Chapter 1: Don’t Call Me Daddy, Stand Up

Chapter 1: Don’t Shout—Who Is My Dad, Step Forward

"Who is my dad? Step forward!"

In 1976, a little boy around three years old got out of a car and ran up to the gate of a military compound, shouting inside.

Coincidentally, some people were washing clothes in the yard, and they turned to look at the boy.

Song Fenglan stepped out of the car, her legs nearly giving way. What was her son saying?

They were here to move to the military base to be with Qin Yizhou, not to catch someone cheating!

With her son’s fierce expression and loud shouting, anyone who didn’t know the situation might think the child had never met his father or that his father had treated him poorly.

Originally, Song Fenglan had lived in the capital with her son. The Song family had been labeled as bourgeois, and her parents and elder brother were sent down to the countryside. Song Fenglan’s father didn’t want his daughter to suffer in the rural areas, so he entrusted her to her aunt’s care. Later, Song Fenglan was set up in a compromising situation with Qin Yizhou, and the two got married.

After getting married, Song Fenglan didn’t live with the Qin family but stayed at her aunt’s house. A few days ago, her cousin had shown up at her aunt's house making a scene, yelling that Song Fenglan was already married and should move out instead of living there for free.

Though she was technically living at her aunt’s, Song Fenglan had been paying rent and food expenses since she started working, so she wasn’t living there for free. Still, staying there indefinitely wasn’t a solution, so she decided to bring her son, Qin Zihang, to join her husband at the military base.

In Song Fenglan’s eyes, there was no love between her and Qin Yizhou. On the night they got married, Qin Yizhou had received emergency orders and left immediately, without even making proper arrangements for her. Song Fenglan didn’t want to face her in-laws alone, so she steered clear of the Qin household and asked Qin Yizhou not to inform his family for the time being. By the time Qin Yizhou returned, nearly half a year had passed, and Song Fenglan was close to giving birth.

With her due date approaching, Song Fenglan had even less reason to move into the Qin household or face Qin Yizhou’s family. It was only after giving birth that she finally met them. Sister-in-law Qin disliked Song Fenglan, believing her family background was politically questionable, which further discouraged Song Fenglan from living with the Qins. Though Qin Yizhou’s parents were relatively accepting, Song Fenglan had no intention of putting up with that.

As a new mother, Song Fenglan struggled to care for her child alone, so she continued staying with her aunt, who helped look after the baby.

Realizing she had caused her aunt’s family too much trouble, Song Fenglan felt it was time to leave.

Now, watching her son carrying on like that, she didn’t even want to approach him.

"Who is my dad? Step forward!" Qin Zihang repeated loudly, afraid no one had heard him.

Song Fenglan hurried over and covered his mouth. "Stop shouting."

Soon, a woman approached the gate. The June heat was intense, and Song Fenglan wore a self-made thin blouse and wide-legged trousers. She was a time traveler—her cousin had hit her on the head with an object recently, jarring loose her memories of a past life.

After awakening those memories, Song Fenglan needed time to process them, leaving her feeling disconnected. Still, no matter what, her son was her own flesh and blood—there was no "original owner" to speak of. The three-year-old was already mischievous and full of energy, and Song Fenglan thought it was time for Qin Yizhou to pitch in with parenting.

"Sister-in-law," an orderly approached Song Fenglan.

Qin Yizhou was out on assignment and hadn’t come to pick her up—he didn’t even know she was coming to join him. The letter Song Fenglan had sent hadn’t reached him yet due to the long mission. With no one to receive her, Song Fenglan had called the military unit, and only then was someone sent to fetch her.

"Sister-in-law? What sister-in-law?" A plump woman, who looked like she could’ve been two of Song Fenglan, stood nearby. Everyone called her Auntie Fatty.

Song Fenglan was stunningly beautiful, her long hair pinned up in a bun and secured with a beaded hairpin. Standing there, she looked like someone from the cultural troupe or a glamorous actress from a film studio.

Auntie Fatty didn’t have a good impression of cultural troupe members. She wasn’t pretty, and her husband had once been fixed up with someone from the troupe. After Auntie Fatty joined her husband at the military base, people around her often whispered that she wasn’t good enough for her husband and that he deserved better. But they were already married—what could she do? Life had to go on.

"Who are you looking for?" Auntie Fatty asked, eyeing Song Fenglan warily. She had never seen her before and worried she might be some kind of homewrecker. All the military wives in the compound were familiar to her, and none looked as flamboyant as Song Fenglan—so flashy, nothing like the plain, hardworking wives she knew.

Auntie Fatty glanced at Qin Zihang, who was now being held by Song Fenglan. Was this child here to find his father? Had the woman gotten pregnant first and married later, leaving the child unsure of his father’s identity? Or was she here to force some man to take responsibility?

"Qin Yizhou," Song Fenglan answered calmly, unfazed by Auntie Fatty’s scrutiny. Given how her son had been carrying on, she could understand the suspicion. "He’s my husband."

"Qin Yizhou?" Auntie Fatty frowned, unfamiliar with every soldier’s name.

"Regiment Commander Qin," the orderly quickly clarified.

The penny dropped for Auntie Fatty. Everyone knew Regiment Commander Qin was married, but he rarely spoke of his family, almost as if he weren’t married at all. Some speculated it was an arranged marriage and that he disliked his wife, hence his silence. Others guessed his wife was unattractive—perhaps even resembling Auntie Fatty. These rumors had reached her ears, and she had once pitied Regiment Commander Qin’s wife.

After all, Auntie Fatty had accompanied her husband as a camp follower, while Regiment Commander Qin's wife was left behind to keep house alone.

"Regiment Commander Qin," Auntie Fatty paused, taken aback.

"It's Qin Yizhou, my dad is Qin Yizhou, not a regiment commander, not a glutinous rice ball," Qin Zihang didn't understand what a regiment commander was; he only thought of the glutinous rice balls he had eaten, "and not a sesame ball with a black heart either."

Auntie Fatty looked at Qin Zihang. She hadn't paid much attention earlier, but now, taking a closer look, she realized Qin Zihang was the very image of Regiment Commander Qin. Auntie Fatty felt a bit embarrassed, as she had just been wondering if there was something wrong with this woman.

"Of course, your dad isn't a dumpling," Song Fenglan gently ruffled her son's head, signaling him to stop. If he continued, others might start saying Qin Yizhou was a wolf in sheep's clothing, just like a sesame ball with a black heart.

"Hmm, my dad is a person, not a dumpling," Qin Zihang nodded emphatically.

"I think your dad is quite like a sesame ball," a voice chimed in with a chuckle. It was Zhang Chenghai, Auntie Fatty's husband.

Zhang Chenghai had returned briefly on business and happened to see Song Fenglan with her child. He couldn't help but glance at Song Fenglan a few more times—she was quite the beauty.

The next moment, Zhang Chenghai yelped in pain.

Auntie Fatty had pinched his waist hard and twisted it, making him wince.

"This is Regiment Commander Qin's wife and son," Auntie Fatty emphasized. What was Zhang Chenghai staring at? Was it appropriate to stare at someone else's wife like that?

"I know, I know," Zhang Chenghai quickly said. "Should be back any day now."

"It's fine, we'll wait for him," Song Fenglan said. She didn't have high expectations for Qin Yizhou, the man who had been called away on duty right after they registered their marriage. While she couldn't blame him entirely, she wasn't exactly thrilled about it either.

Being a military wife wasn't easy. They had to endure loneliness better than other women and be both mother and father.

Song Fenglan looked down at her son clinging to her leg. Seeing so many people, was he getting nervous? If it weren't for his earlier shouting, they wouldn't have drawn such a crowd.

"Have your accommodations been arranged yet?" Auntie Fatty asked, somewhat abashed, having just misunderstood. Since this was Regiment Commander Qin's wife, there was no issue. "I haven’t heard about Regiment Commander Qin applying for on-base housing."

"We’ll stay at a nearby guesthouse for a few days while waiting for him," Song Fenglan replied. "I wrote to him earlier, but he might not have received it yet."

There had been a ten-day gap between when Song Fenglan sent the letter and when she set out with her child.

"Staying at the guesthouse isn’t bad."

"Yeah, yeah, the guesthouse is fine for now."

"Once he returns, you can apply for on-base housing."

"The guesthouse is right nearby, very convenient."

"Men, their duties come first."

...

The other women who'd come to gawk had seen enough. They had initially wondered if Auntie Fatty would start something with Song Fenglan. After all, Auntie Fatty was known for quarreling, even with her own husband.

But some of them had other thoughts. A few kept sneaking looks at Song Fenglan, while others shared knowing glances. *Huh, not bad-looking.* *So pretty, why hasn’t Regiment Commander Qin said a word about her?* *Something fishy going on?*

None of them voiced these thoughts aloud, but the meaning was clear enough.

Song Fenglan didn’t pay much attention to their reactions. She held her son’s hand. He was older now and heavier, so she didn’t carry him all the time. He needed to walk when possible, though she would carry him if he got tired.

Mostly, Song Fenglan wasn’t strong enough to carry him for long without tiring. She didn’t want to come across as weak in front of her son.

"Auntie Fatty, we'll head to the reception area first," the guard said. "It's right nearby, very close."

Just a dozen meters away, not too far—that's why the car was parked here.

"Alright," Song Fenglan nodded.

The guard helped carry the luggage while Song Fenglan held her son's hand. After a few steps, she scooped the child up, hoping the reception area was truly close. If it were too far, she wouldn’t be able to carry him for long. Zi Hang nestled in his mother's arms, grinning happily.

"What are you staring at? Still looking?" Auntie Fatty snapped, pinching her husband Zhang Chenghai again. "Is she even prettier than those song-and-dance girls from the cultural troupe?"