Chapter 12

Xu Zhao arrived with breakfast and saw Jiang Suihan sitting on a stool drying her hair. He paused, then quickly looked away, placing the breakfast on the table and opening the food containers.

Her hair wasn’t completely dry, so Jiang Suihan left it loose and walked over to see what he had brought. There were steamed buns, rice noodles, and soy milk. The buns were large pork buns, five of them. The rice noodles were stir-fried, with added eggs and scallions, filling the box to the brim. It looked very appetizing.

She turned to get bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen, her hair accidentally brushing against Xu Zhao.

Xu Zhao caught a faint scent from her hair, something like an orchid. He wanted to take another whiff, but she had already moved away. He subtly flexed the fingers on his right hand, which had been by his side.

Jiang Leyun greeted Xu Zhao, who handed him a pork bun.

The bun was large and still warm, soft to the touch. When squeezed, it dented, only to quickly bounce back.

Jiang Leyun held it with both hands and took a big bite. The first bite was just dough, but with the second, he reached the meat and juice, making him squint with happiness as he sat on the stool, swinging his legs.

While eating, he exclaimed, “This is the best pork bun I’ve ever had!”

Jiang Suihan divided the rice noodles, taking a large half for herself. Knowing that children usually have smaller appetites, she figured that after a bun and half a bowl of noodles, he’d be full. The rest she left for Xu Zhao.

Jiang Leyun looked at his half bowl of noodles, then at Xu Zhao’s portion, suddenly feeling what it meant to be treated unfairly. He pouted, “I want more. Half a bowl isn’t enough. You’re being biased.”

Jiang Suihan immediately blushed and, a bit flustered, said, “Biased? No way. I just didn’t want you to waste food if you couldn’t finish it. Kids should eat in silence. It helps them grow tall.”

The bun was nearly as big as his face, and along with half a bowl of noodles, it should be plenty.

Jiang Leyun didn’t buy it. “I’m not a three-year-old. You can’t fool me. Every time you can’t win an argument, you say I won’t grow tall. I’m definitely going to be taller than you when I grow up.”

Jiang Suihan retorted, “We’ll see about that when you grow up. For now, just eat. If you’re still hungry, I’ll give you more.”

Xu Zhao, finding the sibling banter amusing, added two more chopsticks of noodles to Jiang Leyun’s bowl from his own. “Is this enough?”

Jiang Leyun beamed. “That’s plenty. I can finish it.”

Xu Zhao then asked Jiang Suihan, “Do you want more?”

Jiang Suihan shook her head. “This is enough. There’s still a bun. I have a small appetite and can’t eat much. You should have more.”

Xu Zhao ate quickly and with focus. Watching him eat, Jiang Suihan and Jiang Leyun found themselves mesmerized by how swiftly he devoured his food.

Xu Zhao looked up and asked, “Why aren’t you eating?”

Jiang Leyun blurted out, “We’re watching you eat.”

Jiang Suihan wanted to cover her face. This child was too honest.

Xu Zhao explained, “I’m used to it in the army. Sometimes when a mission comes up, there’s no time to eat slowly.”

In the army, speed and efficiency are crucial. Time waits for no one, so everyone learns to eat quickly.

Jiang Suihan said, “Eating too fast isn’t good for digestion. It’s bad for your health.”

Xu Zhao replied, “Okay, I’ll try to slow down from now on.”

After Jiang Suihan and Jiang Leyun finished eating, there was still one bun left. Xu Zhao asked, “Are you both full?”

They nodded, so he picked up the bun and ate it in just a few bites. Though he was a bit slower than before, he was still faster than most people. Jiang Suihan thought he might not be full.

She had heard that soldiers usually have big appetites. She secretly glanced at Xu Zhao’s stomach but didn’t notice any change. If she lifted his shirt, she would probably see abs. She just didn’t know how many.

This time, Xu Zhao didn’t insist on washing the dishes. The rice noodles had been a bit dry, so Jiang Suihan poured everyone a glass of water before heading to the kitchen to wash up.

There were no children around who wanted to play with Jiang Leyun. They thought he was a bad kid from a bad family. The little boy, not wanting to be disliked, preferred to stay at home and play alone. He ran back to his room and took out an old, worn-out comic book, laying it on the floor to read page by page.

This comic book was something he had brought from home. His father had bought him the entire set as a birthday gift when he turned six. Later, during the raid on their house, someone tried to take it. In the struggle, the comic book was torn, leaving only this one.

Xu Zhao had fixed a chair with a broken leg. Jiang Suihan sat on it, slowly drinking water from the family’s only glass jar.

Xu Zhao sat beside her and suddenly asked, “Have you made up your mind?”

Jiang Suihan was silent for a few seconds before replying, “I agree.”

She had spent the whole night thinking about it. Leaving with Xu Zhao was the wisest choice. Staying in Mingjiang City was too risky. She might lose her life without even knowing it. On the surface, there were her aunt and Qin Rongguang’s schemes, but who knew what other hidden plots were at play?

Jiang Suihan didn’t dare underestimate anyone from this era. The darkness of this period was beyond her imagination. She couldn’t afford to be naive and think she was clever enough to outsmart the bad guys. She was just an ordinary person who grew up under the red flag, without the cunning or tricks needed to survive this time.

There were still several years left until the chaos would end. The city would only get more dangerous, with more and more villains appearing. It was just her and Jiang Leyun in the Jiang family—no power, no influence, and carrying a sensitive identity. If they were wronged, they wouldn’t even have a place to seek justice.

Take what happened yesterday, for example. If Xu Zhao hadn’t arrived in time, Qin Rongguang might have forced himself on her. If that had happened, she might not have been able to escape unscathed.

Compared to the city, the army was much safer. With Xu Zhao’s status, those people likely wouldn’t dare to harm them.

Xu Zhao stared intently at Jiang Suihan. “Are you sure about this?”

Marriage is a major life decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. He hoped Jiang Suihan had thought it through and wasn’t making a rash decision she might regret later.

Jiang Suihan bit her lip and said, “I’m certain.”

She was someone who tended to overthink things, but mostly before making a decision. Once she decided to do something, she would commit to it and not give herself a chance to regret it. No matter the outcome, she knew she made the choice herself.

Besides, given Xu Zhao’s qualities, marrying him was a great deal for her. She should be the one asking him if he would regret it.

“With my family’s situation, will marrying me affect your future?”

Xu Zhao replied confidently, “It won’t.”

In truth, there would be some impact, but it wasn’t a big problem. He had earned quite a few military merits over the years, and his promotions had been a bit too fast, which had already drawn some unwanted attention. His father suggested he slow down for a couple of years, as there was no rush.

The outside world was chaotic, and Xu Zhao was aware of the situation. The army, however, remained relatively stable and unaffected.

He had considered that if Jiang Suihan didn’t want to marry him and didn’t want to leave Mingjiang City, he would do his best to resolve her issues here and give the Jiang family some money as a way to repay the family’s kindness.

Jiang Suihan propped her chin on her hand, staring at Xu Zhao, and asked a somewhat silly question: “Will you treat me well?”

Xu Zhao answered seriously, “I promise on my honor as a soldier that I will be as loyal to you as I am to the country, protecting you and treating you well for the rest of my life.”

Putting her on the same level as the country, Jiang Suihan thought it was unnecessary. She was self-aware enough to know she couldn’t compare to a country.

Still, she was quite satisfied with his answer—it left her feeling a bit sweet inside.

“And will you listen to me?” Jiang Suihan pushed further, taking advantage of the moment.

Xu Zhao didn’t brush her off. He looked slightly conflicted and thought for a second before saying, “If you’re right, I’ll listen. But if you’re being unreasonable, I’ll reason with you.”

Realizing that his response might have been too stiff, he added, “I might not be able to do everything you say, but I’ll try. I’ll listen when it’s right to do so.”

That meant he wouldn’t listen when it wasn’t.

He really was a man of principle, never one to placate someone insincerely.

Jiang Suihan said in exasperation, “Do you know that answering like this makes it hard to find a girlfriend?”

His straightforwardness was consistent with his usual style—it was expected.

Fortunately, she wasn’t the type to throw a tantrum. Otherwise, after hearing his response, she might have insisted he promise to listen to her every word, setting strict rules that no matter what a girlfriend says or does, she’s always right, with no room for argument.

Xu Zhao frowned slightly. He had spent years in the army and had little experience interacting with women. Jiang Suihan pouted and glared at him, looking angry but without any real force.

He looked hesitant. “Are you angry?”

Jiang Suihan wrinkled her nose at him. “No, I’m not angry. What’s there to be angry about? What you said makes a lot of sense. Why would I be angry? If I were, wouldn’t that mean I’m being unreasonable?”

She knew that getting upset with a straightforward person like Xu Zhao would only hurt herself. She realized Xu Zhao was right—no one should have to follow someone else’s opinions without principles. What she wanted wasn’t flattery but a certain attitude.

Listening to his words and tone, it was clear she was upset.

Xu Zhao wasn’t good at comforting people, so he awkwardly changed the subject. “Do you have any plans the day after tomorrow?”

Jiang Suihan didn’t know what he was up to, so she asked, “I’m just idly wasting time, not going to school or work. What could I have to do? If you have things to take care of, go ahead and do them. I’m fine here.”

Xu Zhao abruptly said, “Then let’s go get our marriage certificate the day after tomorrow. If we finish early, we can leave sooner.”

Before leaving, he had specifically submitted a marriage application report to Political Commissar Zhou. This was handled as a special case, so the application should arrive in Mingjiang City in a couple of days if all goes well.

“What? So soon? I’m not ready yet,” Jiang Suihan said, somewhat distressed. Even though she had decided to be with Xu Zhao, the idea of getting married felt a bit sudden.

The day after tomorrow? If you think about it, that’s only two days away.

They had only met once, and they hadn’t even had a proper date.

Is this the speed of a soldier?

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