The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 32

“There is a situation?”

Upon hearing those words, Chen Che’s face turned deathly pale. His mind went blank. No matter how much he prided himself on his calm composure, he was thrown into a panic.

Auntie Yin Xiumei had never seen him like this. She would never forget the first time she saw him; the Regimental Commander had brought a group of newcomers, and Chen Che stood there in his blue work uniform—handsome, tall, and exuding a clean, sharp coldness. She had wondered then how anyone could seem so indifferent yet noble.

It turned out that even “deities” had moments of heartbreak.

Feeling a pang of pity, Yin Xiumei softened her tone. “It’s not a huge deal. Just go back and talk it out with Mingyue. Commander Chen, I speak bluntly, so don’t mind me: the women in our compound might look privileged on the outside, but they endure more loneliness than average women. A marriage needs communication. You’re busy, but you can’t neglect Mingyue. She hasn’t been here long; her heart is fragile and needs reassurance.”

Chen Che understood these truths all too well. Outside of work, he tried his best to be good to her. But he believed he was a boring person. Aside from his job, he spent his days dealing with dry data.

Song Mingyue was different. She loved to laugh; she was warm and moved others like a ray of sunshine. She could sing and play the piano; her mind was full of lively, interesting ideas. She was efficient yet had her own firm bottom line. In the short time she’d been at the compound, she had already made several friends.

For the first time in his life, Chen Che felt a profound lack of confidence because of a girl. Furthermore, given the nature of his work, he didn’t know what kind of future he could offer her. Their marriage was originally a sham; she shouldn’t be trapped by his side but should have a broader, freer future.

He thought he could handle that reality. But emotions weren’t something his willpower could control. At this moment, he was driven mad by jealousy—jealous and terrified. He feared Mingyue really was attracted to the university student. Compared to a somber, serious man like himself, a student was far more appealing.

When Chen Che returned home, Mingyue was still practicing her music. She hadn’t gone to the Art Troupe. Even though she had allowed Zhao Xing to witness the “confession,” it didn’t mean she was in the mood to stand in front of that big-mouthed girl as if nothing had happened.

From the moment he entered the courtyard, Mingyue sensed the change in him. Although his face rarely showed much emotion, his low spirits were glaringly obvious today. She stayed by the keyboard, only looking up and pretending to notice him when he walked into the house.

“You’re back?” she asked calmly.

Chen Che handed her the lunch box, a shallow frown between his brows. “This is your dinner.”

Mingyue accepted it with a smile. “Thank you. It’s a lot of trouble to keep delivering food. You don’t have to bring it at noon anymore.”

To Chen Che’s ears, these considerate words sounded like she was drawing a line between them. A flicker of loss flashed in his dark eyes. “It’s fine. It doesn’t interfere with work,” he insisted stubbornly. Then he asked, “Are you used to the keyboard? How is the practice?”

“It’s okay.”

Mingyue didn’t offer to play for him, even though he knew she had played for everyone else at noon. Every small detail he had previously ignored now became a hurdle in his heart.

Are you worthy of her? one voice asked. Whether you are or not, if you don’t cherish her, she might leave, another replied.

Chen Che felt a deep sense of powerlessness. He was afraid of rejection, afraid of hearing her say that the other person was better—that he was romantic and spoke her language. After all, we’re in a fake marriage. Everything is fake.

He suddenly stood up. “Song Mingyue, can we talk?”

“Oh? What do you want to talk about? Go ahead,” she said, hiding the secret joy in her heart.

“I think… many young people nowadays are unreliable. Especially those still in university. They might have read a few books, but before they have a job, it’s hard to judge their true character…”

As he droned on, Mingyue asked innocently, “Why are you telling me this?”

“I just… I don’t want you to be deceived,” he explained.

How boring, Mingyue thought. She had tried to bait him, but he refused to admit he was jealous. She didn’t want to hear his lectures. She snapped back coldly: “Don’t worry. I know who I’m friends with. Even if I am deceived, it has nothing to do with you.”

She stood up in a huff, went into her room, and slammed the wooden door shut.

Inside, she paced. Is this blockhead really that hard to crack? Am I imagining things? Does he really have no feelings for me? No. His behavior just now proved he was bothered. Ultimately, it came down to him not liking her enough; only then would a person waver like this.

Chen Che stood at her door, finally gathering the courage to knock. “Mingyue, I want to have a proper talk with you.”

Mingyue opened the door, a smile still blooming like a flower. She held a palm-leaf fan, her almond eyes looking enchanting yet innocent. “Chen Che, what do you actually want to say? Stop hesitating and show some manliness.”

“I heard about what happened today.”

Mingyue deliberately played dumb. “What happened? Don’t be vague, I don’t understand.”

“Mingyue, if… would you be willing to give me a chance?”

She stepped closer to him, a seductive smile on her lips. “If what? Speak up, I can’t hear you.”

Just as the atmosphere turned tender and lingering, a voice shouted from the courtyard. Wang Bing was standing outside. “Commander! Director Wang says the conditions over S County will be right for testing tomorrow night. There’s a storm coming tonight; we have to leave right now!”

The journey to S County was long, and with poor roads and bad weather, they couldn’t afford to waste a second. The romantic tension vanished instantly. Chen Che rushed back to his small room, grabbing his books and a professional tool Mingyue didn’t recognize.

Before leaving, he turned back, his eyes burning as he looked at her. “Wait for me to come back.”

Those words were heavy with unspoken emotion.

Mingyue couldn’t say no. She knew how important his work was. She hadn’t decided whether to accept or reject him yet. She knew he was doing something great, and as a friend, she supported him unconditionally. But as a partner… she wasn’t that “great.” She was an ordinary person who just wanted a good life.

She had simply, accidentally, fallen for someone who wasn’t ordinary.

Later that evening, Zhao Xing stopped by Mingyue’s house, surprised to see the electronic keyboard. “When did you get this?”

“What are you doing here?” Mingyue asked, her voice dripping with annoyance.

“Song Mingyue, don’t look at me like I owe you something! I waited for you at the Art Troupe all day. You broke your word.”

“You know exactly what you did,” Mingyue countered. “I have no grudge against you, yet you gossip about me behind my back.”

“What? When did I spread rumors about you?!”

Seeing Mingyue’s look of disgust, Zhao Xing seemed to realize something and raced home. She confronted her mother, who admitted she had “told a few truths” about the university student. Zhao Xing, who considered herself a modern, cultured woman, was furious at her mother’s gossiping.

She went back to Mingyue’s house to apologize. “My mother misunderstood. I’ll make her explain it to everyone tomorrow. It won’t affect your life.”

“He’s not even home. Does it matter if it affects me?” Mingyue muttered.

Zhao Xing, noticing Chen Che was gone, tried to make conversation. “Where is Commander Chen? Is he angry?”

“He’s away on business. I accept your apology. You can go now.”

Seeing Mingyue’s foul mood, Zhao Xing felt guilty. She decided to share a secret to make amends. “Song Mingyue, don’t be mad. I’ll tell you a secret… You know Wang Mo, the guy I practice with? I… I actually like him.”

She was shy and her voice was tiny. “He even walked me home just now.”

Mingyue wasn’t surprised. She had seen the way Zhao Xing looked at him, though it was clear Wang Mo kept his distance. Zhao Xing continued, “I know the gap between us is large. His parents are disabled, he has no official standing in the troupe, and no steady income. We probably won’t have a future.”

Mingyue finally saw a redeeming quality in Zhao Xing: her clear-headedness about reality.

That night, Song Mingyue found herself unable to sleep. It was her first night alone in the house. She thought about what Zhao Xing said—that a gap in status meant no future even if there was love.

Did she and Chen Che have a large gap? She knew that being with him meant shouldering a lot of responsibility.

Unable to rest, she got up, turned on the lights, and walked into Chen Che’s small room. Though they lived together, she rarely entered his space.

The room was clean and orderly. His quilt was folded into a perfect square. On his desk was a row of books. He needed to constantly absorb knowledge for his line of work.

She noticed he was reading How the Steel Was Tempered. She had thought he only read dry technical manuals. She picked up the book, and as the cover opened, a photo fell out.

It was the photo she had taken at the studio. It hadn’t been that long, but the photo looked slightly worn, as if it had been handled often.

On the back of the photo, a few words were written.