After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room to relax, sipping tea and chatting.  

Lin Yaoyu shared amusing stories from the flight base, and his siblings listened with keen interest.  

Though they had all grown up in the military compound under the influence of their elders, they weren’t very familiar with the Air Force.  

Grandfather Lin, Uncle Lin, and Father Lin were all Army men—Lin Yaoyu was the only Air Force member in the family, a lone seedling.  

As the group chatted animatedly, Aunt Lin, wanting to give the younger ones space to bond, excused herself to rest upstairs.  

Before leaving, she reminded, “Ah Yu, Aunt Xu has prepared Luochuan’s room—it’s the one on Xiuzhu’s right. Take him there later.”  

“Got it, Mom,” Lin Yaoyu replied.  

Ling Luochan stood up politely, his voice deep and measured. “Thank you, Auntie. You’ve gone to so much trouble.”

“No trouble at all. Keep chatting—I’ll head to my room.”

With a wave, she motioned for him to sit back down before gracefully ascending the stairs.  

Lin Yaowen, utterly engrossed in his elder brother’s tales, suddenly burst out in typical teenage exuberance: “Tower, tower, do you copy?”  

“Brother, how’s my impression?” He flailed his arms dramatically in the air.  

Xiuzhu clutched her stomach, laughing. “Pfft—Lin Yaowen, you look like a monkey!” she teased mercilessly.  

Yaowen pouted but, as usual, couldn’t out-argue Xiuzhu. Clinging to Yaoyu’s arm, he whined, “See? Lin Xiuzhu always bullies me like this!”

Yaoyu shoved him away in mock disgust, shifting closer to Ling Luochan.  

“You’re the little brother—what’s wrong with being teased by your sister? Besides, Xiuzhu’s right. You *do* look like a monkey.”  

He then winked at Xiuzhu, who grinned back.  

“Ugh, you two always gang up on me!” Yaowen grumbled, suddenly remembering how much more his brother doted on Xiuzhu.  

“Quit whining like a little girl. And those skinny arms of yours? Not fit for a Lin man. Tomorrow, Luochan and I are taking you to the training ground.” 

Yaoyu couldn’t help but lecture his brother’s pampered demeanor.  

Amid the siblings’ lively banter, Ling Luochan remained quietly on the sidelines, his demeanor cool and detached.  

He was a man of few emotions. Even when something piqued his interest, he merely observed—never engaging as fervently as the Lin siblings.  

For instance, he loved watching Xiuzhu laugh.  

Her smile was like a spring blossom—bright, captivating, her eyes sparkling with vitality, her lips curling gently. It was intoxicating.  

Yet he only glanced at her occasionally, his gaze fleeting and indifferent. He didn’t join the conversation or try to blend in.  

His relationship with his parents was distant. Raised strictly by his grandfather, he had never known childhood friends—only the children of families tied to his own by interest.  

It wasn’t until he entered the Air Force Academy and began training at the base that he realized how out of place he was.  

Others wore their hearts on their sleeves, while he felt almost nothing.  

Becoming friends with Lin Yaoyu was an accident. Yaoyu, sunny and persistent, ignored Luochan’s aloofness and talked to him anyway.  

At first, Luochan found it annoying. But gradually, he grew to like it.  

Having a friend who chattered endlessly… wasn’t so bad.  

Now, he was glad he’d listened to Yaoyu and come to the Lin home—where he’d met this vibrant, beautiful girl.  

She was full of life, radiant as spring sunshine, every movement brimming with youthful energy.  

Something he lacked. Something that made him feel, for the first time, a flicker of hope.  

…

It was early morning. Dew rolled off the wide leaves of the grass and trees, bringing a fresh chill to the air.

Xiuzhu was walking through the military compound with her cousin, chatting and laughing.

Her cousin had the day off and, thinking Xiuzhu had been frightened the day before, decided to cheer her up with a shopping trip to the department store. A little retail therapy would soothe her shaken heart.

“Cousin, I want to buy a pair of leather shoes—hopefully in beige.”

“And a dress! Something bright in color. I wonder if they have many styles,” Xiuzhu said with a smile, light on her feet and full of anticipation.

“You’ll see when we get there. If there’s nothing you like, we can just buy fabric and make one ourselves.”

“One of my coworkers introduced me to a really good tailor. Let’s go get a few autumn outfits made,” Xiuli said, holding her hand and chatting excitedly.

They’d gotten up early today, and the weather was cool, so they decided to walk to the department store—it would take about half an hour.

Just as they left the gate, a cheerful female voice interrupted their conversation.

“Cousin! What a coincidence—where are you two headed?” Zhao Xiaoyuan greeted Xiuli with a bright smile as she walked up.

But her eyes were fixed on the stunning girl beside her—Xiuzhu. She wore a light blue dress, her skin was pale and smooth, her features delicate, and her figure graceful. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman.

A flash of jealousy flickered in her eyes, but she quickly covered it up and asked with a smile, “Cousin, is this your friend?”

Xiuli and Xiuzhu were both surprised by the question. After all, they’d seen each other just a few days ago—and it hadn’t been a pleasant meeting. Had she forgotten already?

Xiuli suspected Zhao Xiaoyuan was pretending not to recognize her cousin to cover up the embarrassment from before. With a touch of annoyance, she replied, “This is my cousin Lin Xiuzhu. Didn’t you two meet just a few days ago?”

Zhao Xiaoyuan’s smile froze. Cousin Lin Xiuzhu? The daughter of that rich merchant’s younger Sister?

Wasn’t she supposed to be dead? Oh, right—she had been reborn. Lin Xiuzhu wasn’t dead yet.

But why was she here in the capital already?

In her past life, she had only seen Lin Xiuzhu once. It was at the end of 1965, when Xiuzhu’s family came to the capital to celebrate the New Year.

Back then, Lin Xiuzhu had met Ling Luochuan and gotten engaged to him in early 1966.

As for Zhao Xiaoyuan herself, in her past life, she met Ling Luochuan at the Lin family home when Lin Yaoyu came back on leave to attend Xiuli’s wedding.

She had met him first, but failed to seize the chance.

Now that she had a second chance, she had to secure her place in his heart. She deserved to be the wife of a powerful official.

A few days ago, they had already come to the military compound, but the guard had told them the Zhao family was not allowed to enter.

Serves them right, she thought bitterly.

She had been feeling lucky today—running into Xiuli as soon as she arrived—but the unexpected appearance of Xiuzhu threw her off.

Xiuli, noticing Zhao’s shifting expression and silence, didn’t bother to respond to her mood swings. Not wanting her cousin’s good mood ruined, she simply pulled Xiuzhu along and walked past her.

“Cousin, your cousin seems a little strange,” Xiuzhu said, puzzled.

The way she was looking at her now was completely different from their first meeting. 

It was eerie. She was a living, breathing person, but Zhao looked at her like she was a ghost. It made her uncomfortable.

“Don’t pay her any mind. The whole Zhao family is rotten. It’d be a miracle if any of them turned out decent,” Xiuli muttered.

She hadn’t interacted much with this cousin. And she never liked her, even found her a bit annoying.

She always wore a pitiful look on her face, but she never refused any shady favor Bai Huifen asked of her. It was thanks to her that the Zhao family had gained so many benefits in recent years.

Zhao Xiaoyuan snapped out of it, watching the two walk away. She didn’t follow them. Instead, she decided to go home and think about what to do next in response to this sudden change.

Her eyes darkened as she stared at the elegant figure. After a long pause, her lips curled into a twisted, mocking smile.

“So what if she’s pretty? She’s still a short-lived ghost,” she muttered.