In her daily routine, Liu Ruolan would head out early in the morning with a fishing net in hand. Although it took only five minutes to reach the beach, she deliberately chose to take a long detour.
All so she could first pass by Yan Li’an’s residence, then circle around the area near the army camp. More often than not, she would “coincidentally” run into Yan Li’an on the way—if not, she could at least see him training from afar.
That was the sweetest moment of her day.
Standing in front of the mirror, she deftly braided her hair into two plaits, smoothed the wrinkles on her floral jacket, and looked herself over from head to toe. Satisfied, she nodded. “Hmph! I’m no worse than that capitalist young lady!”
Holding her fishing gear high, Liu Ruolan stepped out confidently. When she reached his door, she gently knocked three times.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Yan Li’an, military cap tucked under his arm, opened the door. When he saw her, his brows knit slightly and his expression stiffened, the scene of her bold confession flashing through his mind.
“Brother Li’an, you’re heading off to training?” Liu Ruolan asked with a sweet smile, as if nothing had happened.
He gave a brief nod. “Mm.”
Thinking the conversation was over, he was surprised when she continued.
“You train so hard every day—you really have to take care of your health. Even the Great Leader said the body is the capital of revolution! You’re all on your own, so you need to be especially careful.”
Her voice was loud enough to wake Su Jinhui from her sleep. It was as if she were speaking as though Su Jinhui didn’t exist.
“I’m getting married. I’m not alone,” Yan Li’an said, glancing meaningfully into the room.
The hint of drawing boundaries was unmistakable. Liu Ruolan felt as though a jar of vinegar had overturned in her heart, sourness surging uncontrollably.
She clenched the corner of her clothes and forced a smile. “Yes, yes. I got carried away talking to you and forgot about that. She’s new here and doesn’t know many people—staying cooped up at home all day isn’t good. Why not come fishing with me? I won’t make her work—just to relax and make friends. It’ll also help improve your meals.”
“That’s not a bad idea. Then I’ll trouble you. Once she wakes up, ask her what she thinks,” Yan Li’an said, neither agreeing nor refusing, and nodded.
Girls her age were usually lively and outgoing. Going out for a change of scenery might not be a bad thing.
In a hurry to get to training, Yan Li’an left quickly. Only after his figure disappeared did the smile on Liu Ruolan’s face vanish.
She stepped into the room and glanced around, her gaze finally landing on Su Jinhui’s medical notebook.
“What are you doing!” Su Jinhui abandoned her plan to pretend to sleep and sat up.
Liu Ruolan jolted in fright, her heart nearly jumping out of her throat. “You scared me to death!”
“If you’ve done nothing wrong, what are you afraid of?” Su Jinhui said as she quickly got dressed.
Although she and Yan Li’an slept separately, they were still in the same room. She had only taken off her outer pants and coat, so getting dressed took just moments.
Smiling brightly, Liu Ruolan explained her purpose.
“I’m not going,” Su Jinhui replied, fixing her with a probing gaze—like a weasel paying a New Year’s visit to a chicken, clearly up to no good.
Liu Ruolan’s face stiffened. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for Brother Li’an, giving you a hand. You can’t hide in the house forever without seeing anyone, can you?”
Her words did give Su Jinhui pause. She had been on the island for several days already, yet knew very little about it. “Thanks for the reminder, but I still won’t go.”
Liu Ruolan ground her teeth and slumped into a chair. “Su Jinhui!”
Seeing that she had no intention of leaving, it was clear she was determined to scheme against her. Since Liu Ruolan dared to call her out in public, she naturally wouldn’t dare harm her.
After some thought, Su Jinhui agreed. She wanted to see exactly what kind of plan the other woman was harboring.
When they headed to the beach together, they drew many curious glances. On the island, who didn’t know about Liu Ruolan’s little intentions?
Two girls were already seated on the weather-worn fishing boat, waiting for them. Su Jinhui vaguely recognized their faces.
“Qingju, Ruonan, start the boat,” Liu Ruolan said, exchanging a meaningful look with them. The two immediately understood.
Su Jinhui found a comfortable spot and sat down. The salty, damp air mixed with the cool morning breeze, sweeping away her early-morning drowsiness.
In her past life, she had been a renowned hospital physician, with endless surgeries and patients. She had worked diligently under constant tension, rarely having time for herself.
Even so, she ultimately gave her life to the career she loved. Wasn’t that, in its own way, karmic retribution?
She blamed no one, yet a faint ripple of disappointment rose in her heart…
“Do you know how to fish?” Liu Ruolan asked bluntly, tossing the net in front of her.
Su Jinhui shook her head honestly.
Liu Ruolan lifted her chin proudly. “You city people are always so self-important—especially you, a capitalist young lady. You don’t even have basic survival skills. I really don’t know why Brother Li’an would marry you.”
“People are different. What you’re good at, I may not know. What I’m familiar with, you may not understand either. Why jump to conclusions so early?” Su Jinhui withdrew her gaze, then calmly looked up at her.
“Then how about a competition?” Liu Ruolan squatted down, arranging the fishing net.
Qingju laughed mockingly. “Sister Lanlan, don’t make things hard for her! She probably doesn’t even know how to cast a net.”
“That’s right. Just look at how clumsy she is—how could she compare to you? I bet she doesn’t even have the courage to compete,” Ruonan chimed in.
The two sang in harmony, flattering Liu Ruolan until she was beaming.
Su Jinhui glanced down at the sea, her brows lifting slightly. “Alright.”
“You’ve got some nerve. If we’re competing, there should be a wager. How about we bet on Brother Li’an? If I win, you leave the island and never come back for the rest of your life! Do you dare?” Liu Ruolan’s dark eyes glittered with excitement.
Su Jinhui burst out laughing.
“What are you laughing at? If you don’t dare, just say so,” Liu Ruolan frowned.
“I’m laughing at how naive you are. Even if I agreed, so what? Yan Li’an and I are in a military marriage—the application’s already been submitted. Do you really think you can easily ruin that?” Su Jinhui said calmly.
The mention of sabotaging a military marriage made Liu Ruolan’s face change instantly. That was a charge she couldn’t bear. Her eyes instinctively flicked to the jade pendant around Su Jinhui’s neck—it looked like fine quality.
“Then let’s bet on that jade you’re wearing. If you lose, you give it to me. If I lose, I’ll never trouble you again and will avoid you whenever I see you. Do you dare?”
Her provocation was blatant. Coincidentally, Su Jinhui enjoyed facing challenges head-on. “Fine. If you lose, you’ll bring me two fresh fish every day.”
“You’re dreaming. Sister Lanlan is famous on the island for her fishing skills. You think you can beat her? Stop indulging in your fantasies—otherwise you’ll just end up being laughed at!”