The island was desolate—not exactly a great place at first glance.
But after weighing the options, Ning Zhiping decided it was still better than being sent to the countryside or marrying just anyone in a hurry.
Jiang Heng was six years older than Ning Qiao, a military comrade with a steady temperament. His mother had abandoned her children early on and never looked back, so once Ning Qiao married into the family, she wouldn’t have to deal with complicated in-law dynamics.
In her youth, Chang Fangze had met Jiang Heng’s parents a few times and vaguely remembered his mother, Shen Hualin. She was a gentle, soft-spoken woman; it was clear she and her husband had been deeply in love, and she was devoted to her children.
“Several children—and she just left them all behind,” Chang Fangze sighed. “Old Master Jiang’s stipend is generous, and the compensation from Hualin’s husband was substantial too. She wouldn’t have had to suffer.”
“I heard from the old man that when she left, she only took a few changes of clothes. The compensation had just been approved and was sitting on the table—she didn’t take it,” Ning Zhiping said.
“So she did care about the children, after all.”
“At that time, Jiang Heng was just in his teens. Not long after news of his father’s sacrifice came, his mother gave birth to his little sister and then left. The old man collapsed from the shock, and Jiang Heng was left to run between the hospital and home, taking care of his grandfather and his younger siblings.”
People are complex and multifaceted. The couple didn’t feel it was their place to judge.
They had raised their own daughter with every indulgence. Their son, though raised a bit rougher, was still deeply loved—now in his mid-twenties and still a little clueless at times. It was hard to imagine how Jiang Heng, then just a child himself, had managed to get through it all alone.
Ning Qiao felt a pang of melancholy too.
In her mind’s eye, she pictured that lean boy from the photo, holding up his family with his skinny shoulders.
Ning Zhiping brought out the few letters he had exchanged with Jiang Heng over the years and handed them to Ning Qiao: “This is roughly the situation—take a look.”
Ning Qiao opened the letter.
The handwriting was beautiful. The words conveyed respect for his elder without being overly ornate.
“What good is reading letters?” Chang Fangze said helplessly. “Do you have any recent photos of him?”
“Old Master Jiang has already sent some to us—they just haven’t arrived yet. I heard he had Jiang Heng’s comrade get them for him,” Ning Zhiping said. “Oh, and I sent a photo of our side over a few days ago. It should be arriving soon.”
Ning Qiao held the photo in her left hand and the letter in her right.
She didn’t voice an opinion, silently accepting her father’s arrangement.
Old Master Jiang called from the retirement home, using both soft and hard tactics.
The engagement had been set long ago. If it were called off now, where would he put his pride? Besides, it was the dying wish of Jiang Heng’s late father!
Jiang Heng was persuaded by his grandfather and submitted the marriage application.
The girl was a good one, and right now, she had no choice but to go to the countryside.
As if guided by some unseen force, somehow he felt he ought to take responsibility.
It was only when he was about to submit the application that Jiang Heng finally asked for the name of his betrothed.
Ning Qiao.
The name was incredibly familiar, yet this was the first time Old Master Jiang had actually mentioned it to him.
That déjà vu feeling grew stronger.
Political Commissar Fu laughed: “Last time, Commander Liu’s daughter—you wouldn’t meet her. The doctor from the military hospital—you weren’t interested either. But with this one girl, you’re rushing to submit a marriage report and pressing me to approve it. Just how pretty is this little girl to have you so eager?”
Jiang Heng: …
You probably wouldn’t believe me, but I don’t even know what she looks like.
Marrying their daughter far away wasn’t sending her off to suffer. The organization trusted Jiang Heng, and so did Ning Zhiping.
The Ning family was marrying off their daughter, but they kept a low profile, racing against time, seizing every moment.
Ning Zhiping communicated frequently with Old Master Jiang—either by phone or telegram.
According to Old Master Jiang, it would be better to wait a little while until Jiang Heng returned from his mission, so they could hold a proper, dignified ceremony. But the Educated Youth Office was pressing hard, and Ning Zhiping simply couldn’t wait.
After discussion, the plan remained unchanged. He would send Ning Qiao off to the island first.
Over the following days, the Ning family kept things tightly under wraps. The marriage application was unlikely to run into any issues, but the military leadership hadn’t approved it yet. If something unexpected happened and word got out, it would be embarrassing. So Ning Zhiping and Chang Fangze kept their mouths shut, reminding Ning Yang not to let anything slip.
With a daughter about to be married off, there was a mountain of things to prepare. Chang Fangze told Ning Qiao to rest at home while she herself kept running back and forth to the department store and the supply cooperative.
Just as she was about to head out, she ran into her husband, who had made a special trip back from work on his bicycle.
Ning Zhiping’s brow was relaxed: “It’s approved.”
Old Master Jiang had been keeping close watch. As soon as the marriage application was approved, he immediately informed Ning Zhiping.
“Approved?” Chang Fangze let out a breath of relief. “I’ll go to the supply cooperative again and get a few more things for our daughter.”
“Just let her take money and ration tickets—there’s a supply cooperative in the western city too.”
“That’s not the same. What we give her now is a token of our love as parents. When they see how much we care for our daughter, they won’t dare neglect her.”
Beaming, Chang Fangze urged her husband to hurry back to work while she rushed off to the supply cooperative.
As luck would have it, she ran into Yu Cuiman there.
In the past, when they met in the compound, they’d exchange greetings. But after Zhao Hongying had come as a matchmaker, both families had been left with bad feelings. Now, as they stood face to face, the atmosphere was tense and neither spoke.
Yu Cuiman was proud in her own right, but she hadn’t expected the other side to be even prouder. Chang Fangze gave her a cool glance and walked away with her purchases.
No one knew better than Yu Cuiman how Lin Guangmin felt. For her son’s sake, she had no choice but to lower her head. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, vowing that once Ning Qiao entered the household, she’d make her pay. But on the surface, she put on a smile: “If it isn’t Comrade Chang! I thought I’d mistaken you for someone else.”
Chang Fangze glanced back and forced a smile: “If it isn’t Comrade Yu! I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Yu Cuiman gritted her teeth.
So fake.
The two women walked back to the compound side by side.
“Aunt Zhao is just blunt—she runs her mouth without thinking and doesn’t even realize when she’s offended someone,” Yu Cuiman said. “The moment I saw your daughter, I liked her. Of course I wouldn’t object.”
“Water under the bridge,” Chang Fangze said. “Don’t take it to heart.”
“Of course, of course—let’s not hold onto it. We’ll be in-laws soon, after all.”
Chang Fangze raised an eyebrow: “I thought you weren’t keen on the idea.”
“Not at all!” Yu Cuiman laughed. “Your daughter is the most famous beauty in the compound—suitors must be beating down your door. Our Guangmin adores her, and I think she’s wonderful too.”
Chang Fangze felt a little better.
She’d been upset ever since hearing from Aunt Zhao that Ning Qiao had been looked down upon by the Lins. Her daughter had never been treated like that in her entire life.
“Misunderstanding—all a misunderstanding.” Yu Cuiman pressed on. “Let’s find a time for our two families to sit down together and discuss how to get the young couple’s matter settled soon.”
“What matter? I don’t follow.” Chang Fangze was no longer upset and broke into a smile. “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you—my daughter is getting married soon. I’ll bring you some wedding candy when the time comes.”
Yu Cuiman: ???
Well, wasn’t that just showing off!
Lin Guangmin was determined to be with Ning Qiao. He’d been wandering around the compound quietly, waiting for her to appear, practically turning into a lovesick tree. Keeping his eyes and ears open, he saw that Director Ning had gone to work and Chang Fangze wasn’t home either. His heart felt like it was being scratched by a little paw. Summoning his courage, he picked up a small pebble and tossed it at the Ning family’s window with a thud.
The first time, the second time…
He persisted, and finally, when the third pebble hit the glass of the back window, he heard a soft, sweet voice.
“Who is it!”
The voice was sugary but tinged with annoyance. Lin Guangmin’s breath seemed to stop for a moment. He lowered his voice as much as he could: “It’s me.”
Afraid she might ignore him, he added urgently, “I’m Lin Guangmin. Could you please come out? I’d like to say a few words to you.”
“Is something the matter?” Ning Qiao opened the door and poked her head out.
He took a deep breath and continued, “I came to ask for a chance to get to know each other. Ning Qiao, I—”
“I’m getting married,” Ning Qiao cut him off directly.
Lin Guangmin was once again left speechless, his unfinished words stuck in his throat: “Wh-what?”
When he looked at her again, he saw clear resistance in her bright eyes.
All these days, he hadn’t been able to eat or sleep—and she was actually really getting married.
“I know—it’s that childhood betrothal,” Lin Guangmin steadied himself. “But I hope you’ll think carefully about this. Have you two even met? You’ve seen each other less in your whole lives than we have.”
Ning Qiao thought it over seriously—that was true.
“Ning Qiao, we’re not kids anymore. Even if you’re getting married, you shouldn’t act on impulse. You should find someone good.” Lin Guangmin’s heart was pounding, but out of sheer stubbornness, his words came out with conviction. “Is he better than me?”
Ning Qiao recalled all the glowing things her father had said about Jiang Heng and, after careful thought, nodded: “Yes.”
Lin Guangmin: …
“What’s his education?”
“Military academy training.”
“A college graduate?” Having embarrassed himself right out of the gate, Lin Guangmin stood stiffly in place. “He’s in the military—will you have to follow him?”
Ning Qiao nodded.
It was just a childhood betrothal. It wasn’t too late to call it off.
Steeling himself, Lin Guangmin said, “Your parents don’t agree to our marriage?”
“I don’t agree either,” Ning Qiao said honestly.
Bang—she closed the door.
Lin Guangmin stared at the shut door, then trudged home in low spirits.
Yu Cuiman was grumbling at his ear about Ning Qiao’s impending marriage.
“Mom, you knew she was marrying a soldier too?”
Yu Cuiman frowned and shot to her feet: “A soldier?”
No wonder Chang Fangze had looked so smug!
“Ning Qiao is going to follow him,” Lin Guangmin said. “I remember when our cousin followed her husband, he was already forty. To have follow-the-army privileges, he’s definitely older. Director Ning is marrying her off to some old soldier—isn’t that just ruining her?”
Yu Cuiman let out a cold laugh at that: “No wonder that man hasn’t shown his face yet. The Nings care too much about face—they don’t want the whole compound to see them as a laughingstock.”
Over on Qingyuan Island in the western city, that afternoon, everyone on the island knew that the Jiang household was about to be turned upside down.
Because Battalion Commander Jiang was going away.
With those three younger siblings left unmonitored, it wouldn’t be surprising if they ended up tearing the roof off.
The three siblings came back from school, swinging their bookbags one-handed, kicking pebbles, running home—then running right back out again.
“Second brother, where’s eldest brother gone?”
“On a mission, I guess.”
“That’s not right—didn’t he say he was leaving in a couple of days? Why’d he leave early?”
An auntie in the family quarters smiled at the three of them.
“Your brother went to Ancheng—to meet your future sister-in-law!”
“He specially asked the leadership for permission to see his match before heading out on his mission.”
The three siblings froze, staring at each other with wide eyes.
They were stunned for only a moment before they burst out laughing, doubled over.
Pfft—who’d believe that.
They weren’t three-year-olds—they weren’t that easy to fool.
After the laughter died down, the second Jiang sibling led the third, and the third led the fourth. The three of them conspired to skip school first thing tomorrow morning.
After all, eldest brother wasn’t home!
Watching their carefree retreating figures, the auntie in the family quarters clicked her tongue.
Battalion Commander Jiang had better hurry up—marry a fiery wife who’d straighten out those three little terrors!
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