An Accidental Military Marriage

Lu Cheng was still processing the food stall lady’s "Keep an eye on your daughter," when he heard his wife give the woman a thumbs-up.

"Ma’am, you have a sharp eye."

With that, she gave Lu Cheng a sly wink. "Dad, won’t you buy me some pineapple rice?"

An enthusiastic bystander chimed in, "It’s not every day you come to the city! You should buy a portion for your daughter to try. Their pineapple rice is the best in town!"

"Look how much your daughter is craving it. Just buy it for her, it doesn’t cost much."

With everyone calling her his daughter, it was clear he wouldn’t be able to get out of this without playing the part of her "dad" for the day.

After buying the pineapple rice, they started walking back. Lu Cheng watched Jiang Moli eating as she walked and couldn’t help but huff.

"Do I really look that old? They actually thought I was your dad."

Jiang Moli touched her cheek. "Or could it be that I just look young?"

"Mm, you do look quite young."

It was obvious he wasn’t just talking about her age. Jiang Moli wasn’t pleased. "You think I’m ’small,’ do you? I don’t see you complaining when you’ve got your mouth on me."

The tips of Lu Cheng’s ears flushed red. He glanced around, and only when he saw that no one was paying attention did he compose himself. He didn’t dare bring up the topic again.

"Is the rice good?"

Jiang Moli scooped up a spoonful with the bamboo spoon and fed it to him.

"Well?"

"Not bad."

Lu Cheng told her to wait there, then went back and bought five more portions to treat the comrades who had come with them.

Jiang Moli was the one who brought Qiao Wenjing her portion.

Lu Cheng was just being nice, but Jiang Moli worried Qiao Wenjing would read too much into it and start showing off like a peacock.

"The pineapple rice costs three liang in meal tickets. Or, how about you go back and make me that ham and mushroom stew? I’m really craving it."

Furious, Qiao Wenjing yanked out the meal tickets and threw them at her.

Jiang Moli collected them with a delighted grin.

...

After selling the mushrooms, they stopped by the market to purchase daily necessities for the troops. Then, they headed to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic they often worked with. There, they traded some of their medicinal herbs for various remedies, including forsythia detoxification pills, notoginseng trauma tablets, hemostatic herbal powder, and heatstroke prevention packets.

The military required a large quantity of medicine, so the herbs they traded weren’t nearly enough. They had to pay for the rest.

While Qiao Wenjing was negotiating the quantity and price of the medicine with the clinic owner, Jiang Moli asked Lu Cheng about the rest of their schedule.

"Are we heading back right after we’re done buying the medicine?"

Lu Cheng said, "Not so fast. After we’re done here, we still have to go to the liaison office to pick up more medicine and supplies. For lunch, do you want to eat there or go out?"

Jiang Moli thought for a moment. "Let’s eat out. We can also pick up some local specialties. We can’t come all this way for nothing."

Lu Cheng ruffled her hair. "It’s not like this is our last chance to visit. Whenever you want to come, I’ll bring you."

Jiang Moli simply smiled without a word, turning to look at the various herbs in the glass display case.

When they got to the liaison office, Jiang Moli used the phone to call the machinery factory.

"Moli, is that really you? Where are you right now?"

Hearing the familiar, joyful voice on the other end, Jiang Moli couldn’t help but smile. "Dad, so excited to hear from me. You miss me, don’t you?"

"Like hell I miss you. Do you know how peaceful it is when you’re not around?"

When Jiang Dahai learned that Jiang Moli was in the city on business with Lu Cheng and using an official phone, he didn’t dare chat for long. He offered a few words of caution and then hung up.

Next, Jiang Moli called the Lu Family.

An Hui happened to be the one who answered. When she heard Jiang Moli’s clear, sweet voice, she couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

"Mom, I’m going to buy some local specialties and mail them to you and Dad. Don’t forget to pick them up, okay?"

An Hui said she didn’t have to, but her heart felt warm.

At her age, she cared less about her children’s accomplishments and success, and more about being remembered and cared for.

"When are you coming back? I’ll have Xiao Guang pick you up at the station."

"Mom, I know you miss me dearly, but please, try to bear it a little longer. I’ll do my best to come back and see you soon..."

Lu Cheng, who was standing right beside her, heard this and reached over to take the phone.

"Mom, you take care of yourself. There are people waiting to use the phone here, so we’ll talk next time."

With that, he hung up.

Jiang Moli stared at him. "Hey, I wasn’t finished!"

"Whatever you wanted to say, just tell me. I’ll pass it along for you next time."

Lu Cheng wrapped an arm around her and steered her outside, lest An Hui call back.

’Every single one of them has ill intentions, trying to separate me from my wife. Honestly.’

...

One batch of the medicine included penicillin and serum, both of which required cold storage. Since the daytime temperature was too high, their return trip was scheduled for the evening.

Since it was a rare trip into the city, Lu Cheng gave the soldiers from the motor transport company, and Qiao Wenjing, a half-day leave.

The three soldiers from the motor transport company went out happily.

Qiao Wenjing, however, insisted on tagging along with Jiang Moli and Lu Cheng, using the excuse that it was unsafe for a female comrade to be out alone.

The three of them went to the tea market first.

Xili City had a long and rich history of tea culture. There were dozens of varieties of tea alone, each with different vintages and grades. Jiang Moli was dazzled by the selection.

In the end, she chose Pu’er, white tea, and Menghai Tea.

After buying the tea, they went on to buy dried fruit, Dai brocade, and Dai medicine.

After a full round of shopping, she had spent five or six hundred yuan.

Even Qiao Wenjing, who came from a well-off family, was left dumbfounded by the way Jiang Moli spent money like water.

At the same time, she silently confirmed what Jiang Qing had said.

’Jiang Moli is just a vain gold digger who only married Lu Cheng for his money.’

Seeing Lu Cheng trailing behind Jiang Moli like a servant, laden with bags of all sizes and not saying a word about her unrestrained spending, made Qiao Wenjing’s heart ache for him.

’Even if he didn’t choose an outstanding and ambitious young woman like herself, he should at least find a woman who truly loves him, understands him, and cares for him. If it were her, she would never be able to bring herself to spend the money he earned with his blood and sweat.’

...

Jiang Moli divided all the local specialties she had bought into two shares, one to be mailed to the Lu Family and the other to the Jiang family.

As they came out of the post office, they saw a vendor selling jackfruit.

Jiang Moli was quite fond of jackfruit. "Let’s buy one," she said to Lu Cheng.

"Alright."

Lu Cheng agreed without hesitation, but Qiao Wenjing could no longer hold back.

"Jiang Moli, you’ve already spent so much money today! Isn’t it enough? Every single cent you’re spending was earned by Camp Commander Lu through his blood and sweat! You’ve spent half a year of his allowance without even blinking! Doesn’t your conscience bother you at all? Have you shown even an ounce of consideration for how hard he works?"

Jiang Moli laughed. "Look at you. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was spending your money. It’s my husband’s money. If I don’t spend it, what am I supposed to do? Leave it for you to spend?"

Knowing she couldn’t win an argument with her, Qiao Wenjing turned to Lu Cheng.

"Camp Commander Lu, I know I shouldn’t meddle in your family affairs, but I really can’t stand by and watch this any longer."

Lu Cheng replied, "Doctor Qiao, if you know you shouldn’t meddle, then don’t. If you can’t stand to watch, you can close your eyes."

Qiao Wenjing clearly couldn’t accept that her kind intentions were being so utterly disregarded.

Her eyes red with anger, she pointed at Jiang Moli. "This woman only wants you for your money! She was already engaged, but she seduced you! She even made Jiang Qing marry in her place just so she could marry you! She’s a vicious, selfish person! What could you possibly see in a woman like her?"

Lu Cheng’s face darkened. "Doctor Qiao, Moli and I were joined in a proper, arranged marriage, with the full consent of our parents. These claims of seduction and substitute brides are absolute nonsense!"

Qiao Wenjing said angrily, "You don’t have to defend Jiang Moli to me! Jiang Qing told me this herself! Would Jiang Qing lie to me about something like this?"