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He submitted the documents, completed the registration, and then gestured for Lin Yuyao to follow.
The buildings here had an antique style, exuding the scent of solid wood.
Following Lu Jiangting to the second floor, they found Uncle Zhou in one of the offices.
“Uncle Zhou.”
Uncle Zhou glanced at Lu Jiangting indifferently and let out a heavy sigh.
“You’re here.”
“Yes, Uncle Zhou, I…”
“Alright, no need to say anything; come with me.”
“Okay!”
Uncle Zhou took them to an empty meeting room next door; a large, heavy solid wood table was in the center, surrounded by chairs.
Uncle Zhou gestured for them to sit on either side of the table.
Lin Yuyao didn’t know what was going on; she just sat as instructed.
They sat on opposite sides; their eyes met.
Lin Yuyao immediately lowered her head, looking at her small blue bag.
At this time, Uncle Zhou, sitting above them, sighed and said, “I originally wanted to have professionals mediate for you, but after thinking about it, this matter is ultimately shameful. It’s not good for you nor for Comrade Fang Qing. After much consideration, I’ll mediate for you myself.”
Lu Jiangting nodded, “Uncle Zhou, thank you.”
“Alright, no need for pleasantries. Xiao Lu, what happened between you and Xiao Lin seems different from what you said last time; I want to know the truth.”
Lu Jiangting looked at Lin Yuyao and said, “It’s true that I’m sorry, but I really have nothing to do with Comrade Fang Qing; I lent her money, and my parents helped her with Chenchen; it’s really because of Comrade Wang Jianjun. Yuyao, I…”
Uncle Zhou raised his hand, stopping him.
“Alright, your conflict isn’t about that. Comrade Xiao Lin cares not only about whether you and Fang Qing have anything going on; in her view, she’s not as important to you as…”
“No, I and Fang Qing…”
Hearing him repeat the same old thing, Uncle Zhou immediately said, “No, my bad, I misspoke. In Xiao Lin’s view, she’s not as important to you as repaying your debt to Comrade Wang Jianjun.”
Uncle Zhou was skilled; with this statement, they both fell silent.
Changing the wording worked.
Even if Lu Jiangting would have an ambiguous relationship with Fang Qing in the future, his relationship with Fang Qing should only be about repaying his debt. So, strictly speaking, what stood between them wasn’t Fang Qing, but Wang Jianjun’s kindness. It would be the same with Wang Qing or Chen Qing.
Lu Jiangting covered his face; he seemed to be crying.
“Yes… yes, I really can’t refuse. When I think of Jianjun’s pale face, lying there motionless… I… Uncle Zhou, I really can’t ignore them.”
Uncle Zhou said, “Comrade Wang Jianjun was a good comrade; you’re also a good comrade, but Comrade Xiao Lin is innocent. If you want to repay your debt, you shouldn’t involve her.”
“But…” He wiped away his tears and looked at Lin Yuyao again.
“Yuyao, I’m serious about you; we’ve been together for so many years, believe me.”
At this point, he hadn’t changed his mind yet; she believed him.
Which couple holding hands, walking into the civil affairs bureau together, wasn’t truly in love?
No one could say they weren’t in love back then.
Unfortunately, when they divorced later, hurting each other, their mutual hatred was also real.
So, Lu Jiangting would eventually change his mind; that was also true.
“I believe you, but it doesn’t matter anymore. I only came here for one purpose: to get my documents back.”
“Jianjun is dead, he’s dead, do you understand? I just want to repay him; why don’t you understand me?”
Lin Yuyao: “…”
He started rambling again.
“Okay, okay, I understand what you mean. You don’t want to repay your debt with me, but why? I saved you before; why don’t you remember my kindness? Why can’t you repay me like i repaid Jianjun?”
Repay him?
Lin Yuyao chuckled bitterly.
So, she had to sacrifice her whole life?
“Is it because Jianjun died, and I didn’t, so you don’t take my kindness to heart?”
Lin Yuyao was stunned by his desperate words; she realized how stubborn he was.
His way of thinking was simply insane.
Fine, since he said so, she wouldn’t be polite.
“If you had died saving me, I would have repaid you like you repaid Comrade Wang Jianjun; I would have taken good care of… Comrade Fang Qing and her child for the rest of my life.”
She emphasized the last few words.
She rarely used a disgusted expression when looking at people, but now she was staring at Lu Jiangting with disgust.
Lu Jiangting was flustered.
“You know I didn’t mean that.”
“You didn’t mean that?” Lin Yuyao sneered, her words sharp and hurtful.
“Then do you think Comrade Wang Jianjun meant that? Did he know you were taking care of his wife and child like this? Do you think he would have preferred you to take care of his elderly parents more? Don’t you think so?”
Lu Jiangting fell silent.
After a moment, he said, “His parents didn’t…”
“Didn’t ask you for help?” She snapped him.
Lu Jiangting nodded.
“Why is that?”
Why? Because the parents of Wang Jianjun received the compensation, after all.
Everyone has to look forward; who would stay in place forever?
He couldn’t articulate it; he didn’t understand.
Lin Yuyao scoffed and then said, “You’re just taking advantage of the fact that they’ve sacrificed, thinking you’re doing something noble when you’re really just being self-righteous.”
She thought to herself that if Wang Jianjun knew that after his death, these two shameless people would cling to each other for life under the guise of repaying a debt, he would probably be furious enough to rise from his coffin.
Wasn’t Lu Jiangting repaying kindness with enmity?
Her words pierced Lu Jiangting’s heart like sharp needles, leaving him speechless for a long time.
Uncle Zhou took a sip of tea and slowly spoke.
“You two really seem to be fated to be apart; if that’s the case, let’s call off your marriage.”
Lu Jiangting looked at Uncle Zhou in disbelief, “No, Uncle Zhou, we…”
“Enough, don’t say anymore. I understand your difficulties, and I believe Comrade Xiao Lin understands as well. The only person who doesn’t seem to understand is you. No one fails to understand; it’s you who doesn’t understand others.”
“Xiao Lin is young and beautiful, with a bright future ahead of her; she doesn’t want to waste her life with you, and she’s not wrong. Xiao Lu, try to understand others as well and let Xiao Lin go. Now that we’ve reached this point, if you keep entangling her, it’ll be your fault.”
Lu Jiangting was left speechless.
He watched as Uncle Zhou pulled out a thick file from the drawer beneath the table.
The military marriage process was quite complicated.
There had to be a courtship report.
A premarital check-up.
Political scrutiny…
The whole process took several months.
So, their marriage wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision; from the beginning to the point where they could exchange their marriage certificate, it had taken several months. Unfortunately, at the final step of getting the marriage certificate, Lin Yuyao had called it off.
Uncle Zhou sighed deeply, likely feeling regretful; they had come this far and completed so many procedures, only for it all to turn into waste paper.