Shen Niao sat primly on the edge of the bed while Wu Qingchuan sat equally upright across from her.
The two faced each other in silence, the atmosphere growing increasingly stiff. Just as Wu Qingchuan was wondering how to begin, Shen Niao spoke first.
“Could you pour me a glass of water? I’m thirsty.”
She blinked, her bright, watery eyes shimmering. The tiny beauty mark beneath the corner of her left eye seemed to dance with the movement.
Wu Qingchuan’s gaze swept past that beauty mark before he stood up, went downstairs, poured a cup of water, and brought it back.
“Thank you.”
Shen Niao accepted it without ceremony, cradling the cup in both hands and drinking it down in large gulps.
She drank too quickly. A few drops trickled down her fair chin and landed on her white blouse, creating several damp patches.
White fabric turned translucent when wet, and the soaked area happened to be in an awkward place, faintly revealing the creamy skin beneath.
Wu Qingchuan lowered his eyes.
A gentleman does not look where he shouldn’t.
Shen Niao casually placed the empty cup on the table before sitting back down. When she looked up again, she found Wu Qingchuan staring downward, apparently lost in thought.
She had to admit that Wu Qingchuan’s appearance had exceeded all her expectations.
Before coming here, she had prepared herself for an ordinary-looking man.
She didn’t care much about appearances, but if the man was handsome, it certainly made for more pleasant viewing.
What puzzled her, however, was that ever since they met, he hadn’t reacted much at all.
It was as if changing brides meant nothing to him.
Shen Niao made no effort to hide her scrutiny, and Wu Qingchuan naturally noticed.
He raised his head to meet her gaze.
His dark eyes were sharp, like an unsheathed blade, making his entire presence radiate an icy chill.
For one brief moment, Shen Niao felt as though he could see straight through her.
“Comrade Shen Niao.”
“Regarding everything that’s happened… I owe you an apology.”
“However, as for changing marriage partners, I believe it was done far too rashly. Since things have come to this point, ending this farce immediately is the right course of action.”
Wu Qingchuan wasn’t opposed to marriage itself.
But with matters having become so absurd, he couldn’t simply accept a switched bride without question.
Thinking of the Wu family back in the capital, a trace of cold ruthlessness flashed through his eyes.
After all these years, their methods were still just as despicable.
Shen Niao wasn’t surprised by his response.
Although the novel hadn’t devoted much space to him, one particular description had stayed with her.
Wu Qingchuan was the youngest regiment commander in Yacheng Garrison.
That alone proved he possessed both courage and intelligence.
As a soldier, his will was unwavering.
Though quiet and taciturn on the surface, he had firm convictions of his own.
He called the whole affair a farce.
On that point, Shen Niao completely agreed.
But if she wanted to avoid being sent down to the countryside, this farce couldn’t end.
“Comrade Wu Qingchuan, none of this was your fault. You don’t need to apologize to me.”
“Let me ask you something.”
“If the one standing here today were Shen Su, would you have married her as planned?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“Then why won’t you marry me? Just because she was your original fiancée and I’m not?”
Why?
Wu Qingchuan looked at her.
Long, jet-black hair flowed to her waist.
Her skin was as smooth as jade.
Her features were strikingly beautiful and radiant.
Simply standing there was enough to draw everyone’s eyes.
She was an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
Beautiful enough to make any man fall for her.
But what he wanted was a quiet, soft-spoken wife.
Someone like an elegant orchid…
…not a flamboyant rose.
Shen Niao understood the meaning behind his gaze.
A sense of frustration welled up inside her.
She actually couldn’t compare to Shen Su?
With her pride, upon realizing that, she ought to have lifted her chin and proudly declared that he had lost his chance.
But this wasn’t the modern world.
This was the late 1960s.
The coming political purge wasn’t far away.
With her background, she wouldn’t have a good ending.
Yet the powerful “thigh” she wanted to cling to clearly had no intention of letting her.
She ground her teeth in irritation.
No.
I can’t admit defeat so easily.
He’s just a man.
Surely I can win him over.
Her eyes reddened almost instantly.
She looked pitiful enough to melt anyone’s heart.
“Brother Qingchuan…”
“I know this has been a terrible blow to you.”
“It’s just like me. I’ve loved Chengzu for twenty years.”
“I always knew I’d become his wife.”
“But I never imagined that, on the day I had looked forward to most… he’d betray me.”
Wu Qingchuan watched tears gather in her beautiful eyes as she spoke painfully about loving Wu Chengzu.
For some reason, an indescribable emotion stirred inside him.
Though he hadn’t been in contact with that side of the family for years, he still remembered Wu Chengzu as a careless good-for-nothing.
Hardly a good man.
As Shen Niao wiped away her tears, she discreetly studied Wu Qingchuan’s expression.
Oddly enough…
His face seemed even colder than before.
Of course.
Hearing her mention it would naturally remind him of Shen Su’s betrayal as well.
She couldn’t compare to Shen Su in his heart.
But at least…
She was the one who had come to find him.
“What’s done is done.”
“I don’t want anything else.”
“But I don’t want to go back to that heartbreaking place in the capital.”
“We’re both pitiful people who’ve been abandoned.”
“I know I’m not the wife you wanted.”
“But our engagement was arranged by both families.”
“The wedding ceremony was already carried out.”
“The only thing that changed was the bride.”
“So even if our marriage isn’t a happy one…”
“…we’ll just have to accept reality.”
To Wu Qingchuan, her resigned expression was strangely irritating.
Not only was he unhappy—
He actually felt stifled.
Why would marrying me automatically mean an unhappy marriage?
How much does she like Wu Chengzu?
Does she really think marrying him would have guaranteed happiness?
Wasn’t he superior to Wu Chengzu in every conceivable way?
Wu Qingchuan wasn’t the type to compare himself with others.
Yet at that moment…
He genuinely wanted to ask Shen Niao whether those beautiful eyes of hers were blind.
Shen Niao only felt his expression growing colder, as though a storm were brewing behind those dark eyes.
She wisely shut her mouth.
The instant she fell silent, Wu Qingchuan’s deep voice rang out.
“I’ll submit our marriage application tomorrow.”
“I still have matters to handle in the army.”
“Someone will bring dinner later.”
“After you’re finished eating, just leave the lunch box outside the door. Someone will collect it.”
Having said that, he strode out of the room as though he couldn’t bear to stay another second.
After he left, Shen Niao quietly let out a long breath.
Good.
Regardless of what he was thinking, he had finally agreed.
Now all she had to do was wait patiently for the marriage application to be approved.
Early the next morning, Wu Qingchuan submitted the application.
His superior, Division Commander Niu, accepted it before grinning at his capable subordinate.
“I heard from Li Jianguo that you didn’t even recognize your own wife?”
Yesterday’s incident—where Wu Qingchuan had asked his wife who she was—had already spread throughout the military family compound.
Even Commander Niu had heard about it from his own wife.
Wu Qingchuan remained expressionless under the teasing and didn’t explain the bride swap.
“Our families arranged the engagement when we were children.”
“We hadn’t seen each other for many years.”
“I truly forgot what she looked like.”
He explained briefly.
“You’re still young.”
“Believe it or not, that single sentence could have your wife bringing it up when she’s sixty years old.”
Commander Niu spoke from experience.
To women, asking ‘Who are you?’ wasn’t just a question.
It meant their husband didn’t even remember them.
If she held a grudge, she might still be talking about it at eighty.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Wu Qingchuan lowered his eyes.
He remembered everything Shen Niao had said yesterday.
She liked Wu Chengzu.
As for whether she’d still argue about this when she was sixty…
He didn’t know.
Nor did he like imagining things that hadn’t happened yet.
Truthfully, he felt that agreeing to submit the marriage application had been somewhat impulsive.
It wasn’t like him.
But Shen Niao’s words—
“Our marriage won’t be a happy one.”
—kept echoing in his ears.
For some reason, they irritated him immensely.
Perhaps years in the military had shaped his personality.
He never liked admitting defeat before the battle even began.
If marriage was a battlefield…
Then how could anyone declare it a failure before it had even started?
So he still chose to submit the application.
And he firmly believed…
This was one battle he would definitely win.
Leaving headquarters, Wu Qingchuan unconsciously headed toward the guesthouse.
Now that he’d submitted the application, he ought to let her know.
He had barely taken two steps when Li Jianguo hurried over.
“Fishermen near Hulu Island spotted a suspicious vessel. We’ve been ordered to search the surrounding waters.”
Wu Qingchuan’s expression instantly turned serious.
His eyes sharpened.
“Let’s go.”
Once aboard the ship, Li Jianguo leaned against the railing.
Seeing Wu Qingchuan gazing thoughtfully toward the military base as it slowly disappeared into the distance, he grinned.
“What?”
“You just met your wife yesterday and you’re already reluctant to leave?”
Wu Qingchuan lowered his gaze and shook his head.
“No.”
Not to that extent.
He was only wondering…
Since he’d suddenly been called away on a mission, would she be able to adjust to staying at the guesthouse alone?
But even if she couldn’t…
There was nothing he could do.
There would be many unexpected missions like this in the future.
He would frequently put out to sea and wouldn’t always be stationed at the base.
The other military wives had all gotten used to living this way.
Thinking that, the faint concern in his eyes disappeared.
Beside him, Li Jianguo snorted twice after catching every bit of his expression.
“Keep denying it all you want.”