No one expected that instead of being happy, Heidan would start showing animosity toward his brother. Everyone froze for two seconds before bursting into laughter at his reaction.
Even Song Wei couldn’t hold back, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with amusement. Sensing a pair of eyes glaring at her with a hint of grievance, Song Wei coughed and, unable to suppress her smile, openly flashed her pearly white teeth.
Lin Zhen glanced at his little brother with a blank expression.
Truthfully, he wasn’t bothered by Heidan’s reaction. Lin Zhen knew he had been absent from his younger brother’s life for most of it. Considering how much Heidan had suffered before being taken in and well cared for by Song Wei, it made sense that his loyalty would lie with her.
It wasn’t the reaction that bothered Lin Zhen but being teased about it by so many people—it was something he wasn’t used to.
As lunchtime neared, the crowd finished poking fun at Lin Zhen and Heidan before dispersing back to their homes.
The quiet returned to the educated youth dormitory, broken only by the sound of the brigade leader’s grandson racing in to call Lin Zhen home for lunch.
Lin Zhen nodded, stood up with the help of his crutches, and prepared to leave with Heidan. He stopped briefly to say goodbye to Song Wei.
But Heidan wasn’t having it.
“Brother, you go ahead. I’ll eat with Sister Song.”
Lin Zhen gave him a sidelong glance. “You’re really afraid I’ll take you back, huh? I’m barely managing right now—I don’t even have a place to live. What are you so worried about?”
Heidan let out a small sigh of relief. “Even so, I’m staying with Sister Song today.”
Song Wei interjected, “Heidan can eat here. Having both of you over would only trouble the brigade leader’s family.”
Lin Zhen thought it over and agreed. Besides, there were already two other soldiers staying at the brigade leader’s house. Between the three of them, they were likely eating a lot of the family’s rations.
“Alright then, I’ll leave him in your care.” Lin Zhen didn’t stand on ceremony. After thanking Song Wei, he left, crutches clicking against the ground. Despite his injury, his movements were surprisingly brisk.
Heidan craned his neck, watching his brother’s retreating figure, his expression filled with inner conflict.
Song Wei noticed and asked, “What’s wrong? Having second thoughts?”
Heidan straightened up. “No, I’m not. I just don’t want to leave Sister Song.”
“But… do you think Brother will feel sad?” His voice softened as he hesitated.
Song Wei replied, “Probably not. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would hold a grudge.”
Over the next two days, Lin Zhen’s new house was completed. The brigade leader had rallied the village’s young and strong men to help tidy up the property. Once the repairs were done, the courtyard and the blue-brick house looked quite impressive. Even the furniture was put together with help from Lin Zhen’s two comrades.
Naturally, such a nice house attracted attention. Some people in the village grew jealous, accusing the brigade leader of favoritism for giving Lin Zhen such a good house.
The brigade leader wasn’t having any of it. He publicly revealed that Lin Zhen had bought the house.
That shut everyone up, though their curiosity about Lin Zhen only grew.
“Lin Zhen must’ve saved up a lot of allowance from being a soldier to afford this place,” some murmured.
“Of course he did! Look how tall and strong he is—how much food do you think he needed to grow like that?”
And the way his comrades treated him with such respect? Clearly, his rank in the military wasn’t low.
Despite their probing, Lin Zhen dismissed them all with a straight face. “Money? Spent it all on the house.”
He wasn’t stupid. He knew better than to flaunt his wealth. If someone pressed too hard, he’d simply glare at them, letting his imposing demeanor do the talking. Under his intense gaze, even the nosiest villagers couldn’t muster the courage to ask further.
Of course, word spread that Lin Zhen was rich, which attracted attention of a different kind. Soon, a parade of village women began showing up at his house, hoping to introduce their daughters to him.
Lin Zhen was utterly exasperated. “I’m injured! Look at my leg! Why would you even consider me?”
But the matchmakers weren’t deterred. “Oh, a little injury doesn’t matter. Didn’t you say it’ll heal? You’ll be fine after some rest.”
Lin Zhen tried another tactic. “I don’t want to get married yet. I still have to take care of my little brother, and I’m broke.”
That discouraged some, but not all. The relentless few persisted, forcing Lin Zhen to escalate.
“Alright, let me lay it out for you. I’ve got a bad temper, and my standards are high. My wife would need to have fair skin, a pretty face, and a whole lot of patience. Otherwise, I might accidentally hit her when I lose my temper.”
His expression darkened, and the ferocity in his tone sent chills down their spines.
Who would dare marry someone like that? Not even the greediest parents wanted to send their daughters to live with a man who might hit them.
“Did Lin Zhen really say that?”
The news spread fast. By the evening, the village elders were gathered under the big tree at the village entrance, discussing the matter.
“Yep. Said it himself. I’ve never seen someone work so hard to ruin their own reputation,” one woman remarked. “How does he expect to find a wife later?”
But Aunt Wang’s eyes sparkled with an idea. She remembered Song Wei’s words the last time someone tried to propose a match for her.
Didn’t Song Wei’s ideal man sound a lot like Lin Zhen?
One wanted a tall, sturdy man who could take a hit; the other wanted a fair-skinned, pretty woman who could handle a temper.
Aunt Wang clapped her hands. “You know, the more I think about it, the more they seem perfect for each other!”
She abruptly stood. “I’ve got something to do. You all keep chatting.”
And off she went, heading straight for Lin Zhen’s house.
Lin Zhen had just finished setting up his home. For now, he lived alone, and the brigade leader occasionally sent over supplies. Lin Zhen paid for everything, of course.
His comrades had left the day the house was ready, eager to make the most of their short leave by visiting their families.
Exhausted from a poor night’s sleep, Lin Zhen was still groggy, his thoughts muddled. He had no idea that Aunt Wang was already plotting to play matchmaker.
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