Elsewhere—
Imperial Capital, at Old Madam Shen’s residence.
Old Madam Shen held onto Shen Qingran, chatting idly with her.
She talked about many amusing stories from Qingran’s mother’s childhood.
“Back then, your mother was the most mischievous—but also the smartest.”
“Later on, one day she told me she seemed to have discovered some kind of medicine.”
“She even said there were certain illnesses in the countryside caused by human factors.”
“She said she’d confirm it once her research was complete.”
“But… alas!”
Shen Qingran hurriedly changed the subject.
Once her grandmother started talking about her mother, she would easily become emotional—and once she got emotional, she would surely cry again.
Shen Qingran was about to go to the countryside and didn’t want her grandmother crying her eyes red before she left.
That would really be heartbreaking.
“Ring—!”
“Ring—!”
“Ring—!”
The phone rang.
Old Madam Shen immediately picked up the golden antique-style telephone.
“Hello, this is Wan Ning. Who’s speaking?”
The moment Old Madam Shen heard it was Wan Ning, her brows twitched.
Good brat—talking to your future grandmother-in-law with that tone?
Back when you were little, I really didn’t spank you enough!
“Hello, I’m—”
Before Old Madam Shen could finish, Wan Ning said impatiently from the other end:
“I’ve said it many times—if nothing’s wrong, don’t call me!”
“Do you people not understand human language?”
Old Madam Shen: “…!”
This little bastard!
How dare he speak like that!
“Heh, you little turtle brat!”
“I’m your Grandma Shen!”
Wan Ning froze.
“I’m Shen Qingran’s maternal grandmother!”
The moment Wan Ning heard that name, his mind blanked for a split second.
Wait—hold on.
This needs sorting out.
Shen Qingran?
Isn’t that… his—?!
“Hey, brat, how are you talking?!”
Wan Ning instantly changed his attitude.
From arrogant to obedient in one second.
“Ah—Grandma Shen! Hello!”
“I’m Wan Ning!”
“Sorry! I misunderstood!”
“I thought it was someone from the Wan family!”
“Oh? Then who did you think it was?”
“Your mother—or those sisters-in-law of yours?”
Wan Ning started stammering.
“N-no… not—not them… yes—no!”
Old Madam Shen nearly laughed herself silly.
Why was this kid suddenly stuttering?
Nearby, Xiao Chen stared in disbelief.
Was he seeing things?
No—he rubbed his eyes.
That’s right.
The commander… was actually stuttering.
“Hmph! No wonder your mother told me to call you!”
“So you don’t even know you’re about to get married!”
Wan Ning instantly panicked.
He thought his family had secretly arranged a blind date for him.
His mother had asked him before, and he had firmly stated—
He would only marry Shen Qingran.
Could it be another girl from the Shen family?
That squinty-eyed one?
Wan Ning broke out in goosebumps and immediately stood at attention.
“No! No! That’s impossible!”
“Who I’m marrying—I’d definitely know!”
Shen Qingran stood to the side, laughing silently.
She knew it—Wan Ning was still too green.
“Oh? So you don’t want to marry a girl from the Shen family?”
“N-no—yes—no—!”
Wan Ning’s brain turned into mush.
Just thinking of Shen Qingran made his throat inexplicably dry.
“Cough!”
“Cough!”
“Cough!”
He coughed a few times and gestured to Xiao Chen for water.
Xiao Chen instantly understood and handed over the canteen.
It wasn’t even the hottest time of year—and they were by the sea.
So why was the commander sweating like this?
Wan Ning drank water, undid one button at his collar, and finally felt he could breathe.
“T-that… Grandma Shen, why did you call me?”
He finally remembered to ask the important question.
When you don’t know the right answer, sometimes silence is best.
Old Madam Shen smiled knowingly.
“So, there’s a good thing—are you up for it?”
Wan Ning: “What good thing?”
Old Madam Shen: “Getting a wife.”
Wan Ning: “……”
The two entered a strange standoff.
You don’t explain, I don’t ask.
You don’t move, I don’t move.
After a full ten minutes of silence, Old Madam Shen spoke again.
“Do you want to marry a girl from the Shen family?”
Wan Ning replied without hesitation:
“I only want to marry one.”
Old Madam Shen glanced at Shen Qingran, whose face had turned slightly red.
“Then who do you want to marry?”
Because Wan Ning had previously warned his family, Wan’s mother hadn’t yet told him about the engagement.
Still, she was clever enough to believe Wan Ning wouldn’t embarrass Old Madam Shen.
That was why she gave his contact information to her.
Wan Ning answered clearly and firmly:
“Shen Qingran.”
Old Madam Shen pretended she couldn’t hear.
“Who? Who did you say? I didn’t catch that.”
Wan Ning knew she was doing it on purpose.
But what if someone else was nearby?
Like Shen Qingran?
The girl who appeared repeatedly in his dreams.
The one his right hand missed day and night.
“Shen. Qing. Ran.”
Old Madam Shen burst into laughter.
“Granddaughter—did you hear that?”
Shen Qingran blushed deeply.
“Oh Grandma, you just love teasing us young people!”
Old Madam Shen chuckled.
“Romance is only fun when young people are in love.”
“What, should I go watch two seventy- or eighty-year-olds flirt instead?”
Wan Ning heard the laughter on the other end.
Just as he had guessed—
Shen Qingran was indeed there.
His heart raced.
Was his collar too tight?
Why did his clothes suddenly feel so constricting?
Old Madam Shen continued:
“If you want to marry her, shouldn’t you tell her in person?”
Wan Ning took a deep breath.
Strange—he’d never felt this nervous even during the hardest missions.
“When did I become this tense?”
“Um… Grandma, please wait a moment!”
Wan Ning put the phone down and ran a full lap around the training ground.
By the time he returned, he was drenched in sweat and panting.
Xiao Chen teased him.
“Commander, your stamina shouldn’t be this bad, right?”
Wan Ning kicked him lightly.
“Scram—five meters away from me!”
Xiao Chen sulked and retreated.
Even from behind a wall, his gossiping eyes sparkled.
Heh.
Who would’ve thought—
The fearsome commander actually had this day.
And that name definitely sounded female!
Looks like the commander didn’t like men after all.
Good.
Very good.
Xiao Chen patted his chest in relief.
Then he saw the commander standing ramrod straight, carefully lifting the phone.
At that moment, it felt like what he held wasn’t a phone—
But his future.
Xiao Chen desperately wanted to call everyone over to see this.
Who would believe that the usually terrifying, Yama-like commander had such a moment?