Chapter 9: Departure for the Military Base  

After seeing off the Qin Family, Qian Jiangang fell seriously ill.  

He was frustrated and angry, but had nowhere to vent his emotions. Nor could he confide in anyone.  

Meanwhile, Qian Lai took Teacher Yang and Liu Heqing on a delightful tour of Nan City and its surroundings for several days.  

The gifts she bought for them were so numerous that the two could barely carry them all.  

By the time they returned home with their arms full of packages, Qian Dong had already moved out of the Family Compound with Qian Xiaozhen.  

The Qian Family had also relocated to a new house. Though it was in a more remote area, it was at least peaceful.  

The kitchen had been moved indoors, so they no longer had to dash between the main house and the kitchen with an umbrella on rainy days.  

Liu Huiru was quite satisfied.  

However, Qian Jiangang remained deeply resentful, finding fault with everyone. Every day after work, he would collapse onto the bed, expecting Liu Huiru to wait on him.  

After being taken away by the Qin Family, Qin Hongxiang retreated to the countryside to avoid gossip.  

As for Qian Xiaozhen, she had quietly left Nan City. Aside from Qian Dong, no one cared where she had gone.  

Qian Lai began preparing for her departure to the military base.  

She handed Liu Heqing three hundred yuan, instructing her to keep a close eye on Liu Huiru, who was far too lenient with Qian Jiangang.  

Later, she secretly slipped five hundred yuan into Teacher Yang’s luggage. On the night before their departure, the two, who were as close as mother and daughter, stayed up talking nearly the entire night.  

Even before parting, Qian Lai already missed Teacher Yang.  

Middle-aged, without a husband or children, Teacher Yang still moved through life alone.  

Qian Lai faintly remembered that there was someone she had kept hidden in her heart for many years. But as time passed, she mentioned him less and less.  

It would be wonderful if Teacher Yang could rekindle that old flame upon returning to the capital. Unfortunately, it was said that the man already had a family.  

Being as principled as she was, Teacher Yang would never interfere in another person’s life.  

Yet, Qian Lai had a strange feeling that their connection wasn’t truly severed.  

She could only hope that Teacher Yang would meet someone who understood, loved, and protected her.  

After their long conversation, the two only managed to doze off for a short while as dawn approached.  

On the same day, Teacher Yang would return to the capital after years of absence, while Qian Lai would set off alone for the military base.  

Liu Heqing accompanied Qian Lai and Teacher Yang to the train station early in the morning. After bidding a reluctant farewell to Teacher Yang and watching until the train disappeared from sight, the two returned to the waiting room.  

A glance at the clock showed they still had over an hour before departure.  

“Big sis, how about we grab a bowl of wontons at the stall in the station square and sit for a while?”  

“Didn’t we just have breakfast?”  

“Maybe I’m just too young—I get hungry as soon as I move. Come on, keep me company.”  

After storing their luggage, Qian Lai let Liu Heqing drag her to the square.  

This was her first time experiencing a 1970s train station.  

Surprisingly, even a small wonton stall was unusually popular.  

While Liu Heqing queued, Qian Lai managed to secure two seats at a shared table.  

Their tablemates were two children. The older sister, about seven or eight, was feeding spoonfuls of wontons to her younger brother.  

The little boy, around two or three years old, was absolutely adorable!  

Qian Lai couldn’t help but study him closely.  

His round, chubby cheeks were rosy, and his large, sparkling eyes were framed by long, thick lashes like tiny brushes. His dark pupils gleamed.  

He looked just like a New Year’s painting doll!  

Noticing her smile, the boy grinned back, revealing two rows of tiny teeth.  

“You’re so cute!” Qian Lai couldn’t resist praising him.

The young girl raised her head, meeting her warm eyes but quickly tightened her little face, scolding her younger brother: “Wenquan, hurry up and eat. Stop looking around.”

She blew on a large dumpling before directly feeding it into the little boy’s mouth.

“Give him smaller bites, or he might choke,” Qian Lai advised the girl with a smile.

Just as she spoke, a woman suddenly shouted, “Hey! Are you blind?”

Qian Lai turned toward the sound.

Liu Heqing was being grabbed by the arm and questioned by a fashionable young woman, while the steaming hot wonton soup in her hand had already spilled all over the ground.

Qian Lai hurried over to take the bowl from her hands, and as she looked up, she bumped into a familiar face.

Short hair parted to the side, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses resting on a refined and fair face. A white shirt, dark trousers, and a book in hand.

This was someone she never wanted to see again in her life.

Qian Lai instinctively lowered her head, trying to avoid him.

But he spoke first, his voice gentle and composed: “Xiaonian, she didn’t do it on purpose.”

Yet his gaze was fixed directly on Qian Lai.

Avoiding his eyes, she quietly asked Heqing, “What happened?”

“I was holding the soup, and she insisted on pushing forward. As I turned, I bumped into her.”

“You bumped into me and ruined my brand-new dress. You have to pay for it! I bought this at the department store in the capital.”

The girl stood with a condescending air, looking like she wouldn’t back down.

“It wasn’t me who bumped into her—she forced her way through and hit me…”

“Enough, Xiaonian.” The man’s eyes carried a hint of authority.

The girl reluctantly fell silent.

Qian Lai just wanted to quickly escape his line of sight and said placatingly, “It’s crowded here, whether it was intentional or not. We’re sorry about your dress. If you don’t mind, let me treat you to some wontons.”

As she spoke, she pulled out enough money for two bowls of wontons from her pocket and handed it to the girl.

“Who wants your treat? My dress is worth way more than this.”

Though slightly mollified, the girl was still resentful.

“No need, no need. My friend was just in a hurry. Young lady, are you burned?”

The man took the money and handed it back to Qian Lai.

She didn’t take it, only whispering to Heqing, “Let’s finish eating quickly and leave.”

The man held the money, forgetting to return it.

Instead, he gazed at Qian Lai with tender affection.

Liu Heqing seemed to pick up on something and deliberately stepped between them. “Sis, let’s go. After eating, you still have to catch your train!”

“Miss, which train are you taking? Where are you heading…?” The man tried to ask, but the two sisters had already returned to their seats with their wontons.

Qian Lai wished Heqing would finish her food in one bite so they could leave as soon as possible.

She didn’t understand why Lu Ximing, who was supposed to appear in the original story only when they were in university, had shown up so early.

This time, she needed to stay far, far away from him.

In the original story, the protagonist had met Lu Ximing in college, succumbed to his relentless pursuit, and married him.

Little did she know, he was nothing but a hypocrite.

Outwardly, he cultivated the image of a refined and devoted husband, but behind the scenes, he forced her to attend endless parties, maneuvering among those gluttonous men like a socialite, night after night of debauchery.

He traded opportunities by exploiting her and making her suffer.

Even during her menstrual cycle, he wouldn’t allow her a moment’s rest.

Many business deals and resources were secured through the exchange of women.

Pitifully, the original protagonist’s meek nature left her seething in silence, unable to speak up.

In the eyes of the world, she was the respectable wife of a university professor, but behind closed doors, she was merely a humble bargaining chip.

What was even more infuriating was that he had registered a company in the original host’s name. On the surface, it made her appear as a wealthy woman, but in reality, she was saddled with massive debts on his behalf.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind: Since she had transmigrated into this book, she had already altered many of the original plot developments.

In this lifetime, Qian Xiaozhen was dead set against marrying into the Gu Family and was desperately trying to steal her university admission spot!

Was it possible… that she had been reborn?

“Little brother, little brother, what’s wrong with you?”

The cries of the little girl sitting beside her snapped Qian Lai out of her thoughts. Tears were already streaming down the child’s face in large droplets.

The little boy was frantically clawing at his throat, his small legs kicking wildly. He wanted to cry out but couldn’t make a sound.

His face was turning purple-red from suffocation.

Oh no! He was really choking!

Qian Lai quickly moved behind the boy and pulled him into her arms, soothing him gently, “Don’t panic, auntie will help you.”

She made a fist with one hand, positioned it just above the boy’s navel, and covered it with her other hand. Then she began applying quick, upward thrusts—one after another.

This was the first time she had used the Heimlich maneuver from her past life.

However, she lacked sufficient strength. After several attempts, she began losing her grip.

The boy’s incessant kicking made it increasingly difficult to hold him.

Her positioning wasn’t quite right either, greatly reducing the effectiveness.

The boy grew more frantic as the crowd around them swelled. Beads of sweat formed on Qian Lai’s forehead.

“Let me.” A tall figure emerged from the crowd like a savior.

A pair of hands clad in white gloves swiftly took the boy from her arms.

His movements were precise, his positioning accurate, and his strength sufficient. In just three or four thrusts, the boy let out a loud “wah!” and spat out an unchewed dumpling.

“Little brother, little brother. It’s okay now, it’s okay.”

The little girl tearfully pulled her brother into a tight hug, doing her best to comfort the terrified, sobbing child.

Qian Lai also exhaled in relief, wiping the sweat from her brow as she smiled up at the man beside her. “It really takes a man’s strength. Thank—”

Her smile froze the instant she saw his face.

“What a coincidence! We meet again!”

The man tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow at her with a smirk. His expression clearly said, “You can’t escape me now.”