Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Jin Jin, are you there?"

Su Linjin closed the book on the table, put it away in the cabinet, and then rose to open the door.

As the door swung open, a chill seeped in through the crack. She held the door, asking, "What is it?"

Jiang Yue pulled a bag from behind him and held it out to her. "Jin Jin, this is for you. See if you like it?"

Su Linjin observed his eager expression, musing, *This guy’s mother spends all day gossiping about me in the alley, and now he’s playing the good guy?*

Jiang Yue proudly opened the bag. "I remember you saying as a child that you’d never played with an ice top. So, I had our factory’s tooling department make one—it has a steel tip, guaranteed not to break no matter how much you spin it. Also, yesterday I hosted some foreign guests, and the master chef at Yanbinlou said this is something foreigners love to eat. It’s called ice… ice cream. Sweet, rich with milk. I managed to get an extra one for you to try."

Seeing her stunned expression, Jiang Yue felt a touch of smugness. These items weren’t expensive, but they showed thoughtfulness. And indeed, she looked surprised.

He had been doing some soul-searching lately.

Unlike his parents, who hoped he’d marry Su Linjin for the sake of the courtyard, he had genuinely developed feelings for her.

But at some point, when he started thinking no other girl on the street was as beautiful as Su Linjin, being accused of poaching someone else’s girl no longer seemed like such a big deal.

He was eager to make a move, especially with Jiang Wang absent.

He couldn’t quite understand what was happening to him.

But before he could fully grasp it, he had already commissioned the steel top and eagerly bought the ice cream.

Su Linjin listened to him, her mind swirling with questions. *Is Jiang Yue… out of his mind?*

Sending a top, sending ice cream—these were the exact moves he used when pursuing the female lead in the original story!

"I’m off tomorrow. I’ll come over and teach you how to spin the top." Jiang Yue left the items and turned to go, not even answering when Zhang Ma asked if he’d be coming for dinner.

"Wait!" Su Linjin chased after him and handed the items back. "Our Jiang Wang can hit a bullseye from a hundred paces and fight bare-handed—do you really think his top-spinning skills would be worse than yours? You should keep it for yourself!"

With that, she turned and walked away decisively, leaving him with a graceful exit.

Back in the east wing, the more she thought about it, the more preposterous it seemed.

Judging by Jiang Yue’s peacock-like display, she could guess his sordid intentions—he must think he’s so charming he can try to steal her away? *What a complete lunatic!*

At that moment, she desperately wanted to flash her marriage certificate and declare, "Go cool off somewhere else—I’m already married!"

Not just that, but with a fitting BGM: *I’ll never have anything to do with you in this lifetime… ha!*

Just imagining it made her blood race, filling her with anticipation and longing.

The very next day after this thought, Jiang Wang returned with a marriage report officially stamped by the military.

At the time, she was sitting cross-legged in an armchair, frowning over a math problem, when a sudden, urgent knocking sounded at the door.

Opening it, she saw Jiang Wang holding a suitcase, his chest heaving, white plumes of breath escaping his nostrils.

Su Linjin looked up and met his deep, dark eyes. It was an indescribable feeling, as if he had traveled a very, very long way to finally reach this point.

Su Linjin: "You’re back?"

Jiang Wang: "Let’s go."

He set down the suitcase, unzipped the top compartment, and pulled out a document folder.

Su Linjin: "Where are we going?"

She glanced at the snowflakes on his shoulder and added, "It’s so cold. Where are we going?"

Jiang Wang: "To the Civil Affairs Bureau. To get married."

Su Linjin was astonished. "But… do we have all our documents? We haven’t even taken photos yet…"

Jiang Wang’s voice was slightly hurried: "I’ve confirmed everything. The marriage application has been stamped by the military. The documents from your neighborhood committee can substitute for employment records, and we have the police station’s proof, your household register, and mine. As for photos…" He pressed his lips together, his dark eyes intensely serious. "This year’s marriage certificates don’t require photos. If you like, we can go to a photo studio after we get the certificate."

He said it all in one breath, giving her no chance to interject.

Even though she had fantasized just the day before about the satisfaction of having a marriage certificate to cut off any possibility with that scumbag, now that the moment had arrived, Su Linjin felt a little nervous.

Getting married for the first time in two lifetimes—it turns out, people still get flustered.

"Shouldn’t we tell Grandpa?" She looked toward the main house as if seeking rescue.

Jiang Wang had already reached out and taken her wrist. "No need. Grandpa’s napping."

Though he held her hand, the touch was through her sleeve, so it didn’t feel abrupt.

He led her, pushing open the courtyard gate, and walked out.

A jeep was parked at the entrance. Xiao Sun, through the car window, called out "Sister-in-law!"

Her heart suddenly pounded rapidly and fiercely, her legs feeling weak at the sound of the car’s engine. "Um, shouldn’t we ask Zhang Ma to check for an auspicious date? And, I keep thinking, isn’t there another way to help me get household registration? As for you applying for housing…"

She wasn’t sure if she was saying these words for his benefit or her own.

"We soldiers of the people don’t consult almanacs for marriage. Every day is a good day." Jiang Wang helped her into the car, closed the door, and told Xiao Sun, "To the Civil Affairs Bureau on Wupailou Street."

A quick press of the accelerator, and they arrived in just over ten minutes. When they got out, Jiang Wang was still holding her hand.

Jiang Wang’s fingers were cold, but his palm was warm, the warmth powerfully radiating through her sweater to her wrist.

He led her, braving the heavy snowfall, and pushed open the doors of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

The service counters were clearly laid out: one side for divorce, the other for marriage.

Jiang Wang led her toward the marriage counter.

Because he was a military officer, they were given priority.

Like on the train, though his face was stern, he usually deferred to others and didn’t exploit military privileges. But today, he smiled at the people they bypassed: "Thank you. We came in a hurry and didn’t have time to prepare traditional wedding sweets, so we’ll use chocolates instead."

With that, he actually pulled out several foil-wrapped chocolate coins from his uniform pocket, handing them to the clerk and even sharing some with the couple they had skipped ahead of.

*He… could actually make polite small talk?*

"Of course, congratulations on your marriage." The clerk examined their documents, noticeably pausing at the age column for Su Linjin.

As if knowing what the other person was thinking, Jiang Wang repeated the explanation he had given to the Hujiang neighborhood office, adding a few embellishments: "My work is special. Some assignments can take several years, and I can’t afford delays. Our unit has already conducted a political review on this—the documents include a report and approval for early marriage."

The clerk looked, confirmed it, and then smiled: "Indeed, a bride this young is quite rare. Alright then, as the great man said, we must analyze specific situations specifically, and we all have that awareness."

Su Linjin’s heart was pounding so fast that she barely heard what else Jiang Wang said to the clerk, or what questions were asked.

She only saw the other person raise a stamp and, with a smile, firmly stamp twice onto a certificate with a bright red cover, adorned with a golden national emblem and large red "Double Happiness" characters in the center.

The sound made her heart leap.

Then she glimpsed the back of the certificate, where the words "Marriage Certificate" were written.

"Come, bride and groom, please press your fingerprints here," the staff member pushed an ink pad forward.

Jiang Wang had already pressed his finger onto the ink pad. Seeing her hesitate, he pressed his own, then reached out to help her—not only that, but he meticulously ensured her fingerprint was fully and clearly imprinted!

"Alright, you two are done!" The staff member verified everything and handed over the marriage certificate.

Jiang Wang thanked them, took the marriage certificate with both hands, examined it repeatedly, blew on the ink to dry it, and then carefully put it away.

By the time they stepped out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, the snow was falling even heavier.

Gray clouds hung low over the treetops, and pure white snowflakes swirled thickly, blurring the world into a soft haze.

Su Linjin, chilled by the cold wind, finally came to her senses: She was married. She was married!

She took a deep breath and murmured to herself, "Do people get arrested for sham marriages?"

Jiang Wang stopped in his tracks, pulled something from his uniform pocket, and handed it to her. "Here."

Su Linjin opened it—it was a bankbook bearing an official red stamp!

Jiang Wang lowered his gaze to look at her, watching as snowflakes settled on her shoulders and eyelashes, fluttering in a particularly captivating way. He said patiently, "We are legal, and it makes perfect sense."