Old Master Chu was broad minded and doted most on Chu Yunli, whose personality resembled his own the most.
Chu Yunli’s father, Chu Dongliang, was around fifty years old. Tall and powerfully built, he was currently the Deputy Commander of a military district. He had a square, dignified face, thick brows as dark as ink, and sharp, piercing eyes that seemed to flash like lightning. His well defined jawline gave him an air of unshakable resolve. Even without speaking, he naturally exuded authority.
Much of Chu Yunli’s cold and imposing demeanor had been inherited from his father.
Chu Yunli’s mother, Tao Wenshi, worked in a government office. She wore her glossy black hair cut just above her ears, secured neatly behind one ear with a simple wooden hairpin that revealed her smooth forehead. A pair of delicate tortoiseshell framed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. Behind the lenses, her eyes were gentle yet bright, carrying both the calmness and keen insight of someone who had spent years working with words.
Chu Dongliang and Tao Wenshi had just returned home from work when the telephone rang.
“Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, I’m filing my marriage application.”
The moment Tao Wenshi answered the phone, those were the first words she heard.
She froze on the spot.
“Yunli, what did you just say?” Tao Wenshi’s voice rose several octaves as she asked uncertainly, “You said you’re getting married? Who are you marrying?”
Her words immediately stirred up everyone in the house.
The family members, who had been busy in the living room moments before, all stopped what they were doing and strained their ears to listen.
“M Married? To whom? Which family’s daughter is she?”
The moment they confirmed they had heard correctly, the Chu family home exploded into an uproar.
“You little brat, say that again. You’re getting married? To whom?”
“My dear, why so suddenly? Did you bully some poor girl?”
“Is she pretty? How old is she? When are you bringing her home for us to meet?”
“Chu Yunli, what’s her family background? What kind of work does she do? You know the political climate is especially sensitive these days.”
…
“Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, don’t worry. Her name is Shen Zhouzhou. She’s from D City and she’s eighteen this year. She definitely meets the political screening requirements. It was love at first sight for me, and I won’t marry anyone but her. I’m only informing you, not asking for your permission. I’ve already made up my mind. Once we have time, I’ll bring her home to meet all of you. Just make sure you’ve prepared the wedding gifts.”
Click!
Chu Yunli hung up immediately, cutting off the flood of endless questions on the other end.
“This brat. He hung up before explaining anything.” Tao Wenshi shook her head, then suddenly thought of something. “But since she’s in D City, isn’t Wu Hao there with your younger sister? We can ask them to look into it. If anything seems suspicious, we’ll tie him up and drag him home if we have to!”
Feeling relieved that they had acquaintances there, Tao Wenshi immediately called Wu Hao and instructed him to investigate the situation as soon as possible.
Chu Yunli knew very well that Shen Zhouzhou’s vicious stepmother had indeed committed a crime. Since Shen Zhouzhou had reported her under her real name and her own political record was spotless, she could draw a clear line between herself and her stepmother. As for Shen Yong, his problems were merely related to his conduct and would have little impact. Passing the political review would not be an issue.
He was absolutely going to marry her.
With one side settled, the next step was submitting the marriage application to the Political Department of the J Province Military District.
At the Political Department of the J Province Military District, Political Commissar Sun, a man in his fifties, sat wearing glasses with his neatly combed hair perfectly in place. Holding a large enamel tea mug in one hand while flipping through documents with the other, he frowned from time to time.
Just then, the telephone rang.
Putting down the file, he answered.
“Hello, Political Department of the Military District.”
“Political Commissar Sun, this is Chu Yunli. I have an application to submit.”
“Deputy Regiment Commander Chu, do you need to apply for more equipment this time?”
The moment Political Commissar Sun realized it was Chu Yunli, the infamous “Living King of Hell” feared throughout the entire military district, his brows furrowed even tighter.
Every time this young man called, it was never for anything simple. His temper was fiery, yet his abilities were exceptional. If he truly caused a scene, not even the Military District Commander could do much about it.
After all, genuine talent spoke for itself.
“Not equipment. I’m filing my marriage application. I’m getting married. The situation is a bit special, so I need your side to speed up the approval process. I’ll send the documents over shortly. I also need an apartment in the family housing compound. I’ll be bringing her over to join me in a few days.”
Chu Yunli got straight to the point, wishing everything could be processed immediately so they could marry tomorrow.
“What? You’re filing a marriage application?”
Political Commissar Sun was so shocked that the large tea mug slipped from his hand and crashed onto the desk, spilling tea everywhere.
“M Marriage application? Who are you marrying?”
Completely ignoring the spilled tea, his reading glasses slid to the tip of his nose as his eyes widened like saucers and his voice shot up several octaves.
“I’ve already sent the paperwork over. Just approve it as quickly as possible. If anyone delays me, I’ll deal with them personally when I get back.”
…
After carefully packaging Chu Yunli’s marriage application together with Shen Zhouzhou’s political review documents, Political Commissar Sun personally delivered them to the Military District Political Department.
The bright red label reading “Urgent” stood out conspicuously on the lacquered wooden desk.
Everyone knew that the famously iron fisted Deputy Regiment Commander Chu was about to get married.
As soon as the news spread, countless young women throughout the military district and the family housing compound were left secretly heartbroken.
Especially Xiao Hong, the star performer of the Art Troupe, and Zhou Yi, the military doctor.
Their admiration for Deputy Regiment Commander Chu had long been an open secret.
Shen Zhouzhou pushed open the door, and a musty smell rushed toward her.
Inside, there was almost nothing besides a battered wooden bed and a faded wooden chest.
Sitting on the crude wooden bed in the storage room, Shen Zhouzhou carefully examined the place where the original owner had lived for so many years under the faint daylight filtering through the window.
Cobwebs hung in the corners, and the damp air carried a heavy moldy odor.
The faded wooden chest was the original owner’s only personal possession.
Squatting down, Shen Zhouzhou used all her strength to drag it over to the bedside. The brass lock had long since rusted, and it came open with a gentle snap.
Inside were only a few old clothes covered in patches, neatly folded.
There were also several medical books:
Compendium of Materia Medica, First Aid Manual for Surgical Emergencies, Complete Case Records for Barefoot Doctors, and Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases.
These had all been gifts from the original owner’s master and were her most treasured possessions.
At the very bottom lay a faded black and white photograph and a white jade pendant.
The woman in the photograph wore a gentle smile as she held a little girl with twin pigtails.
They were the original owner and her late mother, Song Yuan.
Shen Zhouzhou gently brushed her fingertips across the smiling face in the photograph, a wave of bitterness rising within her.
The only warmth the original owner had ever known during her short life had come from her mother.
The jade pendant was the only keepsake her mother had left behind.
There had once been some gold jewelry as well, but the original owner had failed to hide it properly, and Shen Fangfang had taken it all.
Examining the pendant carefully, Shen Zhouzhou noticed that a single character was engraved on its back: Xue.
Xue?
The original owner’s mother had the surname Song.
Could Xue have been her maternal grandmother’s family name?
That didn’t seem right either.
Her maternal grandparents hadn’t been surnamed Xue.
Besides, the original owner’s grandparents had passed away many years ago, leaving Song Yuan all alone in the world.
Otherwise, Shen Yong would never have dared to treat her that way.
Forget it.
There was no point dwelling on something she couldn’t figure out.
When the time came, the truth would naturally reveal itself.
Just then, a splinter protruding from the edge of the chest pierced the back of her hand, drawing blood.
A drop of blood fell…
Landing directly onto the jade pendant inside the chest.
What a coincidence.