"Qingbei? You mean *the* Qingbei?"

Gu Che nodded. "My recent scores are a sure bet for Qingbei. The university promised to waive my tuition and fees if I get in."

Wen Ci gave Gu Che a genuine thumbs-up.

In the eighties, even getting into high school was a rare feat, not to mention that most people chose teacher’s colleges for better job prospects. Qingbei was the top university in the country.

Anyone who could get into Qingbei was one in ten thousand.

"So, are you in an arranged marriage?"

Wen Ci raised an eyebrow. "I guess you could say that."

She had married Huo Jingyuan as a substitute bride, which could loosely be considered an arranged marriage.

A strange emotion flickered in Gu Che’s eyes. He asked in a low voice, "Have you ever thought about divorce? These days, you can get out of an arranged marriage just by filing a declaration at the subdistrict office."

Starting this year, the subdistrict offices had been running all sorts of campaigns against arranged marriages, arguing that unions between strangers would only harm the couple in the long run.

Wen Ci shook her head. "I’m not planning on it for now."

Suddenly, a little boy holding a newspaper walked up to their table. "Brother Gu, someone just said they saw your girlfriend back at the train station."

Gu Che often boasted to others that he had a girlfriend from the military compound.

Wen Ci paid no mind to the boy’s words. After slurping up the rest of her noodles, she placed twenty cents on the table and said with a smile, "I have to get going."

"This one’s on me."

"No need."

As she spoke, Wen Ci waved down an old man pulling a rickshaw on the side of the road. She didn’t know the way to the city hospital and needed him to guide her.

Gu Che watched Wen Ci’s departing figure, his eyes darkening. His lip twitched as he picked up the money she had left on the table, clenching it tightly in his hand.

"Brother Gu, what about the money you promised?"

Gu Che’s thoughts snapped back to the present. He looked down at the little paperboy. He had previously told the paperboys that whoever found Jiang Ye’s whereabouts would get a one-yuan reward.

He pocketed the money Wen Ci had left.

"I don’t have enough money on me today. How about I give it to you another day?"

"Okay." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Gu Che quickly finished his remaining noodles and jogged all the way back to the military compound entrance to wait. He had to see Jiang Ye and ask her why she had left without a word.

-

At the train station, a travel-worn Jiang Ye stepped off the train. After a long journey back to Beijing in a hard-seat car, she stretched her stiff limbs, gazed at the bustling streets of the capital, and slowly exhaled.

’I’m finally back!’

If she hadn’t had a sudden whim to visit Wen Ci on the day of the Military Art tour, she would never have known they had left the Northwest.

She first went back to the house near her school.

Jiang Ye didn’t attend the school affiliated with the military region. No. 4 Middle School was quite far from the Northwest Military Region, so Mrs. Jiang had specifically bought a house for her near the school.

She usually stayed there on school days.

After showering and feeling refreshed, she returned to the military compound. Just as she reached the gate, Gu Che blocked her path, his eyes bloodshot as he demanded, "Why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

Jiang Ye jumped in fright.

But looking at Gu Che’s detestable face, her expression immediately darkened. She curled her lip. "We’re both adults. Don’t you get it?"

"Get what?"

"It means we’re over."

Hearing this, Gu Che’s hands on Jiang Ye’s shoulders froze. Tears welled up in his bloodshot eyes, and he choked out, confused, "Why?"

"Why do you have so many questions?"

’Remembering what Gu Che had done in her past life, she wished she could devour the man before her alive. But since heaven had granted her a chance at rebirth...’

’She didn’t want to have anything more to do with Gu Che.’

Jiang Ye pushed him away. "From now on, let’s just part on good terms."

’So what if Gu Che was destined to become a business tycoon in the future?’

’His status would be nothing compared to Huo Jingyuan’s.’

’Huo Jingyuan could crush Gu Che with his little finger. Having lived for decades, Jiang Ye understood that power would always trump money.’

"You have to give me a reason," Gu Che said, utterly devastated.

"I already told you, there is no reason. Let’s just have a clean break!"

Saying this, Jiang Ye once again shook off his hand as he tried to touch her.

She took the pass for the Beijing Military Region from her bag and walked openly through the main gate.

Gu Che, however, was stopped by a uniformed soldier. "No entry without a pass."

As Jiang Ye walked through the military compound, she planned her next move. ’When I get home, I’ll act cute and sweet with Mom and tell her I’ve been diligently studying at a friend’s house all this time.’

·

Wen Ci took the rickshaw to the city hospital.

She went to the doctor’s office to inquire about Huo Jingyuan’s condition.

The doctor eyed Wen Ci warily, his expression serious. "We do have an officer named Huo Jingyuan admitted here. You say you’re his family, but do you have any proof of your relationship?"

"Yes!"

Wen Ci quickly took her marriage certificate with Huo Jingyuan from an inner pocket of her clothes. She had kept it with her the entire journey from the Northwest.

The doctor examined the certificate and questioned, "Your photos weren’t taken together?"

Wen Ci shook her head. "It was an arranged marriage."

Then, she pointed to the official steel stamp pressed over the photos. "But you can’t fake the official stamp, can you?"

"Please wait a moment. We need to make a call to confirm."

Huo Jingyuan’s rank was not ordinary. The attending physician at the city hospital had to get confirmation from his superiors that Wen Ci was indeed his family before disclosing the patient’s condition.

A few minutes later, the doctor returned with a fawning smile and personally brought a stool for Wen Ci. "My apologies. Mr. Huo’s status is sensitive, so we have to be extra vigilant."

Wen Ci nodded, indicating she understood.

"So, how long until my husband can be discharged?"

"At least three months," the doctor replied.

The doctor then took out the surgical report and various physical test results, explaining in a calm tone, "Mr. Huo’s main injuries are near his spleen and on the back of his head. He’ll need a lot of rest."

Wen Ci asked, "This won’t affect his military career, will it?"

"Not at all," the doctor quickly reassured her. "Mr. Huo’s vital organs weren’t harmed. Once he’s fully recovered, he’ll have no problem with regular training."

As the youngest officer of his rank, his superiors wouldn’t be willing to let such a promising talent go.

Wen Ci breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good to hear."

Shortly after arriving at the Northwest Military Region, Wen Ci had asked Huo Jingyuan one night what he would do if he were to be discharged from the military.

Huo Jingyuan’s answer had been: "I’ve never thought about it."

He had never imagined he would leave the service for another profession.

The education he had received since childhood, both explicitly and through observation, was one of self-sacrifice.

"Mr. Huo’s ward currently only allows visitation between 7:00 and 7:30 in the morning. By next Friday, he should be transferred to a regular ward with normal visiting hours."

Wen Ci asked, "Is there anything I need to do?"

The doctor said with a smile, "No need. Mr. Huo’s unit will cover all his expenses. The caregiver looking after him is a retired soldier, and his three meals a day are from a menu customized by the hospital."

"Thank you for the trouble."

After speaking with the doctor, Wen Ci was finally at ease.