An Accidental Military Marriage

Wu Meixia and Song Ke also watched the jeep drive away, looking puzzled. "Isn’t your third uncle stationed in the Southwest?"

"He came back a couple of days ago."

Lu Tingting’s face was full of annoyance. "I wonder if my third uncle saw me. If he saw me out of school at this time, I’m definitely going to get chewed out when I get home."

"This won’t do. I’m heading back to school."

Lu Tingting was ready to leave the moment she spoke. She shoved the inconvenient soda bottle into Jiang Moli’s hands like a piece of trash and casually tossed out a threat:

"I’ll settle the score with you next time."

Once Lu Tingting left, Wu Meixia and Song Ke departed together as well.

Jiang Moli finished both sodas, found the shopkeeper to return the bottles, and headed home, pocketing the five-cent deposit.

...

Lu Cheng hadn’t noticed his niece on the street. Right now, his mind was completely occupied with planning to submit his marriage application.

Given his rank, his marriage partner would have to undergo layers of political review by the organization.

It would take at least half a month, or as long as two to three months. He was getting a little impatient.

Plus, Jiang Moli’s reputation wasn’t great. Getting past his old man would probably be difficult, too.

He’d have to think this through carefully.

In the front seat, the driver, Jiang Xiaoguang, was also mulling over the conversation he had just overheard.

’From the sound of it, Lu Cheng has taken a fancy to Jiang Peng’s sister, but the woman seems to be involved with someone named Jia Ming?’

’This won’t do. I have to report this to the commander right away.’

...

Zhang Jia Ming rushed to meet with Jiang Qing and told her the good news that Jiang Moli had agreed to break off the engagement.

Jiang Qing hadn’t expected the engagement to be broken off so smoothly.

After all, Jiang Moli had never been an easy person to deal with.

"Did you hear her agree to break off the engagement with your own ears?"

"My superior talked to her. He said it’s been handled, so there’s definitely no problem. My superior wouldn’t lie to me."

Jiang Qing’s worries were eased. She then asked Zhang Jia Ming when he planned to visit the Jiang family.

"My superior agreed to accompany me to your home in three days to formally propose. With him there, Uncle Jiang won’t make things too difficult for us."

"Okay, in three days then."

Gazing at Jiang Qing’s elegant and delicate face, Zhang Jia Ming couldn’t suppress his excitement. He grabbed her hand and placed it over his heart.

"Xiao Qing, you’re so beautiful. I’m so happy I’ll get to marry you."

A hot blush spread across Jiang Qing’s cheeks as Jiang Moli’s dazzlingly beautiful face couldn’t help but appear in her mind.

She pulled her hand back and said faintly, "I’m not nearly as pretty as Moli. She’s the most beautiful one in the family compound."

The image of the woman in the red dress, with her coarse features and stocky build, floated into Zhang Jia Ming’s mind.

"Nonsense. Just looking at that face of hers makes me lose my appetite."

"Really?" Jiang Qing asked, skeptical.

"If I lie, I’m a puppy!"

Zhang Jia Ming’s resolute tone and his genuine disgust brought a smile back to Jiang Qing’s face.

"I believe you."

Zhang Jia Ming took her hand again and said guiltily, "Xiao Qing, I’ve put you through so much. I’m from the countryside and my family is poor. I can’t give you a respectable betrothal gift."

"Like you, I couldn’t choose my origins, but our future is in our own hands. As long as we work hard and strive to improve, our lives will definitely get better and better."

Jiang Qing’s thoughtfulness, gentleness, kindness, and resilience moved Zhang Jia Ming deeply.

"Xiao Qing, I swear to the heavens, I will never let you down in this lifetime! I will make sure you live a good life!"

"Mm."

The two embraced tightly, wishing they could melt into one.

...

By the time Jiang Moli got home, Jiang Qing had already finished making lunch.

Jiang Dahai and Li Hongying both gathered around Jiang Moli, anxious about the result of her blind date with Zhang Jia Ming.

Jiang Qing kept her eyes forward, going about her business as if nothing was happening.

’Such understated calculation and composure,’ Jiang Moli had to admit, she was quite impressed.

’What else would you expect from the female lead!’

"Hurry and tell us," Jiang Dahai said. "How did it go with Jia Ming?"

"Our Moli is so beautiful," Li Hongying chimed in. "Jia Ming must have been absolutely smitten."

"When is he planning to come and propose?" Jiang Dahai asked.

"The sooner the better!" Li Hongying said. "It’d be best if they got their marriage certificate tomorrow to deal with the Educated Youth Office. The formalities and everything can be taken care of later."

’If I don’t say something soon,’ Jiang Moli thought, ’Jiang Dahai and Li Hongying will probably have names picked out for my and Zhang Jia Ming’s children.’

"He said he’s coming to propose in three days."

"That’s wonderful!" Jiang Dahai exclaimed.

"See? I told you there wouldn’t be a problem!" Li Hongying said. "How could Jia Ming not like someone as beautiful as our Moli!"

Jiang Qing also curled her lips into a smile.

She was smiling in ridicule. To think Jiang Moli was still putting on a brave face at a time like this, lying to Jiang Dahai—it was utterly foolish.

Having your engagement broken off was embarrassing, but people would only laugh about it for a while.

Being sent down to the countryside, however, could be a death sentence.

Even if Jiang Moli was lucky enough to escape natural disasters, the heavy farm work would wear her down to the bone.

Jiang Moli saw Jiang Qing’s smile and had a sudden realization.

’No wonder that son of a bitch seemed so accommodating, even promising me a sky-high betrothal gift. Was he just toying with me?’

’Build me up just to watch me fall flat on my face.’

’He was most likely doing it to get revenge on behalf of his beloved.’

’After all, the original owner of this body had genuinely bullied Jiang Qing for ten years.’

’Fortunately, she wasn’t the original owner. She wouldn’t lose her mind and throw herself in front of a train just because the male and female leads were toying with her.’

Jiang Peng was very conflicted.

He desperately wanted to tell his family that Jiang Moli had mistaken the man. That wasn’t Zhang Jia Ming, it was Zhang Jia Ming’s superior!

Jiang Peng wasn’t surprised that Jiang Moli had mistaken the man.

Jiang Moli despised the poor conditions in the countryside and despised her childhood engagement to Zhang Jia Ming even more. She hadn’t been back to their hometown in seven or eight years and hadn’t seen Zhang Jia Ming in all that time, so it was normal for her not to recognize him.

As her younger brother, Jiang Peng still hoped that Jiang Moli would marry a capable man.

But he also knew that besides a pretty face, Jiang Moli had nothing else to offer.

’Once Lu Cheng finds out Jiang Moli’s true nature and refuses to marry her, won’t his sister be unable to get married? And then won’t she have to be sent down to the countryside?’

...

「In the Lu Family’s living room.」

Mrs. Lu, An Hui, was chatting and laughing cheerfully with the Meng mother and daughter.

When Lu Cheng walked in and saw this scene, he finally understood why his old man had sent Jiang Xiaoguang to summon him home.

Seeing him, the smile on An Hui’s face vanished. "Why are you only back now? Xiao Wei has been waiting for you for ages."

"I had some business at the Political Department."

Meng Wei smiled and said, "It’s alright. Official business is important, I understand."

A smile returned to An Hui’s face as she said to Mrs. Meng, "Look at your Weiwei, so good-tempered and understanding. Not like this rebellious son of mine, who only knows how to make me angry..."

Lu Cheng sat down on the sofa next to An Hui. "It wasn’t official business. It was personal."

Seeing Lu Cheng respond to her, Meng Wei gave a gentle smile. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Lu Cheng say to An Hui:

"Mom, I have some good news for you. Your son—me—has found someone. Half an hour ago, I submitted my marriage application to the Political Department. Before long, you’ll be drinking tea from your daughter-in-law."

After speaking, he turned to the stunned Meng mother and daughter, unable to hide his delight. "When the time comes, you’re also welcome to come to my wedding banquet."

"Lu Cheng, I’ve been too easy on you, haven’t I? Spouting such nonsense! See if I don’t whip you to death!"

An Hui, having snapped back to her senses, grabbed a feather duster and started walloping Lu Cheng with it.