Chapter 14: Heartache

Zhan Chunying’s loose-lipped remark earned her a slap from her own mother and glares from her two sisters-in-law.

What kind of sister-in-law spends her time comparing such things?

Zhan’s eldest sister-in-law shoved a pair of chopsticks loaded with food into Zhan Chunying’s mouth: "If you have food to eat, then use it to plug your mouth!"

Tang Qiyue, meanwhile, handed Zhan Chunying a bowl of porridge: "Little sister, drink some porridge."

With both daughters-in-law reacting this way, not to mention Zhan’s eldest brother and Mother Zhan, Zhan Zeye remained completely calm. He tilted his bowl and poured the porridge into his mouth, seemingly unable to feel the heat.

Tang Qiyue’s eyes widened as she watched, feeling a sudden, curious urge to pry open Zhan Zeye’s mouth to see if his throat was still intact.

"Eat slowly. The porridge is too hot; you’ll burn your esophagus. If it gets inflamed, you’ll suffer for it!"

Tang Qiyue whispered a reminder. She had once seen refugees drink hot porridge, only to scald their throats so badly that they eventually died in agony.

Hearing Tang Qiyue’s words, Mother Zhan slapped Zhan Zeye on the back: "This is home, not your military unit. Drink slowly; no one is rushing you to the battlefield!"

Long accustomed to his mother’s blows, Zhan Zeye clicked his tongue and lifted his eyelids to glance at Tang Qiyue beside him.

His expression was a bit strange, but in the end, he said nothing, though he did slow down his eating speed significantly.

The Zhan family was an ordinary household, and there weren't many formalities at the dinner table. They didn't follow the rule of "no talking while eating," which Tang Qiyue wasn't used to, though she didn't dislike it—in fact, she found it quite warm.

She had been raised by Mother Tang to be a refined lady, but since Mother Tang wasn't a good role model herself, the only rule she had truly learned was to remain silent while eating.

After being reincarnated into the apocalypse—and the late stages of it at that—she had parents, but they were always busy rushing about for a living. She grew up in childcare centers and was later placed in institutional care, barely experiencing any familial affection.

In the apocalypse, one only learned how to survive in a treacherous and ever-changing environment. There were no innocent or carefree children; everyone wore numb expressions, learning mechanically and obeying mechanically.

In exchange, they received a life that barely kept them fed, and family affection became the most insignificant thing of all.

But now, listening to the Zhan family’s chattering, everyone seemed so vibrant that it left her feeling dazed.

While she was lost in thought, a pair of chopsticks suddenly appeared in her bowl.

"If you can't finish it, don't force yourself!"

Zhan Zeye scraped the leftovers from Tang Qiyue’s untouched bowl directly into his own, not seeing any issue with eating her scraps.

This scene caused the Zhan family to fall silent, and they all turned to look at Zhan Zeye.

"What are you looking at? Or do you all not want to eat anymore? Are you giving it all to me?"

Zhan Zeye was at the age where his metabolism was at its peak. If he were to eat his fill, he could easily put away five pounds of rice; he could finish all the food the family had prepared by himself.

Zhan Chunying remembered her little brother’s bottomless stomach and immediately urged her young nephew to eat faster: "Dahai, eat quickly! Your uncle’s stomach is a bottomless pit; it can never be filled. Be careful he doesn't steal your food!"

The aunt and nephew stopped talking and began shoveling food into their mouths frantically.

The rest of the Zhan family realized what was happening and sped up their eating, terrified that Zhan Zeye would steal their portions.

Tang Qiyue watched this scene, stunned, her eyes filled with curiosity as she looked at Zhan Zeye’s stomach.

Zhan Zeye rubbed his nose, feeling quite awkward.

"You won't be short of a bite to eat!"

Zhan Zeye patted Tang Qiyue on the head, set down his bowl and chopsticks, and stood up. He had heard the sound of a car—the one he had pestered his old superior for last night.

His wife was returning to her parents' home; he, as the husband, had already missed the wedding, so he couldn't be stingy about the homecoming visit.

These weren't the only reasons Zhan Zeye wanted to borrow the car; it was mostly for the sake of the gold he had obtained for free.

Just thinking about the day his father-in-law discovered that the marriage he had painstakingly schemed for had actually ended up fulfilling his own wishes—the thought of that scene alone made him excited.

Operating on the principle that if you're going to make trouble, you should do it big, Zhan Zeye even changed into his military uniform, his bloodthirsty aura looking particularly intimidating.

After eating, Tang Qiyue was pulled aside by Mother Zhan to look at the homecoming gifts prepared for her. It was clear that a lot of heart had gone into them.

"I know your father and mother have separated, so I prepared two sets. Although they aren't expensive, they fulfill the requirements of etiquette. What do you think?"

Mother Zhan was a bit nervous. She had seen the dowry the Tang family prepared for Tang Qiyue; just looking at those twelve large trunks, she knew that even if she emptied her own home, she couldn't prepare a homecoming gift of equal value.

Tang Qiyue assured her that it was already very good and that there was no need to prepare so much. Father Tang’s abacus was clicking away; he wasn't looking to be in-laws with the Zhan family, but rather, he was banking on the Zhan family’s clean reputation to protect her dowry.

Chen Dazhuang was the one who came over today. He helped load the items into the car and acted as the driver.

"Sister-in-law, are we going to your father’s house first? Or your mother’s?"

To support Zhan Zeye’s image, Chen Dazhuang was also wearing a new military uniform today.

Since the military rank system had been abolished that year, one couldn't tell a person's rank by their shoulder boards, but the fact that they could immediately change into new uniforms spoke to the importance of their unit.

Moreover, the four pockets and red collar tabs hinted at certain information, not to mention the weapons tucked into their waists. Anyone familiar with the military could tell at a glance that their identities were not simple.

Zhan Zeye and Chen Dazhuang belonged to the Navy, so their uniforms were dark blue, pressed straight, with deep brown military boots on their feet.

When they arrived at the Tang residence, Father Tang, believing Zhan Zeye was dead or missing, hadn't taken Tang Qiyue’s homecoming visit seriously, and naturally, he hadn't paid much attention to the event.

But when he heard the household help run inside to shout that a jeep with a special pass was parked at the gate, Father Tang jumped right off his recliner.

This kind of vehicle was not the same as the car he used; it wasn't something you could get just by having money—it was something only those with special status could possess.

Too flustered to fix his clothes, Father Tang trotted to the gate, only to see the jeep parked there. The driver was indeed in a military uniform, and he didn't even acknowledge the smiling Father Tang, instead expressionlessly opening the rear door.

A military boot appeared in Father Tang’s field of vision, followed by a long leg stepping out of the car.

Considering the jeep’s high chassis, the fact that the boot had already touched the ground before the person’s backside had even left the seat showed just how long those legs were.

As Father Tang stared in shock, he saw his "cheap" son-in-law—whom he had been certain was a goner—standing there, alive and well.

The key was that he was wearing a dark blue military uniform, his blade-like eyebrows furrowed beneath the white brim of his cap, his gaze as sharp as a lion’s. It was enough to make even an old man like Father Tang, who had seen his fair share of storms, nearly go weak at the knees.

He instinctively grabbed his wife’s arm, his face twitching; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was having a seizure.