Chapter 6: Let the Hero Raise the Children

Chapter 6: Let the Hero Raise the Children

"Tsk! Why didn't you ask him for the newspaper!" Aunt Guo was even more anxious, "Did it mention which unit he's in?"

Su Zhaodi: ... She couldn’t remember; she hadn’t read the newspaper.

"I wasn’t paying attention. I was so panicked at the time, my mind was a complete mess. By the time I came to my senses, he had already taken the newspaper and left." Her face was filled with worry, sighing deeply, it was truly distressing.

"You silly girl!" Aunt Guo slapped her thigh in frustration, then quickly added, "But that’s no problem! As long as he was mentioned in the newspaper, we can find it. If not in town, we’ll go to the county. I don’t believe we won’t be able to find a single copy of the newspaper. Even if it doesn’t have an address or anything, we can still ask around, level by level, until we find him! We will definitely find him for you!"

Su Zhaozhao first expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes, then sighed deeply, "So many years have passed. I don’t know if he has remarried. After all, the village was invaded by bandits, and I left in such a hurry. He must think I’m dead too, and he doesn’t even know about these two children. If he... I thought maybe I should just give up. I can raise the two children on my own. Anyway, I won’t marry again."

Giving up was impossible. She was a labor cripple, unable to do any physical work or distinguish between different crops. She was confused about seasons and calendars, and even with the memories of her original body, she might not be able to manage.

The village had been forming cooperatives these past two years, which would eventually become people's communes. In a few years, the 'Great Leap Forward' would start, followed by three years of natural disasters and famine, making life even harder than it is now.

She needed to rely on someone powerful, to let the hero raise the children.

Whether the man was suitable or not didn’t matter; what mattered was not going hungry!

If the military could provide her, as a military family member, with a stable job, that would be even better.

Su Zhaozhao felt elated at the thought. This way, she could regain her status.

"Why would you think like that? You can’t!" Aunt Guo advised her, "You gave birth to a pair of twins for the Gu family! You’ve suffered so much raising the two children over the years. Even if he remarries, he is still their father and has the obligation to raise them! How can you just let him off the hook? Even if he’s gone, we need money!"

Su Zhaozhao lowered her head, her eyes welling up, "I didn’t think that far. I just didn’t want to disrupt his life."

Seeing her like this, Aunt Guo couldn’t help but sigh, "You’re just too soft-hearted and kind, always thinking about your children and husband. Why don’t you think about yourself? No wonder you kept such a big secret to yourself." She remembered that Su Zhaodi had gone to town half a month ago.

"This fainting spell of yours is probably due to the stress of keeping this secret."

Su Zhaozhao: No, it’s not related to this. It’s just from malnutrition and exhaustion.

She sniffed, "I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve been so worried, unable to sleep for nights on end."

Aunt Guo patted her hand, "Don’t think too much. Let’s find him first, and then we’ll see. No matter what, you are the original wife. Even if he remarries, the military will stand up for you and won’t let us common folk suffer."

Su Zhaozhao paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Sister-in-law, please don’t spread this around. I’m afraid the villagers will gossip."

"Of course not! I’m not one to spread rumors. Don’t worry!"

The old women in the village were notorious gossips, always talking non-stop while working, spreading rumors about everyone. When Su Zhaodi returned pregnant, they started making up stories, saying the Gu family hadn’t died and that she had been driven away, or that she had encountered something terrible on her journey back, and that the child in her belly might not even be the Gu family’s. They also said she was a widow-killer.

Over the years, Zhaodi hadn’t remarried, partly because of her good looks, which made other women fear she would seduce their husbands. This made it difficult for her to accept help or even speak freely. Only within her own family, who were also village officials, did she feel close and safe.

If Zhaodi were really as they say, could she have managed to raise two children alone all these years in such hardship?

A dirty heart sees everything as dirty.

Aunt Guo patted her leg and stood up, "I'll go back now and ask Lao Su to look for the newspaper in town first; maybe we can find it at the town office."

"Thank you for your trouble," Su Zhaozhao hurriedly saw her off, "Sister, take care on your way."

After Aunt Guo left, Su Zhaozhao hummed a little tune, "Today is a good day... All my wishes will come true... Finally, a small step forward."

Aunt Guo rushed to the village office, greeting people along the way with a casual wave, eager to find her husband.

Su Gensheng was awkwardly holding a pen, hunched over a table writing a report. Seeing her come in, he asked, "What's the rush? Did a ghost chase you?"

Aunt Guo rolled her eyes, "A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory. Do you sound like a leader when you talk? Stop writing, I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Su Gensheng carefully capped his pen and put it in his notebook.

With no one else in the office, there was no need to whisper, so Aunt Guo explained the matter in detail.

"Such a thing exists?" Su Gensheng was surprised, "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"

Aunt Guo: "Don't talk nonsense. How could a woman not recognize her own husband? It's definitely him! In those war years, such things happened often; it's just that we're surprised by the rare occurrence."

Su Gensheng wasn't angry, "If we can find him, it would be a relief for them, mother and two children."

Aunt Guo urged him, "Go to town right away and search carefully for her. Ask around thoroughly. If we don't help, how could this ignorant woman know where to start looking even if she knew her husband was alive? If not for today's conversation, who knows when she would have found out anything."

Su Gensheng tapped the notebook in front of him, "Let me finish this first. I'm going to town tomorrow to report on the autumn harvest, I can handle it then."

"It's not far to town, why not go today?"

"What time is it now? I haven't even finished my report. What if the mayor asks me to report immediately when he sees me?" This woman is so anxious, but it's not an emergency like a house fire. One day more or less won't make a difference.

Aunt Guo glanced disdainfully at the notebook on the desk, "You've been thinking about it all day and haven't written a word. Holding a pen is harder than holding a hoe for you."

Looking at the sky, it was indeed getting late, and it would take time to find what she needed in town, "Alright, let's skip it today. You must go early tomorrow morning! Don't delay."

Su Gensheng waved his hand, "I know, I know. Go home quickly and don't disturb my work."

Aunt Guo pouted, even without disturbing him, he wouldn't write anything.