Chapter 30: Admiring Her

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Admiring Her

Su Wan was speechless for a moment. She finally understood just how much Aunt Zhang valued having a boy.

But Aunt Zhang’s attitude didn’t matter. Su Wan only cared that this was her child, not about its gender. Since she had decided to give birth to the baby in her belly, she would protect her.

Even if Lu Zhengchuan also favored boys over girls, she could just take the child and leave.

Having thought this through, Su Wan no longer paid any mind to Aunt Zhang’s change in attitude.

"Auntie, I’ll contact you if I have any news about Xiao Yun. You and Uncle shouldn’t worry back in the village."

Su Wan’s comforting words were perfectly chosen.

Aunt Zhang was touched and, in turn, tried to comfort her. "Don’t you worry about that wretched girl. Let Zheng Chuan handle it. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing right now."

"Okay."

After Aunt Zhang hung up, Su Wan paid for the call and prepared to head back.

She had only taken two steps when a young woman she didn’t know stopped her.

"Comrade, can I help you?" Su Wan asked, looking at her.

Zhang Cui gave her an awkward smile and took the initiative to introduce herself. "Hello, Ma’am. My name is Zhang Cui. My aunt is Battalion Commander Liu’s mother."

’Aunt Liu’s niece?’

’The very person from the mailroom who was supposedly responsible for spreading those nasty rumors about me?’

"Hello, Comrade Zhang Cui. Is there something I can help you with?"

Zhang Cui awkwardly pressed two large, bright red apples into her hands and stammered out an explanation. "Ma’am, uh, please take these apples to eat. It was my fault for spreading gossip before. You... Please don’t be angry."

Su Wan hadn’t expected her to come and apologize on her own initiative. Just for that courage and positive attitude, she found herself having a good impression of Zhang Cui.

’She has a big mouth,’ she thought, ’but she’s not a bad person.’

"It’s okay." Su Wan smiled gently and held up the apples. "The fact that you came to apologize on your own shows that you’re a good person. I’ll accept these two apples. Thank you. They’re so red, they must be very sweet."

The unspoken message was that she had forgiven her.

Zhang Cui’s chest swelled, and her cheeks flushed hot and red. Staring at Su Wan’s fair, pretty profile, she couldn’t help but think that she was as kind as she was beautiful.

’How could there be someone so sincere, so beautiful, and with such a good personality?’

’I was clearly the one in the wrong, but the way she forgave me showed such high emotional intelligence.’

"Uh, you’re welcome," Zhang Cui stammered.

Su Wan smiled at her. "I’ll be heading back now, then."

"Okay!" Zhang Cui subconsciously straightened up, her hand stopping halfway through a military salute.

Meeting Su Wan’s confused gaze, she flashed a brilliant smile and instinctively hid her hand behind her back. She had almost treated Su Wan like a kind and approachable superior officer.

’I found myself wanting to look up to her without even realizing it.’

"Ma’am, you should get back. I’ll come find you after I get off work later."

Su Wan assumed she was just being polite, so she nodded and left the mailroom.

As Xiao Li escorted her home, many of the family members in the compound greeted her.

Thankfully, it was already getting dark. Once she was inside her home, she could escape the gossiping eyes. She knew the matter with Zheng Zhizhi would be the talk of the compound for some time, and while she didn’t let it bother her, she also didn’t want to be constantly pulled aside and asked about it.

So, just as Xiao Li was about to leave, she called out to him.

She whispered a few words in his ear.

Lu Zhengchuan returned home just in time to see this.

His eyes fixed on the distance between them, and his lips instantly pressed into a thin line.

"I’m home." His voice was louder than he himself realized.

Su Wan looked up, glanced at him with a placid expression, and continued giving her instructions to Xiao Li.

After listening, Xiao Li said, "Don’t worry, Ma’am. I’ll take care of what you asked."

"Battalion Commander." Xiao Li turned and saluted Lu Zhengchuan.

Watching them talk as if no one else was around, Lu Zhengchuan found himself striding forward. He looked at Xiao Li with knitted brows. "What were you two talking about?"

Xiao Li suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

’I was just feeling hot a moment ago,’ he thought. ’This summer hasn’t been cool at all. What’s going on?’

’How come the Battalion Commander seems to generate his own cold air just by walking over?’

Xiao Li couldn’t figure it out. He scratched his head honestly and said, "Battalion Commander, Ma’am asked me to proactively explain the situation with Comrade Zheng Zhizhi to everyone in the compound. She’s pregnant and low on energy, and she doesn’t want to deal with all the curious and gossipy family members."

"Don’t worry, Battalion Commander, I’ll be sure to handle it well," Xiao Li promised, patting his chest.

Lu Zhengchuan snorted. "And you needed her to tell you to take care of a small thing like that?"

Xiao Li gave an honest smile. "You’re right to scold me, Battalion Commander."

Seeing that Xiao Li hadn’t understood his hint at all, Lu Zhengchuan felt an inexplicable frustration.

"Alright, get going." Lu Zhengchuan dismissed Xiao Li with a stern face.

"Yes, sir!" Though he didn’t understand what was happening, Xiao Li felt the intensity, saluted, and finally left.

Lu Zhengchuan’s tightly pressed lips relaxed a little. Once Xiao Li was gone, he held up a meal box. "I brought back dinner. They’re serving pickled cabbage and radishes tonight. They’re very appetizing. Want to try some?"

"Mm, let’s have dinner."

Su Wan turned and followed him into the main room.

Lu Zhengchuan opened the meal box and set out the chopsticks. Su Wan took them and began to eat slowly.

The pickled radishes were indeed very appetizing, and she ate a little more than usual. Lu Zhengchuan took note of her preference.

"Auntie called just now," Su Wan said halfway through her meal. Once the edge was off her hunger, she lifted her eyes to look at him.

Hearing this, Lu Zhengchuan frowned. "What did Auntie say?"

"She asked me to help Xiao Yun." Su Wan hadn’t even finished her sentence.

Lu Zhengchuan immediately shot her down with a serious expression. "No. Zhang Yun must be taught a lesson this time. It was one thing when I didn’t know you were pregnant, but now, the thought of you traveling so far and going through so much hardship for this, all while pregnant... I can’t even imagine what might have happened to you on the road."

"If she doesn’t learn her lesson this time, what if she does it again and drags you into it?"

"Don’t you worry about Auntie. I’ll talk to her myself." The anger on Lu Zhengchuan’s face was hard to conceal.

The worry in his eyes was obvious.

Su Wan’s heart beat a little faster, and the corners of her lips tilted up slightly. No one disliked being cared for.

"I wasn’t finished speaking. What’s your hurry?" Su Wan said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Go on." Lu Zhengchuan was taken aback for a moment, then immediately fell silent, waiting for her to speak.

A faint smile appeared on Su Wan’s face. "At first, Auntie did want me to help, but after she found out I was pregnant, she also said that Xiao Yun needed to be taught a good lesson."

"She told me not to get involved." At this, Su Wan delicately touched her belly. "I am pregnant and low on energy, so I might not be able to pay full attention to Xiao Yun’s situation. I’ll be relieved to leave her matter in your hands."

Lu Zhengchuan said instinctively, "Zhang Yun is my cousin, so it should have been my responsibility to handle it from the start."

"Don’t worry. I won’t let you be disadvantaged. After all, you’re my wife."

This declaration from Lu Zhengchuan was exactly what Su Wan wanted to hear. The corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably, and she looked at him with a smile.