The day of rebirth and elopement: caught by the military officer husband

The night markets in the 1980s were not as dazzling as those in modern cities, but they had an atmosphere of simplicity and warmth.

The cries of the small vendors one after another sounded particularly friendly under the dim street lights.

The two of them strolled through every stall like newlyweds, from skewers of incense to small pottery items to hand-woven products...

Lin Xiaoxue couldn't help but buy some snacks.

She looked at her bountiful harvest with satisfaction: her hands full of popcorn, red bean cakes and a few kebabs of lamb.

When they passed by Yang Zhengping's noodle stall which was about to close, they saw Lu Jingting walking forward without hesitation and helping to move the tables and chairs.

"Battalion Commander, why haven't you left yet?" Yang Zhengping asked in surprise.

"I want to visit your place." Lu Jingting replied.

Lin Xiaoxue quietly observed the modified handcart, which was simple and practical.

The tables and chairs were neatly stacked on the car, with two stoves hanging on both sides.

All the things can be put down, but it must be difficult for the couple to push such a big cart on a daily basis.

Fortunately, with Lu Jingting's help, this time it became much easier.

The group walked through the night market and turned into a dim alley.

This place is far away from the hustle and bustle, with only sparse street lights emitting faint light.

On both sides of the alley are old and low houses with mottled walls, as if telling the stories left by time.

Just as they arrived at the door of Yang Zhengping's house and stopped the cart, a small local dog suddenly ran over happily.

Its fur is yellow and white, its ears droop limply, and its tail keeps shaking like a wind chime.

When Xiao Huang saw his owner, he immediately circled around Yang Zhengping and showed the same intimate attitude towards Lu Jingting, rubbing the edge of his trouser leg with his wet nose.

"Xiao Huang!" Yang Zhengping called softly.

The little dog became even more excited after hearing the name, and chose a position between the military boots and cloth shoes, wagging its tail for caress.

Lu Jingting leaned over with a smile on his face, picked up the little dog and weighed it in his hand.

"I've gained a lot of weight," he sighed. "I'm growing so fast."

Xiao Huang stuck out her pink tongue and gently licked Lu Jingting's strong and powerful hands to show her friendliness.

At this moment, Yang Zhengping's wife ran into the house and immediately turned on the indoor lights.

"Battalion Commander, sister-in-law, please come in and sit for a while! It's windy outside." She invited gently.

Lin Xiaoxue walked into this simple yet clean and tidy courtyard and looked around.

Although the courtyard wall was old, it was swept very clean.

A wooden trellis was covered with lush pea seedlings, and some chopped firewood was piled in the corner...

A warm feeling welled up in her heart.

After walking in, the space inside the house didn’t seem very big, but there were two rooms and a kitchen, so the layout was very reasonable.

Soon after, Yang Zhengping's wife brought out boiling hot brown sugar water with a sweet aroma.

"Drink something to warm yourself up." She said with concern, "It's still a little cold at night."

Lin Xiaoxue held the cup and took a sip of the brown sugar water, feeling the warmth from her throat to her stomach.

She smiled and said to Yang Zhengping's daughter-in-law, "You are so thoughtful."

Hearing the praise, her wife blushed but said nothing.

However, Yang Zhengping showed a proud smile on his face and began to talk endlessly about the good qualities of his wife.

"I'm a rough person and often can't take care of my family. But with her around, I feel at ease. I remember the time when I was injured after a mission with the battalion commander..." He looked at the busy woman beside him with tender eyes.

Lu Jingting took over the conversation: "You were seriously injured that time, and we were all worried that you wouldn't make it."

He recalled the details of the thrilling mission that year in a solemn voice, "The enemy had strong firepower and ambushed us in the valley. We were almost trapped..."

The two of them seemed to be back on the battlefield and started to communicate excitedly.

Time passed quietly as the two of them delved into the topic.

It was already late at night. Yang Zhengping noticed the dark sky outside and suggested, "How about you guys not leave tonight, Captain? If you don't mind a simple stay, why don't you stay here for a night?"

Lu Jingting nodded in agreement: "That's exactly what I meant."

Yang Zhengping's daughter-in-law was obviously very happy to have guests staying overnight.

"Captain, it's great that you can stay and chat with Zhengping." She said as she picked up the clean and tidy quilt and sheets and began to make the bed. "What you two say is always more effective than my encouragement to him."

Soon the bed was made.

Lin Xiaoxue and Lu Jingting smiled at each other, then lay down on the simple yet warm and peaceful wooden bed.

As the night deepened, the two found a sense of belonging in the unfamiliar environment and fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next day, it was still dawn.

Lin Xiaoxue was still immersed in a sweet dream until the unique aroma of rice porridge drifted into her nose and woke her up.

"Are you awake?" Yang Zhengping's wife came over with a smile, carrying some freshly cooked rice porridge. "Wash your face and have some porridge! I don't have anything good to serve you..."

Lin Xiaoxue saw freshly cooked eggs and homemade side dishes on the table, which were full of homely flavor.

"No, no!" She praised repeatedly, "Such a warm and thoughtful breakfast is perfect for my taste!"

After saying that, he started to enjoy it with big mouthfuls.

When saying goodbye, both families seemed reluctant to leave.

"Zhengping, I'll come back next time to taste your cooking skills." Lu Jingting held his comrade's shoulder and said goodbye, praising his extraordinary noodle making skills.

"Haha!" Yang Zhengping laughed heartily, "As long as the battalion commander likes it! When we save enough money to open a noodle shop, please be sure to come."

"Okay, that's a deal. Work hard. I'm waiting."

Yang Zhengping walked the two of them out of the alley. His steps were heavy and his eyes were full of reluctance.

Lu Jingting turned around and waved to him: "Good brother, no need to send me off."

The little dog also rubbed against his feet reluctantly, as if saying goodbye.

Lin Xiaoxue gently bent down and touched its head, "Be good, we will come back to see you."

After taking a few steps and looking back several times, the vision of both parties became blurred as they walked away.

When I passed by last night’s night market, the early morning was already very quiet.

The streets were empty with only garbage scattered on the ground, but one could still imagine the bustling scene last night.

"The day and night here are like two completely different worlds," she sighed softly.

Apart from the couple, there were almost no other pedestrians at this time.

On the way to the troops, a military jeep slowly drove up and stopped in front of them.

"It's Lu Jingting!" A rough and powerful voice came from inside the car, "Get in."

After Lin Xiaoxue followed Lu Jingting onto the jeep, she looked at the middle-aged man: his shoulder straps shone with golden light, his medals were neatly arranged on his chest, his face was serious but showed a friendly expression...

Just as she was wondering who he was, she heard Lu Jingting respectfully address her, "Chief!"

"Haha!" The commander laughed, "What a coincidence to meet you two! Are you here to visit Xiao Yang's family again? I see that you are really dedicated to your duties as a battalion commander! You care so much about retired soldiers."

Lu Jingting nodded slightly: "Although they have retired and left the army, they no longer train and fight with us. But the deep friendship between us is as close as brothers and sisters, and it has not faded with time."

The chief nodded with satisfaction and patted Lu Jingting's sturdy shoulders. "It's great that you have such a broad mind! Your vision is extraordinary! Those who do great things must have a big vision. Remember my words: keep working hard! You have a bright future!"

"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Chief."