"Mom, all the money is with me. Don't worry. You can take this money back."
"That's good, that's good. You keep the money. Those things were expensive."
Cuilan quickly pulled Sienna outside and started checking all the things they bought.
After checking, Cuilan packed up the things and said, "Rowan, next time stop Sienna and take her to buy more dresses or pretty clothes."
"Okay."
Then the family sat down to chat. Rowan's father asked, "How long are you staying this time?"
"We'll leave around the 21st."
Hearing that they could stay that long, Rowan's mother said, "You have such a long vacation this time?"
Before, they barely came back once a year, and only stayed four or five days.
"Mom and Dad, I came back this time because I'm being transferred to the capital. I'll report there on the first of next month, so I came home for a visit."
After hearing this, Rowan's mother was a bit shocked. The capital was so far away.
"Why are you going to the capital? That's in the north. Can you get used to it? And what about Sienna? I heard it's really cold there. Won't she freeze?"
Rowan's father said, "He's in the military. They go where they're needed. Getting used to it or not isn't important. Besides, it's the capital. Many people want to go but can't."
Rowan's mother gave him a sharp look. "Your son is a tough guy. He'll be fine after a while. But Sienna is just a girl. How can it be the same?"
"Rowan, how about leaving Sienna here? I promise to take care of her well and keep her healthy and strong."
Rowan felt helpless. His mother always wanted to separate him from his wife.
"Mom, I want to go with Rowan. I'm strong and not afraid of the cold."
"Sigh, what kind of spell did that boy put on you? You want to follow him and suffer."
"Mom, don't worry. I'll take good care of Sienna. She's my wife. You don't have to worry."
Rowan's mother looked at the two of them and didn't say anything more about going to the capital. She turned to Sienna and asked, "Sienna, how has it been on the base? Are you getting used to it? Did Rowan bully you? Did any neighbors treat you badly?"
"Mom, no. My husband is very good to me. The other military wives also take care of me. And I'm really strong. I even caught some bad guys and got rewards."
Rowan's mother's face changed slightly and she asked, "Really? You're that amazing? What kind of people did you catch?"
"One was a spy on the train. The other was a kidnapper we found in the military town."
Rowan's mother's fists clenched. "Oh? So what reward did you get for catching them?"
Rowan tried to stop his wife from talking too much. His father was already slowly moving away, planning to leave the room.
But Sienna didn't notice at all. She had heard from some military wives that sometimes the mother-in-law would stop the wife from going with the husband to the base. Many wives had a hard time joining their husbands and had to send half their money home each month.
She had to let Rowan's mom know that she wasn't afraid of the cold, that she was capable, and she had to be with Rowan.
"The reward for the spy was 700. They said it was for both of us as a couple. The reward for the kidnapper was 500."
"Oh, Sienna is really amazing. You're truly my daughter. Is there anything else? Tell me everything."
"Someone talked badly about me, so I hit them. After that, they didn't dare say anything. Mom, I'm really strong. I can go to the base. I don't want to be separated from Rowan."
"Yes, my Sienna is really amazing. Sienna, go back to your room now. I need to talk to Rowan."
"Okay, Mom. I'm going to the base."
"Yes, yes, go ahead. Be good and go to your room."
When Sienna entered the room, Mother Zhou grabbed a stick and started hitting Rowan. He quickly dodged.
"Mom, calm down," he said.
"Calm down my foot! I'll beat you to death today!" she shouted.
"You're a soldier, and you let your wife catch bad guys?"
"Mom, it's not what you think. Please, put the stick down."
Mother Zhou didn't stop and said, "What do you mean it's not? Stand still! If you move again, I'll be the evil mother-in-law who won't let Sienna go with the army."
Rowan froze. His mother really knew how to use things against him.
Mother Zhou was happy to see him stand still, so she started hitting him again.
"You said you'd take care of the people. Your mother didn't ask, but she knows something. With that big bonus, it must have been a really dangerous person."
"Tell me, what were you doing? What if Sienna gets hurt?"
Inside the room, Sienna heard the noise. At first, she didn't pay attention, but when she realized they were hitting her husband, she rushed out. She saw Mother Zhou hitting Rowan while saying things.
She quickly stepped in front of Rowan and said, "Mom, don't hit him."
When she saw Sienna, Mother Zhou said, "Sienna, move out of the way."
"I won't move."
Rowan, who hadn't said anything before, spoke up, "Wife, you have to stop Mom. If you stay here, she won't hit me."
He glanced at Father Zhou, who was standing by, watching.
After seeing Rowan's look, Father Zhou went over and said, "Sienna, move aside. Let her hit him once, and then you can go with the army. If not, we won't let you go."
Sienna was torn. She didn't want her husband to be hit, but she also wanted to go with the army.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "Let me go with the army, and I'll send half of Rowan's salary home every month."
Hearing this, Mother Zhou became even angrier. "Rowan, you scoundrel! What did you teach Sienna? Are you not giving her enough salary? Are you hiding money?"
Father Zhou said from the side, "Definitely. Otherwise, why would Sienna say something like that?"
Father Zhou looked at Rowan smugly, as if saying, "I've got you now."
Rowan just wanted to shout that he was wronged, but his father wasn't playing fair.
Sienna was confused. Why was Mother Zhou even angrier now?
Mother Zhou saw that Sienna was still standing in front of Rowan, so she stopped hitting him and put the stick down.
"Fine, Sienna. I won't hit him. Go back to your room. I'll talk with the third one about your army trip and figure out what to prepare for you."
Rowan wanted to speak up, but when he met Mother Zhou's gaze, he stayed silent and didn't dare to upset her.
Sienna looked at Rowan, and since he didn't stop her, she returned to her room. Mother Zhou took Rowan to the living room.
"Tell me, what's going on?"
"It was an accident, really. It won't happen again."
"Sending money while going with the army, what's that about? Don't tell me she already knew. You were secretly hiding money. How did I teach you? The money should be managed by your wife!"
"Mom, really. There are a lot of military wives. You see, not like us. Some military wives are stopped from going with the army. People say that they have to send half of their salary home every month."