Chapter 6
This childhood marriage didn’t seem so hard to resist after all.

Three hours ago.

Lu Wei had just completed his task in the city of Shanghai and immediately drove toward Xitang Town without any delay.

Before this, he had spoken with the old man over the phone. The old man had originally planned to come with him to Xitang Town to help arrange this childhood marriage.

But Lu Wei was determined to have the old man cancel the engagement. He never intended to come to Xitang in the first place.

However, the old man had said, “If you want to refuse, you should come here yourself and apologize to them in person to make your stance clear. You want me to do something so dishonorable? Where am I supposed to put my old face? What will I say to my comrades after I’m gone?” After scolding him for a long while, he hung up the phone.

Thus, Lu Wei had no choice but to force himself to come.

He had known about the childhood marriage since he was very young.

But at some point, the old man had written many letters to his old comrade, none of which were ever replied to. After receiving no response, everyone had assumed that the engagement was effectively canceled.

Who knew that these past two years, because he was unwilling to find a partner, his grandfather somehow thought of the long-forgotten childhood betrothal and used many connections to track down his lost comrade.

Unexpectedly, they actually found him, and the childhood betrothal partner hadn’t even married yet.

Now, the graceful girl was standing in front of him, and Lu Wei felt an unfamiliar sense of unease.

When his gaze met Ye Zhi’s clear and lively eyes, it even made him feel a nervousness he’d never experienced before.

He had never had any experience dealing with such a delicate and soft-spoken girl.

At the very least, his experience with interacting one-on-one with such a person was almost zero.

He vaguely remembered trying once before, but he had made the girl cry.

Seeing the tears fall like pearls from her eyes after he had scolded her, he only felt annoyed.

He had grown up in the military district compound, surrounded by loud, rough men who weren’t very refined.

Though there were some female comrades, they didn’t often interact with him.

Later, when he attended the military academy, it was even more so, with only a few female doctors and nurses at the school hospital, and almost all the other students were men.

Now, seeing Ye Zhi, he couldn’t help but feel completely at a loss.

The two of them stood there, silent, and the atmosphere became heavy.

Lu Wei glanced at the clock on the wall, it was already 10:30.

Thinking of this, he handed her the tea that had been steeped earlier, saying, “I’ve already eaten. You should have some tea.”

Ye Zhi saw him stand up, slightly bending forward, so she also stood up, reaching out to take the enamel cup he handed her, offering a faint smile. “Thank you.”

Her fair skin contrasted sharply with his tanned fingers.

When her fingertips brushed against his skin, she felt a slight warmth.

Lu Wei lowered his eyes, watching her hurriedly take the enamel cup, her slender fingers gently resting on the cup’s edge, her round, soft fingertips pink and delicate, which made his eyes hurt a little. He gently curled his fingers that had just been brushed by hers.

Ye Zhi lifted the enamel cup, taking a small sip of tea. The fragrance of the tea instantly spread in her mouth, its sweetness flowing into her throat, soothing her dry heat.

After drinking, she gently set the cup back on the table.

She looked up at him and then said, “How about we introduce ourselves first?”

Although she didn’t know if this childhood betrothal would work out, they still had to follow the basic procedure.

“Okay, go ahead,” Lu Wei said, accustomed to direct communication. Hearing Ye Zhi’s straightforward words made his tense nerves relax a little.

Ye Zhi then stood up, her hands resting on the green skirt, looking at Lu Wei, who had also stood up in response.

“Let me introduce myself first. My name is Ye Zhi, Ye as in tree leaf, Zhi as in the herb Bai Zhi. I’m 23 this year, graduated from elementary school, and both my parents are still alive. I have three older brothers, and I’m the youngest…”

As she spoke, she kept an eye on Lu Wei’s expression.

Seeing that he didn’t show any signs of impatience, she continued slowly.

Ye Zhi’s soft and sweet voice scattered through the office like pearls falling onto a jade plate. She introduced her brothers, sisters-in-law, nephews, and nieces, as well as her current employment situation.

In reality, Ye Zhi was only 21, but in rural areas, age was often calculated according to traditional customs, so they counted her two years older.

Since last year, many people had started calling her “old girl” directly in front of her. She didn’t know if Lu Wei thought she was already old enough.

But Ye Zhi didn’t mind; from the moment she saw this Commander Lu, she had prepared herself mentally.

Someone as outstanding as Lu Wei probably wouldn’t accept a marriage arranged by the elders.

She withdrew her gaze and loosened the grip on her skirt, saying, “That’s my basic information.”

After hearing Ye Zhi’s concise self-introduction, Lu Wei didn’t hesitate either and introduced himself according to the content she mentioned.

“My name is Lu Wei, Lu as in land, Wei as in unique. I’m 25 years old, graduated from the Navy Academy, and my grandparents and parents are all still alive. I’m the only child in the family. I’m currently stationed in the Qiongzhou Construction Corps…”

Lu Wei stood straight, his clothes and trousers without a wrinkle. His sharp eyes were fixed on Ye Zhi as he spoke.

Serious and formal.

“That’s my basic information. If Comrade Ye wants to know anything else, feel free to ask.”

Ye Zhi, meeting his intense gaze, felt a bit dry in her mouth and throat.

If she were to ask, she’d want to directly inquire whether he agrees to this marriage.

But that clearly wasn’t appropriate.

And after hearing Lu Wei’s introduction, Ye Zhi felt more and more that this match wasn’t right.

Lu Wei came from a military family.

His father was the commander of a military district in a certain city, his mother was the deputy director of the military hospital, and even his grandfather was a retired soldier, at least a major general.

Not to mention his excellent family background, just his looks alone had many young girls chasing after him.

This sought-after catch, whether in books or in reality, seemed impossible to fall into her hands.

Ye Zhi just considered him another friend to make.

She smiled at him, showing a shallow dimple on her left cheek, and said, “Comrade Lu, I’ve got everything figured out.”

This meant she had no more questions or things to say.

At this point, she felt more relaxed and wasn’t as nervous anymore.

Lu Wei watched the shy yet gentle smile on Ye Zhi’s lips. His long-still heart felt like a small deer suddenly charging around wildly.

Especially the little dimple she had when she smiled, which added a playful and cute touch to her beauty.

Two words suddenly came to his mind:

Dimples and a smile, a smile that could topple a city.

He used to hear his comrades in the army talk about how beautiful someone was or how good-looking someone was, but he never really saw the appeal.

To him, they were all just girls with two braids, nothing special.

There were indeed some good-looking girls, but none had made Lu Wei look twice.

Yet here, with Ye Zhi, even when she unknowingly clenched her skirt or gently bit her lip, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

A strange feeling flashed across him.

It made him feel a powerless sense of losing control.

He finally understood the excitement his comrades felt when they saw a beautiful girl.

Ye Zhi was the first person to make him experience that feeling.

The office grew quiet again, but the noise outside the door continued.

Ye Zhi glanced at the clock and then suggested, “Comrade Lu, since you’re here in Xitang Town, why don’t I show you around?”

It was already eleven, so after a quick tour, they could even have a meal together.

Although she knew Lu Wei would not agree to the marriage, Ye Zhi still wanted to make another excellent friend.

The importance of connections is useful in any era.

It would also leave a good impression on him.

Their small town, though currently backward and poor, would become a tourist hotspot in the future.

The water town of Jiangnan was picturesque and beautiful.

If Ye Zhi had a camera, she could sit by the small bridge every day, watching the flowing water and the rising mist.

Lu Wei, hearing Ye Zhi’s suggestion, was tempted to agree.

But this trip was added at the last minute, and he had another task to return to in Shanghai.

Moreover, Ye Zhi’s suggestion to go out, did it mean she was willing to go along with the marriage?

That thought flashed through his mind, and Lu Wei immediately felt inexplicably happy.

But Lu Wei had to respond with a forced smile, “Sorry, Comrade Ye, I have an important task this afternoon.”

Lu Wei had grown impatient being in this office for so long.

He had heard a group of people gossiping outside, and some were even eavesdropping at the window.

If he were in the army, he would have made those eavesdroppers run laps by now.

Twenty laps at the minimum.

But now, in Ye Zhi’s hometown, he couldn’t afford to be rude.

Ye Zhi had already guessed that Lu Wei would say this.

She had just seen a Shanghai Jeep parked outside the commune.

It was probably Lu Wei’s, and he must have been pressured by Old Master Lu to come here for a visit, just as a formality for the family.

Ye Zhi smiled even more brightly, understanding, “It’s fine, the mission is more important. The scenery can be enjoyed anytime.”

Military orders are like mountains, of course, the task assigned by the organization was far more important than anything else.

Lu Wei nodded, and as he looked at Ye Zhi, whose eyes were filled with a gentle smile, he could clearly see his own reflection in her sparkling eyes. Her cheeks, perhaps from the hot weather, had a layer of pink, and her lips were slightly parted in an unspoken charm, making her look like a figure from a painting.

Suddenly, Lu Wei felt his heart race, his mouth dry.

He muttered softly, “Comrade Ye, thank you for your understanding.”

Ye Zhi replied, “Since you have a task, you should go back early and not waste any time.”

Lu Wei glanced at the clock, knowing he couldn’t stay any longer.

He said, “Okay, I’ll leave now.”

Ye Zhi responded, “Mm, I wish Comrade Lu a safe journey.”

Ye Zhi wasn’t particularly disappointed, and in fact, felt a little relieved.

She did feel a bit of melancholy, though, as the lobster, abalone, and crabs she had been craving for days seemed to be leaving her…

Lu Wei took the military uniform from the couch without hesitation and walked toward the door.

Just as his hand was about to grip the doorknob, Lu Wei paused.

For some reason, he felt as though he was losing something as he was about to leave.

That sharp, aching feeling was both unfamiliar and tormenting.

Then, Lu Wei turned around, seeing Ye Zhi’s seemingly disappointed expression. His lips parted slightly, and he said, “Comrade Ye, can you wait for me for two days?”

“If possible, I’ll come back in two days.”

Ye Zhi saw Lu Wei turn back and, without time to guess his intentions, nodded, “You’re always welcome to come.”

My lobster, abalone, and crabs.

Lu Wei, hearing Ye Zhi’s response, no longer hesitated. He pressed the doorknob and pushed the door open.

In the bright light, his smile was fully visible.

It seemed that this childhood betrothal wasn’t as unappealing as it seemed.