At the same time, in the Sichuan Military District compound office building—

Commander Sun flipped through the transfer orders, reading them carefully.

He and Commander Fang^[1]Fang Chiye’s father had made some guesses earlier. After exchanging information, they both believed that the new “hydropower station” project wouldn’t be assigned to the Armed Regiment.

Now that the official order had arrived, it felt like a hot potato.

Across from him, Fang Chiye waited quietly for instructions.

Commander Sun tapped his fingers on the desk and asked in a deep voice, “What do you think?”

What else could Fang Chiye think? Military orders were absolute. A soldier’s duty was to obey unconditionally.

“Reporting—no objections.”

Commander Sun chuckled. “Go close the door.”

Fang Chiye knew this meant he was about to hear something personal. He shut the door and sat opposite Commander Sun, looking perfectly obedient—like he hadn’t been a menace just last night.

“Actually, your father and I analyzed this. You’re young but have been on the battlefield too many times. The organization isn’t demoting you. They want to temper your character. This mission is highly classified and involves many aspects. Among those at your level, no one else can take your place. After two or three years of experience, once you’re past thirty—steady, experienced, a war veteran, and someone who has contributed to infrastructure—who could say you’re too young and block your path then?”

Fang Chiye understood. The country was stable, wars were rare, and military officers like him needed to keep up with the times. Just as Commander Sun said, he had already analyzed it himself. This was, in reality, a hidden promotion rather than a demotion.

Even if it weren’t a promotion, it didn’t matter. As long as national defense was strengthened and people could live in peace, he wasn’t even afraid of sacrificing his life—what else was there to fear?

Seeing that Fang Chiye was genuinely convinced, Commander Sun swallowed the rest of his advice. He had Fang Chiye confirm and sign the order, then told him to wait for his official appointment.

Once Fang Chiye left, Qin Shan came in to sign off on the order.

He had already spoken with Fang Chiye, so he signed without a second thought.

Just as he was about to leave, Commander Sun exchanged a glance with Ou Hua. Ou Hua quickly followed after Qin Shan, jogging a little to catch up.

“Commissar Qin, wait a moment!”

Qin Shan turned his head slowly, shaking the documents in his hand. “Something else?”

Ou Hua pulled him into an empty office and asked directly, “Is it true that Captain Fang is seeing someone?”

No need for beating around the bush—straightforward questions saved everyone trouble.

That was something Ou Hua had learned from dealing with Qin Shan. Otherwise, if you let him lead the conversation in circles, he could talk you into getting completely lost.

Qin Shan thought for a moment, then deliberately said, “Not settled yet. He’s under evaluation.”

His mind was a storm, but his face showed nothing. His brother had a match? Why hadn’t he told him?

Ou Hua carefully observed his expression and asked, “Based on what you know, what kind of woman does Captain Fang like?”

Qin Shan figured this was coming from Aunt Sun and guessed, “Someone like him wouldn’t go for a pretty one. We soldiers are away all the time—it would be embarrassing to get cheated on. He needs someone honest and capable of running a household. In simple terms, someone gentle, virtuous, and well-mannered. A military wife’s identity is different. She has to be understanding.”

Ou Hua took mental notes seriously.

It seemed that the girl in the photo, the one Aunt Sun mentioned, must be exactly that—gentle, virtuous, and understanding.

***

Xiaoba Village

Meanwhile, Su Rui—who was neither gentle nor virtuous but was very pretty—sneezed.

After everyone else had gone inside, she showed no patience at all. Blocking Su Chang’e at the door, she demanded, “Who exactly did you introduce me to?”

Su Chang’e kept a straight face. “A military officer, a military officer, a military officer—how many times do you want me to say it?”

Su Rui was certain that Su Chang’e wouldn’t be kind enough to set her up with an officer. She refused to let her leave for the post office. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell me the truth.”

“Mom!” Su Chang’e called out.

Su Rui stared at her. “Your mom’s out.”

Not believing her, Su Chang’e called again, “Mom!!”

From outside the wall, Su Yuqin’s voice replied, “I’m here!”

Su Chang’e tilted her head at Su Rui.

Without missing a beat, Su Rui deadpanned, “Oh, she’s back.”

Su Chang’e pushed her, but Su Rui held firm.

Though Su Rui was half a head shorter, years of farm work had made her strong and stubborn. She clung to the doorframe, refusing to let Su Chang’e through.

Su Chang’e, with her thin eyebrows drawn on with matchsticks, turned her head and pulled open the drawer to look for an awl. She was going to stab this insolent brat.

Su Rui silently placed her hand on her waist, where a pair of pruning shears was hidden. If Su Chang’e dared to stab, she dared to snip.

Before the two of them could make a move, Su Hongpei called out, “Stop fighting, you two. We have to go trim the tree branches this afternoon. Hurry up and eat.”

Eat?

That was good news.

Su Rui and Su Chang’e put down their hands at the same time and went to the main room.

However, just as they sat down, Su Yuqin and Guo Jiarong’s mother walked in together, all smiles.

Bad luck.

Su Rui picked up a cornbread bun and stuffed it with some pickled bellflower root. The sweet potato-based cornbread was dense and chewy. She puffed up her cheeks as she ate, completely ignoring Guo Jiarong’s mother.

Su Chang’e, on the other hand, put on a show, standing up and saying, “Aunt Guo, you’re here? Have you eaten yet?”

Aunt Guo’s family was one of the wealthiest in the village. She glanced at their dining table, where a group of women sat eating nothing but pickled vegetables. She had no interest in joining them.

Aunt Guo sat down to the side. Su Yuqin, feeling uncomfortable eating in front of her, watched as Su Rui went to the cupboard, took out the salted duck egg she had hidden, cracked it open, and let the golden yolk oil drip onto her cornbread bun.

Su Hongpei didn’t want any. That was fine. Su Rui wouldn’t share with anyone. She took a big bite, making her face turn pale from the saltiness, yet she insisted it was delicious.

Three jin of salt had been used to cure just ten salted duck eggs. Su Yuqin would rather eat one over ten meals than waste them. They were so salty that even Su Chang’e flared her nostrils in frustration, cursing Su Rui under her breath.

Aunt Guo found her behavior distasteful as well. A girl this age not knowing how to share? Absolutely not suitable to marry into her family.

Su Rui deliberately acted this way in front of her. She remembered how, in the book, Aunt Guo had once come to the house to cause trouble, cursing the original owner for being shameless and seducing her son. She even claimed that her son was already engaged—to his cousin.

But today, she didn’t curse.

Su Rui glanced at the large pair of scissors she had slammed onto the table earlier. Perhaps they had served as a deterrent.

Even though Aunt Guo didn’t scold her, she still made small talk with Su Yuqin before subtly trying to insult Su Rui.

“There’s a young woman in Qingnan Village who always dresses up so flirtatiously. When she walks, she sways her hips on purpose, trying to seduce married men.”

Su Rui responded, “Who doesn’t sway their hips when they walk? Auntie, I think you do it quite nicely too.”

“…” Aunt Guo’s face stiffened. “My son has a kind personality and is generous to others. Many young girls in the village have their eyes on him. What if he accidentally goes down the wrong path?”

Su Rui said coldly, “Then he’d better be careful. People who force themselves on others get shot. That would be the end of your family line.”

Aunt Guo: “……”

Her gaze swept over the large scissors. Su Rui’s words were as sharp as their pointed tips, stabbing straight into her heart.

“Liking him is understandable, but not just anyone can enter our family. His granduncle is a retired township official, and his granduncle’s eldest cousin’s grandson’s cousin is a military officer. Based on seniority, people have to call him ‘Uncle.’ With a family background like ours, how could we associate with improper women?”

Goodness, she wasn’t just digging up her own family’s history but someone else’s as well.

Su Yuqin caught on to the implication. The son had no shame, and now the mother had none either. In that case, she didn’t need to hold back anymore. She quickly signaled for Su Rui to bring out her “ugly fiancé.”

Su Rui grinned, retrieved a portrait, and solemnly handed it to Aunt Guo. “I’m an acting cadre, after all. Just like you said, we people from cadre families can’t let just anyone into our homes.”

Aunt Guo took the self-portrait of Ye Chifang and nearly jumped in shock. Was this a self-destructive move?

Su Rui continued, “I’ve told Guo Jiarong a hundred times—he’s just not my type. Look at this, this is my true fiancé. Look at his thick, luscious hair, his blood-red lips—how healthy and strong he is.”

Aunt Guo’s lips trembled. “Y-You’d rather have someone like this than my son?”

Su Rui, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, said, “Of course. I like real men.” Then she added with a shy expression, “Auntie, don’t tell Guo Jiarong. I’m afraid he’ll get jealous.”

Aunt Guo shut her eyes briefly, as if she could see her ancestors waving at her from the afterlife.

“U-Understood.”

She stood up hastily, not even able to muster a polite farewell before leaving in a flustered mess.

All she could think about was how her son had lost to such an ugly thing. The humiliation burned in her mind as she left.

Su Rui was thoroughly pleased. This brother was a formidable force—he might be somewhat harmful to her, but he was even more lethal to unwanted admirers.

His ugliness was a blessing in disguise. She treasured the portrait, deciding to carry it with her as a talisman against bad luck.

However, in Su Chang’e’s eyes, this painted an entirely different picture. She could already envision Su Rui’s future, entangled with a reformed prisoner, trapped in misery, unable to live or die.

Feeling smug, she no longer cared that Su Rui had eaten all the salted duck eggs.

After their lunch break, the whole family got ready to head up the mountain. If they wanted a share of the fruit profits, they had to work for it.

On the way, they encountered Guo Jiarong, who came running over, drenched in sweat. He blocked Su Rui’s path, asking urgently, “What did my mother say to you?”

Su Rui answered calmly, “She said you and your dear cousin are getting married soon.”

Guo Jiarong stomped his foot in frustration. “This is a forced marriage. She’s arranging it behind my back. Xiao Rui, you know I don’t like my cousin at all.”

Su Rui coldly replied, “Who you like has nothing to do with me. I have a fiancé.”

“The one your second sister introduced?”

“Yes.”

Guo Jiarong looked devastated.

Su Rui took advantage of his dazed state and walked past him, continuing up the mountain.

On the Mountain, the women gathered, along with a few men from Xiaoba Village. The men had little involvement since the women made most of the decisions there. They just followed orders.

Aunt Song, who had extensive experience in farming, gave them a briefing on pruning techniques. Once she finished, the women of Xiaoba Village quickly dispersed, each taking up their tasks.

When they were thirsty, they drank some water. When they were tired, they leaned against the peach trees to rest.

Su Rui noticed a few people from Qingnan Village sneaking around suspiciously. Worried they might be up to something, she called over Wanzi and Si’er to chase them away.

By late afternoon, the sound of vehicles rumbled from the foot of the mountain.

Su Rui, holding her scissors, stood on tiptoe to see soldiers disembarking from the trucks, measuring and marking the nearby hills.

Before long, a soldier approached them and explained the situation. It turned out they were going to blast the mountain to build a road.

The women crouched behind the peach trees, covering their ears in preparation. Su Rui wrapped her small face tightly with a pink triangular scarf.

Once they received the signal, they responded immediately.

Ten minutes later, a deafening explosion shook the air.

Some young women screamed in shock. Su Rui glanced at the backs of the soldiers standing in front of them, guarding them. For some reason, she felt an overwhelming sense of security.

Covering her ears, she looked across the mountain at the rocky slope where the soldiers moved swiftly through thick smoke and dust.

To prevent the falling rocks from damaging Xiaoba Village’s land and houses, the soldiers rushed against the smoke, quickly clearing the area. Their resolute figures seemed to bring the battlefield to life before their eyes. Beneath their iron-clad discipline lay an unyielding warrior spirit.

The women stopped what they were doing and stared at them in a daze, just like Su Rui. They couldn’t help but think—why was there such a huge difference between men?

Su Hongpei was a little scared of the explosion. Even though there was a mountain between them, the sound felt like it was blasting straight into her heart, making her uneasy.

She searched for Su Rui everywhere and finally spotted her climbing a locust tree. The tree had less dust, proving that Su Rui was quite clever.

She could hear Su Rui muttering to herself, “If only they could marry into my family! I wouldn’t ask for much, just ten of them. In spring, they could plow the fields shirtless. In summer, they could catch fish in the river. In autumn, they could swarm the fields for the harvest. In winter, they could chop endless firewood. A husband and children, a warm kang bed—one of them is as strong as an ox! Hehehe.”

Su Hongpei covered her face and walked away, thinking she might as well let the explosion scare her to death instead.

Hugging the tree trunk, Su Rui watched the soldiers who looked like a mighty army charging forward. What a pity—good men all belonged to the country. She could only dream about them.

But surely, the leader guiding them must be an extraordinary man!

Then, she remembered the “brother” in her pocket, and her excitement instantly faded. How could there be such a big gap between people?

A dragon should be matched with a phoenix. A golden boy should pair with a jade girl.

Sigh, she was just an ordinary farm animal. She could only be paired with a King Kong.