Chapter 61: Another Peach Blossom for Sheng Zexi

Who exactly was spreading those wild rumors was unclear, but someone had definitely added fuel to the fire, and that person was known.

That person was right here in the military district hospital.

At this moment, she was on the phone.

A young girl, dressed in a crisp white nurse’s uniform, held the receiver to her ear. On the other end was Fang Manping, calling from Beijing.

“Manping, you have no idea how ugly that woman is. She wraps herself up so tightly whenever she goes out, probably afraid someone will see her.”

“Captain Sheng must have been caught by that awful woman with some kind of leverage. Otherwise, why would he compromise? It’s just infuriating!” Peng Wenjing’s tone was full of disdain for Gu Jianing.

“I think it won’t be long before Captain Sheng divorces that woman. Don’t worry, I’ll have my brother help out too.”

“Mhm, Wenjing, thank you. Honestly, I think you and my brother are a perfect match.”

“Oh, Manping, what are you saying? You’re making me blush.” Though Peng Wenjing said this, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably.

After hanging up, Fang Manping in Beijing pondered the credibility of Peng Wenjing’s words.

She knew that not only did Li Shuyao like Sheng Zexi, but Peng Wenjing did as well.

But Sheng Zexi didn’t like either of them.

Fang Manping had wanted to matchmake Li Shuyao and Sheng Zexi, but now that Peng Wenjing, who also liked Sheng Zexi, could be useful, she decided to make use of her.

There was still some time before the art troupe would head to the Northwest Military District for the New Year’s Eve performance, so for now, she couldn’t go herself. She could only rely on Peng Wenjing to get news about Sheng Zexi and report back to Li Shuyao.

It was only a couple of days ago, after receiving Peng Wenjing’s call, that Fang Manping learned Sheng Zexi had actually brought that country woman along with him to the base.

When she heard Peng Wenjing say that woman was hideous, Fang Manping was relieved, though not surprised.

A country bumpkin, of course she’d be ugly.

She just couldn’t figure out why Sheng Zexi would marry such a woman. The idea that Sheng Zexi married her out of love—Fang Manping would never believe that, not in a million years.

For now, she’d let Peng Wenjing take the lead for Li Shuyao. Once she and Li Shuyao arrived at the Northwest Military District, they’d see for themselves what that woman was really like.

Meanwhile, after hanging up, Peng Wenjing was still lost in the words Fang Manping had just said—that she and Sheng Zexi were a perfect match. Her little face was flushed red.

Peng Wenjing had liked Sheng Zexi ever since he was hospitalized with an injury more than two years ago. Back then, Peng Wenjing had been the nurse assigned to care for him.

It was love at first sight for her.

When it came to people she liked, Peng Wenjing was never shy about making the first move.

So, she started pursuing Sheng Zexi, even asking her brother to act as a matchmaker.

But Sheng Zexi turned her down, saying he had no plans to get married.

He’d even snapped at her harshly once when she tried to get close.

Peng Wenjing had cried her heart out then, and after that, she stopped deliberately appearing in front of Sheng Zexi, though she still liked him and kept an eye on him from afar.

She never expected that, so suddenly, Sheng Zexi would file a marriage report, get married, and even bring that country woman to live on base.

Peng Wenjing had known about it from the very first day they arrived at the military district, and she’d always wanted to take a look.

But she’d been too busy to find the time.

Still, she’d heard the rumors that the country woman was hideous. Feeling a bit more at ease, Peng Wenjing decided to fan the flames a little. Now, most people in the military district probably knew that the handsome Captain Sheng Zexi had married an ugly country bumpkin.

She wanted to see how that ugly woman would react to these rumors and the disdain of others—would she still have the face to stay by Captain Sheng’s side?

Hopefully, she’d take the hint and ask for a divorce herself, so she wouldn’t hold Captain Sheng back or embarrass him.

As she was thinking this, a hand suddenly patted her on the shoulder. “Wenjing, what are you thinking about?”

Peng Wenjing jumped in surprise and turned to see her brother, Peng Yude.

He was a man in his forties, with a strong, square face and an air of authority in his military uniform. He was over twenty years older than Peng Wenjing.

Peng Wenjing glared at him. “Brother, you scared me half to death, sneaking up on me like that.”

“You were just lost in thought. What were you thinking about, so deep in thought?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about transferring to be a doctor.” Peng Wenjing knew her brother didn’t approve of her liking Sheng Zexi, especially since he’d been trying to set her up on blind dates lately.

If her brother knew that she was still hung up on Sheng Zexi even after he got married, who knows how he’d scold her.

“Mhm. The hospital will have an opening for a doctor soon. You’ve been a nurse for years and have kept up with your medical studies. Once the training starts, go and take part. If you pass the assessment, you’ll be promoted to doctor. But you need to prepare well and not slack off.”

“I know, brother.”

“By the way, about Colonel Chen’s nephew from the last blind date…”

“Oh, brother, I just remembered I have a patient to check on. I have to go now, see you!”

Before Peng Yude could reply, Peng Wenjing made her escape with a laugh, quickly disappearing down the corridor.

Her figure soon vanished from Peng Yude’s sight.

He sighed.

How could he not know what his little sister was thinking? She’d poured her whole heart into Sheng Zexi.

But Sheng Zexi just wasn’t interested.

That was something that made Peng Yude a bit angry.

He thought his little sister was wonderful—maybe a bit spoiled, but talented and beautiful.

Why couldn’t Sheng Zexi see that?

Look at him now—he didn’t marry his little sister, and ended up being tricked into marrying some country woman. Rumor had it she was ugly, too. Peng Yude had heard those stories as well.

He wondered if Sheng Zexi had learned his lesson from this.

Though Peng Yude was annoyed that Sheng Zexi didn’t like his sister, he wasn’t the type to force things.

Since Sheng Zexi was out of the picture, Peng Yude could only encourage his sister to move on and set her up with other good young men.

In the military district, there were hardly any who could match Sheng Zexi in looks or prospects, but there were still plenty who weren’t too far behind.

But his sister showed no interest in any of them.

And so, more than two years had passed. Now his sister was already twenty-one—almost an old maid by local standards. Peng Yude was worried sick.

He only had this one sister. They were over twenty years apart in age—she was a late-in-life child for their parents.

When she was just a little girl, their parents had passed away, leaving her in his and his wife’s care.

They truly doted on her as if she were their own daughter.

Of course, he wanted her to be happy.

“Sheng Zexi’s already married. Why won’t my sister consider anyone else?” Peng Yude muttered to himself.

Could she still be hung up on Sheng Zexi? Surely not.

If Sheng Zexi was married and his sister was still pining for him, or even thinking of doing something to get together with him, Peng Yude would never allow it.

He would never let his sister do something as disgraceful as breaking up a military marriage."