Chapter 25: Breaking Off the Engagement (Part 2)

Wu Xiangqian recalled the situation and said sternly, “This matter is serious. We must thoroughly investigate which part of the process went wrong, correct it in time, and prevent such communication errors from happening again.”

Lu Yanzhi knew the truth couldn’t stay hidden forever. There was no way to cover it up, so he could only admit his mistake. “Apologies, Commissar. It was my fault for not communicating properly with the switchboard. This is all on me. The reason is—I don’t want to break off the engagement with Li Zhi.

We had already reached the wedding stage. If it hadn’t been for that accident, we’d already be husband and wife. I’ve always believed she’s the only one for me. What happened at the wedding was my fault.

But I was trying to save someone. Because of that, she won’t forgive me. I was afraid she’d leave me. I’m willing to reflect on my mistakes.”

Lu Yanzhi’s voice was low and hoarse. As he lowered his eyes, a trace of obvious panic and regret flashed through them. His face was full of reluctance, making him seem pitiful.

Wu Xiangqian scolded, “How foolish! And you call yourself an officer. That young woman made a difficult journey here, and you used your position to block her from even entering the gate. You denied the organization a chance to hear her thoughts. You acted unilaterally and without respect. On a larger scale, this is abuse of power. I’ll make a note of it for now. We’ll first settle the engagement issue, and then you’ll be disciplined.”

“Yes, Commissar. I know I was wrong.”

Li Zhi knew how good he was at acting. He always acted well—so well it seemed real. So real she once believed he truly loved her. Otherwise, in her past life, she wouldn’t have been fooled by him for so many years.

Wu Xiangqian led them to a small meeting room next door. It was modest, with only a long table covered in a red cloth and a few chairs.

Wu Xiangqian and Zhou Yufeng sat at the head. She and Lu Yanzhi sat on opposite sides.

Wu Xiangqian broke the silence. “From what I understand, Comrade Xiao Liu wants to break off the engagement, and Captain Lu is unwilling. Comrade Xiao Li, can you explain more specifically why you want to break it off?”

Li Zhi handed him a few pages. “Commissar, this is my written application to break off the engagement. It details the main reasons. Please take a look.”

Lu Yanzhi tensed and reached out, trying to grab the papers, but the commissar stopped him with a single look.

Wu Xiangqian already found him domineering and disrespectful of the woman’s wishes. Now, with the added deception of enlisting others to lie on his behalf and wasting people’s time, and still refusing to hear the woman’s side—there was no way he’d be able to win her back like this.

Previously, he had planned to mediate and reconcile them. But now, his stance had changed. He would remain neutral and listen to the woman’s side before deciding anything.

Unable to grab the engagement termination application, Lu Yanzhi could only plead, “Commissar, I don’t want to break off the engagement. Zhizhi is still angry. Please give me some time to win her back. She’ll change her mind.”

He then stood up and leaned across the table to try to take her hand. “Li Zhi, come outside with me. There are things I want to tell you privately.”

Li Zhi placed her hands on her lap, avoiding his touch.

“There’s nothing more to say in private. Right now, the only matter is breaking off the engagement. If you have something to say, say it here in front of the commissar.”

Wu Xiangqian and Zhou Yufeng read through the application together. The handwriting was neat and forceful. The writing was well-crafted.

It began with a respectful address to the organization, then clearly listed three reasons for the break-off, followed by a request that the organization approve it.

The whole document had 1,800 characters and was quickly read.

Wu Xiangqian handed it to Zhou Yufeng to examine in more detail.

He asked Li Zhi, “Comrade Xiao Li, your main reason for breaking off the engagement is that Captain Lu suddenly left the wedding to take a child to the hospital, right?”

Before the wedding, her family had also opposed the marriage, yet she still went through with it. She had taken care of Lu’s mother in the hospital for three months and knew the family well. Despite that, she still married into it.

So they believed the wedding was the key issue.

Lu Yanzhi thought so too. Until recently, he had assumed Li Zhi was just being petty and would calm down if he coaxed her enough.

Li Zhi couldn’t tell them she had been reborn. “That was just the spark. Before that, my family was always against me marrying him. I was too young and impulsive.

His mother physically assaulted me during my hospital stay. The police had to step in for us to get compensation for medical bills. Without family blessings, a marriage cannot be happy.

I’ve thought carefully about my future, about our relationship.

I don’t think we’re suitable for each other. I want to retake the college entrance exam and go to university. For now, I’m not considering marriage.”

Lin Xuewei was a military widow and considered a priority for special care by the military.

Li Zhi had no evidence of an affair between her and Lu Yanzhi, so she avoided involving her. Otherwise, if Lin Xuewei turned around and accused her of slander, things could get serious—even go to a military tribunal.

Lu Yanzhi, visibly upset, stared at her. “Li Zhi, my mom pushing you was a misunderstanding. She was angry after hearing you hit me with a kettle—she lost control. Later, she kept urging me to apologize and try to win you back.

Even after we’re married, you can still take the college entrance exam. I won’t stop you. I can wait until you graduate to have children. Please don’t break off the engagement, okay?”

Li Zhi firmly shook her head. “No. We all have limited energy and can’t juggle both school and marriage. We can only choose one. Also, my family doesn’t support this marriage. If I lose this match, I can find another. But I don’t want to disappoint my family.”

Lu Yanzhi’s voice suddenly rose. “That’s just an excuse! Your family always disagreed, but you still married me. Why can’t you be as firm now as you were then? Why have you changed?”

He had always thought she couldn’t live without him. That’s why he dared to leave her during their wedding to take Huanhuan to the hospital.

He never expected she was serious this time—and it made him panic.

Zhou Yufeng interjected. “Yanzhi, when you abandoned her at the wedding, did you think about her feelings? And now you expect her to ignore her family for you? You’re strict with others but lenient with yourself.”

Lu Yanzhi squinted at him. Whose side was he on?

Was he helping Fu Tingzhou?

Hadn’t Fu Tingzhou already given up after hearing Li Zhi say she didn’t like him?

Li Zhi said calmly, “Lu Yanzhi, don’t you find yourself ridiculous? You want me to choose you above all else, but in your heart, I’ll always come after others. I should’ve seen this clearly before. I was just too stupid to admit it. But now I do. I don’t want to marry you. Let’s call off the engagement.”

Her voice was soft and calm, but it carried unshakable resolve.

Lu Yanzhi looked at her with his soulful eyes. “Li Zhi, you weren’t like this before. You said you were willing to help me take care of Xuewei and her daughter. You said they were pitiful. It hasn’t even been that long—why have you changed so much I can’t recognize you anymore? You want to be the only one in my eyes and expect me to ignore everyone else.

But I owe Zhenxing my life. I just treat them like family. You’re overthinking it, always suspecting me and Xuewei of something indecent. I saved your life—can’t you at least remember that and forgive me this once?”

Li Zhi laughed coldly. “A small thing? Abandoning your bride at the wedding is a small thing? Then what counts as a big deal?

Every time Lin Xuewei or her daughter suffers a minor grievance, you make a huge deal of it and treat me harshly. You’re always dissatisfied with me, accusing me of making them feel bad and forcing me to apologize.

You did save me. But I missed the college entrance exam to take your mom to the hospital. I wasted a year of my youth dating you. That debt is paid. I owe you nothing.”

The doctor had said that if Chen Guizhen hadn’t been rushed to the hospital in time, she might have died.

So she had repaid the life-saving favor.

She would never be foolish enough to throw away her entire life.

Hearing her words, Lu Yanzhi realized he’d said the wrong thing. His tone hardened. “Li Zhi, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not trying to collect a debt.”

Li Zhi shook her head. “But that is what you mean. Commissar, you’ve seen it yourself. We have incompatible values. We’re not suited to be together. Please approve my request to break off the engagement.”

Wu Xiangqian could tell Li Zhi was determined. He turned to Lu Yanzhi. “Captain Lu, Comrade Li no longer wants to be with you and is firm in her decision. It’s better to go along with her wishes and end it. Forced relationships won’t lead to happiness. Don’t you agree?”

Lu Yanzhi pleaded sincerely, “Commissar, I’ve realized my mistakes and will correct them. Please give me more time. I don’t want to part ways with Li Zhi. I want to save this relationship.”

Wu Xiangqian didn’t even know how to respond.

He asked Li Zhi, “Comrade Xiao Li, what do you think? Are you willing to give Captain Lu another chance?”

She answered firmly, “No. I just want to end the engagement.”

Then, the commissar and Zhou Yufeng each spoke to them separately.

The commissar advised Lu Yanzhi to give up and respect her choice.

Zhou Yufeng didn’t try to persuade Li Zhi to change her mind. He casually chatted with her, even asking about how Lu Yanzhi had once saved her life.

Li Zhi took out a stack of receipts—expenses she had paid for the Lu family over the past year.

She hoped the military would support her in getting that money back.

By the time Zhou Yufeng finished tallying the expenses, the commissar’s talk with Lu Yanzhi had also concluded.