With that thought in mind, Jiang Tang pulled a pocket watch out of her pocket and handed it to Xiao Xun.
“Comrade Xiao Xun, courtesy demands reciprocity. Having accepted your betrothal gifts today, I’m returning a gift to you as well.”
The moment Xiao Xun saw the pocket watch, a momentary daze washed over his eyes, remaining until he heard Jiang Tang say “courtesy demands reciprocity.”
Though Jiang Tang phrased it as a matter of reciprocity, Xiao Xun felt a sweet warmth in his heart, choosing to view it as an engagement present from his fiancée.
“Alright. Thank you, Comrade Jiang Tang. I like the gift you gave very much.” Xiao Xun solemnly received the pocket watch with both hands, tucking it meticulously into his inner jacket pocket.
Jiang Tang’s lips curved into a faint smile, unable to resist offering a gentle reminder: “Take good care of your health, Comrade Xiao Xun. Wait for me to come to the military post to see you.”
Hearing these words, Xiao Xun felt something was a bit odd. There were still a few days left of his home leave, and he wasn’t leaving today—so why did Comrade Jiang Tang’s words sound as though he were departing this very day?
Even so, Xiao Xun nodded earnestly in agreement: “Alright. I’ll be waiting for Comrade Jiang Tang at the military post.”
Off to the side, Jiang Sijie’s eyes had turned red with envy, his teeth grinding together with a audible crunch. It was one thing to accept Xiao Xun as his future brother-in-law, but watching his younger sister give Xiao Xun a present with his own eyes was an entirely different matter.
Right now, Jiang Sijie felt deeply irritated—not because his sister was giving a gift, but because Xiao Xun had accepted it so naturally and smoothly.
Was it easy for his sister to earn her wages? A pocket watch cost at least thirty yuan, which was equivalent to a whole month of her salary. How could Xiao Xun have the nerve to take it?
As for the thick stack of envelopes Xiao Xun had delivered today, Jiang Sijie had long since forgotten all about them.
In short, he was annoyed with Xiao Xun—extremely annoyed.
Catching sight of her eldest brother bristling with jealousy out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Tang didn’t dare delay any further, hastily pulling out the other pocket watch from her pocket and handing it over.
“Big Brother, I prepared one for you too. This pocket watch has a simple style, so it’ll be convenient for you to wear.”
In an instant, Jiang Sijie’s expression turned from cloudy to bright sun. He immediately took the pocket watch and inspected it closely, confirming it was identical to Xiao Xun’s.
It seemed his sister truly cared about him after all, without showing favoritism to one over the other.
Jiang Sijie lifted his chin proudly and shot a glance at Xiao Xun, as if silently showing off.
Since Jiang Tang still needed to get to work, she was in no mood to keep watching her eldest brother’s childish antics.
However, she didn’t forget to offer a reminder: “Big Brother, before I arrive at the military post, you have to take good care of yourself too.”
Jiang Sijie grinned widely, showing all his teeth: “Alright, Xiaotang, rest assured!”
Recalling that in her past life, it was only after Su Yinyin accompanied the troops that she plotted against Jiang Sijie, Jiang Tang knew that since everything was still early, her brother was temporarily safe, which put her mind at ease.
Afterward, Jiang Tang waved goodbye to the two of them and pushed her bicycle through the factory gates.
This exact scene happened to be witnessed by Su Yinyin.
Seeing Jiang Tang gifting pocket watches—and gifting two of them at once—Su Yinyin felt a surge of rage.
Her own days had become tight and financially strained, yet they still hadn’t found the thief who made off with her family’s valuables.
Meanwhile, Jiang Tang was living far too well over at her adoptive parents’ house, casually handing out pocket watches worth dozens of yuan.
Su Yinyin couldn’t help recalling her encounter with Jiang Tang at the department store, realizing that Jiang Tang must have gone there specifically to buy those pocket watches back then.
Turning her head, Su Yinyin noticed that Song Chenchuan, whom she was following, was staring intently at Jiang Tang’s receding figure.
Su Yinyin stamped her feet in a fury. That day when Song Chenchuan met her parents, he had been constantly inquiring about Jiang Tang’s situation.
Today, when she ran into Song Chenchuan on the street, she saw him heading in the direction of the textile factory. She had only caught up out of curiosity, never expecting that Song Chenchuan was actually coming for Jiang Tang!
Deep unwillingness filled Su Yinyin’s heart; she was even less willing to lose to Jiang Tang.
Thus, she immediately hurried off to the department store, intending to prepare a gift for Song Chenchuan as well.
However, upon seeing the price tag on the pocket watches at the counter, Su Yinyin shrank back in hesitation, instantly abandoning the idea of competing with Jiang Tang.
If it were in the past, she wouldn’t have worried about pulling out such a small sum of money.
Now, she had no choice but to switch to a different gift.
Browsing through the department store, Su Yinyin picked out a fountain pen worth thirty cents, planning to rely on this gift to get Song Chenchuan to agree to marry her.
Holding the pen, Su Yinyin went to find Song Chenchuan and presented the gift to him.
Song Chenchuan was actually hesitating. He had a very good impression of Su Yinyin, having liked her at first sight, and had even considered marrying her.
Yet over the past few days, Jiang Tang’s face kept flashing across his mind, leaving him unconsciously drawn to her—making it impossible for him to muster the courage to agree to marry Su Yinyin.
If he hadn’t met Jiang Tang, he would have agreed to Su Yinyin’s proposal, but now the decision felt excruciatingly difficult for him.
Su Yinyin’s baby-like face was full of bashfulness as she carefully handed over the fountain pen wrapped in a handkerchief, like presenting a prized treasure: “Comrade Song, I prepared a gift for you. I hope you like it.”
When Song Chenchuan looked into Su Yinyin’s bright, shimmering eyes, his heart wavered.
Though he didn’t like Su Yinyin that deeply, he couldn’t bear to reject her or see her hurt.
Song Chenchuan accepted the gift: “Thank you for your kind intentions, Comrade Su.”
Lowering her head slightly, Su Yinyin asked in a soft voice: “Comrade Song, when will you write an application to the organization so I can go accompany the troops?”
Looking down at the top of Su Yinyin’s head, Song Chenchuan felt a subconscious compulsion that he had to agree in a scenario like this.
Without quite knowing what came over him, he nodded in a state of confusion.
“Comrade Su, wait for news here in Yuan City. I’ll submit the application to the organization as soon as possible.”
When the two parted ways, Su Yinyin wore a sweet, triumphant smile, her heart thoroughly delighted.
Song Chenchuan, on the other hand, felt lost and bewildered, unable to fathom how he had agreed as if possessed.
Still, perhaps this was fine—agreeing to Su Yinyin first meant there might still be opportunities to come into contact with Jiang Tang in the future.
……
Just like in her past life, shortly after they sent Jiang Tang off to work, Xiao Xun and Jiang Sijie received a telegram from the military base ordering them to pack up and return immediately.
Jiang Sijie didn’t even have time to see his parents and sister one last time. Leaving behind a written note, he hurriedly packed his belongings and boarded the green-skinned train back to the military post.
Even though the departure was sudden, Jiang Sijie still carried as many bags and bundles back with him as possible, thinking that when his sister traveled over later, she wouldn’t have to carry so much.
Looking at his future brother-in-law laden with large bags and small packages, Xiao Xun felt genuinely apologetic and offered to help share the load, only to be turned down by Jiang Sijie.
Jiang Sijie put on a vigilant face and said: “Don’t think that just because you’re my future brother-in-law, you can carry things over for my sister. Let me tell you, my sister isn’t married to you yet—we’ll talk after the marriage certificate is issued.”
Xiao Xun felt thoroughly helpless, but since it was his future brother-in-law’s choice, he could only respect it.
Sitting on the green-skinned train on the way back to the base, a thought suddenly crossed Xiao Xun’s mind.
A few days ago, when he first found Jiang Tang, he had sent a telegram home.
He had originally thought that if his mother made the trip to Yuan City, he would bring her to meet Jiang Tang and her family.
Now that he was leaving abruptly on a mission, he wondered whether his mother meeting the Jiang family without him would lead to any unpleasantness.
Had he known this earlier, he should have told Comrade Jiang Tang in advance so she could be mentally prepared.
Xiao Xun recalled the words Jiang Tang had spoken at the textile factory gate when they sent her to work earlier today.
Could it be that Jiang Tang knew all along that they would leave early today?