Lu Xinran stood up. She was actually a little nervous too.
If this man rejected her proposal, she might have to pack up and leave immediately.
Li Yanfeng strode in.
He was wearing a camouflage training uniform, walking with purpose. There was still some sand clinging to his uniform.
Their eyes met.
When he saw Lu Xinran, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
Her hair was braided into a thick, slightly fluffy braid, with the end tied into a bow with a ribbon.
She wore a white bow-collar blouse, a dark green skirt, and a pair of canvas shoes.
Her delicate, fair face was slightly pale, and her beautiful eyes shimmered with light.
She was very beautiful.
But Li Yanfeng knew that she was not the woman he had been engaged to.
Lu Xinran was equally surprised when she saw him.
He did look rather fierce at first glance, but upon closer inspection, his features were actually very well-defined, giving him a face that was quite handsome and striking.
He had a high nose bridge, a straight, prominent nose, monolids, and slightly elongated eyes.
Lu Xinran felt that his face looked extremely dignified and authoritative.
However, that was not what surprised her the most.
Wasn’t he supposed to have been injured on a mission?
And seriously injured at that?
Yet now, he looked as though nothing had happened to him at all.
Sure enough, she had witnessed the power of rumors firsthand.
This—how did this have anything to do with being seriously injured?
Could his injuries be somewhere she couldn’t see?
Both of them had their own thoughts as they secretly observed one another.
This was the Women’s Federation office, not a place for them to talk.
Li Yanfeng said, “Come back with me first.”
“Okay.”
Lu Xinran agreed.
She did not want to sit here and be scrutinized by everyone either.
There were already so many people gathered at the door watching the spectacle.
She was about to pick up her suitcase when Li Yanfeng reached for it first.
Fortunately, she had put some things inside earlier, so it was still quite heavy.
Yet he lifted it with remarkable ease.
Li Yanfeng led Lu Xinran outside.
He had not even submitted his marriage application, so he had made absolutely no preparations.
Naturally, he had not applied for a family residence in the compound either.
At the moment, he was still living in the single officers’ dormitory at the camp.
About a ten-minute walk from the family compound was a military guesthouse.
It was usually used to accommodate relatives who came to visit temporarily, as well as officials who came for inspections.
The wind was strong, carrying sand and dust with it. Sometimes it was even difficult to keep one’s eyes open.
Lu Xinran was already feeling extremely uncomfortable, but she gritted her teeth and endured it.
More than anything, she was worried.
If Li Yanfeng was not injured, then would the cooperation she had planned to discuss with him even be possible?
It seemed she needed to make her next move quickly.
Li Yanfeng had long legs and walked quickly.
After walking for a while, he realized that there was no sound behind him.
He turned around and saw that Lu Xinran had already fallen quite a distance behind.
He pursed his lips and stopped to wait for her.
“Are you all right?” he asked in his deep voice.
Lu Xinran came back to her senses and shook her head.
“I’m fine.”
Her voice was already somewhat hoarse.
Li Yanfeng noticed that her face was pale and that a few loose strands of hair had fallen around her face.
“You came alone?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take you to the guesthouse first. I don’t live in the family compound.”
“Okay.”
Feeling uncomfortable, Lu Xinran did not feel like talking either.
Li Yanfeng’s brows furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Fortunately, after walking for a while, they finally reached the guesthouse.
After Li Yanfeng registered their information at the front desk, the staff member took a key from a drawer.
“Your room is on the third floor. The room number is written on the key. You’ll need to pay a ten-yuan deposit for now. We’ll settle the difference when you check out.”
This was one of the few multi-story buildings in the area, and it was only three stories high.
“All right. Got it.”
After paying, Li Yanfeng took Lu Xinran upstairs.
Once they entered the room, Lu Xinran sat down on the bed.
The guesthouse room was extremely simple as well.
There was only a bed, a chair, and a small bedside table.
She took her own cup from her shoulder bag and drank some water.
Li Yanfeng put down the suitcase and quietly observed her.
Only after she finished drinking did he ask,
“You’re not Lu Manling. Who are you?”
Lu Xinran actually thought this was better.
He was getting straight to the point and not wasting time.
“My name is Lu Xinran. Lu Manling’s father is my father’s cousin.”
“My parents and I have lived overseas for many years. We only returned to China this Lunar New Year, and we decided to stay and develop our lives here. But Lu Manling’s family maliciously reported us, which resulted in my parents being sent down to the countryside. My grandparents also passed away one after another.”
“Lu Manling didn’t want to marry you, but she was afraid that your family would report them. So her parents asked me to come here and marry you in her place.”
Lu Xinran did not want to beat around the bush.
She was completely straightforward.
Every sentence she said was shocking to Li Yanfeng.
But she was not finished.
Lu Xinran continued, “If you don’t want to marry me, that’s fine. I can leave tomorrow.”
“However, I reported their family as well. So Lu Manling can’t marry you anymore anyway.”
Li Yanfeng slowly digested her words.
After a long silence, he finally found his voice.
“Then why are you willing to marry me?”
“I only returned to China recently, and I don’t really have anyone here. If I can find a reliable person to build a life with, I think that would be good.”
“If you already have someone you love, or if you think my background is bad and that marrying me would affect your future promotions, I can accept that too. I’ll stay here tonight and leave tomorrow. I won’t pester you or cause you any trouble.”
Lu Xinran’s throat was extremely hoarse, so she drank some more water.
Then she added, “My grandfather was the biggest capitalist in Shanghai. I’m the daughter of a capitalist, and now my parents have also been sent down. This background will indeed be troublesome for you.”
By the end, she had almost convinced herself.
“Forget it. I didn’t think this through. You—”
Before she could finish, Li Yanfeng interrupted her.
“I’ll submit my marriage application when I go back today.”
“Huh?”
Lu Xinran let out a surprised exclamation.
She clearly had not expected him to agree so readily.
“What? Have you changed your mind?”
Seeing her reaction, his brows furrowed slightly.
To him, marriage was not child’s play.
He did not have the time to play games with her either.
Lu Xinran quickly gathered her thoughts.
“No—no. I just wanted to ask, do you really not need to think about it a little longer?”
She was only now realizing how risky her all-or-nothing decision had been.
“My background will definitely affect you quite a bit. I didn’t think this through—”
“No need.”
Li Yanfeng interrupted her again.
“I earn my promotions through my own ability. They have nothing to do with whom I marry.”
There was something rather arrogant about those words.
He sounded incredibly firm.
“You rest here for now and wait for me for two days. I’ll submit the marriage application and the application for you to join the army family compound when I get back. Then we’ll go choose a house in the family compound.”
He arranged everything clearly in just a few sentences.
“All right.”
Lu Xinran agreed.
Since she was already here, she might as well accept her circumstances and make the best of them.
At that moment, Li Yanfeng stood up.
His deep voice sounded again.
“Rest here at the guesthouse. I’m going out for a while.”
“Oh—”
Li Yanfeng turned and was about to leave.
“Wait!”
Lu Xinran quickly called out to him.
There was something she needed to confirm.
“Is there something else?”