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

As night deepened, the streetlights cast long, yellow shadows. Fang Chu and Zhang Meili hurried along, one after the other, wishing they could fly.

Just as they rounded a row of bungalows, they bumped into Sister Wang, who was calling out to her children to come home for dinner. Sister Wang, with her sharp eyes, spotted Fang Chu immediately and greeted him, "Political Commissar Fang? Still out working so late?"

Fang Chu didn't stop walking, only nodded slightly, his face as calm as ever: "There was something at the battalion headquarters, so I went to take care of it." His tone was calm, without the slightest flaw.

Sister-in-law Wang said "Oh," and her gaze naturally fell on Zhang Meili, who was a few steps behind him. She immediately raised her voice: "Hey! Meili! I heard that your sister-in-law still hasn't been found? You're driving me crazy with worry!"

Zhang Meili's heart skipped a beat, but her face instantly contorted with just the right amount of anxiety and helplessness. She quickened her pace to catch up, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret she couldn't easily publicize: "Found her! Found her! Ugh, don't even mention it! That pond behind our compound—she's new here and doesn't know the way. It was dark, and she slipped in! She was soaking wet, like a drowned rat! In broad daylight… oh no, even though it was dark, there were still lots of people on the road. She's a shy young woman; how could she possibly show herself like that, all wet? Her brother finally found her by the pond, so I rushed over to bring her some dry clothes!"

She spoke quickly, her story was plausible, and she even had a slightly grumbling tone about everyday family matters.

Upon hearing this, Sister Wang immediately believed it to be true, slapping her thigh in realization, "Oh dear! I knew it! How could such a grown girl just disappear like that! That must be it! Hurry up and go! Go now! Don't catch a cold wearing these wet clothes!" She urged her enthusiastically, then glanced around warily, leaned closer to Zhang Meili, and whispered a reminder, "...Be careful, avoid people. You know how many gossipy people there are in our neighborhood!"

Zhang Meili nodded gratefully, feeling a sense of relief: "I know, I know, thank you, sister-in-law. I'll head over there now!"

Without another word, the two exchanged a knowing glance. Zhang Meili clutched the bundle of clothes in her hands and quickened her pace to catch up with Fang Chu, who had already walked a few steps ahead.

Behind them, Sister Wang was still lamenting, "We should add a railing to this pond..." Meanwhile, the two on this side silently blended into the night, the real challenge still awaiting them ahead.

At Fang Chu's doorstep, the darkness provided the only cover. He cautiously looked around, making sure the narrow alley was deserted, with only the distant barking of dogs, before lowering his voice to Zhang Meili behind him and saying, "Go in quickly."

Zhang Meili slipped into the room and, in the dim light, immediately spotted Zhixia curled up at the foot of the bed. Her heart sank, and she almost fainted—Zhixia's hair was disheveled, her face streaked with tears, and her oversized men's clothes made her look like a frightened little animal, so fragile and vulnerable.

"This Fang Chu, he looks so respectable, how could he have tormented someone like this behind their back!" A surge of anger rushed to Zhang Meili's head, but she suppressed it tightly.

"Xiaxia," she said, quickly stepping forward in a soft, gentle voice, as if afraid of disturbing her, and handed her the clothes in her hand. "Quickly, change into these clothes."

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhixia's pent-up grievances welled up like a burst dam, and tears instantly streamed down her face as she cried out, "Sister-in-law..."

Zhang Meili felt a pang of sadness and almost lunged forward, gently covering her mouth with her hand. She whispered breathlessly in her ear, "Don't cry, Xiaxia, please don't cry... This wall isn't soundproof. Be good, come home with your sister-in-law, you can cry when we get home, okay?"

Zhixia bit her lower lip, forcibly suppressing her sobs, leaving only her shoulders trembling silently. She took the clothes, her fingers shaking, and fumbled under the covers to change.

Zhang Meili helped her get ready and then helped her out of bed. But as soon as Xia's feet touched the ground, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor with a dull thud.

Zhang Meili was terrified and quickly knelt down to support her, her voice filled with anxiety: "What happened? Are you hurt? Can you walk?"

Zhi Xia looked up, her face streaked with tears, and shook her head. Her voice was barely audible, filled with unspeakable pain: "Sister-in-law... I'm in pain... my whole body aches..."

Seeing her like this, Zhang Meili felt both heartache and anger, and immediately made up her mind: "You wait! I'll run and find your brother right now! I'll have him carry you back! We can't stay here a moment longer!"

Zhixia nodded with tears in her eyes, curled up on the ground like a leaf withering in the wind and rain.

The door creaked open and Zhang Meili stepped out, her face unusually solemn in the moonlight.

Fang Chu, who had been waiting outside the door, immediately stepped forward, her voice low and tinged with barely perceptible tension: "What... happened to her?"

Zhang Meili glared at him fiercely, squeezing out the words through gritted teeth: "She's in so much pain she can't walk! I'm going to find Zhilin now and have him carry Xiaxia back. Keep an eye on her, and don't let anyone know!" Her words struck Fang Chuxin like nails, each one hitting her hard.

"Okay, I know," Fang Chu replied in a hoarse voice, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Zhang Meili didn't look at him again, turned around and walked away quickly, her figure disappearing into the maze of night. She had run through almost half of the residential compound, the fire in her heart burning against her reason. More than half an hour later, she finally found Zhilin, who was still anxiously searching for someone.

She grabbed her husband with surprising strength and dragged him into the shade of an old locust tree without saying a word.

"What are you doing! I'm looking for Xiaxia!" Zhilin growled impatiently.

"Stop looking!" Zhang Meili interrupted him, leaned close to his ear, and whispered the story quickly.

"What?!" Zhi Lin was jolted, as if struck by lightning. The next second, boundless rage engulfed him. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead, and he turned to charge towards Fang Chu's house, shouting, "I'll fucking kill him!!"

Zhang Meili was terrified. She practically lunged at him with all her might, covering his mouth and slamming him against the tree trunk. "Keep your voice down! Think about Xiaxia!" she hissed urgently in his ear. "Think about his family's background! And ours! You may be a higher-ranking official than him, but what about his father and grandfather? If they get involved, do you think you'll have a good outcome?!"

Zhi Lin's chest heaved violently, his heavy breathing unusually clear in the silent night, like a wounded beast trapped in a cage. His bloodshot eyes stared, his teeth clenched so tightly they clenched together, the urge to destroy everything forced back into his body by his wife's suppression and the cruel reality.

Zhang Meili felt his trembling subside slightly before loosening her grip, her voice tinged with weariness and resolve: "This isn't the time to talk about this! Get Xiaxia home first! Her safety is more important than anything else!"

Zhilin didn't say anything more. He just turned around abruptly, no longer looking at his wife, and strode towards Fang Chu's house. Every step felt like he was walking on a knife's edge. His tense back held a turbulent undercurrent.