“My fiancé… he’s in the Seventh Navy Unit on Nansha Island…” Ruan An’an reported the information at the right time.
“Good! Wait a moment!” ***’s face turned ashen. He grabbed the black rotary phone on the desk and dialed with force. “Hello! Connect me to the Seventh Navy Unit on Nansha Island! Immediately! Right now! ………”
After coordinating over the phone, Ruan An’an was arranged to rest at the military district guesthouse.
The news from Nansha Island hit like a thunderbolt.
Xu Yancheng hadn’t died—he had achieved great merit and was now officially a regiment commander!
However, he was at sea on a mission and wouldn’t return for two days.
The political commissar on Nansha Island entrusted *** with the urgent task of protecting Ruan An’an, ensuring she wouldn’t be harmed again, and immediately sending someone to verify the situation.
At the same time, the commissar confirmed that Regiment Commander Xu Yancheng indeed had a fiancée named Ruan An’an!
“Disrupting a military marriage”—these four words hit ***’s mind like a red-hot iron brand.
In this era, it wasn’t just shame or career damage—this was a serious crime punishable by imprisonment!
“Personal conduct” issues? Affairs? In the face of this ironclad charge, those were trivial!
Upon receiving the military district’s confirmation, Ruan An’an finally felt a huge weight lift off her chest.
The mountain that was the Xu family had finally been undermined at its foundation.
Yet the crisis wasn’t fully over.
Xu Yancheng was alive—and now a regiment commander!
This news struck Ruan An’an’s mind like a lightning bolt.
After a brief calculation, a bolder, riskier plan instantly formed—the “island mission to find my fiancé.”
She knew the nature of men too well.
No man could tolerate his woman being deceived, especially one who had just earned merit and was riding high as a regiment commander!
Honor and reputation were everything in the army.
Once Xu Yancheng learned of the messy affairs involving Su Qingyue and his younger brother, any remnants of fondness he had for Su Qingyue would vanish instantly, leaving only disgust and fury.
More importantly, Xu Yancheng’s newly acquired position as a regiment commander was the only ironclad shield she currently had—her only way to completely block the Xu family’s revenge and keep herself safe.
Only by becoming a legitimate military spouse, backed by the army, could she and those she cared about find a place of safety amid the turbulent decade ahead.
As for whether Xu Yancheng loved her?
Ruan An’an’s heart was icy clear.
In the face of survival, of keeping herself and her family safe, that vague notion of “love” meant nothing!
What she needed was the protection granted by his status as her husband—and that alone was enough.
But before leaving, there was an important task.
She had to prepare extra supplies of “Lingquan”-fermented pickles, spicy sauces, and canned meat for stubborn old Zhou Huai’an.
These items were unremarkable, easy to store, and could supplement the two old men’s nutrition and health in these years of scarcity without drawing attention or causing trouble.
After all, the chaos sweeping everything was imminent—survival was the most important thing!
While Ruan An’an was absorbed in her space’s one-click pickling function, *** had changed into civilian clothes and, accompanied by a guard, arrived at the old Western-style house where the Ruan family lived.
The early spring wind still carried a chill. The plane trees along the road were just budding, and the quaint old houses stood quietly, full of vintage charm.
But as soon as one stepped inside, the scene shifted drastically—
The small garden was in chaos, with chickens scattering and dogs running around, while a few neighbors sat together.
Some were picking vegetables, some sewing shoe soles, chattering nonstop, full of daily life’s hustle and bustle.
***, in a crisp Zhongshan suit, immediately stood out the moment he appeared.
“Hey, comrade, who are you looking for?”
Old Mrs. Liu’s sharp eyes dropped her celery and came forward, scanning him up and down like a spotlight.
Goodness, that posture, that aura—plus a “runner” following behind—this was clearly a high-ranking official sent from “above”!
“Comrade, hello. I’m here to inquire about Comrade Ruan An’an and the Xu family situation,” *** said calmly.
Mrs. Liu exchanged glances with the other women—here it comes! The opportunity had arrived!
She quickly moved a small stool, dusted it off with her sleeve, and said, “Comrade, sit! About that girl An’an…”
She sighed heavily, tearing at celery leaves that snapped loudly, “Poor girl! Truly grown up in bitter hardship!”
“Exactly!” Luo Guifen, recently back from the hospital and fuming, raised her voice high as if she wanted to spit at the Xu family’s courtyard, “That black-hearted mother and son from the Xu family treated An’an like she wasn’t human! Comrade, you must take action!”
The women erupted like a floodgate opening, shouting in righteous indignation:
“The Ruan family! What kind of lineage is that? Three generations of heroes who bore arms and shed blood!”
“Poor little girl! Hungry so that her chest pressed to her back, a bowl of corn porridge felt like dragon liver and phoenix marrow—she even licked the bowl clean!”
“She used to be such a sweet, lively girl, in little dresses, like someone from a magazine! Now? Sigh… patched clothes layered on patched clothes!”
“That girl has such a kind heart! When the Luo kid broke his leg and needed money, she didn’t hesitate to tighten her belt and give a hundred yuan!”
“Speaking of that shameless wretch… tsk tsk tsk…” Mrs. Liu pursed her lips, full of disdain, “The commotion was so big that even the old castrated black pig at the back jumped! You tell me, how big must the scene have been?”
“Right! We all saw it! That Su Qingyue, pale and fleshy… Humph, born to be a fox spirit!”
Hearing this rapid-fire litany of complaints, ***’s brows knitted tighter, anger surging in his chest.
The fragmented information quickly pieced together in his mind, forming a picture far more shocking than Ruan An’an’s restrained account.
Descendants of heroes, yet drained and humiliated by the Xu mother and son, reduced to the point of not having enough corn porridge to eat.
At the moment of helplessness and marital betrayal, she calmly directed the neighbors to help the injured.
Even when she could barely protect herself, she took out life-saving medical funds in her moment of extreme hardship.
Such resilience and kindness! Truly worthy of a hero’s bloodline!
***’s heart was filled with intense pain, immediately followed by roaring fury.
In peacetime, in the prosperous city of Haishi, descendants of heroes and military families were treated so cruelly!
Where is the law? Where is justice?!
This evil must be stopped! Justice must be restored!
A soldier’s righteous spirit rose in his chest.
Before leaving, he cast a glance at the pigpen behind Mrs. Liu’s house.
The castrated pig was known for its calm nature—if it was startled enough to jump, the women’s words were credible.
Back at the military district, *** immediately ordered the kitchen: “Prepare two substantial dishes for Comrade Ruan An’an! Make it meat!”