"Dad, these aren't hardships at all. Since Brother Fu's military rank is low and he doesn't have a family relocation quota, after I marry him, I'll definitely still live at home. When Brother Fu gets promoted to regiment commander, we can move into a two-bedroom apartment in the section chief building."
"As for money, I have the inheritance my mother left me, which is enough for my expenses."
Ye Qiaoqiao wasn't worried about money either. She still had her mother's inheritance, and since food, clothing, and daily necessities were all provided by the military, her mother's inheritance would last her twenty years.
Mainly because Commander Ye lived a simple life, Ye Qiaoqiao had also developed frugal habits rather than extravagant ones.
In the eyes of the lavish Zhou family, this appeared impoverished.
"And what you said about Brother Fu having no family…" Ye Qiaoqiao knew Fu Juechuan didn't want to reveal his identity, so she naturally had to help keep it secret. "Isn't that perfect? Without elders above me, I'll be even more free and happy."
"You, Dad, are our family head."
"With you keeping an eye on things, I won't have to worry about being bullied, right?" Ye Qiaoqiao said with a smile, biting her chopsticks.
Commander Ye was amused. "With you saying that, that Juechuan kid really does seem like a good choice."
"I'll meet him alone first and ask for his opinion." Seeing that his daughter wasn't opposed to getting married, Commander Ye felt relieved.
Ye Qiaoqiao couldn't help but smile silently. Of course she knew how outstanding Fu Juechuan was. Once her father learned more about him, he would definitely look down on everyone else.
Once she married Fu Juechuan, she could completely sever ties with Zhou Cong. She was determined to get revenge on Zhou Cong and Jiang Yao.
Zhou's mother learned from a friend working at the investigation bureau that Zhou Cong's marriage proposal had failed. She immediately got angry and called Zhou Cong back.
"Zhou Cong, what did you say? You broke off the engagement with Ye Qiaoqiao? Who told you to break off the engagement with her? Who told you to return the token to the Ye family?"
"Have you gone mad?"
Looking at her son standing before her with downcast eyes, unusually disheveled, she roared in disbelief.
"Mom, I haven't gone mad. She kissed another man right in front of me. Why shouldn't I choose to break off the engagement?" Zhou Cong's eyes were filled with anger.
"Not only will I break off the engagement with her, I'm going to marry Jiang Yao."
"No! I won't allow it."
"You actually offended Miss Ye for the daughter of a maid? Do you know what you're doing? Although our family has been in business for many years, we can't afford to provoke a military commander." Zhou's mother was furious.
Zhou Cong was already upset about the belittling words Ye Qiaoqiao had said when rejecting him. Hearing his mother's words that seemed to imply he only wanted to marry Ye Qiaoqiao to climb the social ladder made his face darken with anger.
"Mom, Qiaoqiao trampled all over my dignity. Are you still willing to let me fawn over her while she treats me coldly?" Zhou Cong's underlying displeasure surfaced. "Even without the Ye family, I can still grow the business."
"Ye Qiaoqiao must just be angry because you've been seeing Jiang Yao. She's jealous and deliberately trying to provoke you." No matter what, Zhou's mother would never agree to Zhou Cong marrying Jiang Yao.
She had eaten more salt than Zhou Cong had walked miles, so she naturally understood what Commander Ye's status and position had brought to the Zhou family.
"As long as you resolve things with Jiang Yao, Ye Qiaoqiao will definitely come back to you. Women are the most emotional, son. Listen to me. Go explain things to Ye Qiaoqiao. The important thing is to marry her quickly. Once you've married her, if she acts up again, you can just ignore her."
Zhou's mother's comfort slowly calmed Zhou Cong down.
However, he wasn't convinced by the reasoning; rather, he believed Ye Qiaoqiao still loved him. "Mom, you said it yourself—Qiaoqiao is still angry right now. Marrying her now would only make her even angrier."
"Yao Yao was only detained because of me. I can't just abandon her." In Zhou Cong's heart, Jiang Yao clearly still held a place.
Mrs. Zhou asked, "Then what do you plan to do?"
Zhou Cong replied, "Let's wait until we get Yao Yao out first. I don't believe Ye Qiaoqiao would actually marry a lowly soldier like Fu Juechuan."
That night, after reading the investigation files on Zheng Yunshuang, Jiang Yao, and Zhou Cong, Commander Ye was so furious he couldn't sleep a wink.
Early the next morning, without even eating breakfast, he had his guard drive him, still seething with anger, straight to the investigation bureau.
Zhou Cong had waited in the lobby all night, equally sleepless. When he saw Commander Ye's figure, he abruptly stood up and approached to greet him. "Uncle Ye…"
"Hmph." Commander Ye snorted angrily, not even sparing him a glance, and turned to enter his office.
Zhou Cong was immediately blocked by the guard at his side.
Zhou Cong pressed his lips together. "I know Uncle Ye… I just wanted to speak with him."
"Who doesn't know the leader? This is the military, not some playground for fooling around. Take one more step forward, and you'll be dealt with according to regulations!" The guard, Xie Wu, coldly rebuked him.
Zhou Cong's expression turned extremely unpleasant. In the past, Xie Wu had never treated him with such cold indifference; he had always been courteous. The Ye family truly knew how to turn their backs without mercy.
Zhou Cong didn't shamelessly pursue further—he had his pride too.
With a grim face, he waited in the lobby for an hour.
But after his third request to see Jiang Yao was still denied, Zhou Cong abruptly turned and left the investigation bureau to go see Ye Qiaoqiao.
Ye Qiaoqiao had just received the milk delivered to her doorstep by a designated soldier, and her scheduled purchases had also been delivered.
For breakfast, she ate the buns left in the kitchen by guard Xie Wu, washing them down with milk.
Ye Qiaoqiao planned to head out later to the tube-shaped apartment building to deliver a thank-you gift and a congratulatory gift to Fu Juechuan.
She hadn't forgotten hearing the day before yesterday that Fu Juechuan had earned another first-class merit.
Just as she finished packing and was about to leave, she heard knocking at the door and the soldiers stationed outside talking to someone.
She walked to the door and asked, "Who is it?"
"Qiaoqiao, it's me." Zhou Cong, having not rested all night, had a hoarse voice, a dark and gloomy expression, and heavy dark circles under his eyes.
When Ye Qiaoqiao opened the door and saw him like this, she thought of their ten-year marriage in her past life—he had never shown such anxious emotions for her. Clearly, his feelings for Jiang Yao were indeed "true love."
Ye Qiaoqiao felt she had truly been blind in her past life to have been deceived by his gentleness.
"What do you want?" Ye Qiaoqiao looked at him coldly.
Zhou Cong was somewhat surprised by her attitude, but he had come today to reconcile and couldn't afford to dwell on Ye Qiaoqiao's change. "Qiaoqiao, I know you had Jiang Yao detained because you were angry with me."
"If you're willing to release her, I'll marry you and take you home. I'll also send Jiang Yao abroad."
Zhou Cong felt he was being utterly sincere, though his weary face made him appear forceful and impatient.
Ye Qiaoqiao hadn't expected Zhou Cong to be so self-righteous. Judging by his expression, he truly believed this in his heart.
"You don't actually think I still have feelings for you, do you?"
Zhou Cong didn't answer, but the confident look on his face was already the answer.
Ye Qiaoqiao was torn between laughter and tears. "Jiang Yao stole my identity and seal, tarnishing my reputation. I will absolutely not let Jiang Yao out."
"Get out of here, now!"
Ye Qiaoqiao's attitude of keeping him at a distance made Zhou Cong's eyes redden with anger.
He reached out and gripped Ye Qiaoqiao's chin, leaning in close until his breath brushed against her face. "Qiaoqiao, there's a limit to being willful. Aren't you just worried that 'Yaoshuang' means more to me than you do?"
"As long as you behave and listen to me, I won’t let Jiang Yao’s existence affect our marriage." Zhou Cong’s voice was dangerous, carrying a familiar domineering tone.
Influenced by his presence, Ye Qiaoqiao’s legs went weak. Meeting Zhou Cong’s displeased gaze, she suddenly snapped back to her senses and angrily pushed him away.
Ye Qiaoqiao instinctively took a few steps back.
Unaware of the doorstep behind her, she stumbled and fell hard on her bottom, immediately hearing a distinct crack from her ankle.