Chapter 34.1

The number of spots in the military district’s arts troupe was limited.

Among the girls in the troupe, not all came from privileged backgrounds, but a significant portion were daughters of officials.

They usually didn’t openly disclose their family backgrounds, but their clothing, habits, and personal belongings made it obvious who came from the countryside and who belonged to the cadre class.

Because of this, the divide among the girls was stark.

The daughters of officials only associated with each other, while those from the countryside naturally banded together with others from remote villages.

Instinctively, everyone gravitated toward their own kind, forming exclusive circles while habitually rejecting those from the other group.

It was nearly impossible for the two sides to integrate.

Han Xiuli was in a unique position. She came from an ordinary family in a remote area, but the regiment commander’s wife happened to be a distant relative of hers. Because of this connection, the commander took special care of her, and she was grouped into the circle of cadre daughters.

Today, the regiment instructor had finally given the female soldiers a rare half-day off. Since there was a military vehicle available, they took the opportunity to ride the open-top military truck for an outing. The female soldiers, like birds released from a cage, eagerly rushed out—shopping, visiting department stores, buying food and daily necessities, or even just wandering around. After all, free time was precious, and none of them wanted to stay in the regiment.

The families of the cadre daughters were well-off, so they chose a well-known private restaurant for lunch. At this time, private businesses were beginning to emerge, usually owned by people with some background. Unlike state-run restaurants, they didn’t require ration tickets, though their prices were higher. However, the food was much better, making them a popular choice among the wealthy in the capital.

“This place looks good. Let’s eat here for lunch.” Five female performers from the art troupe chattered as they made their decision. None of them lacked money—each received a family allowance every month. Since there was little to spend on within the regiment, they naturally indulged in the best when they had the chance.

Trailing behind them, Han Xiuli’s expression darkened. Although the regiment commander’s wife was her relative, they weren’t closely related. While she was often invited over for meals and given occasional gifts like clothes, she received little financial support.

Her family was poor—so poor that they were trapped in the mountains with no way out. Forget sending her money; it was already fortunate if they didn’t ask her for money every month.

She relied entirely on the regiment’s allowance for her living expenses and was extremely frugal.

Seeing them choose such an expensive restaurant, her face fell.

Han Xiuli’s situation in the art troupe was difficult. The rural girls didn’t consider her one of them, and the cadre daughters looked down on her. Her life was far from as glamorous as it seemed. However, she gritted her teeth and refused to let them look down on her. She had no control over her background, but she had one advantage—her outstanding beauty, one of the best in the troupe. Her plan was to marry a high-ranking officer’s son and secure a future in the city.

She was already at the right age for marriage, and her regiment commander’s wife had hinted at introducing a few promising young men to her. After all, there weren’t many opportunities to meet suitable partners in the art troupe. Since the commander and his wife had looked after her for years, they naturally felt responsible for helping her settle down.

However, the men they introduced, while decent-looking, held low positions—either squad leaders, logistics officers, or at best, second lieutenants. Worse still, they were all from rural backgrounds like her. If they were discharged from the military one day, she might have to return to the countryside with them to farm the land.

Han Xiuli was ambitious. No matter what, she refused to go back to that mountain village.

She found the commander and his wife’s introductions unsatisfactory. Her distant sister-in-law even warned her that high-status families were particular about a woman’s background. Even if they didn’t say it outright, they generally looked down on women from rural origins.

But Han Xiuli was unwilling to accept this. If families were picky, she would find someone without family ties to interfere. That was when she set her sights on the commander of the 146th Regiment. He came from a powerful background and lived in the military compound. Unlike those from rural areas, he would never have to return to farm the land. Most importantly, she had heard that his biological mother had passed away, and his current stepmother was unlikely to be as strict about a daughter-in-law’s background. In fact, she might even prefer someone without strong family connections.

Summoning her courage, she decided to fight for her happiness. But despite several attempts to get closer to him, their interactions remained brief and indifferent. Commander Yan seemed completely uninterested in her.

Could it be that he didn’t find her attractive? She often looked in the mirror—her beauty was her greatest confidence. The troupe had many pretty girls, but she was still the most striking. Her healthy honey-colored skin, glossy black hair braided neatly over her chest, delicate oval-shaped face, almond-shaped eyes, and full forehead all made her stand out. Even her regiment commander’s wife often praised her as exceptionally beautiful.

She refused to believe that Commander Yan wasn’t interested. However, it had been a long time since she last saw him. Apart from a brief encounter backstage at a commendation ceremony, he hadn’t even appeared at the recent military celebration.

The female soldiers called out and entered the restaurant, choosing a clean table to sit at.

“Who’s paying today?” One of the women put down her shopping bags and turned to the others. “Han Xiuli, it’s your turn, right? You’ve had meals on us quite a few times.”

Han Xiuli’s face stiffened, and she remained silent. The others exchanged glances and curled their lips in disdain. A waiter arrived with the menu, and they began chattering excitedly, ordering dishes.

One of the women suddenly spotted something at the entrance and nudged her friend. “Oh my, look! It’s Commander Yan! What’s he doing here? Look, over there…”

The group turned to see two men walking in. One of them wore a crisp white shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, giving him a relaxed yet sharp appearance. His tailored black trousers were stylish for the time, and his sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing muscular forearms. His presence was striking—exuding both authority and elegance.

No matter the era, good looks always attracted attention. The moment he entered, all eyes were on him.

Commander Yan Zeyang had a half-day off today and had arranged to meet an old classmate who was in charge of procurement at a department store.

The two of them requested a private dining room with partitions. Yan Zeyang rarely drank, but since he was meeting an old friend, he made an exception and had a few drinks.

His friend, Hang Liping, was a year older than him. He studied him closely—though they hadn’t seen each other in over six months, something about Yan Zeyang had changed. Previously, he had the typical pride of a cadre’s son, carrying himself with a dignified air. But today, he seemed even more radiant, exuding a refreshing charm that was hard to describe.

“Zeyang, only two or three of us from our graduating class are still unmarried. You’ve been in the military, but isn’t it time to settle your personal matters? You can’t keep delaying forever.” In the past, whenever this topic came up, Yan Zeyang would brush it off with a calm “no rush.” His attitude had always been genuinely unconcerned.

But today…

However, today, when he asked the question, he didn’t get the usual three-word response.

Instead, Yan Zeyang’s lips curled into a faint smile, his gaze softening slightly. Setting down his glass, he said, “It’s about time. I’ve already submitted the marriage report. It’ll be this year—I’ll settle my personal affairs.”

Hang Liping immediately turned to him in surprise, giving his shoulder a light slap. “Well, well! You sure kept this under wraps. When did you submit the courtship report?”

“I submitted it together with the marriage report. I’m not in a hurry, but my father is. He never said anything outright, but I’m his only son. He’s had someone keeping an eye on me for years. So I figured I might as well get it all approved at once.”

He spoke as if it was all his father’s idea, but the slight upward tilt of his lips betrayed his true feelings.

Hang Liping had been close with Yan Zeyang since their school days. One look at his expression, and he knew—this was a love match, not some arranged marriage. He was marrying someone he genuinely liked, not someone picked for him. The happiness on his face was unmistakable.

“No wonder you were in such a hurry to have me bring this over.” Hang Liping reached into his bag and pulled out an elegantly wrapped box. Opening it, he revealed a ladies’ wristwatch—gold-faced with a black leather strap.

“My cousin works at a foreign trading company in Hanghai. This is a brand-new model, an import, just released. They only had three in stock, and this is the last one. You really asked at the right time. I had to pull a lot of strings to get it, had someone bring it over from there. You won’t find this in Beijing yet. I only got it yesterday. My wife took one look at it and fell in love with it. When she heard it was for you, she reluctantly let it go. Otherwise, there would’ve been trouble.” His wife was also from a cadre family—always wanting the best of everything.

Hang Liping had managed to establish himself in Beijing this year, securing a good job transfer and finding a suitable wife, all thanks in part to Yan Zeyang’s connections. The Yan family wasn’t just well-connected in the capital—they were at the top. Even a minor favor from them, like arranging a job transfer, was almost an afterthought.

Yan Zeyang examined the watch—it was indeed the latest model, with a genuine leather strap and a sleek metal case. The design was stylish and refined.

“Tsk, tsk. You always go for the best. This watch wasn’t cheap. I can guarantee it’s the only one in Beijing right now—three hundred dollars. When I bought one for my wife, it was just over ninety. Zeyang, you really spoil your fiancée.” Hang Liping clicked his tongue in amazement. That was no small sum.

Yan Zeyang simply hummed in acknowledgment, closed the box with satisfaction, and casually set it aside.

…

Outside the private dining room, a few female soldiers kept glancing inside.

“Why is Commander Yan out today? He looks so good in civilian clothes.”