“Zexi!” Hua Zhenrong called out.
Sheng Zexi looked up and spotted Hua Zhenrong.
Hua Zhenrong stepped forward and playfully punched Sheng Zexi’s shoulder. “You brat, you came back without even telling me. If my family hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known.”
Sheng Zexi chuckled. “We’re from the same compound. Even if I didn’t say anything, we’d still run into each other.”
“Fair point.”
“So, this time you’re back for good, transferred directly to the Beijing Military District?” Hua Zhenrong asked.
Sheng Zexi nodded. “Yeah.”
“Then this time, you’re coming back as a brigade-level officer, right?”
Sheng Zexi raised an eyebrow. “You knew?”
“Of course I knew. The Beijing Military District has been buzzing about it—they said a young and capable brigade-level officer was being transferred in. As soon as I heard the description, I knew it had to be you.”
“You’ve really made it, kid.”
“When are you reporting for duty?”
“In another week.”
“Alright, then. Soon enough, we brothers can fight side by side again.” Truth be told, Hua Zhenrong really missed the days when he and Sheng Zexi worked together.
“Is this your kid? Which one is it?” Hua Zhenrong had noticed the beautiful six-month-old baby in Sheng Zexi’s arms earlier.
“If it’s not my kid, is it yours?” Sheng Zexi rolled his eyes. “My third child, named Tuantuan.”
“Tuantuan, huh? Cute nickname, and a real looker too—got all the best traits from you and Dr. Gu. When I have a son, how about we arrange a marriage? Zexi, what do you say? Let’s set up a childhood betrothal!”
“Get lost!”
Before Hua Zhenrong could finish, Sheng Zexi kicked him. “My Tuantuan is a boy! What ‘daughter-in-law’ are you talking about? You don’t even have a wife yet, let alone a son.”
“What? He’s a boy?!” Hua Zhenrong was stunned.
How could such a pretty child be a boy?
He’d been planning to snag him as a future daughter-in-law.
But still…
“Don’t look down on me. I’m getting married in a month.”
Sheng Zexi raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Seriously? Or are you just messing with me?”
“Dead serious.”
“Tell me about it…”
“Fine, I will.”
After being treated by Gu Jianing and recovering, Hua Zhenrong took some time to rest.
Later, after evaluations confirmed he was fully healed, he was transferred back to the military district.
Once back, Hua Zhenrong didn’t have any other plans—he just wanted to keep working hard in the role he loved.
Half a year passed like this.
Then his mother started pressuring him to marry.
She even brought up Sheng Zexi as an example, saying that at his age, Sheng Zexi was already a father of two, while he didn’t even have a girlfriend.
But Hua Zhenrong didn’t have a girl he liked—where was he supposed to find a partner?
“If you don’t have one, we can arrange some introductions.”
Hua Zhenrong knew marriage was a major life event, an unavoidable milestone.
So he didn’t refuse.
He agreed to the matchmaking his mother arranged.
But after several meetings, he realized none of them felt right.
Mother Hua said he was too picky.
But Hua Zhenrong insisted he really wasn’t.
“…Choosing a wife means choosing someone you like. After all, you’ll be living together for decades, sharing the same bed. If you don’t like her, how can you spend a lifetime together?”
“You only marry once, so it’s got to be for life.”
That’s what Hua Zhenrong had told his mother back then, and now he repeated the same to Sheng Zexi.
Sheng Zexi nodded in agreement.
As far as he was concerned, one wife in this lifetime—Gu Jianing—was more than enough for him.
In the end, Mother Hua gave up on arranging introductions for him.
She figured that since her youngest son had finally recovered—thanks to Gu Jianing’s treatment, it was practically like he had been “brought back from the dead”—it didn’t really matter if he never married.
As long as he stayed safe and healthy for the rest of his life, Mother Hua would be satisfied.
Just when she was about to give up on the idea of Hua Zhenrong getting married…
One day, out of the blue, Hua Zhenrong brought a girl home.
“…I met Yanyan during a mission.”
“She’s a military doctor from another district, temporarily assigned to support us.”
At the time, Hua Zhenrong happened to get injured during the mission, and this female military doctor took care of him.
Later, some things happened between them, and feelings gradually developed.
Eventually, Hua Zhenrong confessed, and the two started dating.
After getting Yanyan’s approval, Hua Zhenrong quickly brought her home to meet his parents.
Now, after dating for over a year, it was time for them to marry.
So recently, both families got together to discuss the wedding arrangements.
Everything went smoothly, and the date was quickly set.
“It’s scheduled for next month—you have to come,” Hua Zhenrong said.
“Of course. If it’s your wedding, I’ll definitely be there,” Sheng Zexi agreed.
Hua Zhenrong’s family background was naturally excellent.
And Yanyan’s family was equally impressive.
Though Yanyan was a military doctor, her family was politically influential—especially her grandfather, who held a high-ranking position.
Her two older brothers also had bright futures ahead.
So, Hua Zhenrong and Yanyan’s marriage could be considered a powerful alliance between two prominent families.
Hua Zhenrong didn’t care much about that, though.
Still, their equal social status made the marriage negotiations smooth and obstacle-free.
“I heard you have a daughter named Yueyue. Where is she?”
Sheng Zexi immediately eyed Hua Zhenrong with suspicion. “What do you want?”
“Hey, why the look? Since Tuantuan is a boy and can’t be my future daughter-in-law, Yueyue will do, right?”
“Wait, Yueyue is only three now, right? Perfect—‘a three-year age gap means gold in the lap.’ Once Yanyan and I get married, we’ll have a son right away, and then—”
“Just get the hell out.”
Sheng Zexi raised his foot, ready to kick Hua Zhenrong out.
This guy—showing up and immediately setting his sights on his daughter!
He only had one precious daughter, whom he doted on like she was his own eyeball.
And Yueyue was only three years old!
This bastard hadn’t even gotten married yet, let alone conceived a child, and he was already scheming to make Yueyue his future daughter-in-law.
As a protective father, how could Sheng Zexi tolerate this?
Absolutely not!
In the end, Hua Zhenrong fled, afraid of actually getting kicked.
But before running off, he left one last remark:
“It’s settled, then!”
Sheng Zexi: Who the hell settled anything with you?! Forget being brothers—if you ever dare show up at my door again, I’ll kick you out every single time! This scheming old bastard! Get lost!
That evening, when Yueyue returned from shopping with Grandma Sang…
Sheng Zexi pulled her aside and earnestly warned her:
Never marry too young.
Don’t be fooled by sweet-talking boys.
If she ever liked someone in the future, she had to tell her dad first—so he could vet the guy properly.
“Of course, Yueyue, if you don’t want to get married at all, that’s fine too. Dad can take care of you for life.”
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