Living like a widow? My rough neighbor is coaxing me to have a baby every night.

Chapter 199 Heartbreaking Past Events

Qin Rushan sneered, his voice tinged with disdain, "Don't even mention her arrogant and incompetent daughter, even if a celestial being descended to earth, Wei Donghai, that rock, might not agree."

"Huh?" Li Xianglian was taken aback. "Captain Wei has such high standards? Could it be... that he's married?" But she had never heard anyone mention it.

"Get married my ass."

Qin Rushan took out a cigarette case from his pocket, intending to light one, but after glancing at Li Xianglian who was still eating, he put the cigarette back and just played with it in his hand.

"This is something we should discuss privately, don't tell anyone else," Qin Rushan said in a low voice.

Li Xianglian nodded quickly. It was rare to see Qin Rushan so serious.

"Old Wei's heart has long been barren; nothing can grow there anymore."

Qin Rushan sighed.

"Before he joined the army, his family arranged a marriage for him. She was a girl from the next village, very pretty, and the two were considered a good match."

"And then what happened?" Li Xianglian pressed.

"And then?" Qin Rushan scoffed.

"When Lao Wei went to the army, he was risking his life for his future. He didn't come home for three years, but he sent all his allowance back to his parents to help take care of his fiancée. He was thinking that once he was promoted, he would go back and have a grand wedding, and bring his fiancée to the army to enjoy a comfortable life with him."

Qin Rushan paused at this point, the cigarette in his hand becoming slightly deformed from his grip.

"As a result, he performed a meritorious service that year and was granted special leave to visit his family. Late at night, without informing his family, he wanted to give his fiancée a surprise."

"There were no surprises, but the worst that could happen was that it was terrifying."

Qin Rushan's voice was as cold as frost. "He pushed open the door and saw his fiancée, whom he had been longing for for three years, rolling around in a love triangle with his older brother on the wedding bed that had been prepared for him."

"Ah—!" Li Xianglian was so shocked she almost dropped her chopsticks. Her mouth gaped open, unable to close it for a long time. "This...this is too immoral! That's his own brother!"

This is even more outrageous and disgusting than what's sung in operas.

"Who can argue with that?"

Qin Rushan sneered, "Your own brother stole your fiancée, turning her into your sister-in-law. That's a real cuckold's horns. Old Wei was carrying the polyester fabric he bought for that woman at the time, and he was so angry he almost drew his gun and shot them both on the spot."

"How was it finally resolved?" Li Xianglian's heart clenched.

"What else can we do? We shouldn't air our dirty laundry in public."

Qin Rushan shook his head. "Old Wei is a real man. He swallowed his pride and threw his things away. He returned to his unit overnight and cut off all contact with his family from then on, not returning home for years. On the battlefield, he was fearless, charging forward like a mad dog, which is how he got to where he is today."

Looking at Li Xianglian's shocked yet sympathetic expression, Qin Rushan reached out and gently pinched her cheek.

"So, your Aunt Hua is daydreaming. Wei Donghai has been hurt deeply in his life. He doesn't trust women at all. Plus, working in criminal investigation has exposed him to the dark side of things, making his heart as hard as stone. To make him fall in love? It would take the sun rising in the west."

Li Xianglian felt a lump in her throat upon hearing this.

No wonder Wei Donghai always had such a stern and unapproachable look; it turns out he had such a heartbreaking past.

"He's so pitiful..." Li Xianglian sighed.

"Every pitiful person has something hateful about them. There's nothing to pity about them. Everyone walks their own path."

Qin Rushan scoffed, then changed the subject, his eyes fixed intently on his wife, "Compared to this, I'm the luckiest one. It was God's blindness that made us miss out on a few years. Now that you've been handed to me, this is God's compensation to me."

These sweet words came out of nowhere, both corny and sincere.

Li Xianglian's face flushed, and she picked up her chopsticks and poked at the noodles in her bowl: "Eat your noodles, stop talking nonsense."

"This is no nonsense."

Qin Rushan quickly finished the rest of the noodles, wiped his mouth, and said, "Alright, just keep this to yourself. Tell Aunt Hua that Captain Wei doesn't want to look for him, and don't say anything else. Nobody wants their scars reopened."

"I know."

Qin Rushan stood up and quickly cleared away the dishes.

"Let's rest for a while after we eat," he said lightly as he walked towards the pool. "Then, when the sun is setting, we'll go to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce."

"What are you going to the Industry and Commerce Bureau for?" Li Xianglian was taken aback.

Qin Rushan turned around, grinned in the sunlight, revealing a set of big white teeth.

"What for? Go get that red booklet!"

"Old Wei has already made the arrangements. We'll go and solidify your 'individual business owner' status! From now on, you'll be one of the first openly legitimate female business owners in our county. If anyone dares to try and harass us with those speculative tactics again, just throw that license in their face!"

As the sun began to set, two large sycamore trees in front of the county's Administration for Industry and Commerce cast a cool shade over the concrete ground.

The red brick building has a large white banner painted on its exterior wall that reads "Develop the economy and ensure supply," giving it a solemn and dignified feel.

Li Xianglian stood at the door, her palms slightly sweaty, and subconsciously tugged at the hem of her clothes.

These days, ordinary people are somewhat intimidated when they see people in uniforms or wearing peaked caps.

"What are you afraid of?"

Qin Rushan parked his old bicycle and strode over to her side.

The large, warm, and strong hand enveloped her small hand. "Old Wei has already made arrangements. We're here to respond to the national call, not to turn ourselves in."

His shout was full of confidence, which slowed down the beating of Li Xianglian's heart a little.

Upon entering the service hall, it was more like a large, interconnected office than a proper hall.

Several clerks were hunched over a wooden table, writing and drawing, while the ceiling fan above them whirred, making the documents on the table rustle.

"I'm looking for Section Chief Liu." Qin Rushan knocked on the innermost table.

The man was a middle-aged man wearing black-rimmed glasses. Hearing the noise, he looked up and, seeing that it was Qin Rushan, immediately put down his pen and put on a smile: "Is this Captain Qin? Captain Wei just called me this morning."

Section Chief Liu took out a yellowed form from his drawer. "Here, fill out this form. Name, address, business scope."

Section Chief Liu held the fountain pen, which was still being dipped in ink, in his hand. The nib hovered over the "person in charge" column of the form, and his eyes naturally fell on Qin Rushan.

These days, even if people are more open-minded, when it comes to doing business in public, especially dealing with "government" matters, it's always the men who take the lead.

Women, well, they just stay at home taking care of the children and doing housework, and at most they might help out at the stalls to collect money.

"Come on, Captain Qin, sign and put your fingerprints on this." Section Chief Liu pushed the form in front of Qin Rushan. "Write your name neatly; this is for filing."

Qin Rushan did not move.

He gestured with his chin toward Li Xianglian beside him, his tone quite matter-of-fact: "Section Chief Liu, you've handed this form to the wrong person."

"Wrong person?"

Section Chief Liu adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, looking completely bewildered. "That's right, Captain Wei said you're here to apply for a department store retail license..."

"We need to get the license, but I'm not the boss."

Qin Rushan reached out and pulled out the thin piece of paper, smoothed it out slightly, and solemnly placed it in front of Li Xianglian. "My wife is the boss. I work for her."

Upon hearing this, the previously noisy service hall fell silent instantly, like a chicken being strangled.

The people who were filling out forms on the table next to them, as well as the clerks who were stamping them, all stopped what they were doing, their eyes wide open, and stared at them all.

What is that?

This dark-faced man, who looks like he could kill a bull with one punch, actually lets a delicate young wife run the household?