Chapter 32.2

At the same time,

Shao Zheng, whose only cousin was getting married and who hadn’t had a break in over two years, had submitted a leave request to visit his family.

Upon hearing the news, Chu Wuwen came to his dormitory, saying he wanted to take him out for a farewell meal.

Shao Zheng was packing his bags when he heard this and teasingly asked, “Are you making it yourself?”

Chu Wuwen, clearly annoyed, shot back, “Have some shame! Am I your wife or something? Why would I make it myself? Wouldn’t you be embarrassed? Just go to the cafeteria and cook a couple of dishes, is that too much of a hassle?”

“That’s what I should be saying! Are you out of your mind? What I meant was, if you’re making it, then I’m not coming! You know how bad your cooking skills are, don’t you?” Shao Zheng rolled his eyes, showing no trace of his usual charming demeanor.

“Cough, cough… So, are we going to the cafeteria or not?” Chu Wuwen asked, his neck stiff with irritation.

Shao Zheng laughed, “Let’s go! If it’s free, I’m eating!”

“Tsk… this face, it really should be shown to those sisters-in-law who want to set you up with someone.”

“You’re mistaken. This is called being frugal and managing the household well. Do you understand saving up for a wife?” Shao Zheng said as he put the keys in his pocket and walked out first.

Seeing this, Chu Wuwen also followed him out and asked while he locked the door, “When’s the ticket?”

“Not sure yet. It depends on the signatures from the division leader. It’s probably for tomorrow afternoon,” Shao Zheng replied.

“Are you going back for a blind date this time?”

“Probably.” Shao Zheng, at 26 years old, didn’t mind blind dates. After all, even if he married today, it would still be considered late marriage.

His family had insisted that he go back for his cousin’s wedding, and it was clear they had arranged a blind date for him.

He hadn’t accepted matchmaking in the past because he felt he wasn’t ready in every aspect.

But now, in terms of age, career, and mindset, Shao Zheng felt he was ready to embrace marriage.

Especially after seeing his good friend’s happy marriage, he couldn’t help but feel expectations for his future partner.

Chu Wuwen patted his friend’s shoulder and, as someone who had been through it, shared his advice: “Go ahead and give it a try. If you don’t like them, don’t force it. But if you do, you’ve got to be thick-skinned and take action when the time is right.”

Shao Zheng, who had never liked anyone, seriously asked, “How do you know if you like them?”

“It’s hard to explain. It’s just when you meet that person, your heart will have the answer.”

“Really? Sounds kind of mystical.” It didn’t sound very reliable to him.

Noticing Old Shao’s skepticism, Chu Wuwen quickly reassured him: “I’m serious. I’m not lying. The first time I saw my wife, Yuegui, I’m not exaggerating—my heart almost jumped out of my throat. The whole world blurred, and all I could see was her.”

“Impossible. You’re definitely lying to me.” Shao Zheng rubbed his arm, thinking his friend had gone crazy.

He couldn’t understand—dating could make your heart weak and your eyes blurry? It sounded so strange.

His heart was perfectly healthy. How could it possibly race to his throat just because of a female comrade?

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

Shao Zheng had never imagined that the slap in the face would come so quickly.

After his family’s visit application was approved, he immediately bought the next available train ticket.

It would take more than four days to travel from the Military Unit to J City.

Because he had booked his ticket at the last minute, he couldn’t get a sleeper.

The hard seat environment was poor, but it was nothing compared to the hardships of training and combat. After all, it was only a few days. It wasn’t much at all.

So, when the train finally arrived at J City a few days later, and most passengers were looking pale and tired, Shao Zheng stood out in the crowd.

With his tall and straight figure, handsome appearance, and energetic demeanor, he was especially eye-catching.

He had long been used to the attention from others. Even though the murmurs were close by, he didn’t linger on them.

What interested him more at that moment was the subway, which had only been operational since 1971.

The last time he had been to J City, the subway was still under construction, but now it had been open for over two years.

Though the latest newspaper reported that service had been temporarily suspended due to military preparedness, he still wanted to take a look.

It was part of his hometown’s great development, and he could visit it before heading home.

With this thought, Shao Zheng quickened his pace and soon left the train station.

Then… he spotted a familiar face.

He stopped, looking at the tall figure leaning against a jeep nearby, wearing a military uniform, arms crossed, locking eyes with him. He asked in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

Shao Qiong, who spent most of her time outdoors, had a healthy tan that made her already sharp features look even more resolute. She lowered her arms and frowned, replying, “What do you mean, not free? Are you leaving or not?”

Shao Zheng was momentarily caught off guard, then walked over. He tossed his luggage into the backseat before looking at his cousin, whose hair was even shorter than his own. “I remember your wedding is the day after tomorrow, right? Aren’t you busy?”

“What’s there to be busy about with a wedding? You’ve got your Brother-in-law for that,” Shao Qiong said without rushing to get in the car. She bent down, grabbed a water bottle, and tossed it to her younger brother.

Shao Zheng was indeed a little thirsty, so he unscrewed the cap and took a big gulp.

At that moment, the bus fare collector, not far away, shouted that the bus was about to depart, signaling those who hadn’t gotten on to hurry up.

When Shao Zheng put the water bottle down, he instinctively glanced in the direction of the voice.

And then…

His expression froze in surprise.

Not far away, by the bus window, there was a girl—her features so delicate and beautiful, she seemed almost unreal, like she didn’t belong to this world—staring right at him.

“What’s wrong?” Shao Qiong asked curiously.

Shao Zheng didn’t hear his cousin’s question. His gaze followed the moving bus without thinking.

Until the girl inside the bus, with her rosy cheeks like jade, curved her brows at him.

Shao Zheng blinked, confused.

Just now… it seemed like he saw a hundred flowers blooming right in front of him.

Shao Qiong stood next to her brother and followed his line of sight, but all she saw was the bus driving off into the distance. She frowned, “What exactly happened?”

Shao Zheng slowly placed his hand over his chest, feeling a bit dazed. “My heart… just now, it felt like it was about to jump out of my throat.”

“What? Are you sick?” Shao Qiong asked with concern, looking him up and down.

Shao Zheng didn’t reply. Instead, he mumbled, almost to himself, “So… Old Chen was right.”

“What was right?” Shao Qiong, still confused, clenched her fist, looking like she was about to force the answer out of her brother if he kept being vague.

In the past, as soon as Shao Qiong made that move, Shao Zheng would surrender, after all, the female “Tyrannosaurus Rex” was far too strong to be provoked.

But this time, the impact was a little too much for him. Suddenly, as if recalling something, the man turned around and quickly ran toward the communication room at the train station.

“Hey! What’s wrong with you?” Though Shao Qiong’s words were harsh, he still couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He locked the car and hurriedly followed after him.

“Old Chen, I think I’ve encountered the situation you mentioned,” Shao Zheng spoke urgently as soon as the call connected.

But to his surprise, Chu Wuwen was even more anxious than him: “What do you mean, ‘encountered’? Hey! Wait, let’s hold on. You’ve arrived in J City, right?”

Shao Zheng was about to ask for more details when Old Chen’s anxious tone interrupted his words. He frowned, “I’ve arrived. What’s going on? Did something happen?”

Chu Wuwen let out a huge sigh of relief: “My old man called me this morning. He’s been fully exonerated. The higher-ups have already sent a car to pick him up and bring him back to N City with Aunt Mo. Yuyu and the others don’t have to go to the frontier anymore.”

Shao Zheng was stunned by the unexpected coincidence. He quickly replied, “I remember you told me the transfer ticket you bought for them was for September 2nd, right? Today is September 1st.”

“Yeah, thankfully, I didn’t manage to get a sleeper ticket for today, or they would’ve missed the train. Yuyu and the fourth will have to stay in J City for the night. Old Shao, could you help me out and look for them at the guesthouse near the train station?”

Shao Zheng readily agreed, “Alright! I’ll go right away. I’ll find them and take them home first, then we’ll figure out the next steps.”

“Thanks, bro, you’ve really helped me a lot!”

“No need for thanks. Yuyu and the fourth are also my sister-in-law and brother-in-law.”

This time, Chu Wuwen didn’t indulge in childish banter. His mood lightened, and he suddenly remembered it was his brother who had called him: “What did you want from me? You said you encountered something?”

Hearing this, Shao Zheng instinctively touched his chest: “I just… encountered what you mentioned. It was like my heart was about to jump out of my throat.”

Chu Wuwen was startled. His shoulders, which had just relaxed, immediately stiffened, and his curiosity spiked: “Seriously? Who was it?”

Shao Zheng shook his head, realizing belatedly that he didn’t actually know the person: “I don’t know her. It was just… a fleeting glance.”

Now, it was Chu Wuwen’s turn to feel goosebumps on his arms. But since it was about his brother’s lifelong matter, he suppressed the shivers and eagerly offered his advice: “Don’t worry, with your abilities, finding her won’t be hard. But… are you sure? Besides the fast heartbeat, did you have any other reactions?”

“She… smiled at me. No exaggeration, for that instant, I thought I saw flowers blooming everywhere.”

“Sss~ My goosebumps, bro, your situation is a bit serious,” Chu Wuwen remarked.

Shao Zheng, with a sincere expression, asked, “So… does this mean I like her?”

“Definitely! With all that going on, if it’s not love, then what is it? Trust me, go find her. If she’s single, I suggest you gather up your courage and go for it! Don’t let pride hold you back, understand?”

Although it seemed a bit unreliable, as someone who had never been in love before, Shao Zheng didn’t know what to do and decided to take his brother’s words as solid advice.

Of course, Shao Zheng realized that his situation wasn’t quite right, and he needed time to calm down and think before making any decisions.

After all, he was a proper soldier!

On the side, Shao Qiong, who had been watching the whole time, looked at his younger brother as if he were a fool.

So… love at first sight! Something that could be summed up in four words, yet why did he have to make it so complicated?

At the guesthouse.

The siblings got two adjacent rooms.

Chen Jun, who was usually unreliable, had shown exceptional caution during this trip.

Not only had he kept a close eye on his sister on the train, but when they arrived at the guesthouse, he also wisely chose two rooms against the wall.

After settling his sister in the innermost room, Chen Jun couldn’t help but ask, “Little Six, what were you laughing at on the bus just now?”

Chen Nongmo, who had been rummaging through the room looking for the tea jar and wash basin to clean them with hot water, curled her lips in response, “You probably don’t want to know.”

Actually, there wasn’t much to it. It was just that, while on the bus, she had glanced at a man in military uniform and, instinctively, she looked at him a few more times.

She was surprised to find that he was quite handsome. Well… a type of handsomeness that matched her taste, so she ended up staring at him a bit more.

Chen Nongmo liked scholarly men, especially those with narrow eyes and high, straight noses.

Of course, it was just an appreciation of something beautiful.

So when he looked her way, she could smile at him openly without hesitation.

“You’re acting strange. What are you hiding from me?” Chen Jun grew more convinced that his sister was concealing something when he saw her smiling again. After checking the entire room and making sure there was no issue, he walked over and pressed her again.

“I told you, you’ll be angry!”

“I won’t be angry!”

“I don’t believe you!”

“Ah! Hurry up, you’re driving me crazy. If I say I won’t be angry, I really won’t be angry!”

“Hahahaha~ I said…” Just as Chen Nongmo teased her fourth brother into pulling his hair in frustration, someone knocked on the door.

Being closest, she instinctively asked, “Who is it?”

A gentle, clear, and pleasant male voice came from outside: “Yuyu? It’s Shao Zheng. Is the fourth one there as well?”

The siblings inside exchanged a glance. They immediately recognized that it was indeed Shao Zheng’s voice.

Chen Jun furrowed his brows. He took a step forward to block his sister before opening the door.

They had met about six or seven years ago.

Chen Jun had changed drastically, but Shao Zheng hadn’t changed that much. He stared at the man at the door for quite some time before asking in surprise, “Is it really you, Shao Zheng? What are you doing here?”

Shao Zheng didn’t rush to answer. Instead, he smiled and said, “Aren’t you going to invite me in? Where’s Yuyu?”

Chen Nongmo poked her head out from behind her tall fourth brother and, with a smile in her eyes, called out, “Shao Zheng…”

When she saw the man clearly, the words she was about to say were stuck in her throat, and her eyes slowly widened in surprise…

This… was too much of a coincidence, wasn’t it?

Seeing Yuyu, Shao Zheng’s reaction was even more intense—one could say his pupils were in complete shock.

Chen Jun looked from one to the other, his confusion growing. Finally, he asked the man, who seemed dazed and as if he might faint at any moment, “Shao Zheng? What’s wrong with you?”

Shao Zheng…

Snapping back to his senses, Shao Zheng suddenly covered his face, “Wait… give me a moment… let me collect myself…”

He was a decent man!

He truly wasn’t an animal!!!