Cheng Su wasnāt sure if Hualing compromised or not, because she hadnāt come back, and even Chen Shouwang was rarely at home. Their house felt dead quiet, with no trace of life, making it exceptionally dull.
But even though this matter concluded this way, everyone felt there was more going on beneath the surface.
Even Chunhua and Guiying thought so.
"Pfft! Just regular friends, huh? How can regular friends be this close? If you ask me, thereās definitely something secretive going on, theyāre just calling it a friendship for appearancesā sake," Chunhua snorted. "I mean, how can there be just regular friends between a man and a woman?"
Guiying agreed, saying, "I never thought Platoon Leader Chen would be that kind of person."
"Thatās why they say thereās no cat that doesnāt steal fish. Men, itās easy for them to have wandering eyes. You better keep an eye on your Dahe, especially since you just had a son and your body hasnāt bounced back yet!" Chunhua glanced at Guiying and said.
Guiying blushed and said, "Dahe isnāt like that."
"Did you think Platoon Leader Chen was that kind of person? Men need to be managed." Chunhua pouted.
Guiying said nothing.
"Alright then, letās not talk about this anymore. Even if others gossip, stay out of it. We live on the same floor, seeing each other every morning and night, no need for awkwardness," Cheng Su reminded them.
"I know, weāre just chatting here. Not that Hualing isnāt known to be stingy!" Chunhua said. "Letās see, after this incident, if she still keeps acting high and mighty?"
"Watch your mouth, going through something like this is already enough trouble, and weāre women too," Cheng Su shot her a glare.
Chunhua sheepishly replied, "Just speaking casually here."
"Who knows when sheāll come back, or even if she will," Guiying sighed.
Everyone fell silent; if it were anyone else, having something like this happen at home would certainly be humiliating. It seemed likely Hualing was still deciding whether to continue with their relationship or not.
Cheng Su didnāt ask Hualing anymore. Everyone has a different personality, and everyone has their own path to choose. Others canāt provide advice.
The situation with Chen Shouwang slowly subsided, but many families in the compound used this incident to remind their own husbands.
Cheng Su was no exception.
"Let me tell you, this is a matter of principle. If it turns out to be true, thereās nothing to say other than the word ādivorce.ā Keep that in mind," Cheng Su poked his chest and said.
"Iām not an idiot like Chen Shouwang, destroying my own future," Qi Taiguo chuckled and couldnāt help but be delighted, "Iāll tell you something. My name is on the nomination list for the next deputy battalion commander."
"Really?" Cheng Suās eyes lit up.
Qi Taiguo nodded and said, "Itās just a nomination; whether I get promoted or not depends on the higher-upsā research and evaluation."
"How likely do you think it is? How confident are you?" Cheng Su asked excitedly.
Being nominated for deputy battalion commander meant a promotion, which was a big deal.
Qi Taiguo, feigning calmness, said, "I guess itās a fifty-fifty chance. Gao Linbingās name is also on the list!"
Cheng Su raised an eyebrow and said, "Actually, the chance is more than fifty percent, right? Both you and he participated in the training camp and achieved excellent results. Itās a big opportunity, right?"
Qi Taiguoās eyes filled with laughter, he pinched her cheek and said, "Has anyone ever told you youāre very clever?"
She wasnāt wrong; based on his intuition, the chance of promotion was quite high, but he downplayed it to avoid disappointing her. Little did he know, upon hearing Old Gaoās name, she immediately grasped the key point.
Seeing how excited she was, Qi Taiguo felt immense joy in his heart too. He knew heād have to work even harder in the future, for her and for their family.