Rebirth: Solely Cherished by the Devoted Commander

Battalion Commander Zhao lay there, frail, with a leg hanging in the air. Seeing Bai Fanglan come in with a cold face, he felt awkward, "Lanlan, I'm sorry."

Bai Fanglan said nothing and quietly sat beside him. The two of them hardly knew each other and hadn't shared any intimate words; now they felt even more like strangers.

"I didn't want to burden you. My parents said they'd bring my siblings and sister-in-law over by train..."

"If they all come, will they have a place to stay?"

"Isn't our new house still empty?"

Bai Fanglan chuckled, "Who will cook and wash clothes for them, take care of them? Who pays their living expenses? Surely it won't be me, right? I've arranged my home, haven't lived there a day, and it's already ruined by these people, still having to serve them tirelessly. Then I'm buying food, cooking, taking care of them, and then coming to the hospital to care for you?"

Battalion Commander Zhao looked at Bai Fanglan, increasingly afraid to speak.

Bai Fanglan said, "I'm just wondering, is this what my life is supposed to be?"

"Bai Fanglan, I'm sorry, but I promise, in the future..."

"When is 'the future'?" Bai Fanglan asked blankly, "By the time your burdens are gone, I guess I'll already be worn out. Let's get a divorce!" She said as she stood up and walked out.

Battalion Commander Zhao hurriedly tried to get out of bed, "No, if you divorce me right now, it won't be good for your reputation..."

Bai Fanglan laughed, "Good thing you have some brains, but I don't want to serve your family, I don't even want to see them. What do you suggest?"

Seeing Bai Fanglan smile, Battalion Commander Zhao felt a chill in his heart. How did he marry such a person? Must be I who hurt her.

"I... I don't know either..."

Bai Fanglan said, "I've thought it through for you. The hospital organized a rural medical team to provide free consultations in nearby counties. I signed up. Back in four months. Take care of yourself. I'll divorce you when I return."

"I can't divorce. It's not a game! How can a good day turn into a second marriage for me? It'll be even harder to find someone suitable later."

"No divorce is fine, let's live separately. I won't support you, nor will I rely on you anymore; you fend for yourself." Bai Fanglan said and then turned around and walked out.

She didn't actually want to join any rural medical team, especially one so tiring that she couldn't return for New Year's. But staying here meant attending to his relatives; not caring for her husband was indefensible. She gritted her teeth and signed up, anyhow Battalion Commander Zhao always preached about work and dedication, causing her endless grievances, and she too genuinely needed to work hard.

Bai Fanglan entrusted the child to Bai Chuan. She packed up and left that day. Bai Chuan had no choice; this granddaughter's temperament had become increasingly firm, really uncontrollable!

When Battalion Commander Zhao's family came to the hospital, they were very dissatisfied to hear the newlywed daughter-in-law didn't take care of him for a day and directly left with the medical team, holding Battalion Commander Zhao for a bout of complaints.

"Can't even control a daughter-in-law, what kind of man are you? Go find their leader!"

"Exactly, brother, you're injured, and she's ignoring you? Needs discipline!"

Battalion Commander Zhao felt bitter inside but could only speak for Bai Fanglan, saying there are unit tasks that can't be disobeyed, or he'd lose his job, and such.

His family grumbled, complained, and eventually had to count it. They lived together in the new house, messing it up naturally, with several women not paying much attention to hygiene, making it impossible to look at. When Battalion Commander Zhao was discharged and saw the new house looking like a pigsty, he felt like crying.

Yet Bai Fanglan never looked back at that house; she didn't want the furniture she bought either.

Battalion Commander Zhao did ask Bai Fanglan to come home to live; his family urged discussing marriage.

Bai Fanglan responded, "When can you stop giving all your salary to your family, distinguish between big and small household responsibilities, act responsibly, then I'll talk about marriage with you. Your siblings have families but aren't independent yet? Clearly exploiting you as a fool, sucking you dry, I won't be foolish like you!"

Of course, Battalion Commander Zhao couldn't do that. Whenever this topic arose, his parents cried over the phone, reminiscing about the hard times in raising him, how difficult it was to nurture him, the only soldier in the family, saying he's ignoring them now.

Battalion Commander Zhao couldn't bear to watch his family suffer, so he continued to send money back.

But back home, they remained unsatisfied, not only wanting his money but even expecting his wife to send some. They also hoped to arrange a hospital job for family children.

"She's a divorced woman with a child who married you; we're at a loss here, can't she contribute something? Besides, how much can the three of you spend? Sending fifty back each month; I'll save it for you!"

Battalion Commander Zhao was overwhelmed. He himself had no choice but to send money, but he couldn't control Bai Fanglan either. His refusal made his family more dissatisfied, constantly nagging, saying he was incapable, couldn't even manage a wife.

Battalion Commander Zhao was deeply troubled, calling Bai Fanglan.

Bai Fanglan didn't care, "If you let your family make trouble in my hospital, I'll divorce you immediately. I must have been blind to have chosen to marry you!" She had been provoked by Wang Hu, along with Grandpa worrying that if he died, Bai Fanglan would be left with a child without support, urgently finding someone, which proved to be a mistake, and caused more trouble than not finding anyone. It's a headache to even think about.

Battalion Commander Zhao couldn't bear her leaving, couldn't refuse his rural relatives, troubled enough that he didn't dare answer the home phone. His rural folks came to find Bai Fanglan once, she didn't even show her face, hid in a neighboring city for a week. Her nominal in-laws jumped with anger, labeled her unfilial, but didn't know where she lived, Battalion Commander Zhao wouldn't say, so they stirred up a fuss, left with Battalion Commander Zhao's monthly salary.

The two continued this nominal, non-existent relationship; no one said bad things about Bai Fanglan, his family was too much. Battalion Commander Zhao's parents mistreated him so much he couldn't afford a pair of socks without patches, yet they weren't satisfied, even targeting the daughter-in-law.

Gu Junming relayed these matters to Sun Chan. It was already April; the weather was excellent. Sun Chan was always working in Han Dong's factory, enjoying life at school.

At twenty years old, Sun Chan was beautiful even in the simplest tracksuit.