Chapter 304: “called By Full Name, We’re Done For”
“What’s going on?” Qian Guiying’s husband put down the newspaper and looked over.
He was busy with work, rushing around all day, often only able to sleep four or five hours a day. How could Qian Guiying bear to bother him with all that messy stuff.
She wasn’t surprised that he didn’t know.
“It’s still about Comrade Bai. This isn’t the first time…” Qian Guiying told her husband all about the previous incidents and what happened today.
The dignified man sitting on the sofa frowned.
“There’s that too.”
His tone was very flat. “That Comrade Bai’s actions are indeed lacking in consideration. This isn’t good for harmony in the military region.”
“It’s more than just not good for harmony. Zhang Ping and Bai Taohua have formed a deadly feud. They fight whenever they meet,” Qian Guiying said.
After saying that, she actually smiled. “Today’s incident was beyond my expectations.”
“What do you mean?” Her husband didn’t understand.
At home, with her husband having some time, Qian Guiying said directly: “Comrade Zhang Ping and Comrade Bai Taohua have clashed many times. Every time Zhang Ping loses, this is the first time Bai Taohua loses.”
“You don’t like Comrade Bai?” Her husband’s dignified eyes looked over.
Qian Guiying was also a woman. How could she not see through Bai Taohua’s little tricks? She had warned Bai Taohua, who always cried and admitted her mistakes, saying it wasn’t intentional, that she would pay attention in the future, and begged the leader not to abandon their orphaned mother and children. After several times, the director of the women’s committee was fed up and naturally disliked Bai Taohua.
She didn’t speak, just shot him a look that said, “What do you think?”
The dignified man said: “If you think she’s off, just send her away.”
Men always thought simply.
Qian Guiying looked helplessly at her husband. “You think this is a simple matter?”
Her expression was complex. “Do you believe me if I say that if I mention this, that Comrade Bai will jump into the river again.”
Even a high-ranking leader feared women who cried, made scenes, or threatened suicide. Hearing this, he also felt it was tricky.
“Damn it!” His thumb raked through his half-gray short hair. He couldn’t help swearing. “There’s never a shortage of trouble!”
Qian Guiying knew her rough husband couldn’t handle the work she was responsible for. She smiled and said: “You don’t need to worry about it. I have a plan.”
Seeing the furrows in her husband’s brow, she found it amusing.
“Your work isn’t easy either, Comrade Qian. Hard work,” the dignified man rarely said a tender word to his wife of half a lifetime.
Qian Guiying had the reticence unique to this era. Hearing her husband’s emotional words, she uncomfortably looked away.
“Why say that? I’ll go check the vegetable patch.”
With that, she got up and walked outside.
Even the big leader had to eat. His family maintained a simple style, so naturally they had a vegetable garden.
After finishing with the vegetable garden, Qian Guiying’s heart calmed down, though she still hadn’t thought of a permanent way to resolve the conflicts between Bai Taohua and the other military wives.
The next day, she arrived at the office.
Everyone else was there, filled with sounds of discussion, unusually lively.
“Did you hear about yesterday?”
“So many people saw it. You’d have to be really out of touch not to have heard…” a comrade muttered.
“Jiang Ganshi, I heard that Comrade Bai took a loss,” another person said, looking at the woman sitting by the window.
This Jiang Ganshi had hair just past her ears, combed neatly, clothes clean and tidy, no smile on her face, looking serious and unapproachable. Usually no one initiated conversation with her, but today was special—
Everyone knew Jiang Ganshi was very dissatisfied with Comrade Bai staying in the military region. At first it was just because it didn’t comply with regulations, but later the dissatisfaction deepened purely because of Bai Taohua’s own actions.
At this moment, Jiang Ganshi gave a cold smile. “I knew this day would come. I just didn’t expect it to be so late.”
With Bai Taohua’s character and personality, she could bully fools like Zhang Ping and come out on top, but if she ran into someone smart, she’d flip sooner or later.
See.
Just as she expected.
“Jiang Ganshi is truly foresighted,” the speaker flattered a bit and curiously asked, “What does Jiang Ganshi think Director Qian will do with Comrade Bai? Make her leave the military region?”
Jiang Ganshi’s eyes were a bit unfocused, and she said coldly: “I don’t know.”
That was her temperament. The people in the office didn’t mind and continued discussing.
“I say just make her move away! So many things involve her. Once she’s gone, the family courtyard will be peaceful and harmonious by half,” a comrade on Jiang Ganshi’s side spoke first.
From this person’s words, it was clear she was straightforward and had no fondness for the weepy Bai Taohua.
The person at the door said: “Comrade Bai is so good at crying. What if making her move away damages our military region’s reputation? Don’t let gossip spread that our military region bullies a hero’s widow…”
“Little Yellow Comrade is right. This needs to be handled carefully,” Jiang Ganshi said. “Don’t forget, that Comrade Bai jumped into the river.”
If something else happened, the military region wouldn’t be able to clear itself.
Little Yellow was elated at being praised by Jiang Ganshi.
Wow, Jiang Ganshi praised someone for the first time.
“Specifically how to handle it still needs Director Qian to discuss,” Jiang Ganshi took a sip of tea and said flatly.
Yes, no matter how eloquently they spoke, it was up to the leader to discuss.
Qian Guiying entered in this situation.
As soon as she arrived, she was surrounded by others asking about yesterday’s incident in a babble.
“Director, we’ve been waiting for you. We want to ask, how to handle Bai Taohua?” an impatient person asked immediately.
Even the calm Jiang Ganshi couldn’t help but turn her gaze to the director.
Qian Guiying met the eager gazes of the comrades, didn’t rush to speak, walked to her desk, and put down her things.
She looked up at the comrades.
“What are your views? This isn’t a meeting. Speak freely, say whatever you think,” Qian Guiying said.
The people in the office weren’t sure if the leader meant it, so the atmosphere went silent for a moment, no one speaking.
Jiang Ganshi spoke first. “I’ll go first.”
She put down her tea cup and said seriously: “My stance hasn’t changed. I still think we need to send her away. The troops have their discipline. We can’t break it. Opening this precedent won’t be good for future management.”
“I’m done.”
The others looked at her like she was a warrior.
As expected of the straightforward Jiang Ganshi.
Qian Guiying didn’t express an opinion, just nodded faintly. “Jiang Ganshi suggests sending her away. What about the others?”
“I support what Jiang Ganshi said.”
“Me too.”
More than half supported sending her away.
The remaining part had too strong a sense of honor and also agreed, but said: “If we really send her away, we need to come up with a plan. Don’t let her go out and damage the troops’ reputation. I have no confidence in that Comrade Bai’s character.”
“Yeah, yeah. She’s so good at acting. If she goes out crying that we bully their orphaned mother and children, where do we go to plead innocence.”
Qian Guiying nodded.
“We do need a plan. In a bit, everyone go to the meeting room. We’ll discuss it and best settle this today.”
As soon as the words fell, she took her enamel mug to fetch water.
She dropped a bombshell, and the office buzzed again.
“What does this mean? Are we really sending her away!?” the person near the door exclaimed in surprise.
A glint of laughter flashed in Jiang Ganshi’s eyes, gone in an instant. “When has the director ever joked? It’s probably real. Next we have a tough battle. Everyone, get your spirits up.”
With confirmation, her energy visibly lifted.
She called her capable subordinate to tidy the meeting room and prepare for the meeting.
The military region’s decision, Bai Taohua was temporarily unaware of.
After clashing with Lin Zhao, her reputation plummeted. For the next few days, she stayed low as a transparent person, didn’t ask for help with trivial matters, and even ordered her two daughters to stay home, not allowed to go anywhere.
On the contrary, Zhang Ping, on the day she won the argument, visited the Gu family again and brought Lin Zhao two big pumpkins.
Afraid she wouldn’t accept, she dropped the things and ran.
“…”
Lin Zhao withdrew her reaching hand, looked at Gu Chenghuai, and pointed at the pumpkins. “Can we accept them?”
Before, she definitely wouldn’t ask much, but now the situation was different.
“Yes, normal courtesy. Nothing to it,” Gu Chenghuai said steadily.
Her man performed exceptionally well against the green tea lotus. Of course Lin Zhao had to praise him, praise him greatly.
Her eyes shone as she gazed at Gu Chenghuai, stars in them.
“Gu Commander, you did well today. You know to protect your wife. I’m very satisfied.”
Gu Chenghuai’s heart bloomed with joy at his wife’s praise, but his face remained composed, only his slightly upturned mouth betraying his mood.
“It’s what I should do. We’re husband and wife. If I don’t protect you, who will.”
Moreover.
This matter wasn’t over.
He would report it upward.
His comrade’s two girls opened their mouths and cursed fox spirit. Who did they learn that from?
Their biological father was a hero. They lived in the troops as children of the troops. Problems with the children’s character couldn’t be ignored!
Later, Gu Chenghuai did report it, and the military region’s handling of Bai Taohua became even swifter.
Especially since the investigation showed Bai Taohua had borrowed money from no fewer than five married soldiers and not repaid it. She also had issues in personal matters, and even… she wanted to break up a military marriage.
Borrowing money was consensual, and getting too close to married soldiers could be blamed on both sides, but wanting to destroy a military marriage—Bai Taohua had no way to whitewash that.
Her own biological daughter had pounded her. How could she whitewash it?!
Thus, Bai Taohua was dissuaded from staying.
Considering the deceased, the troops didn’t go too far, proposing she and her two daughters move out of the family courtyard, and arrange a new job for her outside…
Bai Taohua refused to accept and made a big scene with the children.
Because of this, the family courtyard was full of spectacles that dazzled the eyes.
Little friends who couldn’t squeeze in climbed trees to watch, and Heng Bao was one of them.
Seeing his younger brother climb the tree, Yu Bao looked up, spread his arms, and anxiously shouted: “Heng Bao, Mom doesn’t let us climb trees. Come down quick.”
Heng Bao sat on a branch extending horizontally, eyes bright. “So high! You can see so clearly. It’s fine. I’m sitting steady. Bro, come up too.”
Yu Bao was an obedient child and didn’t do things Mom forbade.
He said angrily: “Heng Bao, if you don’t come down, if Mom hits you, I won’t help you!”
“I’ll come down in a bit.” Heng Bao had finally gotten the best melon-eating spot and of course didn’t want to come down.
Yu Bao was both anxious and angry, stomping his feet under the tree.
Mao Dan’er patted his shoulder to comfort him, then shouted to Heng Bao in the tree: “Come down. If you don’t, we’ll go call Aunt Lin.”
While threatening, he pulled Yu Bao and the others, pretending to leave.
Seeing this, Heng Bao panicked. “I’ll come down, I’ll come down. Don’t tell my mom.”
He slid down clumsily, but his right foot got caught on a slanted branch. His body uncontrollably fell downward.
There was a thud.
He fell down.
Yu Bao’s face turned pale with fright, his voice off-key from worry. “Heng Bao!”
“Are you okay?” He ran to Heng Bao and reached out to help his younger brother.
Heng Bao was dazed from the fall, lying on the ground for a long time without coming to.
Mao Dan’er helped Yu Bao support Heng Bao and anxiously asked: “How are you? Hurt anywhere?!”
Jing Mo was relatively calm, pinched Heng Bao’s philtrum, making him yelp in pain.
He dazedly came to, was about to get up when his ankle throbbed. He couldn’t help hissing twice, didn’t cry, but his tone carried fear.
“…I, my foot hurts.”
Only then did the little friend know to be afraid.
Heng Bao grabbed his brother’s arm and said fearfully: “Bro, I won’t become lame, right? I’m scared.”
Yu Bao had been mad at his disobedient brother, but seeing his ankle swollen, only heartache remained. “Don’t be afraid. We’ll take you to the hospital. With Little Uncle there, you won’t become lame.”
He was still a little friend too, scared, his voice trembling.
At this time, Mao Dan’er called over a soldier.
That soldier glanced at the nearby tree. After Heng Bao fell, the kids above were gone.
“Fell from climbing the tree?” The young soldier picked up Heng Bao, his eyes helpless, not surprised at all.
There were many boys in the military region, all mischievous. Climbing trees was common, but falling and spraining ankles… not many.
This one from Gu Commander’s family was the third.
“Uncle, will I become lame?” Heng Bao asked the soldier uncle holding him.
The young soldier saw the child’s eyes wet, about to cry, and reassured him: “No, probably just a sprain. Rest well and it’ll be fine.”
“Really?” Heng Bao confirmed again.
“Really. If you don’t believe me, ask the doctor yourself later,” the young soldier said.
He thought Heng Bao was odd, sprained foot and not crying. He looked down at the little boy. “Doesn’t your foot hurt?”
“…It hurts.” Heng Bao gritted his teeth. “Hurts like hell!”
He had a pained expression.
“Then why don’t you cry?”
Heng Bao’s body was stiff like a zombie, especially the injured foot tensed tight, afraid of bumping it.
“What’s the use of crying? It still hurts.”
Plus it would make Mao Dan’er and the others laugh at him. He didn’t want that.
Yu Bao’s short legs took three steps as five, sticking tight by his brother’s side, expression anxious and worried.
“Heng Bao, endure a bit longer. Hospital’s almost here!”
The group hurried to the military hospital, drawing looks from passersby.
Lin Zhao learned Heng Bao fell from a tree and was in the hospital. She was quite frightened and rushed to the hospital.
When she arrived, Heng Bao was lying on the hospital bed, his injured foot fixed, eating an apple.
Lin Zhao laughed in anger.
She exhaled the stale breath from her chest, walked over slowly, ignored her second son staring at her beggingly for comfort, and turned to ask Meng Jiusi: “Little Brother, how’s Gu Zhiheng?”
Full name. Doomed.
Heng Bao: …(﹏)
Meng Jiusi patted his nephew’s head. Know fear now? Stinky kid.
He explained: “Foot sprained, applied ointment. Rest a few days and it’ll be fine.”
