye and Liu Jian Wu were currently with the old lady, staying in the county with Lu Zhi Jun’s three siblings for school.

Knowing Battalion Commander Lu was coming today, Jiang Nian had specially prepared a feast. At the dinner table, before Jiang Nian could even ask, Xu Yan spoke about her divorce from Liu Qiang.

The first time Liu Qiang returned and argued with Xu Yan was because he had sent all the family's money home without telling her. Liu Jian Ye happened to be sick with a fever, and Xu Yan couldn't get any money. Liu Qiang didn't care. Because of this, Xu Yan and Liu Qiang had a massive fight, and they even came to blows before being pulled apart by Battalion Commander Lu and Zhou Jun.

Xu Yan had no other request but for Liu Qiang to provide money. Liu Qiang gave her five yuan, saying his father was sick and the family desperately needed the money he had sent back. He said he couldn't be an unfilial son and ignore his mother's troubles, all to maintain his reputation of filial piety. Thus, the next day, he left while Liu Jian Ye was still sick.

Liu Jian Ye’s high fever led to pneumonia. Xu Yan had no choice but to borrow money from the old lady. The old lady had Battalion Commander Lu carry Liu Jian Ye to the county hospital while she stayed home to look after Liu Jian Wu and Lu Zhi Jun. It was because of this that Battalion Commander Lu felt sympathy for Xu Yan, helping her and her children through their troubles. From sympathy came heartache, and finally, feelings he shouldn't have had. He feared ruining Xu Yan’s reputation, so he had his mother help whenever there was trouble.

A few months later, Liu Qiang returned. Xu Yan told him to pay back Battalion Commander Lu. Liu Qiang said his father was sick and they had no money for treatment, so he had sent all his salary home. It was the beginning of winter then, and there was no food in the house for the three of them. Liu Qiang gave Xu Yan ten yuan, which wasn't even enough to pay back Battalion Commander Lu.

Xu Yan couldn't take it anymore. After a massive fight, she brought up divorce. Liu Qiang took her at her word and filed for divorce that same day. Both children were to stay with Xu Yan. Liu Qiang gave her fifty yuan, saying it was all he had. The day after the divorce, he sent Xu Yan and the children back to her parents' house and never went to see them again.

Jiang Nian was furious hearing about Liu Qiang’s actions. Battalion Commander Lu sat beside them in silence, but the veins on his temples were tight with anger. Lu Yu looked at Battalion Commander Lu, who took over from Xu Yan: "After Liu Qiang sent Xu Yan away, he moved out of the family compound. I had my mother go to Xu Yan’s parents' house to check on them a few times. My mother said the three of them were not living well. She heard from the villagers that Xu Yan’s mother wanted to marry her off to an old bachelor in the village and kick the three of them out."

He looked at Xu Yan and saw her tears falling. He lowered his head and continued, "I went to Xu Yan’s parents' house the next morning. I told the Xu family my identity, gave them a hundred yuan, and had the brigade members witness that they could no longer harass Xu Yan and her children. Finally, I took the three of them away."

Thinking of the state Xu Yan was in when he found her at the Xu house, his heart ached; she was even more haggard than she had been at the family compound. Despite being her biological mother, she had done things even a stepmother wouldn't do. On their wedding night, Xu Yan had cried and told him that if he hadn't come for her that day, she had planned to take her children and die.

Jiang Nian painedly gripped Xu Yan’s hand, her voice a bit choked. "It's all in the past now. Everything will get better."

Battalion Commander Lu wiped his face, his palms slightly damp. He smiled at Xu Yan and said, "I'll say it again: as long as I have a bite to eat, you and the children will have one too. I promise you won't be cold or hungry. Don't think about the past; we'll just live our lives well now."

Xu Yan nodded. "Alright."

Jiang Nian had known from the start that Battalion Commander Lu and his mother were good, reasonable people. Xu Yan and Battalion Commander Lu becoming a couple could be considered a blessed match. After dinner, Lu Yu took Battalion Commander Lu for a walk around the barracks, leaving space for Jiang Nian and Xu Yan. The two shared many heart-to-heart words and agreed to spend the next New Year together at Sister-in-law Feng’s house in the east.

Lu Yu and Battalion Commander Lu didn't return until it was pitch black. Lu Yu had brought back pork from the food station. Jiang Nian cooked while Xu Yan helped her. That evening, Battalion Commander Lu and Lu Yu had some drinks. Battalion Commander Lu drank a bit too much. At the table, he told Lu Yu and Jiang Nian that he would treat Xu Yan well for the rest of his life, never let her suffer, and would treat Liu Jian Ye and Liu Jian Wu as his own, raising them and seeing them married.

Jiang Nian knew Battalion Commander Lu had always been a man of few words, but tonight he had spoken a great deal. Finally, he leaned toward Xu Yan, took her hand, and kissed her palm. Xu Yan’s face turned bright red, and she couldn't pull her hand away. Battalion Commander Lu gave a drunken hiccup and said, "Yan'er, do you remember what I said on our wedding night?!"