Chapter 35

In Ruan Nianchu’s understanding, the People’s Liberation Army was glorious and mighty, consisting of iron-blooded tough guys with straightforward intentions. But apparently, Li Teng was an exception.

This iron-blooded tough guy was unusually crafty.

That night, after returning to the hotel, Ruan Nianchu tossed and turned in bed, pondering deeply. Slowly, she realized—she had been foolish again, falling into Li Teng’s trap.

His words seemed sincere, as if he was handing over the decision-making power to her, but in reality, he was using a roundabout way to achieve his ulterior motives.

He was truly cunning.

With this realization, she bit her lip and couldn’t help but pick up her phone, opening WeChat and messaging 0714: According to what you said, if I refuse you today, will we really go our separate ways and you won’t bother me again?

This message was sent at 1:50 in the morning.

Ruan Nianchu didn’t expect Li Teng to reply. She casually placed her phone on the bedside table and closed her eyes to sleep.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Jwv vbld nyxl vbl pswde sq yd wdalye ElUbyv xlppytl.

Fbl srldle bla lulp, pwarakple, yde rknjle wr bla rbsdl. Nk Mldt’p czydj rasqkzl rknvwal qzsyvle yv vbl vsr sq vbl nsdhlapyvksd csm, yde bkp alrzu oyp pwnnkdnv, nsdvykdkdt sdzu sdl osae: Zlp.

“…Gp lmrlnvle, bl’p rzyukdt xkde tyxlp okvb xl.”

Swyd Lkydnbw piwkdvle, vbswtbv qsa y xsxldv, yde alrzkle: [Fxkzl] Uyrvykd Nk’p xlvbsep yal kdelle kdtldkswp, wp uswdtla tldlayvksd vawzu nyd’v nsxryal [Fyzwvl].

Nk Mldt’p pwcpliwldv alrzu oyp lhld xsal vbswtbv-rashsjkdt, nsdpkpvkdt sq lktbv nbyaynvlap qasx “Mbl Gav sq Eya” cu Fwd Mgw: Mbl pwralxl yav sq oya kp vs pwcewl vbl ldlxu okvbswv qktbvkdt.

Swyd Lkydnbw’p lulp vokdjzle, yde pbl pxkajle xkpnbklhswpzu yp pbl vurle: Txx. Mbl sze qsm kp kdelle nwddkdt.

Mbl osae “sze” bye vos lmvay nbyaynvlap clqsal yde yqvla kv, lxrbypkgkdt vbl ytl tyr clvolld bkx yde bla.

Mbld Nk Mldt’p alrzu nyxl ytykd.

—The young ones are not as handsome as me.

“…!” Ruan Nianchu was taken aback, utterly dumbfounded. She didn’t expect him to say something so narcissistic. Then, she typed with puffed cheeks: You’re just counting on my soft heart, unwilling to reject you, aren’t you?

Just a half street away in another hotel, Li Teng squinted his eyes and replied: Unwilling to reject?

It’s the first year of my life, not the fifteenth(Nianchu’s WeChat): Of course. Otherwise, what else could it be?

0714: You’ve taken a liking to me.

Ruan Nianchu: “…”

It’s the first year of my life, not the fifteenth: You’re really self-absorbed. And don’t think that my agreement to reconcile means I completely forgive you, and you can do whatever you want. Let’s be clear, you’re currently in a probationary period. During this time, our interaction can only be limited to a spiritual level. If you don’t pass the assessment, I’ll return you.

0714: Understood.

It’s the first year of my life, not the fifteenth: OK.

It’s the first year of my life, not the fifteenth: I’m going to sleep, good night.

In the darkness, the light from the screen illuminated Li Teng’s face. He lowered his gaze, the corners of his mouth curved upwards, and he smiled before replying with a goodnight. Then he turned off the phone screen.

Outside the window, the night grew deeper.

He stared at the ceiling, lifted his hand, and touched his lips. There was still a lingering warmth from Ruan Nianchu’s lips, and a faint sweetness.

In truth, Li Teng hadn’t lied.

The closer to the border, the more chaotic the security. Tonight was the performance troupe’s first show in the border town, and he went along because he was worried she might encounter danger. As for passing by that changing room, it was purely coincidental.

Perhaps it was due to rushing, but Ruan Nianchu forgot to lock the door after entering the changing room. The door was left slightly ajar.

He passed by and caught sight of her inside, struggling with a white dress, looking embarrassed.

Initially, he just intended to help her zip up. But unfortunately, this thought went astray in the presence of her slender waist and beautiful back. Once he was inside, he wasn’t thinking about helping her with her clothes anymore.

Wrapped in the white dress, Ruan Nianchu looked beautiful.

But he remembered how she looked when she was drenched, enchantingly exquisite.

So he couldn’t resist.

~

In order to prevent the mishap from that night from happening again, the troupe leader found a girl from the logistics team to help Ruan Nianchu change clothes after her solo performance. As a result, the following performances went smoothly.

Ruan Nianchu’s clothes no longer got stuck.

Li Teng also didn’t seize the opportunity to kiss her forcefully while she changed.

In fact, after reconciling, Li Teng kept his promises very well. He also cooperated very well with her request for “limited spiritual interaction.”

At least outwardly, he remained calm and composed, resembling a gentleman.

This couple of theirs didn’t hug or kiss, nor did they engage in any inappropriate behavior. They only found time to have meals together when Ruan Nianchu had a little spare time amidst her busy schedule. At the dinner table, she would chatter away while he listened quietly, occasionally offering a few words of agreement.

Li Teng respected Ruan Nianchu a lot and was very indulgent towards her. Overall, she was satisfied with him.

The only downside was the way Li Teng looked at her, which was somewhat difficult to describe. If there had to be a word to characterize it, it would be “hungry.”

It made her uneasy.

She had heard of a condition called cannibalism. He couldn’t possibly be treating her like a piece of meat, ready to devour her at any moment.

Terrifying.

Time always passed quickly when one was busy. The seven performances in the border town quickly came to an end. After the last evening event, the troupe leader was delighted and arranged a celebratory banquet at a restaurant for all the actors.

After three rounds of toasts, everyone’s spirits were lifted.

At this point, the troupe leader smiled and said, “Comrades, our performance this time was very successful, and we have completed the condolence mission assigned by the political department. Therefore, starting tomorrow, everyone will have three days of free time! There are many attractions in the border town, so take advantage of the time to enjoy yourselves! Cheers!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the actors cheered happily.

Xu Fangfang, who was Ruan Nianchu’s roommate, grinned from ear to ear and nudged Ruan Nianchu excitedly, saying, “Nianchu, how are you going to spend these three days of free time?”

Ruan Nianchu took a sip of red wine, pondered for a moment, and replied, “Just going to visit the nearby attractions.”

Xu Fangfang asked, “Who are you going with?”

Ruan Nianchu lifted her chin slightly, “And what about you, who are you going with?”

“With my partner,” Xu Fangfang, a girl from a revolutionary family, blushed even when she spoke shyly. She said timidly, “He works here in the border town. We haven’t met much this time.”

Ruan Nianchu was a little surprised, “Long-distance relationship?”

The girl nodded, “Yeah. We’re all fighting for the cause of communism, just in different places. It’s nothing, as long as we share the same beliefs, nothing is a problem.”

Ruan Nianchu smiled, “It would be so much simpler if everyone approached love the way you guys do.” She sighed intentionally, “I had initially thought of asking you to take me along. But forget it, I’ll be a third wheel.”

“Why would I go with you?” Xu Fangfang whispered, “You’re going with your partner, right?”

Ruan Nianchu blinked at her.

With a sly smile, Xu Fangfang whispered, “Pretending to be clueless? I’ve seen him come to see you through the window several times. Tsk tsk, that face, those long legs, he’s quite the catch.”

Ruan Nianchu forced out a chuckle, “You caught me.”

“You don’t seem very enthusiastic about him. Are you two having a disagreement?” Xu Fangfang sighed with the wisdom of a seventy-year-old trapped in a twenty-year-old’s body, “Let me tell you, ‘love’ itself is simple, it’s people who complicate it.”

This sounded quite philosophical to Ruan Nianchu, but after thinking about it seriously, she didn’t quite understand, so she asked, “What do you mean?”

Xu Fangfang explained, “It means don’t overthink it. If you’re with someone, and you don’t like them, leave. If you like them, be tolerant of each other. Who hasn’t made mistakes in this world? As long as you correct them, you’re good comrades.”

Xu Fangfang was usually cheerful and lively, so Ruan Nianchu didn’t expect her to have such insights into relationships.

Ruan Nianchu pondered this insight over and over again.

She asked herself, Li Teng used to be as cold as ice, freezing her with fear. But now, he’s become very enthusiastic, almost impossible to shake off. Does that mean he’s corrected himself? Yes, he has.

Is he a good comrade now? Yes, he is.

So, that night, after returning to the hotel, she sent Li Teng a WeChat message while lying in bed, typing: “We have three days of free time starting tomorrow.”

0714: Hmm.

Ruan Nianchu: …Do you have any ideas?

0714: Where do you want to go?

0714: I’ll take you.

Ruan Nianchu turned her phone over, rested her chin on her hand, and stared at the screen, suppressing a smile with pursed lips. That’s more like it.

The next morning, they set off early to visit the scenic spots around the border town. Their first stop was Baixi, a famous ancient town about 130 kilometers away from the border town.

They went to the car rental shop first.

Li Teng calmly browsed around and finally chose a Jeep off-road vehicle in a sandy yellow color, which was about seventy percent new. The boss of the car rental shop quoted a price of 1200 yuan per day, excluding fuel costs.

Li Teng bargained with the boss.

Since Ruan Nianchu didn’t know much about cars, she could only stand by and listen. Before long, the car rental shop owner realized he was dealing with someone knowledgeable and reluctantly lowered the price to 700 yuan.

Deal.

On the way to Baixi Town, Ruan Nianchu couldn’t help but be curious and asked Li Teng, “You’re quite skilled at bargaining. Do you often rent cars?”

“Occasionally,” he replied. He often went on missions all over the place, so renting cars was indeed a common occurrence.

She nodded, “No wonder you knew that the price was too high.”

Li Teng said flatly, “The economy in border towns is backward. The locals rely on overcharging outsiders to make a living. It’s just a fact of life.” After speaking, he glanced subtly at the rearview mirror.

The Volkswagen Tiguan behind them had been following them for almost twenty minutes.

After a brief glance, he retracted his gaze and remained calm.

They chatted about this and that along the way, and in less than two hours, they reached their destination.

Li Teng parked the car in the parking lot outside Baixi Town, paid 20 yuan, and then led Ruan Nianchu inside on foot. It just so happened that today was Saturday, so there were many tourists.

Looking around, the whole town exuded an ancient charm, with crowded streets bustling with people.

Ruan Nianchu stood at the end of the crowd, frowning, “Wow, there are way too many people…”

Before she could finish her sentence, the person next to her hooked her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace. The movement was sudden, and she froze for a moment as her face inexplicably started to flush again. She couldn’t help but scorn herself. A person approaching twenty-six, and she’s been blushing a lot lately.

As she scolded herself, she lowered her voice and said, “Hey…”

“Fearing you’ll get lost,” he interrupted, then wrapped his arms around her and went straight into the crowd.

Ruan Nianchu lowered her head and smiled.

The scenery in Baixi Town was indeed beautiful.

And there were indeed a lot of people.

Unfortunately, on this journey, Ruan Nianchu, apart from tasting some local snacks, could only watch people in Li Teng’s embrace. As they passed a certain area, the crowd reached its peak density.

Their path was blocked. Up ahead, there was a noisy commotion, and everyone had stopped to watch.

Li Teng’s senses were sharp, so the more crowded a place, the more uncomfortable he felt. At this moment, his face was cold, and the slight frown between his eyebrows revealed a hint of impatience.

Next to him, Ruan Nianchu seemed very excited. She bit into a candied hawthorn skewer, chewing while tugging on Li Teng’s sleeve, cheeks puffed out as she said, “Looks like there’s a performance ahead!”

Li Teng: “Hmm.”

She didn’t notice his expression, standing on tiptoes, bouncing excitedly, and lamenting, “Ah, there are too many people, I can’t see anything…”

Li Teng asked, “Do you want to watch the performance?”

“Yeah.” She looked up at him, nodding, “How about you take me to the front?”

“Too much trouble,” Li Teng replied impatiently. After saying that, he bent down, his arms crossed over her thighs, and with a strong lift, he lifted her up.

High up.

Her buttocks half-sat on his arm.

“…?” Ruan Nianchu was stunned, her face instantly blushing uncontrollably again.

At this moment, someone below asked, “Can you see it?”

“…Ah.” Only then did she remember to look up. The view from above was indeed different, with a wide expanse, and on the stage were two acrobats performing a chair-stacking act. She cleared her throat and said, “I see it.”

“Is it good?” He looked up, staring at her delicate chin and light pink lips.

“…It’s okay.” In this position, she was like a child, almost sitting on him. Who could have the mood to watch the performance? Just as she finished speaking, a voice came from not far away, surprised and exclaimed, “Nian Nian?”

Ruan Nianchu turned her head at the sound.

Several meters away, a young woman was also being carried in a man’s arms, looking at her. The girl was very cute, with round big eyes, fair skin, and dimples at the corners of her mouth, shining brightly with her smile.

She was one of Ruan Nianchu’s college roommates.

The man holding Hu Lailai has outstanding appearance, but he exuded a cold aura.

This unique combination of elegance and decadence, capable of turning a scorching summer day into a cold winter, left a deep impression on Ruan Nianchu. Apart from Ye Mengchen, the general amongst her roommates, there was no second person like him in the world.

In an instant, memories of youth flooded into her mind, youthful and full of beauty.

She smiled at the two of them, her eyes curved, and said, “Hu Lailai!”

---

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here