“Oh? So you’re trying to steal my woman?”

A cold voice cut sharply through the noisy clamor.  

Lu Beiting, who had remained silent until now, lifted his icy gaze, his sharp eyes fixed on the man.  

Xia Zhi was still catching her breath, ready to unleash her fury, but his domineering declaration made the words catch in her throat. She nearly choked on her own saliva.  

Gu Yunshen turned to look at him, his confidence instantly deflating in Lu Beiting’s presence.  

“What do you mean by that?”

What did he mean by stealing his woman?  

“What do I mean? Hah.” Lu Beiting’s cold eyes swept over the Hao family as he smirked, enunciating each word clearly. “Didn’t you say Xia Zhi was to be my wife? I’ve agreed. What, you all don’t look too happy about it?”

The crowd around them instantly paled. Yesterday, when Battalion Commander Lu hadn’t said a word, they’d assumed the arrangement was off.  

But now…  

Did this mean they’d truly messed with the wrong person?  

The group exchanged uneasy glances, some even wishing they could vomit up the eggs they’d eaten earlier.  

Li Qiao, standing at the back of the crowd, patted her chest in relief. Thank goodness, thank goodness I didn’t agree. Otherwise, her son’s future would have been ruined by her.  

Hao Liping clenched her fists tightly, staring at him with unwilling resentment. “You refused yesterday!” 

So why had he suddenly changed his mind?  

Hao Liping glanced at Xia Zhi beside him.  

Noticing her gaze, Xia Zhi snorted smugly. “What? Jealous I landed such a handsome man? Don’t be. There’ll be plenty more for you to envy later.”

Once she cured Lu Beiting’s condition, she’d slap them all in the face!  

Hao Liping averted her eyes, gritting her teeth as she stared at Lu Beiting. Xia Zhi had just said that—how could he have no reaction at all?  

But Lu Beiting didn’t even spare her a glance.  

Hao Liping’s face stiffened. In her past life, no matter how cold Lu Beiting’s personality was, he’d never treated her like this.  

“Lu Beiting, where are your manners? I’m talking to you!”

Hao Liping’s eyes reddened as she shouted. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.  

She hadn’t expected Lu Beiting to accept Xia Zhi—that plain, washed-out woman—so easily.  

She’d thought he’d at least put up a fight, and then she could cruelly reject him.  

Only then would she feel the thrill of revenge.  

Lu Beiting laughed mockingly. “You’re lecturing me on manners? Don’t forget, your man is standing right beside you.”

Hao Liping’s eyes darted nervously, not daring to look at Gu Yunshen’s expression, afraid she’d see anger in his eyes.  

But Gu Yunshen wasn’t paying attention to her at all. In disbelief, he grabbed Xia Zhi’s wrist.  

She was going to marry Lu Beiting?!  

How could she marry Lu Beiting?!  

A sudden rage surged in Gu Yunshen’s heart. After liking him for so many years, after serving him for so long—how could she marry someone else?  

Besides, hadn’t he already relented?  

Why was she still not satisfied?  

Xia Zhi gasped in pain and instinctively slapped him. “Are you insane? That hurt!”

Frowning, she rubbed the red mark on her wrist and glared at him.  

Truly a domestic abuser.

Beside her, Gu Yunshen covered his face in stunned silence before his eyes blazed with fury. “Xia Zhi, you actually dared to hit me?”

In the past, she wouldn’t have even raised her voice at him, let alone struck him.  

“So what if I hit you? Do I need your permission?” 

Xia Zhi scowled. “You really have strange tastes. Well then, let me ask—can I slap you again?”

Xia Zhi didn’t hesitate—she delivered another crisp slap, leaving two perfectly symmetrical handprints on Gu Yunshen’s face. Her heart finally felt at ease.  

At last, she had vented all the pent-up frustration. Who did he think he was, acting so arrogantly?  

Gu Yunshen was left dazed by the two slaps, his mind reeling with the shock—Xia Zhi actually dared to hit him!

Zhang Xiao, seeing her son struck, rushed forward in a panic to support him. Trembling with rage, she pointed at Xia Zhi, sputtering before finally managing to shout, “You shrew! You absolute shrew!”

Then, she turned to Lu Beiting. “Battalion Commander Lu, you’d dare marry a woman like this?”

How could he possibly take such a violent woman as his wife?  

Wasn’t he afraid his home would be turned upside down?  

Lu Beiting sat in his wheelchair, an icy aura radiating from him, as if he were completely detached from the chaos unfolding around him.  

“Why wouldn’t I dare? Zhang Yi, go inform the Chief. Ask him to arrange the marriage proposal again.”

His cool, composed gaze met Xia Zhi’s as she looked at him.  

After all, this was a lifelong matter—proper formalities couldn’t be skipped.  

“Understood, Battalion Commander.”

Zhang Yi stepped forward and saluted Xia Zhi. 

“Sister-in-law, I’ll leave the battalion commander in your care for now.”

Xia Zhi glanced at Lu Beiting before nodding. This man had backbone—impressive, just as expected of a soldier.  

Hao Liping’s eyes lit up at the mention of the Chief, and her confidence surged again.  

Once the chief arrived, he’d surely take her side. Xia Zhi wouldn’t get off easy.  

Zhang Xiao, still muttering curses under her breath, suddenly fell silent. What were they supposed to do now?

She turned to Gu Chonglin, the head of the Gu family, for help.  

If this really escalated to the general, things would spiral out of control!  

Gu Chonglin took slow drags from his pipe before walking up to Xia Zhi.  

“Xia Zhi, don’t forget—your parents’ belongings are still with the Gu family. I suggest you don’t push this too far, or you’ll never get them back.”

Xia Zhi narrowed her eyes, searching her memory before recalling that after her engagement to the Gu family, she had left some of her belongings with them—including her parents’ heirlooms.  

So the Gu family had planned this all along.  

“Hah. You really overestimate yourselves.”

Staring at the cunning Gu Chonglin, Xia Zhi seethed with anger but had no choice but to compromise—for now. Other things could wait, but her parents’ mementos had to be retrieved.  

“Fine. I’ll back off. Return what’s mine—including my parents’ things.”

Gu Chonglin smirked coldly. How naive. “We can return the items, but not the money. It’s up to you to decide whether a few hundred yuan is more important… or your parents’ belongings.”

Xia Zhi clenched her fists. She had no clear memory of where these items were kept—if she knew, she’d have stormed in and taken them herself.  

“I—”

“If the chief finds out how you’ve treated an orphaned child of martyrs… what do you think he’ll do?”