“Xia Yuge, let me make this clear: nowadays we advocate free love. Our engagement, however, was arranged by our parents. As a soldier, I ought to answer the nation’s call and sweep away such feudal ways. Therefore, whether you agree or not, today I am ending this engagement — and that is final!”
“End it? What engagement? Who even are you? What right do you have to break off an engagement with *me*?” Xia Yuge was seething with irritation. Who did this man think he was, daring to jilt her?
If she had her way, she’d set her dogs on him and tear him apart.
Or rather — she’d set her foxes on him and wear him down!
But hold on… none of this made any sense!
Since when had she ever had an engagement? Why had she never heard a word of it?
A jolt of shock shot through her, and her eyes flew wide open.
She found herself in a run‑down, dilapidated storage room. Standing before her was a man in a green uniform, his features plain and unremarkable.
Huh?
Wait — maybe I opened the wrong eyes!
She squeezed them shut, then opened them again.
Same shabby room. Same plain‑looking man.
What on earth is going on?
Xia Yuge’s mind reeling, she reached out — and pinched the offending man’s leg hard, twisting the flesh cruelly.
“Ouch! Xia Yuge, have you lost your mind? What gives you the right to pinch me?” The searing pain made Gu Nianchen freeze on the spot.
“Huh… it hurts. So this isn’t a dream. But then… what *is* happening? Hey — who exactly are you?” Xia Yuge asked, thoroughly bewildered.
“Xia Yuge, don’t think playing the fool will make me change my mind! Let me tell you — don’t even dream of it! A rude, unladylike woman like you… what part of you is worthy of me, Gu Nianchen?”
He scoffed.
Any single female comrade back at the base was gentler and more beautiful than her by a thousand miles. And more importantly — they shared true revolutionary camaraderie.
Not like this village girl, Xia Yuge. Not only was she coarse and unrefined in appearance, but she was also vicious at heart.
Gu Nianchen rubbed his stinging leg, his face twisted with undisguised revulsion as he looked at her.
Damn it. She really had gone all out. It hurt like hell.
Xia Yuge paid him no mind. She was just about to press him further when suddenly — a flood of memories that did not belong to her crashed like a tidal wave into her mind.
“Agh — what’s happening… it hurts!” She clutched her head, groaning aloud as cold sweat beaded and streamed down her forehead.
Gu Nianchen was startled by her outburst. Then he spoke again, his tone stiff.
“Xia Yuge, that’s enough. Stop putting on an act. Pretending won’t change the fact that the engagement is over.
But don’t worry about being left with nowhere to go. Rest assured — if you are willing to sign this notice of dissolution… no, you need only place your fingerprint upon it, and I shall persuade my parents to take you in as their adopted daughter.
You may continue to live in our home just as before. I shall look after you as my own sister. And when the day comes for you to marry, my parents will see to it that a dowry is prepared for you.”
Gu Nianchen waved the notice he had long since prepared, speaking with unctuous self‑satisfaction.
Xia Yuge, however, had no mind to listen. She was still reeling in shock, struggling to accept the staggering truth: she had crossed time and space.
She also absorbed the tragic fate of the original owner of this body — and the ghastly truth that the Gu family were nothing but leeches feeding off her.
From the memories flooding her mind, she learned: this was the Huaxia Republic. The year was 1970. The man prattling on before her was Gu Nianchen — a soldier of Huaxia, and the fiancé of this body. He had recently been promoted to platoon leader.
The original girl had shared her name — Xia Yuge. Their engagement had been arranged years ago by her grandfather, Old Master Xia, and Gu Nianchen’s late grandfather, while both men were yet living.
Tragedy struck the Xia family. On their deathbed, Xia Yuge’s parents had entrusted their ten‑year‑old daughter to the care of Old Master Gu, begging him — for the sake of the bond between their families — to look after her.
That year, Xia Yuge was ten. Gu Nianchen was seventeen.
A year later, Gu Nianchen enlisted and left home. Not long after, Old Master Gu passed away. The Gu family turned upon the orphan girl, blaming her for the old man’s death — claiming she had brought him bad fortune and killed him.
From that day forth, the Gu family treated her worse than a servant. They gave her the hardest work, the poorest food — and often left her half‑starved.
Ten years of hardship. Ten years of endurance. At last, Gu Nianchen had climbed from common soldier to the rank of platoon leader — and now he had returned home in triumph.
The original Xia Yuge had rejoiced. By Huaxia law, the family of a platoon leader was permitted to join him at the military base.
Just as she dared to hope her suffering was at an end — Gu Nianchen struck her down without mercy. He had never intended to marry her.
He had come home for one reason only: to dissolve their engagement.
The shock had been too much. The original Xia Yuge had breathed her last — and now *she* was here.
Truly it was said: *He returns in glory; she perishes at the bridge of longing.* That might well have been the story of Xia Yuge.
A thoroughgoing scoundrel, through and through. Her heart ached for the girl whose life she had inherited.
Before she could fully sort through her thoughts, however, Gu Nianchen began his prattle once more.
“Xia Yuge, can you not hear me speaking? Let me tell you — I am doing this for your own good. Do not bite the hand that feeds you…”
*Slap!*
Before he could finish, Xia Yuge’s palm cracked sharply across his face.
Silence fell. Gu Nianchen’s words died in his throat.
He had expected tears, perhaps, or pleading. But never had he imagined this meek, obedient drudge — who had endured every indignity without complaint — would dare strike him.
Was this truly the same girl who had looked up at him with adoring eyes only yesterday?
He pressed a hand to his burning cheek. It took him several long moments to recover. He stared at her, stunned beyond belief.
“You… you… you dare strike me?”
“That’s right. I did. What of it? Am I supposed to submit a formal request before I thrash a heartless scoundrel like you?
Hmph! Did you imagine — now that you’ve decided to cast me aside — that I would still worship you like some ancestral idol, burning incense in your honour three times a day?
And who were you calling a dog just now? It is *you* who are the dog — nay, even dogs have more loyalty and honour than you. You are worse than a beast!”
Xia Yuge looked back at him, her gaze cold and utterly devoid of warmth — as though she were staring at a corpse.
A man has his pride. And Gu Nianchen, newly promoted platoon leader and swollen with self‑importance, could not endure such words. He sprang to his feet, jabbing a finger toward her face.
“Xia Yuge! You are shameless! You go too far! I speak to you with kindness and reason — and you repay me with violence! I tell you — I…”
“You what?” Xia Yuge cut in icily.
“What of it? We are merely betrothed — not yet wed! Even were I to marry another, I should not require your permission!”
“Oh? Is that so? If I have no say in the matter… why do you insist upon obtaining my signature upon this paper?”
“I… I…” Gu Nianchen stammered, suddenly at a loss for words.
More than that, he was stunned. The Xia Yuge standing before him seemed utterly transformed from the girl he had known only yesterday — especially her eyes. The way she looked at him sent a chill to his very marrow.
“Xia Yuge, I know this is unfair. Truly. But we are unsuited. We have no foundation of love between us. To force such a union would bring you no happiness.
So all I can say is… I am sorry. I ask that you understand.”
Gu Nianchen chose his words carefully, lowering his tone in hopes of coaxing her into compliance. He needed her fingerprint — that was all.
“Sorry? You imagine that a single word can undo everything you have done?
But yes — you *are* sorry. Your entire family owes me an apology, Gu Nianchen. Now hear this: I will agree to end this engagement — but only if you meet my conditions.
If not… I shall go to your military base. I shall report you to your superiors and demand an answer. I shall ask them how a heartless, faithless scoundrel such as yourself ever came to hold the rank of platoon leader.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Gu Nianchen paled.
“Hmph. Dare or not — why don’t you try me and see?” Xia Yuge replied with a cold, knowing smile.
“You… what do you want, Xia Yuge? What will it take for you to agree?”
Technically, without a letter of introduction from the county authorities, she would be hard‑pressed even to leave Qingjiang County — let alone travel all the way to his Longhua Military District.
But a desperate person fears nothing. And Gu Nianchen had worked too hard to climb to his present rank. He dared not gamble his career — not on a chance.
“Gu Nianchen, I came to your home at the age of ten. Today marks exactly ten years since that day. Do you have any idea what kind of life I have endured here?
I rose before dawn and slept late into the night. I performed the hardest labour. I ate worse than the pigs in your yard. I served your entire family with every ounce of strength I possessed.
Now that you wish to cast me aside — you shall compensate me for these ten years. I ask for no more than what is fair: one thousand yuan in cash and grain coupons.”
“Very well.” Gu Nianchen gritted his teeth.
If she would only sign and affix her fingerprint, he could afford that sum.
“Do not be so hasty to agree. Along with that one thousand yuan and coupons… there is one further condition. Consent to that — and I shall sign and seal this paper at once.”
“Xia Yuge — what *more* do you want? Do not presume to take advantage!” Instinct warned him this next demand would be far from simple. He already regretted agreeing.