Lin Dechao’s eyelid twitched. At noon today, he’d gone to the cafeteria for lunch and overheard Ning Zhiping talking with the deputy workshop director about where Ning Qiao was being sent. Winter was approaching, and the climate in the border regions was vastly different from Ancheng’s. With Ning Qiao’s frail health, to put it bluntly, she might not even make it through the winter.
Marrying off a daughter could be done lavishly or simply. As the groom’s family, he and his wife wanted to keep costs down. Lin Dechao had figured that after learning the assignment location, the Nings would be frantic and in disarray. If he proposed an early wedding, they’d surely jump at the chance. Who would have thought they’d actually refuse?
“A childhood betrothal? This isn’t the old society anymore!” Lin Dechao said.
Seeing him getting agitated, Ning Zhiping remained calm: “I can’t go against the old man at home.”
Lin Dechao had long dropped his earlier dismissive attitude.
He tried to negotiate with Ning Zhiping: “We’ve never heard of this before. Chances are the two young people haven’t had any contact all these years. The children should be the ones to decide these things—arranged marriages aren’t in fashion anymore.”
Ning Zhiping chuckled: “The problem is, Qiaoqiao and Guangmin aren’t exactly a love match either.”
“Guangmin’s feelings for your daughter—” Lin Dechao started, then choked.
It sounded like his son was the one being rejected. At the same time, the fact that Ning Zhiping brought up the childhood betrothal meant that in their household, he still called the shots. A father making decisions about his daughter’s marriage—and choosing not to marry her into the Lin family—in the end, it was a slap in the face.
The other man had kept an amiable expression the whole time, but Lin Dechao felt as if he’d been struck hard across the cheek.
What childhood betrothal?
It was probably just some excuse they’d made up on the spot.
That was Yu Cuiman’s first reaction when she heard the news.
Ning Zhiping was just a workshop director—hardly a big deal. Sure, his daughter was good-looking, but she was frail and had no proper job. The Lin family was doing them a favor by even considering the match. They should have been counting their blessings, not putting on airs.
Both Yu Cuiman and Lin Dechao were furious—furious at the Nings for putting on a show, and also at how flawlessly they’d declined while keeping up appearances.
As for Lin Guangmin, his heart had already sunk.
“Dad, is Ning Qiao really unwilling?” Lin Guangmin asked.
Yu Cuiman sneered: “Why wouldn’t she be willing? What about Guangmin isn’t good enough for her?”
“Why did you have to bring up the ‘Three Turns and One Ring’ to her parents? Director Ning dotes on Ning Qiao so much—he wouldn’t skimp on her dowry. But now that you’ve mentioned it, what must Director Ning think?” Lin Guangmin said.
Lin Dechao’s face darkened: “How dare you talk to me like that?”
Lin Guangmin slumped back onto the sofa, dazed.
“It would be nice if there really was some betrothal match,” Yu Cuiman said, looking up and drawing out her words. “Don’t get so caught up in saving face that you end up dragging it out until the day she’s sent down—then Ning Qiao will have no choice but to go to the border whether she wants to or not.”
“Mom, are you saying she doesn’t have a betrothal match?”
“Ning Zhiping is your father’s subordinate. I think he just couldn’t bring himself to turn down the match directly, so he made up an excuse.”
Lin Dechao slammed the table: “What am I supposed to do—force a marriage?”
Lin Guangmin’s heart tightened.
“Unless I see this betrothal match with my own eyes, I won’t believe it,” Yu Cuiman said. “Just because of a little grudge over the matchmaking, the elder has to play the villain breaking up a young couple. Stubborn pride is just making everyone suffer.”
Before telling Director Lin, Ning Zhiping had already mentioned the childhood betrothal last night.
Ning Qiao still didn’t quite get it, so she pestered her mother for answers.
“I’d almost forgotten—your dad only reminded me last night,” Chang Fangze said. “Your grandfather had an old comrade-in-arms back then—they’d been through life-and-death together and were as close as brothers. They promised that once they had children, they’d arrange a betrothal. Who knew that Old Master Jiang’s wife and your grandmother would both have sons?”
“The two old men were determined to wait for the next generation. Old Master Jiang’s son married first, and soon after, his daughter-in-law gave him a grandson. Later, your father and I got married too.”
Ning Qiao listened with great interest: “Brother was born!”
Chang Fangze laughed and gently tapped her daughter’s dainty nose: “Look at you—just here for the entertainment.”
Ning Qiao smiled sweetly: “And then?”
“After your brother was born, the two old men were disappointed and stopped bringing it up. But then, another five years later, I had you. Your grandfather and Old Master Jiang were overjoyed, and they finally made the betrothal official.”
“How come I’ve never heard about this?”
“For the first few years, Old Master Jiang visited us often. But then, the Jiang family had a tragedy.” Chang Fangze’s smile faded as she recalled the past. “Old Master Jiang’s only son went to the front lines and never came back.”
The young girl was startled: “When was that?”
“I can’t remember exactly—probably close to ten years ago now.”
As people age, they tend to dwell on the past. When Ning Qiao’s grandfather was still alive, he often spoke of his old comrade, and every time he did, he’d start sighing. The fires of war had cruelly taken away the Jiang family’s laughter. It was said that after Old Master Jiang’s son passed, his daughter-in-law, pregnant with a posthumous child, couldn’t accept reality and quietly disappeared. Old Master Jiang was transferred to another military region, raising his grandchildren alone—the hardships and bitterness went without saying.
“I always thought the betrothal was just a joke between the old folks and never took it seriously. I had no idea your father had been keeping in touch with the Jiangs all these years through letters.”
To Ning Qiao, the whole childhood betrothal thing was nothing but novelty.
She asked, “Have I ever met him?”
“Who?” Chang Fangze almost didn’t catch on. After a moment, she laughed: “Oh, you mean Jiang Heng. Let me get you a photo.”
Jiang Heng had been called into the military leadership’s office and didn’t return to the training ground until much later.
His comrade He Yongyan had just finished assigning tasks to the new recruits and seized the opportunity to walk over beside him.
“Another blind date? And you’re turning it down again?” He Yongyan squinted.
“I’m not going,” Jiang Heng said. “You know my situation.”
He Yongyan raised an eyebrow: “The childhood betrothal? You’re just feeding me that line. A betrothal arranged before you were even born—if you use that as an excuse to dodge blind dates, even the leadership would laugh their heads off.”
He Yongyan still remembered the first time he heard Jiang Heng on the phone with his grandfather in the office. At the time, Jiang Heng had been receiving one letter after another from Old Master Jiang. Probably because he hadn’t gotten around to replying, the old man had called the military unit directly. It wasn’t an easy call—it had to go through the local exchange, then transfer to the military long-distance line, through multiple relays, before finally connecting.
Unlike other comrades in the unit who got teary-eyed at the sound of a distant family member’s voice, Battalion Commander Jiang showed no difference from usual when he received a call from home. He remained serious and silent the whole time. He Yongyan, who was organizing documents in the office, had looked up and wondered if something serious had happened in his family.
Back then, He Yongyan and Jiang Heng weren’t close yet, so he hadn’t felt comfortable asking. It was only years later that he finally brought it up.
The old man was worried about his grandson’s marriage and was eager to drink the tea served by his grandson’s wife.
As for the match, it was the granddaughter of the old man’s comrade-in-arms.
Whether by letter or by phone, every time the old man remembered, he’d urge Jiang Heng to go to a photo studio and take some pictures to send to the girl’s family. According to the old man, even though it was a childhood betrothal, their side had to show complete sincerity.
But for all the old man’s nagging, Jiang Heng had never made a special trip to the photo studio. The only photo he’d ever sent was one taken when he was in his teens.
It was a half-hearted gesture at best.
“Speaking of which—have you ever seen a photo of that girl you’re betrothed to?”
“No.” Jiang Heng’s expression didn’t change. “It’s a blind marriage arrangement.”
He Yongyan twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Not even knowing whether the other person was round or flat—that was just absurd.
“You can’t keep refusing to date just because of some childhood betrothal. The deputy commander introduced you to that doctor from the military hospital—great prospects, and it’d be convenient too.”
“Convenient for getting medical treatment after an injury?”
“Can’t you say anything nice?”
As for the matches the military leadership had arranged for Jiang Heng, He Yongyan could only say one word: envious. Everyone said that with a bunch of little burdens at home, no one would dare marry Battalion Commander Jiang. But the truth was, even though they said that, the potential matches never minded—it was Jiang Heng himself who never bothered to meet them. He didn’t even make excuses; he just said he wasn’t interested in the matter.
Strangely enough, the leadership never held it against him.
He Yongyan just couldn’t understand it. What man didn’t want to get married!
Was he really taking that childhood betrothal so seriously?
Jiang Heng didn’t continue the gossip.
Old Master Jiang had grown restless. Lately, his letters were arriving more frequently, urging him to go propose.
Back when his father was still alive and his mother hadn’t left yet, they used to tease him too, joking that the Ning family’s daughter was his future little wife.
Jiang Heng wasn’t deliberately waiting for her. He just felt that since the engagement had been made, there should be some sense of honoring the commitment.
Of course, if the Ning family’s daughter got married first, that would be a good thing—the Jiang family wouldn’t cling to the arrangement.
He vaguely remembered the old man saying she was well-behaved, sensible, and gentle as a little lamb.
A gentle little lamb of a sister-in-law coming into the house—his horde of younger brothers and sisters would probably run roughshod over her.
He couldn’t drag her down.
“By the way,” He Yongyan slung an arm around Jiang Heng’s shoulder, “if you’re not going to the blind dates, why not pass the opportunity to me? Set up a meeting with that doctor the deputy commander introduced, and I’ll show up instead. We can pretend it’s a coincidence.”
Jiang Heng turned his head and looked into the distance: “He’s here. You can tell him yourself.”
With that, he nodded: “Deputy Commander Wang.”
He Yongyan was horrified: “No, no, no—I was just kidding.”
He braced himself and turned around.
But when he slowly looked back, there was no Deputy Commander Wang in sight.
“Just kidding,” Jiang Heng said, deadpan.
He Yongyan: !!!
Who makes jokes with a straight face like that? It wasn’t funny!
That evening, another family meeting was held at the Ning household.
Ning Zhiping had decided to marry his daughter off.
A military comrade naturally inspired trust and reliability. Chang Fangze had forgotten all about him before, but now the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea.
Ning Qiao looked at the photo her mother had given her, which was said to have been sent by Jiang Heng’s grandfather. It was old—the boy in the picture was tall and lean, not smiling, and looked a bit fierce.
But handsome.
When it came to marrying off his daughter, Ning Zhiping valued the other person’s character above all.
When Jiang Heng was young, Ning Zhiping had met him a few times and had a good impression. Later, after Jiang Heng’s father passed away, Ning Zhiping had sent money to Old Master Jiang a few times, but it was always returned. Through their correspondence, he learned that the boy excelled in his studies and had been selected by the military at a young age—his physical fitness and moral character were beyond reproach.
The Lins’ son couldn’t even begin to compare. Ning Zhiping felt at ease entrusting Ning Qiao to him.
Remembering how his daughter had complained about Lin Guangmin’s looks, Ning Zhiping said, “Old Master Jiang’s eldest grandson is very handsome. I’m sure his face isn’t square.”
“Have you seen what he looks like grown up?” Chang Fangze asked.
“Look at his parents and grandfather—they’re all good-looking. How bad could he be?” Ning Zhiping countered.
The young girl leaned in beside her parents to listen, her almond-shaped eyes wide.
Ning Yang: …
Keeping his little sister too sheltered was a problem too.
She was the one about to get married, yet she was sitting there like a curious bystander.
Jiang Heng thought nothing had changed.
He just needed to handle Old Master Jiang the same way he always had—humor him like an old child.
But then, unexpectedly, two days later in the evening, he received an urgent telegram from his grandfather.
It ordered him to immediately apply for a marriage certificate from the military leadership—apparently, it was the wish of the girl’s family.
This time, it was for real.
Leave a Reply