Chapter 8

A large hand grabbed her clothes from behind. The pain she had expected didn’t come—instead, she staggered a few steps backward and fell into someone’s arms.

A clean, pleasant scent of soap wafted from the man. Fan Hua looked up and saw that it was Zhao Yilu, the man who had been following her.

“Comrade Zhao, thank you for earlier!” Fan Hua said softly.

Zhao Yilu let go and replied flatly, “Watch your step.”

“Oh, okay~”

Fan Hua continued walking forward. She only stopped when she reached the connection between the train cars, since the shaking there was intense and wind was blowing in through the cracks in the door. As a result, it was the only place where no one was sleeping.

Fan Hua turned around and looked at Zhao Yilu. The two began speaking in hushed voices.

“Comrade Zhao, thank you again for today. The 200 yuan and the things you left on my seat—just think of them as me borrowing from you. Once I get to the South and start earning, I’ll slowly pay you back.”

Zhao Yilu was about to say it wasn’t necessary, but then changed his mind. If she thought she owed him money, it would give him a reason to stay in touch. So he asked seriously, “How do you plan to pay me back?”

“Uh…”

Fan Hua hadn’t expected him to be so direct. After thinking for a bit, she replied earnestly, “I’ll find a way to earn money in the South. Once I have a steady income, I’ll wire the money to you. Just give me your unit’s address. I won’t be a deadbeat.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Yilu took a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is our unit’s address and the shared phone number. Once you settle down in Yangcheng, contact me right away. If you can’t find a job, it’s okay—use the money to come back to the capital. I’ll call my grandfather to help you arrange work.”

Fan Hua took the address but didn’t take Zhao Yilu’s words seriously. She had absolutely no intention of going to the capital, and didn’t want Zhao Yilu’s family to know she even existed. Once she made money in the South, she’d repay him using that address and be done with it.

“Okay, I’ll definitely pay you back as soon as I can. Also, Comrade Zhao, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

Zhao Yilu looked at her curiously, waiting for her to continue.

“Well, can you not tell your brother you saw me? I know you helped me because of him, but I don’t want anything to do with him anymore. So I hope you can keep this a secret.”

“My brother? What happened between you and my brother?” Zhao Yilu asked, puzzled as he scrutinized her, trying to read her expression.

“Yeah, your brother, He Siyen. I assume he told you what happened that night between us, which is why you’re helping me now.”

Zhao Yilu looked at her serious face and suddenly had a wild guess—did she think the man she slept with that night was his brother?

But if she remembered that night, how could she not recognize him? She had been sober!

“You remember that night?”

“Of course I do, how could I forget?”

“Then do you recognize me?”

“You said your name is Zhao Yilu, didn’t you~” Fan Hua was puzzled, not understanding why he was asking these questions.

“Then how did you know I’m He Siyen’s younger brother?” Zhao Yilu continued.

Fan Hua froze. Didn’t you come to the village to visit your brother? The original Fan Lihua must have seen you then, which is how you recognized me today, she thought.

But she didn’t dare ask. Judging by Zhao Yilu’s expression, it seemed the original Fan Lihua wasn’t supposed to know he was He Siyen’s brother. Could it be that Zhao Yilu knew the original, but the original didn’t know him?

Sigh, this is so confusing. Why was I thrown into a book without inheriting the original’s memories? What a pain!

Fan Hua quickly thought of a plausible explanation that would be hard for both brothers to disprove. “Oh, that night your brother was drunk and talking in his sleep. He mentioned the name Zhao Yilu. I asked who that was, and he firmly said Zhao Yilu is He Siyen’s younger brother…”

She felt quite proud of herself—what a clever excuse.

Zhao Yilu looked into her eyes, trying to recall whether he’d said anything in his sleep. But just as Fan Hua expected, he had been drunk and only remembered sleeping with Fan Lihua—everything else was a blur.

He stared at her and asked again, “Do you still remember what my brother looks like?”

Fan Hua thought for a second, then shook her head. “No, I don’t. Didn’t I tell you I hit my head? Now I only remember bits and pieces—some events and a few names—but I’ve forgotten what most people look like.”

Of course I don’t know what you look like—you’re all just fictional characters, she grumbled silently.

“Is that even possible?”

Zhao Yilu found her story full of inconsistencies, but she truly looked like Fan Hua, and her confusion didn’t seem faked.

Fan Hua noticed his disbelief and got a little annoyed. “The world is full of strange things—this really happened to me! Anyway, you haven’t answered yet. Will you agree to what I asked?”

“What thing?”

“That you must never tell your brother you saw me! Never!!”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve thought it over. That incident really was my fault and my family’s. If not for that, your brother would’ve never had any involvement with me. There were no feelings between us, and I don’t want to cling to him because of that. We should just live our own lives and never contact each other again. So please, Comrade Zhao, keep it secret. Pretend you never saw me.”

Zhao Yilu felt oddly stung by her words.

What do you mean “live our own lives”? No contact? Just cut me off like that? You think sleeping together means nothing? Do you hate me that much?

Looking at her serious expression, Zhao Yilu paused. He had to find out why she was so repulsed by that night—why she hated him from that night.

If not, with the way she was now, once she learned the truth, she’d not only pay him back immediately but cut ties with him for good!

And since he was about to join the military, he couldn’t even protect her right now. He had to make sure she kept the money.

As for pretending to be his brother as a sent-down youth… the fewer people who knew, the better—especially since he wasn’t sure if the rumors about this girl in the village were true or not.

He couldn’t risk his and his brother’s future. If the girl really was as foolish and reckless as rumored, and blabbed about it, both his recently admitted-to-university brother and himself would end up in prison!

“Alright, I promise—I won’t tell my brother,” Zhao Yilu agreed solemnly.

Fan Hua finally relaxed. “By the way, I noticed your address is in Guicheng. Be careful. Our country’s relationship with Vietnam has been tense lately. Conflicts may be unavoidable.”

“You know about current events?” Zhao Yilu looked surprised.

“I just overheard people talking. Anyway, be cautious.”

Thinking about how Zhao Yilu would lose his leg in the fall of his 22nd year, Fan Hua couldn’t help but ask, “Comrade Zhao, how old are you?”

Zhao Yilu thought her behavior today was really odd—not just her personality but also the strange questions. Still, he replied honestly, “Nineteen. I’ll be twenty in three months.”

He almost added that he could legally marry at twenty, but swallowed the rest. Not the right time—later.

Fan Hua let out a sigh of relief. “Good, good. Still three years left.”

This side-character younger brother is actually not bad. I’ll give him a friendly warning when the time comes. If he can avoid it, great. If not… then that’s just fate.

Zhao Yilu noticed how relieved she looked and teased, “Comrade Fan, do you have something in mind, asking about my age?”

Fan Hua widened her eyes. “What could I be thinking? I was just asking. You seem mature and experienced—who knew you were such a youngster? Still a little brother. Just… when you join the army, follow orders. Don’t act recklessly. Be careful on missions. You’re so young—if you lose a limb, it’ll be hard to find a wife later.”

Zhao Yilu felt a bit speechless. Why did that sound like an elder lecturing a junior?

“Comrade Fan, are you cursing me to lose a limb?”

“Why are you so ungrateful? I’m clearly just giving kind advice.”

Seeing that she seemed genuinely annoyed, Zhao Yilu changed the subject. “So, Comrade Fan, which city are you heading to this time?”

“I’m going to Yangcheng. It’s developing fast—more opportunities there,” Fan Hua replied without hesitation.

“True, I’ve heard Yangcheng is doing well these days. It’s not too far from Guicheng. I’ll come see you when I’m on leave.”