B5SB -Chapter 96 Zhao Ju’s Family’s Opinion

The next morning, Gu Yihan had finally gotten some rest and hoped to sleep in naturally, but she was woken by Aunt Chen’s wailing.

Gu Yihan covered her ears with her hands, trying to fall back into deep sleep as quickly as possible.

“Zhou Hua, are you stupid? Ah! How could you let yourself be bullied like this?”

“How dare you marry a countryside bumpkin and even have a child?”

Despite her efforts, Gu Yihan was still startled by Aunt Chen’s desperate cries.

She casually put on a blue dress and quickly opened the door to the small courtyard.

Many military wives had gathered around to watch, whispering among themselves with their heads down.

Gu Yihan’s eyes landed on Aunt Chen at the doorway.

There stood a woman who looked in her twenties, with a dark complexion. She held a boy of about two in her arms, who curled up tightly around her neck.

Tears filled Zhou Hua’s eyes as she looked at Aunt Chen. “Mother, life in the countryside is too harsh. Every day is endless farm work, and there isn’t enough food.”

She held the child with one arm and extended her other hand to show Aunt Chen, her fingers thick, swollen, and red.

“In winter, my hands and feet get frostbite, unbearably itchy.”

“When I can’t stand it, I scratch them, and then they start to fester.”

Aunt Chen shook as she took Zhou Hua’s hand, biting her lip, sobbing, “My poor daughter… how much suffering you’ve endured.”

Commander Zhou stood in the courtyard, looking at the mother and daughter at the doorway, and shouted sharply, “Why are you crying? Didn’t she choose this herself?”

He glared at Aunt Chen and said, “Hurry inside! Aren’t you ashamed enough already?”

Inside, Zhou Lian and Zhou Yaozu, sensing Commander Zhou’s anger, immediately ran to the door, pulling Aunt Chen and Zhou Hua back inside and closing it.

Deputy Battalion Commander Wang’s mother stood at Gu Yihan’s door and whispered, “Poor thing… these city children really can’t stand the hardships of the countryside.”

Gu Yihan had never met Aunt Chen’s eldest daughter, Zhou Hua, and she wondered—this was 1970. If Zhou Hua had gone down to the countryside in 1968, the child shouldn’t be this old yet.

Curious, she asked Deputy Battalion Commander Wang’s mother, “How could Aunt Chen bear to let her daughter go to the countryside?”

Once the onlookers had dispersed, Deputy Battalion Commander Wang’s mother leaned close and whispered, “Zhou Hua volunteered to go to the countryside in 1966.”

“What? It wasn’t forced?” Gu Yihan asked in surprise.

The woman shook her head with a sigh. “Commander Zhou and his wife aren’t cruel—they care about their children. How could they let their daughter go down voluntarily?”

“It was that foolish girl, Zhou Hua. She’d rather believe strangers than her own parents.”

“She thought the countryside was a vast land of opportunity, that she could achieve great things there.”

“If it were really so great, why would people have to fight to get jobs in the city?”

Thinking of Zhou Hua’s condition just now, Gu Yihan sighed, “Certainly not a land of great opportunity.”

The woman chuckled and said warmly, “We’re neighbors—come by for a visit when you’re free.”

Thinking of Lan Cao, Gu Yihan gave an awkward smile and said half-heartedly, “I’ll come when I have time.”

After a brief exchange, they each returned to their own courtyards.

After breakfast, Gu Yihan stood in the yard calling out for Maomao several times. Finding him not home, she locked the small courtyard and left.

At the residential building, Wen Juan was sitting outside her home, chatting with another military wife, when she saw Gu Yihan approaching.

“Colonel Lu’s wife, are you here to see Zhao Ju?” Wen Juan asked with a smile.

Gu Yihan knew Wen Juan, and she smiled lightly, nodding.

She walked to Zhao Ju’s door and knocked.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Shi Jianguo opened the door, and seeing Gu Yihan, warmly invited her inside to sit on a stool.

Pouring her a glass of water, he said, “Sister-in-law, these past few days I’ve been busy taking care of Zhao Ju and didn’t have time to properly thank you.”

Seeing the bedroom door closed and Zhao Ju not visible, Gu Yihan replied casually, “Zhao Ju’s health is what matters.”

Shi Jianguo, knowing she had come to see Zhao Ju, said, “Let me see if Zhao Ju is awake.”

Without waiting for her answer, he walked to Zhao Ju’s bedroom, opened the door slightly, and whispered, “Wife, are you awake?”

Zhao Ju looked at him with little expression, saying nothing.

Shi Jianguo’s gaze darkened, but he forced a smile at her. “Colonel Lu’s wife is here; I asked her to come and speak with you.”

Zhao Ju’s eyes brightened slightly, then she lowered them. “I understand.”

Seeing Gu Yihan, tears filled her eyes. With a choked voice, she called, “Xiao Han.”

Gu Yihan walked to her bedside, pulled a nearby stool close, sat down, and held her hand. “What are you thinking right now?”

Hearing this, Zhao Ju’s tears poured out.

“My family won’t let me divorce… they say it’s shameful,” she said between sobs.

“My mother also said, now that Shi Jianguo’s mother is gone, I should live properly with him.”

Clutching Gu Yihan’s hand tightly, her voice trembling uncontrollably, she said, “But, Xiao Han… I hate her. My child was kicking inside me every day.”

“Just a few more days, and my son could have been here with me.”

“It’s Shi Jianguo’s mother who caused me to lose my child. Every time I see Shi Jianguo, I can’t help blaming him. I just can’t get over it.”

Gu Yihan knew that divorces were difficult in this era, especially military marriages. Divorce could affect Shi Jianguo’s promotion as well.

She opened her mouth but couldn’t find words to either ease Zhao Ju’s heart or persuade her to divorce.

Sighing, she softly said, “Juju, you’re still in confinement after giving birth. You shouldn’t cry too much.”

“Everything else is temporary. Your body belongs to you. Only when you recover can you have a better future.”

After crying a bit more, Zhao Ju, exhausted from both her injury and tears, finally calmed down. Seeing this, Gu Yihan quickly stood to leave.

As she opened the door, she saw Shi Jianguo at the bedroom doorway, his eyes slightly red, looking at her as if he wanted to speak but held back.

He walked Gu Yihan to the door and suddenly said, “Sister-in-law, could you spare some time to chat with Zhao Ju?”

Gu Yihan nodded softly. “Yes, I can.”

Overjoyed at her agreement, Shi Jianguo repeatedly thanked her.

Seeing Gu Yihan leave Zhao Ju’s home, Wen Juan whispered, “Colonel Lu’s wife, come here for a moment.”

Puzzled, Gu Yihan walked over, but before she could react, Wen Juan pulled her aside and asked quietly, “Did you persuade Zhao Ju not to divorce?”

Gu Yihan looked at Wen Juan with questioning eyes, wondering how they knew.

Another military wife spoke up, “The walls in this building aren’t soundproof. You can hear everything that happens in other homes.”

Wen Juan looked at Gu Yihan and sighed, “Yes! Being a military wife isn’t easy. You should have expected this when you got married.”

“Marrying a soldier means knowing you’ll often care for the child alone, manage the household, and be apart from Shi Jianguo for long stretches.”

Not wanting to discuss Zhao Ju further, Gu Yihan replied dismissively, “I still have things to attend to. You two carry on.”

With that, she turned and walked straight toward the stairs.

The military wife with Wen Juan suddenly remembered something. She slapped her thigh and exclaimed, “I know why this Colonel Lu’s wife looks familiar! Isn’t she the one who was walking with Lin Yifei last time?”

“What did you say?” Qiao Shuhui’s sharp voice rang out across the stairwell.