I was reborn after my cousin stole my life.

Chapter 13: The Old House Catches Fire

After Yuan Juan left, Yuan Xiu couldn't help but greet and chat with the military families who had spoken up for justice earlier.

One person said my spouse was from that regiment, and another said my son was an officer in that battalion.

The old lady in the blue cloth jacket lived next door to Yuan Xiu.

The old woman was a chatterbox, and she started telling Yuan Xiu why she had come to the army base to visit her family.

"...My wife passed away three years ago, leaving behind only my daughter. I came here today to persuade my son to go back and find a partner."

When the older woman started talking about her family, the receptionist came over to listen. "Don't you want your son to find someone?"

The old lady got angry when she talked about this woman. "I don't know what he's thinking. I found him several women in our rural hometown, but he wouldn't even go back to meet them. He always says they're not suitable, but he won't say exactly why. It's driving me crazy."

"That's quite worrying..."

Yuan Xiu didn't interrupt. Seeing that the old lady and the receptionist were chatting quite well, she went back to her room.

Yuan Xiu didn't go out that afternoon, and slept soundly on the bed in the guesthouse.

She was woken up by noise from next door. The old lady next door seemed to be scolding her son. The old lady was sitting on the bed, and it seemed that she was slapping the bed while scolding. With each slap, the headboard of the bed would hit the wall, making a dull thud.

The light in the room dimmed. Yuan Xiu didn't have a watch, but judging from the sunlight, it should be around five or six o'clock in the afternoon.

She planned to go out for a walk and then have dinner at the cafeteria.

As soon as the door opened, the noise from next door grew louder. The old woman was crying quite hard, and a man's helpless sigh could be heard mixed in.

The receptionist was eavesdropping at the entrance of the corridor. Not only her, but people in other rooms also opened their doors and peeked out to listen.

Yuan Xiu also saw Yuan Juan, who was standing at the top of the stairs, peering down.

When she saw Yuan Xiu looking at her, she immediately shrank back.

Yuan Xiu scoffed and left the guesthouse.

Yuan Xiu didn't notice that shortly after she left, Yuan Juan also ran out. The receptionist's attention was drawn to the old lady's household affairs, and she didn't notice Yuan Juan at all.

……

"Xiao Jiang, where are you rushing off to?"

Seeing Jiang Zhou walking very fast, Li Shan quickly chased after him.

Jiang Zhou held the keys he had just received from the logistics department. "I'm going to check out the house."

Li Shan joked, "I heard from the political commissar that you submitted your marriage application this afternoon? You're moving way too fast! Was there really such a rush?"

"I only have two days off. If I don't get things done in these two days, when will I have time later?"

Without a marriage application, how would the logistics department give him the key?

Li Shan nodded, "That's true, we've had a lot of work to do lately."

My husband said he wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow night.

Jiang Zhou nodded, "Okay, I'll take Yuan Xiu with me then."

"By the way, where is the apartment you were allocated?"

Knowing that Jiang Zhou wanted the old courtyard house, Li Shan hurriedly said, "Why did you move to that place? Living in an apartment building is so much better. It's so convenient to have running water and using the toilet. The old courtyard house is all muddy, and it's just like the countryside when it rains. The houses are also old. Everyone else is moving into apartments. Why are you still living in a bungalow? Is there no room available in the apartments?"

"It was Yuan Xiu who chose it," Jiang Zhou said.

"So it was your sister-in-law who chose it." Li Shan smiled at him. "You're secretly pleased, aren't you?"

Jiang Zhou rolled his eyes at him. "Speak your mind, or shut up."

"I heard your sister-in-law is quite pretty, much prettier than that imposter."

I didn't pay much attention to this Jiangzhou one, but it looks better than the fake one anyway.

"If you find it too much trouble, that's perfect, you can help me clean the house."

Li Shan was being dragged along by the neck, unable to run away even if he wanted to.

"Go to hell with Jiangzhou! Let go of me right now! Don't I care about my reputation?"

Jiang Zhou responded with a cold snort.

Li Shan returned home very late that night, covered in dust.

When Chunmei saw him like this, she wouldn't even let him into the house. She made him stand at the door and took a feather duster to beat him.

"You're even more energetic than our son! Anyone who didn't know better would think you'd been rolling around in the mud!"

Li Shan: "I was conscripted by Xiao Jiang. Lao Sun and I spent half an afternoon cleaning his house."

"Has Battalion Commander Jiang's house been delivered?"

"That's right. He only met the girl at noon, and submitted the marriage application in the afternoon. This guy used to seem so indifferent to worldly desires, but now, it's like his old house is on fire, and he's more anxious than anyone else."

"Isn't that obvious? If I were in your shoes, I'd be anxious too. My wife almost got replaced."

The couple chatted for a long time, mostly about Jiang Zhou and Yuan Xiu.

For example, what would be appropriate gifts for a couple getting married?

……

Yuan Xiu only learned of Yuan Juan's disappearance the next morning.

Jiang Zhou sent someone to pick up Yuan Juan and take her to the train station. When they knocked on her room door, they couldn't get it open. They had to ask the receptionist to use the spare key to open the door, only to find that no one was inside.

When something like this happens, it's natural to report it to higher authorities.

Jiang Zhou arrived quickly and found that Yuan Juan's luggage was still there, and no one had seen her leave from the gate, indicating that she was still inside the compound.

Everyone was guessing when she left the guesthouse. Yuan Xiu remembered the time when the old lady next door and her son were arguing, and guessed it was around that time.

The receptionist lowered her head guiltily.

But now is not the time to criticize her, but to find out where Yuan Juan went.

If a female comrade is away all night and something happens to her in the army, this matter will be difficult to handle.

Before they could even go looking for her, Yuan Juan returned on her own, accompanied by a kind-looking man in military uniform.

"Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou," Jiang Zhou called out.

The receptionist rushed over, "Comrade Yuan Juan, where have you been? Didn't I tell you not to wander around?"

Yuan Juan hunched her shoulders and hid behind Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou, even reaching out a hand to tug at his clothes.

Yuan Xiu's gaze sharpened.

Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou was clearly confused. "Battalion Commander Jiang? What's going on here?"

Jiang Zhou's gaze swept over the two of them: "Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou, this female comrade..."

Before Jiang Zhou could finish speaking, the old lady who lived next door to Yuan Xiu ran out, "Shitou, why are you walking with this woman?"

Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou scratched his head, unsure how to explain it to his mother.

"Mother, didn't you want me to get married? If I marry her, she'll be your daughter-in-law?"

The old woman was shocked: "What did you say?"