Qi Huaiye fixed his gaze on her. “I can understand your concerns, and you’re not wrong in the slightest.”
“In any case, I’ll call my mother to confirm this engagement. If it’s true, I’ll take full responsibility.”
His handsome face was still cold, but Jiang Lai could hear the subtle shift in his voice—compared to the daytime, it was noticeably gentler.
She hadn’t expected him to comfort her. She froze for a moment, flattered and relieved at the same time, unable to deny the sense of security settling in her chest as her tense body slowly relaxed.
Jiang Lai pressed her lips together and smiled. “That’s how it should be. Marriage is a big deal—it must be confirmed carefully.”
Qi Huaiye’s fingers curled slightly on his knee. He thought to himself, She really is a rare and admirable comrade.
Serious and meticulous, yet so understanding.
“Before that, I’ll arrange for you to stay in the family housing. The organization assigned me an apartment there, but I’ve never lived in it—I’ve always stayed in the dormitory. You focus on finishing your IV drip. I’ll find someone to go tidy up the place for you.”
No matter what, his attitude showed he was at least willing to take responsibility. Jiang Lai quietly exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding, her smile deepening. “Thank you, Commander Qi.”
Qi Huaiye’s lashes trembled faintly. The words slipped out. “There’s no need to be so formal. There’s a good chance we’re engaged. Just call me Qi Huaiye.”
After telling her he would return later to pick her up, Qi Huaiye stood and headed for the door.
The moment he opened it, he saw Chen Jianguo sneaking at the window, eavesdropping.
“Old Qi, she’s really your fiancée?”
Qi Huaiye nodded. “I’m not sure, but the chances are high. You know what my mother’s like…”
He shared his suspicions.
Chen Jianguo was so shocked he went blank for a long moment before recovering.
They grew up in the same compound—who didn’t know the situation in each other’s homes? Qi’s mother always acted on a whim. Promising away her son like he was worthless… that was entirely possible.
“Old Qi, Madam Qi finally did something right for once,” Chen Jianguo slung his arm over his friend’s shoulder and pulled him a little farther away.
“Your marital status has already become a matter of organizational concern. Some narrow-minded people have even tried to use it against you more than once. Rather than wait until they force a political marriage onto you someday, why not just marry Comrade Jiang now?”
Marriage was politics.
In the military, marriage was never just between two people. For officers moving up the ranks, personal affairs and family stability were crucial evaluation metrics.
If a promising officer remained single, the organization was often more anxious than he was—arranged blind dates were common.
If someone stubbornly stayed single for too long, the gossip practically wrote itself: “Tsk tsk, look at so-and-so’s unit—so poor that even a regimental commander can’t get a wife.”
Qi Huaiye himself didn’t care, but the Eastern Military Region couldn’t afford to lose face.
In just two years, he would be thirty.
When that time came, out of concern for the officer—and for the reputation of the unit—the upper brass might not just “introduce” someone. They might directly assign him a spouse. Chen Jianguo wasn’t exaggerating.
“Comrade Jiang is beautiful, gentle, and her mother is a martyr. Her background is impeccable.” Chen Jianguo sighed sincerely. “This childhood engagement Madam Qi set up… honestly, she nailed it. If you don’t like her, I’ll start pursuing her tomorrow.”
At that, Qi Huaiye lifted his eyes, expression dark. “Seems like you’re quite free lately. If you have the energy for gossip, I suppose your training schedule isn’t full enough.”
Chen Jianguo almost collapsed on the spot. It was just a joke—was he really taking revenge over a woman?
But before he could make sense of it, Qi Huaiye continued, face serious. “A female comrade’s reputation is extremely important. A careless joke from you could ruin her life.”
Chen Jianguo backed down immediately. “My mistake, my mistake—I’ll apologize to Comrade Jiang right away.”
Like hell Qi Huaiye was letting him near her. His voice turned colder. “No need. She’s from the south—she’s shy. Don’t scare her. Go home.”
Chen Jianguo was stunned.
He looked completely baffled.
All those past blind dates, he was always the third wheel—yet today, Qi Huaiye was throwing him out?
“Fine, fine, I’ll go. Won’t get in the way of you two dating.”
Qi Huaiye’s brows furrowed.
Seeing that he was about to start another lecture, Chen Jianguo bolted. With Qi’s temper, who knows how long Comrade Jiang will tolerate him? She might break off the engagement in days…
He ran all the way to the family compound. “Grandpa! Something big happened!”
Chaos instantly filled the study. As soon as Commander Chen put his things away, his grandson barged in.
Seeing the boy’s frantic state, even his cap askew, the commander snorted. “Did you eat your sense of discipline? Learn from Qi Huaiye for once!”
Chen Jianguo noticed his grandfather’s hands were hidden under the table. He instantly knew what was going on, grinning as he said, “Grandpa, if I were as stiff as Qi Huaiye, you might never get to eat another chili pepper again in your life.”
“…”
Crude, but not wrong.
Commander Chen paused, then pulled out the half-eaten chili.
A man of his status—a commanding officer—reduced to sneaking spicy peppers in secret.
“What happened?”
Chen Jianguo finally remembered why he came, quickly explaining everything about Qi Huaiye’s fiancée showing up. He finished with, “…Comrade Jiang looks so delicate. How could she put up with Old Qi? If she runs away, what’ll we do?”
The biggest bachelor in the unit finally had someone willing to take him in! Commander Chen’s moustache quivered with excitement—he even set aside the chili.
“Where is she now?”
“She’s still getting an IV at the reception room. Probably almost finished.”
Commander Chen asked again, “And how does Huaiye seem toward her?”
“Hard to say, but he’s… different. Just, his face is too cold and scary. If they’re alone, who knows—this engagement could fall apart tonight.”
Absolutely unacceptable.
Commander Chen’s eyes widened. “Go get Qi Huaiye. Tell him… tell him he’s to report to me in person.”
Even a lifelong bachelor like Chen Jianguo thought it was a great plan.
“Wait,” the commander called him back. “This engagement requires a huge sacrifice on Comrade Jiang’s part. Go personally and arrange the best guesthouse suite for her. Treat her with the highest courtesy. Make sure she feels welcomed—enough to fall in love with our military region completely.”