Chapter Twenty-One: Let Me Show You Dancing with Another Old Man
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Qiao Luo wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Qin Yanzhou probably didn’t eat at home much before. He’s a grown man, after all; it’s not as though he would deliberately grow vegetables…”
She imagined Qin Yanzhou planting vegetables and, for some inexplicable reason, found herself wanting to laugh.
She had originally thought she must have at least some talent for gardening. Perhaps she simply hadn’t reached the right age yet—she could not even dig a proper hole.
The two of them had just finished planting the vegetables when Qian Zhiyi returned.
At a glance, he spotted Zhou Mengni standing beside Qiao Luo. He froze, hesitated for a moment, and then called her name.
“Zhou Mengni.” His voice was deep and grave. “What are you doing at Commander Qin’s house?”
This was not Qiao Luo’s first time seeing Qian Zhiyi. Previously, however, he had merely nodded at her whenever they met and had rarely said anything.
Hearing the almost interrogative tone in his voice, Qiao Luo immediately felt annoyed and shot back, “I’d say there’s something wrong with Battalion Commander Qian’s eyes. Can’t you see that we’re planting vegetables?”
No wonder Zhou Mengni had said that she and Qian Zhiyi did not get along. With an attitude like that, how could they possibly have a good relationship?
Qian Zhiyi was actually a very dignified-looking man—the upright, masculine sort who radiated a strong sense of integrity. But his tone truly irritated Qiao Luo.
Qian Zhiyi pressed his lips together and explained in the same deep voice, “That isn’t what I meant.”
“Who knows what you meant?” Qiao Luo said irritably. “Only Mengni could put up with your temper! If Qin Yanzhou spoke to me in that tone, I’d pick a fight with him three times a day.”
Qian Zhiyi’s expression turned faintly unpleasant.
Zhou Mengni hurriedly tugged at Qiao Luo. “Luoluo, stop…”
She looked up at Qian Zhiyi, her voice awkward and hesitant. “Well, I’ll come back after I help Luoluo finish planting the vegetables.”
Qian Zhiyi’s lips moved slightly before he answered in a low voice, “It’s fine. I was only asking.”
He nodded at Qiao Luo once more, then turned and went inside.
Zhou Mengni looked at Qiao Luo, forcing a smile more painful to see than tears. “Luoluo…”
Qiao Luo quickly stepped forward and took her hand. “Mengni, I’m sorry about what I just said…”
She felt that she had acted too impulsively. Zhou Mengni’s relationship with her husband was already strained; after Qiao Luo had lashed out at him like that, things might only have become worse.
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Zhou Mengni merely pouted. “I think you were right… But Luoluo, you saw it too, didn’t you? This is how things are between Qian Zhiyi and me. He’s always been so cold toward me…”
She looked dejected. “So I often wonder: if he doesn’t like me, why did he marry me?”
Qiao Luo fell silent.
Although free love was being encouraged these days, men like Qian Zhiyi—who spent all their time in the military—still relied heavily on family-arranged blind dates and introductions from relatives or friends. He and Zhou Mengni were the sort of couple who had married simply because they seemed well matched in terms of circumstances. They had no real feelings for each other and were merely sharing a life together.
Those who got along might eventually fall in love after marriage. Those who did not could end up fighting at home every day.
Zhou Mengni quickly composed herself again. “Luoluo, I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Seeing her struggle to remain optimistic, Qiao Luo found Qian Zhiyi even more infuriating. “You and Battalion Commander Qian… He doesn’t hit you at home, does he?”
Zhou Mengni’s eyes widened at once. “N-No, it hasn’t come to that. We just don’t have much to say to each other normally.”
Qiao Luo let out a sigh of relief. “He seems to have such a bad temper. I was worried he might hit you!”
Zhou Mengni was at a loss between laughter and tears. “How should I put it? He may be cold, but that’s all he is—cold.”
Her voice grew even more despondent. “He’s actually wonderful in every way. He just doesn’t like my second aunt…”
Qiao Luo’s mouth twitched.
Zhou Mengni… surely she wasn’t one of those hopeless romantics who lost all sense where love was concerned?
After helping Qiao Luo finish planting the vegetables, Zhou Mengni prepared to leave.
Still worried, Qiao Luo caught hold of her. “If he ever tries to hit you, shout for me! I’ll come save you!”
This time Zhou Mengni truly could not hold back her laughter. “Luoluo, you’re simply adorable… Don’t worry. Qian Zhiyi really isn’t that kind of person.”
Zhou Mengni left with light, cheerful steps. Qiao Luo took the small hoe and began clearing the weeds in the courtyard, keeping her ears pricked for any sounds from next door. Only after hearing no crashes, curses, or shouting did she finally relax completely.
Even so, when Qin Yanzhou returned from work, Qiao Luo still complained to him about what had happened.
“That Qian Zhiyi is outrageous! He has such a terrible temper and treats his wife so badly. Why did he even get married?”
Qin Yanzhou’s expression turned rather strange. “You mean Qian Zhiyi, the commander of the Second Battalion—the one who lives next door?”
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“Who else?” Qiao Luo stared at Qin Yanzhou in surprise. “I’m warning you, if you ever act like him, I—I’ll—I’ll…”
Qin Yanzhou chuckled and took her hand. “What will you do? Refuse to let me eat at home? Refuse to let me sleep in bed? Or make me kneel on a washboard?”
Qiao Luo gave two emphatic snorts. “I’ll wait until you’re old, push you outside to have fun, and make you watch me ballroom dance with other old men. I’ll drive you crazy!”
Two question marks seemed to appear above Qin Yanzhou’s forehead. “You’ll ballroom dance with other old men?”
He gave her a grim little smile. “They would be charged with hooliganism.”
Qiao Luo silently rolled her eyes.
By the time they grew old, where would there still be such a crime?
Qin Yanzhou took her hand again and lightly kissed the back of it, his expression pleased. “Still, I’m happy that Luoluo is willing to grow old with me.”
Qiao Luo finally realized he had twisted her words around. “That’s not the point! We were talking about Qian Zhiyi!”
Her expression grew serious. “Aren’t you his superior? Give him a talking-to. How can he treat his own wife like that?”
Qin Yanzhou pondered for a moment. “All right. I’ll find a chance to speak with him tomorrow.”
Qin Yanzhou was a man of his word. The next day, after lunch, he summoned Qian Zhiyi to his office.
Qian Zhiyi was utterly baffled. He had no idea why Qin Yanzhou wanted to see him. But when he saw the already-cold commander wearing an even sterner expression, he instinctively became serious as well.
“Commander Qin, is there a mission you need me to carry out?”
Qin Yanzhou looked Qian Zhiyi up and down before finally speaking in an offhand manner. “Qian Zhiyi, how long have you been married?”
“Less than a year.” After answering seriously, Qian Zhiyi suddenly realized what this was about. A faint flush crept across his face. “Commander Qin, did Comrade Qiao Luo say something to you?”
Qin Yanzhou smiled faintly. “You’re quite clever.”
Qian Zhiyi’s face immediately turned bright red. After a long while, he stammered, “Comrade Qiao Luo seems to have… seems to have seriously misunderstood me…”
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