The next day, the militia training Su Rui had been looking forward to finally began.

“Si’er.”

“Here here here here here here here here here!”

“Wanzi.”

“Mm, almost done eating. Cough cough.“

“Old Lady Ah Xi!”

“Eh, keep your voice down, I’m still catching my breath.”

Twice a week, the militia held training sessions. Acting as the temporary team leader, Su Rui finished roll call and closed the register.

All around her, other militia teams were shouting their training chants. The entire field was filled with robust women wielding wooden sticks, practicing with fierce energy.

Meanwhile, she faced her own team: an excited fool, a six-year-old child, and a seventy-year-old lady.

Today, no one wandered off, no one got smacked on the butt, and no one was gasping for breath. She was quite satisfied with her ragtag group of the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled.

At last, everyone was present. Hehe.

Tying a scarf around her head, Su Rui tried to put on a serious expression. She pointed at the sugarcane set aside and said to them, “Wait for my dad to come back and carve your sticks. For now, use the sugarcane to practice.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the fool Si’er and Wanzi pounced on the thickest sugarcane, scrambling to grab it.

In the end, Si’er, having eaten white rice for twenty years, had more strength and won the thickest cane.

Wanzi settled for the second thickest one, while Old Lady Ah Xi got the thinnest.

“No chewing! After practice, I’m taking them back. Auntie Shen needs them to sell!” Su Rui sternly stopped Si’er, who was already grinding her teeth against the cane, and shot a warning glare at Wanzi.

“Hug your sugarcane and squat in a horse stance.” Su Rui led by example, her stance rock-solid as she patted her own legs to demonstrate.

Si’er was obedient, but no matter how she tried, her stance was always wrong, so Su Rui had to reposition her little by little.

Wanzi was quick to learn, getting it right instantly, but she kept eyeing the sugarcane and swallowing her saliva.

“Old Lady Ah Xi, you just hold onto your sugarcane and stand still. Five minutes… No, three minutes is enough.” Su Rui was genuinely worried she might collapse.

After that, Su Rui performed the staff routine she had been practicing these past few days. She moved with full energy, swinging the staff and leaping like a skilled warrior. She exuded the proud aura of a rural martial arts elite.

When training ended, Su Rui instructed the younger ones to help Old Lady Ah Xi to the village committee to wait for the communal meal. Just as she was about to leave, Brother-in-law Chen called out to her.

He was the husband of Chen Xianglan’s eldest sister. At home, he treated Chen Xianglan well and was an excellent homemaker. But outside… he had a tendency to meddle in everything.

“Brother-in-law Chen, what do you need?” Su Rui took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off her chin while carefully inspecting each sugarcane for bite marks.

Brother-in-law Chen had fair skin and had been well taken care of by Chen Xianglan’s eldest sister all these years. Recently, his younger brother had come to visit. Seeing that the once-looked-down-upon son-in-law was living comfortably in Xiaoba Village, the younger brother grew envious.

Unable to afford a bride price, the younger brother started making a fuss about becoming a live-in son-in-law instead. He had attempted suicide twice—once by hanging and once by jumping into a river. Their parents eventually gave in.

“Here’s the thing,” Brother-in-law Chen squatted beside Su Rui, pretending to help check the sugarcane. With a friendly smile, he said, “My younger brother is turning seventeen after the New Year. Our family wants to find him a wife.”

Su Rui immediately perked up, dropping the sugarcane. “Is he good-looking?”

Brother-in-law Chen grinned. “Of course! He’s the most handsome one in our family.”

Su Rui asked again, “What’s his education level?”

Brother-in-law Chen replied, “Third grade in elementary school.”

Su Rui’s heart sank.

Brother-in-law Chen quickly tried to make up for it, saying, “He’s very diligent at home. Besides the collective farmland, he also grows soybeans and castor plants in our yard’s private plot. We never run out of oil ration tickets every year.”

“He knows how to manage a household.”

Su Rui’s heart fluttered slightly, like a cat scratching at it. She kept her composure and asked calmly, “Does he treat his parents well?”

“Since I got married, he has been the one taking care of our parents. He does farm work, cooks, washes clothes, and keeps the house in order—all by himself.”

Su Rui felt a tug in her heart but kept a neutral face. She asked casually, “Does your brother have any conditions?”

Sensing a chance, Brother-in-law Chen lowered his voice and said, “The bride price is the same as mine—one hundred yuan. No other conditions, except for one: the couple must live separately from the in-laws.”

What? Separate households?

“Then what about my dad?”

“Doesn’t your dad still have two stepdaughters? He, like me, is a live-in son-in-law. In life, he belongs to your stepmother. In death, he’ll be her ghost. There’s no way he’ll go with you.”

Su Rui stood up, hugging her sugarcane. “Living separately is out of the question!”

Brother-in-law Chen stood up too. “Your family has so many people. You can’t expect him to marry in and serve the whole lot, can you?”

Su Rui said, “If I marry someone in, I’ll take care of him myself. But separating households is impossible—I have to care for my dad in his old age.”

Brother-in-law Chen asked, “No room for negotiation?”

Su Rui replied firmly, “None.”

Brother-in-law Chen spat on the ground and said angrily, “Forget it. Consider this conversation never happened.”

“Fine by me.” Su Rui wasn’t interested anyway. A third-grade education? What if they had a daughter in the future? It might affect her intelligence.

Brother-in-law Chen walked a few steps, then suddenly turned back with a smile, his expression changing as quickly as flipping a page. “If you change your mind, let me know soon. My brother is in high demand in this village.”

Su Rui rolled her eyes at the sky.

Wanting to separate from the family before even marrying in? What a troublemaker—better to steer clear!

When Su Rui returned home, Su Yuqin was feeding the chickens in the courtyard.

Seeing her come back, she slammed down the feeding bowl and said, “I went to the brigade today, and Guo Qingwang’s face was sour the whole time. Look at the mess you’ve made. Our family is definitely going to be targeted now!”

Su Rui knew she was just upset on her behalf for showing off. Seeing Su Yuqin fuming, Su Rui instead felt cheerful. She grinned and said, “Didn’t you see? When I was working today, the women were so grateful to me that they even wanted to treat me to meat.”

Su Yuqin, frustrated by her carefree attitude, picked up the bowl and stormed off.

**

A thousand miles away, at the Sichuan-Hunan military district’s main camp.

A convoy of military vehicles slowly drove through the camp’s gates. The bodies of the vehicles were riddled with bullet holes, and from a distance, the soldiers still carried a lingering aura of battle.

The perilous mission had finally been completed perfectly. Even the higher-ups found it hard to believe after receiving the report.

But this was Fang Chiye’s unit—the ever-victorious Qilin Unit—which made everything make sense.

Upon their return, Fang Chiye ordered the soldiers to rest while he immediately immersed himself in handling the accumulated military affairs at the camp.

His partner, Regimental Political Commissar Qin Shan, pushed open the office door and walked in with a stack of documents in his hand.

Fang Chiye was signing papers without looking up. “If it’s not urgent, deal with it tomorrow.”

Qin Shan was a tall and burly man, but he was meticulous and sharp—otherwise, he wouldn’t have become Fang Chiye’s trusted battle companion.

Flashing a broad grin, he placed the documents on the desk with a slap. “Two things.”

“Speak.”

Qin Shan sat across from Fang Chiye, unfazed by his attitude, and said, “Captain Fang wants you to settle your personal matters soon. He has already spoken with the organization, so there should be some matchmaking arrangements coming up.”

“Not going.”

“You won’t be able to avoid it.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

Qin Shan had expected this response, so he changed the subject. “On the way back, I saw the soldiers from the second communications squad scrambling over a letter. When I asked, no one admitted it was theirs, so I confiscated it.”

Did something this trivial really need to be brought up?

Fang Chiye finally looked up, revealing a face with sharp, striking features. His phoenix eyes narrowed as he said, “Just say it straight.”

Qin Shan still remembered the first time he met Fang Chiye. Back then, he thought Fang Chiye’s devastatingly handsome face made him look more like a spoiled rich kid than a soldier, yet he had been assigned to lead the regiment’s armed forces. Qin Shan was unconvinced.

At that time, he was young and didn’t know how to hide his thoughts. But after being taken down twenty times in a row by Fang Chiye in hand-to-hand combat, he had no choice but to accept it. Over the years, they had developed a flawless partnership, becoming one of the most renowned duos in the country’s military forces.

Qin Shan rubbed his nose. In the end, fists spoke louder than words. Who would willingly take the backseat otherwise? After all these years, following Fang Chiye had earned him numerous military achievements, and he had come to truly respect him.

“Take a look at this photo.” Qin Shan pulled it out again, still clicking his tongue in amazement. “They were fighting over this.”

“What’s so special about a photo—” Fang Chiye had rarely heard Qin Shan speak this way. He glanced over, and his gaze froze.

The young woman in the photograph was breathtaking, like a fairy descending to the mortal world. She wore a military cap, resembling a flower bud kissed by morning dew. When she smiled, the corners of her lips curved delicately, carrying a hint of shyness. She possessed the simple, wholesome charm and beauty that soldiers admired most.

Fang Chiye steadied himself and looked up at Qin Shan, who was watching his reaction closely. He said indifferently, “She’s not that special.”

Qin Shan was impressed. As expected of a man of unwavering resolve—he wouldn’t be swayed by just a photograph.

He was about to put the picture away when Fang Chiye pressed it down.

“What’s this?” Qin Shan chuckled. “Weren’t you the one saying you were dedicating your life to the revolution and firmly against marriage?”

Fang Chiye said flatly, “What are you thinking?” He remained expressionless as he continued, “Repeat where this photo came from.”

Qin Shan pointed at the envelope’s address. “Xiao Zhuo checked it. The address is correct. It was mistakenly sent from Suhua Township.”

“The same Suhua Township where they’re planning to build a military hydroelectric station?”

“Yeah.”

Now that was a sensitive matter.

A section of Suhua Township had already been designated as a military-controlled zone, and troops had been sent there in advance.

The higher-ups were struggling to decide who should take on this difficult and risky mission. If done well, it would be a great military achievement. If done poorly, it could expose the true purpose of the hydroelectric station to enemy spies, affecting the entire district’s strategic positioning.

And now, a random photograph of a beautiful woman had suddenly appeared. Anyone would find that suspicious.

Fang Chiye frowned. “A misdelivery? If it was truly misdelivered, why would they fight over it like that?”

Qin Shan also felt something was off. It wasn’t like a Lin Daiyu had fallen from the sky—how could such a ridiculous mix-up happen?

Fang Chiye unfolded the letter and read through its contents.

The handwriting was round and childish, neither properly horizontal nor vertical, unlike the standard clerical script people commonly used in this era.

For someone as delicate and beautiful as the woman in the photo, the contents of the letter were surprisingly normal, but the writing felt rushed and careless, as if it had been scribbled down just to get it over with.

All in all, the letter seemed normal—but within that normalcy, there was a hint of something off, and within that strangeness, there was a trace of madness.

Qin Shan had also read the letter, so he remarked, “It’s a matchmaking letter.”

It wasn’t uncommon for the military to receive matchmaking letters from the soldiers’ hometowns, allowing them to get to know prospective brides through correspondence. Once a soldier retired, the marriage could be arranged swiftly.

Fang Chiye keenly pointed out, “But this Su Rui didn’t even address the letter properly. Does she not even know who she was sending it to?”

Qin Shan smacked his forehead. “Yeah! Maybe she just cast a wide net, figuring that as long as she sent it to the military, whoever was interested could respond?”

Otherwise, why else would she ask the recipient to introduce themselves at the end?

Fang Chiye said disapprovingly, “Don’t jump to conclusions before confirming the facts.”

He picked up the photograph again. “Forget it. I’ll hold onto this for further investigation.”

“Alright.” Qin Shan got up, listening as Fang Chiye gave him a few more work-related instructions before heading out.

But then he suddenly stopped at the door.

Wait a minute—doesn’t this mean that the photo is in Fang Chiye’s hands now?!