A City Romance

Lu Yu looked at Ge Mei: "Director Ge, let's have a simple meal together."

Ge Mei said: "Alright then, I'll go get my bag."

Lu Yu opened the car door for Jiang Nian. The tall man leaned slightly closer to her, looking at her beautiful, shimmering eyes, his own filled with tenderness: "Get in."

Jiang Nian gently nodded, and she and Ge Mei got into the car one after the other. Lu Yu drove away from the back entrance of the embroidery shop. The few people standing outside gradually came back to their senses. Su Na was the quickest to react. She touched Shu Xue's arm and exclaimed in surprise: "I can't believe Jiang Nian's boyfriend is a commander! If Jiang Nian marries him, she'll be a commander's wife. So young and already a commander, he'll go far in the future!"

Shu Xue nodded and said: "Jiang Nian truly has good fortune."

After she spoke, she meaningfully glanced at Jia Yuan, whose complexion wasn't good. The position of commander was worlds apart from Jia Yuan's husband's position as a factory team leader. Let's see if she still dares to show off in front of them later.

Yu He left with her lunchbox. Dong Shu said nothing more. Jia Yuan glared at Shu Xue, then snorted coldly: "It's just a boyfriend, the wedding isn't even set yet. She hasn't even said anything herself, why are you all so excited?"

With that, she left.

Shu Xue ignored her and went to the cafeteria with Su Na.

***

The car drove all the way to Hongxing Restaurant. Lu Yu chose a window seat; he noticed Jiang Nian usually preferred seats by the window. The waiter came over and asked: "What would you comrades like to eat?"

Gu Shi Zhou said: "Let them choose."

Lu Yu told Ge Mei and Jiang Nian: "We're fine with anything; you two order."

Jiang Nian and Ge Mei ordered five dishes and one soup. During the meal, Lu Yu frequently picked up food for Jiang Nian. Ge Mei glanced at them, then lowered her head and chuckled without speaking, making Jiang Nian a little shy. She whispered: "I have enough."

Lu Yu smiled and said: "Eat more."

He picked up another piece of meat for Jiang Nian and asked: "How have things been at the embroidery shop lately?"

Jiang Nian said: "Quite good."

Lu Yu's deep, dark eyes almost imperceptibly glanced at Jiang Nian and Ge Mei's expressions, which had stiffened for a fleeting moment. The tenderness between his brows faded slightly, and he said without revealing anything: "As long as it's good."

Gu Shi Zhou had also noticed, and he looked up at Jiang Nian, who was burying her head in her food.

Ge Mei noticed the change in Lu Yu's eyes and knew he was more perceptive than ordinary people. So, she raised her glass of water and said: "Commander Lu, I'll use tea instead of wine to toast you. Thank you for entrusting Jiang Nian to me; I will take good care of her."

Lu Yu raised his glass of water and clinked it with Ge Mei's, a smile on his lips: "Mm."

After the man finished drinking, he put down his glass and picked up more meat for Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian truly couldn't eat anymore, and in the end, it all went into Lu Yu's stomach.

Jiang Nian: ...

She looked down at the empty bowls, then leaned closer to Lu Yu, whispering: "Don't you mind?"

Lu Yu looked at Jiang Nian's moist, red lips. If there were no outsiders, he truly wanted to kiss her.

The man cleared his throat, finished the last of his rice, and said: "I don't mind."

Not only did he not mind, he quite liked it.

He liked Jiang Nian, liked the person in front of him.

After eating, they walked out of Hongxing Restaurant. Lu Yu asked Ge Mei: "Director Ge, I wonder if Jiang Nian could take half a day off? I want to take her to explore Yuan City. I happen to have the day off today."

Ge Mei smiled and said: "No problem."

Gu Shi Zhou said: "I'll head back first. You and Jiang Nian go explore Yuan City."

Lu Yu nodded: "Mm."

Gu Shi Zhou drove back, taking Ge Mei with him. Only Lu Yu and Jiang Nian were left on the street. As they walked, Jiang Nian felt her hand tense. Her curled fingers were gently unfurled by Lu Yu, who intertwined his fingers with hers. His deep voice carried a hint of husky amusement: "Miss me?"

At this moment, people were coming and going on the street. Jiang Nian, hearing Lu Yu ask this, suddenly blushed. She bit her lower lip and whispered: "Yes."

Having been separated from Lu Yu for half a month, Jiang Nian felt the time had passed quite slowly.

She looked down at her toes. Suddenly, a pulling force came from her hand, and she stumbled, bumping into the man's firm, powerful chest. Lu Yu's arm tightened around Jiang Nian for a fleeting moment before he reluctantly let go: "There's a lamppost ahead."

Jiang Nian turned to look. If Lu Yu hadn't pulled her in time, she really might have bumped into it headfirst.

Jiang Nian: ...

Lu Yu chuckled, tightening his grip on her hand: "Let's go watch a movie."

Jiang Nian gently nodded: "Okay."

Yuan City's cinema was a bit larger. A blackboard hung outside, listing the movies showing that day. Lu Yu got the tickets, then bought chestnuts and soda for Jiang Nian. Only then did he lead her into the cinema. The two sat in the back row, able to see the people in the rows ahead with a glance.

The movie's opening sound was very loud, covering the noisy chatter below.

Inside, the light was dim. She and Lu Yu were in the back, and most people were sitting in the front. There was no one sitting on either side of them. Lu Yu peeled a chestnut and offered it to Jiang Nian: "Have some."

Jiang Nian's mouth was stuffed with several chestnuts, making it a bit hard to swallow.

She took the soda Lu Yu offered and took a sip, swallowing the chestnuts in her mouth, then took another sip. Before she could swallow it, her nape suddenly felt heavy, her vision darkened, and her lips were firmly sealed by Lu Yu. His tongue advanced rapidly, breaking through her unclosed teeth, sweeping away the soda in Jiang Nian's mouth.

Jiang Nian's eyes widened in surprise. There were quite a few people in the cinema. Lu Yu's sudden kiss truly startled her.

"Mm..."

She reached out and clutched Lu Yu's sleeve. The man kissed the corner of her lips, then, taking advantage of someone turning away, quickly released Jiang Nian. His slender, jointed fingers tightly held Jiang Nian's small, delicate hand, his palm gently stroking the back of her hand.

Jiang Nian's lips were moist and soft. She gently bit her lower lip. Between her lips and teeth, it was all Lu Yu's breath, like an impenetrable fortress enveloping her. She felt herself heating up intensely with every breath. Lu Yu's husky voice came from beside her ear: "Jiang Nian."

"Mm?"

Jiang Nian looked up, suddenly meeting the man's deep, dark eyes, like a deep valley, a spiderweb that she couldn't escape, binding her tightly. Jiang Nian's heart trembled, and her eyelashes, which had been stimulated and dampened by Lu Yu, fluttered a few times.

The man's throat bobbed a few times. Taking advantage of no one looking, he once again lowered his head and kissed her fiercely.

His hot breath washed over her, and Jiang Nian felt her whole body tremble slightly.

She leaned weakly against Lu Yu's chest, completely unaware of what movie was playing. Her mind was a muddled mess, swayed by Lu Yu, until two more people entered from outside the cinema. Only then did Lu Yu reluctantly release her, patting the back of her hand.

Fresh air filled her lungs. Jiang Nian's face was flushed, her breathing ragged, as she leaned back against the seat.

Halfway through the movie, two people entered and sat next to Jiang Nian, two seats away from her.

Lu Yu peeled chestnuts for Jiang Nian, looking at her rosy lips, the dark color in his eyes deepening.

He whispered: "I've submitted our marriage application."

Jiang Nian was startled, looking up, her light red, moist eyes gazing at Lu Yu: "Will it be approved?"

Lu Yu couldn't resist. Taking advantage of no one looking their way, he kissed Jiang Nian's eyelids: "It will. It'll take about a month for results. I also applied for housing in the military district at the same time. Once all this is settled, you can just stay home and embroider, no need to work at the embroidery shop anymore."

Although Jiang Nian hadn't said anything at Hongxing Restaurant today, Lu Yu hadn't missed a single word or gesture from her.

Things weren't good for her at the embroidery shop.

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "Okay."

The movie was playing intensely at this moment. Jiang Nian had just focused her attention on the movie when she suddenly heard the woman next to her mention Jia Yuan's name. She turned to look and immediately noticed something was off. Two people were sitting next to them, a man and a woman. The woman was an unfamiliar face, but she had seen the man before.

It was Jia Yuan's husband.

Earlier, when eating at the cafeteria, Jiang Nian had seen Jia Yuan with her husband and mother-in-law.

The two were holding hands, being coquettish. The woman leaned on the man's shoulder, saying: "Can't you stay with me a little longer?"

The man said: "Wait two more days, and I'll take you to Hongxing Restaurant. They're about to change the menu, and I'll take you to try dishes you've never had before."

Only then did the woman smile: "You can't lie to me."

Jiang Nian: ...

Although Jia Yuan was indeed a difficult person, this shouldn't be the punishment she had to endure for her husband's betrayal.

She pursed her lips, not wanting to meddle. Her fingers suddenly tensed, and Lu Yu's hot breath came from beside her ear: "What are you looking at?"

His magnetic voice poured into her ear, tingling and numb.

Half of Jiang Nian's body felt numb. Her flushed face, which had just cooled down, flared up again. She gently shook her head: "Nothing."

She said that, but Lu Yu's gaze still swept over Jiang Nian's head, looking across.

The man was wearing the blue work clothes of the textile factory, and the woman was wearing her own clothes. By his intuition, these two should both be textile factory workers, and Jiang Nian knew them. He lowered his eyes to look at Jiang Nian's smooth forehead, and squeezed her hand: "You know that man?"

His voice was very low, unconsciously carrying a hint of coldness.

He was afraid Jiang Nian would encounter a second Hu Zhong Ming.

Jiang Nian hadn't expected Lu Yu to guess immediately. The movie sound was very loud at this moment. She lowered her voice and whispered into Lu Yu's ear: "Yes, I know him. He's the husband of an embroiderer at the state-run embroidery shop."

Her words stopped there, and Lu Yu understood.

The warmth near her ear slowly seeped in. Lu Yu's body tensed slightly. He tilted his head: "Don't move. In all matters, protecting yourself is paramount."

Jiang Nian gently nodded: "Mm."

Lu Yu continued: "It's not far from the military district to the city, just over an hour's journey. I now have one day off every week and will spend that day in the city."

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "Mm."

After the movie, people gradually left.

Jiang Nian was led out of the cinema by Lu Yu. Outside, they again encountered Jia Yuan's husband and that woman. There was a person's distance between them, and they spoke and acted furtively. Jiang Nian couldn't help but click her tongue: Men are indeed no good; they eat from the pot and eye the bowl.

After muttering to herself, she suddenly thought of Lu Yu beside her and looked up at him.

Lu Yu seemed to read her thoughts. He reached out and rubbed her head: "Don't compare me to that kind of person."

Jiang Nian: ...

She sometimes wondered if Lu Yu could read her mind.

Coming out of the cinema, the sky was already dark. Lu Yu held Jiang Nian's hand and walked to the big bridge. The evening wind was cold, and Jiang Nian hadn't worn a scarf, shivering from the cold. Lu Yu unbuttoned his coat and draped it over Jiang Nian, wrapping her snugly.

Jiang Nian: ...

She said with a laugh: "I'm all wrapped up like a bear."

Lu Yu leaned down, his strong, powerful arms embracing Jiang Nian's soft bottom, gently lifting her. This way of holding a child made Jiang Nian both shy and embarrassed. Her hands had nowhere to go, so she could only place them on Lu Yu's shoulders, her small face flushed. The man's hand was at her lower back, and he smiled: "No matter how thickly you're dressed, I can still hold you."

Jiang Nian: ...

She gently bit her lower lip, avoiding Lu Yu's burning gaze, feeling her heart almost leap out of her throat.

The man carried her to the stone statue at the bend of the mountain slope, placing her on the stone pillar of the large bridge. Behind them was the howling wind and the sound of crashing waves, without any particular focus. Jiang Nian was so scared that she tightly hugged Lu Yu's neck. Lu Yu chuckled, his strong arms tightly embracing Jiang Nian's small, delicate body, her slender waist. He kissed her lips: "With me here, you won't fall."

Jiang Nian was still a little scared.

She tightly hugged Lu Yu's neck, afraid that she would fall backward.

Although, Lu Yu wouldn't murder her.

Just as Jiang Nian was conflicted, the man's large hand passed through her hairline, gripping the back of her neck. His lips firmly descended, much more intensely than in the cinema. Jiang Nian's breathing became difficult, her tongue numb. Her hands tightly clutched Lu Yu's thin blue wool sweater. Her slender, delicate body was shielded in Lu Yu's tall frame.

The man's dark eyes were streaked with fresh red blood vessels, mixed with a deep, dark intensity.

Jiang Nian's teeth, weakly loosened, then closed again, until her breathing was almost completely gone. Only then did Lu Yu reluctantly let go of her, kissing her wet eyelashes, and then her flushed nose.

"Jiang Nian."
"I can't wait any longer."
"I want to get married sooner."

The man's deep voice came one sentence after another. Jiang Nian's ears were flushed, numb, and swollen. She pursed her lips tightly, not saying a word.

She buried herself in Lu Yu's neck, greedily inhaling the air that filled her lungs.

As they left the big bridge, the redness on Jiang Nian's face finally faded a little. She looked at the thin wool sweater on Lu Yu: "Aren't you cold?"

Lu Yu said: "Not cold."

But Jiang Nian felt cold just looking at him.

Although spring had arrived, the temperature difference between day and night was still very large. Their intertwined hands had a thin layer of sweat in their palms. Lu Yu took her to Hongxing Restaurant for dinner before taking her back to the dormitory. When they arrived below the dormitory, the man rubbed her head, took back his clothes, and said: "I'll watch you go in."

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "Mm."

She turned and ran to the stairwell. Seeing Lu Yu still standing outside the dormitory, she hesitated for a moment, then ran back. Seeing Jiang Nian's flushed nose, Lu Yu smiled and said: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Nian bit her lower lip and whispered: "Bend down, I'll tell you something."

Lu Yu's eyebrows raised slightly. As soon as he bent down, his cheek was touched by soft, moist lips. By the time he recovered, Jiang Nian had already run far away.

The man chuckled, his eyes filled with intense affection and a smile.

Jiang Nian ran back to the dormitory, knocking on the door. Shu Xue's voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

"It's me, Jiang Nian."

The dormitory door quickly opened. Shu Xue and Su Na saw Jiang Nian enter, her small face flushed, her rosy lips a little unnatural, looking extremely beautiful.

Su Na, being experienced, knew at a glance, so she smiled somewhat ambiguously.

Jiang Nian felt a little embarrassed by her gaze and deliberately changed the subject. Shu Xue asked: "What did you two do this afternoon?"

Jiang Nian said: "We went to watch a movie."

Shu Xue immediately became interested: "Which military district's commander is your boyfriend? Is he from our Yuan City military district?"

Yuan City was very large, also a province. If he was a commander here, then he was truly extraordinary.

Don't look at her being an embroiderer at the shop; her grandmother was an embroiderer, and her grandfather was a hero who carried a gun and fought battles when he was young. So she knew a little about these things. If Jiang Nian's boyfriend was the commander of the Yuan City military district, his future prospects were unimaginable.

Su Na also looked at Jiang Nian curiously.

Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment before saying: "Mm."

Shu Xue looked even more excited than Jiang Nian, the person involved: "So when are you two getting married? I'm telling you, when you meet a man like that, you have to quickly hold onto him; you can't let him run away."

Jiang Nian: ...

She grabbed her enamel basin and ran out: "I'm going to wash my face."

She ran to the water room and saw Yu He. Yu He had just finished washing her face and looked at Jiang Nian with a somewhat evasive gaze. She didn't even say hello and turned to leave. She and Di Pei Pei were the same age, and their children were probably older than Jiang Nian. Having been slapped hard yesterday, she still valued her old face.

She couldn't continue to be ridiculed.

Yu He ignored her, but Jiang Nian took the initiative to say: "Sister Yu, are you done washing?"

Yu He: ...

"Mm."

She didn't even lift her head, carried the basin, and ran off. After returning to the dormitory, she closed the door. Dong Shu had just lain down and was surprised to see Yu He's somewhat embarrassed expression. She asked doubtfully: "Sister Yu, what's wrong?"

Yu He shook her head: "I almost slipped while washing my face just now."

Dong Shu said: "Then you must be careful. We're getting old, and falling and getting injured is no small matter."

Yu He placed the basin under the bed and burrowed into her quilt. Thinking of Jiang Nian's boyfriend, the more she thought, the more her old face burned. So she turned to Dong Shu and asked: "What do you think of Jiang Nian's boyfriend?"

Dong Shu snorted coldly: "They're just dating; the wedding isn't even set yet. Who knows if it'll work out? That Commander Lu, I see, is handsome and a commander. Maybe he just met Jiang Nian and they're trying it out. Maybe they're not compatible and will break up. Look at Jiang Nian's temper; she's like a hedgehog, unforgiving when she speaks. Who can stand her?"

After Dong Shu said that, Yu He felt a little relieved.

She thought of her own daughter, who finally married someone from the city. As a result, that boy's family was found to have problematic conduct, and the whole family was sent down to the countryside to farm. Now she couldn't see her daughter even once a year, only communicating through letters.

Her two sons had always been in the countryside, and their lives were quite good. It was her daughter who caused her much worry. She would send her daughter some things every month, just afraid that she would be wronged over there. She didn't dare tell her two daughters-in-law about this, fearing they would cause trouble if they knew.

Thinking of her poor daughter, and then looking at Jiang Nian, Yu He felt very disappointed. She looked at Dong Shu and asked: "How are your children?"

Dong Shu was half-asleep at this point. Startled by Yu He, she turned over and said: "They're fine." Then she continued to sleep.

The dormitory was quiet. Jiang Nian carried her enamel basin back to the dormitory. Shu Xue and Su Na were still chattering away. Seeing her return, they pulled her into conversation for a while before going to sleep. Jiang Nian tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Her mind was a mess. Every time she closed her eyes, Lu Yu was there.

She clasped her hands and tapped her skull. It was a long time before she finally fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, a "thump" suddenly echoed through the quiet dormitory. Shu Xue and Su Na rubbed their eyes, sat up, and saw Jiang Nian rubbing the back of her neck. She got up from the floor, patted her clothes, and then burrowed back into her quilt to sleep.

Su Na: ...
Shu Xue: ...

Did she sleepwalk and fall off the bed?

The next morning, Shu Xue still remembered what happened last night and asked Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian shyly lowered her head: "I wasn't paying attention and rolled off."

Immediately, Shu Xue and Su Na's laughter erupted in the dormitory.

Jiang Nian: ...

The three of them went to the textile factory cafeteria for breakfast, choosing a seat to the side. As they chatted, they heard a scolding voice from diagonally opposite them: "Eat your meal, why are you talking so much? This is the textile factory, not your home. You behave yourself!"

They were close enough to hear.

Jiang Nian looked up. Sitting diagonally opposite were Jia Yuan and her mother-in-law. Jia Yuan kept her head down the entire time, gripping her chopsticks so hard her fingers turned white. Her mother-in-law sat opposite her, looking haughty and bossy. If no one else were around, her mother-in-law's chopsticks might even poke Jia Yuan's forehead.

Behind them sat Fan Shan and her husband. The two spoke in low voices, their smiles clearly showing how happy they were, forming a stark contrast to Jia Yuan's side.

Jiang Nian immediately recalled the scene at the cinema yesterday.

She quietly asked Su Na: "What's Jia Yuan's husband's name?"

Su Na said: "His name is Tong Gang. He's a team leader in one of the textile factory's teams."

After Jia Yuan and her mother-in-law left, Su Na whispered: "This family looks very affectionate outside. The mother-in-law protects her daughter-in-law, and the husband dotes on his wife. Many people say Jia Yuan married well, but that's not actually the case. I've seen Jia Yuan being scolded by her mother-in-law many times, to the point where she couldn't even lift her head. Yet Jia Yuan still boasts in front of us about how good her life at home is."

Jiang Nian said nothing. After eating, she went to the embroidery shop with them.

She had taken half a day off yesterday, but it didn't delay her embroidery work. She pushed aside the partition curtain and went in, seeing Yu He and Dong Shu whispering to each other. When they saw Jiang Nian enter, neither of them reacted. After what happened yesterday afternoon, Yu He didn't even bother to pretend to be kind anymore. Since she had already shown her true colors, Jiang Nian was too lazy to pretend to be polite with her.

She sat on the long bench, looking at the embroidery that was one-third complete. If she embroidered faster, it would be finished in about twenty more days.

Shu Xue said: "Jiang Nian, your speed is really fast."

Fan Shan happened to come over. Hearing Shu Xue's words, she looked down. These past few days, she had only focused on her own embroidery and hadn't paid attention to Jiang Nian's side. Now, seeing it, she was also a little surprised. Jiang Nian's embroidery, whether in stitches or needlework, was flawless. Some minor imperfections in the original design were perfectly concealed by her.

She even felt that Jiang Nian's embroidery skills were better than Sister Dong's.

But she couldn't say these words. Sister Dong already disliked Jiang Nian. If she were to praise Jiang Nian in front of her, she might be ostracized by Sister Dong and the others. She only wanted to embroider peacefully in the shop and had no desire to engage in factional behavior.

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "It's alright."

Dong Shu, sitting in front, sneered: "What's the use of embroidering fast? Focusing on speed without paying attention to details means the finished product won't meet standards."

From beginning to end, Dong Shu and Yu He were too lazy to even glance at Jiang Nian's embroidery. In their eyes, what skills could such a young Jiang Nian possess? It was all just superficial beauty, useless in practice.

Shu Xue was so angry she choked, wanting to retort but not knowing what to say.

Jiang Nian shook her head at her, silently mouthing two words: "It's fine."

Jia Yuan arrived half an hour late and happened to be caught by Ge Mei. Ge Mei only said a few words, then went in to inspect the embroidery cloth and threads. Later in the afternoon, people would come to the embroidery shop to check the embroidery. The superiors were all coming together. Soon, the city secretary would also come to inspect. No mistakes could be made these days.

Jia Yuan sat on the long bench, distracted all day. Even when Dong Shu and Fan Shan spoke to her, she barely responded.

Jiang Nian couldn't help but wonder, did Jia Yuan already know about her husband's affair?

Jia Yuan's state these two days was off. After being lectured by Ge Mei again, Jia Yuan completely exploded and argued with Ge Mei. Ge Mei's face was cold, and her tone was stern as she said: "In three days, the city secretary will come to inspect the embroidery shop and the textile factory. Do you want our embroidery shop to be publicly criticized in the city, or do you want to leave the embroidery shop now?"

As soon as these words came out, Jia Yuan immediately fell silent.

Ge Mei's expression wasn't very good: "Everyone is here to work at the embroidery shop. I hope everyone maintains a positive work attitude, not a negative one that delays work. I don't think any of you want to be singled out for criticism and punishment when the city secretary comes for inspection the day after tomorrow."

Through Ge Mei's words, Jia Yuan was indeed much more active today.

Not only Jia Yuan, but Yu He and Dong Shu also became much quieter and more subdued. In the evening, when they went to the cafeteria for dinner, Jiang Nian asked Su Na to help her get some food. She embroidered for a while longer, and also taught Shu Xue a new needlework technique.

Living together, Jiang Nian felt that Shu Xue's personality was more similar to Zhang Xiao's.

Jiang Nian embroidered until evening. On the way back with Shu Xue, they encountered Jia Yuan walking back to the dormitory. Jia Yuan looked at Jiang Nian, snorted coldly, and walked past her up the stairs.

Jiang Nian: ...

She's seriously ill.

Shu Xue said: "Don't mind her."

The two walked to the second floor. Passing a dormitory door in the stairwell, they saw Wu You Shan coming out from inside.

Wu You Shan: ???
Jiang Nian: ???

Enemies meet on a narrow road?

Wu You Shan ignored Jiang Nian, closed the dormitory door, and ran out. Jiang Nian returned to her dormitory and asked Su Na: "Why did the people in the next dormitory change?"

She remembered that it was another couple before.

Su Na said: "They just moved in tonight. When the other two couples moved out, they said this new young couple found the dormitory near the food factory too noisy for the pregnant woman to sleep well, so they applied to the factory for a change. They're still moving their bedding now."

Jiang Nian: ...

This Sun Ying would not have it easy again.

But it was none of her business. As long as she lived comfortably, that was enough.

Jiang Nian and Shu Xue took their enamel basins to the water room to wash their faces. Just as they finished washing and were about to brush their teeth, they saw Dong Shu and Jia Yuan enter together. No one acknowledged anyone else. Jiang Nian turned to leave, hearing Jia Yuan's sarcastic voice from the water room: "Isn't she just dating a commander? What's so great about that? Maybe he's just playing with her. She really thinks she's hot stuff."

Dong Shu heard this, thought of Yu He's words that night, and replied: "That's right."

Jiang Nian ignored them and left immediately. Shu Xue was indignant and followed beside her, panting: "Their words are too much!"

Jiang Nian said: "No need to bother with them."

Instead of wasting words with these people, it was better to do more of her own things. She walked to the dormitory door and saw Wu You Shan and Sun Ying coming up from the stairwell. All three pairs of eyes froze in unison. Sun Ying held her stomach, coldly snorted, and pushed Wu You Shan into the next dormitory. Wu You Shan quickly followed.

Jiang Nian: ...

Crazy.

Shu Xue frowned in confusion: "Jiang Nian, why do I feel like this person is hostile towards you?"

Jiang Nian said: "I don't know either."

Back in the dormitory, Shu Xue curiously said: "Jia Yuan didn't go home, so why did she come here?"

She took off her shoes and soaked her feet, asking Su Na to help her get a foot towel. Jiang Nian was also soaking her feet, her small feet splashing in the water, making her skin appear even fairer. Su Na handed Shu Xue a foot towel, and, afraid of being overheard by those nearby, whispered: "I went to get food for you two today and saw Tong Gang and Jia Yuan entangled outside the factory. I overheard a bit when I passed by. It seems Tong Gang's mother said Jia Yuan hasn't given birth to a child after many years of marrying into the Tong family. These past few days, they've probably been arguing about this."

Jiang Nian: Is there such a thing?

She suddenly thought of the woman in the cinema. Could it be that they wanted to stage a scene where the mistress gets pregnant and forces the original wife out?

The three of them chatted casually for a bit, then went to sleep. In the middle of the night, Jiang Nian vaguely heard Wu You Shan's voice from next door. The dormitory here was indeed not soundproof. Wu You Shan was coaxing Sun Ying, treating her like a treasure.

Jiang Nian listened for a while, then fell asleep again. In her hazy consciousness, she felt Sun Ying was a bit ungrateful.

Tang Ze was quite good, but she didn't cherish him, doing such things before marriage.

Wu You Shan, regardless of his character, also cherished Sun Ying like a treasure.

The next morning, Jiang Nian got up, had breakfast, and went to the embroidery shop. It was almost lunchtime when a familiar voice came from outside.

"Is Jiang Nian there?"

It was Song Bai's voice.

Jiang Nian was startled for a moment before reacting, somewhat surprised that Song Bai had come to Yuan City.

At this moment, Yu He, Dong Shu, and the others were all leaving with their lunchboxes. They saw Song Bai standing at the counter, wearing a military uniform, tall and upright, similar to Commander Lu, and also handsome. Jia Yuan and Fan Shan also came out from behind the partition, and were also startled when they saw Song Bai.

They didn't understand why everyone was looking for Jiang Nian.

Su Na said: "She's inside."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Nian came out from behind the partition. She had two braids, with scattered bangs on her forehead, and her eyes were bright and beautiful. Seeing him, she smiled and said: "Song Bai, why are you here?"

She smiled as beautifully as ever.

Song Bai's chest felt as if it had been struck hard several times. He looked at Jiang Nian, unwilling to tear his gaze away for even half a moment. He knew she had someone in her heart, yet he still shamelessly wanted to get close to her, to steal another glance.

He suppressed the affection in his eyes and said with a smile: "I came to see you."

To be honest, after the incident at the train station last time, Jiang Nian felt somewhat awkward facing Song Bai, but she still suppressed that awkwardness and smiled: "Does Lu Yu know you're here?"

Song Bai said: "He knows. He'll come to Hongxing Restaurant to find us later. I'll take you there first."

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "Okay."

She told Shu Xue and Su Na: "You two go to the cafeteria first. I have something to do and will leave first."

"Deputy Commander Song."
"Elder Sister-in-law."

The embroidery shop door opened, and Zhou Jun also arrived. Seeing Jiang Nian, he smiled: "Elder Sister-in-law, how are you doing here? Are you used to it?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "It's alright. Didn't Zhang Xiao come?"

Zhou Jun said: "Her belly is big, so I left her at home to rest. I didn't let her travel around."

Tang Ze also came along. Tang Ze was wearing a military uniform and looked a bit haggard. Seeing Jiang Nian, he nodded and smiled: "Younger Sister-in-law, long time no see."

Jiang Nian's expression stiffened. Thinking of Sun Ying and Wu You Shan, she immediately felt immense sympathy for Tang Ze, but she didn't show it on her face. She smiled faintly and said: "Why are you here too?"

Tang Ze said: "I happen to be training troops here this month. I'll go back next month."

Yu He and the others came out of the embroidery shop and heard Zhou Jun and Tang Ze call out "Deputy Commander Song," "Elder Sister-in-law," and "Younger Sister-in-law." They looked at Jiang Nian in surprise, not understanding why she was already being called "Elder Sister-in-law" when she hadn't even married that commander yet.

Jia Yuan looked at Jiang Nian with a hint of jealousy. Before Jiang Nian arrived, she was the one with the best background and status in the embroidery shop. Her mother-in-law was the deputy factory director, and her husband was a team leader. No matter how her life at home was, at least she was respected outside. But ever since Jiang Nian came, it seemed all the spotlight had been stolen by her.

Yu He and Dong Shu hadn't seen Jiang Nian's embroidery, but she had.

Although she disliked Jiang Nian as a person, she had to admit that her embroidery skills were indeed very good.

Jia Yuan thought of the urgent matters at her husband's home, snorted coldly, and left.

Song Bai looked at Jia Yuan, then at Yu He and the others leaving the embroidery shop. He was always perceptive and immediately noticed that the atmosphere in the embroidery shop was off. Then his gaze settled on Jiang Nian: "Elder Sister-in-law, I heard Lu Yu is applying for housing in the military district. Will you be moving to the military compound soon?"

Jiang Nian didn't know why he brought this up, so she nodded: "Mm."

Zhou Jun smiled and said: "That's great! If you can move to the military district, with Commander Lu always taking care of Elder Sister-in-law, Commander Lu will also feel at ease."

Tang Ze said: "Younger Sister-in-law, let's go. Lu Yu will be here soon."

Jiang Nian nodded: "Mm."

She followed Song Bai and the others, leaving Yu He and the others looking at each other.

Yu He had previously thought that the commander was just playing around, but she didn't expect it to be true. Now, the wedding isn't even set yet, but the commander's subordinates are already calling her "Elder Sister-in-law" and "Younger Sister-in-law"? And that commander is already applying for housing in the military district?

Dong Shu reacted and sneered: "What's so great about that?"

But even though she said that, she couldn't help but marvel in her heart.

A young girl, not only valued by Director Ge for her embroidery, but also able to marry such a young and handsome commander. In the future, if that commander gets promoted further, her status will also rise higher and higher. Even without embroidering, she won't have to live by anyone else's whims for the rest of her life. This is a beautiful dream that many people can only dream of.

She saw Yu He motionless and called out to her: "Let's go, to the cafeteria."

Yu He recovered, frowning. She felt that Jiang Nian was like the favored daughter of heaven. Why did all the good things fall to her alone?

***

As soon as Song Bai and the others arrived at Hongxing Restaurant, Lu Yu and Chen Yao also arrived.

Lu Yu sat next to Jiang Nian, ordered many meat dishes, and while talking with Song Bai and the others, he didn't forget to pick up food for Jiang Nian, feeding her until she was full.

Jiang Nian: ...

She looked up at Lu Yu: "I really can't eat anymore."

Lu Yu rubbed her head: "If you can't eat, I'll eat it."

Then he took Jiang Nian's bowl and chopsticks and happily ate the meal. Song Bai looked at Jiang Nian, then lowered his eyes and said nothing. Zhou Jun and Tang Ze were both startled, looking at Lu Yu and Jiang Nian's actions, which exceeded the proper decorum for an uncle and sister-in-law.

These actions were nowhere near those of an uncle and sister-in-law; they were just like a married couple.

Chen Yao was already used to it and knew that Lu Yu and Jiang Nian weren't actual uncle and sister-in-law. He felt it was quite good if the two of them could be together.

Zhou Jun and Tang Ze reluctantly withdrew their gazes. Tang Ze remembered that last year, his sister-in-law went to the Lu family to arrange a match between him and Jiang Nian. When she returned, his sister-in-law said Lu Yu was angry. He raised his eyebrows slightly, looking at Lu Yu and Jiang Nian interacting naturally.

Could it be that the two of them were already together last year?

The conversation at the table was all about military matters. Jiang Nian didn't intentionally listen, but was thinking about embroidery, until she heard Song Bai say he wanted to go to the border, which brought her back to her senses. She looked at Song Bai in a daze, reacting half a beat late: "Where do you want to go?"

Her dullness and disbelief fell into Lu Yu and Song Bai's eyes.

Lu Yu lowered his eyes to look at Jiang Nian, a hint of extremely faint displeasure seeming to wrap around his deep, dark eyes. Jiang Nian noticed Lu Yu's gaze, but only looked up at him for a moment before looking back at Song Bai, as if that glance was a mere charity to him.

Lu Yu: ...

The man's thin lips pressed into a cold curve, and he said nothing more.

Song Bai's heart pounded several times. He looked at Jiang Nian, not knowing what thoughts he harbored, his gaze fixed on her eyes. He repeated each word: "I've applied to go to the border."

He thought, if Jiang Nian could say a word to make him stay, he would find every way to withdraw that application.

Jiang Nian pursed her lips: "The conditions there are very harsh."

Song Bai was silent for a while. Seeing Jiang Nian say nothing more, he lowered his eyes dejectedly, a hint of self-mockery flashing in his eyes.

He knew the outcome, yet still deluded himself.

Having been brothers with Song Bai for almost ten years, Tang Ze saw through Song Bai's thoughts. He raised his hand and patted his shoulder: "I'm also planning to go to the border. I'll submit my application when I get back."

He had been here long enough.

He had also seen through many things over the years.

Song Bai was slightly startled, looking at Tang Ze with a frown: "Are you sick?"

Tang Ze: ...

"Damn it, if you're allowed to go to the border, am I not allowed to go to the border?"

Song Bai: ...

After dinner, everyone left the restaurant. Before Song Bai left, he told Jiang Nian: "Elder Sister-in-law, we'll meet again if fate allows."

This trip to the border, he might not return for many years.

Jiang Nian didn't know what was happening, but her eyes suddenly felt a little hot, and her eyes were inexplicably moist. She waved at Song Bai, not saying "meet again if fate allows," but instead said: "We'll meet again."

Song Bai's eyes were filled with a satisfied smile: "We'll meet again."

Tang Ze and Zhou Jun also waved goodbye to them. Song Bai looked at Lu Yu: "I'm leaving."

Lu Yu nodded, shaking Song Bai's hand: "Take good care of yourself. If you don't get used to it, come back."

Song Bai smiled, then turned and walked away.

Jiang Nian watched Tang Ze and Zhou Jun leave as well, and suddenly felt a sense of melancholy and loss. Her wrist suddenly tensed, followed by a slight pain. Lu Yu's low voice echoed in her ear: "Why are you looking so serious?"