Chapter 405| Chapter 406| Chapter 407
Chapter 405: Sheng Wanyan Refuses to Adopt
Xiaocao’s mind raced. I’m very capable and can do anything. Aunt Gu is such a nice person, and she’s so rich; she definitely won’t treat me badly.
I’ll even help take care of my younger sister and treat Yiyi like my own flesh and blood. I won’t compete with her for Aunt Gu’s favor, and I won’t steal her things. Aunt Gu can just give me half… that’s all. When I grow up, I’ll share everything at home equally with my sister.
Xiaocao stared intensely at Yiyi, who was still cradled in Sheng Wanyan’s arms. Feeling the older girl’s piercing gaze, Yiyi grew frightened and shook her head wildly, burying herself deeper into her mother.
“I can’t take you in,” Sheng Wanyan said, her voice steady and clear. “I have my own daughter to raise.”
The words made Xiaocao’s face turn instantly pale. Yet, she knew that Sheng Wanyan was her absolute best ticket to a good life.
“I already have a daughter, and I don’t need another one,” Sheng Wanyan repeated. “You will find a good family. The army won’t abandon you.”
She spoke plainly, using terms a seven-year-old could fully comprehend. But instead of listening, Xiaocao dropped to her knees once more, kowtowing repeatedly against the floor as she begged.
“Auntie, please! I promise I won’t steal from little sister… I’ll be so good to her!”
Despite the girl’s frantic pleading, Sheng Wanyan took two steps back, her expression remaining entirely indifferent.
She noticed that this child had already learned how to weaponize people’s sympathy. There wasn’t a hint of childhood innocence left in Xiaocao’s eyes. Perhaps because she had been severely abused by her relatives, a deep-seated resentment and calculation had taken root inside her.
Xiaocao claimed she wanted a family, yet every single word out of her mouth revolved around Yiyi and promises of not “snatching” things. It was clear she understood the Gu family’s wealthy circumstances perfectly. She knew she would live a life of luxury if she crossed their threshold, and her heart was already burning with envy toward Yiyi.
Envy easily curdled into jealousy. If Sheng Wanyan actually adopted this child, her own daughter would likely become the target of that deep-seated resentment in the future.
“You’ve misunderstood something,” Sheng Wanyan said, her tone cool. “Everything I own belongs to my daughter by right. No one can ever take anything away from her. And as for me, I only want the child I birthed myself. The army will find you a proper home and ensure you aren’t bullied.”
Sheng Wanyan’s blunt refusal cut through Xiaocao’s pride. The girl realized, with a sinking chest, that Aunt Gu was rejecting her solely because of Yiyi—that envied little sister, Gu Jinsheng, whom every girl in the military compound secretly wished they could be.
Aunt Gu doesn’t want me because she already has her. If that little sister didn’t exist, I would be Aunt Gu’s daughter. I would be the one living a wonderful life.
Aunt Gu had rejected her on the spot without a second thought, firmly shielding her own daughter from an outsider.
Why don’t I have a mother like that? I want a mother like that too!
“Auntie… I beg you…”
“You’re a smart girl,” Sheng Wanyan interrupted coldly. “You should understand exactly what I am saying.”
Xiaocao shivered, thoroughly intimidated by the icy detachment in Sheng Wanyan’s eyes.
The crowd hadn’t expected Sheng Wanyan to decline so ruthlessly. She could clearly afford it, so why be so unyielding?
“Captain Gu’s wife is far too cold-hearted.”
“Exactly. It’s not like their family can’t afford to feed another mouth.”
Hearing the judgmental murmurs among the military wives, Sheng Wanyan swept her gaze over them. The woman who had just spoken immediately clamped her mouth shut.
“Since you’re so kind-hearted, why don’t you take her home and raise her yourself?” Sheng Wanyan challenged smoothly. “After all, your family’s circumstances aren’t bad. You can raise her for a few years, marry her off, and then you’ll have someone to look after you in your old age.”
Caught off guard, the gossipy wife frantically waved her hands in refusal. “No… how could our family ever compare to yours?”
Sheng Wanyan earned thousands a month, while the rest of them had to scrape by on their husbands’ rigid military salaries.
“If you can’t do it yourself, then don’t come over here trying to morally kidnap me,” Sheng Wanyan snapped back. “What right do you have to tell me how to live my life when you won’t even step up to do the same?”
“But you earn so much… and Captain Gu’s salary is exceptionally high,” another voice grumbled from the crowd. “You only have this one child. Are you seriously going to leave every single thing you own to a girl?”
To many of them, leaving a massive inheritance to a daughter was peak foolishness. They privately thought Captain Gu’s family was utterly bizarre.
“Yiyi is my child. What’s wrong with giving her everything?” Sheng Wanyan scoffed. She looked directly at the disgruntled speaker. “But I suppose you’re right about one thing—it’s a pity your own children don’t have a mother as capable as me.”
The jab hit a nerve, offending a large portion of the room. Many of the military wives in the compound relied entirely on their husbands’ income. But Sheng Wanyan didn’t care. They lacked the ability to generate their own wealth, yet they had the audacity to gather here and policing how she managed hers.
Did earning a high income mean she was obligated to play the saint? Did making more money mean she had to carry everyone else’s burdens? It was laughable. People loved adding fuel to a fire as long as their own houses weren’t the ones burning.
Before the defensive wives could argue back, Aunt Xie and Yang Wanshu stepped forward to shut them down.
“Bah! You lot are just bursting with idle time!” Aunt Xie barked. “Whether someone chooses to adopt is entirely their own business. Since when is it your turn to dictate terms?”
“Exactly,” Yang Wanshu added, a sharp smile on her face. “I think you all are just drowning in envy.”
“What do we have to be envious of?!” someone shouted defensively.
“You’re envious that Captain Gu’s wife makes more money than your own husbands combined,” Yang Wanshu exposed bluntly, laying bare the petty jealousy festering in their hearts. The targeted wives flushed deep red and lowered their heads, unable to find a comeback.
“That’s right,” Qiao Hehua chimed in, stepping up to support them. “You’re just jealous that someone else’s child lives a better life than yours. Because you lack the ability to give your own kids a lavish lifestyle, you complain that others are doing too much.”
She glared at the crowd, remembering her own debts. Captain Gu had saved her husband’s life on the battlefield! If she sat back and watched these people bully Captain Gu’s wife, she wouldn’t be able to look at herself in the mirror.
Sheng Wanyan glanced at Yang Wanshu and Qiao Hehua. One was usually gentle and mild-mannered, while the other was notoriously timid. She hadn’t expected both of them to display such fierce righteousness when it counted.
“Wife, take Yiyi home first,” Gu Tingxiao said, stepping into the fray now that his wife had said her piece. “I’ll handle the rest of this.”
On a battlefield of words, his wife had never lost a single fight.
The crowd had hoped Captain Gu would step in to tame his wife’s sharp edges, but it turned out he was entirely on her side.
Sheng Wanyan nodded, adjusting her hold on Yiyi. She left the auditorium without looking back, eager to get her daughter away from the toxic environment before anyone else tried to manipulate them. As for how the remaining children would be handled, that was the military’s responsibility, not hers.
Seeing her target walking away, Xiaocao scrambled to her feet to give chase, but a firm hand gripped her arm.
“Uncle Gu… please,” Xiaocao begged, looking up at him.
But Gu Tingxiao’s expression was a mask of cold iron. Terrified by his imposing aura, Xiaocao’s voice died in her throat.
“Your aunt made herself very clear, and my stance is exactly the same,” Gu Tingxiao told her evenly. “The army will secure a proper family for you.”
Even after these children were placed in new homes, the leadership wouldn’t simply wash their hands of them. They would dispatch personnel to conduct regular welfare checks. These were the orphans of fallen heroes; the military would never allow them to be mistreated under a new roof.
Xiaocao could only weep silently at his firm rejection.
Seeing that Gu Tingxiao remained completely unmoved, she ultimately dragged herself back to stand among the other unplaced children. She knew with absolute certainty now that she would never become Aunt Gu’s daughter.
Xiaocao clenched her small fists so hard her nails bit into her palms. Why do Aunt Gu and Uncle Gu already have a daughter? If it weren’t for Yiyi, I could have gone to their house and enjoyed a life of luxury! Why does she get everything, while I get nothing?
Chapter 406: Two Years Old~
The military leadership quickly found placement for the remaining children. Because they came with both the communal donation fund and a monthly subsidy, many families in the nearby villages were eager to adopt them. A few couples who had been unable to conceive also stepped forward.
The authorities thoroughly vetted every household that applied. Some were clearly only interested in the money, and the military screened them out immediately.
Among the approved applicants were two couples who couldn’t have children of their own. One was a hunter and his wife from the countryside. Upon learning that the girls were the children of fallen heroes, they took one in without the slightest hesitation. Because they had no prior experience raising children, they chose one of the younger girls, hoping a toddler would allow them to build a parental bond more naturally.
The second couple consisted of factory workers living in the city. For medical reasons, they hadn’t been able to conceive, so they visited the base and chose a little girl they instantly connected with.
The other three children were adopted soon after, all placed with genuinely kind-hearted families.
Xiaocao was taken in by a rural couple. They were known as honest, hardworking people who already had three sons. Since they didn’t have a daughter and the wife was getting too old to safely risk another pregnancy, they figured adoption was the perfect solution. Whether they raised her strictly as a daughter or eventually welcomed her as a daughter-in-law for one of their boys, they promised to take excellent care of her.
As the placements were finalized and Xiaocao was preparing to leave with her new parents, she burst into tears and begged to see Sheng Wanyan one last time. But Sheng Wanyan stayed strictly inside her house, remaining completely out of sight until the girl was finally driven away.
When Gu Tingxiao brought home the news that the children had all departed, Sheng Wanyan let out a long sigh of relief.
She had been genuinely stressed. Over the past couple of weeks, Xiaocao had frequently come by to squat near their front door, waiting stubbornly in hopes that Sheng Wanyan would change her mind. Because she couldn’t risk leaving Yiyi unattended around the girl, Sheng Wanyan had felt trapped inside her own home.
Gu Tingxiao hadn’t even realized what was happening until he came home from work one evening and found the child lurking right by their doorstep.
Learning about the girl’s persistence left Sheng Wanyan feeling deeply unsettled. Xiaocao was far too calculating for a child her age. A young girl with that kind of intense focus and drive could easily go astray if she wasn’t guided with a very firm hand.
Now that they had all gone to their new homes, Sheng Wanyan could finally breathe easy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have even dared to step outside. It was incredibly uncomfortable to leave your own house only to find a child watching you from the doorstep.
“Don’t worry, honey,” Gu Tingxiao comforted her. “She won’t be coming back here.”
Sheng Wanyan sighed, her heart softening slightly. “They really are pitiful. I just hope they can live good, peaceful lives with their new families.”
“They will. The military will keep a close eye on them.”
Gu Tingxiao told her to relax. Just then, Yiyi came toddling over, clutching a plush rabbit doll, and wrapped her small arms around her mother’s legs.
“Mommy~”
“What’s wrong, Yiyi?” Sheng Wanyan looked down as the little girl leaned her plump face against her knee.
“Be happy~” Yiyi cooed.
Sheng Wanyan realized her perceptive daughter had noticed her somber mood. The toddler was offering her favorite doll in a sweet attempt to cheer her up. A wave of warmth rushed through Sheng Wanyan’s chest; her little girl was truly an angel.
“Yiyi, are you giving your bunny to Mommy?”
“Uh-huh!” Yiyi nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with earnest affection. She wanted her mother to have her most prized possession so she wouldn’t be sad anymore.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Sheng Wanyan accepted the rabbit doll, her heart melting. “Mommy is so happy because Yiyi loves her. Having you is enough to make Mommy smile.”
Sheng Wanyan scooped her up and settled her comfortably on her lap. Hearing her mother’s praise, Yiyi squirmed happily in her arms, kicking her little legs with pure excitement.
Gu Tingxiao sat down right beside them. Yiyi rolled around playfully until she was sandwiched in a warm embrace between both of her parents, bursting into a fit of giggles.
“Hehehe… Daddy, fly! Fly~”
Yiyi looked up at Gu Tingxiao expectantly. She wanted to play “airplane,” a game her father had introduced her to before.
Without a word, Gu Tingxiao happily obliged. He lifted her effortlessly, hoisting her up until she was straddling his broad shoulders, holding her arms securely. Sheng Wanyan kept a protective hand against the toddler’s back to ensure she wouldn’t lose her balance.
“Wow~ I’m flying! Flying~”
Yiyi was ecstatic. Sitting high atop Gu Tingxiao’s shoulders, her tiny hands gripped his short, cropped hair. She was so high up—taller than both Mommy and Daddy!
The entire house echoed with Yiyi’s bright, ringing laughter. Across the courtyard, Grandpa and Grandma Sheng could hear the little girl’s joy.
“Listen to that girl. What’s making her so happy?” Grandma Sheng murmured.
Driven by fond curiosity, Grandma Sheng walked over to peek through the window. Seeing the young family playing so happily together, she smiled, shook her head gently, and headed back home. Xiao Gu is a truly wonderful man, she reflected. He absolutely dotes on his wife and daughter. Even when my time comes to leave this earth, I’ll be able to rest easy knowing my granddaughter is in such good hands.
Time marched swiftly on, and soon it was August 28th—Yiyi’s second birthday.
In the middle of the month, Grandpa Gu had sent a letter containing monumental news: the central government had quietly begun preparations to reinstate the National College Entrance Examination.
Sheng Wanyan mentally recalled her history. In her previous life, the State Council officially announced the resumption of the college entrance exams on October 12, 1977. By October 21st, the world-changing news was broadcast across every radio station, television network, and newspaper headline in the country. It was a historic moment that electrified the entire nation.
Though this was a parallel world, the timeline of major historical events remained remarkably consistent. In less than two months, millions of citizens across the country would be celebrating in the streets.
For now, though, the most important event on her radar was Yiyi’s second birthday, and Sheng Wanyan intended to celebrate it beautifully. Yiyi was old enough to understand things now and was starting to form lasting memories. Sheng Wanyan wanted her to grow up knowing that her birthday was a day of absolute joy.
She planned to bake a proper birthday cake and gather some of Yiyi’s favorite toys, hiding them away in a decorated gift box. She wanted her daughter to experience the thrill of unwrapping presents and build a fond appreciation for life’s little rituals. Sheng Wanyan firmly believed that young girls needed to be showered with love and abundance by their families; that way, they wouldn’t be easily tricked or swayed by empty promises from smooth-talking boys when they grew up.
When Gu Tingxiao returned from work, he didn’t idle for a second, immediately stepping into the kitchen to help her with the prep work.
“Are you taking Yiyi to the training grounds this afternoon?” Sheng Wanyan asked. She wanted to set up a birthday surprise so the toddler would see it the moment she walked through the door.
“Yes, that’s the plan,” Gu Tingxiao agreed. He intended to keep the birthday girl occupied at the base for a few hours.
Once Gu Tingxiao departed with Yiyi, Sheng Wanyan fetched a set of vibrant, safe paints she had stored away in her spatial dimension. She tracked down an old, small wooden chest of Yiyi’s and set to work, carefully painting the surface with whimsical illustrations of blooming flowers, fluffy rabbits, and other cute little animals. She chose a soft, harmonious palette of milky white, pastel pink, and pale yellow.
When she finished painting, she carried the chest out into the yard to bake under the warm sun so it would be dry and ready by evening.
Next, Sheng Wanyan gathered the collection of birthday gifts. There were toys she and Gu Tingxiao had bought, alongside packages sent ahead by the Gu family and Sheng Wanyan’s parents. The pile included plush new dolls, beautiful little hairpins and ribbons, a baby doll set, gorgeous little dresses, and tiny leather shoes.
Sheng Wanyan counted them up. Between their extended family and the gifts prepared by Grandpa Sheng, Grandma Sheng, Sheng Wanze, and Pan Yue, there were ten wonderful presents in total.
Chapter 407: Mom Has Worked Hard
There were fourteen toys from their relatives, and Sheng Wanyan had prepared six herself. That made exactly twenty gifts for Yiyi’s second birthday—perfect for the occasion.
Sheng Wanyan arranged the toys on the sofa first, then set to work on the cake and dinner. Pan Yue came over early to help, as the whole family was gathering today to celebrate.
“Wanyan, what are you making?” Pan Yue asked, pointing at the confection on the counter. “What is this? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I’m making a cake for Yiyi.”
“A cake?”
“Yes. It’s a type of pastry—sweet, light, and soft. Children always love it.”
Pan Yue watched with curiosity. The most tedious part of making a cake was whipping the cream, but Sheng Wanyan had ducked into her spatial dimension to handle that before Pan Yue arrived. Now, all that remained was smoothing the frosting and decorating.
As she worked, Sheng Wanyan explained the steps so Pan Yue could try making one for Huzi’s birthday later. Pan Yue listened intently, memorizing every detail, determined to give it a shot herself.
For the topping, Sheng Wanyan used fresh fruit. She had washed and sliced wild berries gathered from the mountains along with crisp apples. She arranged them in a simple circle and tucked a few candies in the center. She was careful not to overdo the sweets, worrying about the children’s teeth.
“It’s truly beautiful,” Pan Yue whispered, amazed. “I’ve never seen such an exquisite pastry.”
Sheng Wanyan smiled. This was just a basic version; in the future, cakes would come in every style imaginable—some looking like works of art, even if they didn’t always taste as good as they looked. Given the current limitations and the need to be discreet about where she got her supplies, this simple gesture of love was enough.
Next, she moved on to dinner. To honor Yiyi’s special day, Sheng Wanyan prepared nine different dishes. She also made a batch of donuts and small cupcakes, knowing they were the little girl’s favorites.
Everything was ready; only the birthday girl was missing.
Just as Sheng Wanyan was finishing the last dish, Sheng Wanze and Gu Tingxiao arrived home with Yiyi in tow.
Yiyi trotted through the door holding two beautiful wreaths woven from wildflowers—one large and one small. She was already wearing the smaller one on her head, which looked adorable paired with her favorite star-shaped hairpins.
Grandpa and Grandma Sheng were delighted to see her. They rushed over to scoop her up, but as soon as Yiyi’s feet touched the ground, she went looking for her mother to give her the larger wreath.
“Great-grandpa! Great-grandma!” she chirped. “I’m looking for Mommy!”
“Mommy’s in the kitchen,” they told her.
Yiyi looked back at Gu Tingxiao. He took her small hand and led her toward the back of the house. At the kitchen door, he let go. “Go on. Give it to her.”
Yiyi nodded solemnly, clutched the wreath, and padded into the kitchen. Sheng Wanyan was busy reaching for bowls and chopsticks on a high shelf when she felt a tug on her skirt. She looked down.
“Mommy~”
“Oh, Yiyi, you look so beautiful!” Sheng Wanyan set the dishes down and squatted to be at her daughter’s level.
“Mommy, this is for you!” Yiyi held out the floral wreath with both hands, her eyes sparkling with pride.
Sheng Wanyan touched the smaller wreath on Yiyi’s head and smiled. “Is this for me?”
Yiyi nodded vigorously. “Uh-huh! Mommy, giving birth to me… it was hard. Happy birthday, Mommy. You’ve worked so hard!”
Sheng Wanyan’s eyes instantly welled with tears. She understood exactly what the child was trying to say. Her daughter’s birthday was also the anniversary of her mother’s labor.
“Thank you, Yiyi…”
Sheng Wanyan took the wreath, but before she could put it on, Yiyi stood on her tiptoes, trying to do it for her. Sheng Wanyan lowered her head, letting the little girl settle the flowers onto her long, dark hair. Wearing a simple blue dress with the vibrant garland on her head, Sheng Wanyan looked radiant.
“Mommy! So pretty!” Yiyi giggled.
Gu Tingxiao, watching from the doorway, felt a deep sense of contentment. His daughter was truly her mother’s “little quilted vest”—warm and caring.
“Thank you, Yiyi. Mommy loves you so much.”
Hearing that, Yiyi began to dance with joy. “Daddy taught me! We picked the flowers together for Mommy!”
Then, as if remembering something else, Yiyi pulled away and reached into her small coat pockets. She dug into both pockets at once, her face scrunched in concentration. Sheng Wanyan watched as she produced two small jars of vanishing cream.
“For Mommy to stay smelling sweet!” Yiyi chirped. She reached in one more time and pulled out two wilted, squashed wildflowers she had picked herself.
“Oh no… flattened,” Yiyi whispered, looking at the crushed petals in dismay. They had looked so much better when she first found them.
Sheng Wanyan quickly took them, not wanting her daughter to feel bad. “They’re beautiful. I love them, Yiyi. I’ll dry them out and keep them forever.”
Relieved, Yiyi grabbed her mother’s face and planted a giant kiss on her cheek. She smelled faintly of milk and sunshine. Sheng Wanyan hugged her tight, breathing in the scent. It was the most healing feeling in the world.
“Thank you, Yiyi. Happy birthday to you, too. I hope you’re always healthy and happy.” She kissed her daughter’s cheeks repeatedly until the little girl was squirming with laughter.
Once the mother and daughter finished their moment, Gu Tingxiao walked in, holding a larger bouquet he had assembled himself. He was still in his military uniform, looking tall and handsome as he approached his wife.
“My dear wife, you’ve worked hard,” he said softly, handing her the bouquet.
Sheng Wanyan was a bit stunned. He hadn’t been this romantic on their actual wedding anniversary; she wondered what had sparked the change today.
“Thank you…” She took the flowers, though she fell into a bit of a daze looking at the arrangement. It was an explosion of bright pinks and reds. She looked up at him. Was this a ‘straight man’s’ idea of a bouquet?
“Mommy! I picked all the pink ones myself!” Yiyi interjected. “Does it look pretty?”
Sheng Wanyan laughed. Of course. This wasn’t her husband’s aesthetic; it was her daughter’s. Yiyi was obsessed with anything pink or red. “It looks wonderful. Thank you, Yiyi.”
She finally realized why Gu Tingxiao had taken the toddler out all afternoon. He had spent the time teaching Yiyi how to be romantic for her mother.
“Yiyi wants flowers too,” the girl said, looking a bit envious as she stared at the bouquet in her mother’s arms.
Sheng Wanyan was about to hand her some, but Gu Tingxiao reached behind his back and produced a tiny, identical miniature bouquet. “This one is for Yiyi.”
“Wow!” Yiyi clapped her hands, grabbed the small bouquet, and stood on her tiptoes. “Thank you, Daddy!”
Clutching her flowers, she ran out of the kitchen to show off her treasures to her great-grandparents, her uncle, and her brother Huzi.
Silence fell in the kitchen, and the air between the couple grew warm and intimate.
“Thank you, Wanyan,” Gu Tingxiao said, stepping closer. He wrapped his arms around her, his deep voice vibrating against her ear. “Thank you for giving me this family. Thank you for giving birth to her.”
To this day, he still felt as though it were a beautiful dream that his wife had brought a child into the world for him.
