North Gate of the Military District
It was Second Aunt Wu Fen, along with her cousin Su Huai.
Su Yemang looked at Wu Fen. “I’m saying, Second Aunt, don’t you know you can’t just use a gun to hit people?”
But Wu Fen grabbed Su Yemang tightly, screaming, “Forget that! Yemang, you can’t just stand by and let him die! If you don’t shoot that drunkard, then why are you even living in the military district?”
The sentry at the gate tried to stifle a laugh, his hand gripping the rifle twitching.
Su Yemang’s brain exploded. “That drunkard is the one who betrayed my Second Uncle and forced you to marry him!”
“I’m still calling you Second Aunt out of respect for my cousin,” Su Yemang said, glancing at her younger cousin Su Huai behind them.
Su Huai smiled at her. “Sister Yemang.”
He held Wu Fen. “Alright, Mom, this is the military district. It’s not appropriate for you to speak so loudly.”
Su Huai was slender and refined, around 22 or 23 years old, with wheat colored skin.
Wu Fen slapped him. “You coward! Look at Sister Yemang, she’s a professor now, and you won’t even let your sister help you get an officer’s rank!”
The sentry’s cheeks twitched.
Su Yemang exhaled and looked at the sentry. “Sorry, comrade, she’s my relative… I’ll handle it right away.”
The sentry’s face was a mix of amusement and exasperation. “Professor Su, please hurry.”
Wu Fen touched her tears. “Handle it? What’s there to handle? I’m so unlucky… finally a second chance at life, and I end up marrying a drunkard.”
Su Yemang pulled Second Aunt aside.
“Second Aunt, you cheated on a drunkard and divorced my Second Uncle. If we air this here, you’d lose all face.”
Second Aunt froze.
Her face flushed red, like she was holding a horse stance.
Next second, she plopped down onto the ground, patting her knees and crying,
“Mom! I can’t live anymore! My niece despises me! When she was a child and lost her mom, I even fed her my breast milk!”
Su Huai hurried to pull Wu Fen up. “Mom, what are you doing…?”
Su Yemang’s face darkened with anger.
“Professor Su…”
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind her.
It was Xiao Ye.
He wore an olive green military uniform, standing upright beside the guard post.
He held a stack of documents, handing them to the two sentries at the gate.
“Captain Xiao…” Su Yemang said awkwardly.
Second Aunt’s eyes instantly lit up. “Oh my! This captain is so handsome! What rank are you?”
Behind Xiao Ye, his guard Zhu Que was shaking, trying to suppress laughter.
Su Yemang quickly pulled Wu Fen away. “Alright, that’s Captain Xiao in charge of two battalions in the military district. Don’t ask.”
Wu Fen gaped, unable to contain her excitement. “Wow, he must get a hefty allowance!”
She grabbed Su Yemang by the hand. “Yemang, even though I divorced your Second Uncle, I truly care for you. I see you’ve been single for so long, and Captain Xiao is so handsome… you better hurry…”
Su Yemang turned away. “Forget it. I’m leaving.”
Wu Fen immediately grabbed her again. “Ah, this is so embarrassing for me!”
Su Huai was shocked. “Mom… Mom, do you still feel embarrassed?”
She scoffed and then, raising her voice, said to Su Yemang,
“Xiaomang… look at my Su Huai here. He’s 23. Can’t you help get that Captain Xiao to enlist him?”
She deliberately spoke loudly.
Xiao Ye’s eyes flicked; he looked at Su Yemang, then at Su Huai beside him.
“You want to join the military?” Xiao Ye said sternly.
Su Huai stood at attention. “Yes! I want to join the military.”
Wu Fen smiled and chimed in, “Right! He wants to join the military. Once he becomes an officer, he can marry a beautiful wife!”
Su Yemang’s face darkened further.
Xiao Ye cleared his throat and looked at Su Huai. “You still need to follow the proper procedure. Tomorrow morning at 8, come to the battalion headquarters for a physical exam.”
Su Huai’s eyes lit up instantly. “Alright! Thank you!”
Xiao Ye nodded and took the sentry’s documents, walking away.
After just two steps, he heard Wu Fen talking about Su Yemang’s second marriage. He immediately pretended to tie his shoelaces, stopping to eavesdrop.
Wu Fen was gesturing wildly and speaking loudly to Su Huai.
Su Yemang whispered, “Captain Xiao is not like that. Second Aunt, you misunderstood.”
“No way!” Second Aunt waved her hand. “I’m telling you, he definitely likes you! Look how handsome he is. If he didn’t like you, why would he help my Su Huai…”
Ahead, Zhu Que bent over, trying to suppress a laugh while watching Xiao Ye. “Captain, you’re tying your shoelaces so seriously, it looks like fun.”
Here’s the English translation of your passage:
Xiao Ye couldn’t hold back a smirk. “Shut up.” Then, behind him, Wu Fen’s voice rang out again, “Ah, Xiaomang, this isn’t your first marriage, you’ve got to hurry since it’s your second…”
Xiao Ye froze instantly. The weather in Danshi had warmed up a bit.
The courtyard’s accumulated snow had started to melt.
Su Huai had passed the military enlistment test and joined Xiao Ye’s Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Company.
Wu Fen suddenly mentioned that the drunkard husband had gotten sick and returned home…
Two days later.
Military Academy
Tri Defense Office
Without Wu Fen shouting around, Su Yemang felt at ease, focused on reviewing the final survey data from the recent dust explosion.
At that moment, Xiao Ye appeared at the doorway.
Su Yemang’s office door was open. He had initially worn a serious expression, intending to knock, but when he saw Su Yemang diligently writing, sunlight fell across her face, lighting it up brightly. Her features were delicate, softened by a faint haze.
His heartbeat skipped.
Earlier, as he went upstairs, he had fussed with his hair and checked the reflection in a window, but Su Yemang had been too busy to notice.
He didn’t know what was happening to him. Facing her now wasn’t like five years ago… he wasn’t as composed.
He dared not do too much, dared not say too much. He feared he would fall for Su Yemang again, and even more feared that she didn’t care at all.
Suppressing his emotions, Xiao Ye cleared his throat and gently knocked.
“Professor Su, are you busy?”
Su Yemang finished writing the last line of her work, then looked up.
She exhaled, releasing a big breath. “Not busy anymore!”
Xiao Ye pressed his lips slightly.
Su Yemang saw him standing there, holding a file folder at her office door.
She paused for a moment, then instinctively brushed her bangs aside.
Holding her pen, she stood. “Xiao Ye… uh, Captain Xiao, what brings you here?”
Xiao Ye walked in and stood in front of her desk. “My second plan for the border post was rejected. The organization said my radiation content was too advanced, unrealistic. So I wanted you to take a look.”
Su Yemang tucked her hair behind her ear and cleared her desk. “Oh, did you bring the plan with you?”
“Yes, I brought it.” Xiao Ye habitually stepped over to help tidy up.
Su Yemang pursed her lips. “No… you don’t need to help…”
Their hands brushed across the desk… their fingers accidentally touching.
In that instant, both their hearts raced.
Su Yemang looked up at Xiao Ye’s large hand.
She remembered back when she had boyfriends, working as a record keeper and letter writer in the village. Whenever Xiao Ye came to pick her up after work, he would help tidy her workspace just like this.
“Please, help me check the data.”
Xiao Ye’s words snapped her back to the present.
She looked up as he handed her the folder.
“Okay, just a moment.”
She took it and began recalculating the numbers with her pen and abacus.
Xiao Ye pulled a small stool next to her and sat, watching.
He spoke in a low voice, “Sorry to keep you past your work hours.”
Su Yemang shook her head, pressed her chest to calm her racing heartbeat, and continued focusing on the calculations…
Two hours later.
Su Yemang slammed down the abacus. “Captain Xiao, your plan has no issues. The key problem is your radiation protection data it’s wrong…”
The next day.
Su Yemang recalculated the radiation protection data for Xiao Ye.
He immediately revised the plan and resubmitted it…
By the afternoon, the border post’s second plan was officially approved.
Xiao Ye came to Su Yemang’s office to share the news.
Su Yemang patted her chest. “It’s no big deal. I calculated the numbers you’d obviously get approval.”
Xiao Ye suddenly leaned closer.
“So impressive?”
“What else can you do?”