Most officers are in their fifties by the time they’re promoted to regiment commander. A thirty-year-old regiment commander like Huo Jingyuan was a rarity; there were only a handful of them in the entire country.

At these words, Wen Ci’s gaze fell on the wife of a regiment commander. She was wearing loose clothing, and it was obvious at a glance that she was pregnant.

The wife of the 5th Regiment’s commander looked to be in her forties, making her an older mother. Noticing the woman’s poor condition, Wen Ci couldn’t help but speak up.

"You should really go get a check-up."

Northwest Hospital had three departments: surgery, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology. The OB/GYN department was the hospital’s highest priority, dedicated to ensuring the health of the military families’ children.

"Why’s that?"

Wen Ci shook her head. "It’s nothing, I just noticed you don’t look well."

The wife of the 5th Regiment’s commander was named Wang Gui. She rested a hand on her belly and smiled. "It’s normal not to look my best. I’m carrying twins, and at my age, it’s bound to be a little rough."

She was from Sea City and had already gotten a check-up at a hospital there before she came.

"Oh, I see."

Wen Ci lowered her gaze, the idea of having twins suddenly losing all its appeal. ’Her belly looks like it’s four or five months along, which must mean she’s only two or three months pregnant with twins.’

"It’s perfectly normal for a woman carrying twins to look a bit peaky. I’ve had eight kids myself, and one of those was a set of twins. I looked even worse than she does now! No need to waste money at the hospital."

Wen Ci’s eyes widened.

’Eight kids!’

A decade or so ago, before the country implemented its family planning policy, it was common for families to have at least four or five children. But having that many kids took an irreversible toll on a woman’s body.

Wang Gui laughed. "My husband isn’t as capable as Sister Lan’s. It took us over a decade of marriage to have a child. I’d love to be as blessed with many children as Sister Lan."

As she spoke, the other women turned to look at Wen Ci. She was the youngest-looking among them. "When are you planning on having kids?" someone asked curiously.

Wen Ci lowered her gaze.

’She did want to have children soon, while she was young and could recover easily.’

"As for having kids, we’ll let nature take its course."

Wen Ci had barely finished speaking when a loudspeaker on the stage crackled to life. A beaming official spoke into it. "A warm welcome to all the military families who have come to the Northwest! You’ve had a long and difficult journey."

After speaking, he gave a deep bow to all the families in attendance. For the soldiers of the Northwest Military Region, the arrival of their families was what made this place a true home.

"The purpose of today’s meeting is to encourage you all to speak up. If your family is facing any difficulties, please tell us frankly. We’ll do our best to resolve everything we can in one go."

At his words, the crowd exchanged glances.

Although the Northwest was remote, the benefits for military families were substantial. Not only did they receive a travel subsidy, but they were also given a monthly family allowance.

Each dependent who joined the military here received an extra ten yuan a month.

Most of them were women from the countryside who, back in their hometowns, usually just helped their parents with farm work and lived off the money their husbands sent home each month.

"Rest assured, sir, we don’t have any problems."

The official continued, "We are thinking of establishing a Women’s Association for the Northwest Military Region. What are your thoughts? Please, speak freely."

Zhang Lan asked bluntly, "What’s a Women’s Association?"

"Er..." The official paused, then gave a very formal explanation. "The Women’s Association is meant to bring everyone together. It would also be responsible for publicity and outreach, and for protecting the rights and interests of all women."

"Do you have to be educated for that?" someone asked.

"Not necessarily. As long as you can rally people, that’s enough."

[Author’s Note: The plot has been revised. You can start rereading from Chapter 62.]