Chapter 13

Yesterday, Lin Xiang and Lin Jianxin went to the factory’s administrative office to handle the work transfer procedures. Later, Lin Jianxin returned home and personally claimed that the transfer had been completed. He even mentioned working a full day at the workshop, which left Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying unsuspecting. They assumed Lin Xiang was no longer part of their family and believed that, regardless of her fate or hardship as a military spouse on some remote island, she should never come back seeking help.

The couple stayed home cursing Lin Xiang with resentment, filled with spiteful words.

However, not long after their son went to work the next day, he came running to Qiu Aiying’s workshop in a panic, exclaiming that he no longer had a job. Qiu Aiying was dumbfounded.

When they sought out Lin Guangming, the couple hurried to the steel mill’s administrative office to investigate. From Liu Mei, they learned shocking news:

“Comrade Lin Xiang’s job has been transferred to another comrade, not to Lin Jianxin.”

It was like a bolt from the blue, leaving the Lin family in a daze, nearly knocking them over.

“How could this be? Lin Xiang clearly transferred her job to my son!” Qiu Aiying protested, recalling what her son had personally said the previous day. “You must have made a mistake. What kind of sloppy work is this from your administrative office?”

Liu Mei, who was friendly with Lin Xiang, wasn’t about to tolerate being yelled at. She retorted angrily, “Qiu Aiying, if you keep shouting, I’ll call Security!”

“Lin Jianxin, explain what happened yesterday!” Lin Guangming, sensing something was off, demanded answers from his son. He had seen the records in Liu Mei’s files, which clearly indicated Lin Xiang’s job had been transferred to another woman. Had Lin Jianxin lied about everything?

Under his father’s stern gaze and his mother’s frantic yelling, Lin Jianxin finally admitted the truth: he hadn’t gone to the administrative office to finalize the transfer. “Lin Xiang took my household registration form and handled everything herself. I… I didn’t think she’d have the guts to do it!”

Lin Guangming slapped him hard across the face, furious. “You went to play cards yesterday, didn’t you? How could you neglect such an important matter! You… you useless fool!”

The administrative office devolved into chaos: Lin Guangming hitting his son, Lin Jianxin crying in pain, and Qiu Aiying trying to mediate. Eventually, the three calmed down and realized what had happened: Lin Xiang had secretly sold the job to someone else, deceiving the entire family!

Unable to locate Lin Xiang, the family could only curse her helplessly. They decided to use their identity as her family to reclaim the job.

But the family who bought Lin Xiang’s position wasn’t to be trifled with. Chen Chunhua, a Level 4 worker with plenty of strength, wasn’t about to let anyone push her around. She had taken a day off specifically to guard the steel mill and protect her daughter’s new job.

When Lin Guangming, Qiu Aiying, and Lin Jianxin caused a scene at the workshop, accusing Song Yuan of tricking Lin Xiang into selling the position, they were met with a furious Chen Chunhua wielding a broom.

With swift and decisive blows, she drove them out. Her bamboo broom left their hair disheveled and scratches on their faces. Only after venting her anger did she stand akimbo and yell, “You heartless lot! Lin Xiang earned this official position through her own efforts. What does it have to do with you? You forced her to give it up for your useless son, just so he wouldn’t have to go to the countryside. Yet you were fine with sending your young, beautiful daughter there!

“Oh, and everyone knows what kind of marriage you arranged for Lin Xiang! A scumbag who spies on women in the bathhouse, steals from the steel mill, and pockets workers’ heat subsidies. You’re as black-hearted as him! Now that Lin Xiang is gone, you dare bully my daughter? Over my dead body! We paid fair money for this position, and if you dare come back, I’ll slap each one of you!”

Chen Chunhua’s fierce protectiveness and imposing demeanor scared even Lin Guangming, a burly man. Faced with the crowd’s judgmental stares, the Lin family slunk away in humiliation.

Unfortunately, Lin Xiang, already on the train, missed this satisfying scene.

At that moment, the southbound green train chugged along slowly. The carriage was packed, with hard seats fully occupied and the aisles crowded with standing passengers.

It was midsummer, and the cramped car reeked of body odor. Lin Xiang, wearing a light gray shirt and black thin pants, leaned against her seat, holding her small bundle. Fortunately, Aunt He had been thoughtful enough to pack a few wild tangerines from the village. The sweet fruit and fragrant peel helped alleviate the unpleasant smell.

As the dizziness faded, Lin Xiang finally relaxed. But just as she did, an elderly woman across from her spoke up.

“Comrade, could I borrow one of your tangerine peels for my granddaughter? She’s feeling unwell.” The elderly woman, kindly and wrinkled, spoke with a gentle tone.

“Here,” Lin Xiang said, noticing the elderly woman’s trembling hands and her granddaughter, who looked pale and sickly. She generously handed over an entire tangerine, knowing its fruit and peel would help.

“Thank you,” the elderly woman said, but as she accepted the tangerine and got a better look at Lin Xiang’s face, she was visibly startled and let out an audible gasp.

The awkwardness was palpable, as several nearby passengers witnessed the elderly woman’s surprised reaction to Lin Xiang’s appearance.

Lin Xiang paid no mind to their stares, thinking to herself that her disguise must be effective if it could even startle strangers.

The elderly woman, however, hadn’t expected the slender girl across from her to look so plain—blackened, yellowish skin with freckles on her cheekbones. Her disappointment was evident. She turned to the girl sitting beside Lin Xiang, who, though less slim, was fair-skinned and far more pleasing to the eye by comparison.

“Young lady, you can’t just drink water. Here, have some wild vegetable pancakes,” the elderly woman offered enthusiastically, eventually persuading the girl to eat.

Lin Xiang quietly ate her lunch of salted duck eggs and cornmeal buns, both prepared by Aunt He. Though the cramped and stuffy train left her with little appetite, she appreciated the gesture.

Still, she couldn’t help but think the elderly woman was overly superficial, favoring someone else despite Lin Xiang’s earlier kindness with the tangerine.

Despair, this world is obsessed with appearances.

The train was lively; the advantage of long journeys was the opportunity for people from all over to chat. Three days and two nights offered plenty of time for conversations to flow.

In the hard-seat carriage, wooden seats were arranged in rows facing each other. Each pair of seats could accommodate four people, with a small metal table in between for storing items or eating meals.

Passengers introduced themselves, sharing their names, ages, and destinations. Lin Xiang sat by the window. Beside her was a fair-skinned young woman named Shen Chunli, about the same age as Lin Xiang—20 years old. Shen Chunli was on her way to visit family.

As Lin Xiang listened to her chat with others, she learned that Shen Chunli was headed to Langhua Island to visit someone in the 119th Division. They were headed to the same destination.

Being of similar age and heading to the same place, Lin Xiang turned to greet her. However, she noticed Shen Chunli’s expression change immediately.

Alright, was her appearance really so frightening? Did she scare another person?

Was Aunt He’s handiwork too effective?

The other passengers in nearby and opposite seats were mostly factory workers on business trips or people visiting family. The carriage was abuzz with conversation.

…

This train journey would take three days and two nights before reaching Lin Xiang’s destination.

In later years, airplanes and high-speed trains existed, but this was Lin Xiang’s first time traveling on such a long train ride. Without connections, she couldn’t buy a sleeper ticket and had to endure the hard seat, leaving her sore and stiff. She often got up to stretch.

As night fell and the surroundings quieted, Lin Xiang leaned against the window, feeling the breeze rush by as the train moved. She began contemplating her future.

She had been bold, throwing caution to the wind and deciding to marry a man she hadn’t even met. Sure, he was reportedly handsome, had a stable job, and seemed dependable, but the distance between them was enormous.

She wondered what the so-called He Hongyuan would really be like.

Lin Xiang resolved that if they were incompatible or if he rejected her, she would find another way to stay rooted near the island. She was determined never to return to the tiresome Xifeng City or the Lin family.

---

Jinbian City, located in the southern part of Huaguo, was a famous fishing town by the sea. The local population primarily relied on fishing. While other resources were scarce, seafood was abundant.

To the southwest of Jinbian City was an island home to the 119th Division of the Huaguo Navy. The massive naval base on Langhua Island stood out, with white ships docking gracefully along the shore, and groups of sailors in white uniforms disembarking one by one.

Leading the group was a tall, lean officer with striking features. Having just completed a five-day emergency mission, He Hongyuan strode confidently toward the barracks.

He Hongyuan, the current regiment commander of the 2nd Brigade, 5th Regiment of the 119th Division, was the youngest regimental officer on the island.

Upon entering the regiment headquarters, he exchanged updates on recent training with the regiment’s chief of staff and political commissar, who took the opportunity to tease him.

Chief of Staff Zhang Huafeng brought up a recent matchmaking attempt by a senior couple for He Hongyuan and a military doctor, Meng Jing. “So, Hongyuan, what do you say? Dr. Meng is still thinking about you. When I went to the military hospital yesterday, she subtly asked about you.”

Political Commissar Jiang Weijun joined in, “You should just agree already. Dr. Meng is young, pretty, and capable.”

Zhang and Jiang were clearly enjoying themselves, trying to break through He Hongyuan’s composed and mature demeanor. For someone so young, he carried himself like a man in his thirties, which they found endlessly irritating.

“Get lost,” He Hongyuan dismissed them with a deep voice, finding their chatter obnoxious.

“Fine, be a bachelor forever! You’re not even trying to find a wife!” Zhang Huafeng retorted, frustrated.

Just as the words left his mouth, a signal operator, Xiao Zheng, approached holding an envelope.

“Report, Commander. Five days ago, your mother called the regiment,” Xiao Zheng said, saluting and handing over the envelope. “The operator recorded her message.”

“Understood.” He Hongyuan accepted the envelope, surprised. His mother rarely called unless it was important.

The political commissar and chief of staff, both around He Hongyuan’s age, were busy with their own plans—one was in a budding relationship, and the other eagerly preparing for the regiment’s end-of-month social event. They tried to drag He Hongyuan along.

Zhang Huafeng put an arm around He Hongyuan’s shoulder and urged, “Come on, Captain, let’s go to the social. We’re not getting any younger—let’s find someone together!”

While Zhang Huafeng was rambling on, He Hongyuan tore open the envelope and looked at the message the operator had written down from his mother’s phone call. The brief two lines of text made his pupils constrict, and he froze in place.

—【Your grandfather arranged a betrothal for you to a girl named Lin Xiang. She’s on her way to the island now. She is the fiancée your family chose for you, so you must treat her well.】

—【You went on a mission, so I asked your third uncle’s family to help bring Lin Xiang here.】

Betrothal? Fiancée? She’s already on her way to the island?

Under the white military cap, He Hongyuan’s eyes flickered, and his brows furrowed tightly. The hand holding the note tightened slightly, creasing it.

When did he have a betrothal?

And why was the marriage already arranged for her to come to the island?