Chapter 16

Lin Xiang realized that while He Hongyuan was undeniably handsome, when he got serious—especially with his furrowed brows—he could be rather intimidating. His natural commanding presence exuded authority without anger, and anyone with a weaker mental constitution might genuinely fear him.

“Comrade He, hello,” Lin Xiang greeted him calmly. After all, she had lived two lives and had even experienced the extraordinary event of transmigration. She wasn’t afraid of anything.

He Hongyuan looked the same as he had yesterday, though there was a faint trace of inner struggle, as if he’d been forced into this situation. Lin Xiang, however, was completely different from the day before.

It could even be described as a complete transformation.

Yesterday, Lin Xiang’s dark, sallow complexion had all but obscured her features, with freckles further affecting her appearance. Even Zhou Yuezhu and Feng Li, who had known in advance that He’s mother had intentionally disguised her, were still a bit taken aback when they saw her.

But when He Hongyuan saw her in that state yesterday, he’d shown no reaction at all. He had spoken to her with calm indifference.

Now, however, the Lin Xiang before him had shed the disguise, revealing her true appearance: fair skin like snow, delicate willow-leaf brows, sparkling almond-shaped eyes brimming with a smile, and soft cherry lips. There was no trace of her former appearance.

Yet when Lin Xiang glanced at him, she saw that he still showed no discernible reaction. After just one glance, he shifted his gaze slightly away. She thought to herself, This man is way too composed. Anyone else would at least be momentarily surprised by such a drastic transformation, even if they’d been prepared for it.

No wonder Zhou Yuezhu had described him as a composed and capable soldier.

“I’d like to go to the supply and marketing cooperative today to buy a few things and have a tailor make some clothes,” Lin Xiang said, her first priority being to improve her quality of life.

He Hongyuan listened in silence, his gaze avoiding her. After a moment, he remarked, “You’ll be going back in a few days. Buying things now would be inconvenient.”

Wow, talk about blunt and unyielding.

Lin Xiang turned her head slightly to look at the man and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. What a steel-hearted man, so straightforward. She smiled faintly, her dimples showing, and didn’t argue. “Where’s your unit’s supply and marketing cooperative?”

He Hongyuan found her unexpectedly… tricky to deal with.

Usually, when he gave a serious and firm rejection, women who tried to approach him would either tearfully accuse him of being heartless or storm off in anger.

But Lin Xiang, with the marriage certificate in hand, seemed unfazed by any of his stern or direct refusals.

He Hongyuan didn’t reply immediately, so Lin Xiang simply looked at him. Being a full head shorter than him, she had to tilt her face slightly upward, her gaze naturally falling on his sharp jawline. The clean and defined contours emphasized his rugged masculinity and his unapproachable demeanor.

He Hongyuan lowered his gaze to meet Lin Xiang’s, and unexpectedly, he found himself momentarily caught in her bright, spring-like eyes. His throat tightened slightly before he responded in a low tone, “It’s over by the family housing area.”

“Great, take me there,” she replied.

The 119th Division’s base covered a vast area, including the entire island under its jurisdiction. The family housing area functioned like a small society, housing both soldiers and their families, complete with a supply and marketing cooperative, a food store, a grain depot, and other state-run shops.

From a distance, Lin Xiang could see the bustling street. The cobblestone road was lined with low houses, and military family members were coming and going from the various shops. The busiest place was undoubtedly the supply and marketing cooperative.

Though smaller than the one in Xifeng City due to the population and size difference, the supply and marketing cooperative in the family area was still well-stocked. It consisted of three interconnected brick buildings filled with various goods. At this early hour, new fabric had just arrived, and many military wives were gathered at the entrance to snatch it up.

In this era of ration coupons, buying meat required a meat coupon, fabric required a fabric coupon, and grain required a grain coupon. Fabric coupons were especially scarce.

Urban residents received a monthly quota of fabric coupons—six inches per month, adding up to just over seven feet per year, barely enough to make a single shirt. As a result, people rarely made new clothes, instead patching up old ones for years, saving their fabric coupons for special occasions like weddings.

However, soldiers received fabric coupon subsidies, giving military families the confidence to compete for precious fabric.

He Hongyuan noticed Lin Xiang staring intently at the supply and marketing cooperative and silently guessed that she might ask him to take her inside.

He’d already made up his mind—he would firmly refuse and not compromise.

“Comrade He,” Lin Xiang’s clear voice interrupted his thoughts. “Are you worried about being seen with me? If so, wait for me outside. I’ll be quick.”

Without waiting for his response, Lin Xiang dashed into the shopping crowd.

He Hongyuan was left standing in the wind… silent.

When did she become so considerate?

Lin Xiang moved quickly and returned shortly, holding an oiled paper bag in her left hand containing half a pound of peach crisps, a jar of snow cream, and half a pound of orange candies. In her right arm, she carried seven feet of dark red fabric. She spotted He Hongyuan standing near a corner, talking to another soldier.

He Hongyuan, dressed in a crisp white military uniform, stood tall and composed. Though there were many soldiers on the street, none were as strikingly handsome as him. Truly, his looks were like a gift from the heavens.

Lin Xiang thought to herself, No wonder I agreed to come here just from seeing his photo. After dealing with so many unattractive men, stumbling upon someone this ruggedly handsome would make anyone’s heart race!

They say that when a woman pursues a man, it’s like a veil separating them—but Lin Xiang wasn’t sure if that was true. After all, she had no experience in these matters.

As she slowly approached, the two men noticed her. The other soldier, also good-looking, turned to glance at Lin Xiang and then remarked mockingly, “He Hongyuan, I thought you were truly detached and indifferent, immune to all women. But it seems…”

He stopped midway through his sentence, interrupted by He Hongyuan. “Jiang Zhenghao, if you can’t speak properly, shut your damn mouth.”

“Just don’t go looking for Meng Jing,” Jiang Zhenghao retorted before walking off, exuding an unmistakably hostile aura.

Lin Xiang, standing not far away, caught bits and pieces of their conversation. Witnessing such a scene, she decided it was best to feign ignorance as a newcomer. As she approached, she asked, “Comrade He, have you been waiting long?”

He Hongyuan, not one for dramatics, naturally refrained from complaining to a female comrade. “No,” he replied flatly.

“Let me treat you to breakfast,” Lin Xiang offered cheerfully, her spirits lifted from her shopping spree. She was already contemplating the many things she’d need to settle down here—not just one or two items, but the satisfaction of building her own little home.

Not far from the supply store was a state-run restaurant. Lin Xiang had a total of five catties of universal food coupons she had exchanged herself and an additional two catties given by Aunt He, so she could afford this meal.

Standing at the counter, she scanned the small chalkboard on the left wall listing the breakfast options. Just as she made her choice, He Hongyuan stepped forward, handing over money and coupons to the server. “Three taels of minced meat noodles with an egg,” he ordered, then turned to Lin Xiang. “What about you?”

“Two meat buns and a cup of soy milk,” Lin Xiang quickly responded.

He Hongyuan insisted on paying for the meal. While savoring the thin-skinned, juicy pork and cabbage buns, Lin Xiang realized clearly that his gesture was likely not out of goodwill or romantic interest—he just wanted to keep their relationship strictly businesslike.

“Can I make a phone call here?” Lin Xiang asked while nibbling on a bun, her gaze lifting toward He Hongyuan. “Aunt He asked me to let her know I arrived safely.”

“No need,” He Hongyuan replied, eating his noodles quickly but without making a mess. “She called this morning, and I told her already.”

What he didn’t mention was that he had also brought up the idea of annulling the marriage during that call. Predictably, his mother had scolded him harshly over the phone. Had she been there in person, she might have hit him.

“That’s good, then,” Lin Xiang said, then suddenly remembered something. “Aunt He packed some salted duck eggs for me, saying they’re your favorite. Should I bring them to the guesthouse later for you?”

He Hongyuan had loved his mother’s salted duck eggs since childhood, but he declined outright. “No need, you keep them.”

Lin Xiang didn’t insist and continued eating her breakfast in silence. She ate more slowly, and by the time she finished her soy milk, He Hongyuan, having long since finished his noodles, was staring at her intently.

“Comrade Lin Xiang,” he began, sitting straight as a pine tree with his hands folded on the table. He wanted to cut through the confusion quickly. “My mother mentioned the arranged marriage, but this is a new era. Neither you nor I need to be bound by such outdated practices. A marriage like this won’t last.”

He spoke calmly and directly, as he always did when solving problems. Yet this situation, having dragged on so long, was beginning to irritate him and made him feel out of control—a sensation he hated.

Lin Xiang blinked, her meaning clear. “It’s not exactly an arranged marriage since we’re meeting and discussing it now, right? As for this arrangement, I’m willing. Are you so opposed because you’re in love with someone else?”

Her voice was soft as she mentioned the possibility of another woman, making He Hongyuan’s eye twitch. “No,” he replied firmly.

“Then is it because you dislike arranged marriages or because you dislike me?” she asked sincerely, her candor throwing He Hongyuan off balance. The words “I dislike you” hovered on the tip of his tongue but refused to come out.

True to her character, Lin Xiang pressed on. “I agreed to fulfill the marriage after seeing your photo. Now that I’ve met you in person…” She paused, her tone even and confident, “I find you even more handsome than in the photo.”

He Hongyuan had never been complimented so bluntly before. His comrades often called him stubborn and bad-tempered, and the women who admired him were usually bashful, praising his combat skills or calling him a hero.

But Lin Xiang? She tossed out compliments about his looks as casually as commenting on the weather.

Caught off guard for the first time in his life, He Hongyuan was utterly speechless.

“I’m serious, Comrade He,” Lin Xiang said earnestly. Sunlight streamed through the restaurant’s glass windows, casting a golden glow on her features. Her eyes held his as she continued, “I traveled thousands of miles here because I want this marriage to work. I understand your reservations, but I hope you’ll think it over carefully.”

Her words sounded like a gentle reminder not to act impulsively.

For the first time, He Hongyuan felt a vein throb in his temple, an unusual sense of helplessness creeping in. Was this woman sent to counteract him?

“I spent three days and two nights on the train to get here,” Lin Xiang added with a mischievous smile. “My back’s sore and my legs ache. Could you show me around a bit more?”

Unlike others who would shy away in frustration after his rejections, Lin Xiang remained unflustered. Typically, his firm refusals guaranteed some peace. Yet here she was, undeterred.

No matter what, he didn’t want to delay any longer. He just wanted to cut through the confusion and end the growing sense of losing control. “There’s no need to say anything more. I won’t agree to this childhood betrothal. You should return home as soon as possible. I’ll explain everything to my mother.”

He loathed being manipulated more than anything.

If Lin Xiang intended to plead or paint herself as pitiful, he had already resolved in his heart not to show any leniency.

Seeing this man’s impenetrable stance, Lin Xiang almost lost her composure. His deep-set eyes and resolute demeanor exuded a cold ruthlessness that left no room for compromise. Taking a moment to collect herself, she curved her lips into a smile. Under the golden sunlight, she spoke softly and sweetly, “If the childhood betrothal is annulled, wouldn’t I be at a loss? Captain He, could you compensate me with a new suitor?”