Volume One, Chapter Three: Reporting the Marriage

Shen Nian’an hastily pulled her hand away, but that glaring bruise had already caught Si Jinnian’s eyes, where dark, swirling emotions flickered before returning to stillness.

"Apply the medicine."

His tone allowed for no resistance. Shen Nian’an was instantly transported back to her school days, facing the stern, monk-like face of a disciplinary master; she became impossibly obedient. She did exactly as Si Jinnian said, unable to muster even a shred of defiance.

When she finally regained her senses, the sprained ankle and the bruised waist had already been treated by the man. The military truck was rumbling along a bumpy, narrow path.

What was this? Had she just been taken advantage of? Seen and touched? As a modern woman, she wouldn’t have thought much of it, but this was the conservative seventies! In this era, if a man did such a thing, it meant he intended to marry the girl! Yet, this man clearly resisted this arranged marriage. Could he be a scoundrel?

Shen Nian’an couldn't help but steal a glance at Si Jinnian, trying to figure out what he was thinking. But the moment her gaze landed on him, he turned. "Get out."

He tossed the keys to a soldier under his command and handed over "Scarface" Liu—the man they had apprehended—for him to deal with. Then, he scooped her up and headed straight for the command center’s office building.

He didn't say a word, but his actions immediately made him the focus of the entire military district.

"Heavens, am I seeing things? Did our boss just carry a... girl?"
"Where? Where? Let me see!"

The intermittent murmurs made Shen Nian’an instinctively want to shrink away like a quail. It was just... so embarrassing!

"You..." Shen Nian’an began, but her words were cut off by the man’s steady, resonant report.

"Come in."

"Jinnian, why are you here?" Political Commissar Xu was momentarily stunned before his eyes fell on the woman in Si Jinnian’s arms. "And who is this?"

"My fiancée!"

Shen Nian’an’s eyes widened, and Commissar Xu’s jaw dropped. But soon, the Commissar’s smile stretched to his ears. "Jinnian, that’s more like it! Look at you, in the military, it’s unacceptable to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight and still unmarried! Come, I’ll fast-track the paperwork. Within half a month, I guarantee you’ll have a wife and a warm bed."

The tips of Si Jinnian’s ears turned bright red, though his face remained as intimidating as ever. He looked down at Shen Nian’an. "The introduction letter."

"Here."

Although Shen Nian’an wasn't sure what Si Jinnian was up to, it would be a fool’s game to pass up an easy advantage. Just looking at his handsome face made it worth the impulse; besides, if she wanted to live here securely, she did need a legitimate identity.

***

And so, with different motives, Shen Nian’an and Si Jinnian filed their marriage application. Neither of them knew, however, that they had gotten the wrong person and the wrong fiancé.

At that very moment, Shen Nian’an’s actual fiancé, Lu Jianxun, was walking out of a cinema with a pretty young woman.

"Jinyue, shall I take you home?"

Liu Jinyue looked at the impressive military truck before them and lifted her chin. "No, take me to the Cultural Troupe."

Only after showing off at the Cultural Troupe and receiving plenty of envious looks did Liu Jinyue finally agree to let Lu Jianxun take her home. Once he had dropped her off, Lu Jianxun reluctantly drove toward the pier.

At the pier, Captain Zhao Jun was pulling his nephew aside. "Are all the passengers off the ship? We start checking tickets again soon; we can't be careless."

"Uncle..."
"Yes?"
"Don't worry, Captain. I’ve searched inside and out three times. There’s no one left."

Zhao Jun nodded with satisfaction. Just as he was about to wave his nephew away, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "That girl locked in the room, has she left?"

"Huh? That locked room?" Li Er scratched his head. "I didn't notice. I don't think..."

Zhao Jun kicked him and roared, "What are you standing there for? Go open the door and get her off the ship!"

"Yes, Uncle, I’m going."

When the door opened, Shen An’an was still sleeping; she was dragged awake by Li Er. Because Li Er had been scolded on her account, his attitude was vicious.

"You stinking woman, why are you sleeping? Get your luggage and get off this ship right now!"

Shen An’an was thrown to the floor, her whole body aching. She wanted to fight back, but when she met Li Er’s fierce glare, she pouted, pulled a long face, grabbed her bundle, and scurried off the boat.

Once off the ship, she was surrounded by the sea and the smell of brine. Though there was the noise of people talking, it felt as though she were in a world apart. Looking at the completely unfamiliar environment, Shen An’an felt like crying.

What was wrong with Brother Ping? Where was he lacking? He was tall and handsome, and he treated her well. Why couldn't her mother accept their marriage? What did she mean he was "scamming" her out of a job? Brother Ping was the eldest in his family, with elders above and children below; supporting a family was hard. She had transferred her job to him so he could save money faster to marry her—what was wrong with that?

She hadn't expected her mother to be so heartless as to send her to this godforsaken island, claiming there was a "better" match for her. Better, my foot! Could anyone be better than Brother Ping? He was the kind of peerless man who, when riding the bus, would rather stand than let her sit!

At this moment, Shen An’an conveniently forgot that it was she who had paid for the bus fare. She grumbled to herself: And now? To come to this wretched island, she had been locked up and vomited the whole way, and now, no one was even here to pick her up! Shen An’an’s eyes turned red with anger.

***

Just then, a man rushed past and snatched her luggage! Shen An’an, a stranger in a strange land, found no help. She hugged her knees and began to wail. Coincidentally, a seaside patrol unit passed by and, hearing the commotion, came over.

"Comrade, comrade, don't be so upset. We will find a way to get your luggage back."

Shen An’an, immersed in her own sorrow, didn't hear a word Qian Zhuangzhuang said. She looked up through tear-blurred eyes and was startled by the dark, sturdy man standing before her.

White shirt, blue trousers? Could this be the match her mother spoke of? This... how could he ever compare to Brother Ping? At the thought of spending her whole life with this "black pig," Shen An’an felt sick.

Seeing her stop crying, Qian Zhuangzhuang gave her an honest, simple smile. Shen An’an was so frightened she sat down hard on the ground. Qian Zhuangzhuang reached out to help her up, but Shen An’an, blinded by her preconceptions, interpreted this as him trying to take her home to "get things done." Terrified, she scrambled up and bolted back toward the ship.

Tickets were already being checked, and Li Er certainly wouldn't let an un-ticketed Shen An’an back on. But Shen An’an would rather die than marry such a man. In the ensuing struggle, she fell into the sea.

Cries of alarm rang out. Seeing this, Qian Zhuangzhuang jumped into the water and rescued her. But Shen An’an didn't appreciate it; she kicked him, cursed at him, and wailed about wanting to go home.

Having had such intimate contact, Qian Zhuangzhuang felt responsible, but seeing her look of disgust, he swallowed the words he had on the tip of his tongue. He pulled some wet money and vouchers from his pocket, handed them to her, and asked, "What is your name? Register with us. Once we find your luggage, we’ll mail it to you. This money is for your return ticket."

Shen An’an looked at him suspiciously, not quite believing that a man as ugly as him would let a woman as beautiful as her go. But hearing the whispers of the crowd around them, she understood immediately. She felt smug, thinking that if she hadn't made such a loud scene for everyone to see, he wouldn't have let her go so easily.

The luggage had been packed by her mother, and to prevent her from running away, it was filled only with clothes. Her mother had even bribed the captain to keep her locked up. Knowing this, Shen An’an abandoned the luggage without a second thought.

"My name is Shen An’an. No need to register, I don't want the luggage. And you—you're as ugly as a donkey, absolutely hideous! Even if all the men in the world died, I would never marry you!"

With that, she snatched the money, bought a ticket, and boarded the ship without looking back. The farce finally subsided.

However, a soldier following Qian Zhuangzhuang felt a surge of injustice for him. "That ingrate Shen An’an... she should have just drowned."

Before Qian Zhuangzhuang could reprimand him, Lu Jianxun, who happened to be passing by, grabbed the soldier. "Did you say Shen Nian’an jumped into the sea and died?"

The soldier was startled and nodded instinctively. Realizing his mistake, he was just about to explain, but Lu Jianxun had already strode away and driven off.