Who on earth — which carbon-based lifeform — came up with this rule?
If you don’t accept the man assigned to you by the government, you’ll be kicked out of the base and fed to mutant beasts — seriously, why?!
Shen Guoguo flatly refused!
But this was the year 2323 — a post-apocalyptic wasteland world where population was precious. There was no such thing as freedom of marriage, and being single was a crime.
Everyone who turned twenty would be assigned a partner by the base authority in a planned marriage program.The results were announced during the day, and the wedding night followed that same evening — immediate consummation.
Efficiency above all else!
Shen Guoguo wanted to cry but had no tears.Why not just execute her directly instead!
Just a short while ago, she had been harvesting scallions in the pouring rain — a storm even heavier than the night Yiping begged her father for money.Then lightning struck… and when she woke up, she was in this wasteland.
The original owner of this body had the same name — Shen Guoguo — the most useless, weakest, and least favored member of the Shen family.
In this resource-starved world, everyone except her immediate parents hoped she’d be assigned out as soon as possible — one less mouth to feed.
“Shen Guoguo, being assigned to Li Ge is your good luck. Don’t be ungrateful!”
A proud, annoyed voice snapped beside her.
It belonged to her cousin, Shen Yazhi — the family’s prized prodigy and top fighter.
Next to her stood a handsome man whose eyes toward Shen Guoguo were full of disdain and condescension.
That was Li Ge — the man every girl in the base admired for his looks.
“Zhizhi, don’t worry. Even if I marry this useless waste, I’ll still treat you well.”
Those domineering yet tender words made the onlookers sigh.
The man destined for Shen Yazhi — the pride of heaven — was going to be assigned to little useless Shen Guoguo instead.
What a twisted, tragic farce of “forbidden love.”
Just as Shen Guoguo was about to curse out loud, her gaze swept over a man sitting quietly in a corner.
Crew cut. Thick brows, deep eyes, a straight nose, lips neither thin nor thick, and healthy bronze skin.A faint scar cut across the corner of his left eye, adding a rugged, weary charm to his hard-edged face.
That was Huo Tao, the man originally assigned to Shen Yazhi.
Although he sat in a wheelchair, just from the glimpse of his muscular forearms and the veins on them, plus those defined features, Shen Guoguo was certain — if he could stand, he’d be a powerhouse of raw strength.
Ah—
Her mind went blank for a second.
She couldn’t help swallowing — gulp.
Even the great Yu himself couldn’t save her now.
Truth be told… she never liked pretty boys. What she loved were rough, manly men — especially the handsome rough kind.
That wild aesthetic came naturally from her love of farming.
In her past life, she’d defied her family to attend an agricultural university, then returned home to grow greenhouse crops.After several years, she’d built up quite a business.
She had the looks, the figure, the education, and the money — but every blind date ended the same way.
The moment she said she was a farmer, before she could even mention her hundred acres of fertile land, the man would block her.
And so she remained mother’s single little girl for over twenty years.
But now — the government was literally assigning her a man for free.
Sometimes, people just had to learn to adapt.
If she refused, she’d be cast out of the base to die. She had no power to fight the system.
So yes, she had to pick a man today.
And she wanted that one in the wheelchair!
A handsome, rugged man — her type to perfection.Disabled and withdrawn — guaranteed not to cause trouble.And when he died someday, she could live as a happy widow, farming in peace.
Perfect plan.
As for his character… well, he couldn’t possibly be worse than Li Ge, right?
Just to be sure, Shen Guoguo ran through her memory. The base didn’t seem to have any rule forcing widows to remarry.
Good.
So she made a decision that would make her ancestors roll in their graves.
She pointed directly at the man in the wheelchair.
“I request to change my assigned partner. I want him!”
Gasps erupted everywhere.
The timid, quiet Shen Guoguo — who used to walk with her head down, barely spoke above a whisper, and had never even stepped outside the base gate — now dared to challenge the system itself for a man?!
The crowd instantly came alive.
In all these years, mismatched assignments were rare, but no one ever questioned them.People had long accepted that survival mattered more than love.Marry whoever they gave you — chicken, dog, or otherwise.
But the Shen family had produced a rebel!
The entire square was in uproar.
Under the dusty yellow sky, the sun was just a dim ball of light.The tall metal walls glinted coldly.
Yet Shen Guoguo stood straight and unflinching.
Huo Tao couldn’t help but think of the jijicao grass he’d once seen on the wasteland — wild and unyielding.
His still, deep eyes lifted slightly.
Shen Guoguo grinned at him, revealing two tiny tiger teeth.
Thump, thump.
The officer in charge, leaning on a cane, walked forward and struck the ground twice.
In this age, even wood was rare — what would’ve been roadside trash in her old world was now priceless treasure.
“Silence!”
“Are you certain you want to switch?” the old man asked coldly, his gloomy eyes fixed on her.
Before she could answer, Shen Yazhi sneered.“What’s wrong, Shen Guoguo? Finally realized you’re not worthy of Li Ge?”
“But fine — trash with trash. Works out perfectly. On behalf of the Shen family, I agree.”
“You—!”From the crowd, Shen Guoguo’s parents looked furious but didn’t dare speak.
The old man turned to Shen Yazhi, his tone softening slightly.“The base has never encountered such a case before. But yes, pairing you with Huo Tao would’ve been a waste.”
His sharp gaze swept across the square.
“I will decide: Shen Yazhi will be assigned to Li Ge. Shen Guoguo to Huo Tao.”
“This will be an exception — just this once!”
The aide behind him tapped on a tablet-like device. A few clicks later—
Both Shen Guoguo and Huo Tao’s wristbands chimed simultaneously.
【Match confirmed — pairing locked】
Throughout the process, no one had asked Huo Tao’s opinion.
The crowd soon dispersed, buzzing with gossip. Everyone had work to do.
Shen Guoguo walked up to Huo Tao, bent slightly, and met his dark eyes.
“Hello, my name’s Shen Guoguo. From now on, I’m your… girlfriend.”
The hands resting on his knees twitched slightly.
“Girlfriend” — what a strange, unfamiliar word.
When he didn’t reply, she smiled wider, flashing her tiger teeth again.“I’ll take you home then, and get familiar with the way.”
“No need,” he said, lifting his head.
His voice — clear, low, and resonant — was exactly her favorite type. Like a morning bell.
He raised his wrist and lightly tapped her wristband with his own.
【Beep】
“The address is sent,” Huo Tao said evenly. After a pause, he added,“If you regret it, you can stay with your family… or live somewhere else if you have your own place.”
Thinking of her status in the Shen household, Shen Guoguo smiled sweetly.
“No worries. Wait for me.”
Her eyes briefly swept over his lower body — good, from the look of it, the important parts were probably useless too.
Her smile grew even brighter.
But Huo Tao’s ears suddenly turned red.
“Guoguo.”
A voice — both familiar and cold — came from behind.
Shen Guoguo instantly retracted her smile and turned toward the group of Shen family members approaching.
Their faces were full of mockery, not even bothering to hide it.
Heh. They really thought she was still that timid little weakling, huh?
If there was anyone in the Shen family who had lived most miserably, the original Shen Guoguo’s family was the prime example.