They called each other old acquaintances, but in truth, they had only met a handful of times. Once at the docks, once at the guesthouse, and now this time—adding it all up, Jiang Si and Su Wanwan had only crossed paths three times.
Even without what had happened that night, Jiang Si felt she and Su Wanwan would never have become friends.
Human intuition could be terrifyingly accurate. From the very first glance at Su Wanwan, Jiang Si had known they weren’t cut from the same cloth.
So Jiang Si merely gave her a cool glance before looking away.
Unexpectedly, Su Wanwan hurried after her. "Sister-in-law, I heard you and Brother Huo are getting married. This is my wedding gift for you—may you have a lifetime of happiness together."
[Bah! Forget everything I just said!]
As she spoke, Su Wanwan pulled out a piece of fabric wrapped in brown paper from her bag.
This fabric was something she had bought at the Wangfujing Department Store before leaving the capital, choosing the most famous brand, "Iceberg."
Originally, she had planned to have a tailor make it into a beautiful dress once she arrived here—she’d even picked out the design.
But Jiang Si’s sudden appearance had thrown all her plans into disarray!
The more Su Wanwan thought about it, the more resentful she became. As soon as she settled in at the military base, she contacted her elder sister.
But Su Shanshan was already frustrated over Mother Huo bringing up dividing the family property—how was she supposed to know why this Jiang family princess had run off to Qiongzhou Island?
With no useful information coming from that side, Su Wanwan decided to focus on Jiang Si herself.
The best approach would be to become as close as sisters.
Then she could figure out a way to move into their home!
She’d heard the military had assigned them a one-and-a-half-story house—far better conditions than the eight-person dormitory she was stuck in now.
Of course, her reasons for wanting to move in weren’t just about the better living conditions.
Thinking this, Su Wanwan’s smile grew even more sincere.
"Sister-in-law, this is 'Dacron'—take it back and have a dress made. You have such a good figure; it’ll look stunning on you!"
'Dacron' was polyester.
In this era, due to limited domestic petrochemical production, Dacron fabric was mostly imported.
Only cities like Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai had limited supplies.
Because it was easy to wash, quick to dry, wrinkle-resistant, and more durable than cotton—while also holding its shape well—it was highly sought after by young people.
But who was Jiang Si? Before the Cultural Revolution, hadn’t everything she ate, wore, or used been the finest Shanghai had to offer?
When Dacron first hit the market, the department store had sent her samples immediately.
After trying it on, she found the fabric stiflingly unbreathable.
Not only did it trap heat, but it also clung with static—so she’d quickly lost interest in it.
Besides, Jiang Si wasn’t stupid. She knew full well that unsolicited kindness was never without ulterior motives.
"Take it back. We’re not holding a wedding banquet, and we won’t be accepting gifts."
"And even if we did, it should be your sister and brother-in-law who give them, not you."
Having been out for a while, it was getting late, and Jiang Si had no intention of wasting more words here.
"Sister-in-law, let’s head back."
Hu Meili and Xu Mingjuan promptly agreed.
Seeing Jiang Si about to leave, Su Wanwan panicked.
If the gift wasn’t accepted, how could she build a connection?
In desperation, she grabbed Jiang Si’s wrist. "Sister-in-law, please just take it—"
With her reddened eyes, anyone watching might have thought Jiang Si had bullied her.
"Let go." Jiang Si’s voice was icy.
Su Wanwan tightened her grip instead. "Sister-in-law, are you still upset with me? I told you, what happened that day was really just an accident."
"Whether it was an accident or not, heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know."
Jiang Si hadn’t wanted to bring up that incident again—first, because there was no proof.
Second, in an era where reputation meant everything, the accusation of seducing a married man was a burden no one could bear.
She was a woman herself, and she had no desire to make life harder for another woman.
But that didn’t mean she was easy to bully!
"I’ve already made myself clear—we won’t accept this gift."
"I’d like to ask, Comrade Su, what exactly is your intention in forcing this on me?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, a deep voice sounded from behind.
"I’d also like to know—Comrade Su, as military personnel, did you not carefully read the 'Disciplinary Regulations' upon enlistment?"
His eyes fixed on the hand gripping Jiang Si’s wrist, Huo Tingzhou spoke slowly, each word deliberate.
"According to Article 2 of the 'Disciplinary Regulations,' bribing or corrupting a military family—"
"Once the amount reaches a certain threshold, it is classified as corrupting the revolutionary ranks, punishable by penalties including but not limited to labor reform or imprisonment!"
The moment these words were spoken, Su Wanwan’s face drained of color, her body swaying unsteadily.
What had she done? How had it escalated to something so serious?
"B-Brother Huo, I didn’t mean it like that..."
"Comrade Su, we are in the military. From now on, please address me as 'Regiment Commander Huo.' I don’t have any sisters."
"Additionally, regarding today’s incident, please submit a detailed written statement to the Military Discipline Inspection Committee."
Without waiting for her response, he walked straight to Jiang Si’s side. "Does your wrist still hurt?"
Hurt?
Jiang Si paused, realizing he was using this to make a point, then nodded slightly. "A little."
"By the way, why are you here?" she asked, surprised.
His demeanor toward Su Wanwan was one thing, but with his fiancée, it was entirely different.
Hearing her question, Huo Tingzhou’s tone softened instantly, the sternness on his handsome face melting away.
"The mailroom just notified me—there’s a package for you," he said gently.
These parcels should have arrived with the morning batch, but there were too many, so the post office had to make a second trip in the afternoon.
"Then let’s go together," Jiang Si said.
Back then, lost or misdelivered packages were common.
Third Uncle had sent over a dozen parcels for her. Without checking them personally, Jiang Si wouldn’t feel at ease.
Huo Tingzhou nodded.
Watching the two of them converse quietly, Hu Meili and Xu Mingjuan exchanged amused smiles.
They’d initially worried that Huo Tingzhou’s reserved nature might be difficult for Jiang Si to adjust to.
Seems they’d overthought it.
Knowing they were heading to the post office, the two women made excuses and left ahead of them.
"Let’s go."
"Mm."
Once all four had left, the young nurses who had come with Su Wanwan began whispering among themselves.
Most of them were new recruits who had only just started and hadn’t begun official duties yet.
Today’s visit was just to familiarize themselves with the hospital departments before starting work next week.
Who’d have thought they’d walk into a hospital buzzing with gossip about Regiment Commander Huo’s wife?
"So that was Regiment Commander Huo’s wife just now."
No wonder the entire military base was buzzing about how Colonel Huo's wife was an absolute stunner—seeing her truly lived up to the hype!
Another young nurse, however, wore a look of disbelief. "A woman like Colonel Huo's wife... could she really catch a spy?"
To her, the delicate beauty seemed more like someone who’d be kidnapped by a spy rather than the one apprehending them.
Though others shared the same doubt, the national security department had already sent the reward money—so it couldn’t possibly be a hoax, could it?
