CHAPTER 75: CHAPTER 073 YOU SNEAKY BASTARD MAO DAN

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Xie Jingchen, adept and experienced, led Zhang Shanni through twists and turns until they reached a somber lakeside area where several three-story Western-style houses stood tall. He leisurely approached the door of the rightmost house, where Elder Liu’s personal guard, Wang Lixing, had already been informed and was waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing Xie Jingchen arrive, he warmly took the items from his hand and began to chat amiably.

"Brother Xie, you’re here. The commander has been talking about you."

"Right, Chief Tao also has Elder Liu on his mind and insisted that I should come back to check on him. How has his health been recently?"

"It worries Chief Tao. The commander is still the same as always," Wang Lixing said, his expression conveying helplessness.

Xie Jingchen nodded understandingly, "Lixing, this is my wife, Comrade Zhang Shanni."

"Nice to meet you, sister-in-law!" Wang Lixing saluted her with a straight posture, then greeted her with a smile.

"Hello," Zhang Shanni allowed him to look her over and politely nodded with a light smile when he glanced at her, not saying anything unnecessary, yet not at all rude, and completely without the flustered demeanor of a rural woman.

Xie Jingchen nodded inwardly; his little wife always surprised him. He maintained his composure as he followed Guard Wang into the house with his wife.

Upon entering the house, they saw an old man in his seventies or eighties sitting on the sofa. His Military Guard Uniform had faded, yet it was immaculate. With entirely gray hair and a face covered with liver spots, the old man’s eyes still sparkled with vigor. Even though his figure had become frail, his imposing aura was evident from his wise eyes, generating a powerful presence.

Xie Jingchen, standing at the entrance, solemnly performed a Military Guard salute, which took Zhang Shanni by surprise. She quickly bowed ninety degrees to the elderly man before being led by Xie Jingchen into the house by the hand.

When Xie Jingchen saw the old man’s gaze turn towards them, he moved aside just in time to see Zhang Shanni’s respectful gesture. Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he quietly led his wife into the living room. He now really couldn’t understand her background.

"Elder, how have you been lately?" Xie Jingchen asked with a smile as he brought his wife straight to the commander’s side, surprising Zhang Shanni with how naturally he sat down next to him, pulling her to sit before letting go of her right hand.

Immediately, he took the old man’s bony hand from his lap with his own strong, knotted hand and began to gently rub it as he spoke.

Zhang Shanni could sense the deep respect and affection in her husband’s tone, a softness unlike anything he would normally say. Even his attitude towards her was not as tender as it was in this moment, and she was slowly enveloped by the rich, warm emotions she perceived.

"You rascal, have you finally deigned to come and see me? Cough, cough, is this your partner?" Liu Aimin wasn’t angry when he saw his former subordinate, almost like a half-grandson, intimately checking his temperature.

Only a rascal like him would ever dare touch him. Others would simply offer polite words, barely conveying any genuine sentiment.

He had led countless subordinates throughout most of his life, but now, only a handful still remembered this old man. Among them, it was this handsome young man before him who truly won his heart. In those days... Alas!

"Yes, Elder. This is my wife, Zhang Shanni. Little girl, this is the Elder."

"Elder, nice to meet you for the first time. I am Zhang Shanni." Zhang Shanni quickly stood up again and bowed respectfully, her eyes widening in shock upon seeing the medals hanging behind the old man on the living room wall. How many battles must he have fought to achieve such honors?

Therefore, while her husband spoke, she showed utmost respect. Seeing his current frail condition made her heart ache even more.

Although she was born after 1997 and never experienced the hardships of the older generation, she had her grandfather, who loved to hold her as a child and tell her about the events of the 1950s and 60s. Even though she couldn’t imagine it, now in this era, she was beginning to roughly sense the difficulties of that time.

These days, approaching the 1980s, life is still hard to get by. When I think back to the first thirty years after the Foundation of the country, it was nothing but hardship upon hardship!

Public sentiment, natural disasters, wrong decisions, those were the hardest times during the first thirty years of Z country. And the impression that Elder Liu, the man before her, gave Zhang Shanni was one of grandeur and solidity.

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and perhaps because she was a Spiritual Superpower User, Zhang Shanni had a natural, beast-like ability to distinguish good from evil intrinsic to human nature. The moment she saw the old commander, she intuitively felt that he was someone deserving of her respect.

When Liu Aimin heard Xie Jingchen announce that this young lady was his wife, he stared at Xie Jingchen angrily enough to puff out his cheeks in fury, that is if he had a beard.

The old man hurriedly waved at Zhang Shanni to signal the little girl to sit down. "Little girl, right? Don’t be shy, have a seat."

Then, turning with great fury towards Xie Jingchen, he bellowed, "You rascal, how bold of you! Getting married is such a big deal, and you didn’t even invite the old man. You’re such an absolute good-for-nothing scoundrel!"

"Alright, alright, Elder, I was wrong. Please, don’t be angry, or it will raise your blood pressure. If you get any angrier, I wouldn’t dare to come anymore."

Xie Jingchen softened his expression, gently coaxing him. He obediently patted the frail back of the old commander, not getting upset even when he was smacked a few times vigorously on the thigh. The two were very close in proximity, their interaction not resembling that of a former superior and subordinate but rather like a grandfather and grandson.

Zhang Shanni saw Xie Jingchen being scolded and couldn’t help but snicker with her lips pursed. She was not at all intimidated by the old man’s loud scolding; instead, she was somewhat surprised and curious about how close their relationship was.

If it weren’t for the too significant age difference between the two, she would have thought their relationship more akin to that of a father and son!

Such placating acts from Xie Jingchen, even towards his own father, Xie Tiesheng, he had never been this soft!

"Hmph, you cheeky brat, go cook!" Liu Aimin grumbled like a petulant child. After being mollified by Xie Jingchen for a good half hour, his bad mood dissipated. He unceremoniously sent the young fellow off to the kitchen to cook.

He glanced sideways and noticed the newly arrived young girl had a dark complexion, but her smiling face was still pleasing to the eye. She had been neglected for so long, yet her face did not show any sign of being upset; she seemed promising.

"Alright, Elder, don’t bully my wife. I’m off to cook for you." Xie Jingchen smiled amicably, noting that Elder’s gray, coarse eyebrows raised in relaxation. He quickly finished his plea and, without waiting for a response, scampered off, knowing his way around.

Guard Wang Lixing had already tactfully started prepping for cooking in the small kitchen. He had been with the old commander for a couple of years, the third successor since Xie Jingchen left, and was very familiar with Brother Rong Wei, who appeared almost every half a year.

Under his observation, the old commander was even more affectionate and comfortable with him than with his own granddaughter. With this understanding, he was very enthusiastic about Xie Jingchen’s presence.

Zhang Shanni secretly watched with curiosity as Xie Jingchen showed entirely different facades in front of different people. For instance, in front of her, he was nothing but a dominant big bad wolf; as her husband and waiting to be fed, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and accept.

In front of his parents, he was a serious son: wise, mature, and measured.

In the presence of strangers, he was solemn, fair, and dignified.

But now, in front of the old commander, he was like a little son begging for sweets, affectionate, warm, and entertaining.

In front of different people, Xie Jingchen was indeed multi-faceted, with a complex personality.

Zhang Shanni’s eyes brimmed with laughter. Having been together longer, she realized that her husband was indeed no ordinary husband.