“Heh, not only did she quickly sit in the back seat of the oil worker’s car, but she, she’s also ruined our Guozhu!” With a cry of sorrow, it was Aunt He Chun’er arriving again.

Pointing at Chen Lina, she said, “Guozhu sent a telegram back saying he regretted it and wants to come back to find you. If he leaves his post, he’ll lose his job. Lina, if Guozhu loses his job, I won’t let you off easily.”

The young educated youth standing nearby whistled and said, “Oh my, this is what you call playing both sides.”

What they didn’t know was that it was Nie Guozhu who had been joking.

He was the one who had initiated the breakup, but now regretted it and wanted to come back to reconcile.

How was this related to Chen Lina?

Chen Lina, stunned, watched as more and more people gathered around, but she felt too embarrassed to speak up and defend herself.

The young educated youth had been trying to court Chen Lina for a while, but since she didn’t take him seriously, he immediately joined in the ridicule.

Aunt He Chun’er was crying loudly, her voice so shrill that it seemed like she wanted to attract everyone in the village.

Just as Chen Lina was thinking that her marriage prospects with the man might be facing another setback, unexpectedly, the man spoke.

“Is that Nie Guozhu from Niejia Village? Aunt, I need to tell you that I met Chen Lina through an introduction. We both agreed willingly, and we’re already engaged. Once we’re engaged, we don’t go back on it. So, as for Nie Guozhu, you should advise him to go back to his unit. Even though it’s peacetime, the Sino-Soviet border is tense, and Chiang Kai-shek is making moves in Taiwan. This is not the time for a soldier to leave his post.”

“My Guozhu is a good man, and it’s all because of Chen Lina. Engineer Nie, you probably don’t know, but her family’s background is terrible. She’s a bad element,” Aunt He Chun’er had lost all shame at this point.

She didn’t even seem to care that Chen Lina was her niece.

“I don’t know what good or bad elements are. I only know that she is a simple, upward-looking, positive young woman,” Nie Bozhao stood by the river, tall and resolute, with clear and firm words.

Aunt He Chun’er continued, “Now they’re talking about family background. Her sister even had her marriage called off and was sent back to her parents’ house. Big Brother Nie, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

Before Nie Bozhao could respond, Chen Lina couldn’t hold back her anger anymore.

“Since Aunt says it’s all about family background now, I have a question for you. If our family is full of bad elements, how come you’ve eaten so much of our rice and used so much of our oil? You’ve consumed things from bad elements—what does that make you?”

“I… I paid it back, didn’t I?” Aunt He Chun’er stammered.

“Oh, I gave you fifty pounds of high-quality flour, and you returned two pounds of inferior flour. Is that repayment? My mother sent you a pig for the New Year, and you gave us back only two pounds of meat. Is that repayment? I feel like you’re worse than a bad element!” Chen Lina retorted.

“Isn’t that the truth? You always see He Lan’er crossing the bridge, taking things to Aunt He Chun’er’s house, but I’ve never seen Aunt He Chun’er give anything back to He Lan’er. Is that what you call sisters?” One of the women in the crowd quietly commented.

“Yeah, sisters should have a big heart, but He Chun’er’s heart is small.” Another woman whispered.

Soon, everyone was gossiping about the two sisters, He Chun’er and He Lan’er.

“Comrade Xiao Chen, since our marriage is set, I’ll never go back on it. Get ready, I’ll come to marry you tomorrow morning,” Nie Bozhao said loudly and clearly, making sure that everyone present knew he had already decided on his wife.

As he spoke, he walked through the crowd and personally escorted Chen Lina to her home.

He took a pair of shoes from the back seat and handed them to her, saying, “These shoes are for the children. Take them back, and bring them tomorrow morning. That way, the children will be more willing to accept you. After all, they think they’re just getting a nanny.”

By having her take the shoes, which the children needed most, it would increase their affection for her.

Among men, he was indeed rare in being so thoughtful.

Chen Lina quickly waved her hand, “No need, you should take these shoes back and give them to the children. Now that we’re married, they’re my children, and I know how to treat them.”

Thinking of the children’s cracked heels, Nie Bozhao didn’t insist and prepared to leave.

Just then, Chen Lina called him back.

Chen Lina, with a blush rising on her fair face, became quite endearing in her nervousness as she said, “Comrade Nie, there’s something I need to confess.” Her expression was somewhat vacant, but it only added to her charm, making her look irresistibly cute.

How should she say it?

In her past life, when she and Nie Bozhao got married, it had been a second marriage for both of them, and neither held any grudges about it.

But she still clearly remembered her first night with Nie Guozhu, when she didn’t have any bloodstains.

According to tradition, a woman’s first night should involve some blood, but hers didn’t.

Of course, Chen Lina was innocent.

She had never been with any other man besides Nie Guozhu.

Her hands had never held anyone else’s, so how could she have lost her virginity?

But somehow, it just didn’t happen.

After years of speculation, she finally recalled an incident from her childhood when she had been mischievous and climbed a apricot tree.

She must have lost her virginity then, though it didn’t seem to make sense.

Now, in this life, she was about to marry for the first time, so she decided to be honest with Nie Bozhao.

She looked up at him and said, “I need to tell you something. When I was young, I used to climb trees, and one time I lost my… virginity. My father told my cousin about it, but he didn’t believe it, thinking I’d been messing around. That’s why he broke off the marriage. But you, Comrade Nie, you’re educated, so you’ll understand, right? If you don’t believe me, I can show you the apricot tree in my backyard.”

That apricot tree, which had taken her innocence, still stood in the backyard.

Nie Bozhao, tall, handsome, and impeccably dressed, stood there stunned, his legs frozen next to his bike.

He seemed to be processing what she said, his face shifting from surprise to a more serious expression.

Chen Lina instinctively took a step back.

Did he think she had been involved with her cousin, Nie Guozhu, and that’s why she lost her virginity?

Especially since her aunt had just made a fuss earlier.

Nie Bozhao, though, slowly stepped closer and said seriously, “First, I believe you. But you can never speak of this again, do you understand?”

Chen Lina, slightly taken aback, nodded, unsure whether she should have even brought it up.

“You’re still a young woman. If others hear this, it could harm your reputation. Remember that,” he added with a stern look, glancing around as if making sure no one was eavesdropping. “Let’s go inside now. And remember, wake up early tomorrow.”

With that, he climbed back on his bike and pedaled away, leaving Chen Lina standing there, chuckling to herself.

See? This man was so different from Nie Guozhu.

She understood now why she was willing to marry him, but not her cousin.

The next morning, Nie Bozhao, his mother, and Nie’s second brother personally came to Chen’s family to pick her up.

“Girl, the Nie family didn’t even slaughter a pig for the wedding and there’s no banquet. Are you really going to marry him?” Hu Lan’er asked, her heart sinking as she saw only Nie’s mother, and Nie’s older and second brother coming to fetch her.

Chen Lina, a little exasperated, replied, “If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it, Mom. Don’t worry. I’m going.” She wrapped her gray scarf around her head and headed out the door.

Chen’s father tried to stop them.

“Bozhao, I know that modern weddings are simple, but this is too simple, don’t you think?” he said, glancing at the meager dowry. The three basins stacked on top of each other, all carried by Nie’s second brother, seemed to confirm the lack of ceremony.

“Uncle, I’m rushing back to report to work, so we couldn’t have a lavish wedding. But don’t worry, as long as Comrade Chen Lina is willing to follow me, I promise, just like Marx and Lenin said, I will treat her well for the rest of my life.” Nie Bozhao’s response was formal and eloquent, though it seemed to lighten the mood when he looked over at Chen’s second daughter, who was trying to hide a smile.

Though Chen Lina hadn’t dressed up much for the occasion—wearing the same army green coat as yesterday, with a red badge pinned to her chest—she was still quite beautiful, her features sharp and striking, though her awkwardness made her seem a bit silly.

She grinned, remembering how different he was from Nie Guozhu.

Perhaps that was why she had decided to marry him instead of her cousin.

“Dad, he’ll treat me well,” Chen Lina said, tugging at her father’s sleeve. “It’s fine. Don’t worry, I’ll write to you when I’m at the border.”

“If he hits you or yells at you, you let me know. I’ll come to the border by train and sort him out,” her father added, speaking loudly enough for the Nie family to hear.

“I’ll take good care of her, Uncle. When the time comes, I’ll invite you to the border for a visit. If Comrade Chen Lina isn’t satisfied with anything, I will take full responsibility,” Nie Bozhao said formally, making Chen’s father chuckle.

“Well, you don’t have to go that far. Just treat her well, and I’ll be at peace,” he said.

As Chen Lina left, her mother, still holding her husband’s hand, looked at their daughter with mixed emotions.

Her heart ached, seeing her daughter head off to such a faraway place.

When they arrived at the Nie family’s house, the three kids stood neatly by the door, and Huang Hulian gave an order. “Call her Mom.’”

The kids reluctantly complied.

Nie Weimin, the oldest, however, just stood there, sullen, his face turning pale with frustration.

He probably felt betrayed—how could this woman suddenly be his new mother when he had only expected a nanny?

After all, he was the only one who still remembered his real mother, and calling this woman “Mom” felt like a betrayal to her.

Chen Lina looked down at the three pairs of shoes.

Each child had a new pair, perfectly sized.

It was clear that her judgment had been spot on.

“Thank you, Comrade Chen,” Nie Bozhao said, looking at the shoes with satisfaction. “These shoes fit perfectly.”

Chen Lina raised an eyebrow.

The tall, serious-looking man reminded her of a youth with a mix of idealism and old-fashioned, bureaucratic mannerisms.