Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When she heard the two words ‘getting married’, Qiao Nan was immediately dumbfounded. “Brother Zhai, you… did you meet with any blow recently?
“You don’t believe that I wish to marry you?”
Of course I didn’t!
The villain in Qiao Nan’s heart was shouting. Brother Zhai was the future chief of the army. His future was bright. He would be more formidable than the Father Zhai now. She clearly remembered that Brother Zhai was married in his previous life to a lady that was compatible with his family.
What did she have? She had nothing.
If Brother Zhai was not willing to help her and she had to rely on herself, most probably, her life might not be better than her previous life.
She was not the most beautiful one, and neither was she the smartest. Furthermore, she was not good at human skills and could not grasp a man’s heart. It was hard to come by that Brother Zhai had taken a liking to her. Her character had already erupted. Brother Zhai was now telling her that he not only liked her but also wished to marry her. Qiao Nan felt that Brother Zhai must have taken some blow today to be talking so mindlessly.
What a person said on impulse could not be trusted. As soon as he had calmed down, Brother Zhai would definitely regret it.
Hence, if Brother Zhai was not calm enough, she had to be.
“Brother Zhai, actually, the distance to my home is not too far. It’s the eve of the Lunar New Year today, and it’s late. You should go back and keep your family company. I can go back on my own. I’m not scared. Really, I’m not scared at all.” If she allowed Brother Zhai to continue with his words, she would become as crazy as him no matter how calm she was.
“Nan Nan!” Zhai Sheng shouted in a voice that was neither loud nor soft, but it sounded as serious as shouting ‘Attention. At ease’ in the army. This made Qiao Nan, who had already started running away, halt her steps. She stood firm on the ground. “Army personnel would never joke on such matters. I hope that you can consider what I said seriously and earnestly and then make an objective and rational decision.”
“…” Qiao Nan, whose body froze when she heard what Zhai Sheng said, was both angry and amused. She was not a soldier. She did not need to carry out everything in such a stiff and regulated manner. The saying that military orders were as inviolable as a mountain would not work on her.
Was Brother Zhai confessing his love and proposing marriage or treating her like the new soldiers under his wing?
“If I seriously and earnestly consider what you have said, will you support me in whatever objective and rational decision that I make?” Qiao Nan took a deep breath. She forcefully suppressed the struggle beneath her eyes.
She could not even keep Chen Jun. It was impossible for her to be together with Brother Zhai.
“…” Zhai Sheng hesitated for a while. He then said, “The country and the top leadership have always been concerned about the marriage of ordinary soldiers like us. They hope that we can have a complete family. Only then can we protect the country. However, we also need people to look after us. Nan Nan, this is the trust and test that the party and organization placed on you. Nan Nan, as the country’s citizen, you must have the realization. The party and the country needs you. You should be at the frontline. How can you reject?”
In short, Zhai Sheng being together with Qiao Nan was the arrangement of the country and party. Qiao Nan must accept this. In addition, she had to seriously and conscientiously carry out and complete this ‘mission’.
“…” An imaginary black line appeared on Qiao Nan’s forehead. “Brother Zhai, do all the soldiers in the army talk like that? Why do I feel that I’m back to the 1960s and 1970s? There’s country, party, and organization?”
This was not an acceptable reason for someone from the 21st century that was reborn into this era.
Damn. The country did not request her to marry Brother Zhai, and neither did the party nor the organization. No one mentioned this to her.
“Stand still, be quiet. On such a serious topic, put away your cheeky smile, and be more serious.” There was a flash of helplessness in Zhai Sheng’s eyes. He was older than Qiao Nan by four years. Nevertheless, since he was a child, Zhai Sheng had always been focused on three areas: home, school, and army.
He had a lot of dealings with men. However, except for Zhai Hua, Zhai Sheng never had the experience of interacting with girls, not to mention confessing his love and proposing for marriage.
As a soldier, Zhai Sheng was most accustomed to portraying his most authentic self in front of Qiao Nan. He was most comfortable being himself and speaking his mind without any reservation.
If Zhai Sheng were to do something else, such as Chen Jun who staged the ‘hero saving the beauty’ scenario to create a beautiful encounter, he only knew six out of seven apertures. He was completely ignorant.
He liked Qiao Nan and wished to spend a lifetime with her. He wanted to protect Qiao Nan. Therefore, he told Qiao Nan that he would marry her. He was so direct that he was a little dull and clumsy.
Qiao Nan had a stomachache because of the reunion dinner. Facing the unbelievable love confession and marriage proposal before her, Qiao Nan only felt a headache and her eyes started seeing stars. “Brother Zhai, I’ll reply to you in a very serious and earnest manner. We’re not suitable for each other.”
“Why aren’t we?” Zhai Sheng’s face stiffened as he looked at Qiao Nan. He completely displayed a soldier’s spirit of being fearless of hardship and difficulty and persistence to overcome all problems. “Which aspects are not suitable? You can tell me. We can examine together on whether these incompatible areas are truly present.”
“I’m still young. After twelve midnight today, I’m, in fact, only seventeen years old. Even if I’m eighteen, it’s not the legal age for marriage. Brother Zhai, you’re a soldier and should lead by example. How could you disregard the law!” She had already said that they were not suitable. Even the law, which was the country, party, and organization, that Brother Zhai was referring to, would not allow that.
“Regarding this situation, it’s completely not a problem. I fully support that you should gain more knowledge when you are of an appropriate age. When you step out into society, you can then contribute to the country. I know you wish to study in college. Even after we file a marriage, we do not need to immediately register and receive the marriage certificate. We can always get engaged first. We can get the certificate after you graduate from high school and are studying in college.”
Of course, if he had already filed the marriage report in the army and it was approved, even without the marriage certificate, Nan Nan and he would be considered as a couple. Furthermore, it would be an army marriage!
Qiao Nan knitted her brows. Was Brother Zhai playing a game of promise with her?
“Brother Zhai, I don’t know why you suddenly have such thoughts. However, I still wish to advise you not to be too impulsive. I don’t think you’re someone that’s so impulsive. Calm down. No matter what has caused you to say this to me, you will definitely regret it in the future. For the sake of both of us, I can’t agree to this matter. This decision is best suited for us.” Brother Zhai was only twenty-two years old. There were many kinds of possibilities and temptations in the future.
Many ladies were better than her in terms of family background. There were also many ladies that were prettier than her. Even smarter ladies were prevalent. It was too numerous to enumerate.
