After being thoroughly warned by Wei Lin, Song Chutong finally believed him—Jiang Sheng was not someone she should get close to.
What relieved her, however, was that Wei Lin didn’t press her too hard about the situation. She had thought he would dig until he uncovered every last detail.
In truth, it wasn’t that he didn’t ask.
Before even coming to find her, Wei Lin had already investigated everything—tracing it back to before Jiang Sheng was transferred here.
Jiang Sheng had spent years stationed on a remote island. His sudden return to the capital had been a direct appointment—an airborne promotion. Otherwise, that position might very well have gone to his own father.
Just thinking about the old man’s sour expression made Wei Lin want to laugh.
But who could he blame?
Jiang Sheng had the merit, the capability—there was no arguing against it.
After piecing everything together, Wei Lin had already reached his conclusion: Song Chutong had simply acted on a whim, using Jiang Sheng’s name to humiliate Jiang Zhixing.
Asking her again just now had been nothing more than habit.
But seeing the lingering fear in her eyes now, he felt a flicker of guilt.
“Don’t you want to know why I went to find Jiang Zhixing?” he asked.
Song Chutong didn’t hear a word.
Her bright, grape-like eyes were glued to the rows of cosmetics at the supply store—little bottles and jars gleaming invitingly under the light.
She picked up a newly stocked jar of snow cream, turned to him, and flashed a sweet, ingratiating smile.
“Second Brother… six yuan!”
It wasn’t like she had no pocket money.
But… she had only just “woken up,” after all.
Most of her money had already been spent on that scumbag Jiang Zhixing.
The thought alone made her itch to storm over and demand everything back.
Jiang Zhixing might have had a decent job and a respectable family on the surface—but his mother had a parasitic younger brother, and Jiang Zhixing himself was used to handing over half his salary to his mother.
He was always short on money.
And while others might not notice, Song Chutong knew very well—
He cared deeply about appearances. About quality.
If it wasn’t the best, he wouldn’t use it. If it wasn’t expensive, he wouldn’t wear it.
Shoes had to be premium leather. Everyday items had to be top-grade.
The only thing he could save on was clothing—since in the military, everyone wore uniforms anyway.
Thinking back on those days when she had practically thrown herself at him, Song Chutong felt like she had been possessed.
And in a way… she really had.
Before that dream, she had treated Jiang Zhixing as her entire world.
But after waking up?
At first, she had still felt a trace of sadness over cutting ties with him.
Now—barely a day later—
He wasn’t even as important as the jar of snow cream in her hand.
Wei Lin watched her silently for a few seconds.
Under his gaze, the girl instinctively shrank back a little, as if caught doing something wrong, and began to put the cream back.
He reached out and stopped her.
“That’s all you’re getting?”
Song Chutong’s eyes lit up instantly, her brows practically lifting to the sky. “Not enough!”
In one swift motion, she grabbed several more items—each one clearly not cheap.
Wei Lin didn’t mind.
With his salary, bonuses, and allowances, he earned close to a hundred yuan a month. He had little use for money anyway.
“Alright,” he said lightly. “Don’t forget why we came.”
He turned and headed toward the daily goods section.
Behind him, Song Chutong followed, utterly satisfied after her shopping spree.
In a place like the supply store, they stood out immediately.
Especially since most of the customers were women.
And their eyes?
They lingered on Wei Lin without restraint.
He was handsome—undeniably so. Tall, long-legged, with a commanding presence.
But what truly drew attention…
Was the military uniform he wore—adorned with multiple stripes of rank, impossible to ignore.
At a glance, anyone could tell—Wei Lin was no ordinary man.
Young, accomplished… the kind of figure people admired instinctively.
And yet, along with that admiration came a quiet sense of regret.
Such a handsome, outstanding man—
Already taken.
Still, the girl beside him wasn’t bad either. Pretty, bright… the two of them looked well-matched.
Song Chutong, ever perceptive, raised her voice just enough for others to hear. “Second Brother, wait for me!”
This kind of gaze—she had seen it countless times whenever she went out with her cousins.
Back then, she used to enjoy it.
Now, thinking about it… she realized her past foolishness wasn’t limited to just one thing.
What was there to be proud of about being mistaken for a couple with your own relatives?
Especially when none of her brothers even had girlfriends yet—she might’ve even been blocking their chances.
Seriously… what kind of ridiculous plot was that?
So he’s her cousin…
The moment that realization spread, a few girls nearby grew visibly eager.
One of them—fashionably dressed, with long flowing hair—stepped forward.
She didn’t intend to be too obvious. After all, while love was encouraged to be pursued boldly these days… she was still a girl.
Song Chutong noticed immediately.
Watching the pretty girl approach Wei Lin, she felt a strange flicker of excitement.
The girl was quite decent—delicate features, tall and slender, overall pleasing to the eye.
Song Chutong’s thoughts began to wander.
If I had a sister-in-law… wouldn’t that mean shopping together, chatting together, eating delicious food together…?
Wei Lin, however, was far from oblivious.
He had already noticed Song Chutong slowing her steps—clearly preparing to watch the show.
The approaching girl was just about to “accidentally” bump into him—
But in one smooth motion, Wei Lin reached back and pulled Song Chutong forward instead.
His voice remained calm, almost indifferent. “Aren’t you buying your daily necessities?”
Thud.
Song Chutong collided directly with the girl.
The impact made her inhale sharply, pain flashing across her face—but she forced herself not to cry out.
She didn’t even have time to glare at the true culprit behind it.
Facing the girl’s repeated apologies, Song Chutong quickly waved her hands with a smile. “It’s okay, I’m fine. As long as you didn’t fall.”
The girl, thoroughly embarrassed, retreated at once.
She understood.
That man had done it on purpose.
And after that, she didn’t dare look at Wei Lin again.
Not far away, her mother, unaware of what had just happened, waved her over with a smile. “Weiwei, come take a look—do you like this new lipstick?”
Li Weiwei was still sulking. “What’s there to see? Even if it looks good, it’s useless.”
“Useless? How could it be useless?” Her mother lowered her voice conspiratorially. “The day after tomorrow, Ranran will have time off. Your Aunt Bai said she’ll arrange for Ranran to help you find a military officer…”
She leaned in closer. “Besides, you know what those soldiers are like—single, clueless about romance. If you dress up nicely, they’ll be completely captivated!”
Li Weiwei thought of the man she had just seen—his sharp features, his commanding uniform.
Then she glanced at her own bare face in the mirror.
Could it really be because I wasn’t wearing makeup…?
She hesitated before asking, “Will Ranran really take me to the base when she performs?”
“Of course!” her mother said confidently. “Don’t you know? Ranran has several brothers serving as officers in the military. Finding you a match will be easy!”
Li Weiwei frowned slightly. “But… those are her sister’s brothers. Will that even work?”
Her mother scoffed, dismissing the concern without hesitation.
“Nonsense! We’re all family—what belongs to her sister belongs to her too!”