Chapter 205: Political Commissar Xie Goes Mad
A soldier’s mission was to fight for a sliver of survival in the field. When they deployed, every family had a husband, a son, or a brother who faced severe danger. Everyone relied on that life-saving hemostatic powder, a resource selflessly provided by Sheng Wanyan.
For Zhang Zhaodi to turn around and treat their benefactor with such blatant hostility was the height of ungratefulness.
“And yet your wife has the audacity to go around telling everyone that Comrade Sheng Wanyan isn’t worthy of marrying Gu Tingxiao!” Political Commissar Xie bellowed, his voice echoing through the front rows. “Why? Is your wife somehow more accomplished than Comrade Sheng Wanyan? Or have your contributions eclipsed those of Captain Gu?”
As Captain Wu listened to the dressing-down, his face flushed a deep, asymmetric red. The veins in his neck bulged with raw humiliation and fury. He turned a lethal, murderous glare on Zhang Zhaodi, his hands curling into tight, trembling fists.
Terrified by the sheer rage radiating from her husband, Zhang Zhaodi scrambled back two steps. Her face was bloodless, her wide eyes locked onto Sheng Wanyan in sheer disbelief. How… how does she wield this much influence? How could she possibly be this important?
“You even had the nerve to slander Comrade Liang Qian’s virtue in a public venue!” the commissar pressed, relentless. “You possess absolutely no discipline, no respect for the rules!”
Political Commissar Xie was genuinely furious. Zhang Zhaodi could have picked a fight with any other spouse on this base, but she had blindly targeted Sheng Wanyan. What if her toxic remarks alienated the young woman? What if Wanyan grew resentful of the military environment and refused to cooperate on future pharmaceutical developments?
The base command had spent weeks carefully cultivating a warm, respectful relationship with Comrade Sheng Wanyan, only for this foolish woman to nearly burn that goodwill to the ground for a bit of malicious gossip.
“You will draft a twenty-thousand-word self-criticism and deliver it directly to my desk tomorrow morning!” Political Commissar Xie ordered coldly. “If I ever catch you crossing this line again, I will not show a shred of leniency!”
“Yes, sir! Understood, Political Commissar!” Captain Wu barked.
With a dark, tight expression, Captain Wu seized Zhang Zhaodi by the arm and dragged her toward the exit. Stripped of her arrogance, Zhang Zhaodi didn’t dare utter a single syllable, completely abandoning any hope of watching the performance.
Before she was hauled through the doors, she stole one last glance back at Sheng Wanyan. The young woman remained perfectly calm and composed, entirely unbothered by the chaos. Wanyan didn’t even grant her a passing look, instead engaging in a poised, fluid conversation with Political Commissar Xie and Political Commissar Ming from the Capital.
In that fleeting second, the staggering chasm between herself and Sheng Wanyan became undeniably clear.
A toxic mixture of fear and bitter resentment swirled in Zhang Zhaodi’s chest. How could she possibly accept that this hated woman was so vastly superior to her? So what if Sheng Wanyan possesses a bit of technical skill? What right does she have to be so insufferably arrogant? If she hadn’t ran and tattled to the political commissar like a child, would I even have to endure this public humiliation?
Yet, deep down, she knew Wanyan was an entrenched asset she couldn’t afford to cross. She had no choice but to swallow her bitter grievances.
Meanwhile, a dense, awkward tension settled over the remaining military wives. Quite a few of them had been eagerly participating in the gossip with Zhang Zhaodi just moments prior. Suddenly, they found themselves frozen, unsure whether to sit or stand, terrified that Wanyan might report their names to the leadership. If they had known she carried this much weight, they never would have entertained Zhang Zhaodi’s venomous chatter. Now, their husbands’ entire military trajectories were hanging by a thread.
In sharp contrast, Gu Tingxiao’s fellow officers shot him looks of intense envy and jealousy. The man was a naturally distant, unreadable stoic, yet he had somehow managed to anchor an absolute treasure of a wife.
Looking at Wanyan, the men marveled at her poise. Facing a tier of senior command officials from the capital, she didn’t display a single trace of timidity or nerves. Her conduct was perfectly measured—she didn’t attempt to aggressively steal the spotlight from the commanders, yet she maintained a distinct, commanding presence that ensured she never faded into the background.
While Sheng Wanyan conversed smoothly with the top brass, Gu Tingxiao was an absolute ball of nerves. He kept shooting anxious, furtive glances in her direction, but Wanyan acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. She quietly supervised him as he finished his packed dinner, waiting patiently until he ran off to wash the lunch container and returned to her side.
“Wanyan, look. I scrubbed it perfectly clean,” he said softly, handing it over.
“Good.”
Her brief, crisp response left Gu Tingxiao entirely off-balance, utterly unable to gauge whether she was harboring a deep grudge against him.
“Hahaha! Political Commissar Ming, please, right this way,” Political Commissar Xie’s voice boomed, cutting through the tension as he guided the Capital official toward the center of the front row. “The performance is about to commence.”
Political Commissar Ming offered a short nod and took his seat. Sheng Wanyan settled into her spot directly behind him, her eyes focusing on the heavy stage curtains.
A few minutes later, Grandpa Sheng, Grandma Sheng, Sheng Wanze, and Pan Yue slipped into the hall. They had been delayed because Pan Yue had experienced a brief wave of pregnancy-related discomfort just as they were preparing to leave the house. Still, a live theatrical performance was a rare luxury on the frontier, and Pan Yue had been determined to attend. More than anything, she wanted to get her grandparents out of the house to enjoy some lively entertainment instead of staying cooped up in their quarters all week.
As a regular member of the base’s cultural troupe currently on maternity leave, Pan Yue navigated the familiar space easily.
“Grandpa, Grandma, over here!” Wanyan called out, waving her hand.
Because they had arrived late, the back rows were completely filled, leaving no obvious places for them to sit. However, Political Commissar Xie was eager to further cement his rapport with Sheng Wanyan, and he knew the fastest way to a woman’s good graces was showing respect to her family.
“Comrade Sheng Wanyan’s family, please, come down to the front row,” Political Commissar Xie announced loudly. “The visibility is much better down here. Comrades, if you could please squeeze together a bit to accommodate our guests?”
Since the base commander had issued a direct request, the audience members complied instantly. The wives in the second and third rows shifted and compressed their seating, smoothly clearing enough bench space to comfortably seat the four newcomers.
“Thank you so much for your kindness, everyone,” Wanyan expressed politely.
The surrounding military wives waved their hands in frantic dismissal. At this moment, every single woman in the section was desperate to build a bridge with her. Clearing a small pocket of bench space was an effortless way to leave a favorable impression on a national asset, paving the way for friendly interactions in the future.
Grandpa Sheng and the others filtered into the row and settled down. Moved by how exceptionally accommodating the neighbors were being, Grandma Sheng reached into her deep pockets and pulled out a large handful of roasted sunflower seeds, distributing them among the row.
“We’ve truly caused quite a disruption for you all,” Grandma Sheng apologized warmly.
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all, Auntie! Squeezing in together just makes the atmosphere more lively and festive,” one of the wives replied brightly. “Is this your first time taking in a troupe performance?”
Grandma Sheng shook her head with a nostalgic smile. Throughout her long life, she had never had the opportunity to sit before a live theatrical stage; this was her absolute first time. “Yes, indeed. I’ve never witnessed anything like this before. It is entirely thanks to the generosity of the state and the military that an old woman like me gets to experience such a marvel.”
Her eloquent, perfectly structured response caused Political Commissar Ming to narrow his eyes slightly from his seat in front of her. It was immediately apparent that Comrade Sheng Wanyan’s grandmother was far from an ordinary civilian. Her speech patterns were fluid, cultured, and thoroughly dignified, lacking even a hint of the rough provincial dialect typical of rural elders. Instead, she possessed the refined carriage of an matriarch from the capital elite, her words carrying a distinct, measured grace.
“Then you must ensure you take in every single minute of it, Auntie!” another wife chimed in. “Enjoy the festivities along with the rest of us.”
“Of course, I intend to do exactly that.”
Grandma Sheng navigated the social dynamics seamlessly, charming the wives of lower-ranking officers with effortless tact. Watching from the side, Wanyan couldn’t help but marvel at her grandmother’s innate social brilliance. As expected of my grandma—she’s absolutely incredible.
Having never witnessed a live troupe showcase herself, Wanyan’s curiosity was piqued, and her eyes remained locked onto the stage.
Moments later, the house lights dimmed, and the master of ceremonies stepped into the spotlight, adjusting the standing microphone to open the evening’s program.
“Good evening to our esteemed leadership, our brave soldiers, and the dedicated military spouses guarding our rear!”
“Good evening!” the crowd roared back in an enthusiastic wave.
Sensing the immense energy in the hall, the host smiled. “Our talented comrades from the cultural troupe have spent weeks refining a spectacular lineup of performances to honor our frontline defenders and the families who keep the home fires burning! To open our program tonight, please welcome our vocal ensemble for an inspirational military ballad!”
“Hooray!” the audience cheered.
The curtains parted to reveal the first act: a traditional military choral performance. Over a dozen female performers in immaculate uniforms stood assembled in two disciplined rows. Their clear, soaring voices filled the auditorium like a flock of larks, washing over the audience.
The second act transitioned into a fast-paced, high-energy traditional dance, perfectly encapsulating the soaring patriotic spirit of the era. The female dancers from the troupe possessed extraordinary physical flexibility. Whether executing flawless extensions, seamless splits, or elegant backbends, their movements flowed with an innate, breathtaking grace.
“Magnificent!” “Brilliant!”
Thunderous applause echoed through the hall after every number, with the single enlisted soldiers in the back rows cheering the loudest, their eyes wide with rapt admiration.
