The man’s appearance perfectly aligned with Zhang Qiumei’s aesthetic preferences.
Zhang Qiumei fell in love at first sight. His cold, rebellious demeanor only made her more infatuated.
“Mom, who is he?” Zhang Qiumei asked in a daze.
“Who else could he be? The one living here is that outsider officer who took our house,” Niu Cui replied.
This was actually Niu Cui’s first time seeing Sheng Zexi.
But it wasn’t her first encounter with those dogs. She hadn’t forgotten how humiliated she had been the last time she saw them.
Niu Cui held a grudge.
She had been terrified by those dogs, and she wasn’t about to let it slide.
She wondered if she could get her hands on some poison to kill them!
Unfortunately, while she had the idea, she couldn’t obtain any poison. So for now—
“Mom, his rank seems to be at the regimental level?” Zhang Qiumei asked.
“Yes, same as your brother,” Niu Cui confirmed.
A regimental-level officer—that matched her status perfectly.
Zhang Qiumei felt that coming to Huansha Island had been the right decision.
Not only would it help with her college entrance exams, but she had also found true love.
She would marry that man from earlier—no matter what!
Sheng Zexi had no idea that a woman had decided to marry him after just one glance.
If he had known, he would’ve scoffed: Back when I was single, countless women wanted to marry me. Who do you think you are? I, Sheng Zexi, belong to Gu Jianing in life and in death. No one can take me away from her!
Right now, Sheng Zexi was jogging around the training field with Amber and the other dogs.
Nearby, a few military wives were chatting after dinner, watching him run.
They were discussing rumors that, within the next two months, the Huansha Island military base might assign jobs to the wives stationed there.
“I heard that because some officers have been transferred with their families, a few job openings will become available.”
“There might be positions at the supply and marketing cooperative, factories, or even as nurses in the hospital.”
“Any interested military wives can apply.”
“Then they’ll select the best candidates and assign jobs based on needs.”
“There are plenty of unemployed military wives on Huansha Island, but the job openings are limited.”
“I wonder who’ll get one this time.”
It felt like everyone else was a competitor.
“I heard priority will be given to the wives of transferred officers. See that officer running? He’s the newly transferred regimental-level officer, and he has a wife.”
“I bet his wife will definitely get a job slot,” one of the military wives said with certainty, her tone laced with envy.
“Can’t they just make it a fair competition?” another complained.
“But this officer comes here every evening to jog with his dogs. Where’s his wife? I’ve never seen her.”
“No idea. I heard she left for some reason, but she’s supposed to come back after a while.”
“Doesn’t that mean she’ll still take up a job slot?”
“Yep.”
“See? Marrying the right man is what really matters.”
If Sheng Zexi had overheard their conversation, he would’ve retorted: My wife doesn’t need to rely on a man. She’s outstanding on her own. Besides, she doesn’t need a military-assigned job—she already has her own career.
After finishing his run, Sheng Zexi returned home with Amber and the other dogs.
The empty house felt cold without Gu Jianing, Xingxing, and Yueyue.
Hongying sighed, “I miss Xingxing and Yueying.”
She glanced at Sheng Zexi. “The master must miss the mistress too.”
Sheng Zexi did think about it, but he knew that Gu Jianing was currently in seclusion, and for the time being, not even phone calls could get through to her.
Before going to sleep, Sheng Zexi looked at the family portrait placed on the table beside him.
He murmured, “Even if I can’t call you, I can at least see you in my dreams, right?”
“Wife, I miss you.”
Sheng Zexi didn’t expect that just by muttering those words before sleep, he would actually dream of her.
“Wife, I miss you so much.”
The moment he saw her in the dream, Sheng Zexi immediately hugged her tightly.
Gu Jianing had used the “Couple’s Dream Message.” In the dream, being hugged so tightly, Gu Jianing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Though it was a dream, it wasn’t a normal one — it was actually Sheng Zexi’s soul being pulled into the dream. Everything he did in the dream was his real reaction, not a fantasy conjured by Gu Jianing.
Seeing that not only was Sheng Zexi hugging her, but also trying to get intimate, Gu Jianing hit him.
“Wait, wait, I have something important to say.”
“Wife, I miss you so much. Whatever it is, let’s talk about it later.”
Gu Jianing slapped him hard across the face.
“Someone wants to hurt Xingxing and Yuèyuè. Do you think that can wait?”
Sheng Zexi was about to say something, but his expression turned serious when he heard her words.
“What happened? Who wants to hurt Xingxing and Yuèyuè?”
Gu Jianing quickly explained how Fang Wanrong was planning to harm Xingxing and Yuèyuè.
“Don’t ask me how I know this — just believe me, it’s true.”
“I’m in seclusion now, I can’t contact the outside world or call you, so I can only tell you in a dream.”
“Remember, once you wake up, call Grandpa and Grandma. Ask them to send someone to protect Xingxing and Yuèyuè.”
Sheng Zexi’s expression was grave and serious. “Okay, I understand.”
Because the Couple’s Dream Message only lasted three minutes, Sheng Zexi ultimately didn’t get a chance to be affectionate with his wife in the dream.
In bed, Sheng Zexi’s eyes suddenly flew open.
He stared at the ceiling, recalling what happened in the dream.
For a moment, he wondered — was this just a case of “daytime thoughts leading to nighttime dreams”?
But in the end, Sheng Zexi rejected that thought.
He knew his wife was extraordinary and full of secrets.
So this time, it was likely that Xingxing and Yuèyuè really were in danger, and Ningning used the dream to warn him.
Fang Wanrong!
Sheng Zexi narrowed his eyes.
That woman — ever since she married into the family, she used her fragile and pitiful act to gain the old man’s sympathy, while constantly scheming against him.
And now, she wanted to hurt Xingxing and Yuèyuè too!
Sheng Zexi sat up cross-legged, thinking about how to deal with the matter.
He had been talking on the phone with Xingxing and Yuèyuè recently.
From the two children, he learned that the old man had been especially kind to them lately.
He knew the old man must be fond of such wonderful kids — especially Xingxing, such a great prospect for the military.
The old man placed great importance on the Sheng family’s future and legacy.
So it was certain he also valued Xingxing highly.
The question was, in the old man’s heart, who mattered more — Xingxing and Yuèyuè, or his second wife?
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