The guard beside her said, "Judging by her relationship with Regimental Commander Zhou, it should be her."
"Regimental Commander Yang, why are we suddenly investigating Regimental Commander Zhou's wife? Could there be some problem with her..."
Logically speaking, Regimental Commander Zhou had left the army so many years ago. Even if there was some issue with her, it shouldn't be their place to investigate.
The guard had arrived later and wasn't very clear about the matters between Zhou Yueshen and Yang Yujie.
He was even more confused now.
He only knew that ever since Deputy Regimental Commander Liu and the others returned last time, she had seemed like a different person.
This time, she had even taken the initiative to apply for a transfer here to carry out a mission.
The woman, wearing a form-fitting military uniform, tall with delicate yet sharp features, shot him an unhappy glance. "Have you forgotten everything I said?"
"Speak less, do more!" The other immediately straightened up. "Commander, I know I was wrong."
Yang Yujie looked at the receding figures of the family, at that familiar, tall, straight, and solidly broad back that had filled her with a sense of security and had appeared in her dreams countless times.
Yet now, standing beside him was a petite and slender figure.
It was such a mismatch.
How could a man like him find a woman so mismatched with him?
She couldn't understand.
Others didn't know the secret of why Zhou Yueshen left.
But she knew.
She also knew that Zhou Yueshen would return.
As long as orders came from above, this man wholly devoted to his country would undoubtedly abandon everything and go back.
That's why she had forged ahead, rejecting all those who approached her, and reached this position. All to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, no longer just gazing at his back.
She had endured so much to get to this point.
Yet all she received was a cold letter from him refusing to return to the unit.
And his reason was utterly laughable.
He had devoted the first half of his life to the army.
He wanted to leave the second half for his family.
How ridiculous.
A man of iron resolve like Zhou Yueshen would never refuse to return to the unit for such a reason.
Such a selfish excuse was unacceptable to her.
It couldn't possibly be a letter written by a man like him.
Yes, it must be a fake letter fabricated by someone.
At least, that's what Yang Yujie had thought before coming to this city.
But when she saw that man, who had remained unflinching even amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, change his expression merely because another man approached that woman—
The dream that had sustained Yang Yujie all these years, the dream that had carried her through her journey, shattered completely.
She couldn't believe that the man who had always kept his distance from women in the army would lose his composure over a woman.
Even more, he nestled beside his children and that woman, appearing utterly devoted to his wife.
A sharp pain twisted in Yang Yujie's heart.
She didn't know what had happened over these years.
What exactly had smoothed out this man's sharp edges.
And what charm did that woman possess, exactly.
Yang Yujie's gaze fell on Si Nian's graceful figure. Admittedly, she was a radiantly beautiful woman.
But the Zhou Yueshen she knew would never be swayed by someone's appearance.
There must be something else, something she didn't know.
Her nails dug into her palms. She turned her head to look at the elementary school not far away, which stood out as quite luxurious even in this city. Her voice was as cold as ice. "This school is no ordinary school."
Someone beside her immediately chimed in, "Commander Yang, you might not know, this elementary school is the best in our Yun-Gui-Chuan City, and the only foreign language elementary school."
A foreign language elementary school?
A man like Zhou Yueshen, although he had made money, wasn't the type to extravagantly send his children to such a school.
That meant it must be that woman's idea?
Given the caliber of this school, and the fact they hadn't moved here long, it would be even less likely for them to get in so easily.
She narrowed her eyes, about to say something, when someone approached. "Regimental Commander Yang, the information you requested, I've found it."
Yang Yujie reached out and took it. Opening it, the first line of the document read: Name: Si Nian, Female, eighteen years old...
She stood in place reading for about ten minutes, the document crumpling in her tightening grip.
Everyone in the group was intimidated by her grim expression.
They had heard this female regimental commander was the youngest head of the cultural troupe in the Northwest Military Region.
And also the division commander's daughter...
In short, she had powerful connections.
Fake heiress, fiancé, substitute marriage, foreign language teacher?
Hah, Si Nian's life was certainly dramatic!
Most importantly, this fiancé of hers had quite a background.
The Fu family?
Fu Yang?
Wasn't he the newly appointed regimental commander who had picked her up today?
She tossed the document to the person beside her.
The middle-aged female cadre next to her glanced at it and exclaimed, "Impressive! So young and already a teacher at my sister's school."
"Hmm?" Yang Yujie immediately narrowed her eyes at her.
The female cadre was startled and quickly changed her tune, "So young, she must have gotten in through connections, right? Otherwise, it's generally impossible. At that age, she probably hasn't even graduated."
Right, this woman was only eighteen, which didn't meet the school's hiring requirements.
Her sister had been a university graduate and worked as a teacher there for a year before getting a permanent position.
It was a very rigorous school.
At that age, it truly seemed unlikely.
But Yang Yujie said, "You said your sister works at this school?"
The female cadre hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes! My sister has been teaching there for seven or eight years! She's a department head now."
Yang Yujie glanced at her obsequious expression, then looked away. After a moment, she said, "Is that so? What's your name?"
The female cadre's eyes lit up. "Regimental Commander Yang, my name is Li Xiuhua. If there's anything you need, just give the order..."
Yang Yujie said, "Minister Li, I just remembered there's an important matter I need to discuss with Regimental Commander Fu. You should know where Regimental Commander Fu lives, right?"
Li Xiuhua nodded eagerly. "Of course! My family lives in the same compound as Regimental Commander Fu's family!"
...
At the Fu residence, Fu Qianqian was off duty today.
Humming a tune, she unpacked the things she had bought one by one and then placed them into an old bag.
Mrs. Zheng couldn't stand watching. "If you're giving them as gifts, why unpack them? People might think you're deliberately giving old things, looking down on them."
Fu Qianqian snorted. "Hmph, I want her to think exactly that. Otherwise, seeing I bought her so many things, she'd probably be unbearably smug."
Thinking of the 'I knew it was you who bought these' smug expression Si Nian had when she sent things last time, Fu Qianqian felt aggrieved.
She was happy to give gifts.
But she couldn't stand Si Nian being smug about it.
As if she thought Fu Qianqian considered her so important.
It was really too funny.
She just happened to think that since her brother got promoted, and Si Nian had pitifully moved to the city all alone, she probably had nothing.
That's why she specifically bought things for her.
After all, since she had heard about it, if she didn't go,
people would say she had no conscience.
This was all for her own peace of mind.
Fu Qianqian found her excuse and continued unpacking.
Mrs. Zheng watched from the side, shaking her head repeatedly.
She really didn't know what had gotten into this girl.
