The huge square of the military base was packed with people.
Military wives chatted in small clusters, whispering and gossiping.
On one side, rows of soldiers sat upright, backs straight as spears.
Among the group of spirited young men, Zhou Yunting’s noble and iron-blooded aura stood out especially.
He seemed out of place, yet somehow perfectly blended in—becoming the most eye-catching presence in the crowd.
At this moment, the usually composed and cold-faced man showed clear signs of anxiety.
He kept turning back toward the direction of the family quarters.
This drew repeated attention from the female soldiers.
Tian Yunyun’s gaze was practically glued to him—hot, burning, unwavering.
The women around her nudged each other and teased:
“That’s your white moonlight, your cinnabar mole, right, Captain Tian?”
“He really is so stylish.”
“I heard he used to be from the Beijing Military District…”
One of the female soldiers raised her thumb in emphasis.
The moment Zhou Yunting turned his head again, they seemed to suddenly remember something and fell silent at once.
Zhou Yunting had once been like a god in the clouds—the top talent of the Beijing Military District.
Now that he had been transferred here, his future promotion path might not be easy.
They admired his unreachable aura, but many were more interested in finding a “good husband candidate.”
It was said that Zhou Yunting was already married, and that he had been transferred here with his wife.
At this thought, the way they looked at Tian Yunyun changed slightly.
Some were confused.
Some felt sympathetic.
Some disapproved entirely.
……
Zhou Yunting’s face gradually paled.
Why hadn’t Liu Zhixia come?
Anxiety surged in his heart, building rapidly.
Suddenly, he stood up.
Beside him, Shen Hao looked up just as the man’s long legs were already striding out.
The atmosphere instantly stirred again.
In the distance, from the direction of the family quarters, a girl appeared.
Her short hair reached her ears, her beauty like snow—sharp, striking, and vivid.
A breeze passed by.
She lifted a hand slightly, and in that instant, no one noticed the fallen leaf she had just flicked had pierced deep into a tree trunk.
Everyone’s eyes were only drawn to that green silhouette moving like a blade through the wind.
“Wow, is that the new military wife?”
“So beautiful!”
“I feel like she’s even more like a female soldier—no, even sharper than one.”
Zhou Yunting’s halted steps froze completely.
Time itself seemed to stop.
His heartbeat thundered in his chest.
In that moment, all suppressed emotion surged uncontrollably.
His gaze burned.
His body tightened.
Nothing about him could hide his emotional turmoil.
Liu Zhixia had arrived at the very last moment.
She wore a military-green casual set made of pure cotton, somewhat like training wear.
Closer inspection revealed subtle differences—it was something she had modified herself that morning to better fit this era’s style.
Not flashy, not unusual, yet impossible to ignore.
Many female soldiers stared at her outfit with bright eyes.
“That looks perfect as combat training wear!”
“If adjusted a bit more, it would be excellent.”
……
Among the male soldiers, many young men felt their hearts race.
Just standing there, she looked like a blooming iron rose.
Especially when she slightly raised her head and smiled toward the men’s side.
Her brows curved gently—free, confident, and breathtaking.
It was irresistibly captivating.
And the first to feel it most intensely was Zhou Yunting, still standing stiffly in place.
Already the center of attention, his unmoving posture made him even more conspicuous.
Shen Hao gritted his teeth slightly.
Why was there such a difference in fate between people?
While he was still struggling in the swamp of blind dates, others had already picked the most dazzling flower.
And not just any flower—the most brilliant one.
He was a little jealous now.
Unable to suppress it, Shen Hao stepped on Zhou Yunting’s foot.
He controlled his strength, just enough to snap the man back to reality.
The originally burning gaze instantly turned cold and sharp.
Shen Hao sat back lazily.
“Pay attention to the occasion.”
Seeing Liu Zhixia sit in the military wives’ section, the young soldiers’ earlier excitement instantly collapsed.
The military wives had already begun to guess her identity.
Their eyes toward her carried sympathy, envy, and even jealousy.
But Liu Zhixia sat steady as a mountain, unmoved by any of it.
She clearly understood her position.
She was simply a newly arrived military spouse at a welcome ceremony.
Nothing more.
Once her identity was confirmed, the military wives fell silent.
After all, she was the daughter of a general.
As for the so-called “cut ties,” everyone understood—it was delicate territory.
Not close enough to offend, but not appropriate to approach either.
The Zhou family’s future was uncertain. People naturally weighed risks and benefits.
Liu Zhixia understood this well and didn’t care.
When the military leaders arrived, they only felt the atmosphere was slightly quiet—but didn’t notice anything unusual.
After a long speech from the commanders, Liu Zhixia also looked toward the stage with anticipation.
She was curious—what kind of performances did the 1970s military have?
She just hoped no one would come causing trouble and ruin her interest.
The first performance was a chorus by new recruits.
A group of fiery young soldiers sang with overwhelming momentum.
No musical accompaniment—only raw voices filled with passion.
Heroism, pride, and devotion to the nation filled the air.
At that moment, Liu Zhixia felt proud to stand in a military camp.
She sat upright, eyes forward.
From Zhou Yunting’s perspective, however, it looked like the girl was gazing at those energetic young recruits with enthusiasm.
Something in his expression cracked slightly.
Shen Hao, meanwhile, enjoyed the show.
“Old Zhou, looks like your wife prefers energetic young guys…”
“We’re the same age. Girls like younger ones. That’s my wife—legally married. As for you, you might have trouble finding one.”
Zhou Yunting’s eyes darkened.
That was the longest he had spoken since Shen Hao had known him.
“So sharp-tongued—you better watch out, or your wife might not let you into bed.”
Zhou Yunting paused slightly, then turned his attention back to the stage.
Unexpectedly, the second performance involved him.
Originally planned as a military martial arts demonstration by Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang Lei and Battalion Commander Qian Chunjiang, they instead called for Zhou Yunting.
“Would Regiment Commander Shen be willing to give us a hand and perform with us?”
“If it’s inconvenient…”
Zhou Yunting’s gaze turned faintly cold, as if he had already anticipated this.
He stood tall, removed his uniform jacket and placed it on his chair, rolled up his sleeves slowly, and looked directly at the stage.
A hint of challenge appeared in his eyes.
“What’s there to hesitate about?”
At that moment, Liu Zhixia was once again struck by him.
He was basically a walking pheromone bomb.
As expected, beauty was universally appreciated.
She even thought, half-seriously, that if she couldn’t leave this era, she would definitely find someone even more impressive than Zhou Yunting.
Looking around, it seemed no one could surpass that noble, composed man.
She irritably ran a hand through her hair.
From afar, Tian Yunyun, who had been watching Zhou Yunting, gritted her teeth.
What a vixen—so good at seducing people.
Yet even she had to admit that Liu Zhixia’s momentary brilliance had not only stunned the men, but also unsettled her own heart.
She couldn’t compare to Liu Zhixia.
The only thing she could comfort herself with was her uniform—
This was their shared faith.