Jiang Xiaoguang had been sent to deliver a message to Lu Cheng.  

But the moment he got out of the car, he saw Lu Cheng hand Jiang Peng a 10-yuan bill.  

Lu Cheng wasn’t exactly a stingy miser, but he wasn’t someone who just let anyone take advantage of him either.  

Instinct told Jiang Xiaoguang that something was off, so he stopped Jiang Peng as the latter walked over.  

Seeing that Jiang Xiaoguang was dressed in military attire, Jiang Peng was quite polite. “What can I do for you?”  

Jiang Xiaoguang pulled out a cigarette. “Care for a smoke?”  

Jiang Peng’s eyes lit up instantly.  

Peony brand—this was cadres’ cigarettes!  

In these times, cigarettes were a rare commodity, hard for ordinary folks to come by. And Peony was a premium brand, usually reserved for cadres and officials, hence the nickname “cadres’ cigarettes.”  

Jiang Peng took the cigarette and tucked it behind his ear, declining Jiang Xiaoguang’s offer to light it for him.  

Getting his hands on such a fine smoke was a rare treat—he’d definitely show it off to his buddies later.  

“What’s your name, young man?”  

“Jiang’s my surname.”  

“What a coincidence, mine’s Jiang too.”  

“Brother Jiang, just say what you need. Though I might not be able to help.”  

Jiang Xiaoguang chuckled at his slick reply. “Just wanted to ask you something. Do you know our Third Young Master?”  

“Who?”  

Realizing Jiang Peng genuinely had no idea who Lu Cheng was, Jiang Xiaoguang smoothly changed the subject. “Never mind, maybe I got it wrong. Little Jiang, you look about the right age to enlist—have you signed up yet?”  

At the mention of enlisting, Jiang Peng straightened his back proudly.  

In these times, what young man didn’t dream of joining the army? But not everyone could make it.  

He had!  

“I signed up! I’m enlisting next month!”  

“No wonder I felt a connection the moment I saw you—we’re comrades-in-arms…”  

Just as they were hitting it off, Jiang Peng felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and immediately tried to bolt.  

But with Jiang Xiaoguang blocking the front and Lu Cheng cutting off his retreat, there was nowhere to run.  

“Heh heh, brother-in-law!”  

Cough cough!  

Jiang Xiaoguang choked on Jiang Peng’s greeting.  

After a sharp glance from Lu Cheng, he silently took two steps back, ears perked up.  

“Brother-in-law, with your commanding presence, anyone can tell you’re a leader. So, money given can’t really be taken back, right?”  

Truly siblings cut from the same cloth—both equally fond of money.  

Well, that made things easier.  

“I’ve already spoken with your sister. I’ll come to propose in three days, and you’ll get a big red envelope then. So, you know what to say in front of your sister, right?”  

Jiang Peng shook his head like a rattle-drum. “Nope.”  

“…Then just keep your mouth shut. Less talk, fewer mistakes. No talk, no mistakes.”  

“Got it.”  

“Go on, then.”  

“Alright.”  

Jiang Peng took a few steps, then turned back uneasily. “Wait, who even are you?”  

“My name is Lu Cheng. Zhang Jiaming’s superior.”  

Jiang Peng: !!!  

“Sir, about Jiaming and my sister…”  

“I know everything.”  

“And Jiaming’s side…”  

“I’ll handle it.”  

Reassured, Jiang Peng left.  

Watching him walk away, Lu Cheng turned to Jiang Xiaoguang. “Why are you here?”  

“The General wants you to return home immediately. It’s urgent.”  

Lu Cheng let out a cold laugh, his gaze shifting to the jeep parked nearby.  

“Perfect timing. I’ve got important business too. Take me to the Political Department first.”  

Jiang Xiaoguang snapped to attention. “Yes, sir.”  

……

After leaving Lu Cheng’s sight, Jiang Moli looked around but didn’t see Jiang Peng anywhere, so she headed to the bus station alone to go home.  

She would have loved to wander around longer, but her pockets were empty—might as well go home and catch up on sleep.  

“Jiang Moli!”  

She hadn’t walked far when someone called her from across the street.  

Jiang Moli looked over and recognized the three young women—Lu Tingting, Wu Meixia, and Song Ke.  

All three came from well-off families.  

Among them, Lu Tingting’s background was the most prestigious, making her the leader of the trio.  

Don’t get the wrong idea—the original host wasn’t actually friends with these high-society girls. Instead, she was the kind of hanger-on who fawned over them and let them boss her around.  

Jiang Moli strolled over unhurriedly.  

“Jiang Moli, are you deaf? I’ve been calling you forever—my voice is hoarse!”  

Easy fix.  

Jiang Moli pointed at the grocery store behind them. “Come on, I’ll treat you to sodas.”  

The three stared at her as if she’d grown a second head.  

Jiang Moli was the type to shamelessly mooch off them—since when did she ever offer to pay?  

Given their wealthy backgrounds, sodas weren’t exactly a luxury to them.  

But since Jiang Moli was treating for the first time ever, they figured they might as well take advantage. So they followed her into the store.  

“Boss, four sodas—iced!”  

The shopkeeper fished out four bottles from the ice bucket. Seeing Jiang Moli make no move to pay, he said, “Five cents each, twenty cents total. Plus a ten-cent deposit if you take the bottles.”  

Jiang Molly patted her pockets. “I don’t have money.”  

“No money? Then why’d you ask for sodas?” The shopkeeper’s face darkened in anger.  

Jiang Moli said matter-of-factly, “Can’t you drink soda without money?”  

“Without money, you can drink air! Brat, instead of learning proper manners, you’re trying to freeload? Get lost, or I’ll call the cops!”  

A chubby boy nearby, clutching five cents to buy an ice pop, shot Jiang Moli a disdainful look.  

[Disdain value +2, credit: 20,000 yuan.]

Jiang Moli turned to the stunned Lu Tingting and her friends. “This guy has no vision—no money, no soda? Let’s go somewhere else.”  

Would changing stores magically make free sodas appear?  

The trio was speechless.  

[Disdain value +3, credit: 30,000 yuan.]

Seeing Jiang Moli talk to the three girls, the shopkeeper and the chubby boy also gave them scornful looks—clearly lumping them into the “broke freeloaders” category.  

Lu Tingting, raised in privilege, couldn’t tolerate this.  

“Fine, my treat!”  

She slapped a ten-yuan bill onto the counter.  

The shopkeeper, suddenly all smiles, hurriedly retrieved the sodas he’d just put back, even inserting straws and wiping the condensation off the bottles with a cloth.  

The attentive service finally restored a bit of Lu Tingting’s dignity.  

Say what you will—free soda tasted amazing.  

Cool, sweet, with a strong orange flavor.  

Jiang Moli drank happily, while Lu Tingting was fuming.  

“Jiang Moli, I’m warning you—if you ever embarrass me like this again by pretending to be generous, you’ll regret it!”  

Jiang Moli eyed the untouched sodas in their hands. “Why aren’t you drinking? Don’t like them? Give them to me, then. My dad and brother love soda.”  

Lu Tingting’s disgust was written all over her face. “Jiang Moli, in all my life, I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you. God knows what poor soul would ever marry someone like—”  

Her words cut off abruptly as a jeep drove past.  

The next second, she ducked behind Wu Meixia and Song Ke in panic.  

“What’s wrong?”  

“It’s my third uncle!”  

Jiang Moli turned and saw a military-licensed jeep passing by.  

Someone who could drive a military vehicle must hold significant rank in the army.  

No wonder Lu Tingting had such an inflated ego.