Plot Changes

Jiang Nian was slightly startled. Looking down at the chocolate bar she had just taken out, she suddenly felt it was a bit heavy in her hand. She had thought Feng Mai bought it, though she also thought that given Feng Mai’s personality, the possibility was slim. However, she never expected it to be Song Bai’s purchase.

Feng Mai smiled and said, "Song Bai bought it for you. Keep it and eat it slowly." After saying that, she looked at Jiang Nian and couldn't stop smiling.

Jiang Nian: ...

Lu Yu handed the car keys to Zhou Jun. "Take the car back."

"Yes, sir." Zhou Jun drove off immediately.

Lu Yu glanced at the chocolate in Jiang Nian’s hand, his thin lips pressing together slightly. He turned and said, "Sister-in-law, it's time to go home."

Amidst Feng Mai’s laughter, Jiang Nian hurried into the yard. Consequently, Feng Mai’s laughter grew even louder.

Having been away from the small house for two months, Jiang Nian felt a bit of a stranger as she stepped inside. She placed her small cloth bag on the table and used a bed brush to clean up. It was now April, so there was no need for a charcoal brazier in the room, but it still felt chilly inside.

Lu Yu walked in carrying a charcoal brazier with small glowing embers. She looked at it and asked doubtfully, "Are we still using the brazier?"

Lu Yu said, "Mhm, to drive out the chill. It won't be too cold when you bathe tonight."

Jiang Nian nodded gently. "Mhm." She put down the small brush. "I'll go make dinner."

"Sister-in-law." Just as Jiang Nian was about to head out, Lu Yu called her.

Jiang Nian turned to look at him. "What is it?"

The room fell into a brief silence. A moment later, Jiang Nian heard Lu Yu’s husky voice say, "That chocolate... can I have some?"

"I want to eat it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Yu added two more pieces of wood to the brazier. Jiang Nian was dazed for a moment before reacting to his words. This was the first time Lu Yu had expressed a desire for snacks in front of her, so she unhesitatingly grabbed a small bag of chocolates from the table and tucked it into his chest. "Eat as much as you like." After that, she went to the kitchen to cook.

Lu Yu looked at the small bag of chocolates in his hand. The flames in the brazier flickered in his dark pupils. A moment later, Lu Yu opened a piece of chocolate and put it in his mouth, his brow furrowing slightly.

— It tasted bad.

Having had a bland palate for two months, Jiang Nian was indeed craving flavor. She went into the kitchen and looked around; there was a chicken and a pound of meat in the cupboard. No need to guess—Lu Yu had prepared them a day in advance. Fortunately, it wasn't hot yet, so the meat was still fresh. She went to the vegetable cellar to get peppers and potatoes, along with some other vegetables. She saw Lu Yu carrying water in the yard.

After Lu Yu finished carrying the water, he began chopping the chicken. Jiang Nian started the fire to boil water, and the two coordinated seamlessly. As dusk fell, dinner was ready.

Lu Yu carried the tray to the table in the yard. He turned back to see Jiang Nian wearing an apron, making tomato and egg soup in the kitchen. The small yard, cold for two months, finally felt inhabited. Once the meal was served and they sat down, Song Bai arrived.

The man smelled the food as soon as he arrived. "This meal is definitely sister-in-law's work. I smelled it from far away." He went to the well to wash his hands and, without ceremony, pulled up a stool to sit next to Lu Yu, his knee brushing against him. "Do you mind if I join you for dinner?"

Lu Yu gave him a side-eye. "You're already sitting. Do you still need my permission?"

Song Bai laughed and looked toward Jiang Nian. "Sister-in-law, I'm here to crash your dinner. My sister-in-law said this morning that you're a great cook, and today I finally get to taste it."

Jiang Nian thought of the bag of chocolates and said with a smile, "I'll go get you some chopsticks."

Lu Yu said, "Let him get them himself."

Song Bai stood up. "That's right. Sister-in-law, you just sit and eat. I'll get them myself." He went into the kitchen and returned with a bowl and chopsticks. Sitting next to Lu Yu, he began to eat, praising the food with every bite. He said to Jiang Nian, "Sister-in-law, your skills are truly exquisite."

Lu Yu gave him another side-eye. "Why are you so talkative? Can't even food shut your mouth?"

Song Bai raised an eyebrow. "Heh, did you swallow gunpowder today?"

Lu Yu stopped his chopsticks, then buried his head in his rice. He said, "Eat quickly. We have to go to the unit after this."

"Right, there's some business at the unit tonight." Song Bai also remembered. The two ate as if in a race, praising the food while eating hurriedly. After putting down his bowl, Lu Yu said, "I'm going to the unit first. I'll be back later."

Song Bai also said, "Sister-in-law, thank you for the meal. It was delicious."

Jiang Nian hadn't even finished one bowl of rice, while the two of them had already finished three each. She swallowed her food and looked at Song Bai. "I also want to thank you for the chocolates."

A faint smile appeared on Song Bai’s face. "It was nothing." With that, he and Lu Yu left.

After finishing her meal, Jiang Nian took the dishes to the kitchen. While she was washing them, Feng Mai arrived with Song Xiang Dong and Song Xiang Hong. Seeing Jiang Nian, Song Xiang Dong ran over happily. "Auntie Jiang!"

Song Xiang Hong followed, calling, "Auntie Jiang!"

Jiang Nian smiled in response, dried her hands, and went to the room to give each child two chocolates. The two held the chocolates tightly and said sweetly, "Thank you, Auntie Jiang."

Feng Mai sat by the stove, using a poker to stir the fire. She said to Song Xiang Dong, "Take your sister to play in the yard. I need to talk to your Auntie Jiang for a bit."

Jiang Nian thought she was going to bring up the matchmaking with Song Bai again and felt a slight headache. Before she could speak, she interrupted Feng Mai. "Sister-in-law Feng, you can stop trying to set me up with Song Bai."

Feng Mai was stunned for a moment, then reacted with a laugh. "I'm not interfering anymore. You and Song Bai can do whatever you want. If it works, it works; if not, it won't affect our relationship." Jiang Nian’s previous words had stuck with her. If she were in Jiang Nian’s shoes—having just lost her husband and having people constantly introduce blind dates—she would be angry too. Jiang Nian’s temperament was good enough; it was a blessing she hadn't completely turned her back on her. So, people should put themselves in others' shoes.

Seeing that Feng Mai was no longer persistent, Jiang Nian finally breathed a sigh of relief. She put the tray in the pot to wash. "What were you going to say just now?"

Feng Mai frowned. "Look at that. You interrupted me, and now I've forgotten."

Jiang Nian: ... She chuckled. "Tell me when you remember then." She carried the pot to the yard and poured the water into the drain. As she stepped back into the kitchen, she heard Feng Mai say, "I remember! Battalion Commander Lu’s family had a huge scene a while ago. The whole military compound knows."

Jiang Nian was interested in the gossip. "What happened?"

Feng Mai stood at the kitchen door and glanced toward Xu Yan’s house, then sat back down and whispered, "Last month, Xu Yan went to the grain station to buy food. She tripped and twisted her ankle at the unit gate. It hurt so much she couldn't walk. Just then, Battalion Commander Lu was coming back and gave her a hand. He helped her to the guardroom and then went to find Battalion Commander Liu to carry Xu Yan home. This was bad—the scene was witnessed by Zheng Hong, who had come to the unit to find Battalion Commander Lu."

Jiang Nian: ... The scent of melodrama was overwhelming.

Feng Mai continued, "Zheng Hong started making a scene, saying Battalion Commander Lu sent her back to her parents' house just to fool around with Xu Yan. She called them shameless and accused Battalion Commander Lu of violating military discipline and having poor conduct. When Battalion Commander Liu arrived, his face was very dark. The matter even reached the Political Commissar. If it weren't for the two guards at the gate testifying for Battalion Commander Lu, he would have likely been suspended and demoted. Tell me, that Zheng Hong is so malicious, daring to slander her own husband like that."

Jiang Nian asked, "What happened after that? Did Zheng Hong apologize to Xu Yan?"

Feng Mai gave a cold laugh. "Apologize? Like hell! She hit Xu Yan right in front of the Political Commissar. Xu Yan’s ankle was twisted and she had no strength, so she was at a disadvantage. If Battalion Commander Liu and Battalion Commander Lu hadn't pulled them apart, Xu Yan would have been beaten badly."

Jiang Nian: ... Zheng Hong was truly beyond help.

"Guess what happened in the end?" Seeing Feng Mai’s smug and happy expression, Jiang Nian raised an eyebrow. "Zheng Hong got a scolding?"

Feng Mai slapped her thigh. "It wasn't that simple! Although Battalion Commander Lu is her husband, he's also a soldier of the unit. Since Zheng Hong slandered him like that, how could the Political Commissar just give her a scolding? I heard Old Song say they originally wanted Zheng Hong to go to the Revolutionary Committee for ideological education, but she refused. Battalion Commander Lu had had enough and proposed a divorce. The matter dragged on for a month, and Battalion Commander Lu only finished the procedures a few days ago." Feng Mai shook her head. "That Zheng family... none of them are easy to deal with."

Jiang Nian was quite surprised. She hadn't expected Battalion Commander Lu and Zheng Hong to actually divorce.

Feng Mai stayed for a bit and then left. Before leaving, she asked, "There's a market in the neighboring village tomorrow. Do you want to go and buy some vegetable sprouts? The weather is warm now, so we can till the soil and plant vegetables."

Jiang Nian said, "Alright."

Around eight or nine o'clock, Lu Yu returned. As soon as he arrived, he brought bathwater to Jiang Nian’s room, then waited outside. After Jiang Nian finished bathing, he helped her pour out the water. Jiang Nian looked at Lu Yu as he stepped out from the second room on the east side. "Lu Yu."

The man's footsteps stopped, and he turned to look at Jiang Nian by the window. She had just finished her bath and was wearing a cotton coat, but the hair on her forehead was still slightly damp, and her bright eyes were like stars. Lu Yu asked, "What is it?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "I want to plant vegetables in a few days. Can you find some time to till the garden for me?"

A smile appeared on Lu Yu’s face. "Alright."

Jiang Nian pulled the curtains, undressed, and lay in bed. Looking at the dark roof beams, she felt a bit restless. Truth be told, after sleeping in the dormitory for so long and hugging Zhang Xiao every night, she felt a bit lonely sleeping alone now.

She tossed and turned until midnight before falling asleep. Consequently, she dreamed of returning to her home in the new century. Her parents and grandparents were sitting in the living room talking. Seeing her return, they told her many things. Her father made a feast, and after dinner with her family, Jiang Nian returned to her bedroom and saw the book on her nightstand.

Lying on the soft bed, she picked up the book and flipped through it. When she had looked at it before, the words were fading. Now, it was empty. If she hadn't clearly and accurately read the contents before, Jiang Nian would have doubted her memory. She flipped through page by page; the front was all blank. Near the middle of the book, the writing was very faint but could be seen. Jiang Nian remembered this part—it was when the male lead was promoted to Regiment Commander and transferred to another city. At that time, after the transfer order was issued, the female lead Sun Ying cried, reluctant to see him go. Three months before the male lead’s transfer was Regiment Commander Song’s transfer.

Jiang Nian flipped back two pages, calculating the time. It didn't seem to match reality. She was too lazy to think much about it and flipped further back, wanting to see the chapter where Sun Ying got married. After all, who was the man who entered the bridal chamber? Was it Wu Youshan?

Jiang Nian flipped to the page she had folded before; the writing was clear. She nervously flipped further. When she saw the delicate black lines of text, she was so happy she nearly jumped.

The door slowly opened, and a man walked in. Sun Ying was wearing a red shirt with a red flower pinned to her chest. Her hair was in two braids, her lips were painted light red, and her charming eyes were filled with tears. When the man entered the room, Sun Ying slowly looked up. Seeing it was Wu Youshan, she lowered her head in disappointment. "What are you doing here?"

Wu Youshan walked over and hugged her, kissing her face forcefully. He said in an almost crazed, sickly manner, "Can't you look at me? Look at me! Stop being so stubborn. Do you have to hit a dead end before you turn around?"

Sun Ying tried to escape him. "I don't need you to care!"

"Then who do you want? Lu Yu? Stop dreaming. Do you think that by wearing red and sitting at home, you can really wait for Lu Yu?"

"That's my business!" Sun Ying couldn't escape Wu Youshan, so she bit his shoulder.

Wu Youshan endured the pain and sneered, "We were always meant to be a couple. We grew up together and understand each other. Ying Ying, stop being so obsessed. Lu Yu is a selfish and cold person; he doesn't love you at all. Only I love you."

... Jiang Nian blinked, not expecting such a turn of events. Why was Lu Yu described as selfish and cold? Having lived with him for over six months, she felt Lu Yu was mature, steady, responsible, intelligent, and sharp. Where was he selfish?

She remembered reading that the male and female leads were about to marry, so she had put the book down and gone to sleep, only to wake up having transmigrated into the book. Before that, the book did state that the leads developed feelings on a train and gradually progressed. But why didn't it match the subsequent content?

Jiang Nian thought about the disappearing words at the front of the book and wondered if the plot was starting to change. She gathered her thoughts and flipped to the next page. As soon as she flipped it, she saw Wu Youshan and Sun Ying being intimate.

Jiang Nian: ... She suddenly felt that Lu Yu’s head was a vibrant shade of green.

Jiang Nian flipped another page. It described Sun Ying returning home with Wu Youshan, then coming back here to find Lu Yu, only to learn he had been transferred. She asked the soldiers of the unit, but they refused to tell her. This was a military secret; how could they tell an outsider?

Jiang Nian was stunned. This wasn't right. Didn't it say before that the male lead was promoted to Regiment Commander and transferred, and Sun Ying cried? Moreover, Sun Ying knew where he was being transferred. Why did she know nothing here?

Was the plot completely in shambles? Jiang Nian was confused by the book's plot, feeling that it had become a "dragon's head and a snake's tail." She flipped further back and found it was empty again. Unwilling to give up, she flipped to the final chapter; it was still blank.

Jiang Nian: ... She sighed, and in her frustration, she flipped back and found that the plot she had just read about the male lead being promoted and Sun Ying crying was gone.

Jiang Nian: ... She closed the book and threw it on the nightstand, angry. Fine, let it be destroyed!

Early the next morning, Jiang Nian was awakened by Feng Mai. Feng Mai’s voice was loud as she called Jiang Nian’s name from over the wall. Jiang Nian groggily got up, dressed, put on her cotton shoes, and walked out. Looking at Feng Mai leaning over the wall, her eyes were a bit uncomfortable from the bright light. "What is it?"

"What do you mean 'what is it'? Look at the sun; it's almost noon! If we don't go to the market now, it'll be over!"

Jiang Nian: ??? She hadn't expected to sleep until now! "Wait for me. I'll wash up."

Jiang Nian quickly washed up and ran to the kitchen, only to see Lu Yu reheating food in the pot. He had finished cooking before he left this morning and hadn't woken her. Even the bugle call hadn't woken her. She ate a bun quickly and took her small basket to the market with Feng Mai.

She thought about her dream last night. The plot in the book was a mess, and she didn't know when the male lead would be transferred. If it hadn't changed, it should be in the third month after Regiment Commander Song’s promotion and transfer.

"Xu Yan had another fight with Battalion Commander Liu this morning. Did you hear?" Feng Mai said.

Jiang Nian snapped back to reality. "No." She had slept too soundly. She asked, "Why the fight this time?"

Feng Mai said, "What else? It's about that business with Battalion Commander Liu’s second aunt's family. Liu Qiang’s mother heard about his second uncle's situation and blamed Liu Qiang and Xu Yan for not helping, saying it ruined the Gu family. She says she wants to come to the unit to take care of her grandchildren, but really she just wants to cause trouble for them. Xu Yan wasn't happy about her coming, so she had a fight with Liu Qiang. Think about it—how old is that lady? She might just die on the way."

Jiang Nian: ... Xu Yan truly had bad luck with that family. "What happened then?"

Feng Mai said, "Liu Qiang said he knows and will write a letter back telling his mother not to come, saying the unit didn't approve it."

Jiang Nian said, "That's good then."

The market was very crowded today, and since it was early spring, everyone was buying vegetable sprouts. The supply of sprouts at each market wasn't much, and since Feng Mai and Jiang Nian arrived late, they only managed to buy pepper and cucumber sprouts.

Feng Mai glared at her. "The next market isn't for another seven days. If you wake up late again, I'm not waiting for you."

Jiang Nian smiled apologetically. "Next time I'll be up before dawn."

The two returned to the unit and saw Chen Fang and Tang Ze coming out. Chen Fang and Feng Mai snorted at each other, then shared a laugh. Jiang Nian greeted them, "Sister-in-law Chen, Battalion Commander Tang."

"Aye," Chen Fang replied.

Tang Ze’s gaze lingered on Jiang Nian’s face. He smiled, not knowing what to call her. Calling her sister-in-law was awkward since he was older than her and Lu Yu. Calling her by name wasn't appropriate. Finally, he said, "Little sister-in-law." When Xu Cheng was alive, their relationship had been good.

Jiang Nian was stunned. Used to being called sister-in-law, being called "little sister-in-law" for the first time felt unfamiliar. Seeing Tang Ze looking at Jiang Nian, Feng Mai pulled her away immediately, talking as they went. "Chen Fang, you two hurry on. We have to rush back to make lunch."

Feng Mai only let go once they were home.

Jiang Nian carried her basket into the yard and heard the sound of splashing water. Looking up, she saw Lu Yu standing by the drain, shirtless and pouring water. The man was wearing green military trousers with a black belt around his waist. His legs were long and straight, his upper body bare. His muscles were firm and powerful, and water dripped from his short hair. A towel was draped around his neck. He looked like he had just finished washing his hair.

Jiang Nian shivered slightly, her eyes involuntarily drifting toward Lu Yu’s abdominal muscles.