Chapter 73 : Heart at First Sight

The next day, as soon as Yun Siying arrived at the threshing ground, she felt a pair of burning eyes fixed on her. She sharply turned toward the source of the gaze and saw a tall, dark-skinned young man with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a neat crew cut, and a straight, upright posture. It was obvious he was a soldier.

The heat in his eyes was intense like a dog eyeing a bone. She shivered and quickly looked away.

The moment Xue Zhiqiang saw Yun Siying, his heart pounded wildly, as if it would leap out of his chest. The girl’s delicate features, fair skin, graceful figure, and slim waist made his blood surge with excitement just from one glance!

Even the most beautiful performers in the military art troupe didn’t compare to her. When their eyes met, her deep black eyes shimmered with light, dazzling and soul-stirring. He forgot to breathe, afraid of doing anything that might displease her, but the tips of his ears flushed deep red.

But before he could rejoice, she averted her gaze, as if she had just seen a beast.

Nangong Ruochen, ever perceptive, instantly noticed Xue Zhiqiang’s intense stare. His expression darkened. Seeing that Yun Siying clearly disliked the look she was getting, the three of them stepped forward, standing protectively in front of her and completely blocking Xue Zhiqiang’s view.

Seeing this, Xue Zhiqiang felt a little disheartened. He didn’t know those three people and assumed they were fellow educated youths. Their protective stance made him inexplicably irritated.

When Zhang Fengying noticed the look in her son’s eyes, her own eyes flashed with understanding. She leaned over and whispered, “That’s the Yun girl I told you about. What do you think, worth your attention?”

“Mom, please go to Uncle Li’s house and bring up our engagement. I only have seven days of leave,” Xue Zhiqiang said anxiously. He didn’t want to miss his chance, he had fallen for her at first sight.

“Don’t worry, San’er. Tonight, we’ll ask Matchmaker Wang to visit Uncle Li’s house and get everything settled,” Zhang Fengying promised confidently. Although Yun Siying didn’t acknowledge the Li family yet and might not be close to them, the blood connection was undeniable. If she didn’t want to damage her reputation, she would surely agree to the marriage.

Everyone worked hard throughout the day. When the bell rang, they rushed home.

“Ziying, are you home?” Zhang Fengying arrived outside the Li family courtyard with the matchmaker and called out loudly.

“Yes! What brings you here? Come in and sit. Ruxue, go make a bowl of sugar water for your aunt and our guests,” Xu Ziying said, noticing the gift in Xue Zhiqiang’s hands and greeting them happily.

“Okay! Aunties, Brother Zhiqiang, come in and have a seat,” Shu Ruxue said cheerfully as she welcomed them. Then she slipped off to the kitchen, avoiding Xue Zhiqiang. She feared he might bring up marriage.

As soon as Xue Zhiqiang entered the courtyard, his eyes darted around, searching but the person he longed to see wasn’t there. The glimpse he’d caught of her that morning was etched in his heart. Now, even as they were arranging the wedding, he was uneasy, disappointed he couldn’t see her again in person.

“Aunt Xu, why don’t I see Comrade Yun Siying?” Xue Zhiqiang asked in surprise. Wasn’t Yun Siying said to be the biological daughter of Uncle Li and Aunt Xu?

“Zhiqiang, Siying lives in the Youth Courtyard. I think she’s already resting. But don’t worry, Auntie can still make decisions on her behalf,” Xu Ziying replied casually.

Matchmaker Wang quickly added, “Sister Ziying, the marriage between your two families has been arranged for years. Now the children are grown and ready to start families. We’re here today to set a wedding date for Siying and Zhiqiang, and fulfill the hopes of both families.”

In the next room, Shu Ruxue couldn’t help but feel pleased when she overheard the conversation. So, he wanted to marry Yun Siying? Haha, then she was truly looking forward to it, Xue Zhiqiang was a man who couldn’t have children.

“Auntie, Zhiqiang is a good kid, but unfortunately… Siying is also an outstanding girl. We owe her too much and hope she can stay with us for a while longer,” Xu Ziying declined the proposal, though inwardly she was quite happy. Their home had just been robbed, and now the Xue family was coming forward with a marriage proposal, weren’t they practically delivering money to their door?

“Ziying! I know you and your husband love the child. Siying grew up in the city and isn’t used to laboring in the fields. You must feel sorry seeing her working under the sun these days. But if she marries Zhiqiang, she can go with him to the army. She won’t need to work in the fields every day for work points and can enjoy the benefits of military life,” Zhang Fengying tried to speak well of her son.

Xu Ziying remained silent for several minutes before finally nodding in reluctant agreement. The two families decided that the wedding would take place in three days, and the betrothal gift would be 200 yuan.

That amount was quite generous for the countryside. In this era, rural betrothal gifts were typically only ten, twenty, or thirty yuan. Wealthier families might offer fifty. So, 200 yuan was extremely decent.

Xue Zhiqiang was overjoyed and immediately handed over the 200 yuan betrothal gift to Xu Ziying.

That night, he was too excited to sleep. His mind was filled with Yun Siying’s every smile and frown. The anticipation kept him awake all night.

At dawn, he got up and went to the Youth Courtyard to wait for her. From a distance, he saw the person he had been thinking about all night by the river. She was wearing a loose black outfit, and her hair was neatly tied back.

Her movements were powerful and fluid, her routine coherent and well-paced, with a strong sense of rhythm and a stable center of gravity. Every move drew the eye.

This set of movements resembled military boxing, but upon closer inspection, there were several distinct techniques and even some elements of Tai Chi. Clearly, it was superior to standard military boxing, both hard and soft, useful for fitness, self-defense, and combat.

The morning sun shone down on her, bathing her in a soft golden light. Her beautiful face radiated brilliance, like a fairy wrapped in divine glow.

He didn’t even dare to breathe and stood there quietly, admiring the breathtaking scene from afar. He desperately wished he had a camera to capture this moment.

After finishing her set of body-strengthening exercises, Yun Siying felt much better than the day before. It seemed she would need to keep up this habit after all physical health is the foundation of revolution.

As she walked back toward the Youth Courtyard, she noticed the man who had been watching her still hadn’t moved. He was still gazing at her with infatuation, his eyes following her every step. She frowned slightly but continued walking.

“Good morning, Comrade Yun! I didn’t expect to see you exercising by the river so early,” Xue Zhiqiang greeted her. Even now, she exuded a fresh, pleasant fragrance, completely different from the sweaty odor of the other village women.

“Comrade, staring at a female comrade like that isn’t very polite, is it?” Yun Siying said, unable to ignore his intense gaze. She didn’t like it and hoped he would restrain himself.