Lian Hai’s raised hand froze mid-air, his drunkenness mostly gone.
Wang Yuzhen was still screaming, but no matter how she struggled, she couldn’t break free from Lian Qiao’s grip.
Chen Lang stepped forward and pulled Wang Yuzhen away, his gaze falling on the palm print on Lian Qiao’s cheek. When he turned his head, his eyes instantly turned cold.
“Why did you hit her?”
Wang Yuzhen was still wailing, and Lian Hai was momentarily intimidated by Chen Lang’s stern demeanor.
“Who are you? This is our family matter, none of your business!”
Chen Lang helped Lian Qiao up and gently touched her reddened cheek. “Should we call the police?”
Lian Qiao shook her head.
He turned around, his gaze falling on the two people before him, the pressure palpable.
“I’m her partner. Are you Lian Qiao’s parents?”
Lian Hai stiffened his neck. “Yes! I said I won’t give the household register, and I won’t!”
Chen Lang calmly looked at the two of them. “I am Chen Lang, Battalion Commander of the Third Battalion, Third Regiment, Man City Border Defense.”
Battalion Commander? Lian Hai was somewhat afraid.
Wang Yuzhen, distressed over her pulled-out hair, said resentfully, “Don’t try to scare us with the military! This is our family matter, and it’s not for an outsider like you to interfere!”
Chen Lang’s expression darkened as he spoke calmly.
“Lian Qiao is divorced and single, and she is marrying me voluntarily. By withholding the household register and obstructing a military marriage, on a minor level, you are interfering with your child’s freedom to marry. On a more serious level, obstructing a military marriage violates regulations. Hindering a military marriage is not just a family matter; it also obstructs national defense construction and undermines policies supporting the military and their families. Local police must cooperate with the military in handling such matters.”
Wang Yuzhen was completely frightened and dared not make a sound, glancing secretly at Lian Hai.
Lian Hai had lost his earlier bravado but wasn’t ready to surrender just yet, so he remained silent in resistance.
Chen Lang had no patience to wait, his voice growing deeper.
“If you refuse to cooperate, we will proceed according to procedure, and you will bear the consequences yourselves. I’ll ask one last time: the household register—will you give it or not?”
Lian Hai’s chest heaved violently, and in the end, he could only stomp his foot fiercely.
“Fine! I’ll give it!”
Was this going to land him in jail?!
Lian Qiao stood behind Chen Lang, watching the two defeated figures and grinning widely. Her lips hurt a little, but she felt immensely satisfied.
Even if Chen Lang hadn’t shown up, Lian Qiao could have beaten the two of them until they were crawling on the ground, though she might have taken a few kicks herself. With him here, it saved a lot of trouble.
Chen Lang took the household register and left with Lian Qiao. As soon as they stepped outside, they saw Auntie Xiao wrapped in a coat.
“Oh, Qiao’er, you nearly scared me to death. Is this your partner?”
Auntie Xiao first noticed the slap mark on Lian Qiao’s face, then her attention was drawn to the man beside her.
Tall, broad-shouldered, with long legs, wearing a white shirt and military trousers, carrying a travel bag in his hand—he was truly handsome.
His hand rested on her shoulder, steadily protecting her by his side.
“Yes, he’s my partner. Sorry for disturbing you. We’ve got the household register now, so don’t worry, Auntie.”
Their commotion inside had startled many neighbors, who peeked out to see what was happening.
Auntie Xiao was genuinely concerned, while others were just there for the spectacle.
Everyone living nearby knew about the troubles in Lian Hai’s family. Lian Qiao getting beaten was a common occurrence. No matter how much she was hit, they were still family, and it wouldn’t lead to death—just more gossip for the courtyard after meals.
“That’s good. Don’t come back here anymore. Live a good life with your partner. Your mother’s spirit in heaven will be at peace.”
“Alright, Auntie, you should go back and rest. I’m leaving now.”
“Go on, go on, Qiao’er. You’ll have a good life from now on. I pray to the heavens to bless you.”
Lian Qiao felt her eyes grow warm. She waved her hand. “Go back.”
The two slowly walked out. Those people just watched until they completely left the factory yard gate. Lian Qiao felt a bit embarrassed.
“I would have been fine alone. Why did you come?”
His hand was still resting on her shoulder, making her somewhat uncomfortable.
Chen Lang was still shaken. He let go of her shoulder and faced her.
“When we come back, come with me.”
Lian Qiao touched her cheek; it was still burning.
“When we come back, it’ll just be to transfer the grain and oil relations. There’s no need to see them. I can handle it myself.”
“No.”
It was the first time Chen Lang had spoken with such a firm tone.
Yesterday evening, Chen Lang drove to Yang Chunmei’s house to pick up Lian Qiao and take her to the train station, only to find she wasn’t there.
After hesitating for a long time, Yang Chunmei finally told him about Lian Qiao’s family situation.
Losing her mother as a child, a difficult stepmother, catching her ex-husband with her stepsister, and the conflict before leaving.
Chen Lang had never truly understood her before. Now that he did, he felt nothing but regret.
He drove straight to the train station but couldn’t find her in the waiting hall. He immediately went to the ticket window to buy a ticket for the next train, then rushed back to the military base to request leave from his regiment leader.
Although the military exercise was approaching, it hadn’t started yet. He managed to get two days off but had to return immediately after finishing his business.
As soon as he got off the train, he went straight to the address Yang Chunmei had given him, just in time to witness the scene earlier.
It was the first time he realized that parents could hit their own child so brutally.
If he had been even a moment later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Lian Qiao forced a dry laugh. “It’s so late now, there are no buses. We’ll have to find a nearby guesthouse.”
Chen Lang nodded. “I already bought the return tickets, but I could only get hard seats. We’ll have to make do.”
Lian Qiao thought about it. Usually, tickets were bought days in advance. Getting seats for tomorrow at such short notice was already pretty good.
“I don’t mind, but will taking leave affect your work?”
Even now, she was still worried about his job. Chen Lang felt he wasn’t a very good husband.
His throat tightened, and his voice came out slightly hoarse.
“It won’t. Let’s hurry and find a place to settle, then tend to your injury.”
Lian Qiao waved her hand. “It’s nothing, just a slap. I’m pretty tough. When I was little, my dad used to chase me with a broom. I ran fast, and if I couldn’t escape, I’d just scream. It didn’t really hurt when he hit me…”
She forced another dry laugh and quickly pulled him forward.
“There’s a guesthouse just ahead. It’s not expensive.”
She didn’t want to keep looking directly into his eyes. His gaze always made her uneasy, as if she couldn’t hide any secrets from him.
It was already past midnight. The guesthouse was long closed. Lian Qiao knocked on the door several times before a middle-aged woman, wrapped in a coat, finally opened it.
“Need a room?”
“Yes.”
Chen Lang answered before Lian Qiao could.
“What’s your relationship?”
“Fiancée.”
“Fiancée won’t do.” She pointed to the rules posted on the wall. “No marriage certificate, no sharing a room. Not even for military personnel.”
Chen Lang’s military ID and Lian Qiao’s household registration booklet were in her hands.
“Two rooms.”
“One yuan deposit. Pay the room fee tomorrow morning. No switching rooms.”
The last sentence was spoken with particular emphasis, his gaze drifting intentionally or unintentionally toward Lian Qiao.
After taking the key, Chen Lang led Lian Qiao upstairs and escorted her to her room door. “I’m right next door. Call me if you need anything. Use a cold towel to soothe your face.”
“Mm.” Lian Qiao hung her head and replied softly.
Only after she gently closed the door did Chen Lang open the door to the adjacent room.
He wiped his face briefly, unable to sleep, so he pulled out a book from his bag and read for a while under the desk lamp. When he looked up again, the sky outside had begun to lighten with the first hint of dawn.
Since there wasn’t much time left to sleep anyway, he simply sat in the chair and gazed at the street scene outside the window.
Shortly after eight o’clock, he went downstairs to buy two breakfasts and carried them back upstairs. Standing in front of Lian Qiao’s door, he knocked several times, but there was no response from inside.
He knocked a while longer until even the neighbor next door was awakened and came out, and only then did he realize something was wrong.
Even if she were sleeping deeply, she should have heard the knocking.
He hurried downstairs and asked a staff member to bring a key and open the door.