Chapter 23

When Lin Xiang met the enthusiastic military wife’s recommended match, she realized that the man was none other than Song Wei—the battalion commander whom He Hongyuan had once described as a peacock flaunting his feathers in the single officers’ dormitory corridor.

Lin Xiang was momentarily stunned, and so was Song Wei.

Song Wei gave a slightly sheepish smile, scratched his head, and said, “Comrade Lin Xiang, so it’s you!”

Sister Li, the wife of the third platoon leader in Song Wei’s battalion, was a few years older than him. While visiting her husband, she had eagerly taken on the role of matchmaker, showering Song Wei with praises about Lin Xiang—how beautiful she was and how she had even graduated high school. Song Wei, intrigued by what he heard, agreed to meet her.

He hadn’t expected it to be someone he had already met!

He immediately recalled how Captain He had once described him as a peacock showing off, and his smile faltered as he straightened up, trying his best to appear calm and composed.

They met at a state-owned restaurant—not only was it a convenient place for conversation, but it also allowed them to have lunch together.

Song Wei was interested in getting to know her, but he also had Captain He on his mind. He asked, “Comrade Lin Xiang, I heard you’re a relative of Captain He’s family?”

After all, last time he had tried to introduce himself to Lin Xiang, only for Captain He to stop him with a cold face.

Back then, he had thought—could it be that Captain He was interested in her as well? But it was hard to say. After all, in all these years, when had Captain He ever taken an interest in any female comrade?

If they were relatives, it would make sense. Older brothers and uncles were always the most protective, never willing to let their sisters or younger relatives be taken away by some wolf cub. That, Song Wei could understand!

Lin Xiang, recalling how He Hongyuan had repeatedly insisted on annulling their engagement, and knowing that he was a man even the female lead in the book couldn’t win over, didn’t dwell on it. She simply confirmed the claim, “Yes, I’m a relative of his family.”

With that assurance, Song Wei finally felt at ease. Looking at the lively and bright-eyed young woman before him, his heart started pounding wildly.

That day, the state-owned restaurant had introduced new dishes, all listed on a small blackboard. Song Wei had planned to impress Lin Xiang by treating her to a meal, but to his surprise, she insisted on splitting the bill and paying for her half with money and ration tickets.

In the end, they ordered hot and sour pork skin soup, ginger and scallion roasted duck, and two bowls of sweet potato rice.

As they waited for their food, Lin Xiang listened to Song Wei enthusiastically talking while thoughtfully considering that maybe getting to know someone like him wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Though in the book, the original male lead, Jiang Zhenghao, and the key supporting character, He Hongyuan, were the most outstanding, others had their own merits too. Take Song Wei, for instance—he was warm, straightforward, and sincere. His candid nature and unpretentious enthusiasm were actually quite charming.

Still, whether this matchmaking would lead anywhere depended on how things unfolded. For now, Lin Xiang was more concerned about job recruitment.

“Commander Song, I heard the military is working with the Jinbian City government to open a factory and recruit workers?” She had been hearing a lot of talk about it lately, and many military spouses were eager to apply.

Song Wei happened to be assigned to assist with the recruitment.

The recruitment was supervised by both the military and the head of the women’s committee in the family compound.

“That’s right. Comrade Lin Xiang, are you looking for a job? You should definitely sign up! Six years ago, our military district collaborated with the Jinbian City government to establish a food processing plant, mainly hiring military spouses. But there aren’t many with a high school education like yours, so you’ll definitely have an advantage.”

Lin Xiang, reassured by his response, asked about the application details.

Song Wei eagerly introduced the food plant’s background. The 119 City Food Factory had two divisions—the first plant and the second plant. Since the city was near the sea, the factory mainly processed seafood, with canned goods as its primary product. The first plant was well-established, with a large workforce, while the second plant, newly built just last year, was still struggling to develop.

Song Wei specially advised her, “Make sure to apply for the first plant. Its production is stable, and the pay and benefits are better. The second plant is still shaky, and only those with no other options end up there. Anyone with connections will pull some strings to get into the first plant.”

That was useful information. Lin Xiang nodded, keeping it in mind.

Their conversation went well, and Lin Xiang found that Song Wei was not only enthusiastic but also quite considerate. He truly seemed like a decent man. Even if nothing came of this matchmaking, at least he could make a good friend.

“Table three, your dishes are ready.” The voice of the restaurant server drifted over from the counter. Song Wei immediately stood up to get the food.

“You sit, I’ll go!”

Soon, two hot dishes and two bowls of sweet potato rice were placed on the table. Song Wei put down the bowls and added, “It’s so hot today. I’ll go buy us two bottles of soda. Wait here, I’ll be back soon!”

Before Lin Xiang could respond, he had already dashed off.

…

At the military guesthouse, He Hongyuan had just received word from Sister Yang at the front desk. Upon hearing that Lin Xiang was on a matchmaking date arranged by a military wife, his brows furrowed, but the expression disappeared in an instant. With his usual impassive face, he strode toward the military district’s outer street.

There, a row of state-run shops lined the road, larger in scale than those in the family compound, often visited by military families for shopping.

There was only one state-owned restaurant in the area, making it an easy destination to find.

As he neared the restaurant, he saw Song Wei stepping out. The man looked as cheerful as ever—just like a peacock flaunting its feathers—happily striding across the street to buy soda. Through the restaurant’s glass doors, He Hongyuan caught sight of a familiar figure seated inside.

Understanding the situation, he watched from afar as Song Wei nearly pranced with excitement.

His eyes darkened, and after a moment, he stepped forward.

At the entrance of the restaurant, holding two bottles of soda after paying, Song Wei looked up and was startled to see Captain He. His initial shock quickly gave way to composure as he tucked away his foolish grin and saluted. “Captain He!”

“Here for a meal?” He Hongyuan’s gaze swept over Song Wei’s barely contained excitement, then dropped to the two bottles of chilled soda in his hands. Beibingyang soda was popular nationwide, selling for 1.5 yuan a bottle.

Song Wei pressed his lips together, trying to suppress his eager smile, and nodded. “Yes! I’m here for a blind—”

“Let’s eat together.” He Hongyuan cut him off and stepped inside ahead of him. “I happen to be hungry too.”

Song Wei: “…”

He stared dumbfounded at his commander’s retreating figure, mouth slightly open, still processing the situation when He Hongyuan turned back. “What are you standing there for?”

“Oh!” Song Wei quickly followed.

While Song Wei had gone off to buy soda, Lin Xiang sat at the table waiting for him, planning to use the claim of being He Hongyuan’s family member to apply for the factory job in the coming days. Surely, He Hongyuan wouldn’t object to her borrowing his name for this. Worst case scenario, she could turn to Aunt He for help. With this reassurance, she felt optimistic about settling down in Jinbian City.

She was in a good mood—until she looked up and saw He Hongyuan entering with Song Wei.

Lin Xiang: ?

“Comrade He Hongyuan, what are you doing here?” She was confused. How had a simple soda run ended with Song Wei bringing back He Hongyuan?

“I haven’t eaten yet. Let’s eat together.” He Hongyuan went to the front counter, paid 1.6 yuan, and ordered a coconut chicken dish before returning to sit across from Lin Xiang.

Song Wei placed the sodas on the table, handed one to Lin Xiang, then sat down himself, scratching his head with a cheerful grin. “Well, since we all know each other, we might as well eat together!”

Lin Xiang had not expected a blind date to turn into a three-person meal. With He Hongyuan’s presence, Song Wei—previously lively and talkative—immediately became reserved, like a mischievous student caught by the school principal, sitting upright and eating properly.

Surprisingly, it was He Hongyuan who spoke the most, casually asking about the training situation in Song Wei’s battalion. Song Wei answered seriously, his demeanor completely changed.

Lin Xiang was astonished. The intimidation factor of Captain He was no joke!

She could already imagine—whoever married this man would probably get military-style discipline every day.

Wait—she nearly forgot! In the novel, He Hongyuan stayed single for life. He wasn’t interested in relationships or marriage at all.

The meal was eaten in an unusually solemn atmosphere.

Afterward, Song Wei was contemplating how to shake off He Hongyuan so he could ask Lin Xiang to go for a walk or watch a movie together. They hadn’t even properly discussed the blind date—most of their conversation had been about job recruitment!

But before he could speak, He Hongyuan got ahead of him. “Song Wei, return to the base. Lin Xiang, I’ll walk you back to the guesthouse.”

Song Wei instinctively replied, “Yes, sir!”

Then immediately regretted it.

That was supposed to be his job!

Lin Xiang had no objections—she had something to discuss with He Hongyuan anyway. That marriage contract was still in his hands.

Song Wei, suppressed by his superior’s authority, hesitated before stealing a glance at Lin Xiang and softly saying, “Comrade Lin Xiang, goodbye.”

“Captain Song, goodbye. And thank you for today,” Lin Xiang replied sincerely.

As Song Wei walked away, turning back every few steps, Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan headed toward the guesthouse.

At the reception desk, Sister Yang was fanning herself, chatting with familiar military families passing by. She had meant to pass along some red medicinal ointment to Lin Xiang on behalf of He Hongyuan, but when she stepped away for a quick trip to the restroom, she missed them entirely.

On the second floor, Lin Xiang took out her key and opened the door. She figured He Hongyuan, who clearly disliked associating with her, wouldn’t even step inside. She planned to settle the matter of the marriage contract right at the doorway.

But to her surprise, He Hongyuan did enter, casually sitting at the small guest reception table near the door. He then glanced at Lin Xiang, who was still standing in the doorway, his expression subtly implying, Are you seriously going to leave your guest standing here?

Lin Xiang wasn’t sure what was going through his mind but asked politely, “Would you like some tea?”

“Mm, make a cup.”

Lin Xiang: …?

Was that necessary for just a brief conversation?

She had only been making a polite offer, assuming he would refuse—after all, wasn’t he the one who always avoided unnecessary interaction?

Internally grumbling, she still went ahead and made the tea.

The guesthouse provided low-quality tea leaves, likely old stock. It didn’t taste particularly good or bad. She tossed a small handful into an enamel cup and poured in steaming hot water from the thermos. As the heat spread, the tea leaves unfurled like floating duckweed.

She handed the tea to him and got straight to the point. “Captain He, I’ve thought it over. Let’s do as you suggested—the childhood engagement is over. Remember the marriage contract I showed you when we first met? You never returned it.”

He Hongyuan looked at her and replied with a noncommittal, “Mm?”

“You can just burn or tear it up. There was only ever one copy, and the one at my house disappeared long ago.”

Lin Xiang felt at ease now. He Hongyuan had been wanting to dissolve the engagement, and since the contract was in his hands, it was up to him to get rid of it.

He Hongyuan didn’t immediately respond. His well-defined fingers rested on the table, tapping a steady rhythm in sync with his voice. “You really want to stay here?”

Lin Xiang didn’t hide anything. “Mm, I don’t want to go back to Xifeng City, and I don’t want to see my so-called father or my stepmother’s family.”

“So you’re rushing into matchmaking?” He Hongyuan’s sharp black-and-white eyes seemed to pierce straight into people’s hearts. When he looked at someone directly, he carried a kind of presence that made others instinctively want to behave properly in front of him.

Lin Xiang was starting to understand why Song Wei reacted to He Hongyuan like a mouse encountering a cat—his aura was simply too overwhelming.

“I’m not in that much of a hurry. Actually, I plan to attend the recruitment in a few days. As long as I get a job, I can settle down here, transfer my household registration, and secure my grain and oil rations.” As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with anticipation and longing for the future.

Hearing this, He Hongyuan’s brows gradually relaxed. But before long, Lin Xiang continued, “Once my job is stable and my household registration is transferred, then I’ll slowly consider dating and marriage. By then, I’ll definitely choose someone who meets all my expectations.”

The rhythmic tapping on the table suddenly stopped. He Hongyuan frowned, looking puzzled. “What’s so great about dating and getting married?”

Lin Xiang was intrigued. In this era, people were far more obsessed with marriage than in later generations, with much more traditional and conservative views. Yet, He Hongyuan seemed like an outlier of his time, even confidently questioning what was so good about marriage.

“I guess being with someone you love and getting married is supposed to be pretty nice,” she said honestly.

After all, she had never experienced it herself.

But this time, she definitely would.

He Hongyuan remained silent at her words. A moment later, he turned and left.

——

Lin Xiang received news about the job recruitment, which gave her some peace of mind. She also made it clear to He Hongyuan that he could do as he pleased with the childhood engagement he despised. With that settled, she felt completely unburdened.

The next day, Lin Xiang sat in her hostel room, counting her remaining funds. Out of the seven hundred or so yuan she originally had, she now had 683.52 yuan left. The 20 yuan Aunt He had given her had to be returned—since she wasn’t going to be their daughter-in-law, she still needed to explain properly.

With that in mind, Lin Xiang decided to write a letter to Aunt He to clarify things. Just as she was about to head to the post office to buy paper and a pen, Sister Yang from the front desk hurriedly knocked on her door.

“Sister Yang, what’s the matter?” Lin Xiang asked.

“Comrade Lin Xiang, your family called.”

Lin Xiang was startled. A call from her family? The Lin family?

The hostel’s front desk had a telephone, but it was rarely used. Making or receiving a call cost money, and since it was expensive, most military families were reluctant to use it. The phone mostly sat there as a decoration.

Lin Xiang picked up the crank-handle telephone receiver, but the moment she put it to her ear, a shrill voice burst through—

“Lin Xiang, you little wretch! Was this your doing? You changed Jianxin’s assigned location for the down-to-the-countryside movement! How could you be so heartless?”

It was unmistakably her stepmother, Qiu Aiying, her sharp, grating voice drilling into Lin Xiang’s ears. Ignoring the useless insults, Lin Xiang immediately caught onto the key point—Lin Jianxin’s rural assignment had been changed?

From Qiu Aiying’s reaction, it must have been changed to a particularly harsh and remote area; otherwise, she wouldn’t be this furious.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise!

Before she could respond, the voice on the other end switched to another person. Lin Guangming, filled with rage, barked at her, “Lin Xiang, I regret ever giving birth to an ungrateful traitor like you! We let Jianxin volunteer to go to the countryside, and we didn’t even blame you for that. But now, you went and changed the place we spent money and pulled strings to arrange for him! How could you do this to your own brother? What did he ever do to you? What did we ever do to you? You deliberately sent your brother to the harshest, most miserable countryside to suffer. Are you trying to kill him? You—”

Lin Guangming was so furious that he could barely catch his breath, nearly choking on his own words.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiang was absolutely delighted!

So Lin Jianxin had really been reassigned to the most difficult location? She couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

Why should she be afraid when there was an entire telephone line between them?

“Dad, Jianxin is going to help build up the most underdeveloped countryside. You should support him! This is in line with national policy. If word got out about what you’re saying, wouldn’t that mean you’re opposing state policies? You’d better not say things like that again, or someone might report you to the Revolutionary Committee.”

Lin Guangming nearly had another stroke from anger. Before he could recover, Lin Xiang decisively hung up the phone.

Calls were expensive—each time she picked up, it cost several cents. She had already heard the most entertaining part, so that was enough.

Placing the receiver back on the crank-handle phone, Lin Xiang turned to see Sister Yang’s gossip-hungry expression and smiled sweetly. “Sister Yang, my family doesn’t have the right mindset. They look down on rural areas, calling going to the countryside ‘suffering’ and refusing to go. Now, they’re even making a long-distance call just to scold me.”

Sister Yang, who came from a rural background herself, immediately darkened her expression upon hearing this. And at Lin Xiang’s last sentence, she grew even angrier. “Your parents really don’t have the right mindset!”

“If they call again…” Lin Xiang hesitated.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pick up and scold them myself!”

“Great! Thanks, Sister Yang~” Lin Xiang skipped away happily, but before she could step out, Sister Yang hurriedly called her back.

“I almost forgot—Captain He came by earlier to drop something off for you. You weren’t in because you were off matchmaking, so he asked me to hold onto it.”

Sister Yang pushed a brand-new bottle of red medicinal liquid toward her.

“Captain He gave this to me?” Lin Xiang accepted the bottle of red medicinal liquid and thanked him, feeling a strange sensation in her heart. She raised her hand to touch the scrape on her left forearm—she hadn’t expected He Hongyuan to be this thoughtful.

Back in Room 201, Lin Xiang unscrewed the bottle and applied the medicine to her wound. The cool liquid brought a slight sting, but she didn’t mind. She was in a great mood—her family’s misfortune was the best kind of entertainment. But who had actually arranged for Lin Jianxin’s relocation?

A true unsung hero!

The only way Lin Jianxin had originally been assigned to a privileged location must have been through Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying pulling strings and giving bribes. Now, all of that had gone to waste!

Absolutely satisfying!

Her family must be furious right now!

---

Meanwhile, in Xifeng City, the Lin family was indeed furious. But with Lin Xiang so far away, there was nothing they could do about it. Their rage had nowhere to go.

Lin Guangming, having just been hung up on, no longer cared about the cost of making another call. He immediately dialed the number again. This time, however, the receptionist at the guesthouse didn’t even bother calling for Lin Xiang. Instead, she directly scolded him over the phone and hung up, warning him that if he called again, she would report him to the military.

Lin Guangming’s anger only burned hotter. He was so enraged that he nearly smashed the crank telephone to the ground. It was only thanks to Qiu Aiying, who was worried about the money, that he was stopped just in time.

“Let’s just go home!” Qiu Aiying urged, feeling equally bitter.

She only had one son. Originally, she had planned for Lin Xiang to give up her job so Jianxin wouldn’t have to go to the countryside. But who could have expected that wretched girl to sell off the job for cash and flee on a train instead?

When they first found out, both Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying had been so furious that they couldn’t sleep for several nights. But what could they do? She was too far away to catch. Worse yet, the family who bought the job was tough—one man could fight three others. The transaction was legal, and there was no way to reverse it.

Since Lin Xiang’s job was gone, Jianxin had no choice but to go to the countryside. So, their next plan was to make Lin Chuchu give up her temporary job.

After all, Qiu Aiying had used money squeezed from the Lin family to get that job for her daughter. Originally, she hadn’t wanted to sacrifice Chuchu’s position, but Lin Xiang’s betrayal had caught them off guard. With no other options, they had to give it to Jianxin.

But this time, the usually obedient Chuchu refused. No matter how they threatened her, she wouldn’t give up the job. In the end, Lin Guangming had to slap her twice before she finally relented.

Thinking the issue was settled, Qiu Aiying had relaxed. Little did she know that Chuchu, taking advantage of their momentary inattention, secretly went to visit Sun Yaozu—the factory director’s son who had been arrested. She told him that it was Lin Xiang who had reported him and that she wanted to marry him and wait for his release.

And just like that, because of her visit, Sun Yaozu, who had been sentenced to six months in prison for stealing steel mill equipment and misappropriating workers’ high-temperature subsidies, got himself a wife. Lin Chuchu moved into the director’s home and refused to give up her job.

Having been angered nearly to death by both daughters, Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying dared not offend the factory director. Even though Sun Yaozu’s crime had tarnished his father’s reputation, and the deputy director was gaining influence, he was still the factory director. As much as they resented it, they didn’t have the guts to go against him.

With no other choice, the couple went to the Youth Relocation Office, pulled some strings, and handed out bribes. After two days of effort, they finally secured a spot for Jianxin in one of the best rural areas available—comfortable and well-off compared to other locations. If he had to go to the countryside, at least they made sure it wouldn’t be too hard.

But just yesterday, when they went to finalize the paperwork, they were hit with devastating news—Jianxin had been reassigned to the most remote and difficult location. The couple nearly fainted on the spot.

The office official criticized them for their “weak will and lack of revolutionary spirit” and scolded them for not embracing the opportunity to be re-educated by the peasant class.

One accusation after another piled onto them. Worse, the bribes they had paid were now completely useless—the officials refused to acknowledge them. No matter how much they begged, the decision was irreversible.

In the end, after slipping more money under the table, they finally got some information—the head of the Youth Relocation Office had received a call from Jinbian City.

Jinbian City. That was where that wretched girl Lin Xiang had run off to!

Enraged, Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying managed to track down a retired soldier from the factory who had a friend stationed on Langhua Island. They asked him to find Lin Xiang’s whereabouts, which eventually led them to the guesthouse.

That was how they ended up calling her, only to get humiliated instead.

---

At the Xifeng City train station, another batch of youths was being sent off to the countryside. Families stood on the platform, waving goodbye to their children.

Lin Jianxin sat by the train window, his heart filled with overwhelming fear. Tears and snot ran down his face as he wailed, begging not to go. He even tried to climb out of the window to escape, but Lin Guangming held him down. Nobody dared to run away from a relocation assignment—doing so meant getting dragged into a public struggle session.

Qiu Aiying, passing a bundle through the window, also cried, her heart aching.

The green train rumbled forward with a rhythmic clatter. Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying stood at the platform, tears in their eyes as they watched their son disappear into the distance, their hearts heavy with despair.

When the two returned home, they felt as if their spirits had been drained, staring blankly at the now somewhat empty house. A proper home—yet Lin Chuchu had gone off to marry a convict at the factory director’s house, and Lin Xiang had fled to a remote island a thousand miles away.

The only son, their precious boy, had taken the train to the countryside. Lin Guangming suddenly felt as if he had aged ten years. Who knew when his son would return from the countryside? His son, who was supposed to carry on the family line and uphold the Lin family’s name, had just been sent away like that…

It was all because of that wretched girl, Lin Xiang! He was furious, itching to beat her black and blue, but with the vast distance between them, there was nothing he could do.

---

Lin Xiang wasn’t sure of Lin Jianxin’s exact departure date for the countryside, but she could guess it was sometime around now. Just thinking about Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying’s impotent rage over the phone filled her with satisfaction!

The misfortunes of the Lin family were a delight, but what truly excited Lin Xiang was the new recruitment drive for workers in the military-affiliated factory.

Under the scorching August sun, an inconspicuous notice was posted on the wall by the entrance of a food processing plant established by the 119th Division, in collaboration with the Jinbian City government.

The job notice briefly listed available positions and requirements. The only hard requirement was that applicants had to be military dependents of officers ranked deputy battalion commander or above. In other words, their family had to include at least a deputy battalion commander. As for the job roles, the Food Processing Plant No. 1 recruited highly educated military dependents for office work, as well as female workshop workers. Meanwhile, the newly established Food Processing Plant No. 2 had more chaotic job assignments—many workers had to juggle multiple roles.

Recalling what Song Wei had mentioned, Lin Xiang decisively picked up an application form and filled in “Food Processing Plant No. 1,” naturally applying for a relaxed office job.

After completing the application, the only thing left was to obtain a signature from her associated military relative before submitting it.

For this, Lin Xiang originally planned to visit He Hongyuan’s dormitory since she needed his signature—after all, she was using his family status.

However, Yuezhu invited her over for a meal instead, saying that her cousin would also be there.

Having finally shaken off the psychological shadow of being drugged, Lin Xiang decided to tell her mother about the incident. Yuezhu’s parents were terrified when they learned what had happened and, after realizing that Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan had saved their daughter and swiftly resolved the matter, they insisted on inviting them over for dinner to show their gratitude.

The Zhou family had taken care of Lin Xiang many times over the past few days, inviting her for meals now and then. But this time, it was different—they were treating her to a feast as thanks for saving their daughter.

When Lin Xiang arrived at the Zhou house with her application form, she was warmly welcomed by Feng Li, who held her hands and expressed her gratitude at length.

“Thank goodness for you and Hongyuan. If not for you…” Just thinking about the possible consequences sent chills down Feng Li’s spine.

If anything had happened to her daughter, she wouldn’t want to live anymore.

Lin Xiang vaguely recalled that, in the original novel, after Yuezhu jumped into the river to commit suicide, her mother nearly followed suit, only to be stopped by Zhou Lu, who managed to talk her down. She lived in constant fear and sorrow ever since.

“Aunt Feng, it’s all in the past now. Don’t worry, Yuezhu is doing fine.”

“Yes.” Feng Li pressed her lips together, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief.

To thank Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan, Zhou Lu personally arranged an extravagant meal. He asked the head of the mess hall to use his monthly food quota to procure two large yellow croakers, then brought home three pounds of pork belly. Meanwhile, Feng Li went to the food and seafood supply stations to buy two pounds of shrimp, two pounds of crabs, one pound of clams, and one pound of East Wind snails.

Lin Xiang hadn’t seen such a feast of seafood in a long time. Although Zhou Shenghuai held a high-ranking position and received additional food supplies and allowances, he wasn’t excessively extravagant.

But today, the Zhou family had truly gone all out to express their gratitude.

As a former food blogger in her past life, Lin Xiang had excellent cooking skills. However, she rarely had opportunities to showcase them in this era. Watching how people in the ’70s handled seafood so simply, she felt an itch to step in.

“Aunt Feng, let me help you,” she offered, not wanting to just stand around. She pulled Yuezhu along as well. “Yuezhu, let’s do it together.”

The two young women started scrubbing crabs. Feng Li glanced at the clock in the living room and mused, “Your dad should be home soon. I just don’t know about your cousin. Your dad said Hongyuan has been putting the soldiers through intense training lately. He wasn’t even planning on coming for dinner, saying he was too busy.”

Yuezhu nodded. “I went to see my cousin yesterday, and he was swamped. He didn’t seem to be in a good mood. Is it because Uncle’s birthday is coming up?”

“That’s not something for you to worry about,” Feng Li shot her daughter a look, signaling her to hold her tongue.

Lin Xiang listened to the conversation, piecing together that He Hongyuan’s bad mood might be related to his father.

Hearing that He Hongyuan had been busy lately, she suddenly thought of Song Wei, the man she had gone on a blind date with. After their meal together, he hadn’t reached out again. Perhaps he also felt they weren’t a good match? That was fine by her—blind dates were about mutual consent, and a silent ending was better than an awkward one.

At that very moment, however, Song Wei was still out at sea, carrying out a mission on a naval vessel. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to reach out to Lin Xiang—he had been deployed that very afternoon after their date. He simply had no way of returning.

…

As dusk approached, Zhou Shenghuai left his office. His daughter’s recent ordeal had been truly frightening. While his nephew had efficiently resolved the situation and the perpetrator had already been handed over to the police, Zhou Shenghuai wasn’t going to let it slide. That afternoon, he had already contacted an old comrade who was now the deputy director of public security to ensure the case was handled properly.

Today, to express their gratitude, the family specially invited Lin Xiang and Hongyuan for dinner. On his way, Zhou Shenghuai took a detour to He Hongyuan’s regimental headquarters to look for him. After learning that Hongyuan was in the communications room, he headed there.

However, just as he approached and before he could say a word, he overheard his nephew speaking into the phone with a mocking tone:

“How do you have the nerve to ask me to come over? What does you turning forty-four have to do with me? How am I speaking? This is exactly how I speak!”