Chapter 27

He Hongyuan had met Lin Xiang once on the day she completed both rounds of the recruitment exam. Seeing that she was in a good mood, he assumed she had performed well.

Lin Xiang had a high school diploma, which was rare among military families. Given her usual composure and manner of speaking, He Hongyuan was certain she would pass the exam smoothly.

Over the past few days, he had resumed his usual work. Just yesterday, Captain Yang had assigned him a mission at sea, and he was set to depart early the next morning, likely to be away for more than half a month.

He was in his office writing a work plan when Zhou Yuezhu burst in, interrupting his thoughts with a single sentence.

“Cousin, someone is bullying Sister Xiangxiang! It’s outrageous!” Zhou Yuezhu knew that while most people would consider personal connections, her cousin wouldn’t.

He was ruthless when it came to retaliation. When she was younger, if a mischievous boy bullied her, she would always run to him to complain.

Sure enough, He Hongyuan set down his pen and frowned at her. “What happened?”

Zhou Yuezhu immediately knew her cousin treated Lin Xiang differently. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have reacted this way!

She detailed how He Fen had tampered with Lin Xiang’s application form and how Director Tian had covered for her. Then, she added fuel to the fire. “They’re taking advantage of the fact that Sister Xiangxiang is new here and unfamiliar with the place, so they’re bullying her as much as they want! And that He Fen was so smug about it, watching Sister Xiangxiang with a half-smile, like she was showing off!”

As He Hongyuan listened, his frown deepened, and his expression darkened. “Director Tian just let this slide?”

“Exactly!” Zhou Yuezhu nodded emphatically.

“I’ll go take a look.” He Hongyuan capped his pen and tossed it onto the desk. “You go home first.”

Once Zhou Yuezhu left, He Hongyuan stood, grabbed the white military cap on his desk, and put it on. Beneath the sharp brim, his gaze was deep and piercing.

Lin Xiang’s biological father only cared about his precious son and never treated her as his own daughter. Her stepmother was full of schemes, and her stepsister and half-brother constantly bossed her around. The entire family not only refused to acknowledge her but also tried to trick her into giving up her job and forcing her to marry some useless man.

And yet, Lin Xiang had reported the factory director’s son, sold her job position, personally signed her brother up to be sent to the countryside, and then escaped on her own.

Logically, He Hongyuan knew she was not someone who would simply endure mistreatment. But emotionally, he couldn’t suppress the anger that now burned within him.

He Fen wouldn’t dare retaliate against him directly, so she had targeted Lin Xiang instead.

No matter how smart or capable she was, Lin Xiang was alone here. How could she possibly fend off two veteran figures in the factory office?

He Hongyuan had never believed in the idea that men and women should stay out of each other’s affairs. He strode out of the office with an imposing aura, ready to confront Director Tian at Captain Yang’s home.

Before he could leave the building, he ran into Captain Li Jun, who wore a self-satisfied expression.

Li Jun had been in the 2nd Brigade for a long time, serving under Captain Yang the longest, which made him somewhat arrogant. Although there were seven regiment commanders in the brigade, he always considered himself their leader and frequently meddled in other regiments’ affairs.

He Hongyuan, however, was not someone who tolerated interference. He never backed down, and whenever someone tried to insert themselves into his regiment’s matters, he would shut them down without hesitation. He had directly confronted Li Jun a few times, which had led to the man complaining about him behind his back.

Now, Li Jun grinned and said, “Captain He, heading out on a mission tomorrow? Safe travels.”

Having successfully pleaded his case with Captain Yang, his wife had managed to put He Hongyuan’s relative in a tough spot. Just thinking about it made him feel triumphant.

He Hongyuan paused, scrutinizing Li Jun’s expression. He quickly surmised that Li Jun was aware of what had happened. Without beating around the bush, he asked, “Captain Li, are you aware that your wife, Comrade He Fen, deliberately altered Comrade Lin Xiang’s application form?”

Li Jun was momentarily caught off guard by He Hongyuan’s directness. But then he smirked—this was just like He Hongyuan, always blunt and unwilling to use even the slightest bit of tact. Feeling confident, he replied, “Deliberate? It was just a mistake. But your so-called relative should be grateful for even getting a job here. She shouldn’t be so picky.”

“Oh?” He Hongyuan’s expression grew even colder, sending a chill through the summer heat. “And what if I don’t accept this?”

“On what grounds wouldn’t you accept it?” Li Jun scoffed as if he had just heard a ridiculous joke. “Captain Yang already made the decision! He Hongyuan, is it really worth creating division among us over some distant relative?”

He Hongyuan let out a sharp laugh. “You’re quite capable, Captain Li. You even went to Captain Yang—so this was just a coordinated effort to bully a young woman?”

“You—” Li Jun, a grown man, was thoroughly irritated by the implication that he was ganging up on a helpless girl. His face darkened immediately. “He Hongyuan, with that stubborn temper of yours, I’d like to see how many losses you’ll suffer in the future!”

The two parted on bad terms. Li Jun headed home, feeling slightly annoyed by their exchange. But by now, Director Tian should have already handled the situation. It was settled.

No matter what, the thought of He Hongyuan’s expression just now made Li Jun feel immensely satisfied.

Meanwhile, He Hongyuan’s mood was visibly foul. Anyone who saw him could tell he was angry.

When he arrived at Captain Yang’s office, he didn’t bother to hide his displeasure. After saluting, he spoke bluntly.

“Captain Yang, has our brigade started working together to bully young women now?”

Yang Lu was reviewing a report while sipping tea when, out of the blue, the most capable yet most rigid-tempered officer under his command, He Hongyuan, barged in. Just as he was wondering what was going on, he heard that sentence and immediately put down his tea cup, blowing out his mustache and glaring.

“He Hongyuan! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”

“Yang Lu, I’m not wrong. Regimental Captain Li Jun’s wife tampered with Comrade Lin Xiang’s job application, deliberately reassigning her from Factory No. 1 to Factory No. 2. Then Li Jun came to you to smooth things over, trying to turn a big issue into a small one and a small one into nothing? If that’s not bullying Comrade Lin Xiang, then what is?”

Listen to this guy!

Yang Lu nearly choked on his breath. This brat He Hongyuan was exceptional in every way, except his way of speaking—it was downright unbearable!

Yet, despite his bluntness, He Hongyuan still maintained the proper decorum, saluting with utmost seriousness and respect. “Yang Lu, if I’ve said anything incorrect, please point it out, and I’ll change it.”

Yang Lu: “……”

One of these days, this kid was going to be the death of him!

No one else in the entire 2nd Brigade dared to speak to him like this!

When Yang Lu was younger, he was hot-tempered—fierce in battle and sharp-tongued. When he drilled his troops, everyone trembled at his presence. His regiment commanders, political commissars, staff officers, and instructors—not to mention the ordinary soldiers—all feared him.

Except for this kid, He Hongyuan. He spoke his mind without hesitation.

And the worst part? Damn it, he was right!

Yang Lu was momentarily speechless. He wanted to correct He Hongyuan, but his lips merely parted before pressing tightly shut again.

Still, as a brigade commander, he couldn’t lose his authority. With a loud bang, he slammed the table, the sound reverberating through the room like a thunderclap.

“He Hongyuan, mind your attitude!”

Anyone else, faced with Yang Lu’s stern expression and table-slamming, would have been scared out of their wits. But He Hongyuan remained unfazed.

“Yang Lu, my attitude is just fine. I came to you to seek justice, didn’t I? You’ve always been the fairest in the 119th Division—you’re known as ‘Fair Yang.’ You wouldn’t just stand by and let a young girl be bullied, would you? If word gets out, people will say that we soldiers are the ones doing the bullying.”

First, he flattered him with a high-sounding title, then immediately threw the accusation of “bullying” into the mix. Yang Lu felt a headache coming on. His temples even started throbbing.

This brat was a nightmare for enemies on the battlefield, and now he had turned his guns on him!

Back then, when Li Jun was severely wounded on the front lines, his wife, He Fen, had been pregnant. Upon hearing the news, she suffered such a fright that she lost the baby and ended up with lasting health issues, unable to conceive again. Now, in their thirties, the couple was still childless.

Yang Lu felt some sympathy for them.

Normally, he wouldn’t get involved in these matters, but it was the first time Li Jun had ever come to him for a favor. Considering the couple’s hardships, he had decided to let the matter slide.

“All right.” Unable to fend off He Hongyuan’s relentless pressure, Yang Lu waved his hand and tried to reason with him. “You’re blowing this out of proportion. Yes, Comrade He Fen made a mistake at work, but Li Jun has already reprimanded and educated her. As for Comrade Lin Xiang, I’ve discussed it with Director Tian—we’re giving her a monthly stipend as compensation. You know, Li Jun and his wife have been through life-and-death situations together. We can’t let this issue escalate to the point of breaking up their marriage. That would affect the harmony and stability of a military family.”

Frankly, Yang Lu didn’t see this as a big deal. He had witnessed real life-and-death situations. This was just trivial workplace drama, not something that he usually concerned himself with. He had only stepped in because Li Jun had asked.

But He Hongyuan was unimpressed.

“Yang Lu, if the stability of their marriage depends on bullying Lin Xiang, then that’s disgusting. What’s stopping them from picking on someone else next time?”

“You brat, stop nitpicking!” Yang Lu shot him a glare. “Li Jun has already said this won’t happen again. Relax.”

Now Yang Lu was genuinely curious. He Hongyuan had never fought this hard over personal matters before—certainly not for some distant relative.

“By the way, what kind of relative is Lin Xiang to you? You’re getting really worked up over this.”

Standing ramrod straight, He Hongyuan responded in a deep voice, “Yang Lu, this has nothing to do with what kind of relative Lin Xiang is to me. The fact is, a group of people ganged up on her, and the way this was handled is unacceptable. I refuse to accept it.”

Seeing that He Hongyuan wouldn’t budge, Yang Lu felt his headache intensify. He sighed and asked, “Then what do you propose?”

“The appropriate punishment should be given to Comrade He Fen. She deliberately tampered with a job application—that’s a serious offense. Today it was Lin Xiang, but tomorrow it could be any other military family member. This kind of misconduct damages both the food factory’s integrity and the army’s reputation. My suggestion: She should apologize to Lin Xiang, be publicly reprimanded in the factory, and be dismissed from her position. Additionally, Lin Xiang should be reinstated to her rightful job.”

The more He Hongyuan spoke, the more serious it sounded. By the time he finished, he was calling for outright dismissal.

Yang Lu’s eyelids twitched. “He Hongyuan! Stop throwing around the word ‘dismissal’ so casually!”

Unless someone made a severe mistake, it was rare to dismiss personnel from the military or military-run factories.

This kid was too reckless and didn’t consider the bigger picture.

“If the organization refuses to impose serious consequences,” He Hongyuan said coldly, “then I’ll make sure everyone finds out exactly what He Fen did! Let all the military families see what kind of person she really is.”

“You… You just want to blow this up, don’t you?” Yang Lu was utterly exasperated by this subordinate he both admired and resented.

His work was impeccable—strong abilities, relentless dedication, and a fearless attitude toward hardship.

But in life, his personality was too rigid. Young people like that—it’s really not a good thing.

Besides, He Fen cared about her reputation, and so did Li Jun. If this matter got out, whose face would be spared?

“Captain Yang, it’s not that I insist on blowing this up. I was forced into it,” He Hongyuan said fearlessly. “What do I have to be afraid of?”

Standing tall and straight, yet his words were cold and rebellious.

Captain Yang stared at his regiment commander. How could he forget? He Hongyuan was the most protective of his own!

He Hongyuan saluted once more and said seriously, “Captain Yang, sacrificing an ordinary comrade just to maintain overall stability—isn’t that ironic?”

Captain Yang looked at He Hongyuan and suddenly recalled his younger self—seeing things in black and white, charging ahead without hesitation. Though not as fearless as He Hongyuan, he could see some of himself in the young man.

If he were younger, he wouldn’t have made today’s choice. He would have stubbornly pursued justice. But now, things were different—too many considerations, too many balances to maintain.

He sighed. “Fine, fine. Dismissal is out of the question, but the other two conditions will be handled as you said. However, reinstating her position in Factory No. 1 won’t be immediate. All recruitment spots have been set, and it’s difficult to make adjustments right now. Just yesterday, Director Tian was worrying about it. Maybe when a military wife transfers with her husband in October, a spot will open up for Lin Xiang.”

“That works. As long as it’s settled,” He Hongyuan didn’t argue over the two-month wait. Transferring from Factory No. 2 to No. 1 later was still an option.

With the matter resolved, He Hongyuan’s expression relaxed considerably. He had never expected them to fire anyone easily—bringing up dismissal was just a tactic to force Captain Yang into agreeing to the other two conditions.

Smiling, he said, “Captain Yang, you truly are the most just officer in the 119th Division. On behalf of Comrade Lin Xiang, I thank you!”

Captain Yang: “…”

He didn’t want to see this little troublemaker right now!

“Get lost! Stop hovering around me!” At this point, Captain Yang deeply regretted getting involved. This kind of petty dispute should’ve been left to the political commissar—why had he jumped into this mess?

But He Hongyuan remained unfazed by Yang’s irritation. He saluted, turned on his heel, and strode off, his good mood evident even from behind.

Captain Yang called after him, “He Hongyuan, tell me honestly—what’s your relationship with Comrade Lin Xiang?”

For someone like He Hongyuan to go to such lengths, he had assumed the only person worth this effort would be his mother.

He Hongyuan turned back, standing firmly, his gaze deep and resolute. “Captain Yang, my engagement certificate with Comrade Lin Xiang is still sitting in my dormitory drawer.”

Captain Yang: “…”

What? Lin Xiang was He Hongyuan’s fiancée?!

No wonder! No wonder he was fighting so hard—it was for his wife-to-be!

Wait a minute—when did this kid even get engaged? His niece, Meng Jing, still had her eyes on him. Now she was going to be heartbroken! He Hongyuan really was a troublemaker!

Well, at least marriage would put an end to all the single female soldiers pining after him. It was starting to affect the overall marriage rate among the other male soldiers.

---

119th Division Guest House

Lin Xiang’s job situation was finally settled. Although she had unexpectedly been assigned to Factory No. 2, she had secured a coveted permanent position. A blessing in disguise—she was content.

Taking out her household registration page and introduction letter from her bundle, she prepared to officially report to the food factory’s second branch.

After all, staying was the priority. There wasn’t much difference between Factory No. 1 and No. 2.

But just as she opened the door, a familiar figure appeared—Yuezhu, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she wiggled her eyebrows. “Sister Xiang Xiang!”

Lin Xiang was confused. Just a few hours ago, Yuezhu had stormed out of the house in anger. Why was she suddenly so happy?

“Good news, and a good show too!” Zhou Yuezhu quickly stepped aside, revealing two figures behind her—He Fen and Li Jun, who had arrived moments later.

Lin Xiang’s almond-shaped eyes flickered with confusion. Why were these two here?

As they entered the room, Lin Xiang was even more surprised when she heard Captain Li take the initiative to apologize.

“Comrade Lin Xiang, we were indeed in the wrong regarding this matter. I hope you can forgive us.” Li Jun, forced to apologize to He Hongyuan’s distant relative, felt thoroughly uncomfortable.

He had thought the matter was settled. Who would have expected a sudden counterattack?

It turned out He Hongyuan had taken this issue straight to Captain Yang, spending quite some time in his office. And the moment he left, Captain Yang had personally paid Li Jun’s home a visit, sternly reprimanding both him and his wife.

His previous pleas had fallen flat. Even his past merits didn’t grant him any leeway.

Feeling indignant, Li Jun had cautiously asked why Captain Yang was favoring He Hongyuan’s distant relative, only to be met with a furious scolding.

At that moment, Captain Yang, already frustrated from dealing with this mess, could no longer suppress his temper.

“Li Jun, just because we’ve fought in battles together, you think you can pull rank on me? I never should have agreed to this in the first place! Tell me, do you two think you handled this situation correctly? How dare you accuse me of favoritism toward He Hongyuan? And divorce? Go ahead! If you want a military divorce, I’ll personally approve it! If you two aren’t satisfied, and you want to retire and transfer to civilian work, I won’t stop you!”

Yang Lu’s sudden outburst left Li Jun and He Fen so frightened that their legs went weak and their hearts pounded like war drums. Any previous calculations and petty schemes they had in mind were immediately abandoned—they had no choice but to accept the situation.

Especially when He Fen heard the final verdict, each added punishment felt like another weight pressing down on her. She almost fainted. Having her salary docked was humiliating enough, but now there would be a public factory-wide criticism as well!

Her face turned deathly pale, and her chest felt tight with pain, but she dared not show even a trace of dissatisfaction in front of Yang Lu. Li Jun, having been scolded thoroughly, also behaved himself. No matter how much resentment he felt, he had no words to argue back.

The couple had no choice but to apologize.

Sitting to the side, Zhou Yuezhu was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. If not for Li Jun and He Fen’s darkened expressions, she might have clapped and cheered—maybe even grabbed some sunflower seeds to snack on!

After Li Jun finished speaking, he tugged on his wife’s sleeve and quietly reminded her, “Apologize.”

He Fen dug her nails into her palm. Apologizing to the person who had caused her sister’s downfall felt worse than death. But for the sake of her husband’s career, she had no choice but to yield.

“Comrade Lin Xiang, I’m sorry. I didn’t handle this matter properly.” Her voice was so faint it was almost inaudible, squeezed through gritted teeth, dripping with reluctance.

Lin Xiang could roughly guess what had happened to turn the situation around. Even though He Fen and Li Jun had been forced into this apology, she had no reason to reject it. If they had to bow their heads, why not accept it?

“Since Comrade He has recognized her mistake, then that’s that. I’m not one to hold grudges. I just hope that in the future, there won’t be any more harmful schemes or actions.”

Lin Xiang had always believed in a simple principle—if others didn’t provoke her, she wouldn’t provoke them. But if someone did push her, she wouldn’t just endure it forever; she would make sure they paid the price.

Now, the best outcome was that their relationship would never be anything more than that of distant coworkers. Essentially, they were now strangers.

Feeling as though they had suffered a great humiliation, He Fen and Li Jun were about to leave when a voice stopped them at the door.

“Captain Li, Comrade He, I know exactly what you two were thinking.”

Zhou Yuezhu, who had been watching the show with amusement, now shifted into a more serious expression. She took a step forward. “Originally, it was your family that wronged me, nearly got me in trouble. I was kind enough not to hold a grudge, simply sending He Fang to the Public Security Bureau to face legal punishment. That should have been the end of it. But I never imagined you two would turn around and scheme against my Sister Xiang.”

She locked eyes with He Fen, her voice filled with anger. “Your sister did something wrong, and yet you have the audacity to go after someone else? Comrade He Fen, I think you have no shame!”

He Fen’s face turned ashen. She opened her mouth but only managed to stammer, “You… you—!”

“You wouldn’t dare target me. You wouldn’t dare target my father or my cousin. So instead, you bully Sister Xiang, who has no background or powerful connections? You’re disgusting and cruel!”

“Zhou Yuezhu!” Li Jun’s temper flared when he heard someone speaking so harshly about his wife. His voice was laced with anger. “Mind your words!”

But considering Zhou Yuezhu was the daughter of Captain Zhou, he had to restrain himself. He lowered his voice and sternly reminded her.

“Captain Li, that’s something you and your wife should be told instead!” Zhou Yuezhu’s anger, suppressed for days, now burned fiercely. She had to let it out. “Clearly, age doesn’t always bring wisdom. Even I, at seventeen, understand this simple truth.”

Finally, she delivered a sharp warning: “Sister Xiang is family to us—and to Captain He as well. So you two had better stop scheming. Otherwise, I don’t care about keeping a good reputation. I’ll expose everything your family has done and see who ends up truly humiliated!”

Zhou Yuezhu’s words made Li Jun and He Fen’s retreating steps falter. Their departure turned into a near-desperate escape.

Watching them flee, Zhou Yuezhu burst into laughter. But as she turned around, she found Lin Xiang smiling at her.

“Sister Xiang, why are you looking at me like that?” Zhou Yuezhu instinctively touched her face, wondering if something was on it.

Lin Xiang chuckled. “I just think our Yuezhu is amazing. You really put them in their place!”

“Hmph! Those two are disgusting and hypocritical!” Zhou Yuezhu huffed, plopping down beside Lin Xiang and grabbing her arm. “Don’t worry, Sister Xiang! My cousin and I will protect you!”

Lin Xiang was touched by her sincerity and smiled warmly. Then, she asked curiously, “You are you, but what does this have to do with your cousin?”

“Aiya!” Zhou Yuezhu practically bounced up in excitement, scooting even closer to Lin Xiang. “You don’t know? This afternoon, my cousin stormed into Captain Yang’s office for you!”

Lin Xiang had a feeling that if Zhou Yuezhu had been born in the future, she would’ve been a sensationalist news writer. The way she exaggerated things was almost terrifying.

What did she mean by “stormed into the commander’s office for her”?!

Did that even sound reasonable?!

But Zhou Yuezhu continued, animatedly recounting the events—though with a fair amount of embellishment. She made it sound like He Hongyuan had practically declared war on Yang Lu to seek justice for Lin Xiang.

At the time, the argument had grown so heated that voices could be heard outside. Zhang Huafeng and Jiang Weijun, who had been passing by, overheard and got worried. If things escalated, they would have to intervene. So, they waited by the door, ready to step in at any moment.

Zhou Yuezhu had gotten her information from Zhang Huafeng. Of course, she added her own dramatic flair to the retelling before concluding with a flourish: “Sister Xiang, my cousin has never been this angry for anyone before. I think he really likes you!”

As Lin Xiang listened to Zhou Yuezhu’s recounting of the afternoon’s events, a ripple of emotion stirred in her heart.

He Hongyuan, someone depicted as cold and indifferent in books, actually went to the brigade commander to seek justice for her.

For someone who understands how to weigh pros and cons, this was absolutely unwise.

From her past life until now, Lin Xiang had always been alone, without any family, focusing solely on making money. She had never experienced someone being willing to stand up for her without hesitation, regardless of gain or loss.

The feeling was somewhat strange, like a gentle rain falling upon the lake of her heart, each drop drumming softly on the surface.

Her heartbeat quickened on its own, but when Yuezhu pointed out that He Hongyuan liked her, she was startled.

“How could that be? Stop talking nonsense.” Lin Xiang teased her, suppressing the ripples in her heart. After all, in the book, He Hongyuan had never fallen for anyone in his entire life.

She absolutely wouldn’t believe Yuezhu’s nonsense!

However, after receiving He Hongyuan’s help, Lin Xiang was a little conflicted. Should she go and thank him right away?

But the moment she recalled Yuezhu’s confident claim that He Hongyuan liked her, her heart grew restless, and her steps faltered before she even stepped outside.

Forget it, she would do it tomorrow!

She lay in bed at the guesthouse, wrapping herself tightly in a thin blanket, rolling back and forth a couple of times.

Why was he so troublesome?!

—

On the other side, Zhou Yuezhu left the guesthouse and happily hurried home.

A lot had happened that day—first, Director Tian brought He Fen over to discuss the investigation and its outcome, then she ran to complain to her cousin. Her cousin acted so quickly that by evening, Li Jun and He Fen had already gone to the guesthouse to apologize to Lin Xiang.

At this hour, most people in the unit were finishing work for the day. When Zhou Yuezhu returned home and didn’t see her mother, Feng Li, she looked around and saw her parents walking out of the military compound together.

“Mom, did you go to find Dad at the unit?” She hadn’t even had the chance to share the good news that He Fen and Li Jun had been dealt with.

Seeing her daughter home safely, Feng Li was relieved and quickly explained, “I kept thinking about how Director Tian was still protecting He Fen this morning, and it didn’t sit right with me. Even though Xiao Lin takes things lightly, someone still needs to stand up for her, so I went to talk to your father about it.”

Director Tian had a position, and his words carried weight—he had even brought up Brigade Captain Yang. He Fen, on the other hand, had Li Jun backing her up. Naturally, she had to let her husband know about it.

Yesterday, she hadn’t mentioned the incident to her husband.

Firstly, she had believed Director Tian would handle it fairly. Secondly, Zhou Shenghuai had been busy preparing for an upcoming maritime mission, so she hadn’t wanted to burden him.

Who knew that even Brigade Captain Yang would get involved? In that case, she had to inform her husband so he could at least say something about it.

Normally, she wouldn’t bother Zhou Shenghuai with non-military matters, but Lin Xiang had done their family a great favor, so Feng Li couldn’t just let it go.

“I’ll talk to Old Yang about it tomorrow.” Zhou Shenghuai had rushed home to grab a document, and while there, he reassured his family. “Even though Li Jun and Hongyuan aren’t under my command, Xiao Lin has a close relationship with our family. We can’t just let people bully her.”

Zhou Yuezhu grinned at his words. “That’s great, Dad! You have to speak up for Sister Xiang! But my cousin already went to see Brigade Captain Yang this afternoon. Now, He Fen has been publicly criticized, had her salary docked, and even she and Li Jun went to personally apologize to Sister Xiang.”

Feng Li was surprised. She hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly in just half a day.

Even Zhou Shenghuai was puzzled.

That kid Hongyuan had been saying for days that he didn’t care about the childhood engagement and had no intention of getting married—so what was this all about?!

—

After leaving Brigade Captain Yang’s office, He Hongyuan, knowing that the matter had been settled, returned to his office to continue writing his work plan.

Once he finished the final signature, he put away his pen and paper, then left to grab dinner at the cafeteria.

It was well past dinnertime, and the cafeteria was empty. He Hongyuan had a bowl of handmade noodles cooked by the kitchen staff, eating in big mouthfuls while overhearing a conversation between two soldiers at the next table.

The taller soldier congratulated the shorter one, “How’s married life treating you? You’ve been grinning like a fool every day.”

The shorter soldier chuckled, “It’s alright. There are plenty of benefits to being married, but some headaches too. Tomorrow, I’m shipping out for the first time since getting married, and my wife is really unhappy about it. She made me promise to report to her first before taking on any missions in the future. Can you believe how strict she is?”

The taller soldier elbowed him. “You little punk, calling that a headache? Look at you showing off! Rubbing it in my face just because I don’t have a wife to check in with?”

The two continued bantering. Meanwhile, at another table, He Hongyuan finished his noodles, drank the broth, and stood up to leave, deep in thought.

…

After a day of experiencing the high of victory in the morning and the crushing defeat in the afternoon, He Fen and Li Jun returned home exhausted.

Having to apologize so humiliatingly, then facing a public criticism and salary deduction—He Fen had no idea how she would show her face among the other military wives after this.

Her eyes welled up with tears. In the end, she couldn’t hold back and silently cried, letting the tears stream down her face.

“A’Fen, this was out of our control. Brigade Captain Yang changed his stance—there was nothing we could do.” Li Jun felt sorry for his wife but was helpless himself.

After all, Yang had made it clear—he wouldn’t even intervene in a divorce, and he had even mentioned demobilization and reassignment. That was a warning to stop using past military achievements to keep asking for favors.

Brother Jun, I understand. I know it’s difficult for you too.”

The couple comforted each other, their faces burning with shame, their chests heavy with frustration.

He Fen mulled over the future. Since they would all still be working at Factory No.1, there would be plenty of ways to subtly make things difficult for Lin Xiang. After all, she was a senior member of the factory office, well-connected and respected. Lin Xiang was just an outsider—so what if she returned to Factory No.1? It would be easy for He Fen to rally others against her.

Just as she was seething with indignation, a sudden knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

The couple quickly composed themselves, unwilling to let anyone see even a trace of their embarrassment and disappointment.

But when they opened the door, the person standing outside was none other than He Hongyuan!

Li Jun’s expression changed instantly. “He Hongyuan, what are you doing here?”

Inside, He Fen heard the commotion and hurried to the door, as if preparing to confront some powerful and terrifying enemy. She glared at He Hongyuan with wariness, completely disregarding any pretense of civility. “Captain He, what do you want? Haven’t you done enough? Our family has already suffered enough because of you!”

It was the classic move of a guilty party playing the victim—something He Fen had mastered well.

But He Hongyuan was unfazed. His face was cold as ice, his gaze sharp and unrelenting as he slowly swept his eyes over Li Jun and He Fen. “If you dare to play any more tricks and try to bully Lin Xiang again, I’ll make things even worse for you. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and try.”

His tone was calm, but the words carried a chilling weight.

Li Jun and He Fen both stiffened, momentarily speechless.

He was too bold. In an era where people valued camaraderie and appearances, He Hongyuan was utterly unrestrained, charging forward with no concern for consequences—as if he was ready to bear any fallout, as long as he got what he wanted.

Hearing his words, He Fen, who had just been plotting ways to make Lin Xiang’s life miserable at Factory No.1, suddenly felt a pang of fear.

Others might throw around threats lightly, but He Hongyuan was different. If he said he would do something, he meant it.

===

He Hongyuan had always been a man of his word—determined, decisive, never regretting or going back on what he said.

But there were exceptions to everything.

Tomorrow morning, he would set out on a deployment at sea, a mission that would last at least half a month.

For the first time, he felt an unusual ripple in his heart. In the past, he had no attachments—when a mission came, he left without hesitation. While other soldiers lingered, reluctant to part from their wives and children, he was always the first to board the ship.

Now, in the stillness of the night, his military boots crunched over fallen leaves outside the guesthouse. The green leaves curled up under his steps before drifting lightly to the ground again.

A knock echoed against the door of Room 201 on the second floor.

Lin Xiang had been restless all evening. She had dozed off briefly but woke up feeling just as unsettled. Around seven o’clock, she had eaten two egg cakes for dinner, but her thoughts remained chaotic.

She couldn’t stop replaying what Zhou Yuezhu had said—”Cousin went to Yang Brigade’s office to make a scene for you!”

The thought was terrifying. Lin Xiang told herself not to overthink it.

Then suddenly, a knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. This late at night, who could it be?

She asked cautiously, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, He Hongyuan.”

His voice was low and steady. Lin Xiang could almost hear the sound of her own heartbeat, echoing clearly in the quiet room.

She hesitated. “Captain He, is something wrong this late?”

“Mhm.” As always, he was succinct.

Thinking about how much he had helped her—especially going as far as confronting the brigade commander—Lin Xiang couldn’t help but feel a mix of gratitude and concern. If Yang Brigade had been the petty type, such actions could have seriously affected He Hongyuan’s future.

She got up and opened the door, figuring she should at least thank him in person.

In the dim moonlight, He Hongyuan stood tall in his military uniform, his gaze deep and unwavering as it locked onto her.

Lin Xiang met his eyes, an unexplainable emotion stirring within her. She spoke softly, “Captain He, Yuezhu told me about what you did for me. I’m really grateful. But… you confronted Yang Brigade…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say “caused a scene,” so she adjusted her words. “Will this affect your career?”

He Hongyuan’s lips curled slightly, his features softening under the moonlight. “No, Yang Brigade isn’t that petty.”

Lin Xiang thought he was daring—after all, few would be bold enough to challenge a superior like that.

“That’s good,” she murmured.

The mid-August moon hung in the sky like a silver plate, casting a gentle glow over the night.

For a moment, Lin Xiang felt awkward. She didn’t know what else to say, nor did she understand why He Hongyuan had come to see her so late.

She remained silent. But then, he spoke.

“Tomorrow morning, I’m leaving for a deployment at sea.”

Lin Xiang’s head snapped up, her clear eyes filled with confusion. Why was he suddenly telling her this?

Before she could ask, He Hongyuan continued, “I’ll be gone for about half a month.”

Lin Xiang couldn’t hold back her curiosity anymore. “Why are you telling me this?”

Her heart felt like it was being hit by raindrops again, rippling with emotion.

Under the moonlight, He Hongyuan’s sharp features seemed softened, but his dark eyes held an unmistakable intensity.

“I’m worried you’re too popular. In the half-month that I’ll be gone, someone else might try to pursue you. I figured I should give you a heads-up in advance.”

Lin Xiang was beautiful and had an attractive personality. Since she arrived, quite a few people had been asking about her.

Looking at the timing, that kid Song Wei was about to return. Then there were the overly enthusiastic military wives at the guesthouse who loved matchmaking, plus the group of young male workers at the food factory.

Danger was everywhere.