Chapter 67.1

“Deputy Commander Lu.”

Captain Lu and Zhu Jun came over together, along with several other comrades from the regiment. Even Captain Lu’s mother and Lu Zhijun came. Lu Zhijun and Liu Jianwu went off to play, while Liu Jianye helped Xu Yan with chores like wiping the tables.

In the kitchen, Xu Yan whispered, “Jiang Nian, what do you think Deputy Commander Song wants to discuss with Deputy Commander Lu?”

Jiang Nian was also curious. “I have no idea.”

She turned her head to glance outside and unexpectedly met Song Bai’s gaze. He smiled at her and then turned to talk to Captain Lu and the others. Jiang Nian was lost in thought for a moment and was startled when Xu Yan called her softly. She turned to Xu Yan and asked, “What did you say?”

Xu Yan blinked faintly and leaned closer to Jiang Nian, whispering, “I have a feeling that Deputy Commander Song’s attitude seems a bit like he’s here to propose marriage.”

Jiang Nian: ???

She couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you talking about? Could it be that someone in the Third Group has taken a liking to Lu Yu and wants Deputy Commander Song to come as a matchmaker?”

Almost as soon as she said this, Jiang Nian’s heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that Song Bai really came to propose marriage to Lu Yu?

The food was ready and brought to the table. The women and children had one table while the men occupied two. Because Lu Yu was leaving the next day, Zhu Jun had brought three bottles of liquor. Everyone only took a sip to satisfy their cravings, and the rest was downed by Lu Yu.

Jiang Nian turned her head to look at Lu Yu. She noticed veins bulging slightly on his forehead, and several red blood vessels seemed to crawl in his usually pitch-black eyes. It looked like he was a bit drunk. Sensing her gaze, Lu Yu looked over, and their eyes met in the air. Worried, Jiang Nian said, “Drink more hot water.”

Lu Yu’s eyes softened. “Okay.”

Song Bai took a sip of wine, the spicy taste going straight down his throat into his lungs. He glanced at the tenderness in Lu Yu’s eyes, pursed his lips for a moment, then looked at Jiang Nian. She was talking to Xu Yan with her head down, her smile evident at the corners of her delicate eyebrows.

Song Bai took another sip of wine.

Captain Lu touched Song Bai’s arm. “Drink less. You have to go to the regiment this afternoon.”

Song Bai replied, “It’s fine.”

Captain Lu’s mother served food to Lu Zhijun and glanced at Jiang Nian with a smile. “You’re about 24 this year, right?”

She had heard from others, so it should be around that age.

Jiang Nian was somewhat surprised that the old lady suddenly brought this up. She thought the old lady, like others, was going to propose a match for her. The smile on her face faded unconsciously. “Yes, I’m 24.”

The old lady smiled. “That’s not young anymore. If you meet someone suitable, you should consider it for yourself.”

After saying that, she started chatting with others. Throughout the conversation, there was no mention of setting her up with anyone. Jiang Nian smiled and said, “Auntie, I’ll remember your words. If I meet someone suitable, I’ll take it seriously.”

The old lady smiled and continued chatting with Xu Yan beside her.

“Sister-in-law, after you and Deputy Commander Lu leave, we won’t have the pleasure of eating such delicious food again.”

Zhu Jun happily took a bite of meat, cherishing this last meal.

Jiang Nian smiled and said, “I’ll make it for you again when we have a chance to meet again in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jun slapped his thigh. “Then we’ll wait for Zhang Xiao and me to have time to come find you. We’ll eat Sister-in-law’s cooking again.”

After lunch, everyone dispersed. Xu Yan and the old lady stayed behind to help Jiang Nian clean up the dishes.

“Lu Yu.”

Song Bai glanced at Jiang Nian in the kitchen. “I want to talk to you about something.”

Lu Yu arranged some stools together. His eyes were slightly red, and he still smelled of alcohol. He placed the stools on the table and said to Song Bai, “Let’s talk outside.”

So the two of them carried the table and stools outside, first returning them to Xu Yan’s house and then going to Captain Lu’s house.

At this point, everyone had gone to the regiment. Occasionally, they passed a few military wives on the way. Lu Yu and Song Bai walked on the barren path. Song Bai tugged at his tightly-buttoned collar and said, “Lu Yu, does your sister-in-law have a boyfriend?”

Lu Yu’s steps paused for a moment. He looked ahead with cold eyes and remained silent.

Song Bai seemed to smile: “I just asked an unnecessary question.”

The two arrived at the training ground. Everyone was in the dormitory at this point, so there were few people on the training ground. Song Bai rolled up his sleeves and looked at Lu Yu. “Shall we spar?”

Lu Yu nodded. “Okay.”

He took off his jacket and hung it on a pole, rolled up his sleeves, slightly raised his eyebrows, and looked at Song Bai across from him. The dark depths of his eyes were as deep and unfathomable as a cold pool.

The two began to fight on the training ground, their moves swift and fierce, each blow hitting hard. This time, they fought even more fiercely than they had on New Year’s Eve. They both wanted to outdo the other, and their moves were ruthless. As they sparred, Captain Lu and Zhu Jun passed by the training ground. Captain Lu frowned and wanted to go break up the fight, but Zhu Jun stopped him. “They spar whenever they drink. It’ll be fine once they’re done. Let’s not go over.”

Zhu Jun still remembered the punches he took on New Year’s Eve, and they had hurt for days.

Captain Lu: …

This was the first time he had heard that one would spar after drinking.

After they had gone far, Lu Yu and Song Bai had finished their fight. The two sat on the training ground, their faces and heads covered in sweat. Lu Yu raised a hand to rub his short hair, one leg stretched out and the other bent, his elbow resting on his knee. He watched a group of people running on the training ground, his thin lips pressed into a hard, cold line.

Song Bai took a breath, rubbed his face with both hands, and said directly, “I want to marry Jiang Nian.”

Lu Yu elbowed him, and Song Bai dodged, raising his arm to block. “I know how you feel about her, but I don’t want to give up just like that. Lu Yu, I don’t care much about many things in life, but when it comes to Jiang Nian, I want to fight for her.”

He stood up, looking down at Lu Yu from above, “Let’s compete fairly.”

Lu Yu suddenly laughed, but then quickly suppressed it. He stood up to meet Song Bai’s stern gaze, his deep voice calm yet assertive, “Do you know what the first thing I’m going to do when I get to Yuan City is?”

Song Bai frowned, having an inkling but not wanting to think about it.

Lu Yu directly laid bare the truth that Song Bai didn’t want to accept: “The first thing I’m going to do is file a marriage application.” He said each word clearly, “I want to marry Jiang Nian. She can only be my wife, Lu Yu’s wife.”

“Song Bai.”

Lu Yu’s eyes had more redness in them than before. “Give up.”

After saying that, he patted Song Bai’s shoulder and left the training ground.

Song Bai’s gaze followed Lu Yu’s tall figure. Suddenly, he asked, “Does she know about this?”

Lu Yu’s steps paused for a moment, “Yes.”

The training ground echoed with chants, and the sound of synchronized running drowned out Lu Yu’s voice, but Song Bai heard it clearly. It wasn’t until Lu Yu’s figure disappeared from view that Song Bai snapped out of it.

He smiled bitterly, his reddened eyes filled with pain.

During the half year that Lu Yu was away, Jiang Nian would ask about him every time she saw Song Bai. At the hospital, when Lu Yu grasped her wrist, she didn’t push him away. In those days in Dongshi City, Lu Yu’s meticulous care for her far exceeded the boundaries of what a brother-in-law should do.

Song Bai rubbed his face, the redness in his eyes burning intensely.

At home, the dishes were washed and put away. The old lady took her family’s dishes and led Lu Zhijun back. Liu Jianye, carrying dishes and chopsticks, left with Liu Jianwu. Xu Yan stayed in the kitchen, talking with Jiang Nian.

There was a fire in the stove. Xu Yan warmed her hands and then rubbed them on her legs.

She looked up at Jiang Nian, who was standing at the chopping board wiping dishes, and asked, “What do you think of Deputy Commander Song?”

Jiang Nian was taken aback, not understanding why Xu Yan suddenly mentioned him, but she replied, “He’s quite good.”

Xu Yan laughed, “I think so too. Didn’t Sister Feng keep trying to set you up with him? I think Deputy Commander Song has feelings for you.”

Jiang Nian: ???

She looked at Xu Yan in surprise, somewhat amused, “Don’t joke with me.”

She really hadn’t noticed anything like that.

Even if Song Bai did have some feelings for her, she wouldn’t entertain any inappropriate thoughts. She liked Lu Yu, and he was the one she wanted to marry.

Xu Yan: …

“Hey, just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Xu Yan poked at the embers in the stove with a poker. Jiang Nian said, “Don’t smother the fire. I need to heat water for a bath later.”

Xu Yan: “Got it.”

After sitting for a while, Xu Yan left. When she did, Jiang Nian packed many vegetables for her from the cellar. Xu Yan’s eyes turned red, “If you give me all these, what will you and Deputy Commander Lu eat?”

Jiang Nian smiled, “After we go to Yuan City, Lu Yu will eat in the cafeteria, and I will be at the state-run embroidery shop. So, we won’t need these. You take them and make more food for the children, especially Jianye. He’s still growing, don’t let the children suffer.”

Xu Yan, looking at the two large baskets of vegetables, couldn’t help but hug Jiang Nian, crying so hard that she couldn’t speak.

When Liu Jianye heard Xu Yan crying, he walked over to Jiang Nian’s house, and quietly stood by the well, not daring to disturb them in the kitchen.

Jiang Nian’s eyes were also red, her lashes wet. She patted Xu Yan’s arm, “Stop crying, or you’ll make me cry too. How can I leave happily if you cry like this?”

Xu Yan wiped away her tears, sniffing several times before calming down, “With you and Sister Feng both leaving, I’m the only one left. I’ll miss you.”

Jiang Nian saw Liu Jianye standing by the well and smiled, “You still have Jianye and Jianwu.”

Xu Yan instinctively glanced outside. When she saw Jianye by the well, she stopped crying immediately. She wiped her tears with her sleeve, not wanting her son to see her cry. After a few more words with Jiang Nian, she carried the two full baskets of vegetables home.

Carrying them alone was hard, so Liu Jianye ran over to help. As they left, he said to Jiang Nian, “Thank you, Auntie Jiang.”

Jiang Nian smiled, “No need to thank me.”

After Xu Yan and the others left, Jiang Nian added hot water to the pot and then went to Lu Yu’s room to pack his books into a bag. She heard footsteps outside and knew Lu Yu had returned. She said, “Bring the big bag from my room. I’ll pack your books in it.”

“Wait a moment.”

The deep, low voice came from outside, and a tall figure blocked the light at the bright doorway.

Jiang Nian instinctively turned her head and saw a bruise on Lu Yu’s brow and some blood at the corner of his mouth. She was startled and hadn’t had time to ask about his injury before he grabbed her waist and sat her on the cabinet. The man forced her knees apart and hugged her waist tightly, pressing her firmly against him.

His strong hand threaded into her hair, gripping the back of her head and pulling her down for a rough, desperate kiss. The taste of blood and alcohol from his mouth spread between them.

Her teeth and lips were pried open, and Jiang Nian’s breath was rapidly stolen away.

She wanted to push Lu Yu away to catch a breath, but as soon as she extended her hands, they were seized by his single hand and pinned behind her back. She was forced to tilt her neck back, enduring his rough, possessive frenzy.

“Mmm…”

Jiang Nian kicked her legs, which were dangling in the air. When she finally got a moment of reprieve, she was frightened by Lu Yu’s next move.

“You… Lu Yu…”

Jiang Nian’s eyelashes trembled constantly, her eyes damp and pitiful. She lowered her gaze to her neck, seeing his short hair. Her wrists were restrained and couldn’t break free, while the books on the table fell to the ground with a slight “thud.”

Jiang Nian was on the verge of tears. Only when her soft sobbing began did Lu Yu regain some control. He tightened his grip on her slender waist, biting her gently on her protruding, soft flesh before reluctantly standing up.

So, Jiang Nian’s tear-filled eyes met Lu Yu’s without warning.

He kissed her eyes, then her cheeks, nose, and lips with tender affection. His voice was hoarse: “Sorry, I lost control.”

The door was open, and Jiang Nian felt the cold wind blowing in.

She struggled against his hold on her wrists, her voice unconsciously carrying a pleading tone.

“Let go of me first.”

“Alright.”

Lu Yu’s voice was even deeper than before. He released her wrists, buttoned up her cotton jacket, and looked at her moist eyes. Suppressing the tumultuous urge within him, he pulled her into a tight embrace again.

“Jiang Nian.”

Lu Yu took a deep breath at her neck: “I can’t wait any longer.”

He wanted to get married now.

He wanted to truly have her.