Two men in plain clothes were momentarily stunned when they saw Shen Niantang hurrying toward them. A flash of admiration crossed their eyes, but they quickly composed themselves and instinctively shielded Shen Niantang behind them.
The elderly woman and the burly man followed closely behind.
"Oh dear, why are you running away? Dazhuang, go get your wife back!"
Shen Niantang tightly clutched the hems of the two soldiers' shirts, shaking her head anxiously.
Seeing this, the two plainclothes men couldn't help but wonder. How could such a beautiful girl be so terrified? Could it be that the ugly-looking man in front of them had bullied her?
"What do you think you're doing?"
"In broad daylight, what are you trying to achieve by chasing a young girl?"
The two plainclothes men were soldiers after all, and the powerful aura radiating from them slightly intimidated the people around them, making no one dare to act rashly.
The elderly woman glared fiercely at Shen Niantang, then looked up at the two men standing in front of her, and said unhurriedly,
"You've misunderstood, young men. She is my daughter-in-law, and she's mute—she can't speak. She had a little disagreement with my son this time and tried to run away, abandoning us..."
Before the old woman could finish, Shen Niantang's clear and melodious voice rang through the quiet air.
"I am no mute, and I am certainly not her so-called daughter-in-law."
Hearing this, everyone turned their heads in shock to look at Shen Niantang. Beneath her bright smile lay an unmistakable cleverness, and her radiant expression left everyone momentarily transfixed.
"You... you're not mute?"
The old woman never expected to be played for a fool by this young girl, especially when she thought she had scored a huge bargain today.
"Comrade soldiers, they are human traffickers!"
In an instant, before the old woman and the burly man could escape, the two plainclothes men standing in front of Shen Niantang swiftly moved and pinned the old woman and the big man beside her.
"Let go of us! We are not human traffickers!"
Shen Niantang reached out to straighten her clothes, then slowly walked up to the two traffickers.
"Whether you are or not, the public security bureau will decide."
Shortly after, the railway station staff led the two away.
The two soldiers in plainclothes walked over to Shen Niantang. One of them, a tall guy standing 1.83 meters, couldn't help blushing to the tips of his ears.
"Comrade, are you alright?"
Shen Niantang looked up and nodded politely, her expression completely devoid of tension, as if the person who had almost been abducted wasn't her at all.
"I'm fine. Thanks to you both."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the train was about to arrive, and passengers began forming a long queue. Shen Niantang didn't have much luggage, and she was pleased to find that her seat was right next to the window.
"What a coincidence, I'm right next to you."
Hearing this, Shen Niantang turned around and saw the soldier she had just met standing behind her.
"Yes, what a coincidence."
One of the soldiers, looking shy yet boldly direct, sat down next to Shen Niantang. He glanced at her from time to time, and finally, when Shen Niantang accidentally turned back to look at him, he spoke up.
"Hello, comrade. My name is Chen He, and this is my companion, Xu Gang. May I ask what your name is, and where you're heading?"
Perhaps realizing he was asking too many questions, the man's ears turned red again, and he just blinked as he gazed foolishly at Shen Niantang.
"My name is Shen Niantang, and I'm going to Qingyang District."Shen Nintang’s expression remained calm and her voice soft. Unconsciously, she began to take stock of the young man before her. He appeared to be in his early twenties; though tall and broad-shouldered, his face still retained a faint trace of boyish innocence. At this moment, he looked at her with the devoted gaze of a giant hound, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"Qingyang District?"
Upon hearing the destination, the young man involuntarily froze for a moment. Although Qingyang District covered a vast area, it had very few civilian settlements and was primarily a military garrison. Moreover, security in Qingyang had recently been tightened to prevent unlawful foreign elements from snooping around the military installations.
Sitting up straight, the man began to scrutinize Shen Nintang earnestly. No matter how he looked at her, she hardly seemed like a local resident of Qingyang.
Noticing his grave expression, Shen Nintang guessed that he must have mistaken her for a spy, so she hurriedly explained, "I'm heading to the military base in Qingyang District. I'm going there to work."
"Work?""Yes, that's right. I plan to stay at the Military Region and take up a clerical position."
Shen Niantang had no intention of hiding her purpose for heading to the Military Region. After all, once she got off the train, she might still need the two men before her to show her the way.
Upon hearing Shen Niantang’s reply, Chen He didn’t say anything more, but the corners of his mouth curled up imperceptibly. The thought of such a beautiful girl working in the Military Region with him in the future made him unable to hold back his happiness.
Qingyang District was not very far away. After a three-hour train ride, Shen Niantang stood up, eager to get off the train and stretch her limbs.
Shen Niantang followed Chen He off the train and stepped out of the station. Sure enough... it was desolate.
For a split second, Shen Niantang felt as if she had walked right into the wilderness.
"Comrade Shen, we have a bit of a walk ahead of us. You should be fine with that, right?"To be honest, when Shen Niantang heard she had to hike up the mountain on foot, she felt like dropping dead on the spot. Surrounded by nothing but an endless stretch of forest and narrow trails, she could only manage a strained, reluctant smile.
"Do you... always walk to the base like this?"
Xu Gang, who was usually a man of few words, explained, "The Military Region has strict regulations. Family members are organized for a shopping trip once a week. As for us... we always walk back on our own; we just consider it physical training."
Hearing this, Shen Niantang felt as though the sky were collapsing, but what else could she do now? Since she was already here, she would have to make the best of it; she wasn’t about to turn back now.
"It’s alright, let’s go. I can manage."
In truth, Shen Niantang should have prepared herself the moment she decided to come to the Military Region. She had, indeed, prepared—but clearly, it wasn't enough.
Shen Niantang shouldered her small bundle and began the ascent. Chen He had originally intended to help her carry her luggage, but seeing that he was already loaded down with bags of his own, she declined.
It was just a hike, after all. She still believed in herself.
Xu Gang and Chen He walked ahead while Shen Niantang trailed behind, the distance between them growing wider and wider... Finally, she caught sight of the military encampment.
Wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, Shen Niantang arrived at the main gate of the Military Region.
Xu Gang and Chen He had already cleared the entrance; they waved at her before heading off. After all, they were soldiers, and there were more important matters waiting for them inside the base.
"Halt! Unauthorized entry is prohibited."
Shen Niantang fished her recommendation letter from her bag and handed it to the guard on duty.
"I’m looking for your commanding officer."