Volume One, Chapter 12: Jiang Yao Sentenced, Zheng Yunshuang Demoted

“When exactly is ‘as soon as possible’?” Ye Qiao Qiao asked nervously. She hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.

“Probably within this month. After all, the New Year is next month,” Commander Ye replied, considering that Fu Juechuan’s transfer to another unit would likely take place after the New Year. There would be months of intensive training ahead, and he didn’t want his daughter’s marriage to be delayed for half a year.

Ye Qiao Qiao’s eyes widened in disbelief. So soon?

But after hearing the reason, she understood.

She didn’t refuse.

And just like that, the matter was settled.

In the following days, Ye Qiao Qiao attended the commendation ceremony and witnessed Fu Juechuan being honored. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Commander Ye was privately discussing the wedding date and engagement preparations with Fu Juechuan.

That evening, when Ye Qiao Qiao saw Fu Juechuan come to visit, she quickly descended the stairs.

“Brother Fu, you must not have eaten dinner. Come eat with Dad and me,” she said warmly.

Fu Juechuan’s gaze softened at her smile.

“Yes, Juechuan, come sit,” Commander Ye invited from the head of the dining table.

Fu Juechuan nodded and took a seat opposite Ye Qiao Qiao.

Commander Ye clearly intended to have a serious talk with Fu Juechuan.

“Juechuan, I’ve picked an auspicious date. We’ll hold your engagement banquet with Qiao Qiao on the sixteenth of this month. Since it’s decided, I’ve already started spreading the good news, and invitations will be sent out,” he declared, determined to make this a grand occasion, putting an end to the rumors of Ye Qiao Qiao being abandoned by Zhou Cong once and for all.

There were only eight days left until the sixteenth.

Ye Qiao Qiao felt a little uneasy, stealing cautious glances at Fu Juechuan across the table.

Fu Juechuan remained composed, as if this were a trivial matter. “Yes, I understand, Uncle Ye.”

If someone were to look underneath the table, they would see Fu Juechuan’s legs trembling slightly, a sign of the emotional turmoil beneath his calm exterior.

“I’ll have Qiao Qiao see you home later,” Commander Ye said with a gentle smile, hoping she would use this opportunity to grow closer to Fu Juechuan before the engagement.

Ye Qiao Qiao nodded awkwardly. “Got it, Dad.”

Fu Juechuan said nothing, but Ye Qiao Qiao didn’t sense any rejection from him. Instead, his steady demeanor soothed her nerves, allowing her to relax bit by bit.

***

After dinner, Ye Qiao Qiao accompanied Fu Juechuan outside.

“Brother Fu, you looked so handsome at the commendation ceremony last time,” she complimented him.

Fu Juechuan saw that she was just making conversation and pursed his lips before speaking up. “If you regret it now, you can still cancel the engagement banquet. The news hasn’t gone public yet.”

“I don’t regret it,” Ye Qiao Qiao said, confused.

Fu Juechuan stared at her, as if trying to determine whether she was being truthful.

But as he looked, his gaze lingered on her face.

Just as the rumors said, her delicate features could be covered with one hand—every angle flawless, her skin a healthy rosy white, each expression captivating.

Fu Juechuan felt his heart pounding wildly.

He quickly averted his gaze, fearing she might notice. “I was just asking.”

Ye Qiao Qiao, startled, thought he might have been having second thoughts.

“Well... shall we go see where you live now?” she suggested, feeling that perhaps she simply didn’t understand Fu Juechuan well enough.

That night, after returning home, she asked her father and learned that the injured young soldier she had met the year Fu Juechuan arrived at the base—the one who had insisted on standing outside the general’s building to seek permission for a dangerous mission—was indeed Fu Juechuan.

Her father said it had been her playful pleading that convinced him to approve the request.

That approval led to Fu Juechuan earning first-class merit in the mission and being directly admitted to military academy in the second half of the year.

She had only been fifteen then, no wonder she had forgotten.

Thinking that her casual words had helped Fu Juechuan, she felt quite pleased.

As these thoughts swirled, they arrived at the barracks.

Ye Qiao Qiao had been to the barracks before but never ventured upstairs. Inside, the corridor was as clean as expected.

“Why isn’t there a stove or coal stove?” Ye Qiao Qiao asked, following Fu Juechuan up to the third floor, wanting to learn more about him.

Fu Juechuan pursed his lips. “We usually carry our own hot water from the boiler room. We mostly sleep in the room, and meals are taken at the mess hall, so there’s no need.”

“Oh.” Ye Qiao Qiao replied softly and followed him into his single dorm room. Her first impression was that it was clean, tidy, and simple.

Fu Juechuan offered her the only stool and poured a pot of hot tea. Then, from a wooden box in the corner, he took out an apple.

With practiced ease, he peeled the apple, then, considering she was a young lady, cut it into small pieces and placed them neatly on a clean enamel plate.

“Brother Fu, how did you know I like apples?”

“I heard it from Uncle Ye, and apples keep well,” Fu Juechuan answered, coming up with an excuse on the spot.

Ye Qiao Qiao hurriedly stuffed a piece of apple in her mouth, nodding quickly to hide the ambiguous nature of her question. She thought herself lucky that Fu Juechuan hadn’t caught on.

She didn’t stay long and was soon escorted home by Fu Juechuan.

***

Early the next morning, just after breakfast, someone knocked at Ye Qiao Qiao’s door.

She opened it to find a regular soldier standing outside.

“Do you need something?”

“Miss Ye, the Reconnaissance Bureau has released Comrade Jiang Yao. She should be freed by nine this morning, and the specific punishment will be made public,” the soldier reported.

Yet Ye Qiao Qiao was eager to know what price Zhou Cong had paid to secure Jiang Yao’s release.

“Who sent you to tell me this?” she asked, wary of being deliberately informed.

“Sergeant Fu asked me to come inform you. He’s probably training now and couldn’t come himself,” the soldier explained.

Ye Qiao Qiao hadn’t expected Fu Juechuan to be so considerate.

“All right, thank you.”

“No trouble at all,” the soldier saluted and left.

Ye Qiao Qiao stepped outside and headed straight to the Reconnaissance Bureau.

At the entrance, she saw the newly posted disciplinary notices.

Her eyes first caught the penalty for Zheng Yunshuang: demotion and a serious demerit instead of execution.

Ye Qiao Qiao was pleasantly surprised. Not only had Jiang Yao been punished, but Zheng Yunshuang had also faced consequences.

Still, compared to the betrayal she had endured in her past life, a demotion and demerit seemed too lenient.

Unfortunately, that was the harshest punishment the evidence on hand could warrant.

At least Zheng Yunshuang now carried a serious demerit and, without any notable achievements, had no chance of promotion.

A small smile curved Ye Qiao Qiao’s lips as she glanced to the side, where the notice regarding Jiang Yao’s disposition was posted.