Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s-Chapter 454 - 439 Jiang Jinghuai goes to the front line (Extra update for Shucheng Sandy and the He family’s jade)
"You don’t need to see me off." Zhao Chun shook his head slightly, lowering his gaze and speaking softly: "It’s not like I’m not coming back. I’ll only be gone for six or seven days."
A faint light gradually gathered in Tian Sangsang’s eyes, her gaze flickering slightly.
Why didn’t he say that earlier? Made her feel sentimental for nothing.
She let out a slow "Oh," closed her eyes, and continued to sleep.
Zhao Chun raised his eyes: "?"
Zhao Chun coughed, "You’re just going to sleep like that?"
"Mm." Tian Sangsang didn’t open her eyes, her red lips muttered, "Take care, not seeing you off. Stay safe."
Zhao Chun looked at her begrudgingly, stared and stared, stared and stared, until his eyes grew tired.
Reaching out to rub them, he sighed helplessly, got up, and grabbed a blanket to gently cover her.
"No eating Little Chili."
"Tian Sangsang."
"While I’m gone, you absolutely can’t eat Little Chili."
"No water caltrop either."
"Remember to drink milk every morning and evening."
"You must drink milk. Don’t forget that."
"..."
He stared at her serene sleeping face, muttering a few more reminders, but she didn’t wake up.
Zhao Chun thought, when she wakes up, I must remind her again about the things she should eat over the next few days.
"Chun Zisu." Meng Shuyan tiptoed over, looking up at him, "Are you leaving now?"
Zhao Chun quietly picked him up, moved aside, and nodded, "Leaving tomorrow. I’ll be back in a few days."
"You have to come back quickly, okay." Meng Shuyan gave him a kiss on the cheek, his little face blushing, "I’ll miss you." It was always so much fun being with Chun Zisu, the little kid really couldn’t bear to see him go.
Zhao Chun kissed his cheek back, "Uncle will come back soon to cook for you all."
**
After Zhao Chun left, Tian Sangsang began cooking for herself, though Guan Kunling would prepare medicinal dishes for her every day.
One day, as Tian Sangsang passed by that prominent shop across the street, she couldn’t help but glance inside a few times.
It was rare to see a cosmetics store in this era; they were usually located in department stores.
The store had already been renovated. Inside, a stylishly dressed, round-faced woman was directing others on arranging the shelves. It was unclear whether she was the owner or just an employee.
Tian Sangsang entered her own shop. Guan Kunling was discussing something with a customer.
She lifted the curtain and went to sit in a small side room, only to find a small basket of water caltrops on the table unexpectedly.
The water caltrops looked fresh and inviting, exuding a faint fragrance.
Shaped like ox horns, they were arranged neatly on the white cloth lining the basket.
Guan Kunling came in afterward, curving her lips into a faint smile: "These are for you, Sangsang."
She picked one up and began peeling it, placing the peeled water caltrop on a small plate and pushing it toward Tian Sangsang.
Tian Sangsang couldn’t help but ask, "Where did you get water caltrops? They’re rare this time of year, even in the south, let alone here."
"I heard from Zhao Chun that you were craving them to the point of obsession," Guan Kunling replied. "So I went out to find some. These were freshly boiled and are now cooled. I was just about to bring them over, but here you are."
"It must’ve been hard to find, right?" Tian Sangsang’s eyes brimmed with tears of gratitude.
She had only whimsically craved water caltrops a few days ago. Unable to buy them, she had ordered two pounds online. When the delivery arrived, she realized they were a hassle to eat. Besides, with the little life in her belly enjoying cilantro instead, her desire for water caltrops had diminished. But now that Kunling had gone through the trouble to get them, she found her appetite suddenly revived.
"It’s not hard to find when one sets their mind to it," Guan Kunling said plainly, continuing to peel the water caltrops. Her Inner Strength made peeling them effortless—she handled them as easily as sunflower seeds. She’d pick one up, gently break it in two, and with a slight squeeze, the tender white caltrop flesh would pop free onto the plate.
Tian Sangsang picked up a piece of the caltrop flesh, took a bite, and chewed. "I’ll take some home for Yanyan."
Guan Kunling: "Why didn’t you bring Yanyan along today?"
"I’ve enrolled him again at the cultural palace just for piano lessons. I originally thought of signing him up for fencing lessons too, but he’s still too young. Maybe next year. His current schedule is light, just Wednesdays and Fridays. Coincidentally, today’s Wednesday."
"Yanyan has learned a little from me in the past. When he’s ready to learn fencing, let him come to me."
Ah, with someone like Guan Kunling as a teacher, how could they waste the opportunity?
Tian Sangsang chuckled and nodded cheerfully.
One peeled and one ate. Occasionally, Tian Sangsang would sip some tea, feeling utterly at peace. Being with Kunling was relaxing. She had already adapted to this world, yet she still stayed true to herself amidst it. Everything she did carried the grace of flowing clouds and water, her demeanor tranquil as a still lake, leaving no room for criticism.
Tian Sangsang blissfully enjoyed the moment.
Outside, faint bird calls drifted in. Guan Kunling lowered her gaze slightly, then suddenly spoke softly, "Sangsang."
Tian Sangsang smiled, "Hmm?"
She continued peeling caltrops, her eyes on the one in her hand. "Brother Jiang is heading to the front lines."
The front lines—synonymous with war, with danger.
Tian Sangsang had thought Jiang Jinghuai had simply returned to his unit. Since moving out of his house, she had rarely heard news about him, even less from his family.
Her heart skipped, but she calmly asked, "Which front lines?"
Guan Kunling replied, "A small border nation," and then spoke its name.
Instantly, Tian Sangsang’s expression grew grave. "You mean YN?"
Guan Kunling nodded gently, not quite understanding why she was suddenly so tense. It didn’t seem like her tension was for Brother Jiang, but rather because of the country’s name.
YN, YN. It was 1981; the country wasn’t entirely stable yet. Just the international situation was a constant mix of calm and unrest, with localized conflicts persisting.
Recently, it had been in the newspapers, though for the sake of public morale, only the good news was reported.
However, Tian Sangsang vividly remembered how the next ten or so years would see unresolved border issues. It wasn’t until the 1990s that there would be any real relief. What was laughable was that such a powerful nation often fell victim to the schemes of smaller ones. Just like the wars of these few years, which would later become quite famous.
Despite their notoriety, history books barely covered them. She remembered a teacher mentioning something about it once—about how devastating the casualties were. Later, at university, she had sought out books in the library about that period. Yet it was rarely recorded, almost as if that war had been forgotten, with scarce documentation to be found.
Some novels would reference that era, but even these were few and far between. She had been fond of a particular writer at the time, Yan Geling. She’d read several of her novels, even quoting lines from them for argumentative essays during her schooldays. Writers like Yan Geling, Zhang Xiaofeng, Ji Xianlin, and Lin Qingxuan were among her favorites for their quotable work. Yan Geling’s novel *Youth* mentioned that period but only in passing.
