RMM – Chapter 23 The Night Before Parting

Tomorrow, Xi Yuechen would be returning to his unit, and this time, he had no idea when he’d be back again.

For the first time in his life, he felt an unexplainable uneasiness about it. Especially when he saw Su Ruo completely absorbed in watching TV, oblivious to everything else—it made him feel even more stifled.

Seeing how unconcerned Su Ruo seemed about his departure only worsened his mood.

But was Su Ruo truly indifferent? Not exactly. The truth was, she had no idea that he was leaving tomorrow. Well, she knew he would leave at some point, but she had never bothered to ask for the exact date.

Fine, she wasn’t paying attention, and Xi Yuechen had every right to feel irritated.

Su Ruo turned to glance at Xi Yuechen, who had settled beside her. She found it odd—since when did he take an interest in entertainment programs?

“Commander, I didn’t know you liked these kinds of shows.” After watching for a while and noticing that Xi Yuechen showed no signs of leaving, she finally spoke up.

Seeing Su Ruo’s “I just realized something” expression, Xi Yuechen suddenly felt a stomachache coming on…

“I’m leaving for the unit tomorrow,” he finally said, unable to hold it in any longer. His voice was laced with unnatural hesitation.

Returning to the unit? That soon? Su Ruo was momentarily stunned.

Noticing her shift in focus from the TV back to him, Xi Yuechen’s mood strangely improved a little.

“So… this time, you’re going back for a military exercise, right? Is it… dangerous?” Su Ruo asked, lowering her gaze.

“It’s nothing, I participate in them all the time.” Xi Yuechen leaned back slightly on the sofa, his voice light.

For some reason, Su Ruo thought his voice carried a trace of melancholy, wrapping itself around her heart like a mist.

After a moment of silence, she finally said, “Then… let’s go back to the family compound today and inform Mom and Dad.”

Ever since she found out about Xi Yuechen’s departure, Su Ruo had been distracted. Gone was her initial eagerness.

She watched as Xi Yuechen and his father went upstairs together, feeling somewhat melancholic. But when she turned her head, she was startled—someone, please tell her why her mother-in-law was looking at her with such a glowing, gossip-filled expression?!

“Ruo Ruo, I heard that you and Yuechen… uh… consummated your marriage?”

Cough! Where did this rumor come from?!

She didn’t even have to think—of course, it was spread by her own empress dowager of a mother. Su Ruo gritted her teeth internally. But still…

“Ahem, yes…” And not just once.

“That’s great! I knew you were a good daughter-in-law. Yuechen didn’t make you suffer, did he? He has a terrible temper, but don’t mind him. You’ll get used to it over time. If anything happens, just tell me.”

Was she used to it? Sure. But what was she supposed to complain about? That her husband sometimes had too much stamina and left her exhausted?

As she listened to her mother-in-law’s words, Su Ruo’s thoughts took a completely inappropriate turn. Then, realizing how shameless her own mind had become, she felt a little defeated.

“No, Mom, the commander is actually quite good to me.” No matter what she thought, she still had to say something nice out loud.

“Yuechen’s personality has always been like that, but he’s reliable, isn’t he? By the way, when do you two plan to have a baby? I have nothing much to do at home, so if you have one soon, I can help take care of the child. I promise I won’t let them disturb you two.”

What did it mean to be speechless to the point of heartbreak? What did it mean to want to cry but being unable to? Su Ruo felt like she had just reached her limit.

How was she supposed to respond to this? Refuse? Of course, she wanted to refuse! But how?! Her mother-in-law wasn’t her own mom—she couldn’t just speak however she wanted.

“Uh, this… Oh! Yuehui, you’re here? Where have you been? I’ve been here for a while, but I didn’t see you.”

For the first time, Su Ruo thought Xi Yuehui’s presence was practically divine, and she latched onto him like a lifeline.

“You know your brother is going back to the unit tomorrow, right?”

Xi Yuehui looked at Su Ruo in confusion. What was up with her today? Why was she acting so warm all of a sudden? Did she take the wrong medicine?

“You little rascal, where have you been all morning? You didn’t even know your brother was leaving tomorrow? What kind of brother are you?”

Seeing that she had successfully shifted her mother-in-law’s attention away, Su Ruo breathed a sigh of relief. A child? That was still a long way off!

Xi Yuehui was utterly baffled as to why he was suddenly caught in the crossfire. It wasn’t like this was the first time his brother was returning to the unit, and it wasn’t like he wasn’t coming back. What was the big deal?

“I went to find Lu Yue for something. My brother is with my dad in the study, right? I’ll go up and see them.” Now was the perfect time to escape.

Watching Xi Yuehui hurry up the stairs, Su Ruo quickly turned to Shen Liang. “Mom, it’s almost noon. Let’s prepare lunch, or they’ll be hungry when they come out.”

Finally, she had completely diverted her mother-in-law’s focus. Su Ruo sighed in relief. What she didn’t know was that Shen Liang had only let it slide on purpose. After all, someone as sharp as Shen Liang, who had spent years navigating the political world, wouldn’t be so easily distracted.

“This military exercise is being taken very seriously at the top. It’s also a great opportunity for you, so make sure you grasp it well.”

Xi Jian’an spoke sternly to his eldest son, who sat upright before him.

He had only two sons, and raising them had been easy enough. From a young age, he had paid particular attention to their development. Unlike his younger brother, Xi Yuechen had always been calm and composed, never giving them any trouble, and he had strong opinions of his own. Even joining the army had been his own decision. Originally, they had planned for him to go into politics, since the family’s main influence lay there. But they hadn’t stopped him either—after all, their family had never been afraid to carve out a path.

And Xi Yuechen had indeed proven himself. Since entering the military, he had excelled in every field, moving from the recruit training camp to the reconnaissance unit, then to the armored division, and even the special forces. Eventually, he transitioned back, accumulating numerous merits along the way and rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. But his success didn’t come without hardship, and as parents, how could they not be aware of it?

This military exercise was yet another opportunity.

“Old Su mentioned that the higher-ups think highly of you and are considering grooming you further through this exercise. This is your chance to make a name for yourself—seize it.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

Xi Yuechen wasn’t particularly obsessed with promotions. He had joined the army because he loved it, and he always gave his all to finish what he started. He also understood that his current status was partly due to the Su family’s military influence, but that didn’t bother him. After all, his achievements weren’t handed to him through favoritism.

“Good. But don’t just focus on the military—pay attention to Xiao Ruo too. You’re married now, so act like it. Don’t let your relationship grow distant. Once this military exercise is over, consider having her join you at the base—of course, that depends on her willingness too.”

For the first time, Xi Yuechen’s face showed a change in expression. Having her join him at the base? He lowered his gaze, deep in thought.

Xi Jian’an naturally noticed his reaction and smiled knowingly, but he said nothing more.