An Accidental Military Marriage

"Sister-in-law, do you have any ointment for swelling and pain? It’s for my wife. Ahem..."

Seeing the embarrassed, beet-red look on Lu Cheng’s face, Jiang Wenjuan understood immediately.

She couldn’t help but scold him. "Honestly... Even as newlyweds, you can’t be so rough! Aren’t you afraid you’re going to break her?"

"You’re right to scold me, Sister-in-law. I won’t hide it from you—last night was the first time my wife and I consummated our marriage. I really had no restraint. I’ll definitely be more careful in the future!"

Jiang Wenjuan then remembered that Lu Cheng had been on a mission in Dian City on his wedding day and had missed his own wedding night. After that, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything more.

"A cooling balm can help with the swelling, but it’s best to go into town and buy some erythromycin ointment. That will reduce inflammation and prevent infection."

"Okay. By the way, Sister-in-law, do you have anything nutritious for a woman? I want to help my wife recover her strength."

Jiang Wenjuan was dumbfounded by the question.

She knew women needed to eat restorative foods after childbirth, during their postpartum confinement, but what was there to recover from after consummating a marriage?

’What on earth would she need?’

In the end, she cooked a large bowl of eggs in brown sugar water for Lu Cheng to take.

As he was leaving, Lu Cheng casually grabbed a new menstrual pad from Jiang Wenjuan’s cabinet and tucked it into his backpack.

’His wife might need it.’

"I thank you on Moli’s behalf, Sister-in-law."

Jiang Wenjuan was speechless.

...

Back in the room, Lu Cheng gently closed the door and peeked into the bedroom.

Seeing his delicate wife curled up on the bed like a kitten, fast asleep, a doting smile spread across his face.

He put the things down, walked to the bedside, and gently brushed the hair from Jiang Moli’s face with his long, rough fingers. He leaned down to give her a soft kiss before calling her name in a low voice.

"Honey."

"Moli."

"Time to get up."

He called her several times, but Jiang Moli didn’t wake up. With a stretch of his long arm, he simply scooped her up from the bed.

"Get up and eat something. You can go back to sleep after you’ve eaten."

Jiang Moli kicked her feet and thrashed her legs. "I don’t want to eat! Leave me alone!"

Seeing her small face scrunched up in discomfort, Lu Cheng quickly placed her back on the bed and pulled the blanket over her.

"Alright, you can sleep then. Eat when you wake up. I’ll leave it on the nightstand for you."

Jiang Moli rolled over, turning her back to him, and pulled the blanket over her head, clearly annoyed by his fussing.

Lu Cheng wasn’t angry. Instead, he found his lazy, sulking wife utterly adorable.

After placing the bowl of eggs in brown sugar water on the nightstand, he went out to the balcony, collected the completely dry bra and underwear, and brought them into the room, folding them neatly on the other side of the bed.

Once he’d done all that, he pulled back the blanket, planted two kisses on Jiang Moli’s lips, and left the room, completely satisfied.

Lu Tingting was also sleeping in. Lu Cheng had to knock for a long time before she finally opened the door.

"Do you know what time it is? Still sleeping? I’ll give you ten minutes. Pack your things. I’m taking you to the dormitory."

Lu Tingting subconsciously asked about Jiang Moli, "Where’s Jiang... where’s Third Aunt staying?"

"She’s staying here, of course."

"Then I want to stay here too!"

"According to regulations, all unmarried volunteer teachers must live in the dormitory. It’s not up for discussion. Get your things packed and come down. I’ll be waiting for you at the door."

Lu Cheng’s tone was unequivocal, so Lu Tingting had no choice but to pack her things and prepare to move.

She had just finished changing her clothes when there was another knock on the door.

She opened the door to find Lu Cheng.

Seeing that she was dressed and ready, Lu Cheng stepped into her room. "I’ll help you pack."

Lu Tingting felt a little happy. ’Third Uncle is still good to me!’

"Your Third Aunt is still resting. Be quiet. Don’t wake her."

The smile on Lu Tingting’s face vanished. "..."

...

Just like any other day, Jiang Qing went to the camp entrance to pick up breakfast.

She heard two pieces of news from Zhang Jia Ming that left her both shocked and frustrated.

Jiang Moli had come for a family visit!

The female hooligan who had flirted with Lu Cheng yesterday was actually Jiang Moli!

When Zhang Jia Ming told her this, there was a hint of resentment in his tone.

If Jiang Qing hadn’t made a point of telling him about it yesterday, he wouldn’t have run his mouth in front of Lu Cheng and ended up being punished.

However, Jiang Qing’s mind was completely preoccupied with Jiang Moli, and she didn’t notice Zhang Jia Ming’s mood at all.

She was in a terrible mood and even felt a faint sense of unease.

She always felt that Jiang Moli was her jinx.

Anything involving Jiang Moli never went smoothly for her.

Just as she was thinking this, she ran into Lu Cheng and Lu Tingting, who were carrying luggage.

"Camp Commander Lu."

Jiang Qing greeted Lu Cheng, but her eyes were on Lu Tingting behind him.

She was just wondering why this young lady had come here when she heard Lu Cheng speak.

"Perfect timing. Can you take Tingting to the dormitory and get her settled? She’s the new volunteer teacher."

Jiang Qing was surprised, but she quickly agreed.

After Lu Cheng left, she proactively offered to help Lu Tingting carry two of her large bags.

"I’ve already cleaned your bunk for you. Did you bring sheets and a quilt? If not, you’ll need to buy them in town. I happen to be free today, so I can go with you."

Jiang Qing deliberately didn’t mention that Lu Cheng had asked her to clean the bunk the day before, using it as a way to curry favor with Lu Tingting.

Lu Tingting glanced at her, her cold and haughty expression clearly saying, ’Don’t think you can win me over this easily.’

Jiang Qing didn’t mind.

After all, Lu Tingting was a genuine high-society young lady; she had the right to be arrogant.

"Why would you come to such a remote place to be a volunteer teacher?"

Just when Jiang Qing thought Lu Tingting wouldn’t answer, and was preparing to stop trying to butter her up, Lu Tingting spoke.

"It’s all that damn woman Jiang Moli’s fault! I have no idea what kind of spell she cast on my grandmother and the others, but now the whole family listens to everything she says!"

After cursing Jiang Moli, she didn’t spare Jiang Qing either. "And you! Of all the people to seduce, you just had to go after Jiang Moli’s fiancé from her childhood engagement! If it weren’t for you, Jiang Moli would never have married my Third Uncle!"

Jiang Qing was so angry she could have spat blood, but she couldn’t refute the accusation.

More than being angry, she was worried that Lu Tingting would expose her past.

By relying on her persona as the "kind stepsister" who was forced to stand in for her "vicious stepsister" at the wedding, she had gained a lot of sympathy and goodwill in the family residential area.

If everyone found out that she was the one who had tried to steal the fiancé first, they would probably turn on her and call her shameless.

At this point, Jiang Qing didn’t know that Lu Tingting had been exiled here as a volunteer teacher precisely because she had taken the blame for spreading rumors on Jiang Qing’s behalf.

"Lu Tingting, our goals are aligned."

"I hate Jiang Moli just as much as you do. Even more than you, I don’t want her married to such an outstanding man as your Third Uncle."

"Someone like Jiang Moli doesn’t deserve to have a good life!"

These words struck a chord with Lu Tingting, and her opinion of Jiang Qing improved slightly.

Arriving at the dormitory, Jiang Qing gave her own breakfast to Lu Tingting and diligently helped her make the bed.

Befriending the daughter of a high-ranking official like Lu Tingting could only benefit her.

Lu Tingting had brought bedsheets and a mosquito net, but she was missing a quilt.

As Jiang Qing made the bed, she told Lu Tingting about going to town.

"There’s a vehicle that goes to town every morning at nine. See what else you’re missing, and we can buy it all at once..."

Just as she was speaking, Feng Meihua walked in.

Seeing Lu Tingting sitting and eating breakfast while Jiang Qing bustled about like a nanny, she thought to herself that Jiang Qing certainly knew how to play the game.

Feng Meihua was the acting principal of the new school.

She welcomed Lu Tingting and briefly explained the school’s situation to her.

The school building was already finished. It was right next to the family residential area, sharing a wall with it.

Classes would officially begin once the textbooks arrived.

Lu Tingting was assigned to teach Language Arts.

When she learned that Jiang Qing and Lu Tingting were going to town to buy daily necessities, Feng Meihua smiled and said, "I’ll go with you. I might as well go see what all the excitement is about."

"Is something big happening in town today?"

Seeing that Lu Tingting was also full of curiosity, Feng Meihua was surprised. "You don’t know yet? Camp Commander Lu has to make a public self-criticism in front of the whole town today!"