Chapter 21

Lin Xiang and Zhou Yuezhu entered the military district auditorium and immediately felt like they had walked into a massive matchmaking event—one that could rival anything from the future.

After all, in this era, the obsession with marriage and starting a family was even stronger.

Inside the auditorium, soldiers in crisp white uniforms were brimming with energy, determined to make a good impression and find a potential partner.

Meanwhile, the female attendees had mostly swapped their military attire for civilian clothes. The female military doctors and nurses added a splash of color to their white coats, and even the cultural troupe’s female soldiers had shed their usual green uniforms.

Adding to the mix were young women from military families, forming a vibrant and lively scene.

Women of this era exuded youthful vigor, full of life and spirit, making Lin Xiang feel starkly different from her past life, where she had been nothing more than an overworked corporate drone.

Back then, she had burned through her energy every day at work, practically resembling a zombie from a post-apocalyptic movie.

The two of them found a corner to settle in. Zhou Yuezhu, looking cheerful, kept smoothing down her braided pigtail and adjusting her newly made, beautiful dress. Her bright eyes scanned the crowd of soldiers, hoping to spot the one who had captured her heart.

“Yuezhu,” Lin Xiang teased with a knowing smile. “Hey, isn’t that Comrade Shen Jianming over there?”

“Aiya! Sister Xiangxiang!” Zhou Yuezhu’s secret crush had been exposed, and her face turned as pink as a blooming peach blossom. She pouted playfully in mock complaint.

But perhaps it was the atmosphere of the event, because just a moment later, Zhou Yuezhu couldn’t resist confiding in Lin Xiang about her feelings.

She had spent her early childhood in a village, running around the hills with He Hongyuan. But later, her parents had brought her to the military district, where she grew up surrounded by soldiers.

She had always admired her father, which naturally extended into a fondness for men in uniform. Seeing soldiers always gave her a sense of warmth and familiarity.

As she grew into a graceful young woman, suitors inevitably began to appear. But Zhou Yuezhu, still somewhat naive in matters of the heart, was kept on a tight leash by her parents. It wasn’t until she met Shen Jianming earlier that year that she felt something stir for the first time.

Shen Jianming was a deputy battalion commander who had served in the army for five years. He was decisive and capable, but when faced with the woman he liked, he became clumsy and awkward. The two of them had feelings for each other but had never explicitly expressed them. Both had independently decided to attend this event, and the romantic tension between them was undeniable.

As Lin Xiang listened, she couldn’t help but think—watching other people fall in love was truly enjoyable.

“Sister Xiangxiang, you’re not allowed to make fun of me~” Zhou Yuezhu giggled shyly. After all, she was still a month away from turning eighteen.

“Why would I make fun of you?” Lin Xiang was genuinely delighted. The air around them even seemed sweeter. “You two are a perfect match—handsome and beautiful.”

And as if on cue, just as they were talking, Shen Jianming and a few of his comrades started making their way over.

He was so nervous that he didn’t even dare let his gaze linger on Zhou Yuezhu, instead greeting Lin Xiang first in a stiffly formal manner. Only then did he turn to Zhou Yuezhu and say in a soft voice, “Comrade Zhou Yuezhu, your dress looks very nice.”

In just those few words, he was already blushing from both nerves and embarrassment.

Zhou Yuezhu curled her fingers around the fabric of her dress, hesitated for a moment, then replied with reserved grace, “Comrade Shen Jianming, you look very handsome in your uniform as well.”

Lin Xiang suddenly felt like a third wheel.

Especially when she saw the two blushing young people exchanging shy, tentative words—she was starting to feel like she was shining too brightly in this situation.

The group tactfully dispersed, and Lin Xiang naturally found herself alone. As she moved to another quiet corner, she noticed several soldiers subtly or not-so-subtly passing by her.

A few bolder ones even greeted her, only to turn red as soon as she responded.

Lin Xiang couldn’t help but marvel—people in this era were so simple and pure!

…

By the time He Hongyuan and Zhang Huafeng arrived at the event, the hall was already filled with people.

Zhang Huafeng swept his gaze around the room and immediately spotted Lin Xiang surrounded by a group of soldiers in a distant corner.

“Whoa, looks like Comrade Lin Xiang is quite popular,” he chuckled, nudging his friend. “These wolf pups are all looking for a wife just like her!”

He Hongyuan: …

Zhang Huafeng was always like this—he had no filter and loved cracking jokes, especially when they could get a reaction out of He Hongyuan. Seeing his friend’s expression darken was the highlight of his day.

He Hongyuan, however, remained silent, his gaze deep and unreadable. He chose a spot nearby and stood there without saying much.

“You go ahead and stand there looking like a statue,” Zhang Huafeng smirked. “I’m off to find Yan Min!”

He was determined to confess his feelings to Yan Min today—there was no time to worry about his friend.

“Go on, then,” He Hongyuan said knowingly. “Just don’t forget to treat me to a meal afterward.”

“Of course! That’s a must!” Treating friends to a meal after getting a girlfriend was their long-standing tradition.

He Hongyuan stood alone in the auditorium, surrounded by the lively chatter of young men and women. The air was filled with the energy of youthful excitement.

His gaze swept the room and landed on Lin Xiang, who was chatting with several soldiers, her eyes bright with laughter. She seemed to be in a particularly good mood.

He Hongyuan was just about to walk over when someone suddenly blocked his path.

“Captain He, you’re really here!” Meng Jing rushed over, stopping him in his tracks, both surprised and excited. “I heard someone say you have a childhood engagement—tell me that’s not true!”

She refused to believe it. Knowing He Hongyuan’s personality, there was no way he would let himself be tied down by an arranged marriage!

But this time, He Hongyuan remained silent for a moment.

He recalled the way Lin Xiang had fiercely condemned her irresponsible father that day, her sharp eyes brimming with defiance. She had done things that would have left others utterly shocked.

His brow lifted slightly, his expression unreadable.

He admitted indifferently, “Yes.”

Meng Jing was shocked, unable to believe it. “But… you couldn’t possibly accept an arranged marriage, right?”

He Hongyuan looked at her as if she were someone insignificant. His thin lips parted slightly, and he spoke just one sentence, but it was enough to make Meng Jing’s face change color.

——

Meanwhile, Lin Xiang was indeed in a good mood, chatting with several soldiers and learning a lot about the base—especially about job opportunities.

It turned out that the military provided employment opportunities for military dependents both within and outside the base. To create more jobs, the military had collaborated with Jinbian City to build a factory on a nearby island, recruiting female workers annually.

“Comrade Lin Xiang, are you looking for a job? Military dependents are eligible to apply,” the warm and straightforward soldiers answered all her questions.

Lin Xiang couldn’t help but wonder—if she ended her engagement with He Hongyuan, would she still count as a military dependent?

Hmm, a serious question.

After some casual conversation, Lin Xiang began to feel a bit tired. She could tell that several people were interested in her, but for now, her priority was finding a job.

After all, having seen someone as tall and handsome as He Hongyuan, she wasn’t particularly interested in anyone else. If she really couldn’t find work, she’d reconsider other things later.

However, the enthusiasm of those around her made her feel a little awkward, so she quickly found a quiet corner to sit in.

She had no idea where Zhou Yuezhu had gone—probably off confessing her feelings to her crush.

Lin Xiang tried to recall the events of the book, searching through the fleeting memories of her dream for Zhou Yuezhu’s storyline. She wanted to know if Zhou Yuezhu and Shen Jianming would get together after today’s event and what her future would hold.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall anything specific about Zhou Yuezhu. Instead, she suddenly remembered that this year’s military social gathering had been a disaster!

What was meant to be a chance for young men and women to express their affections and find partners had instead resulted in a scandal—an embarrassing scene where a man and a woman were caught in a compromising situation with their clothes disheveled.

It was a complete tragedy.

The woman involved had been the younger sister of a regiment commander’s wife. She had come to visit her sister, hoping to marry a military officer. But when her confession at the event was rejected, she resorted to despicable means—drugging someone to force a union.

However, she had never done anything like this before and made a mistake in her panic, inadvertently harming an innocent woman instead.

As a result, that innocent woman ended up in an intimate situation with the officer and was caught by everyone at the event.

That woman already had someone she loved. She and her sweetheart had just confessed their feelings to each other at the event when the disaster struck. The incident devastated her—her reputation was ruined as gossip spread throughout the entire military district.

Unable to bear the shame, she drowned herself in the river a few days later.

Her heartbroken lover was never the same. A year later, he died in battle, and when his body was recovered, they found a small photograph of the woman he had once loved.

The two of them had been a perfect match, yet their lives were completely destroyed by this terrible accident.

Lin Xiang had only caught fleeting details of this event in her dream, but she recalled that the main characters of the book had played a role in uncovering the incident. However, she had no idea who the actual people involved were.

Saving a life was more valuable than building a seven-story pagoda—Lin Xiang had to try.

The only clue she had was that the innocent woman caught in the scandal had been wearing a pink dress.

That’s right! A pink dress!

Lin Xiang quickly scanned the room. The women in attendance wore dresses in various colors, but strangely, there wasn’t a single pink one.

Had the person not arrived yet?

Wait!

As Lin Xiang furrowed her brows in thought, she suddenly remembered—Zhou Yuezhu had originally planned to buy pink fabric for a dress, but Lin Xiang had suggested she choose the pale yellow instead!

So—the innocent girl in the scandal was actually Zhou Yuezhu!

Just moments ago, she had been happily chatting with Shen Jianming, shy and sweet.

A deep fear welled up inside Lin Xiang. It was hard to believe that the same girl who had been standing before her, wearing a beautiful pale yellow dress and smiling at her crush, was supposed to suffer such a tragic fate today.

Not even traveling back to the 1970s had made Lin Xiang feel such terror.

She frantically searched the room but couldn’t spot Zhou Yuezhu anywhere. She had to stop this from happening!

Bang!

While running and looking around, Lin Xiang accidentally crashed into a tall figure—like hitting a wall. The impact made her nose sting with pain.

But time was of the essence. Without even looking up, she hurriedly apologized, “Sorry.”

All she wanted was to leave as quickly as possible.

The surrounding people fell silent, watching this unexpected scene unfold. They were all eager to see how He Hongyuan would react.

Just two minutes earlier, Military Doctor Meng Jing had been persistently chasing after He Hongyuan, trying to talk to him. Meanwhile, Jiang Xiurong, a female soldier from the cultural troupe who had long been interested in him, had also joined the scene.

Meng Jing, with her privileged upbringing, smiled radiantly. “Captain He, I’d like to invite you to listen to the radio with me. You won’t refuse, will you?”

Jiang Xiurong was just as bold in pursuing love. “Comrade He Hongyuan, why don’t you try some freshly brewed tea?”

Everyone had heard about Captain He’s cold and unapproachable demeanor. Most female comrades wouldn’t dare get too close to him, but these two—both from well-off families—were especially bold.

Social events like this weren’t uncommon, but with such prominent figures involved—and especially with Meng Jing’s childhood friend, Instructor Jiang Zhenghao, standing right there—this was bound to be quite a show!

At that moment, Lin Xiang suddenly burst in, drawing everyone’s attention away.

“What’s wrong with you?” He Hongyuan turned around and saw Lin Xiang looking pale, her face filled with urgency. He had never seen her so flustered before.

Meng Jing and Jiang Xiurong both recognized this pretty girl. She had claimed she wasn’t He Hongyuan’s fiancée and didn’t even know him—so why was she here now?

Lin Xiang suddenly lifted her head and was shocked to see He Hongyuan—someone who should never have been at a social gathering like this. She had no idea why he was here. Was he meeting a potential partner? He seemed entangled with the book’s female lead.

But she didn’t have time to care about that. She was unfamiliar with this place and needed someone to lead the way. Without hesitation, she grabbed He Hongyuan’s arm and urgently whispered, “He Hongyuan, help me find Yuezhu. Come with me.”

He Hongyuan was caught off guard by Lin Xiang’s sudden action. Her palm was cold, yet it felt like it was burning against his arm.

The crowd collectively gasped—this woman was way too bold! Even Meng Jing and Jiang Xiurong wouldn’t dare touch He Hongyuan so casually.

Was she insane? There was no way Captain He wouldn’t shake her off harshly!