“Sister-in-law—”
“Liu Hu, are you that idle? Go back and run ten laps with weights.”
Liu Hu let out a wail, casting a resentful glance at Lu Huaian.
Captain Lu deserved to be single. No wife to dote on him.
With the little interruption over, the three of them headed toward the parked vehicle.
Watching the noticeably slowed pace, Liu Hu muttered inwardly: Captain Lu, you’re really saying one thing while meaning another. You clearly like her, yet you’re stubborn with that hard mouth. Just keep it up—when sister-in-law gets married off to another man, you’ll regret it.
Once in the car, Liu Hu, the chatterbox, stayed quiet. The two betrothed who couldn’t stand the sight of each other naturally wouldn’t strike up a conversation. They closed their eyes and leaned back against the seats to rest.
Su Wantang entered the Spatial Dimension and continued studying medicine with the elderly master.
Learning had no end. Even with her past life’s experience, Su Wantang didn’t dare grow arrogant or complacent.
Besides, she had no right to. Even after all those years in her previous life, she hadn’t managed to read even half the books in that room.
Lu Huaian, meanwhile, furrowed his brow in thought.
Since neither of them was willing, if he told Grandfather, this marriage arrangement should be able to be annulled.
Catching a glimpse of this scene in the rearview mirror, Liu Hu couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
Look at that synchronicity—what a perfectly matched couple.
Too bad…
Liu Hu shook his head and stepped on the gas.
Half an hour later, the military-green vehicle slowly came to a stop in the military compound.
“Captain Lu, we’re here.”
Lu Huaian opened his eyes and looked at Su Wantang beside him. She was still smiling in her sleep, as if she’d had a wonderful dream, her face blooming like a flower.
“Give her a nudge.”
“Huh?” Liu Hu called out, “Sister-in-law, we’re here.”
Su Wantang’s long lashes fluttered lightly as she slowly opened her eyes.
“Sorry, I fell asleep.”
“No worries.” Liu Hu grinned. “Sister-in-law, you’re really pretty. Say, do you have any other sisters? Set me up with one.”
“No.”
“Ah? What a shame…”
For some reason, watching Su Wantang be so warm and pleasant with his subordinate made Lu Huaian find it somewhat grating.
Su Wantang opened the car door and hopped out.
Lu Huaian frowned, then swung his long legs out to follow.
He turned to Liu Hu and said, “You head back first.”
“Yes, Captain Lu.”
Liu Hu drove off.
Lu Huaian led Su Wantang to the guard at the gate to register.
“Captain Lu, and this is?”
“Grandfather’s old friend’s granddaughter.”
Since the engagement would be called off sooner or later anyway, Lu Huaian didn’t bother mentioning that Su Wantang was his fiancée.
He really didn’t want to be associated with her in any way.
Su Wantang handed over her letter of introduction.
Seeing the “capitalist” classification written on it, the guard instinctively looked at Lu Huaian.
Lu Huaian nodded. “Grandfather has already reported it to the higher-ups.”
The guard nodded, completed the registration, and then, suddenly remembering something, added a remark.
“Captain Lu, the old master just came back from the hospital.”
Lu Huaian thanked the guard, then strode with big steps into the compound.
He was tall with long legs, and with his worry over Lu Yuanyang, he walked quickly. Su Wantang had no choice but to clutch her luggage and hurry after him. Before long, she was running.
The sound of hurried footsteps behind him suddenly stopped. Lu Huaian halted abruptly, and Su Wantang nearly failed to brake in time, almost crashing into his back.
Su Wantang glared at Lu Huaian.
But before she could voice her complaint, she saw the man extend his palm toward her.
“Your luggage. Give it to me.”
“Don’t overthink it. I just don’t want Grandfather to find out and curse me out to my face.”
So he was afraid she’d tattle?
The “thank you” that had been on the tip of her tongue was swallowed back down. Su Wantang tossed her luggage into Lu Huaian’s arms, lifted her chin, and walked past him like a proud little swan.
Once the luggage was in hand, Lu Huaian realized how pathetically light it was—he could lift it with a single finger.
Su Wantang took two steps before realizing she didn’t know the way.
Fortunately, Lu Huaian caught up to her at that moment. She subtly slowed her pace, shifting from walking ahead of him to walking behind him.
Su Wantang thought it all went unnoticed, but little did she know, in a place above her line of sight, Lu Huaian’s lips curved upward involuntarily.
Lu Huaian’s pace remained brisk, but Su Wantang could keep up.
After walking a bit further, Lu Huaian pushed open the gate of a courtyard and stepped inside.
A red-brick bungalow with a courtyard—standard fare for the military compound.
There was an osmanthus tree in the yard.
In September, the osmanthus was in full bloom.
The goose-yellow petals layered upon one another, like brushstrokes of color in an oil painting—vivid and radiant.
The rich fragrance of osmanthus drifted into her nostrils, refreshing the mind and lifting the spirits.
As Su Wantang passed the osmanthus tree, she couldn’t help but pause and take a deep breath of its sweet scent.
The sound of footsteps behind him suddenly disappeared, and Lu Huaian couldn’t help but look back.
At that moment, a gentle breeze swept through, and a shower of osmanthus blossoms came rustling down.
Su Wantang stood amid the pale yellow rain, beautiful as a fairy.
Seeing Lu Huaian suddenly stop, Su Wantang asked in confusion, “Aren’t we going in?”
Lu Huaian turned and entered the house.
A kind-faced woman dressed in plain gray cloth, hearing the commotion, wiped her hands on the blue floral apron tied around her waist and came out of the kitchen.
“Huaian, you’re back?”
Lu Huaian gave a brief “Mm” in response, then introduced her to Su Wantang. “This is Aunt Wang, sent by the higher-ups to look after Grandfather’s daily needs.”
Turning to Aunt Wang, he said, “Aunt Wang, this is Su Wantang, the granddaughter of Grandfather’s old friend.”
“Hello, Miss Wantang.”
“Aunt Wang, you’re too kind. Please, just call me Wantang or Tangtang.”
“Alright, then I’ll call you Tangtang.”
After the two exchanged brief pleasantries, Lu Huaian asked, “Where’s Grandfather?”
“The old commander is in the study.”
“Aunt Wang, did something happen this afternoon? Why would Grandfather suddenly end up in the hospital?”
Thinking back to the scene of Lu Zhentian suddenly collapsing, Aunt Wang still felt a lingering fear.
“I don’t know either. When I heard a noise and came out, the old commander had already fainted on the floor. He was still holding the phone receiver, but the call had already ended.”
“Mm, I’ll go inside and check on Grandfather.”
Su Wantang followed behind him.
Aunt Wang seemed to think of something and called out to Lu Huaian, “Huaian, before the old commander made that call, Instructor Gu’s youngest daughter came to visit him.”
Instructor Gu’s youngest daughter…
Could she be the White Moonlight Liu Cuicui mentioned?
Su Wantang speculated silently as she followed Lu Huaian into the study.
“Grandfather.”
Lu Huaian observed Lu Zhentian, who was practicing calligraphy. The old man looked to be in good spirits, showing no signs of having just been to the hospital.
But Lu Huaian didn’t dare let his guard down. His brows furrowed even tighter.
It was only this afternoon that he learned his grandfather’s health was not good.
An aging body, old wounds from the battlefield that had never fully healed…
Most severe of all was the shrapnel left in his brain from a demolition mission. According to the doctor who examined his grandfather, the shrapnel was pressing on his nerves, and there was a risk of him losing his mind at any moment.
There was currently no effective treatment.
But if the patient remained emotionally stable, it could help slow the deterioration.
So Lu Huaian had changed his mind and gone to pick up Su Wantang.
“What did the doctor say?”
“What could it be? Just an old problem.” Lu Zhentian tossed down his brush, unconcerned.
“And where’s the girl, Wantang?”
Su Wantang stepped out from behind Lu Huaian and greeted him with a smile.
“Hello, Grandfather Lu.”
Lu Zhentian froze for a moment, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
“So alike! Truly alike! You’re practically a replica of your grandmother!”
“Come, come, you must be tired from the journey, Wantang. Sit down quickly.”
Lu Zhentian took Su Wantang’s hand and pressed her down onto a stool.
If the elder wasn’t seated, it would be terribly rude for her, the younger one, to sit.
“Grandfather Lu… you sit. I’m fine standing.”
Su Wantang struggled to get up, but the moment her bottom left the stool, Lu Zhentian pushed her back down.
“Grandfather has been sitting all afternoon. I’m not tired.”
Just as Su Wantang was feeling awkward and unsure of what to do, Lu Huaian carried over a stool and placed it behind Lu Zhentian.
“Grandfather, you sit too.”
Lu Zhentian didn’t stand on ceremony and sat right down.
Seeing him seated, Su Wantang breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Thinking of what had just happened, she couldn’t help but glance at Lu Huaian. Had he noticed her discomfort? Was he helping her out of an awkward situation?
Suddenly, Lu Huaian’s gaze swept over, and Su Wantang’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked away.
“Grandfather Lu, did you write this? It’s very…” Wanting to say something to cover up her guilt at being caught sneaking a glance, Su Wantang looked at the paper spread out on the desk but couldn’t find the right words.
But Lu Zhentian was suddenly quite interested.
“Very what?”
“Distinctive. Unforgettable at first sight.”
Lu Huaian glanced at the handwriting that looked like crawling earthworms, then gave Su Wantang a meaningful look.
“Hahaha.”
“Wantang, you have good taste. Those old fools with no eye for quality said my writing looked like dog scratches. Hmph, they don’t know a thing.”
Su Wantang gave an awkward little laugh and didn’t respond.
Though Lu Zhentian was old, his eyes were still sharp. He noticed the glances the two had exchanged with each other.
His grin widened, revealing pink gums.
“Wantang, when do you and Huaian plan to make things official?”
“Huh?”
The topic shifted too abruptly, and before Su Wantang could react, she heard Lu Huaian speak.
“Grandfather, Miss Su and I have no feelings for each other. It’s better to call off this engagement.”
As soon as Lu Huaian spoke, Su Wantang, now understanding what was going on, quickly followed up.
“Grandfather Lu, free love is what’s advocated now. I have no feelings for Comrade Lu, and I agree to cancel the engagement.”
Lu Zhentian: “Do you have someone you like?”
“No.”
“Then do you think he’s lacking? Not good enough for you?”
“Grandfather Lu, it has nothing to do with that.”
“Wantang, just answer Grandfather—yes or no?”
Lu Huaian had become a battalion commander at such a young age, so his abilities were certainly not lacking, not to mention his family background.
Su Wantang couldn’t lie against her conscience.
“No.”
Lu Zhentian slapped his thigh hard. “Then there’s no problem! Feelings can be cultivated! No feelings? Just cultivate them!”
It was such a bandit’s logic, yet Su Wantang couldn’t find a way to refute it.
“Grandfather Lu, I just want to focus on studying medicine right now. I don’t want to get married.”
“That’s not a problem. I’ll arrange for you to be placed in the military hospital. You’re both still young. Having children a couple years later is fine—no rush.”
Arranged placement in the military hospital.
She had to admit, Su Wantang was tempted.
“Grandpa Lu, marriage is a matter between two people.”
Lu Zhentian mulled it over: “You’re worried about Huai An?”
“He doesn’t have a girl he likes! And his opinion doesn’t matter!”
“Grandpa!” Lu Huaian called out.
“Ah!” Lu Zhentian clutched his head, “No, I’m so angry my head hurts!”
Su Wantang thought Lu Zhentian’s acting was rather over the top, but Lu Huaian seemed to fall for it.
He pressed his lips together and said, “I have no objections.”
“What about you, Wantang?”
Lu Zhentian’s headache immediately vanished. He winked at Su Wantang, his face practically emblazoned with the words “Hurry up and nod, say I do.”
“But…”