Just as Huo Zhixing finished speaking, a military jeep came speeding toward the gate and screeched to a stop.
Xiao Zhang jumped out, waving two bright red booklets in the air. Sweat poured down his face, soaking through the back of his military vest as he ran over.
“Commander! It’s done! Everything’s done!”
Panting, he stopped before Huo Zhixing, snapped to attention, and saluted. His voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
“Someone tried to interfere. The village secretary of Sujia Village even attempted to withhold Comrade Su’s household records.”
“But luckily, comrades from the county Armed Forces Department happened to be in the village organizing militia mobilization. The Old Commander made one phone call, and they verified her identity on the spot.”
“They immediately opened a special expedited channel for the case and personally brought over her household registration file!”
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Xiao Zhang handed the marriage certificates to the couple.
“All the paperwork is complete. The official seal was stamped just moments ago—it’s still practically warm! Congratulations, Commander! Congratulations, Sister-in-law!”
The people standing nearby crowded forward to take a look. As soon as they saw the names on the marriage certificate, they broke into loud cheers.
Someone in the crowd shouted,
“The eternal bachelor Commander Huo finally has a wife!”
“Even Lord Yama Huo has finally been claimed!”
The teasing came from the back of the crowd, but there wasn’t a trace of malice behind it.
The corners of Huo Zhixing’s lips lifted ever so slightly.
With one hand, he raised the marriage certificate high for everyone to see. The bright red national emblem gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
Sweeping his sharp, hawk-like gaze across the crowd, his powerful voice cut cleanly through the noise.
“Take a good look.”
“Su Jiuyue and I are legally married revolutionary partners. She is an active-duty military spouse protected by the laws of this nation.”
The entire courtyard fell deathly silent.
Only Huo Zhixing’s voice echoed through the air.
A heartbeat later, thunderous applause erupted.
Turning around, Huo Zhixing fixed his icy gaze on Li Guilan, whose face had gone deathly pale, and Liu Laizi, who was trembling uncontrollably.
His expression turned cold.
“Who was the one saying she was fooling around with another man?”
“Who claimed she ran away from her engagement?”
“Xiao Zhang!”
“Sir!”
“Detain these two immediately.”
“They’ve slandered a military family member, attempted to undermine a military marriage, incited a public disturbance, deliberately spread rumors about a serious contagious disease, and are suspected of human trafficking. There was clearly a transactional arrangement between them.”
“Hand them directly over to the Public Security Bureau.”
“Yes, sir!”
Several sentries lunged forward like wolves.
Before Li Guilan and Liu Laizi could react, they were seized and dragged away like dead dogs as they screamed and wailed.
“I won’t accept this! I’m her mother—Mmph! Mmph!”
Her cries were quickly muffled.
At last…
Peace and quiet returned.
Huo Zhixing put away the marriage certificate and naturally took Su Jiuyue’s hand.
Only then did he notice that her small hand was slightly cold and trembling almost imperceptibly in his palm.
He lowered his head and looked at the young woman beside him. Moments ago, she had stood fearlessly against everyone, but now that the ordeal was over, the strength seemed to drain from her body.
The hostility in his eyes quietly faded.
His thumb gently stroked the back of her hand in silent comfort.
“Don’t be afraid.”
His deep voice was so low that only the two of them could hear.
“Let’s go home.”
Su Jiuyue looked up and met his profound, dark eyes.
Her heartbeat skipped.
…
Hand in hand, the two of them walked away together.
Yet even as the crowd gradually dispersed, one elderly military doctor with graying hair remained standing where he was, his brows tightly furrowed as he stared at their retreating figures.
He pushed up the reading glasses on the bridge of his nose and muttered to himself,
“Strange… far too strange.”
The young doctor beside him looked puzzled.
“Teacher, what’s strange?”
The old military doctor shook his head, concealing the shock and confusion in his eyes.
That girl’s move just now…
I didn’t see it clearly, but that woman couldn’t possibly have fallen so miserably for no reason.
Could that young lady… be the disciple of the elusive ‘Ghost Physician’ who disappeared twenty years ago?
His eyes suddenly widened.
Slapping his thigh, the old doctor spun around and hurried toward the archives room.
Bonus Mini Scene
Xiao Zhang: “Commander, the marriage certificate’s ready! Does that mean I should start calling her Sister-in-law now?”
Huo Zhixing (looking at the certificate, a faint smile appearing on his lips): “Mm.”
Xiao Zhang: “Sister-in-law is really beautiful. You two are a perfect match!”
The smile instantly vanished from Huo Zhixing’s face.
His expression turned ice-cold.
“You spent quite a while staring at the photo, didn’t you?”
“Go. Run ten kilometers with full gear.”
“Consider it your way of ‘celebrating’ for me.”
Xiao Zhang: “…So complimenting someone is a crime now?”