Gu Shaoyuan had just finished leading the night patrol. After arranging for personnel to stand guard, he finally returned home.
To save on kerosene, the house was pitch dark, with only moonlight streaming through the windows.
Gu Shaoyuan glanced toward Qiao Yu’s room. The door was tightly shut—she was probably asleep.
Just as he was about to return to his own room, he faintly heard some noise coming from the room at the far end.
Suddenly, a woman’s figure lunged toward him from the room.
Gu Shaoyuan’s eyes darkened. He reacted swiftly, sidestepping to avoid her.
The woman lost her balance and ended up stumbling right into the arms of Yang Zhongcheng, who was following behind Gu Shaoyuan.
“What the hell is this?!”
Yang Zhongcheng couldn’t help but curse in fright, his voice trembling.
He had only come home with Regimental Commander Gu to fetch some documents—how could he have run into a female ghost?
Gu Shaoyuan quickly walked to the table and lit the kerosene lamp, brightening the entire room.
Yang Zhongcheng hurriedly looked down at the woman in his arms, his pupils widening in shock.
How could it be Liu Cuicui?!
Liu Cuicui’s hair was disheveled, and two buttons on her blouse were clearly undone, faintly revealing the skin at her neck.
Yang Zhongcheng didn’t dare look further and quickly stood up.
“Comrade Liu Cuicui, what are you doing so late at night?”
Liu Cuicui never expected to end up in Yang Zhongcheng’s arms. She had clearly lunged toward Gu Shaoyuan.
“I… I think there’s a snake in my room. I’m scared.”
She pitifully looked up at Gu Shaoyuan, only to see him standing expressionlessly to the side, his eyes cold.
At that moment, the door to Qiao Yu’s room clicked open.
Qiao Yu stood at the doorway and saw Liu Cuicui sitting on the floor with disheveled hair, looking utterly pitiful.
To anyone unaware, it might have seemed like Liu Cuicui was cosplaying Sadako in the middle of the night.
Qiao Yu raised her eyes to look at Gu Shaoyuan standing nearby and Yang Zhongcheng hiding behind him.
She asked in confusion, “What happened?”
Yang Zhongcheng peeked out and said, “Comrade Liu Cuicui says there’s a snake in her room.”
Seeing that Qiao Yu had come out, Liu Cuicui quickly stood up, adjusting her clothes, afraid that Qiao Yu would notice something unusual.
Qiao Yu looked at Liu Cuicui in confusion. This was the family quarters, quite a distance from the beach.
How could there be a snake?
Qiao Yu also keenly noticed that two buttons on Liu Cuicui’s blouse were noticeably loose.
She then glanced up at Gu Shaoyuan’s face, which seemed to attract trouble, and instantly understood.
Liu Cuicui was actually trying to use a seduction tactic.
Gu Shaoyuan’s lips tightened slightly as he calmly said, “Yang Zhongcheng, go check her room to see if there’s a snake.”
Yang Zhongcheng: “Huh? Me?”
Although he was Regimental Commander Gu’s subordinate and should follow orders, he was also a married man. How could he enter an unmarried woman’s room?
Liu Cuicui bit her lip. She didn’t want Yang Zhongcheng in her room—she only wanted Gu Shaoyuan.
“Shao Yuan, I’m not married yet. How can I let an unrelated man enter my room? You’re like family to me. Could you go check instead?”
Qiao Yu truly admired Liu Cuicui. How could someone be so manipulative to this extent?
But she didn’t speak. She wanted to see how Gu Shaoyuan would handle it.
If Gu Shaoyuan dared to enter Liu Cuicui’s room, she would break off the engagement with him on the spot. She didn’t like messy relationships like this.
Gu Shaoyuan said coldly, “Liu Cuicui, if I remember correctly, you’re just the daughter of my father’s comrade-in-arms. We’re not related.”
“Besides, I have a fiancée. I can only enter her room.”
Qiao Yu: “?”
She certainly hadn’t invited Gu Shaoyuan into her room.
Who would have thought that Gu Shaoyuan, who seemed quiet and reserved, could say something so shocking.
Liu Cuicui felt deeply humiliated.
She had only wanted to lure Gu Shaoyuan into her room, then deliberately make some noise so Uncle Gu and his wife would hear and discover the two of them together.
In this day and age, a girl’s reputation was everything, and she was the daughter of Uncle Gu’s deceased comrade-in-arms.
Uncle Gu would surely stand up for her, and then she could marry Gu Shaoyuan.
But instead of Uncle Gu and his wife appearing, it was Qiao Yu who came out to watch the commotion.
Yang Zhongcheng even suggested, “Comrade Liu Cuicui, if you’re really that scared, you can make do in the living room for the night. We’ll send someone to check tomorrow.”
Liu Cuicui: “…”
She looked toward Gu Shaoyuan for help, but Yang Zhongcheng blocked her view completely.
Having followed Gu Shaoyuan for so many years, how could Yang Zhongcheng not recognize when other women had designs on their regiment commander?
Too embarrassed to stay any longer, Liu Cuicui awkwardly made an excuse.
“That snake must have left. I’ll go back to my room now.”
Watching Liu Cuicui run back to her room in shame and anger, Qiao Yu shook her head and sighed. This green tea’s tactics were still a bit too amateur.
Gu Shaoyuan walked up to Qiao Yu, his gaze settling on her.
Tonight, she was wearing a white lace-trimmed nightgown that didn’t even cover her ankles. The dress clung to her body, outlining her full, shapely figure and accentuating her graceful curves.
His dark eyes deepened slightly.
Before he could speak, Qiao Yu teased him first, “Regiment Commander Gu, you’re quite the charmer.”
Gu Shaoyuan looked at her upturned face, the smooth, fair lines of her neck, and her entire body exuding a clean, porcelain-like quality.
His throat felt dry involuntarily.
“It’s late. Go back to your room and rest.”
Qiao Yu pouted, feeling as if she were one of his soldiers being ordered to go to bed.
She yawned, turned, and headed back to her room. She really was tired.
Yang Zhongcheng stood behind Gu Shaoyuan, seeing only his regiment commander’s solid back, completely blocking his view of the young lady.
When Gu Shaoyuan turned around, Yang Zhongcheng even detected a hint of tenderness in his usually stern gaze.
This was serious—the regiment commander had fallen in love.
Seeing Yang Zhongcheng still standing there dumbfounded, Gu Shaoyuan glanced at him. “Aren’t you coming to get the documents?”
Yang Zhongcheng immediately replied, “Ah, coming.”
…
What happened last night eventually reached Gu Shaoyuan’s mother, Zhang Xiulian.
In truth, she had long known about Liu Cuicui’s feelings for her son, but her son didn’t like Liu Cuicui. Feelings couldn’t be forced.
Taking advantage of everyone being out, she called Liu Cuicui over.
“Cuicui, wait a moment. Auntie wants to talk to you.”
Liu Cuicui looked ashamed. Auntie Gu had always treated her the best in the family. Had she found out about last night’s incident? Otherwise, why would she call her aside like this?
“Auntie Gu, what is it?”
Zhang Xiulian looked at her delicate face and sighed. “All these years, I’ve treated you like my own daughter. I know what’s on your mind, but forcing things won’t bring happiness.”
“You’re still young, and there are plenty of male comrades who would like you. When you meet someone suitable, Auntie will send you off in style for your wedding. How does that sound?”
Liu Cuicui’s face turned pale. Was Auntie Gu trying to kick her out?
She absolutely refused!
Liu Cuicui pretended to be reluctant as she held onto Madam Gu’s arm, “Auntie Gu, I still want to spend more time with you. I don’t want to get married so soon.”
Madam Gu paid no attention to her words, already secretly considering suitable candidates for her in her mind.
On the surface, Liu Cuicui smiled, but deep down, she hated Qiao Yu to the core.
If it weren’t for Qiao Yu suddenly coming to the island, she could have spent more time building a relationship with Gu Shaoyuan. Given enough time, perhaps the two of them would have ended up together.