The Wedding and the Promise

Xu Yan's face flushed red like a sunset cloud. She nudged Battalion Commander Lu: "You're drunk, hurry back to the room to sleep, stop talking."

Lu Yu sat leisurely. Having known Lu Guosheng for so many years, this was the first time he had seen him speak so much.

Jiang Nian's curiosity was also piqued. She leaned closer to Lu Yu's arm and said to Xu Yan: "Don't stop Battalion Commander Lu, I want to hear what else he has to say."

Xu Yan: "..."

She pretended to glare at Jiang Nian and stood up to pull Lu Guosheng. Unexpectedly, the drunken man possessed the strength of a bull. He pressed her back down onto the bench, grabbed her hands, and said: "If you've forgotten, I'll repeat it again. I, Lu Guosheng, have set my mind on you since we got married. You manage the household affairs, you hold my salary, and my mother said she won't interfere in our business, as long as the two of us don't fight."

Jiang Nian teased at the right moment: "So Xu Yan will be the head of the household from now on."

Lu Guosheng followed Jiang Nian's words: "Yes, she will be the head of the household from now on."

Lu Guosheng had drunk too much and was eventually supported back to the room by Lu Yu. Xu Yan wanted to clean up the house but was stopped by Lu Yu: "Go take care of Brother Lu, I'll clean up."

Jiang Nian said: "Yes, be careful in case Brother Lu throws up. Go watch him, Lu Yu and I are here."

Xu Yan was still a bit embarrassed but was pushed into the room by Jiang Nian.

After cleaning up outside, Jiang Nian and Lu Yu washed up before returning to the bedroom. The room was very dark. Jiang Nian rested her head on Lu Yu's arm, saying with some annoyance: "Liu Qiang is truly a piece of trash."

Saying this, she rolled over to lie on her stomach on the bed, propping her chin in her hands. Using the dim moonlight, she stared at Lu Yu's sharp, defined face, reaching out a hand to poke his chest: "If you ever dare to be like Liu Qiang in the future, I'll divorce you, go far away, and make you spend the rest of your life... Mmph!"

Jiang Nian's lips were firmly and solidly blocked.

She blinked, looking at the man's eyes close at hand, feeling a sudden sting on her lips. Lu Yu bit her as if punishing her, then slipped his tongue inside: "Don't compare me to that kind of person."

"And also."

The man's lips moved to her ear, licking her earlobe. A hot breath rose at her ear, making Jiang Nian feel half-numb. She heard him say: "Don't mention the word 'divorce' in the future. Once you marry me, don't even think about leaving."

Jiang Nian didn't know when she fell asleep, but before sleeping, she learned another lesson: never mention the word "divorce" in front of Lu Yu again. This man was terrifyingly intense when he took things seriously.

At lunchtime the next day, the sentry came to the house to say there was a phone call for Jiang Nian from someone named Zhang Xiao. Jiang Nian and Xu Yan went to the military phone booth together. When she picked up the phone, Lu Xiaojing's voice came from the other end: "Jiang Nian?"

Jiang Nian was stunned: "Sister Lu?"

As soon as Lu Xiaojing heard her, she began talking non-stop: "I took a bus from the city to the military base early this morning, and it took me four hours to see Zhang Xiao. Calling you now is such a hassle. I asked Zhang Xiao to tell you about my wedding, but fearing you might forget, I'm telling you again. Remember to come back, it's on the 3rd of next month, I'll be waiting for you."

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "I remember, there are still six days left."

Lu Xiaojing snorted: "I waited thirty years to finally get married, what are you going to give me?"

Jiang Nian said: "You'll know when I get back."

After talking with Lu Xiaojing for a few words, Zhang Xiao took over the phone and chatted with Jiang Nian for a while.

Lu Xiaojing was getting married on the 3rd of next month, and Xu Yan planned to go there with Jiang Nian. On one hand, they would have each other's company on the way, and on the other hand, they could visit Zhang Xiao. She didn't care about the gossip from the people in the family compound about her, Liu Qiang, and Lu Guosheng; whoever talked, she would beat them.

Xu Yan was confident now. She told Jiang Nian that this confidence was given to her by Lu Guosheng.

She had followed Liu Qiang for so many years, busy inside and out alone, living like a widow despite having a husband. Only after marrying Lu Guosheng this month did she know what it felt like to be loved and cherished. Occasionally thinking of Zheng Hong, she felt Zheng Hong really didn't know what was good for her back then.

That night, Jiang Nian discussed this with Lu Yu. The man's brow furrowed slightly, his thin lips pursed in silence.

Jiang Nian knew Lu Yu was worried about her, her eyes curving into a smile: "You can personally send Xu Yan and me to the train. Zhou Jun will pick us up on the other side. Once Lu Xiaojing's wedding is over, Zhou Jun will send Xu Yan and me back, and you can pick me up at the train station. How about that?"

She kissed Lu Yu's lower lip. His lips were a bit cold, and she couldn't help but stick out her tongue to lick them.

Lu Yu: "..."

He gripped the small of Jiang Nian's back, his Adam's apple bobbing twice: "Don't move around."

Jiang Nian rarely acted coquettishly: "Please?"

Lu Yu: "..."

Jiang Nian grabbed Lu Yu's shoulders, rolled over to climb on top of him, and lightly bit his lip with her teeth: "Lu Yu, please?"

The veins on Lu Yu's temples suddenly throbbed. In front of Jiang Nian, all his self-control was completely fragile. As Jiang Nian's hand slipped into his clothes, Lu Yu turned the tables, gripping her waist tightly to swap their positions, and said hoarsely: "I'll call Zhou Jun tomorrow."

Jiang Nian's eyes curved: "Great."

Lu Yu: "..."

Lu Guosheng had to go to work, so he left after staying in Yuan City for two days. Xu Yan stayed at the family building, waiting to go to Zhang Xiao's place with Jiang Nian in a few days.

Huyang County was only a two-hour drive from Yuan City. Today, when Jiang Nian and Xu Yan boarded the train, Lu Guosheng also came, giving Xu Yan a set of newly bought clothes and shoes, telling her to wear them there. The train ran all night, arriving at the train station at nine the next morning. Zhou Jun, Lu Xiaojing, and her partner came together to pick up Jiang Nian and Xu Yan.

This was the first time Jiang Nian had seen Lu Xiaojing's partner. He wasn't very tall, about half a head taller than Lu Xiaojing, and looked honest and clean. Seeing Jiang Nian and Xu Yan, he smiled and greeted them, speaking very politely. Lu Xiaojing pulled Jiang Nian's arm and whispered: "How is he? Not bad, right?"

Jiang Nian intentionally turned back to look. The man nodded to her, looking away in embarrassment. She looked at Lu Xiaojing and teased: "He has fewer schemes than you. He'll probably be wrapped around your finger after marriage."

Lu Xiaojing actually burst into a happy laugh and whispered: "This is exactly the result I want."

Jiang Nian was stunned, but then heard Lu Xiaojing say: "In my eyes, money is more important than men. He's honest and has no devious thoughts. I've also met his child; he takes after his father, both are honest people. Marrying him means I not only manage the household money but also help him look after the child. If I don't keep these two firmly in hand, how can I have good days ahead? Besides, this man has an urban household registration, so marrying him makes me a city dweller too. It's a win-win situation."

Jiang Nian knew Lu Xiaojing had always prioritized personal interest, but Xu Yan was somewhat startled by Lu Xiaojing's words.

She compared herself and Lu Guosheng; their situation was similar to Lu Xiaojing's. However, she had two children, which added quite a burden to Lu Guosheng.

Lu Xiaojing had considered Jiang Nian's accommodation beforehand, arranging for her to stay at the Xiu Zhuang dormitory. She understood Jiang Nian's situation, knowing that returning to the military base would inevitably cause gossip, so staying at her place would keep her ears quiet.

Lu Xiaojing's partner was a team leader in the factory and had a single dormitory. She was getting married tomorrow, and the walk from the Xiu Zhuang dormitory to the Machinery Factory dormitory was just two streets away, not too far.

Zhou Jun brought Zhang Xiao and the child over in the afternoon. Di Beibei made dinner, and several of them chatted in the dormitory for a long time, taking turns to coax the child. At night, Zhang Xiao and the child slept in one bed, Di Beibei and Lu Xiaojing slept in another, and Xu Yan and Jiang Nian each had a bed. Lu Xiaojing said: "Jiang Nian, has your Regiment Commander Lu ever been kicked out of bed by you?"

Jiang Nian: "..."

Zhang Xiao also teased: "Sister Jiang, do you hug Regiment Commander Lu so tightly at night that he suffocates?"

Jiang Nian: "..."

That really hadn't happened. Ever since sharing a bed with Lu Yu, she was held by him every night. Let alone rolling off the bed, her limbs couldn't even flail around.

Early the next morning, before dawn, everyone in the dormitory got up. Jiang Nian took out her gift. She gave Lu Xiaojing a patterned silk scarf to tie around her neck, styled her hair beautifully, tied two red velvet flowers in her hair, and had her wear a red coat and shirt. Lu Xiaojing stood in front of the mirror hanging on the wall for a long time, praising: "Jiang Nian, this silk scarf you bought is so beautiful. This must have cost quite a bit of money, right?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said: "It's your first marriage, so the gift can't be light, otherwise you won't let me come back one day."

Lu Xiaojing spat: "How could that be."

Around ten o'clock, the outside of the dormitory became lively as many workers from the machinery factory arrived. Di Beibei and Xu Yan blocked the door, demanding several red envelopes before letting them in. The groom must have instructed the workers beforehand not to barge in. The wedding went smoothly. After entering the bridal chamber, Lu Xiaojing held Jiang Nian's hand, tears in her eyes as she laughed and cried: "So this is what getting married feels like. I want to do it again."

Jiang Nian: "..."

After eating at the machinery factory feast, Jiang Nian and the others left. Passing by the textile factory, Jiang Nian thought of Sun Ying. The last time she saw her, she was being chased by Sun Chao, and she didn't know how things had turned out in the end.

It was a bit late today, so Jiang Nian and the others stayed at the dormitory for one night, buying train tickets for tomorrow afternoon to return to Yuan City. Zhang Xiao and the child also stayed at the dormitory. Once they left tomorrow, only Di Beibei would be left in the dormitory. Di Beibei sighed: "You've all left, my ears will finally be quiet."

Zhang Xiao smiled: "Sister Lu is just two streets away from you, and I can come to the city to find you anytime."

Di Beibei smiled: "Then bring the little guy along when you come, he can keep me company."

The baby babbled and smiled at Di Beibei, waving his tiny arms, making Di Beibei overjoyed: "This boy is so handsome, much more handsome than his father."

Early the next morning, Di Beibei got up to make breakfast for everyone. Around noon, Lu Xiaojing and her husband came back to Xiu Zhuang for the "return to the bride's home" visit. Zhou Jun also caught up in time for lunch. After eating, Zhou Jun took Jiang Nian and Xu Yan to the station, saying to them on the way: "Sister-in-law, Sister Xu, I met Liu Qiang when I returned to the unit yesterday. Something happened to him!"