In the military compound, Shen Yunhe sat in his office with an expressionless face, listening to the phone. Old Master Shen’s booming voice came through the receiver.
“You brat! Let my granddaughter-in-law answer the phone!”
“She’s out,” Shen Yunhe replied.
Every time Old Master Shen called, he always asked to speak to his granddaughter-in-law. Over time, the old man grew suspicious.
“You brat, did you bully my granddaughter-in-law and send her back home? Are you afraid I’ll be angry, so you’re hiding it from me?”
Shen Yunhe frowned in distress. He had been hiding the divorce for over a year because he feared his grandfather would be angry. The old man had poor health—if he got upset, it could be serious, and that would be his fault.
“Grandpa, I’ll go home in a few days. I’ll tell you then.”
Old Master Shen could sense something was wrong. The young couple must have had problems—maybe a fight, and the granddaughter-in-law had gone back to her parents’ home. He never imagined they had already divorced.
After hanging up, Shen Yunhe picked up his military cap and walked out of the office. His comrade Wang Jianguo happened to meet him.
“Commander Shen, want to come to my place tonight for a drink?”
“Alright.” Shen Yunhe was now alone anyway; it didn’t matter where he ate.
That evening, Shen Yunhe brought a bottle of good liquor and went to Wang Jianguo’s home. After knocking, Wang Jianguo opened the door and welcomed him in with a smile.
“Commander Shen is here, come in!”
Shen Yunhe sat on the sofa chatting with Wang Jianguo. Wang Jianguo’s wife, Tian Wenjing, came out of the kitchen carrying dishes.
“Commander Shen is here!”
Shen Yunhe nodded slightly and continued talking with Wang Jianguo.
Knock knock knock!
There was a knock at the door. Tian Wenjing went to open it, and standing outside was Liu Juan.
Ever since the divorce, Liu Juan had been constantly trying to insert herself into Shen Yunhe’s life. But he ignored her completely, so she turned to Tian Wenjing, asking her to act as a matchmaker.
Tian Wenjing’s mother had no job, and Jiang’s mother had helped her get a position in a factory, so she was grateful and agreed. That was how this dinner had been arranged.
“Sister-in-law!”
Liu Juan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Tian Wenjing could tell she had dressed up deliberately today—half-tied hair, lipstick, a white floral dress, and small leather shoes.
“You’re here, come in.”
Thinking that Shen Yunhe was inside, Liu Juan’s face flushed red. She adjusted her hair and walked in, looking at the man sitting on the sofa drinking.
“Brother Shen.”
Hearing her voice, a trace of disgust flashed in Shen Yunhe’s eyes. Ever since the divorce, Liu Juan had been relentlessly harassing him, causing him great distress. If it weren’t for his uniform, he would have kicked her away already.
It was obvious this gathering had been arranged by her. A wave of nausea surged in him.
He suddenly stood up.
“Wang Battalion Commander, I have something to do. I’ll head back first.”
Without waiting for a response, he strode out.
Liu Juan panicked and chased after him. Wang Jianguo frowned and turned to his wife.
“What is going on? Why is Liu Juan here?”
Tian Wenjing explained nervously, “She said she liked Commander Shen and asked me to introduce them. I thought they were a good match, so I agreed… I didn’t expect him to leave so angrily.”
Wang Jianguo immediately scolded her.
“You really don’t know what you’re doing. Commander Shen has already been divorced for over a year. Liu Juan has been shamelessly chasing him, and everyone in the unit knows it. If they were going to be together, they would’ve been together already. Why would they need you to intervene?”
“I was just trying to help…” she said nervously.
“Just stay away from her from now on. People like that will only bring trouble.”
..
Meanwhile, outside the military housing area, Shen Yunhe walked quickly. Liu Juan chased after him desperately.
“Brother Shen, wait for me! Brother Shen…”
Hearing her call him “Brother Shen” repeatedly made him feel sick. He stopped abruptly and turned around coldly.
“Shut up. Say ‘Brother Shen’ one more time and I’ll strangle you.”
“Shen—”
Liu Juan’s face had lit up when he stopped, but his words instantly froze her expression.
Three years ago, when Liu Juan first joined the cultural troupe, she saw him at a performance meeting. He stood on stage in uniform—tall, straight posture, broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, sharp eyebrows, cold eyes, and thin pressed lips. One glance made her heart race. Everything else disappeared except him.
At that moment, she decided she must have this man.
At first, she thought she could take it slow since he was in the same military compound. She worked hard in dance, seizing every performance opportunity, hoping he would notice her.
But she later realized he didn’t care at all—he didn’t even know who she was.
So she changed tactics and tried to approach him directly. But then she learned he was already married.
She once ran madly to the residential compound and saw him walking in with another woman. Hiding in a corner, she glared at that woman with hatred, wishing she could kill her.
Jealousy consumed her, but she still had to get close to that woman. In front of her, she acted shy and friendly while deliberately mentioning Shen Yunhe to provoke familiarity and closeness. The woman fell for it, constantly arguing with Shen Yunhe, and within just over a year, they divorced.
Now she had become even more obsessive in her pursuit, no longer caring about dignity. She was afraid that if she didn’t act quickly, he might marry someone else again.
..
Shen Yunhe turned to leave. Liu Juan instinctively grabbed his hand, but he shook her off harshly.
“How could there be such a shameless woman in the cultural troupe? I’m going to speak to your commander myself and ask how they manage their people!”
“No! You can’t go!” Liu Juan’s face turned pale. If he reported her, she would be punished or even expelled.
But he ignored her and strode toward the cultural troupe commander’s office.
Liu Juan cried as she chased after him, her makeup smudged and hair disheveled.
“You can’t do this to me… you can’t…”
Passing female soldiers stopped and whispered among themselves:
“That woman is still harassing Commander Shen. She’s embarrassing all of us women.”
“She’s so shameless. Commander Shen clearly hates her, but she still keeps throwing herself at him. Doesn’t she feel ashamed?”