This Chapter has been revised; dear readers, please take another look.
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"Lin Chuxia, do you not understand what I’m saying?" Zeng Meili said.
"Huh?" Chuxia’s large eyes, brimming with innocence, blinked in confusion. "Captain... What exactly do you mean?" She felt that she hadn’t misunderstood.
"I’ve told you before, it was the madam who requested that you be specially recruited," Zeng Meili reiterated.
Chuxia nodded: "I heard you, I know."
"You know?" Could her mind not be structurally similar to hers? Zeng Meili stared at Chuxia, speechless, "If you knew, why would you still think that my aunt’s family considers you someone trying to climb up the social ladder to become a phoenix?"
"Your aunt’s thoughts don’t necessarily represent your aunt’s entire family’s views. I thought your aunt was anxious for your Third Brother’s arranged relationship, resorting to any possible solution in desperation, and that she had angered the other elders." Chuxia’s face was full of conviction.
As a girl from the countryside being listed as a candidate would definitely anger the elders focused on family interests—it’s all shown that way in movies and TV, art imitates life, so she was very confident in her hypothesis!
"Alright, I’ll explain it more clearly. My Third Brother, Zhou Mikang, is twenty-seven this year, not only is he not married, he doesn’t even have a girlfriend, and the elders in our family are very anxious.
Third Brother has a not-so-great temper, and the elders don’t dare to press him too much, but, they are really worried. Having heard from Zhou Hanliang that he treats you well, my aunt tried every means to secure two special recruitment spots..."
"I understand now." Chuxia’s face lit up with realization, "The two special recruitment spots are just a smokescreen, right? That’s also what you meant, that whether Luo Xiaoqiong and I qualify or not, we would still be recruited, right?" She hadn’t thought much about it before, but now she got the drift—turns out she was just a test subject.
"Right." Zeng Meili nodded with a bitter smile, "According to the original plan, we were hoping to determine Third Brother’s intentions before deciding what to do next.
But now, we still haven’t figured out Third Brother’s intentions, and he’s already discovered the things we’ve been doing behind his back. Lin Chuxia, I was in a rush to bring you over hoping you could put in a few good words for us in front of Third Brother.
However, I suddenly realized a while ago that if we misunderstood Third Brother’s intentions, it could implicate you. None of this was your fault to begin with; therefore, it wouldn’t be right for me to selfishly drag you down with us.
How about this, I’ll take you back to the military district now. No matter what Third Brother intends, I’ll find a way for you and Luo Xiaoqiong to continue serving. If you can’t stay in Military District A, I’ll try to transfer you to another district. Is that okay with you?"
"I don’t have any thoughts." Chuxia leaned listlessly against the car seat, "Does my opinion matter? From the beginning, I was just a lab rat you caught for an experiment. If the experiment succeeds, the lab rat lives by luck; if it fails, the lab rat dies as it deserves."
"It’s not like that..." Zeng Meili looked uncomfortable, "Lin Chuxia, I’m sorry, originally we thought that if Third Brother’s kindness towards you was not romantic, then you’d stay in the medical team. With your looks, marrying a good man wouldn’t be a problem, and in the future, whether it’s bringing your parents out or providing them with enough living expenses, it would all be a win-win situation, right?"
"Because I come from a poor family, I have no say in anything, I understand. If the regiment commander wants to marry me, I should marry him with joy; if he doesn’t want to, I should leave with joy, right?"
"Lin Chuxia, don’t be angry..." Zeng Meili looked exceedingly embarrassed. How had she managed to make such a mess of things? Really, she’s not good at persuading others. If she had known, she would have let her own mother step in.
"I’m not angry, I have no right to be." Chuxia flashed a radiant smile, "No matter what, I should be happy. Otherwise, with my constitution, how could I even serve in the army? Having the chance to come to the barracks should be enough for me to feel secretly joyful, right?"
Her smile was radiant, but there was not a trace of amusement in her eyes. She was stubborn too! Zeng Meili sighed softly: "It’s all my fault, it’s our fault. We took things for granted. I’m sorry, Lin Chuxia. Just tell me what you want to do, and I will do my utmost to satisfy you!"
"Do you think I would say, ’I don’t want to be a soldier, send me home’?" Chuxia continued with her radiant smile.
"I..." Zeng Meili found herself at a loss for words. Alright, seeing how stubborn she had just been, that was indeed what she had thought.