Outside the guesthouse, the sunlight was blinding.
Lin Wanyi clutched the marriage report that bore her signature, her fingertips icy. The paper was light, yet it felt like a red-hot iron, scalding her palms numb.
She did not return to that so-called home but headed straight for the family quarters of the Beicheng Textile Factory.
Gu Lan was pacing anxiously in the dorm room. Upon seeing Lin Wanyi, she rushed over and grabbed her arm: "How did it go? Was it successful? My second brother is a good person, right?"
Lin Wanyi said nothing, merely handing over the folded report.
Gu Lan snatched it up, and seeing the "Marriage Report" on the cover, her eyes lit up instantly, and she gave Lin Wanyi an exuberant bear hug: "I knew it! I knew my second brother would definitely like you! Wanyi, you're going to be my sister-in-law! Let me tell you, my second brother is the nicest; once you two are married..."
She excitedly began planning the future, but halfway through her words, her gaze landed on the unfolded page of the report.
In the applicant section, the two forceful and bold characters written were not "Gu Chi."
They were "Gu Yanshen."
Gu Lan's voice halted abruptly.
The dormitory fell into a terrifying silence.
The smile on her face cracked bit by bit and then collapsed. She seemed struck by lightning, holding the paper, her fingers trembling as she read each character.
The next second.
"Wah—"
A heart-wrenching wail thundered through the entire dormitory building.
Gu Lan clung to Lin Wanyi, crying so hard it was gut-wrenching: "How did you get involved with my elder brother! Wanyi, what were you thinking! How could you get entangled with him! He is Gu Yanshen!"
Lin Wanyi, dizzy from her shaking, could only stiffly pat her back.
"He's not human! He's a living Yama! Who in the entire military district isn't afraid of him? He spends three hundred days a year on missions outside; marrying him is like being a living widow! He is as cold as ice, as dull as wood, and he can conduct meetings from morning till night without a break! You'll surely be subjected to strict military discipline, waking up at five a.m. for drills, folding quilts into tofu cubes, and not leaving a single grain of rice in your bowl!"
Gu Lan cried until she was out of breath, as if she had already seen Lin Wanyi's miserable future as a military wife.
Yet, in Lin Wanyi's mind, the image of the man's well-built upper body flashed—broad shoulders, narrow waist, well-defined muscles, full of vigorous vitality.
She quietly handed Gu Lan a glass of water and softly spoke.
"He's... actually not that bad."
Gu Lan's sobbing choked, and she looked at her as if she were an idiot: "Not that bad? What's good about him!"
Lin Wanyi lowered her eyes, her ears unexpectedly burning, not responding.
His physique is quite good.
…
At the same time, at the Gu Family Mansion.
"Bang!"
A precious purple clay teacup was smashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.
"What a mess! This is utterly ridiculous!" Commander Gu Zhen Guo quivered with anger, pointing at the telephone, his hand shaking.
The guard on the side shrank his neck in fear, wishing he could disappear on the spot.
Just now, he received a call from Director Wang of the military district's Political Department, saying… saying that the eldest son, Gu Yanshen, with a comrade named Lin Wanyi, had submitted a marriage report, currently undergoing the process.
Mrs. Gu, her face pale, clutched her chest, and without catching her breath, her eyes rolled back as she fainted.
"Mom!"
"Madam!"
The living room turned into chaos.
Gu Chi stood at the top of the stairs, completely frozen.
Lin Wanyi… marrying his elder brother…?
Yesterday in the private room at the restaurant, when his elder brother wrapped his arm around that beautiful girl and declared in an unquestionable tone, "She is mine," it had exploded in his mind.
It turns out, it wasn't just a figure of speech.
It was real.
While the Gu Family was turned upside down by this sudden marriage.
At the Political Department of the military district, in the marriage registration office.
The atmosphere was solemn and serious.
The officer handling the paperwork verified all the materials, then looked up at the two people in front of him.
The man stood tall and straight like a pine, his military uniform accentuating his broad shoulders and long legs, exuding a strong presence. His expression was severe, his gaze sharp; just sitting there made the entire office ambiance tense.
The girl beside him had porcelain-white skin, watery eyes, and a slender figure that seemed fragile, like a delicate lily battered by storm—a sight invoking compassion.
The officer withdrew his gaze, picked up the stamp, and with a "click," pressed it firmly onto the two documents.
He took out two brand-new red booklets embossed with the national emblem, neatly wrote down their names, and affixed the photos.
"It's done."
The officer pushed the two marriage certificates to the center of the table, "Congratulations, Comrade Gu Yanshen, Comrade Lin Wanyi."
Gu Yanshen reached out, picked up one of the booklets, and handed it to Lin Wanyi.
His movements were swift and agile, with not a trace of hesitation.
Lin Wanyi extended her hand and took the small red booklet.
It was warm, carrying the warmth of his fingertips.
From today, she was Gu Yanshen's wife.
This realization left her a little dazed.
She followed Gu Yanshen as they stood up, ready to leave.
As the two turned around, Lin Wanyi instinctively tilted her head, glancing at the man beside her.
He was still his usual frosty self, his side profile marked by resolute and distinct lines.
Only, his lips, usually pressed into a straight, hard line, now bore the slightest, almost imperceptible upward curve.