Chapter 1: Death, Death, Death Together

[This story is fictional; please do not connect it to real history.]

June 1970.

On a train to Xiangcheng.

A bandit rushed into the tenth carriage, holding a young female soldier hostage, causing chaos and screams.

“Ahhhhh, run!”

“Where are the railway police? Why haven’t they arrived yet?”

“Help! He’s killing someone!”

The passengers, terrified that the bandit’s knife would be at their throats, scrambled to escape the carriage, pushing and shoving each other.

Xiao Ye, who was chasing after the bandit, saw the passengers running around like headless chickens.

He instructed his comrades to maintain order while he entered the carriage, slowly approaching the bandit.

When he saw the hostage’s face,

Xiao Ye was instantly stunned.

Wasn’t she back home?

Why was she here?

Seeing that Shen Mengyao hadn’t recognized him, Xiao Ye quickly composed himself, glared at the bandit, and said word by word: “Release the hostage, and you still have a chance to live. Otherwise, you’ll only have death.”

The bandit’s eyes flashed with intense emotion, but it disappeared in an instant: “I don’t believe you! Don’t come closer, or I’ll kill her!”

The hostage, Shen Mengyao, looked around the carriage, bewildered. Didn’t she die in a car accident?

What was going on now?

A flood of memories surged into her mind, and she realized she had time-traveled.

She had transmigrated into the body of a 1970s military wife with the same name.

As Shen Mengyao absorbed these memories, a sharp pain shot through her neck.

The pain told her she was being held hostage.

Shen Mengyao, never one to take the ordinary path, decided to take a different approach with the bandit: “Stab me, stab me hard, stab me to death, don’t just talk about it.”

Shen Mengyao’s shocking actions completely baffled the bandit. He had seen people who were afraid of death, but never someone who wanted to die.

He had taken a hostage only to force the pursuing soldiers to compromise; he didn’t actually want a scapegoat.

“You want to die? I won’t let you.”

The bandit was acting completely contrary to expectations.

Shen Mengyao’s eyes reddened, and she began her performance: “Soldier, you said you would kill me, how can you go back on your word?

Waaaaah… Why is my life so bitter!

On my wedding day, I didn’t even see the groom’s face, and he ran away.

I became the laughingstock of the whole village.

Everywhere I go, people point and gossip.

I live in constant rumors; I’d rather be dead.”

The stress of this had caused her severe depression, and her trip to the army was a suicide attempt.

Xiao Ye wanted to cut out the tongues of those gossiping women.

Didn’t they know that rumors could kill people?

Fearing Shen Mengyao might do something drastic, Xiao Ye tried to dissuade her: “Comrade, don’t be impulsive.

Your husband abandoning you on your wedding day was certainly not intentional.

When he returns, you can beat him up until you’re satisfied.”

Shen Mengyao’s misfortune was all his fault.

He dared not reveal his identity at this moment; he was afraid that Shen Mengyao, in a moment of excitement, might die even faster.

Shen Mengyao, caught up in her acting, feigned extreme anger: “What do you know? This isn’t something that can be solved with a beating!

Do you know how much pain this has caused me?”

The bandit felt sympathy for Shen Mengyao’s plight.

But sympathy aside,

He couldn’t possibly release her.

With a hostage in hand, the soldiers wouldn’t dare attack him.

This was his lifeline. The bandit thought Shen Mengyao genuinely wanted to die and was afraid she would try to kill herself.

He pushed the knife in his hand outwards.

Seeing the bandit’s guard down, Xiao Ye realized this was a good opportunity and was about to act.

At that moment, Shen Mengyao moved. She grabbed the bandit’s hand holding the knife, swung it away, and threw the knife aside.

Then, clenching her fists, she rained blows on the bandit: “You dare act so arrogant? You dare to hold me hostage? Do you think I’m someone you can just hold hostage?”

Shen Mengyao’s punches fell like rain, giving the bandit no chance to breathe.

“Ahhhh… I’m already so miserable, and you’re still beating me? How can you do this?”

“Damn girl, don’t hit my face! I’ll be disfigured! I’ll be disfigured…”

Afraid of being disfigured, the bandit crouched on the ground, screaming in despair.

The passengers in the carriage were shocked speechless. Wow, this female comrade is really fierce!

Even Xiao Ye was stunned by Shen Mengyao’s actions. She was this capable?

In a daze, Xiao Ye approached the bandit and pinned him to the ground: “Behave yourself.”

The bandit struggled, but couldn’t break free. He glared at Shen Mengyao with a battered face: “So all those things you said were to lower my guard?”

Shen Mengyao didn’t deny it: “Looks like you’re not that stupid!”

The bandit: …

A few words of persuasion, and he softened. He was clearly not cut out for being a villain.

A comrade who had come with Xiao Ye calmed the passengers and quickly approached: “Hand him over to me.”

This bandit’s crimes were complex.

He had not only killed someone, but also had ties to spies.

Xiao Ye handed the bandit over to his comrade: “Take him to carriage nine; I’ll be over later.”

Carriage nine was where the railway police were stationed.

The comrade handcuffed the bandit: “Yes!”

Knowing he was at the end of the road, the bandit glared fiercely at Shen Mengyao: “Damn girl, you just wait!”

Shen Mengyao retorted defiantly: “Whether I live or die is still unknown!”

The bandit: …

Damn it, this girl is so infuriating!

After the bandit was gone, Shen Mengyao clapped her hands and prepared to return to her seat.

Xiao Ye picked up the knife from the ground and followed.

Shen Mengyao felt that the person behind her had malicious intent. She tried to grab Xiao Ye’s arm and give him an over-the-shoulder throw.

However, she underestimated a soldier’s reflexes.

Xiao Ye sensed Shen Mengyao’s movement and quickly grabbed her hand, preventing her from using force: “It’s me. Are you addicted to beating people?”

The over-the-shoulder throw failed. Shen Mengyao released Xiao Ye’s hand, turned around, and said: “Comrade soldier, do you know that following someone like that will scare people to death?

Tell me.

Why are you following me?”

Shen Mengyao genuinely disliked people following her.

Xiao Ye was about to reveal his identity when another male voice came from behind: “Comrade Shen, I finally found you.”

Shen Mengyao looked in the direction of the voice.

The man was wearing a white shirt, had fair skin, wore glasses, and had a scholarly appearance, gentle and refined.

A moment later,

She looked back at Xiao Ye.

Sharp features, valiant and spirited, exuding an air of authority and masculinity.

It seemed that both of them knew her, yet she knew nothing about them.

This unfamiliar feeling filled her with doubt.

Who exactly were they?

[This story is fictional; please do not overthink it from a historical perspective.

The author is from Hunan, and the story’s setting is also in Hunan. The female lead has a fiery personality, refuses internal conflict, and takes revenge immediately, never letting it linger overnight.

The male lead is a soldier. He appears mature and steady, but is actually clingy, loves to praise his wife, and believes in his eyes, his wife is the best and most capable.]