An Accidental Military Marriage

"Who’s laughing at you?"

Lu Cheng’s voice was laced with a cold edge.

Of course, that coldness wasn’t directed at Jiang Moli.

Before Jiang Moli could answer, Lu Tingting poked her head out of the window next door. "Jiang Moli, you have the nerve to say I haven’t been weaned, and here you are, running to Third Uncle to tattle on me!"

Lu Cheng turned his head. "You were laughing at your third aunt?"

Lu Tingting shrank back from his glare. "I was just stating a fact! You really didn’t come to pick us up!"

With that, she hastily pulled her head back in and shut the window, terrified that Lu Cheng would leap over and beat her.

Although Lu Tingting had confessed without being pressed, Jiang Moli didn’t actually care much about it.

She was just using the teasing as a cover for the real reason she was upset: that her husband hadn’t come to the station to pick her up.

But that displeasure had already vanished completely after he’d doted on her, attending to her every need.

Lu Cheng looked at her, his deep, husky voice holding a soothing power. "If I had known you were coming today, I definitely would have picked you up myself."

Hearing him say that, Jiang Moli’s mood brightened considerably.

"Xiao Peng said he told you."

"When?"

"The last time he called you."

Lu Cheng paused, suddenly recalling his brother-in-law saying he was going to bring him some "local specialties."

What a "local specialty"!

Seeing him suddenly chuckle, Jiang Moli asked, puzzled, "What is it?"

Lu Cheng silently gave his brother-in-law credit while clearing his throat. "Yes, Xiao Peng did mention it. I just didn’t understand him correctly. Comrade Jiang Moli, I’m sorry you were wronged. The next time you come, I will definitely pick you up, as long as I’m not on an urgent mission."

Jiang Moli gave a noncommittal response.

Her gaze traced the man’s handsome features, and she thought with a pang of regret: ’There probably won’t be a next time.’

Seeing her interest in the mountains, Lu Cheng walked to her side, joining her to gaze into the distance.

"I wasn’t lying, was I? It’s surrounded by mountains on all sides. The scenery is beautiful."

"It is nice," Jiang Moli nodded.

The mountains here weren’t particularly high, but their strength was in their vast, boundless expanse.

As far as the eye could see, layers of peaks rolled on, one after another, without end.

The convergence of the ultimate greenery and the pure blue sky was so stunningly beautiful it resembled an oil painting.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a fairytale green wonderland.

"Can you go into those mountains?"

"You can, but not alone. The mountain paths are complex and rugged, making it easy to get lost. The forests are teeming with poisonous plants, venomous insects, and wild beasts. When we go into the mountains for missions, we have to hire local villagers as guides. But even so, there are often casualties."

Jiang Moli turned her head and called softly toward Lu Tingting’s window, "Did you hear what your third uncle said? Don’t go running off into the mountains by yourself. If you run into poisonous insects or wild animals, no one will be able to save you!"

The room next door was silent, as if Jiang Moli were just talking to herself.

In fact, Lu Tingting was hiding behind the window, holding her breath and not daring to make the slightest sound, cursing inwardly:

’Like I need you to remind me, you busybody! I’m not an idiot!’

In Lu Cheng’s eyes, his wife was as kind-hearted as she was beautiful.

His niece had been repeatedly disrespectful, yet his wife was magnanimous, still concerned about her niece’s safety.

Jiang Moli was also just taking precautions, worried that the young lady might get a wild hair one day and run into the mountains alone.

Lu Tingting was only here because of something she had said.

If something really happened, it would definitely affect Lu Cheng’s relationship with his own elder brother and sister-in-law.

The time they had together flew by.

In the blink of an eye, evening arrived.

The sun sank in the west, and dusk began to fall.

Lu Cheng glanced reluctantly at his watch and said to Jiang Moli in a low voice, "You get some rest. See if you’re missing anything. I have to go back to camp to report to my superior about today’s mission and also let him know you’re here for a family visit."

He paused, then asked her softly, "Are you hungry? Is there anything to eat in your bag? If so, have a little snack to tide you over. I’ll bring you dinner as soon as I’m done with my work."

"Okay."

"Then you rest for a bit. I’m heading back to camp."

"Mhm."

Jiang Moli saw him off.

As he neared the door, Lu Cheng stopped and turned to look at her, his deep eyes captivating.

"Moli, I’m so happy you could come visit."

This happiness brought him even more fulfillment and joy than all the honors and medals he had earned throughout his entire military career combined.

Jiang Moli blinked. "That thing I talked to you about before, have you thought about it?"

Lu Cheng’s thin lips pressed into a line, and he grunted softly. "I’ve thought about it. But I have to get back to camp now. We can have a proper talk when I’m free."

He left as soon as he finished speaking.

This time, he didn’t look back even once.

It was obvious he was angry.

Jiang Moli leaned out the door, watching the man go downstairs before she closed it and went back to lie down on the bed in the inner room.

The suite was quite spacious, probably over 40 square meters, partitioned in the middle by a bookshelf and a wardrobe.

The outer section was a small sitting room, and the inner section was the bedroom.

The bedroom connected to a long balcony about three or four square meters in size, with railings made from logs as thick as a grown man’s arm.

In fact, it wasn’t just the balcony; the entire building was a wooden structure, with its exterior walls and roof covered in thick tree bark.

On her way here, she had noticed that most of the buildings were constructed like this; it was likely a local style.

...

「At the entrance of the camp.」

Jiang Qing handed a clean, empty lunchbox to Zhang Jia Ming and took a full one from him in return.

To save money and pay off her debts sooner, Zhang Jia Ming gave Jiang Qing a small portion of his own rations every day.

This way, Jiang Qing didn’t have to cook for herself, saving thirty to fifty cents a day.

"Jia Ming, did you hear about Camp Commander Lu getting hit on by some floozy while he was on duty today?"

Zhang Jia Ming shook his head.

The first company was on the mission with Lu Cheng today; he was in the third company.

Because of the last rumor incident, the army had issued a new order: anyone caught spreading gossip would be disciplined. Consequently, the soldiers of the first company hadn’t dared to spread the story around the camp.

After telling Zhang Jia Ming the gossip she’d heard in the family quarters, Jiang Qing picked up her lunchbox and headed back to her dorm, satisfied.

She hadn’t gone far when she ran into Lu Cheng, who was returning to camp.

"Camp Commander Lu."

Lu Cheng nodded, stopping to say to her, "Go back and tidy up your dorm room. A new teacher will be moving in tomorrow."

"Okay."

After watching Lu Cheng walk away with a gossipy expression, Jiang Qing continued back toward her dorm.

...

In the office, Zhong Weiguo pointed a finger at Lu Cheng’s nose and scolded, "What am I supposed to say to you! Flirting with a female comrade in broad daylight, in front of everyone! What are the masses supposed to think of our army?"

"Commander Zhong, allow me to clarify. I wasn’t flirting with a female comrade; I was with my own wife. The former is improper conduct, the latter is being overcome by emotion."

Zhong Weiguo glared at him. "Stop trying to pull the wool over my eyes! Before you got back, the town police station even sent someone over specifically to talk about this. I’m so embarrassed! The impact is extremely negative! How about this: have your wife go to town tomorrow and make a public self-criticism in front of the masses."

Lu Cheng said, "A self-criticism is necessary, but I should be the one to do it."

Zhong Weiguo nodded. "Fine. Good to see you’re not chickening out. In that case, you two can do the self-criticism together."

"That won’t work."

Zhong Weiguo slammed his hand on the desk with a BANG. "Say that again? How much nerve do you have to disobey a military order?"