When the evening lights came on, the summer night of the 1980s carried a sticky, humid heat.
At the entrance of the National Defense Military District compound, a spontaneous night market had formed, and this was the busiest time of the day.
The smoky aroma of cumin and chili barbecue mixed with the crisp ringing of bicycle bells and the hearty bargaining voices of military wives, creating a lively and vivid scene of everyday life.
The signboard “Lin’s Snacks” stood out brightly in the noisy crowd.
Under the sign, Lin Nian was so busy that her feet barely touched the ground.
Tonight, she wore a simple white shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her fair, delicate wrists. Her long black hair was casually twisted into a bun with a chopstick. A few loose strands fell against her forehead, dampened by the rising steam, adding a gentle, alluring charm to her looks.
“Boss lady, is my order ready yet? Extra spicy, extra vinegar!”
A young soldier wearing a tank top wiped his sweat as he urged her.
Without lifting her head, Lin Nian kept the large strainer moving gracefully in the boiling red broth.
“What are you rushing for? There are still eight orders ahead of you!”
Her voice was crisp, with a hint of playful annoyance. Instead of being offended, the young soldier scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
Lin Nian dumped the freshly blanched vegetables, tofu skin, and quail eggs into a large enamel bowl, sprinkled peanuts, minced garlic, and cilantro on top, and finally poured over a big spoonful of her secret sesame sauce and chili oil.
“Here, yours!”
The bowl of spicy hotpot was vibrant red and white, its aroma bold and irresistible, instantly making everyone around swallow their drool.
This was what kept Lin Nian alive.
A few years ago, she escaped from her nightmarish home in the middle of the night, carrying two unborn babies and all her belongings, heading south.
Her awakened memories told her that clinging to a man whose heart belonged to another woman would only lead to her twins being taken away and her dying miserably in the streets.
She was scared. So she ran.
These years, she had suffered hardships—washing dishes for others and eventually relying on her past-life cooking skills to build her spicy hotpot stall at the military compound entrance.
Unexpectedly, it became a huge hit.
Now, “Lin’s Snacks” was the star of the night market, and even many officers’ families loved her food.
“Niannian! Niannian! Something big happened!”
A loud voice approached quickly. Su Xiao, wearing a white coat, squeezed through the crowd, panting heavily. She was a nurse at the military hospital and Lin Nian’s only close friend here.
Lin Nian swiftly tucked a string of coins into her waist pouch and glanced at her. “The sky is falling?”
“Almost!” Su Xiao exaggerated dramatically, lowering her voice. “Let me tell you, the Market Management Office assigned a new leader. I heard he’s a living hell-king! A war hero brought back from the front lines. Something… Lu… Lu-something-chuan. A regiment commander. And he’s also our area’s new discipline inspector!”
Lin Nian’s heart skipped a beat.
Last name Lu?
It shouldn’t… it couldn’t possibly be…
She forced a smile and kept serving food calmly. “New officials always make a big show. It’s normal. I’ve got all the permits and everything is clean and proper. What can he do to me?”
These years, she was no longer the tearful village girl who could only cry when bullied.
“Don’t be so sure!” Su Xiao said seriously. “I heard from the director that this Regiment Commander Lu hates poor discipline and sloppy conduct the most! In his eyes, this night market is probably the perfect example of a ‘messy and dirty’ place. He’s leading a surprise inspection himself tonight. The first target will definitely be the most eye-catching stall!”
Su Xiao glanced nervously at the busiest stall—Lin Nian’s.
When killing a chicken to warn the monkeys, people often choose the fattest chicken.
Lin Nian’s hands paused slightly.
Her heartbeat began speeding up uncontrollably.
She took a deep breath and pressed down the uneasy feeling rising inside her.
Impossible. The world was huge. There was no way fate would be so twisted as to bring them together here.
Besides, according to the book, Lu Tingchuan should be living in Beijing with his white-moonlight, Bai Yueru, enjoying their perfect life. Why would he come all the way to a southern military district?
She must be overthinking.
“Okay, got it. I’ll be careful.” Lin Nian handed Su Xiao a packed bowl. “Yours—extra kelp. Go back quickly or you’ll be late for your night shift.”
Su Xiao wanted to say more, but seeing Lin Nian’s calm manner, she could only leave reluctantly, looking back repeatedly.
But her words still left a thorn in Lin Nian’s heart.
She became distracted, her eyes constantly drifting toward the road.
The night market was still lively, but it all felt distant. All she could hear was the loud thumping of her own heart.
Suddenly—
Beep—
A sharp car horn cut through the noisy market like a blade.
A blinding beam of headlights shot straight ahead.
The crowd froze, unconsciously turning toward the light.
A green military jeep, exuding unquestionable authority, slowly stopped at the entrance—right in front of “Lin’s Snacks.”
The vendors around fell silent instantly, barely daring to breathe.
The car door opened.
First came a pair of polished black military boots. They stepped on the oily ground without picking up a speck of dirt.
Above them were perfectly pressed uniform pants, held by a wide belt, emphasizing a lean waist and broad shoulders.
Finally, the man stepped out completely and stood straight.
His new uniform gleamed under the dim lights, the two bars and three stars on his shoulder shining with cold authority.
Lin Nian’s breath stopped instantly.
Time stretched endlessly.
All sounds vanished.
Her world shrank to one person.
After a few years, he was taller, colder. Time hadn’t marked him much—it only erased his youthful softness and replaced it with a soldier’s harshness and steadiness.
His features were still striking, like a sculpture carved by a master. But his dark eyes were deeper than before, like an icy abyss. When they swept over the crowd, the pressure was suffocating.
It was him.
Lu Tingchuan.
The man who, in her awakened memories, had personally pushed her into despair.
The man she thought she would never see again in this life.
He had really become the “living hell-king” in charge of this area.
Lin Nian felt the blood in her body turn cold, starting from her fingertips and freezing all the way to her heart.
Her grip tightened around the strainer, her knuckles turning white.
At that moment, Lu Tingchuan’s gaze cut through the crowd and the rising steam, like two sharp blades, landing on her face without a single miss.
Their eyes met.
Enemies meet on a narrow road.