Chapter 3419: Combustion (8)

Song Yi glanced at his rowdy subordinates and said to Wu Xianrou, “Sorry about them. They’re just used to messing around, got a little carried away.”

Whether or not he and Wu Xianrou would actually get married was another matter, but from the way things were going, it looked like his men were more interested in breaking off the engagement.

Wu Xianrou clearly wasn’t satisfied with Song Yi’s explanation. Instead, she frowned and said, “My dad said you were a strict, disciplined squad commander with a track record of distinguished service. But they’re just a bunch of rough military brutes who are no different from hooligans.”

She really was the type to say whatever was on her mind. She had no filter whatsoever.

Without the slightest concern for who else was in the room, she outright called them brutes and hooligans.

In that moment, it became clear why Song Yi always had to step in to back her up, always putting out fires on her behalf.

With that kind of blunt personality, it was no surprise she kept offending people left and right.

And of course, that only led to people targeting her. Then, Song Yi would swoop in with tanks and planes, guns blazing, just to give her a chance to save face.

“Sis-in-law’s got quite a mouth on her,” Zhu Yi said, his tone half-mocking, half-teasing. “We are a bunch of rough guys, sure, but our squad commander’s a decent, refined man.”

Wu Xianrou paid Zhu Yi no attention whatsoever. She looked straight at Song Yi and said, “Song Yi, I don’t like you. I have zero feelings for you. So I won’t marry you. I hope you’ll explain that clearly to my father.”

Song Yi: …

This girl…

“I’m talking to you. Are you going to agree or not?” Wu Xianrou demanded with a stamp of her foot.

Song Yi nodded. “I’ll explain it to your father.”

He agreed so readily that Wu Xianrou looked slightly thrown off. His answer had come so easily, so smoothly, that she didn’t quite know how to feel about it.

“Then remember your promise,” Wu Xianrou said as she turned and walked out of the hospital room.

Everyone in the room turned their eyes to Song Yi, who peeled an orange and ate it leisurely. “What are you all looking at me for?”

“Sir, are you really going to marry that girl?” Zhu Yi asked.

Song Yi chuckled. “I already told you. It’s just an empty rumor.”

“Damn. The way you smiled just now made it look like you do like her. That girl looks so young—emotionally young, I mean. Like she’s still living in a teenage dream.”

Zhu Yi shook his head as he spoke.

Song Yi’s smile faded from his face.

Ning Shu genuinely wanted to give Zhu Yi a couple of good slaps.

Wu Xianrou’s entrance had definitely left an impression.

All that headstrong, spoiled behavior didn’t seem like a big deal. If anything, it was kind of endearing.

Good looks really did win hearts.

If Ning Shu had acted all fake and cutesy like that, the guys in the room would’ve probably vomited on the spot.

Being unattractive wasn’t the real issue. Being annoying was the real problem.

Ning Shu rubbed her chin and said to Song Yi, “Sir, if you’re really thinking about marrying Miss Wu, you need to consider a few things carefully.”

She held up a finger. “First, Miss Wu is only 25. You, Commander—let me think—you’re what, 33? If you’re going to be with someone that much younger, you’ll need to spend a lot more time guiding her.

“Second, from what I just saw, Wu Xianrou is a very innocent girl. She’s someone who grew up sheltered, someone with a lot of romantic fantasies. People say marriage is the graveyard of love. No marriage stays romantic forever.

“Third, Sir, if you plan to spend that much time indulging Miss Wu, you won’t have time for missions. You’ll have to give something up. You won’t just be the nation’s Song Yi anymore—you’ll be Wu Xianrou’s husband.”

By the time Ning Shu finished, her mouth was dry. She popped a slice of orange into her mouth to soothe her throat.

A few people in the room were staring at her. Zhu Yi said, “Aren’t you just a little girl too? You’re talking like some old-timer who’s been through it all.”

Ning Shu said demurely, “I may not have eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run. I don’t have to experience everything to know it.”

Song Yi put down the orange peels in his hand. “Seems like none of you are very fond of that girl.”

Little Nine, who had been focused on playing games on his girlfriend—ahem, his laptop, finally looked up and said to Song Yi, “She doesn’t know her place and speaks without any sense. A girl like that isn’t suitable for someone like us. We’re on missions from the state. If we also have to worry about coaxing her all the time, it just doesn’t work.”

Even Little Nine could see that much.

Song Yi couldn’t help but chuckle. “You all look so serious, like I’m marrying her tomorrow or something.”

Ning Shu sighed inwardly. If Song Yi actually refused the match, he’d be offending Wu Xianrou’s father.

That man thought so highly of Song Yi. He was even willing to marry his daughter off to him. And Song Yi still didn’t appreciate the gesture? Was he completely politically blind?

In politics, it was easy to trip someone up or make life difficult in subtle ways.

There were layers of reasons behind this proposed marriage.

Song Yi rubbed his temples. “You lot spend all this time worrying about me. Why don’t you go find yourselves wives first?”

“Once we get leave and go home for blind dates, we’ll definitely find some,” the others mumbled half-heartedly.

Ever since Wu Xianrou had visited, the mood in the room had turned gloomy. One by one, the men found excuses to leave.

Song Yi wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start.

Eventually, only four people were left in the hospital room.

Three wounded soldiers—and Ning Shu.

The room was quiet. Ning Shu poured a cup of water for Old Two.

Song Yi looked at her and said, “Weren’t you so chatty earlier? What, cat got your tongue now?”

“Zhu Yi, you were echoing Wu Jing earlier. Why are you suddenly so quiet?”

Zhu Yi replied, “Sir, I’m a patient. Talking too much isn’t good for me.”

Ning Shu took a sip of water. “What do you want me to say?”

“It’s like all of you suddenly deflated,” Song Yi remarked.

Ning Shu smiled slightly. “That’s because they’re a little hurt. Our respected commander went soft over a girl he just met. That girl insulted us—maybe not intentionally, maybe just carelessly—but you didn’t speak up for us.”

Song Yi immediately said, “To me, of course you all matter more. You’re the ones who’ve shared hardship with me, the ones with whom I’ve gone through life-or-death situations with. She’s just a young girl.”

Ning Shu said nothing and continued eating her orange. After a moment, she added, “Actually, marrying Wu Xianrou could have its benefits. You could probably get promoted.”

“No matter where I’m posted, I’m still serving the country,” Song Yi replied indifferently.

Ning Shu gave him a thumbs-up. “That’s very selfless of you.”

Song Yi smiled. “There’s no such thing as true selflessness. You know, if I get promoted, my bonus increases, and then we all get a bigger cut.”

Ning Shu sighed inwardly, feeling a bit wistful.

They’d talked for quite a while. Song Yi was clearly tired.

Ning Shu adjusted the hospital bed, lowering it flat, then pulled the covers up for him.

Zhu Yi watched her and said, “You’re really going to great lengths to stop the squad commander from marrying that girl.”

Ning Shu placed her hand lightly on Zhu Yi’s leg, which was in a cast. He immediately waved her off. “Hey, don’t take it that way. I was just saying—he doesn’t like you like that. You’re just a subordinate to him. If there was ever going to be something between you, something would’ve happened already after all these years.”

Ning Shu knew that.

Wu Jing, her entrustor, knew it, too.

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