Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
The wardrobe handle turned in Zhao Guihua’s rough hand, letting out a teeth-grinding creak.
Lu Zhan stood at the doorway. The arms that had been folded across his chest slowly lowered to his sides. Every muscle in his body tightened like a fully drawn bow. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind—
If Su Man was discovered, how would he explain it?
Say he was helping a distressed civilian?A lone man and a lone woman in the same room, the woman barely dressed — even a ghost wouldn’t believe that excuse.
Say she was a spy?Even worse. The Security Section would intervene. Su Man would be taken away for interrogation — she’d be lucky to survive intact.
The only option left was forceful suppression.Protect her first, even if he had to take disciplinary punishment.
Just as Lu Zhan was about to act—
The wardrobe door opened.
There was no scream. No struggle.
A pale, slender hand — faintly trembling — reached out from the dark closet first and gently rested on the doorframe.
That hand was too white. Under the dim light it shone like jade, forming a stark contrast with Zhao Guihua’s bark-like hand.
Then—
A figure slowly stepped out.
Silence fell over the room.Even the air seemed to stop moving.
Zhao Guihua’s mouth hung open, her throat making choking sounds.
Behind her, Commissar Zheng and the several Security Section officers nearly had their eyes pop out.
It was indeed a woman.
But absolutely not the filthy, miserable village fugitive they imagined.
Su Man stood barefoot on the cold concrete floor.
She wore an oversized white men’s shirt — Lu Zhan’s.On him it fit neatly; on her it looked like a child stealing an adult’s clothes.
The hem barely covered the top of her thighs, revealing straight, well-proportioned legs dazzlingly pale.
Because of the rain and fever, her skin held a sickly blush. Wet black hair draped over her shoulders; droplets slid along her delicate collarbone and disappeared into the neckline.
Pure — yet dangerously alluring.
Su Man was actually terrified.
Her legs were weak, heart pounding like it would explode. But she knew this was her only chance.
Act weak.Use a man’s instinct to protect.
She didn’t look at Zhao Guihua.Nor at Commissar Zheng.
The moment she stepped out, her misty, reddened peach-blossom eyes locked straight onto Lu Zhan.
Then, in front of everyone, she ran a few steps and hid directly behind him.
Her small hand timidly grabbed the seam of his military trousers.
“Zhan-ge…”
The call was soft and sweet, thick with a nasal sob and grievance — like feathers brushing the heart, like electricity up the spine.
Lu Zhan stiffened.
Zhan-ge?What did she just call him?
In his twenty-eight years, he’d been called “Commander Lu,” “Chief,” even “Yama King” and “Madman.”
No one had ever called him that softly.
He subconsciously lowered his head.
He met Su Man’s upturned face.
Her eyes were full of acting — three parts fear, three parts dependence, and four parts frantic blinking:Save me! Cooperate!
His temples throbbed.
This woman had outrageous courage.
“Th-this… what is this?” Commissar Zheng recovered first, face reddening as he averted his gaze from her legs. “Lu Zhan, what’s going on?!”
Zhao Guihua snapped out of it and screamed, pointing at Su Man:
“It’s her! That little wretch! Dressed like that — shameless! Corrupting public morals!”
“Shut up!”
Lu Zhan moved.
Not only did he not push Su Man away — he pulled her into his arms, wrapping an arm firmly around her shoulders and shielding her completely.
He grabbed his military coat from the chair and draped it over her, covering her legs.
The motion was smooth, domineering, possessive.
“Commissar.”
Lu Zhan lifted his head calmly, even slightly displeased at the interruption.
“Let me introduce her.”
His large hand squeezed Su Man’s trembling shoulder — warning and reassurance.
“This is my fiancée from my hometown, Su Man.”
“She came to see me tonight. The rain was heavy, so she stayed here.”
His voice was firm and decisive.
“What? Do I need to report to everyone just to see my own wife-to-be?”
Boom—
Like thunder exploding in the dormitory.
Commissar Zheng froze.The security chief was dumbfounded.Zhao Guihua stood petrified.
Fiancée?
The famously woman-repelling “living Yama” actually had a partner?
And such a beauty?
“You’re lying!” Zhao Guihua shouted. “She’s Old Su Third’s daughter! She’s supposed to marry Fool Wang! This is adultery! You’re deceiving the organization!”
“Adultery?”
Lu Zhan sneered. The coldness in his eyes silenced her instantly.
He lowered his head and looked at Su Man with a cruel, teasing smile.
“Wife, tell this aunt what we are.”
Su Man’s heart raced.
Lu Zhan had accepted the script.
She had to perform well.
She took a deep breath and poked her head out of the coat. Tears instantly streamed down.
“Auntie, how can you slander people…”
She cried pitifully.
“Zhan-ge and I have known each other for a long time. I ran away from a forced marriage — my father wanted me to marry a fool. I only love Zhan-ge, so I traveled dozens of li to find him…”
“He said tomorrow we’ll submit our marriage application.”
She buried her face in Lu Zhan’s bare chest, hot tears soaking him.
“Zhan-ge… I’m scared… are they going to take me away…”
Behind his waist, she secretly drew a circle with her finger — a subtle threat:Hand me over and I’ll accuse you of abandoning me.
Lu Zhan’s body went rigid.
This damned woman dared threaten him.
But he couldn’t react.
He inhaled deeply, suppressing the strange heat inside him, and looked at Commissar Zheng with absolute conviction.
“Commissar, that’s the situation.”
“This is a family matter. This shrew tried to sell my fiancée. She came to me for refuge — reasonable and legal.”
“What, soldiers can’t protect their own wives?”
Commissar Zheng looked at them —
The tall, stern officer protecting his crying fiancée.
It looked exactly like a couple bullied by a villain.
Though something felt off — like how the iron tree Lu Zhan suddenly bloomed — he’d admitted it himself. The nature changed.
From a conduct issue to military marriage protection.
His expression softened. He turned sternly to Zhao Guihua.
“You said she’s your daughter-in-law? You’re crazy for money!”
“They love each other. That’s arranged marriage! Human trafficking! Feudal behavior!”
“Keep causing trouble and I’ll send you to the police station to investigate trafficking women!”
Zhao Guihua panicked.
She came to catch adultery — how did she become the criminal?
Seeing Lu Zhan’s murderous gaze and the commissar’s dark face, she knew she’d lost today.
“I… I must have mistaken her…”
She backed away. “Since she’s the officer’s partner… misunderstanding… misunderstanding…”
She ran off faster than a rabbit.
Commissar Zheng sighed and dismissed the security officers.
At the door he looked deeply at Lu Zhan, then at Su Man in his arms.
“Lu Zhan, if she’s your fiancée, handle the paperwork soon. It’s late — mind appearances.”
“And the girl’s weak. Don’t let her stand barefoot on the floor.”
He closed the door gently.
Click.
At last, the world fell silent.