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

Zhilin leaned against the cold wall, slowly slid down to the floor, ran his hands through his hair, and let out a suppressed, beast-like growl. He had never felt so powerless.

As an older brother, all he wanted was to protect his younger sister, but reality wielded sharp blades called "reputation" and "reality," pushing him to the edge of a cliff. No matter which way he went, it could lead to an abyss.

All he could do now was wait for Zhixia to wake up. But what his sister would face after waking up was even more terrifying than what he had experienced while waiting outside the emergency room.

The door to the ward was gently pushed open, and Fang Chu walked out, his face bearing an almost desperate resolve. He walked up to Zhi Lin, who was leaning against the wall, his entire being radiating exhaustion and anger. Without any preamble, he stated his decision directly, his tone resolute and brooking no argument:

"I will marry her."

These three words were like sparks, instantly igniting Zhilin's suppressed anger.

"You're dreaming!" Zhi Lin abruptly straightened up, her eyes like knives slicing across Fang Chu's face. She forced out the words through clenched teeth, "What makes you think you can marry her? What do you have to offer? Fang Chu, you still don't understand? The greatest harm you've done to her wasn't that one time, it's now! She won't marry someone who raped her, who brought her endless pain and humiliation! That would be worse than death for her! That wouldn't save her, it would nail her to a pillar of shame, reminding her day and night of what she'd been through!"

Fang Chu turned pale at Zhi Lin's words, but he didn't back down, stubbornly meeting Zhi Lin's gaze: "I'll fix the mistakes I made! I must take responsibility!"

"Take responsibility? How can you take responsibility?" Zhi Lin sneered, his voice full of exhaustion and mockery. "Tell me, how can you take responsibility now? She can't go back to the family compound! Those people's spittle could drown her! Once she's recovered a bit, I'll send her back to her hometown. Leaving here, starting over, that's the only way!"

"No!" Fang Chu almost roared. He took a step forward, his eyes filled with an almost obsessive madness. "I can't let her go like this! I'll marry her, I absolutely must marry her!"

Seeing the unwavering rejection in Zhilin's eyes, he changed his approach, urgently offering another solution: "If you don't agree to her coming home with me, fine! I'll rent her a place outside, I'll support her! I'll take care of her! I'll spend my whole life making it up to her!"

Looking at the man before him, so noble yet so naive and stubborn, Zhi Lin felt a profound sense of powerlessness wash over him. He shook his head, his tone heavier and clearer than ever before:

"Fang Chu, didn't you understand? The key issue isn't whether I agree or not, nor is it whether you're willing to compensate me. It's Xia Xia! Xia Xia herself won't agree! She won't accept your house, she won't accept your care, and she certainly won't accept you as a person! Your appearance is the biggest shock to her!"

Fang Chu stared intently at Zhi Lin, his chest heaving violently. After a long silence, he finally managed to squeeze out a single word from deep within his throat: "stubbornly persistent," a word that also revealed his unwavering resolve.

"...I will persuade her."

Seeing his stubborn refusal to give up, Zhi Lin knew that no amount of words could change this man's mind. He waved his hand wearily, as if shaking off an unsolvable problem, his tone carrying an almost resigned mockery and indifference:

"Suit yourself. Let's see what you can do."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Fang Chu, turned to face the window of the ward, and looked at his sleeping sister inside.

The only sounds in the ward were the ticking of the medical equipment and Zhi Xia's weak but steady breathing. Wang Chun sat on a chair beside the bed, holding Zhi Xia's cold hand tightly, his gaze fixed on her pale face, his heart already churning with turmoil.

All the fragmented clues finally came together perfectly at this moment—

When Zhixia first arrived, she fell into the pond and was carried back by Commander Zhi. During those days, Zhixia was unusually weak and pale.

The exceptionally fierce fight between Commander Lin and Political Commissar Fang;

Sister-in-law Zhang Meili kept it a secret and protected it with utmost care;

Fang Chu repeatedly showed unusual interest in Zhi Xia, sometimes hesitantly, sometimes wanting to say something.

And then there are those vague rumors that circulate quietly in the corners of the residential compound, only to be quickly suppressed...

It turns out it was all true.

That seemingly handsome, promising, and even gentle and polite Political Commissar Fang actually... actually did something so beastly to Zhi Xia!

Zhi Xia knew nothing; she had just arrived to seek refuge with her brother, only to suffer such a devastating tragedy. The Zhi family, to protect her reputation, desperately concealed the truth, keeping her safe in their home, hoping time would heal all wounds.

However, man proposes, God disposes.

Who could have imagined that even after taking birth control pills, she still became pregnant? And this child, which shouldn't have existed, left in such a tragic way, shattering all pretense and wishful thinking, exposing the bloody truth to everyone.

Looking at the unconscious Zhi Xia, Wang Chun felt a pang of heartache and tenderness. She couldn't imagine how Fang Chu, a young military officer who was considered a role model by everyone, could have such a face behind the scenes.

"Zhixia..." she murmured softly, gently smoothing the stray hairs from Zhixia's forehead, "How could you be so foolish... You suffered such a great injustice, and you didn't even tell me..."

She felt a powerless anger, a mixture of contempt for the perpetrator and resentment towards this cruel fate. She knew that when Zhixia woke up, she would face a reality far more brutal than her physical trauma—rumors, strange looks, and the man she absolutely did not want to face, yet stubbornly wanted to "take responsibility" for.

Wang Chun gripped Zhi Xia's hand tightly, silently vowing in her heart that no matter what happened next, she would stand by Zhi Xia's side. This secret was too heavy a burden; she couldn't let it completely crush Zhi Xia.

Zhi Xia's eyelashes fluttered a few times, finally breaking free from the boundless darkness and chaos, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred for a while before it focused on Wang Chun's face, which was filled with worry.

"You're awake!" Wang Chun immediately leaned closer, his voice soft and urgent. "Are you thirsty? Would you like some water?"

"...What's wrong with me?" Zhi Xia's voice was dry and hoarse, her whole body felt like it had been taken apart and put back together, weak and powerless, with a clear, empty, dragging pain in her lower abdomen. She vaguely remembered that she had been in unbearable abdominal pain, and then she lost consciousness.

Wang Chun looked directly into her eyes without flinching. She knew that concealing the truth at this moment would be the cruelest thing imaginable; the storms outside were already brewing, and Zhi Xia needed to be mentally prepared.

"You miscarried." Wang Chun's voice was soft, but it was like a heavy hammer, striking Zhi Xia's heart hard.

Zhi Xia's pupils suddenly contracted, and the last trace of color drained from her face. Her lips trembled as she stammered, "What? How could this be... I clearly..." She had taken the medicine! She remembered it perfectly!

"The doctor said... birth control pills aren't 100% effective." Wang Chun held her cold hand, trying to keep her tone calm as she conveyed the chilling truth. "And the doctor said... the seed itself wasn't developed properly, so... it couldn't be saved."