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

Reason told him that his wife was right, that it was utterly absurd and impossible. But emotionally, the terrifying notion of "Xiao Zhi reincarnated" was like a tangled mess, binding his heart and making it impossible for him to calmly accept the fact that his son and "sister reincarnated" had become husband and wife and had offspring.

This is too...too chaotic.

"I know..." He finally just waved his hand wearily, his voice filled with a deep sense of powerlessness. "I know it won't work. Divorce is ridiculous, impossible, and shouldn't be." He rubbed his throbbing temples. "But... Qin'er, my mind... is in turmoil. This matter is too big. You've seen what happened with Grandpa. How will this family... be managed from now on?"

Zheng Qin also fell silent.

Yes, how should we get along in the future? Should we treat Zhixia completely as our daughter-in-law?

But that face, those coincidences, constantly reminded them of Fang Zhi's pain and that bizarre "possibility".

Is it fair to treat her as a shadow or continuation of Xiao Zhi? What kind of impact would that have on Fang Chu and Zhi Xia?

The couple remained silent, their immense shock giving way to a deeper sense of bewilderment and anxiety.

The whispers downstairs were interrupted by steady, slightly hurried footsteps on the stairs.

After resting for a while, Fang Yuzhao looked much better. Although his eyes were still a little red and swollen, his gaze had regained its usual clarity and the sharpness of an old soldier.

He walked downstairs step by step, his gaze sweeping over Fang Zheng and Zheng Qin, who sat in the living room with solemn expressions and no words in sight, before finally settling on his son. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable concern: "Where's Xiao Zhi?"

He used the same name, speaking as naturally as if he were asking a family member who had just been beside him.

Fang Zheng's heart tightened. He stepped forward and tried to correct him again: "Dad, she...she is Xia Xia. Xiao Chu's wife, Zhi Xia." He deliberately slowed down his speech, emphasizing his current identity.

Grandpa Fang paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on his son's face for a while, as if he were finally pulling himself out of a daze.

He nodded slowly, a complex expression of wistfulness and relief on his face, and his voice lowered: "Oh...right, it's Xiaxia. Look at me, getting senile." He shook his head self-deprecatingly, then asked, his tone like that of an ordinary old man concerned about a younger generation, "And Xiaxia? I...I want to see her again."

These contradictory words clearly reveal the old man's state of mind at this moment—rationally he knows that she is his granddaughter-in-law, but emotionally he finds it difficult to let go of the overwhelming longing for his deceased daughter awakened by the striking resemblance.

Looking at his father, Fang Zheng felt his mind become even more tangled. He took a deep breath and decided to bring up the most pressing issue, seeking a decision from his father, the head of the family, or rather, a "statement" that the whole family could accept.

"Dad," Fang Zheng's voice was low, tinged with rare hesitation and a barely perceptible earnestness, "I mean... if... she really is Xiao Zhi's... reincarnation. Given her current relationship with Xiao Chu... what... should we do?"

He asked the question with difficulty, each word like a hot potato. The question was too bizarre, too contrary to common sense, yet it was a reality they had to face.

Fang Yuzhao did not answer immediately. He walked to the sofa, slowly sat down, his back still straight, his hands on his knees, and his gaze calmly fixed ahead, as if examining a long period of time and the vicissitudes of fate.

The living room was silent except for the regular ticking of the old-fashioned wall clock.

After a long silence, the old man finally spoke slowly. His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear, carrying a profound understanding that came from having experienced life and death and seen through the ways of the world:

"Since it's reincarnation..." He paused, seemingly pondering this bizarre concept, "then she's not Xiao Zhi. She's Xia Xia, Zhi Xia."

He turned to look at his son and daughter-in-law, his eyes calm and profound: "Just treat her like Xiaxia."

Fang Zheng and Zheng Qin were both taken aback. It's easy to say, but how difficult is it to do?

"But Dad," Fang Zheng couldn't help but say, "she and Xiao Zhi... they really look too alike. Birthday, birthmark, and that face... we can't completely separate them." This was precisely what troubled and pained them.

Fang Yuzhao nodded, indicating his understanding of the shock and confusion. But his next words were like a key, attempting to unlock the knot in their hearts:

"You just need to promise that Xiaxia will live a good life, that's enough." The old man's voice was steady, carrying a heavy weight. "Xiaozhi has already sacrificed herself. She was loyal to her country, she is the pride of our Fang family, and she is also our eternal pain. But no matter how painful it is, she can't come back."

His gaze was distant, as if penetrating the walls, revealing the smoke-filled past and that graceful figure resolutely walking away.

"Since..." Old Master Fang withdrew his gaze, looked back at his son, his tone becoming unusually firm, even carrying an undeniable determination, "Since we all feel in our hearts that Xiaxia might be Xiaozhi returning in another form, that heaven has taken pity on our family, then let's treat her well! Let's make up for the love and responsibilities we didn't have time to give her in our past life! Make up for it doubled!"

He abruptly shifted his focus to the core of the issue, his logic remarkably clear: "But remember, she is Xiaxia in this life! She is Xiaochu's wife! So let her be Xiaochu's wife peacefully! That way, she will still be a member of our Fang family, our granddaughter-in-law, and the mother of our great-grandchildren! The whole family will live in harmony and happiness."

Looking into his son's eyes, which had suddenly become clear yet were still struggling, he posed a sharp and realistic choice, his tone even carrying a touch of military coldness and pragmatism:

"If you insist on separating her from Xiao Chu according to your own stubbornness, feeling that this relationship is messed up... then can she still be considered part of our family? Even if we acknowledge her back and adopt her as a daughter, can that relationship compare to that of a granddaughter-in-law? Which is closer, an adopted daughter or a granddaughter-in-law? Which one is truly family, I don't need to say more, do I?"

"Xiao Zhi has already sacrificed her life for the country. She is a martyr, a hero, and she has fulfilled her mission. Now, Xia Xia has her own life to live. Her mission is to live a good life with Xiao Chu and raise their child to adulthood. Our Fang family owes Xiao Zhi a debt; do we really want to disrupt Xia Xia's life as well?"

The old man's words were like a gust of wind, dispelling the fog of confusion in Fang Zheng and Zheng Qin's hearts, which was entangled in past lives, present lives, and ethical taboos.

He simplified a seemingly unsolvable problem, full of emotional and ethical conflicts, into the simplest and most fundamental choice: whether to cling to the pain and bizarre speculation about the deceased, thus destroying a real family that has already formed and is nurturing new life; or to let go of the knot in his heart, accept the status quo, and transform his guilt and longing for his deceased sister into double the love and care for his daughter-in-law, so that the family can continue to move forward in a complete and warm way.

The answer is almost self-evident.