Chapter 57: He Is Concerned

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: He Is Concerned

"I don’t know." Su Wan shook her head and followed Su Jue into the kitchen. Her eyes immediately landed on the pot, where Su Jue’s specialty, braised pork ribs, was simmering.

They were also Su Wan’s favorite.

A warmth spread through her heart.

"Third Brother, thank you. I’m so happy."

The two siblings met each other’s gaze, a silent understanding passing between them before they both broke into a smile.

"If I’m not good to you, who else would I be good to?"

"But you..." Su Jue huffed proudly. "Not telling me about the pregnancy was one thing. But then you came to the military base all by yourself to deal with the Zheng Family. And people on the base were gossiping about you. Two huge things like that, yet you didn’t say a word. You just quietly handled it all on your own."

"I get it. Wanwan is all grown up now and doesn’t need her third brother anymore."

The more Su Jue spoke, the more dejected he felt.

"Third Brother, I actually do have something I need your help with." Su Wan had a knack for placating people and immediately gave Su Jue a task. "Aren’t we going to the Capital to study?"

"I’m pregnant now, so living in a dorm won’t be convenient. Lu Zhengchuan and I discussed it and decided to rent a place near the Capital School."

"I’ll have to rely on you to find a place. I’m not as well-connected as you, Third Brother. I’d never be able to find a place that’s both safe and affordable on my own." Su Wan wasn’t just flattering him; Su Jue was genuinely much better than her at building a network.

If it weren’t for her third brother, she wouldn’t have been able to read so many books when she was studying in the county, let alone learn car repair and pottery, read physics books, and get an early understanding of detectors.

"You’re not asking Lu Zhengchuan?" Su Jue deliberately raised an eyebrow. "He’s a battalion commander, an officer. Isn’t he going to help you?"

Su Wan hadn’t even considered asking Lu Zhengchuan for help, but she would never say that to Su Jue. She didn’t want her brother to worry.

Besides, Lu Zhengchuan had already given her a sizable portion of his allowance and was on a dangerous mission. She didn’t want him to get distracted by her affairs.

She couldn’t help but wonder, ’In my premonition, did Lu Zhengchuan really disappear because something happened to me? This time, has he overcome his fated calamity or not?’

Worried about this, and not wanting her child to grow up without a father, she naturally avoided asking Lu Zhengchuan for anything if she could help it.

"Third Brother, Lu Zhengchuan’s mission this time is a bit dangerous. I can’t tell you the specifics." Su Wan didn’t hide it from Su Jue, choosing her words carefully. "He gave me a lot of money. His savings and allowance are all with me."

Hearing this, Su Jue finally felt a little more at ease. "I see. Well, that’s fine then."

The reason Su Jue had agreed to let Lu Zhengchuan marry Wanwan in the first place was because he was capable and willing to hand over a portion of his allowance to her.

When they were discussing the marriage, he had demanded a monthly allowance of one hundred yuan. Only after Lu Zhengchuan agreed did he consent to the union.

Men understand other men best. Where a man’s money goes, his heart follows.

Compared to Lu Zhengchuan, he thought even less of other men.

So far, it seemed his brother-in-law’s character hadn’t changed. He was still a decent match.

"Alright then." An idea immediately formed in Su Jue’s mind. "I’ll go to the Capital ahead of you. I can check out the housing situation and the school. Once I have everything arranged, you can come over."

Su Jue decided to use this one-month opportunity to also bring some goods from the south to the Capital. He might even be able to make a profit.

The feeling of being surpassed by his younger sister gave him a sense of urgency.

’If I’m not strong, how can I protect my sister?’

"Third Brother, if you’ve decided, then I have something for you."

Su Wan turned and went into the house. From a tin biscuit box, she took out the undated train ticket.

"Third Brother, this is for you."

Su Jue wiped his hands on his apron and took the ticket, unable to hide the confusion in his eyes. "Where did this come from? This is too valuable. It seems like only leaders get these for business trips."

"It’s a reward from the military for a meritorious service I performed. This way, you won’t have to buy a train ticket, Third Brother. It’s so hard to get tickets nowadays."

Su Jue snorted softly. "How can I keep using your things, Wanwan?"

"If you took this ticket to trade, you could get a lot for it."

"Third Brother, you’re my family. I have my own ticket too. If I don’t give this to you, who else would I give it to?" Su Wan said with a broad smile.

Coaxed like this, the corners of Su Jue’s mouth couldn’t help but turn up.

"Alright, fine. I’ll take the ticket. It’s great having a little sister."

Zhang Yun watched the siblings’ exchange from the side, her eyes filled with envy. She also wanted a free train ticket. She also wanted a brother who would give her money and cook for her.

She wished she had a brother who would step up and help her when she needed it.

To be her pillar of support.

Her brother... The thought of Lu Zhengchuan made Zhang Yun look up at the sky, her eyes stinging even more. ’It’s like my cousin’s heart has been completely stolen by Su Wan...’

The very Su Wan on Zhang Yun’s mind was also, at that moment, on Lu Zhengchuan’s mind.

He sat on a hillside in his sweat-soaked military uniform, holding an aluminum mess tin. Inside was a simple meal of various vegetables and a small amount of minced meat.

He finished the food in a few mouthfuls, then got up to wash the tin in a nearby stream.

After cleaning the mess tin, Lu Zhengchuan sat back down, pulled a pocket watch from his inner pocket, and unfastened the clasp. Inside was a marriage certificate photo with a red background.

He Rong saw the smile on his face and found it a rare sight. He plopped down next to him and peered over curiously.

Seeing what was inside, He Rong clicked his tongue.

"Thinking about your wife again?" He Rong asked teasingly.

The corners of Lu Zhengchuan’s mouth lifted. "Are you jealous?"

"Jealous? I admit, Comrade Su Wan is quite something, but I’m not jealous. It’s impossible for me to ever like anyone in this life." He Rong sat beside him with a commanding presence, his words dripping with scorn for so-called ’love’.

Lu Zhengchuan ignored him. "You don’t get it. You’ll understand when you meet the person you can’t stop worrying about."

"Worrying about? We live day by day, people who could be sacrificed at any moment. What’s the use of love? I’d rather have the thrill of firing a few rounds."

The smile on Lu Zhengchuan’s face faded. He pursed his lips. "Maybe after this mission, I won’t be coming back."

"Old Lu?" Hearing this, He Rong shot up to his feet, frowning as he stared at him.

"How can you forget our aspirations for your own personal affairs? You should know that only with more military achievements is there a chance of being transferred to the Capital."

"Are you not going to consider your career anymore?"

Lu Zhengchuan nodded, his gaze firm. "I know my goals, but I’m not a lone wolf anymore. You’re right. I have to think about my wife and child."

"If something happened to me, it would be so hard for Su Wan to raise a child by herself."

He Rong didn’t want to understand. "Old Lu, I’m telling you, I can’t wrap my head around it. In my eyes, even a wife is an outsider. I’ve seen too many comrades like you who choose a different path."

"Leaving the army for the sake of family, just to be with them."

"They get their stable lives, but they lose that fire they had in the military. Their futures become completely predictable."

"Sometimes, when they’ve had too much to drink, you can see the regret. But is it too late to regret then? Yes, it is. Old Lu, I don’t want you to have regrets later on."