The Capitalist's Darling Daughter Joins the Army, Mistakenly Identifies Him, and Gets Spoiled Rotten

Bai Manni did something reckless.

She clutched the yellowed photograph and half a jade pendant her family had hurriedly thrust into her hands, then spent three days and three nights on a train. Dizzy and disoriented, she finally made her way to a railway station in the Southwest Military Region. With red-rimmed eyes, she choked out to the young soldier on guard, "I... I'm here to find my fiance."

The photograph had been cut out of an old group picture. All she could make out was the upright silhouette of a man in uniform, with a stern profile. Her mother had only managed to tell her, "He's your fiance. He's in the reconnaissance battalion, a company commander. He's steady and he'll protect you."

The Bai family had once been Shanghai's wealthy capitalists, but now they were weathering hard times. They had sent her here both to seek refuge and to gamble on a long-arranged engagement that had nearly been forgotten.

The young soldier stared at her, then studied the picture. "He kind of looks like Deputy Regiment Commander He."

Her fiance had been promoted to deputy regimental commander. He was even more capable than she'd imagined. Bai Manni's heart lifted, and her tearful face lit up more brilliantly than a pearl.

Outside the station, a tall, stern-looking man in uniform was waiting for someone.

Bai Manni carried her little suitcase, recognized him, and hurried over, delighted, to pat him on the shoulder.

"What took you so long? I've been looking for you forever."

He Zheng froze and was about to explain, but she had already carried on as if nothing had happened.

"This suitcase is so heavy. Help me with it."

"I'm hungry. What good food do you have here? I don't eat spicy food."

"My legs are numb from sitting so long... Hey, Regiment Commander He, give me a hand."

She even slipped her arm through his with complete ease. Her warm, soft touch came through the uniform fabric. He Zheng stiffened, every muscle in his body suddenly taut.

Was this... the fiance his comrade Lu Zhou couldn't stand and had gone far out of his way to ask him to pick up?

She was... this forward and open?

Thinking of her background and her years studying abroad, he looked at her again. She was like a little bird that had flown into the wrong nest. She should have looked miserable, yet her back was straight, and there was an almost childlike pride in her gaze.

Their eyes met. Her eyes suddenly brightened, as if she'd finally found a lifeline.

He Zheng swallowed the words he had been about to say.

In a stiff voice, he said, "Yes, Miss Bai. I'll take you to the family quarters."

Telling her that her fiance resented her for not coming sooner seemed too cruel to a young woman who had left her home to seek shelter here.

Bai Manni smiled, her little leather shoes tapping along briskly.

He Zheng seemed to avoid her a little, but she knew soldiers were all taciturn and bad at expressing their feelings. If she took the initiative, she was sure she could build a good relationship with him.

She developed a relationship with He Zheng, went on dates with him, and spent every day together with him. She soon saw through the warm heart beneath the cold exterior of this stern man.

That was, until she moved into He Zheng's dormitory and a company commander named Lu Zhou suddenly returned.

He saw Bai Manni wearing He Zheng's coat, and his expression darkened at once.

"Bai Manni!?"

Bai Manni looked up, leaning against He Zheng in confusion. "Who is he?"

He Zheng: "..."

-

At first, He Zheng thought Lu Zhou was a real bastard. He'd gone off somewhere far away and dumped this troublesome girl on him. He seemed to have taken on a mission more difficult than infiltrating behind enemy lines, and ended up looking after a little tyrant.

Later, all he wanted was to shut the door.

The whole military region knew that the fearsome He kept a pampered, spoiled cat at home.

The cat's scratches hurt, but the fearsome He was more than happy to put up with them.

Only He Zheng knew that this absurd misunderstanding, which had started with a mission, was the most fortunate "dereliction of duty" of his life.

And he had long since let his selfish desires take over. He had no intention of correcting it.

-

Theme: Have the courage to leave at any time