Marriage in the 1970s: The Political Commissar's Contract Wife

Zhi Xia's gaze drifted to the window, her voice carrying a resigned clarity, yet also a hint of vague anticipation for the future: "The babies are due soon... and twins at that. What's the point of all this fuss? If possible... let it be. Anyway, it doesn't matter who I marry, at least he's the father of the children, and he... he cares about me enough."

She turned back to look at Zhang Meili, a faint, self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of her lips: "Sister-in-law, do you know? 'It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.' He has spoiled me so much that I've become quite pampered. Now, even the cornbread in the canteen smells rough to me, and I can't swallow it. The clothes I wear, even the most ordinary cotton ones, have to be the softest and most comfortable."

She paused, a different kind of light appearing in her eyes—the radiance of knowledge: "He's very learned; he knows a lot of things I don't. In the evenings, when he has free time, he tells me stories from books, about the outside world, about history, about science. Listening to him, I feel... like I used to live in a tiny shell."

Finally, she spoke softly, as if talking to herself, yet also as if revealing her innermost thoughts to her sister-in-law:

"Sister-in-law, if a duck, which could only waddle on the ground and occasionally envy the birds in the sky, were to be taught to flap its wings, shown the vast sky reflected in the water, and even allowed to try flying a little off the ground... would it still be content to just peck at grains in the mud on the ground afterward?"

Zhang Meili stared blankly at her sister-in-law. The Zhi Xia before her still had a beautiful face, but her eyes were no longer those of the timid, wounded girl who had first arrived at the army. She possessed a calmer demeanor, a softer glow that came from being carefully nurtured, and more importantly, a unique light ignited in her eyes by knowledge and a broader perspective.

Zhang Meili suddenly realized that some things, once given, can never be taken back. This wasn't just about material comforts, but also about spiritual guidance and broadened horizons. Fang Chu's actions, perhaps stemming from guilt and a desire to make amends, had unknowingly opened a window for Zhixia.

She sighed, took Zhixia's hand, and patted it gently: "Just know what's going on in your heart. You're the one living your life. It's okay that he's good to you and you appreciate his kindness. But remember, no matter how high the sky he shows you, you have to keep your feet on the ground."

Zhi Xia grasped her sister-in-law's hand in return, nodded, and her eyes were slightly red: "Yes, I know, sister-in-law."

Zhang Meili felt a mix of emotions. She felt sorry for her sister's bumpy marriage, but also comforted by her sister's current calm and the little bit of "goodness" in her life.

She finally just sighed and tucked a stray hair behind Zhixia's ear: "It's good that you think this way. Life has to go on. If he's good to you, just accept it; if he dares to act recklessly, you still have your brother and me! The most important thing now is to get your health back and give birth to your two children safely."

Zhixia nodded, picked up the knitting needles again, and knitted slowly and carefully, stitch by stitch.

Looking at Zhixia's calm yet resigned profile, Zhang Meili felt much relieved of her worries, but another matter surfaced.

She hesitated for a moment, then took out a neatly folded envelope from her cloth bag and placed it on the edge of the bed next to Zhixia.

The envelope was made of ordinary kraft paper, with Zhixia's name and the address of her unit written on it in neat and powerful handwriting.

Zhixia stopped knitting and her gaze fell on the envelope. She was puzzled at first, but when she saw the familiar handwriting, her expression changed slightly.

"Zuoqi has written to you again," Zhang Meili said softly, her tone carrying a hint of reminder.

Zhi Xia stared at the envelope, not touching it, but her lips tightened slightly. "Didn't I... have my second brother talk to him before the New Year and apologize on my behalf? Why is he still..."

Before the New Year, Zhixia wrote a letter to her second brother, instructing him to apologize to Zuo Qi on her behalf, as a way to put an end to their conflict.

"Your second brother did say that," Zhang Meili sighed, "but that kid Zuoqi... probably didn't see your reply in person, and he's still hoping for it, so he wrote you another letter."

Zhixia remained silent, her fingers unconsciously twisting the yarn.

Zuo Qi's letter was like a pebble thrown into the lake of her heart, which she had just tried to calm down, creating a circle of subtle and complex ripples.

There is nostalgia for the simpler times of the past, and guilt for not being able to end things properly, but more than anything, there is a clear understanding—those are all in the past.

She is now pregnant with Fang Chu's child and will soon become a mother.

Fang Chu may not have been the perfect man she had always dreamed of, but the marriage was now a reality and was slowly taking root in a way she had never anticipated.

Fang Chu's kindness to her was clumsy yet genuine; his anticipation for their unborn child was sincere and fervent. She couldn't, and shouldn't, let any past entanglements affect her present life, especially... Fang Chu.

She raised her eyes and looked at Zhang Meili, her gaze becoming clear and firm: "Sister-in-law, this letter... you should give it directly to Fang Chu."

Zhang Meili was taken aback: "For Fang Chu?"

"Hmm." Zhixia nodded, her tone calm. "He's not very petty... Actually, he's not very shrewd. If he knew that Zuo Qi was still writing to me and I hadn't told him, who knows what he'd think. Rather than letting him suspect, it's better to be open and honest. Give him the letter, and if that doesn't work, I'll have Fang Chu write him a reply and make things clear."

Zhang Meili looked at Zhixia carefully and saw that she looked calm and composed, not out of spite or to test her, but genuinely considering how to maintain the harmony of her family.

She felt both gratified and bittersweet. She was gratified that her younger sister had finally grown up and started to learn how to manage a marriage; she was bittersweet because this growth had come at a great cost.

"Okay." Zhang Meili picked up the envelope and put it back in her pocket. "I'm relieved that you think this way. Now that you've decided to live a good life with Fang Chu, these old scores should be cut cleanly and decisively. Don't let Fang Chu hold a grudge. There's a long road ahead, and if he's unhappy, something bad will happen sooner or later."

"I know, sister-in-law." Zhixia picked up the knitting needles again and knitted steadily, stitch by stitch.

Zhang Meili sat for a while longer, offering some comforting words, before getting up to take her leave. Before leaving, she patted the pocket containing the letter and gave Zhixia a wink, indicating that she should rest assured.

She knew that once she embarked on Zhixia's path, turning back would be difficult. She could only hope that Fang Chu could continue to be this good, and not let down her sister-in-law's slowly trying-to-give-her heart.

Zhixia watched her sister-in-law leave, and the room fell silent again. She stared blankly at the bare branches of the trees outside the window for a while.

Zuo Qi's letter, like an old photograph, reminded her of another possibility she had once considered. But soon, the movements of her unborn child, the sounds of her mother bustling about in the kitchen, and the anxious questions Fang Chu might ask when he returned that evening... all these concrete and real ties quickly smoothed out that distant ripple.

She lowered her head and continued knitting the small, pale yellow sweater in her hands, a faint, motherly smile unconsciously curving her lips. The past could not be changed, and the future was unknown, but the steady progress she made stitch by stitch was what she should hold onto most.

After returning from Zhixia's place, Zhang Meili was preoccupied with something. Instead of going straight home, she went to the regimental headquarters office to find Zhilin. Zhilin had just finished a meeting and was frowning as he looked at the documents. When he saw Zhang Meili come in, he glanced up.

"How is Xiaxia?" Zhilin asked, putting down the documents.

"Much better. Fang Chu was just playing around with her and accidentally fell off the bed. It's nothing serious." Zhang Meili sat down opposite him, took the letter out of her pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards Zhilin. "Give this to Fang Chu."

Zhi Lin's brows furrowed immediately as she stared at the letter, her eyes unfriendly: "Xia Xia isn't accepting it?"

"I won't accept it." Zhang Meili shook her head and repeated what she had said to Zhixia exactly as she had told her, "She told me... to give it directly to Fang Chu."

Zhi Lin paused, his hand holding the cigarette still. He looked up at his wife, a hint of surprise and contemplation in his eyes: "Did she really say that?"

"Hmm." Zhang Meili nodded. "She also said that Fang Chu is petty and doesn't want to hide it from him for fear of misunderstanding. She even said that if all else fails, Fang Chu should write back to Zuo Qi in her voice to clean things up."

Zhi Lin fell silent, picked up the letter, and weighed it in his hand, as if assessing the significance of his sister's decision. After a long while, the corner of his mouth twitched, an expression that was hard to discern—whether it was relief or something else—and he snorted, "This girl... she's really planning to settle down with that Fang Chu."