The jeep did not stop until it drove into the military compound.
Qin Zhihang did not get out immediately. Instead, he glanced into the rearview mirror before looking at the cold-faced man in the driver’s seat.
“The female comrade by the roadside looked like she needed help. Did you really not see her, or were you pretending not to?”
He wasn’t saying this without reason.
Troops stationed locally often encountered situations like this.
It wasn’t that the villagers had bad intentions, but the military had its own responsibilities. Minor village disputes and trivial matters weren’t something they got involved in. Even if there were bigger problems, the production brigade or commune would usually handle them.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t the military’s responsibility.
That said, most villagers were good people.
The bond between the military and civilians was like fish and water.
But if the person by the roadside happened to be a young woman…
Well, similar situations had happened before.
Some female comrades had rather active imaginations.
They would wait by the roadside, claiming they needed help. Yet when the soldiers actually stopped, what greeted them was a face as red as an apple and several minutes of stammering without a complete sentence.
Especially the man sitting beside him.
He was exceptionally attractive.
Back at their previous unit, he had been the target of countless admiring glances from girls in the cultural troupe, nurses from the infirmary, and even female comrades from neighboring work units.
After being transferred here for a year, his popularity had not diminished in the slightest.
“Are you very idle?”
Ji Yanchuan indeed had a cold expression.
But his features were so striking that even when everyone wore the exact same uniform, he was still the first person people noticed.
He stood out from the crowd.
Outstanding and impossible to ignore.
Without bothering to answer his friend’s teasing properly, he pushed open the car door and stepped out.
His long legs were lean and powerful.
Qin Zhihang rubbed his nose awkwardly.
“I got a pretty good look when we passed by. That female comrade was quite pretty.”
The only response he received was the loud slam of a closing car door.
Fortunately, Qin Zhihang had only been joking.
He had a laid-back personality. Military life came with countless rules, so whenever he had the chance, he liked finding amusement through casual banter.
The two men walked one after the other toward the dormitory area.
Qin Zhihang reached out to sling an arm around his friend’s shoulder.
The moment he touched him, his hand was pushed away.
“Alright, alright, I won’t touch you. But speaking of which, I heard Lu Sijia submitted a transfer request to come here. She’s definitely coming because of you…”
Ji Yanchuan didn’t even blink.
“It has nothing to do with me.”
Qin Zhihang was speechless.
“No, seriously. Are you planning to stay unmarried for the rest of your life?”
Meanwhile, a dusty and disheveled Shen Yueliang finally arrived at the family housing area.
She had only been here a few times before.
Although the original owner was a somewhat famous seamstress in the area, she had been timid and soft-natured.
Even though this military unit had been stationed here for many years, in her mind soldiers existed to protect the country and its people.
Ordinary civilians should solve their own problems whenever possible instead of troubling military comrades.
Besides, soldiers were all strong, imposing, and sharp-eyed.
The original owner had been like a little white rabbit.
She was scared of them.
The military families living here had never commissioned clothes from her either.
The reason Su Qiuyun came to her was because she had originally been a sent-down youth in Qinghe Brigade.
She specifically sought Shen Yueliang out and had even told her:
“It’s boring over here. If you have time, come visit me.”
Well.
Wasn’t she here now?
When life and death were on the line, things like pride and dignity could be discarded.
Shen Yueliang’s face was a complete mess.
She had scraped her skin during the fight with the Luo family, and later the jeep had blasted her with a cloud of dust.
A large bundle hung from her arm.
“Yueliang? Did you fight with your family and run away from home?”
The moment Su Qiuyun came out to greet her, she was stunned.
Early autumn had just arrived.
Su Qiuyun wore a white blouse patterned with blue flowers and a pair of black trousers.
Her hometown was in the south.
Her skin was fair, and her features were delicate and refined.
“Sister Qiuyun, I need your help with something. Can you please help me?”
Shen Yueliang truly had no energy left to worry about appearances.
She immediately grabbed Su Qiuyun’s arm.
Although Su Qiuyun found it strange, her impression of Shen Yueliang had always been that of a sensible and obedient young woman.
Normally, she was clean, tidy, and pretty.
Something was clearly wrong today.
“Come inside and tell me slowly.”
Shen Yueliang understood that Su Qiuyun could only act as a middleman.
Whether the matter could be resolved depended entirely on whether her husband was willing—and able—to help.
She knew her request was sudden and presumptuous.
But she had no other choice.
She could only throw away her pride and give it a try.
As the two women walked toward Su Qiuyun’s home, Shen Yueliang explained the situation.
This was actually the most difficult part.
She couldn’t tell the truth.
Nor could she claim she had dreamed that her brother would die on his way home.
That sounded far too ridiculous and mystical.
Nobody would believe her.
So she came up with another explanation.
She claimed that her brother had encountered trouble in the military and that the family was anxious, so she needed to visit him immediately.
If anyone asked about her mother or sister-in-law, she could only say their health was poor and they couldn’t handle the stress.
Fortunately, Su Qiuyun didn’t press further.
“With such a long distance between you, it’s understandable that you’re worried. Let me ask Chunjiang and see if he has a solution.”
Chunjiang was the soldier she had married.
He was a company commander.
Shen Yueliang had met him once before.
He was a large, sturdy man with a straightforward and cheerful personality.
A typical northerner.
“Thank you for troubling both of you.”
As they talked, they soon arrived at Su Qiuyun’s residence.
Rows of single-story houses stood neatly arranged.
Each building contained several units, and there were multiple rows altogether.
All the residents were military families.
By coincidence, the door to Su Qiuyun’s home was already open.
Yang Chunjiang was inside.
He had just undone two buttons of his military jacket.
After hearing the situation, Yang Chunjiang immediately said he would try to find a solution.
He also asked whether Shen Yueliang had her brother’s military address.
“Here it is.”
She handed over the envelope.
Yang Chunjiang glanced at it.
“I think I just saw Battalion Commander Ji return. He knows a lot of people and has extensive connections. I’ll go ask him for help.”
Shen Yueliang didn’t know anyone else in the military.
As long as someone was willing to help, she was sincerely grateful.
Yang Chunjiang put his uniform jacket back on and left with the envelope.
“Don’t worry. Sit down and have some water.”
Su Qiuyun comforted her.
“The Battalion Commander Ji Chunjiang mentioned was transferred here from Beijing. He’s very capable. I’ve only lived here for half a year, but I’ve already heard many stories about him. In short, he’s extremely competent. If he’s willing to help, he should be able to find news about your brother.”
Shen Yueliang nodded.
“Sister Qiuyun, thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Su Qiuyun poured her a cup of water and told her to sit and wait.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long.
Soon, footsteps sounded outside.
Judging from the noise, at least two people were approaching.
“Little sister, I’ve brought Battalion Commander Ji over. Tell him yourself.”
As Yang Chunjiang’s booming voice rang out, the curtain hanging in the doorway was lifted.
Two men entered one after the other.
The first was naturally Yang Chunjiang.
His large frame almost filled the entire doorway.
Only after he stepped aside did the person behind him come fully into view.
At first glance, Shen Yueliang felt he didn’t look much like a soldier.
His face was simply too handsome.
If his skin had been a little fairer, he could have passed for a performer in a military arts troupe.
But she quickly realized how wrong that impression was.
His facial features were sharp and masculine.
His presence was overwhelming.
Especially when he lifted his eyes to look at someone.
His gaze felt like a blade.
As though it could see through every secret hidden inside a person.
Shen Yueliang wasn’t particularly timid.
Yet under that stare, she instinctively reviewed her entire life.
Aside from stealing peaches from a neighbor’s tree when she was little and kicking someone else’s rooster…
She couldn’t think of any other crimes she had committed.
Only then did she manage to gather a little confidence.