Chapter 5: Does Daddy Have Two Wives?
Little Tongtong counted on her tiny fingers, her curiosity bursting at the seams as she blinked her big eyes, staring intently at Lin Zhiguo for an answer.
“Tongtong heard the police uncle say on the train that military marriages are protected by law, and a person can only have one wife. Otherwise, it’s against the law.”
“Breaking the law means you get taken away to eat prison food or get shot with a bullet! Daddy, are you going to get shot and die?”
Her eyes immediately welled up with tears, showing her reluctance. “But Tongtong has grown up so much, and this is the first time I’ve seen Daddy. Tongtong doesn’t want you to die.”
Her rosy, chubby little face was filled with reluctance and sorrow. The way she quietly shed tears, drop by drop, looked utterly pitiful.
Lin Zhiguo’s temples throbbed with rage!
His mind buzzed, and he felt like he wanted to be taken away right then and there!
The entire family compound fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The military dependents watching the spectacle shifted their gazes back and forth among the group.
Especially when looking at Shen Wei and Lin Zhiguo, their eyes were filled with disdain and contempt.
Lin Zhiguo broke out in a cold sweat. Seeing Gu Yanbin step out of the car, he was scared out of his wits.
He was in a critical period for promotion right now—he couldn’t afford any slip-ups!
“It’s… all a misunderstanding! Tongtong, don’t talk nonsense, you’re just a child! Shen Wei is your eldest aunt. I was just taking care of them on behalf of your eldest uncle!”
After saying this, he glared fiercely at Yu Wanqin. “How are you looking after the child? Didn’t I tell you to stay in the hometown? Why did you come here?”
Yu Wanqin’s heart felt as if it had been plunged into icy water, chilling her to the core.
Suppressing the burning ache in her eyes, she looked at him with a mocking, cold smile. “If I hadn’t come, how would I have seen this wonderful show… It seems you and sister-in-law are getting along quite well!”
Lin Zhiguo jumped like a rat whose tail had been stepped on. “What nonsense are you spouting! I… I have a clean relationship with sister-in-law!”
Tongtong raised her little eyebrows, pointing at the terrified Lin Jiaojiao and her brother, and questioned in her childish voice, “Then why do cousin brother and sister call you Daddy?”
“If eldest uncle sacrificed himself, shouldn’t they call you second uncle? You only have one real daddy—that’s what the teacher taught!”
She put on a serious face, imitating an adult’s tone as she earnestly lectured.
“Daddy, if you randomly claim other people’s children and even take eldest uncle’s children away, won’t eldest uncle’s spirit in heaven be so angry that he comes out at night to have a chat with you?”
Pfft—
The people around couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Lin Zhiguo’s face turned greenish-black, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.
His gaze toward Tongtong grew sinister and icy. He took a few steps forward, threatening fiercely, “You little brat! What nonsense are you talking? Do you believe I’ll hit you?”
But before he could get close to Tongtong,
Gu Yanbin snorted coldly and had already stepped forward to shield the child behind him, his presence imposing.
“Comrade Lin Zhiguo! Please pay attention to your conduct issues. The organization will be keeping an eye on this matter!”
“Tongtong is now my god-daughter. If she suffers even the slightest grievance at your hands, I will hold you accountable!”
After saying this, he swept a cold glance over Lin Zhiguo and Shen Wei, whose faces had turned deathly pale and who looked on the verge of collapse.
After Tongtong’s bold remarks earlier,
the virtuous sister-in-law image Shen Wei had meticulously maintained in the Military District had cracked into eight hundred pieces!
The way people around looked at her had changed, filled with disdain and contempt!
Unable to bear the pressure, she covered her face, let out a loud “wah,” and ran off crying.
“Lin Zhicheng! You died and left everything behind! You left us widows and orphans here to suffer scorn and bullying!”
Lin Jiaojiao and her brother quickly followed after her.
Lin Zhiguo also hurriedly explained, “It’s all a misunderstanding! I was really just helping my brother take care of the widows and orphans!”
At this moment, his immediate superior, Regiment Commander Zhou, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: “Ah! It’s quite normal for relatives to help each other out. It’s all a misunderstanding! Commander Gu, what do you think…”
Tongtong knew when to stop, understanding the principle that to catch someone in the act, you need to catch them red-handed. Making a scene now wouldn’t have enough impact.
If he dared to betray Mother, she would make sure he was disgraced and sent back to his hometown to farm! Hmph!
The little girl immediately transformed into a warm and comforting presence, hugging Gu Yanbin’s leg, looking up with her sweet little face, and calling out sweetly, “Godfather is the best! Tongtong believes that with Godfather here, no one would dare bully me and Mother! The Organization will surely give us justice!”
Her soft, heartfelt words once again endeared her to the onlookers.
This little girl was truly adorable!
Gu Yanbin’s expression softened as well, and he patted her little head. “Mm, Godfather has to go now. If anything happens, come find me directly.”
Yu Wanqin took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent emotions in her chest, and bid farewell in a hoarse voice. She picked up her daughter, burying her face in the girl’s soft embrace.
The moment she saw Lin Zhiguo with Shen Wei, her heart had died.
Now, only the burning desire for revenge against the scumbag and fighting for her daughter’s best interests blazed within her.
Gu Yanbin sighed and, before leaving, shot Lin Zhiguo a warning glare.
“Break it up! Everyone, disperse!” Political Commissar Bai quickly urged the crowd to leave.
Then he reminded Lin Zhiguo to handle his family matters properly before departing.
As the crowd dispersed, Lin Zhiguo seemed drained of energy. He glared fiercely at the mother and daughter before coldly leading them back to his apartment in the family compound.
They lived in a small suite on the fifth floor, fully furnished with a television, refrigerator, sofa, and everything else—far better than the life Yu Wanqin and her daughter had in the countryside.
Inside the room.
The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.
Shen Wei had already tidied herself up, changed into a fashionable dacron dress, and was playing the hostess.
“Sister, Tongtong, you must be tired from the journey. Please make yourselves at home. Don’t stand on ceremony.”
Yu Wanqin had long since learned of her outwardly kind but inwardly cruel nature. She pressed her lips together and didn’t respond.
Her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn’t be bothered to care about the other woman putting on airs as the lady of the house.
She sat down on the sofa with her daughter.
But then, six-year-old Liu Ruihu suddenly rushed over, viciously shoving Tongtong aside and shouting arrogantly, “You beggar! You’re filthy! Get away! This is my family’s sofa—you’re not allowed to sit here!”
Lin Jiaojiao also lifted her chin, her face full of hostility. Her brother’s behavior had been taught by her.
She wouldn’t let these two beggars take over her home!
Shen Wei smoothed her hair at the temples, a smile on her face, and didn’t intervene.
Lin Zhiguo simply watched coldly from the sidelines.
Tongtong carefully pinched the corner of her clothes, looking up at her mother with pleading eyes, tears still hanging at the corners.
She needed to push her mother… they couldn’t go on being this meek.
Yu Wanqin’s long-suppressed anger was finally ignited!
Her daughter was her Achilles’ heel!
She stood up abruptly, shielding her daughter behind her. Her usually gentle eyes were now sharp as knives.
Her voice was soft but firm: “Shen Wei! Cut the hypocritical act! I, Yu Wanqin, am Lin Zhiguo’s properly married wife! I am the lady of this house!”
“My daughter is not to be bullied by an outsider like you!”