CHAPTER 454: CHAPTER 452: CHANGES

Lin Wan had just seen Sister-in-law Jiang off a few days ago. This morning, there was a light rain, and the weather cooled down a bit.

Shi Lan invited her to go sell vegetables together. "Let’s go, I’ll help you carry what you buy."

The child was still young, and it was difficult for her to carry other items while holding the baby or the cradle.

Sigh, if only she had a stroller. Looks like when she goes back to the city next month, she needs to buy one. "Sure, that’ll be troublesome for you."

Actually, their family didn’t lack vegetables. The ones Han Yi planted in the garden were enough for them, but she went out because she was bored and to buy some fruit in passing.

Lin Wan held Little Star, putting a hat on her in fear of her getting sunburned.

Thankfully, there was shade from trees on the way.

"When did Sister-in-law Lin arrive? Oh, how old is the baby?" Lin Wan didn’t expect to run into Sun Yu, whom she hadn’t seen for half a year, on the street.

Sun Yu’s belly looked terrifyingly big, she must be about to give birth.

Sun Yu walked over to Lin Wan, looked at Little Star in her arms, and said, "What’s her name? She’s so cute."

"Han Xingyue, star as in the stars in the sky, and yue as in melodious." Being so close, Lin Wan noticed that Sun Yu had developed many spots on her face.

Perhaps Sun Yu noticed as well; normally, if Lin Wan looked at her like this in the past, Sun Yu would have been angry.

But not today, as if having spots on her face was something to be proud of, she said with a bit of show-off, "You noticed the freckles on my face, didn’t you? Ah... I used to be quite troubled by them, but the doctor told me it’s normal to develop spots when pregnant, especially with a boy. But, the doctor also said they’ll fade after the birth. You had a girl, so it probably wasn’t obvious, right?"

Lin Wan was embarrassed, realizing Sun Yu was there to show off.

"Our Little Star is a darling, I didn’t have any when I was pregnant with her."

Sun Yu smiled brightly, "Girls don’t show much, unlike me."

Lin Wan gave an awkward smile, choosing not to respond, and instead asked, "When is your due date?"

"This week, in the last few days now. I’m out getting some meat for making sure my son will be born chubby and healthy."

Lin Wan glanced at Sun Yu’s belly, smiled, and they all headed towards the small market together.

The weather was hot, so the vegetables laid out weren’t very fresh. At the market, Sun Yu parted ways with the two of them.

Shi Lan looked at the flaunting Sun Yu and pursed her lips, pulling Lin Wan in the opposite direction, "You haven’t been here for half a year, so you don’t know. After the New Year, Captain Yang secretly brought his mom over. Right here, Sun Yu had a big fight with Captain Yang in front of his mom."

"Why?"

"Why else! Sun Yu didn’t want her mother-in-law to interfere in the couple’s life. Heard from their neighbors, Captain Yang’s mom likes to eavesdrop on their conversations. Later, for some reason, she even stopped the couple from sleeping in the same room. Said it was for the good of the baby. Sun Yu had another big fight with her mother-in-law because of that. Anyway... ever since Captain Yang’s mom arrived, Sun Yu almost fights every day whenever she comes back on her days off."

"Sun Yu’s probably having a tough time this round, but... her mother-in-law really is too meddling, isn’t she? Didn’t Yang Lian say anything about it?" Meddlesome in-laws aren’t rare, but Sun Yu happened to encounter one.

"Who knows, we’re not living with them. But, although Sun Yu doesn’t like her mother-in-law, she hasn’t driven her away either. For the sake of having someone to take care of the child later, she just has to endure. Otherwise, when the baby is born, with no one to help her with childcare, she won’t be able to work."

"Gains and losses are normal."

Shi Lan laughed, indifferent, "I just can’t stand her, strutting around boasting about her son-in-her-belly every time she comes back to the compound. Now everyone in the compound knows she’s expecting a son. Let me tell you, she doesn’t even realize how many people she’s offended, herself included. Now with family planning, many households only have a daughter, feeling uneasy, then she comes along boasting. So tactless, and she’s a public school teacher? What a waste of a title."

Lin Wan chuckled, quickly looking left and right, aware that talking behind people’s backs could be risky. If the person involved overhears, it would be embarrassing.

Fortunately, Shi Lan didn’t continue the conversation. They strolled around and found a watermelon stall. The watermelons weren’t very big.

Just enough for the couple to finish in one sitting. Lin Wan smiled and bought one. She wanted to get more, worried Shi Lan couldn’t carry them. Shi Lan also picked one up.

"Uncle, will you be here again tomorrow?"

"Yes, I’ll be here every day for a while. We didn’t grow many, so we sell them here to catch the peak, but in a few days, there won’t be any left," the watermelon seller laughed.

Lin Wan tugged at Shi Lan, "If they’re good, let’s come back tomorrow to buy more."

"Alright, there are fresh corn ears over there. Do you want some?"

Lin Wan looked in the direction Shi Lan pointed, surprised to see fresh corn for sale at this time, "Yes, let’s get a few more, and cook them to eat when we get back."

As the two walked closer, they inadvertently saw Wang Guihua and her daughter not far away.

There seemed to be a few others around them, with Wang Guihua appearing to be bragging about something.

Lin Wan had been here for a week, and Wang Guihua had finally come out of her room.

According to Shi Lan, it’s been almost half a month since her surgery, and the other army wives who went with her have recovered, only her being fussy.

Lin Wan thought perhaps Wang Guihua had some good news today, so she decided to come out.

"My Old Feng is performing well; it’s my good fortune," Wang Guihua said loudly, laughing heartily.

"I heard the spots are limited; your Instructor Feng must have been performing excellently in the team," one army wife chimed in.

"The spots are decided. When will he leave?"

"Old Feng said early September."

"Your Old Feng will be gone for two years; are you going with him or staying?"

"After returning from military school, he will definitely be promoted, and Old Feng asked us to head back home and wait," Wang Guihua mentioned returning home without showing any reluctance, but rather willingness.

Lin Wan and Shi Lan finally understood that the military school spot included Instructor Feng.

In the evening, Han Yi came home early.

"Why so early today? No classes?" Lin Wan was busy washing Little Star’s diapers and didn’t notice his low spirits.

"Classes were canceled today, have you eaten?" Han Yi had intended to help Lin Wan wash, but seeing she was almost done, he didn’t interfere.

"Not yet, I’ll cook after finishing these."

Han Yi ruffled Lin Wan’s hair and smiled, "I’ll cook. What would you like to eat?"

"I bought corn today; several ears are boiling in the pot. Let’s make some porridge." The day was too hot, and she didn’t feel like eating rice.

"Alright."

Lin Wan noticed Han Yi didn’t have much of an appetite today and was particularly quiet.

When they first met, he was like this: silent and reserved; if you said one sentence to him, he would only respond with one. But after they got married, he improved much.

Usually, he even said sweet words to her.

Lin Wan wondered if he was sick, but after dinner, he was in good spirits for a long time while playing with Little Star.

Unexpectedly, lying in bed at night, just as Lin Wan was about to fall asleep, Han Yi suddenly hugged her from behind and said muffledly, "Xiao Wan, I heard from the Army that I might not be able to go to S school this time."

Lin Wan was taken aback, suddenly understanding why Han Yi was off today. She turned over and hugged him, speaking softly, "Did something happen?"

"My plan to go to military school, Mei Langchi somehow found out."

Lin Wan sighed, feeling a pent-up frustration and distress that couldn’t be shaken off.

The Army had originally recommended him for leadership, but suddenly he was dropped; Mei Langchi must have pulled a lot of strings to overpower even the top leaders.

She could feel her husband’s dissatisfaction and faint sense of injustice.

Thinking about how Wang Guihua was so elated today, it was likely because Han Yi’s spot had gone to her husband.

Lin Wan hugged Han Yi, trying to comfort him, "Mei Langchi is too much. How about I find someone to anonymously send photos to their district? Being a thousand miles apart, he can still pull strings against you; we can do the same." But an anonymous letter couldn’t involve Han Yi in anyway. Even being anonymous didn’t guarantee security; someone could still track it down. If the higher-ups found out, they wouldn’t tolerate someone who tattled, even if the information was useful; you’d eternally be marked as someone who likes to report back-door news. Future colleagues would also be wary.

Han Yi shook his head, "If I can’t go, I won’t go. I was reluctant to leave you two anyway. I was just feeling bad for a bit. It’ll be okay in a few days; there are plenty of opportunities. If not this time, then next time. He can’t keep monitoring this place forever."