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Chapter 7
A cold, stern male voice cut through the tension. A man in military uniform stepped in, initially scanning Qin Rongguang and Huang Qiujuan with a neutral expression before focusing on Jiang Suihan.
Huang Qiujuan immediately inquired, “Who are you?”
The man’s presence was imposing, and his gaze made Huang Qiujuan uneasy. This person was not ordinary.
Ignoring Huang Qiujuan, Xu Zhao walked directly to Jiang Suihan. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
Jiang Suihan was taken aback. She didn’t recognize him at first. He was tall, over six feet, with a commanding presence and a striking appearance.
After a moment, she realized who he might be.
Jiang Suihan’s eyes flickered involuntarily as she looked at him and replied, “No, you’re just in time.”
Indeed, the timing was perfect. It was a chance to publicly rebuff the two uninvited guests, though she wondered how much he had overheard.
Feeling a bit awkward, Xu Zhao said seriously, “I apologize for the delay. I was on a mission three months ago and only returned a few days ago. I came as soon as I saw the letter. I heard about your father’s passing. Please accept my condolences.”
Upon arriving by train, Xu Zhao had learned of the Jiang family’s address and discovered that Uncle Jiang had passed away, leaving only Jiang Suihan and her younger brother. He had heard people speak with regret about Father Jiang, who had been kind but had met such an unfortunate end. Some had even wondered about his reason for inquiring about the Jiang family, but Xu Zhao had been vague, merely saying he was a former acquaintance coming to check on them.
Jiang Suihan was momentarily stunned, then smiled gratefully. “Thank you for coming. It means a lot.”
After so much time, she had thought Xu Zhao might not come, or if he did, he might not explain why. But he had come and fulfilled Jiang’s father’s wishes.
She wondered if his visit was to honor their engagement or to break it.
Seeing Jiang Suihan and Xu Zhao speaking as if no one else was present, Qin Rongguang’s face darkened further. Before even marrying into his family, she was already flirting with another man in front of him. Did he look like a fool?
And who was this man? What was his relationship with Jiang Suihan?
Qin Rongguang stared at them with increasing unease. A new man had suddenly appeared in the Jiang family’s troubles, and he seemed to know Jiang Suihan well. He worried that this could jeopardize his plans.
He glanced at Huang Qiujuan, signaling her to speak.
Huang Qiujuan, feeling pressured by Xu Zhao’s imposing presence, didn’t dare to approach him.
“Who do you think you are, barging in here without any manners? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of a conversation? We have matters to discuss. Please leave.”
Jiang Leyun, hiding behind Jiang Suihan, peeked out and said, “This is my home. You should leave. We don’t want you here.”
The little boy felt secure with the military man around, growing braver.
Xu Zhao stared directly at Qin Rongguang. “I am Jiang Suihan’s fiancé. Her affairs are my responsibility. I heard everything you said pressuring her. Leave immediately, or don’t blame me for being unkind.”
On the train, Xu Zhao had been troubled about how to handle the situation. The two fathers had arranged the marriage between their children without consulting them, which seemed unreliable.
With Father Jiang gone and only Jiang Suihan and her young brother left, their situation was precarious. The scene earlier suggested that if Xu Zhao hadn’t arrived or if he had come later, Jiang Suihan might have faced significant pressure and possibly been forced to yield.
He worried about a young, beautiful girl in such a harsh world, unprotected and vulnerable.
Qin Rongguang glared at Xu Zhao, frowning deeply. This new fiancé of Jiang Suihan’s was certainly a significant figure. Jiang Suihan’s description of her future partner must have been accurate.
Fists clenched, Qin Rongguang faced Xu Zhao, who could easily defeat him in a fight, but dared not take his anger out on him. Instead, he turned to Huang Qiujuan, livid. “So, this is how you deceive me. I’ll remember this.”
With a last, furious glance at Xu Zhao and Jiang Suihan, Qin Rongguang stormed out.
Huang Qiujuan, anxious, wanted to follow him to explain. Her family relied on the food factory for their livelihood, and angering its young master could jeopardize their position.
The well-laid plan fell through, and in the process, they offended the factory director’s son. It was a total loss.
It was all this damn girl’s fault. If she had just agreed to marry Qin Rongguang, everything would have been resolved. But she stubbornly refused and even showed up with a fiancé from who knows where.
Seeing Qin Rongguang leave in a huff, Huang Qiujuan was both angry and anxious. Ignoring Xu Zhao standing beside her, she began to scold Jiang Suihan harshly, “You little wretch, just like your short-lived mother. You rely on your pretty face, flaunting it everywhere, behaving provocatively as if you can’t live without a man.”
“I put myself out there and praised you in front of Comrade Qin, and he reluctantly agreed to come and see you. But you, you secretly got involved with some lowlife, ruining the Jiang family’s reputation. I bet your father will be so angry he’ll rise from his grave.”
Jiang Suihan pulled Jiang Leyun, who was visibly upset, and with a sarcastic smile said, “Thank you for the compliment. I’m grateful to my parents for giving me such a beautiful face. It’s a natural talent that can’t be helped. I know Auntie, you envy me. Well, good fortune in reincarnation is something you can’t envy.”
With that, she flirtatiously flicked a strand of hair from her ear.
Huang Qiujuan was so furious she nearly spat blood. Her face turned a mix of pale and green. Today’s actions by Jiang Suihan completely overturned her previous impression of this niece. She had thought she was a harmless little bunny, but turned out to be a fox in disguise.
Sly and cunning, sweet on the outside but black-hearted within.
Unable to argue with Jiang Suihan, Huang Qiujuan shifted her focus to Xu Zhao, “Jiang Guoxin is my brother-in-law. I have never heard him mention an engagement for his daughter. You, a soldier, are spouting nonsense. Which unit are you from? I’m going to report you to your superiors. How dare you casually ruin a young girl’s reputation, you have no conscience.”
Xu Zhao remained calm and composed, “I’m not obliged to disclose that. Whether I’m her fiancé or not is none of your business. Leave now, or I’ll take action.”
Though Huang Qiujuan was somewhat afraid of Xu Zhao, she didn’t want to leave empty-handed. She tried to be unreasonable, “This is my niece’s home. I can stay as long as I want. What can you do about it? You claim to be my niece’s fiancé, but where’s your evidence? You’re just talking nonsense. Show me your proof.”
She was sure Xu Zhao wouldn’t have evidence. If he were truly Jiang Suihan’s fiancé, she would have heard some rumor. She suspected that Jiang Suihan was secretly involved with someone behind the family’s back.
A poor soldier could never compare with a factory director’s son.
Huang Qiujuan thought that the girl must be so bewitched by this soldier that she didn’t know what she was doing. Good looks can’t be eaten, and being a soldier’s wife is no easy task. Men often go away for months at a time. She needed to talk to her niece and persuade her to give up this soldier and reconcile with Qin Rongguang. Perhaps the marriage could still be salvaged.
Without further ado, Xu Zhao grabbed Huang Qiujuan by the collar and threw her out.
Huang Qiujuan winced in pain, struggling to get up from the ground. She extended her finger, ready to hurl insults.
With a loud bang, the door shut. Unable to continue her rant without an audience, she muttered a few curses and left in a huff.
Jiang Leyun looked at Xu Zhao with stars in her eyes, “Uncle, you’re amazing!”
With no effort, the bad guys were chased away. Incredible!
Jiang Suihan pretended to clear her throat and said, “Call him ‘brother.’”
The little one promptly responded in a clear and bright voice, “Brother is amazing!”
Xu Zhao gently ruffled the child’s hair, “If you want to learn, I’ll teach you later.”
Jiang Leyun nodded eagerly, beaming with joy, “Okay.”
Once he learns the skills, he’ll protect his sister. If anyone dares to bully her, he’ll beat them up.
Jiang Suihan let out a subtle sigh, smiling as she thanked him, “Thank you for what you did earlier.”
Xu Zhao replied, “No need to thank me.”
Noticing his tone might have sounded a bit stiff, he added, “We don’t need to be so formal with each other. It’s what I should do.”
Without enemies in sight, the atmosphere between them grew a bit awkward. Although they were engaged, they had only met a few times as children, and now, as adults, it felt like meeting a stranger.
Jiang Suihan fidgeted with her fingers and asked a common question, “Have you eaten yet?”
Xu Zhao honestly answered, “No.”
The train was delayed by over half an hour, arriving in Mingjiang City just after seven. Worried about Jiang Suihan’s situation, he came straight to the address without stopping.
Once he mentioned it, he realized he was suddenly hungry.
Jiang Suihan was about to offer to cook something for him but then remembered they had no food at home.
She apologized, “Sorry, there’s nothing to eat at home. I’ll go buy something for you. You can rest for a bit, and I’ll be back soon.”
Fortunately, she had managed to get two dollars from Huang Qiujuan earlier, which helped avoid the embarrassment of leaving with empty pockets.
Xu Zhao frowned, thinking that if he had arrived a day or two later, the siblings might have been in serious trouble, whether from being bullied or starving.
He stopped Jiang Suihan, “I’m not tired. I’ll go with you.”
Jiang Leyun, not wanting to stay alone in the house, said, “I want to go too.”
“Alright, let’s go together.”
Jiang Suihan took out her keys and prepared to lock the door. The iron lock was rusty and hard to use, but after much effort, she managed to lock it.
**
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Ayalee[Translator]
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