Volume One, Chapter 19: What on Earth Do You Call This?

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Upon hearing this, Lu Zhenhua immediately rushed to the entrance of the Si family residence. However, the courtyard gate was locked. Wen Lin, who had followed along, puzzled, asked, "Why is the gate locked? It clearly wasn’t just a moment ago!"

Lu Zhenhua’s face betrayed a hint of disappointment, yet his dim eyes brightened somewhat at her words. But the phrase "jumped into the sea..." lingered in his mind. He dared not hope, yet could not help but kindle a flicker of expectation.

In the end, hope from the depths of his heart gained the upper hand. He couldn’t help but speak again to confirm, "Comrade Wen Lin, are you sure the person came to the island yesterday? A girl named Shen Nian’an, twenty years old?"

"Twenty?" Wen Lin exclaimed in surprise. So young! She was already twenty-eight...

Overwhelmed by jealousy, Wen Lin’s otherwise beautiful face twisted into something almost frightening. Her hand hung at her side, clutching the hem of her blouse into a tight fist.

"Isn’t that right?" Lu Zhenhua’s eyes went blank as he took two staggering steps backward, his tall frame swaying as if on the verge of collapse.

"Yes!" Wen Lin bit her words out, "Chief of Staff Lu, that woman’s character is vile—you must drive her off the island!"

Wen Lin’s mouth continued to move, but Lu Zhenhua heard nothing. His mind was consumed by a single thought: Yes! Comrade Wen Lin said yes!

Moved to tears, he soon burst into boisterous laughter. His wild expression startled even the envious Wen Lin, who instinctively stepped back from him.

After a while, Lu Zhenhua’s excitement settled. He stepped forward and plopped down on the steps by the Si family gate. "The gate’s locked? Then I’ll just wait here for Nian’an to come back!"

At his words, Wen Lin grew excited again, eyes shining with anticipation to see Shen Nian’an scolded by Lu Zhenhua and driven off the island. Wen Lin was foolish and blind; but nearby, Wen’s mother keenly sensed that Lu Zhenhua did not despise Shen Nian’an.

Moreover, she faintly felt that things would not unfold as Wen Lin expected.

Wen’s mother’s eyes darted around before she stepped forward and, after much effort, persuaded Wen Lin to return home.

As soon as they entered the yard, Wen Lin couldn’t wait and began urging, "Mom, hurry and bring the ladder over. I want to see Shen Nian’an slink off the island in disgrace!"

That shameless girl! Trying to seduce Brother Si? In your dreams!

Naval Island Command Post.

Upon arriving at work, Si Jinnian headed straight to the office on the first floor to ask Officer Wang about the allocation of family housing on the island.

Yesterday, rumors had spread throughout the command post that Major Si had brought a girl with him and the soldiers had even called her "Sister-in-Law."

Seeing Si Jinnian arrive, Officer Wang immediately guessed his purpose: to apply for family housing.

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However…

Officer Wang’s heart ached, but he forced a strained smile, "Major Si, unfortunately, the last newly built family house was taken yesterday by Chief of Staff Lu on behalf of Lieutenant Lu."

Si Jinnian frowned. If he remembered correctly, Lu Jianxun was only dating Jin Yue; neither family had met yet, and they were far from engagement or submitting a marriage notification, let alone getting married!

"Are you saying Lu Jianxun has submitted a marriage notification?"

At this, Officer Wang’s eyelids twitched violently, sweat beading on his forehead.

No, definitely not!

But Chief of Staff Lu had confidently guaranteed him that he would bring the completed marriage notification to him today.

For this reason, he had gotten up early this morning.

Unexpectedly, Chief of Staff Lu never showed, but Major Si appeared instead, looking grim as a raven.

Ah!

If only he had known Major Si was also rushing to marry at this time, he wouldn’t have coveted Chief of Staff Lu’s two bottles of fine wine.

But now it was too late to say anything.

Officer Wang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and forced himself to say, "Well..."

"Hmm?"

Si Jinnian tapped his index finger rhythmically on the desk.

Tap tap tap…

Like the tolling of a great bell pounding on his chest, every second was an ordeal.

Ten seconds? Thirty seconds? Or ten minutes?

Suddenly, Si Jinnian crossed his legs, stood up, and said, "I understand."

With that, he strode purposefully out.

Once the door closed, Officer Wang snapped out of his near-suffocating trance and collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air.

"I was scared to death…"

"He was just about to spill everything…"

A sudden gust of wind sent a chill through Officer Wang, and when he reached behind his back, he found his clothes soaked through…

Instantly, his respect for Si Jinnian deepened. Truly, he was the most outstanding navy officer the island had ever seen.

No joke—just the pressure Major Si radiated was more than most could bear!

Leaving the first floor, Si Jinnian went to the fifth floor—the top floor—and knocked on Commissioner Xu’s office door.

"Report."

"Come in."

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Commissioner Xu looked up from his documents, and upon seeing Si Jinnian, the tension in his furrowed brow eased.

"Jinnian, it’s you? I was just looking for you!"

A flicker of something unfamiliar crossed Si Jinnian’s eyes. Looking for him? Could it be a problem with the marriage notification?

Commissioner Xu rose and led Si Jinnian to sit on the sofa.

"Jinnian, I need to ask you something. You must answer honestly, with no concealment." Commissioner Xu’s face was serious.

Si Jinnian frowned slightly, "Go ahead, Commissioner."

"Did your fiancée arrive on the island yesterday?"

"Yes."

"From Shanghai?"

Though he had only glanced at the introduction letter, its contents were clear in his memory. An’an was from Shanghai.

He nodded, "Yes."

"Her name is Shen Nian’an? The ‘Nian’ from ‘miss’ and ‘An’ from ‘peace’?"

"Yes."

So the name was not mistaken!

They really had taken the wrong person!

This Shen Nian’an should have been Chief of Staff Lu’s daughter-in-law, Lieutenant Lu’s fiancée, but by some twist of fate, she ended up with the son of General Si.

Moreover… the marriage notification had already been submitted…

Commissioner Xu slapped his hands on his thighs and slumped down, his tone resigned: "What kind of situation is this?"

"Commissioner?" Si Jinnian’s intuition told him this was serious. He furrowed his brow deeply and pressed his lips together before asking, "Commissioner, is there a problem with the marriage notification?"

"No! It’s an even bigger problem than that!" For some reason, Commissioner Xu’s tone was sharp as he tried to explain.

Hearing it wasn’t the marriage notification itself, Si Jinnian felt a secret relief, his previously tensed spine relaxing somewhat without his awareness.

He said, "Commissioner, problems don’t come in sizes, only in whether they can be solved. And for me, there is only one answer!"

Commissioner Xu hesitated, then turned to meet Si Jinnian’s earnest gaze. His brow furrowed again. They were clearly not talking about the same thing!

He looked at Si Jinnian, his expression conflicted and hesitant to speak.

Si Jinnian noticed the struggle in Commissioner Xu’s eyes and couldn’t help but wonder what matter could trouble him so deeply.

Although curious, he remained silent and waited patiently for Commissioner Xu to speak.