Wen Wan followed the ticket clerk onto the platform, where five or six soldiers in uniform were helping villagers carry their luggage.
The ticket clerk called out loudly,
“Comrades! Comrades! Could one of you give me a hand?”
The soldiers all turned around.
The moment their eyes met, Wen Wan’s pupils contracted.
It was him!
The man who had forcefully kissed her on the train a month ago!
He clearly recognized her as well. A flash of surprise crossed his bronze-tanned face.
The enthusiastic ticket clerk took Wen Wan by the hand and called to the soldiers,
“This young comrade is heading to the Northern Frontier to join her family. Could you see if you can give her a ride?”
A tall, dark-skinned soldier walked over with a cheerful smile.
“Comrade, where are you headed? Who are you looking for? If it’s on our way, we’ll take you there.”
Wen Wan answered politely,
“I’m going to the Third Regiment to find Battalion Commander Li Zhan.”
The instant she finished speaking, the surrounding soldiers burst into laughter.
Some even slapped their thighs as they laughed.
Completely baffled, Wen Wan looked at them in confusion.
Trying to suppress his laughter, the tall soldier pointed toward the quiet man standing at the very back.
“Comrade, the person you’re looking for… is right over there.”
Following his finger, Wen Wan looked over.
The very man who had forcibly kissed her on the train stood there with a cold expression.
The rank insignia on his shoulders clearly identified him as Li Zhan.
Wen Wan froze where she stood.
Her mind exploded.
Li Zhan?
The “steady and dependable” brother-in-arms her second brother had praised?
The same roadside hooligan?!
Li Zhan frowned slightly before his expression returned to its usual stoic calm.
Joining the army?
Joining whose family?
Only military spouses accompanied troops.
When did I ever get married?
And to this married woman, no less?
The nearby soldiers continued exchanging teasing looks.
The tall soldier grinned mischievously.
“Commander, is this the child bride your family arranged for you?”
“Why do you two look like strangers?”
Li Zhan shot him a single icy glare.
Every soldier instantly fell silent.
The ticket clerk remained completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere.
“What a coincidence!”
“Commander Li, I’ll leave this young comrade in your hands!”
Wen Wan tightened her grip on her luggage until her fingertips turned white.
At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to turn around and leave.
But going back meant certain exile.
Steeling herself, she pulled an envelope from her bag and handed it to Li Zhan.
Her fingertips trembled slightly.
She was afraid that one displeased look from him would leave her abandoned in this desolate frontier.
“My brother asked me to give this to you personally.”
Li Zhan accepted the letter.
After glancing at the crowded platform, he frowned.
“There are too many people here.”
“Come with me.”
Silently, Wen Wan followed behind him, her heart pounding.
Li Zhan brought Wen Wan to a government guesthouse and rented a room.
After they entered, he closed the door before opening the envelope.
His eyes quickly scanned the letter.
The farther he read, the deeper his frown became.
Standing nearby, Wen Wan’s palms grew sweaty with nervousness.
After a long silence, Li Zhan looked up.
His dark eyes fixed on her.
“Do you know what’s written in this letter?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
“I do.”
Her second brother had already told her everything.
The Wen family was under investigation.
She had to temporarily hide her identity.
Li Zhan could guarantee her safety.
As for the fake marriage, Wen Zhuo had assured her of Li Zhan’s integrity.
It was only a formality.
Once things settled down, he would bring her home.
When Li Zhan remained silent, panic crept into her heart.
Flustered, she hurriedly took out the bag of roasted chestnuts from her luggage.
They had already cooled, but their sweet aroma still lingered.
“Commander Li…”
“I brought these from home.”
“Would you… like to have some?”
She carefully held them out, looking like a small animal timidly trying to win someone’s favor.
Li Zhan glanced at the chestnuts.
Then he looked at her anxious expression.
After a moment, he sighed softly.
“You should keep them for yourself.”
Wen Wan’s heart sank.
Was he refusing to take her in?
Just as despair began to overwhelm her, Li Zhan suddenly spoke.
“Rest here for now.”
“Once I return and submit the necessary paperwork…”
“We’ll get married.”
“Huh?”
Wen Wan blinked in surprise.
Li Zhan’s face remained expressionless.
“Since this is a comrade’s request…”
“I’ll take good care of you.”
Relief immediately washed over Wen Wan.
She nodded repeatedly.
The weight pressing on her heart finally disappeared.
Li Zhan glanced at her once more.
“If you don’t eat those roasted chestnuts soon, they’ll get completely cold.”
After reminding her to get some proper rest, he hurriedly left the guesthouse.
Wen Wan truly was exhausted.
After trains, buses, and days of constant vigilance, her body had reached its limit.
She enjoyed a long, hot bath, changed into clean pajamas, and threw herself onto the bed.
Within moments, she was fast asleep.
When she woke again, darkness had already fallen outside.
Only a dim lamp illuminated the room.
Still rubbing her sleepy eyes, she heard Li Zhan’s deep voice from outside the door.
“Comrade Wen.”
“Are you awake?”
“Let’s go eat.”
The moment she heard they were going out for dinner, her spirits lifted.
She searched through her luggage and changed into her prettiest floral dress.
She slipped on her little leather shoes, applied a bit of cold cream, and carefully brushed her hair until it was perfectly neat.
I’m going out, after all.
I can’t look shabby, she thought happily.
But the moment she opened the door, Li Zhan’s eyes swept over her.
His brows immediately knitted together.
“Go change.”
His tone left no room for argument.
Wen Wan froze.
“Huh?”
“This isn’t Shanghai.”
His voice remained cold.
“You’re dressed far too conspicuously.”
She looked down at her dress, then back at his stern face.
Pouting unhappily, she returned to the room and changed into coarse homespun clothes.
Yet even dressed in the plainest outfit, her delicate fair skin and beautiful features stood out sharply against the harsh, windblown frontier.
Li Zhan stared at her for two seconds.
Then, without warning, he reached out and firmly rubbed his thumb across her cheek twice.
“What are you doing?!”
Wen Wan jumped backward.
“It’s better if you’re a little dirty.”
He withdrew his hand calmly.
“That way, people won’t pay as much attention to you.”
Wen Wan touched her face.
Her fingertips came away covered in dust.
She immediately became furious.
The two of them walked out of the guesthouse one after the other.
The more Wen Wan thought about it, the angrier she became.
It wasn’t her fault she had fair skin.
Why should she have to smear dirt all over herself?
Deliberately, she slowed her pace.
When Li Zhan turned back to look at her, she suddenly cried,
“Oh!”
Pretending to lose her balance, she deliberately stomped her little leather shoe hard onto his military boot.
Li Zhan: “…”
Putting on an innocent expression, Wen Wan said,
“I’m sorry, Comrade Li.”
“The road is just too uneven.”
Li Zhan narrowed his eyes.
Without warning, he reached out and grasped her wrist.
His grip was firm, but not painful.
“If the road’s uneven…”
“Then hold on to me.”
Wen Wan: “…?!”
She immediately yanked her arm free.
Keeping a straight face, she lowered her voice.
“Battalion Commander Li…”
“Please be mindful of appearances.”
With that, she strode off without another glance, leaving the bewildered Li Zhan standing behind her.