Chapter 201: Surprise
Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Surprise
Jiang Qing looked at Zhang Jia Ming, her eyes filled with resentment and ambition. "Jia Ming, I can’t accept this. You were meant to have a brilliant future, not be some mediocre old soldier for the rest of your life!"
The words "mediocre old soldier" deeply hurt Zhang Jia Ming.
He wasn’t well-educated and had no special skills. Being a lifelong soldier in the army seemed pretty good to him.
But from everything Jiang Qing said, it was clear she looked down on his way of thinking.
"Xiao Qing, if this is all I amount to in this life, would you... not want to be with me anymore?"
Jiang Qing was taken aback for a moment. "Of course not, Jia Ming. You have to believe in yourself."
Although Jiang Qing only hesitated for a split second, Zhang Jia Ming wasn’t a fool.
On the contrary, he was very perceptive when it came to micro-expressions.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been noticed and promoted by Lu Cheng.
Since they had gotten married, Jiang Qing had repeated almost daily that he would be successful and have a great future.
He used to think she was encouraging him, but now he realized she was actually voicing her own desires and ambitions.
At this very moment, he finally began to dimly realize that Jiang Qing hadn’t married him because she truly loved him as a person, but because she saw potential in his career and his promising future.
Although he knew that as a man, he should strive to provide a good life for his wife and children, the true face of the woman sleeping beside him still left him utterly disappointed and heartbroken.
"Xiao Qing, I’ve never regretted marrying you, and I won’t go through with some fake divorce for the sake of my career. I am a soldier, and a soldier’s most important quality is loyalty. If you insist on a divorce, then it can only be a real one."
"Have you made up your mind?"
Seeing her remain silent for a long time, Zhang Jia Ming remembered Lu Cheng’s advice: in a marriage, it’s no disgrace for the man to be the first to yield.
He reached out to take Jiang Qing’s hand. "Xiao Qing..."
"I’ve made up my mind."
Jiang Qing’s sudden words made him freeze.
"Jia Ming, I still insist on the divorce. Please believe me, I’m truly doing this for your own good. One day, you will thank me for the decision I’m making today."
Zhang Jia Ming stared at her blankly, the rims of his eyes gradually turning red.
"Fine. As you wish."
...
"What gives her the right to ask for a divorce? What does she take our Zhang Family for?"
Faced with Jin Yulan’s furious yelling, Zhang Jia Ming simply remained silent.
Zhang Tiesheng looked at his son, worried and anxious. "Why don’t you try talking to Xiao Qing again? Ask her what her conditions are. We’ll do our best to meet them."
Zhang Jia Ming shook his head. "There’s no need. She’s determined to divorce, so let’s just get it over with."
"Even if you’re getting divorced, she has to return the betrothal gifts!"
Although they had only given 8.8 yuan for the cash gift, the cigarettes, alcohol, candy, and pork they’d bought had cost around 50 yuan in total.
Zhang Jia Ming said in a muffled voice, "Ma, we were husband and wife. She suffered a lot after marrying into our family. Let’s just leave it. I’ll earn the money back. From now on, I’ll send my monthly allowance to you. You can use it to arrange Jiaquan’s marriage first."
The whole family stared at him, the atmosphere thick with sadness and sorrow.
Jin Yulan was sobbing uncontrollably. "What are you going to do now? Your father lost an eye because of her! She wants a divorce, and just like that, she leaves this whole mess behind. If I’d known she was such a piece of work, I’d have said you should have married Moli instead!"
Zhang Tiesheng snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting? Moli is already married! Stop trying to ruin her reputation."
Jin Yulan was so furious she could grind her teeth to dust.
She was just furious that Jiang Qing wasn’t there; otherwise, she would have torn her to shreds.
That woman had ruined her perfectly good son and turned him into a divorcé.
「Three days later, at the entrance of the local police station.」
Looking at Zhang Jia Ming’s face, which was as placid as still water, Jiang Qing felt a sudden, inexplicable panic.
"Jia Ming, my feelings for you are real, please believe me. We’re only separating temporarily..."
"Xiao Qing..."
Zhang Jia Ming cut her off. "If you’ve made up your mind to get divorced, let’s go inside. If you’ve decided not to, then don’t ever bring up divorce again. Even if you do, I won’t agree to it."
Military marriages were protected by law. If the husband was not at fault, a divorce could not be finalized if he did not consent.
After a brief silence, Jiang Qing was the first to step into the police station.
Zhang Jia Ming silently followed behind her.
Half an hour later, the two walked out of the main entrance of the police station, one after the other, each clutching a divorce certificate.
"Xiao Qing."
Hearing Zhang Jia Ming call her name, Jiang Qing quickly turned around.
Seeing Zhang Jia Ming watching her intently, his eyes seemingly filled with reluctance and attachment, Jiang Qing’s heart couldn’t help but flutter.
She was still fond of Zhang Jia Ming. She even subconsciously pictured a future where he became wildly successful, came back to remarry her, and promised her a grand wedding.
After studying her intently for a long moment, Zhang Jia Ming finally spoke slowly:
"From now on, you have to keep moving forward. Don’t look back, because the way back you’re looking for won’t be there waiting for you. Take care."
Watching Zhang Jia Ming’s back as he walked away without a backward glance, Jiang Qing fought to hold back her tears.
’She hadn’t done anything wrong.’
’She had gone through so much to be reborn; how could she be content to be trapped in the countryside as a village woman?’
’She was going to climb to the top, to be superior to others, no matter the cost.’
...
An Hui and Lu Deyao were both sighing with regret when they heard the news of Jiang Qing’s divorce.
That night in bed, Lu Deyao couldn’t help but say to An Hui, "We have to be extra good to our third son’s wife from now on. It wasn’t easy for Old Third to get married at his age. We can’t end up like the Zhang Family, where everything falls apart and they’re left with nothing."
An Hui shot him a fierce glare. "Don’t you dare jinx Old Third."
Though that’s what she said, she was secretly thinking about a few old gold accessories she had. ’Should I melt them down and have a gold bracelet made for Jiang Moli?’
...
The next morning, as the family was eating breakfast, someone knocked on the door.
Jiang Moli got up to open it, but Lu Deyao quickly said, "I’ll go. Moli, you keep eating."
"Oh."
Thinking it was probably a guest Lu Deyao was expecting, Jiang Moli didn’t give it much thought and went back to her meal.
"Moli."
Lu Deyao returned quickly, his expression a little strange. "It’s for you. You should go see."
"Okay."
Puzzled, Jiang Moli put down her chopsticks and went to the door.
She pushed open the partially closed door, and a familiar, cold, and handsome face with a hint of a smile came into view.
It wasn’t until Lu Cheng pulled her forcefully into his arms that she belatedly snapped back to her senses.
"What are you doing back??"
Lu Cheng’s embrace was so strong it felt like he wanted to knead her into his body. He murmured, "I missed you."
An Hui had followed, worried, wanting to see who was looking for Jiang Moli. But after getting a face full of the young couple’s public display of affection, she resentfully turned and went back inside.
Seeing her return, Ma Hongmei asked quizzically, "Who was looking for Xiao Jiang?"
An Hui said, "Go see for yourself."
Ma Hongmei actually did get up and walk out.
At the door, Jiang Moli poked her head out from Lu Cheng’s embrace. "Now that you’re back, why aren’t you coming inside?"
Lu Cheng smoothed her messy bangs with his fingers, his low, husky voice filled with a drowning tenderness. "I wanted to surprise you."
’It was quite a surprise.’
Wrapping her arms around the man’s lean waist and inhaling his familiar, pine-like scent gave Jiang Moli a sense of satisfaction and happiness akin to snuggling a cat.
Ma Hongmei returned to the dining table, covering her mouth as she smiled. "So it was Xiao Cheng all along. It’s true what they say: absence makes the heart grow fonder. They’re already being all clingy right at the doorstep."
An Hui was happy her son was back, personally going into the kitchen to cook him a poached egg.
Just like she used to, Ma Hongmei thought about going to help tidy up Lu Cheng’s room.
She got to his doorway before remembering that he was married now and no longer needed his cousin-aunt to look after such things. She smiled and returned to the living room.