The moment he called out, Lu Huaian suddenly thought of something, pressed his lips together, and fell silent.
“Calling her comrade? You’ll be husband and wife soon enough.” Lu Zhentian said with disdain.
Su Wantang: “Comrade Lu, you may call me Wantang or Tangtang, whichever you prefer.”
Facing Su Wantang, Lu Zhentian’s face crinkled into a chrysanthemum-like smile, teasing, “Still calling her comrade? I quite liked that ‘Brother Huaian’ I just heard.”
Whether it was her imagination or not, Su Wantang felt Lu Huaian glance her way.
Under Lu Zhentian’s expectant gaze, Su Wantang still couldn’t bring herself to utter that somewhat embarrassing and intimate form of address.
Instead, she bit her lip and softly called out, “Huaian.”
Seeing this, Lu Zhentian wasn’t entirely satisfied, but he knew well the principle that too much is as bad as too little.
“Wantang, girl, I know a few old fellows who aren’t in great health either. Would you mind if I taught them that fist technique you just showed me?”
Given Lu Zhentian’s status, the people he knew could hardly be insignificant.
“Of course you may.”
“Grandpa, give me a moment, and I’ll copy out the manual for you. This technique is called ‘Spring’s Return’ and has three forms. What we just practiced was the first form.”
“What? There are two more forms?” Lu Zhentian’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
Su Wantang nodded. “The latter two forms are somewhat more difficult. Besides requiring more effort to practice, they also need to be paired with a medicinal bath. Of course, the benefits to the body multiply as well.”
If this were taught to the troops, for training soldiers…
Lu Zhentian’s eyes were bright—brighter than the incandescent light bulb.
He rubbed his hands excitedly. “Wantang, girl, have you considered submitting this fist technique to the state?”
Su Wantang was taken aback.
Would the state need this?
This was merely a health-preserving fist technique.
Su Wantang’s prolonged silence appeared to Lu Huaian as a veiled refusal.
“Grandpa, it’s getting late. We should go get the marriage certificate.”
Lu Zhentian waved his hand. “No rush, there’s time.”
In Lu Zhentian’s heart, Su Wantang wouldn’t refuse—she was Old Su’s granddaughter after all.
Old Su…
Thinking of his old friend, Lu Zhentian’s eyes grew warm.
He had been a divine physician, and a true man with the world in his heart!
It was just a pity he died too soon!
“Grandpa, of course I can. It’s just that the state probably wouldn’t have much use for this.”
Lu Huaian abruptly raised his eyes to look at Su Wantang, his gaze deep and profound.
“Wantang, girl, how could it be useless? It’s very useful! If the soldiers’ physical fitness improves, they gain one more chance of survival on the battlefield.”
In an instant, Su Wantang felt a surge of respect for this old commander who thought of his soldiers in everything.
But…
“Grandpa, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you.”
“Wantang, girl, what do you mean by that?”
“The herbs required for the accompanying medicinal bath are quite precious, making large-scale promotion impossible. Moreover, without the aid of the medicinal bath, the fist technique would actually shorten one’s lifespan.”
This was also the reason Su Wantang hadn’t immediately considered implementing it on a large scale in the military.
Hearing this, the luster in Lu Zhentian’s eyes dimmed.
“It’s alright, Wantang, girl. I still want to thank you on behalf of the state for your good intentions.”
Su Wantang shook her head. “Grandpa, I haven’t really helped with anything. This was recorded in the medical texts my grandfather left behind. It’s just that those books now…”
She let out a sigh. “Fortunately, I have a good memory and have remembered it all. I’ll go inside right now and write everything out.”
“Good.”
“You rascal, take Wantang, girl to the study at once.”
The writing took two full hours.
Lu Huaian and Lu Zhentian sat quietly in the study the entire time. When Su Wantang finished writing and they received the fist technique manual, flipping to the latter two forms, the grandfather and grandson’s eyes lit up once more. Unlike the softness of the first form, the latter two forms were vigorous and powerful. With hopeful hearts, the two continued flipping through the pages—but when they saw the ten-year ginseng, the ten-year snow lotus…
Their hearts sank. This was only the second form. If the third form required ingredients, wouldn’t it need century-old herbs?
It truly couldn’t be promoted.
Seeing the obvious disappointment on their faces, Su Wantang hesitated but ultimately didn’t voice the thought in her mind.
There was no harm in waiting until she successfully improved the prescription before saying anything—better than raising hopes for nothing.
Lu Zhentian carefully tucked away the manual. “Wantang, girl, rest assured, I will report your righteous deed to the leadership. By the way, is there any reward you’d like?”
Su Wantang shook her head. “This is what I ought to do.”
The manual was useful, but not enough to leverage Su Zhichen’s release. In that case, it was better to earn some goodwill with the leadership.
Lu Zhentian nodded inwardly at Su Wantang, but rather than letting her be shortchanged, he resolved to exchange for something good on her behalf.
Gurgle.
Su Wantang’s stomach let out an untimely rumble, and in an instant, her face flushed crimson.
Looking at Su Wantang, so different from the composed, earnest young woman of moments ago, Lu Huaian felt a slight stir in his heart.
“It’s getting late. Grandpa, we’ll go eat first, then get the certificate after the meal.”
“Go on.”
Lu Zhentian was busy contacting the leadership and his old comrades, waving them off with a sweep of his hand.
“Thank you.”
Lu Huaian was taken aback for a moment before realizing Su Wantang was thanking him for what had just happened.
“It was inconsiderate of Grandpa and me. Besides, your boxing manual is extremely valuable. If anyone should say thank you, it should be Grandpa and me thanking you.”
“No matter how valuable the manual is, it’s just a lifeless object wherever it sits. Now that it can fulfill its value, that’s what makes it meaningful.”
Lu Huaian said nothing more.
After the two finished their meal, they went to the photo studio.
Su Wantang had deliberately changed into an inconspicuous outfit—white top, black pants—yet it only made her 1.68-meter goddess-like figure stand out even more. Her thick, long hair was braided into two pigtails that hung over her chest, making her look especially youthful and radiant.
Lu Huaian had also changed clothes. His tall, straight frame fully filled out his military uniform. Standing at 1.93 meters, he made Su Wantang look petite and delicate beside him.
The two stood together—handsome man, beautiful woman—a beautiful sight to behold. Even the dim photo studio seemed to be bathed in a hazy glow as they walked in.
“Comrade, lean a bit closer to your wife. You’re a married couple, not comrades separated by eight rivers,” the photographer said with exasperation.
Su Wantang couldn’t help but laugh.
Her pleasant laughter rang out, and Lu Huaian couldn’t help but turn his head to look at her.
As if sensing something, Su Wantang, whose smile had yet to fade, simultaneously lifted her gaze.
Their eyes met.
“Perfect! That’s the feeling!”
Click.
The moment was frozen in time.
Lu Huaian and Su Wantang’s wedding photo was taken.
“Color prints, two extra copies. Send them to these two addresses respectively.”
“Two addresses?”
“Urgent notice from the unit. I bought a ticket for noon to return to the troops.”
Su Wantang understood. One photo would be sent to the family compound, one to Grandpa.
“Please add one more copy and send it to this address.”
Sensing the gaze from above, Su Wantang explained in passing: “I’m sending one to Dad.”
Lu Huaian hummed in acknowledgment and silently memorized the address Su Wantang had written down, planning to ask a familiar comrade there to look after things.
Coming out of the photo studio, the two went to the administrative office. Because Lu Zhentian had given prior notice, everything went smoothly.
Afterward, they returned to the military compound.
“I’ll talk to Grandpa. You go pack your things first. We leave in half an hour.”
“Mm.”
Su Wantang turned and went inside.
Lu Huaian also went to Lu Zhentian’s room.
“Military accompaniment?” Lu Zhentian glared at Lu Huaian. “You little rascal, are you doing this on purpose?”
Lu Huaian didn’t deny it.
If they stayed here, Grandpa would inevitably stir up some kind of trouble.
“Grandpa, my leave is almost over, and the family compound still needs to be set up. Wantang can’t handle it alone.”
Lu Zhentian snorted. “You brat, finally said something sensible.”
“Treat Wantang well.”
“Mm.”
Coming out of Lu Zhentian’s room, Lu Huaian picked up the phone in the living room and dialed.
The call was quickly connected.
“Hello, Instructor Gu. This is Lu Huaian.”
“Huaian ah, what makes you think to call your Uncle Gu?”
“Instructor Gu has been hiding in the military as an enemy agent for years—you must be getting cocky.”
Gu Huai’s eyelid twitched violently. He barked, “Lu Huaian, you can’t say things like that carelessly. I, Gu Huai—”
Lu Huaian had no patience to listen to Gu Huai’s explanations. He cut him off.
“Tsk, that’s not it.”
“I thought that Instructor Gu’s youngest daughter stirring up discord in the Lu family, causing my grandfather to faint from anger and fall—was all done on Instructor Gu’s orders.”
“Absolutely not!”
“Then please, Instructor Gu, teach your daughter well.”
Click, click, click.
The call was unilaterally terminated by Lu Huaian.
Gu Huai threw the phone onto the desk, cursing in fury.
“Damn it all! Just because he has a chief grandfather? So arrogant and disrespectful! Scolding me like I’m his grandson.”
Ring ring ring. The phone rang again.
It was Lu Yuanyang, who had just uncovered the truth.
He wasn’t as crude as Lu Huaian, but he might as well have been pointing at Gu Huai’s nose, cursing him for failing to discipline his daughter. Unfortunately, Lu Yuanyang outranked Gu Huai, so Gu Huai could only swallow his anger.
After those two phone calls, Gu Huai roughly figured out what had happened.
He made one call, and Gu Nanqiao, who was lying in bed crying about her injuries, was forced to cut her leave short and was thrown back to the art troupe.
Before leaving the military compound, Gu Nanqiao happened to see Lu Huaian and Su Wantang driving out.
She gritted her teeth so hard they nearly ground to dust, but having just been repeatedly warned by Gu Huai, she didn’t dare cause trouble. She could only watch helplessly as the car drove away.
Hmph!
You capitalist little tramp, just you wait. This isn’t over. When my sister comes back…
Gu Nanqiao huffily picked up her luggage and left.
The military vehicle soon arrived at the train station.
Liu Hu was already waiting at the entrance, luggage hoisted on his shoulder.
The moment he saw the two of them, he waved and walked over.
“Battalion Commander Lu, Sister-in-law, I’m over here.”
As he got closer, Liu Hu curiously sized up Su Wantang.
That morning, a leader had suddenly called him, asking what kind of person Su Wantang, the wife Lu Huaian had married, was.
Su Wantang?
Wasn’t that the sister-in-law from yesterday?
The leader also said they’d gotten their marriage certificate this morning.
Wait… weren’t they supposed to be calling off the engagement?
How exactly did the sister-in-law manage to win over Battalion Commander Lu? Liu Hu was extremely curious.
“Sister-in-law—”
“The train’s arrived. Move it.”
“Oh… ah…”
Liu Hu was shooed to the front by Lu Huaian.
Clang… clang…
The green-skinned train swayed and rumbled northeastward.
In Shanghai, Song Wanying and her mother were also facing the darkest moment of their lives.