Pregnant and Pampered: The Heiress in a Military Compound

Xie Changning reached out to pat her head, only to realize the young woman was now taller than her. "Wow, I can’t believe Jiaojiao’s gotten so tall."

He Jiao chuckled.

"You bet, Sister-in-law! Let me tell you, I’m a squad leader now." She was beaming with pride as she announced her position.

Her performance metrics were all excellent, and her platoon leader thought highly of her.

During the vote for squad leader recommendations, he specifically nominated her. Fortunately, she was well-liked; everyone was fond of her and genuinely respected her abilities.

Xie Changning was genuinely surprised to hear that He Jiao was a squad leader.

’I never would have thought that such a lively and cheerful young woman would train so hard!’

"You’ve worked so hard."

He Jiao froze at Xie Changning’s words.

Every time she told people she was a squad leader, they would praise her, telling her she did a great job and that she was amazing. Only Xie Changning said, "You’ve worked so hard."

For some reason, He Jiao felt a sting in her nose.

She blinked a few times, pushing down the feeling. "It’s alright. My dad’s a brigade commander, so I can’t bring him shame, can I? Like father, like daughter, right?"

In reality, children of prominent figures like her carried a much greater burden than ordinary people.

Xie Changning ruffled her hair. "You’re already doing great. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself." Even as she said it, Xie Changning understood.

That even with her words, He Jiao wouldn’t change.

Gossip is a fearsome thing...

He Jiao’s status meant that many eyes were on her. If she made the slightest mistake, people would say things like, "Look at her. Her father is the brigade commander, and she can’t even complete a simple training exercise. What a disgrace to her father."

She was only a teenager; she shouldn’t have to carry such a burden.

"Yeah. Thanks, Sister-in-law."

The topic had grown a bit heavy, so Xie Changning changed it. "Your brother mentioned there’s an Art Troupe performance tonight and invited me to go with him."

"Do you know what’s on the program tonight?"

He Jiao knew that Xie Changning had come to her home with the intention of attending the Art Troupe performance that evening.

’I just can’t believe her brother is so bold!’

’There’s someone in the Art Troupe who’s had a crush on him for ages. Isn’t he afraid his wife will find out?’

Curiosity aside, He Jiao answered Xie Changning’s question. "It’s the usual stuff—*The Red Detachment of Women*, *The White-Haired Girl*, *Ode to Yimeng*, and *The Laundry Song*. There will also be some folk dances and songs. The final program depends on the total performance time."

Xie Changning was familiar with all those titles.

However, this would be her first time watching an Art Troupe performance live, and Xie Changning felt a flicker of anticipation.

Seeing Xie Changning’s excitement, He Jiao glanced over at Yue Yihan, who wasn’t far away. Her eyes were full of playful mockery, and she shot him a wink when Xie Changning wasn’t looking.

Yue Yihan was speechless. ’That little brat. Don’t think I don’t know you’re just waiting for the drama to unfold!’

’My feelings for my wife are as clear as day!’

’Other people... Other people don’t matter at all!’

And yet, as he thought about it, a flicker of fear sparked in Yue Yihan. He wasn’t afraid of anything else—he was afraid of his wife getting angry.

So, after they had dinner at He Liuzhang’s home, Yue Yihan found an opportunity to come clean with Xie Changning. "Honey, there’s something I need to tell you. Please don’t be angry..."

For once, Yue Yihan wore a pitiful expression.

This piqued Xie Changning’s interest.

Seeing him hesitate, she grew even more curious. "Alright, I won’t get angry. Go ahead."

’Why is he so nervous?’

’As I recall, adultery is forbidden in a military marriage, isn’t it? Interfering with one is illegal. Most people wouldn’t dare. So why is he so nervous? Is he hiding something else from me?’

Xie Changning racked her brain but couldn’t figure out what he had to confess.

Finally, Yue Yihan couldn’t hold back any longer and confessed, "There’s a woman in the Art Troupe who’s had a crush on me for a long time. I was afraid you’d be upset if you found out, so I wanted to tell you beforehand."

Understanding finally dawned on Xie Changning.

She was puzzled. "Why would I be unhappy? Has she been pestering you since we got married?"

Yue Yihan shook his head.

Far from pestering him, she actually kept her distance. Even though you could tell she still liked him, she never bothered him in the slightest.

"She didn’t pester you, so did you pester her? Or have the two of you been in frequent contact, crossing any lines?"

Yue Yihan’s expression immediately turned serious, and he shook his head so hard it looked like a rattle drum.

"Never! She’s a good comrade; she wouldn’t interfere in our marriage. There’s absolutely nothing going on between us."

"Then why were you so afraid I’d get angry?"

Yue Yihan was stunned by her question. He had, in fact, considered that Xie Changning might not get angry.

But He Jiao’s teasing look earlier had made him unwilling to take the risk.

"From the way you were acting, I thought you two were actually involved. I’m not some unreasonable shrew, why would I go looking for trouble?" She was busy enough as it was.

Who has time to worry about such nonsense?

You only have time to worry about that kind of nonsense if your husband actually did something, or if you’ve got nothing better to do.

It’s better to just find something to keep yourself busy.

Hearing this, Yue Yihan breathed a sigh of relief. "I guess I overthought it. You’re not angry, since we really haven’t crossed any lines."

We just exchange a few words when we see each other.

There’s no other interaction at all.

In the afternoon, Yue Yihan and He Liuzhang had work to attend to, so Liu Changyou took Xie Changning for a tour of her workplace.

Xie Changning knew her boundaries and was careful to only look from the outside, never venturing in.

’When it came to military affairs, it was best for her to know nothing at all.’

Otherwise, she could easily cause trouble for Yue Yihan.

And for herself.

At six o’clock that evening, Yue Yihan found her and led her to their seats to get ready for the Art Troupe performance.

As Xie Changning sat down, she saw a simple, red stage that had been set up nearby. It fit the style of the era perfectly.

On the stage sat two large loudspeakers, placed together but pointing in different directions.

It was a very nostalgic sight.

Soldiers from the Art Troupe bustled back and forth across the stage, arranging the set and then doing a soundcheck with the speakers and microphones.

After that, the Art Troupe soldiers began their stage walkthrough.

After the walkthrough, the leaders took the stage to give speeches and rally everyone’s morale.

Once the speeches were over, it was time for the show to begin.

The performance opened with a grand chorus singing a military anthem that the soldiers often sang.

Perhaps it was the unique setting, but as Xie Changning sat surrounded by soldiers and listened to the chorus on stage, the singing gradually spread until the entire audience of soldiers was singing along.

She felt an urge to sing along with them.

More than that, she felt deeply moved.

After the chorus ended, the next act began.

It had to be said, even to Xie Changning’s untrained eye—she was a science major, after all—it was clear that the soldiers in the Art Troupe had excellent posture and bearing.

Xie Changning watched the performance, her attention gradually becoming more focused.

She was so engrossed that she didn’t even hear Yue Yihan when he spoke to her.