Chapter 71 Ten Thousand Gold Coin Ring

Chapter 71: The Ten-Thousand-Yuan Ring

This paper and this ring came far too late.

Gu Zhen thought this as he took the marriage registration form from the official.

At fourteen, Zhu Shinian joined the Gu family’s personal guard unit, becoming Gu Zhen’s personal guard, and for six years, he served with distinction and without fault.

In the most dangerous incident, an injured Zhu Shinian was in a coma in the hospital for nearly a week.

At eighteen, Zhu Shinian became Gu Zhen’s lover and adjutant, was at his beck and call.

At nineteen, Zhu Shinian went to the Federation’s capital, Augustus, on a mission for Gu Zhen, spending nearly a year and a half working tirelessly under high-risk, high-pressure conditions in a foreign land.

After being exposed, he was urgently recalled on a rainy day; his flight was delayed, and he missed the victory banquet organized by the military for them.

Zhu Shinian had left in such a hurry that he took no luggage—only a ring he had bought in Augustus.

During that time, that affordable luxury brand was quite popular in Augustus, with a rule that an alpha could only custom-order one in a lifetime, and even then, it required a lottery and a long queue to buy.

Gu Zhen privately thought the brand’s marketing strategy was stupid, but it became trendy among young couples; countless young Empire couples made special trips to the Federation just to buy that ring.

Before boarding the plane, Zhu Shinian called Gu Zhen and casually mentioned stopping by a shop and buying him a ring.

Gu Zhen said, “Great, bring it tomorrow. I’ll wear it at the banquet.”

So Zhu Shinian, straight off the plane, braved the rain and rushed to the banquet hall. When Gu Zhen saw him, his eyelashes and hair were wet, but the shopping bag with the ring was completely dry.

He was in civilian clothes from his evacuation, his face and clothes soaked, looking out of place in the banquet hall full of elegantly dressed guests.

Huo Yuncheng happened to be standing beside Gu Zhen. Having once served as the head of the military academy’s disciplinary committee, he likely recognized Zhu Shinian. With a mocking smile, he said to Zhu Shinian, “You’re such a fool, coming all this way in the rain. Does Major General Gu really need a ten-thousand-yuan ring? Do you think this cheap ring goes with his watch and suit?”

Gu Zhen couldn’t quite remember Zhu Shinian’s expression. He seemed to be looking down, his gaze quietly resting on Gu Zhen’s watch, cufflinks, tie clip, and suit.

Gu Zhen gave a cold glance at that friend who was talking nonsense, then told Zhu Shinian he really liked it and sent a servant to take him to dry his hair and clothes so he wouldn’t catch a cold.

But why hadn’t he put on the ring right away? Gu Zhen had also forgotten—maybe someone came to talk to him, or someone offered a toast.

By the time he remembered to wear the ring and find Zhu Shinian, a servant told him that Lieutenant Colonel Zhu said he was tired and had gone home first.

Gu Zhen felt a pang of regret, always remembering how Zhu Shinian looked that day with rain-damp hair and eyelashes.

For Gu Zhen, the marriage registration form was just a piece of useless paper.

Just like the ring Zhu Shinian had queued up to buy, believing an alpha could only order one in a lifetime, but in reality, with a bit more money, you could pay someone to get another.

His father had many such papers—some with high-born omegas from noble families, others with a young starlet.

And, of course, one was with Gu Zhen’s omega father.

But unfortunately, due to excessive indulgence in his youth, Gu Zhen’s alpha father’s sperm quality was poor, and he only had Gu Zhen as a child.

Later, he took up gambling, was disowned by his grandfather, and had to live off his trust fund.

Gu Zhen’s omega father was a Federation violinist. After giving birth to Gu Zhen, he took a large sum of money from the Gu family and returned to the Federation; Gu Zhen never saw him again.

Gu Zhen had almost no memory of him. Occasionally, the housekeeper would come across news about him and show it to Gu Zhen, who only saw him on TV or in news reports.

He was indeed elegant and beautiful, his violin playing was melodious and beautiful, showing no sign of having given birth to such a grown child.

Meeting Gu Zhen’s father and giving birth to Gu Zhen was probably a shameful act from his young and naive days, something he found humiliating.

He didn’t seem to lack money either; the violin he often performed with was valuable enough to buy a house in a less desirable area of the capital.

That paper called a marriage registration form couldn’t protect anyone and meant nothing at all.

As for being a symbol of love, that was even more ridiculous.

No one knew better than Gu Zhen how married nobles partied and fooled around outside.

Marriage only restrains those with morals, and those with morals would be faithful to their partners and responsible to their families even without marriage.

What about a disloyal person? Would they suddenly be possessed overnight by some ghost of kindness and responsibility, turning into a perfect, devoted alpha?

As long as he treated Zhu Shinian well, as long as his heart only held Zhu Shinian, what difference did getting married make?

That’s why he had gotten engaged to the Jiang family for personal gain.

Jiang Huaiyan was an excellent choice—smart, prioritizing interests and avoiding mutual ruin, and with a fake identity that gave Gu Zhen leverage over him, allowing Gu Zhen to use him.

...But Gu Zhen was wrong, and he knew that now.

What he deemed unimportant was crucial to Zhu Shinian.

Zhu Shinian cared a lot.

Zhu Shinian was heartbroken.

But he realized it far too late.

If he had gotten engaged to Zhu Shinian a year ago, regardless of why Zhu Shinian had defected, Gu Zhen would have known the reason and what he could do.

If he had gotten engaged to Zhu Shinian even earlier, telling everyone he would marry him when he turned twenty-two, Zhu Shinian might not have suffered so much.

But it seemed there were no such “ifs,” and he couldn’t make things right.

All he could do was take back an expired marriage registration form that no longer meant anything to Zhu Shinian.

And... let him go.

The wilderness stretched endlessly, its edge merging with the deep blue sky.

At the horizon’s edge, a helicopter with civilian markings circled overhead, descending as it approached.

But a closer look revealed the narrow fuselage and exposed weapon mounts where weapons had been removed—this was clearly a rebel military helicopter.

The helicopter’s hum grew louder as it drew near.

“Niannian, you’re free,” Gu Zhen said. “The rebels have come to pick you up.”

Zhu Shinian looked stunned, like a bird whose tail feathers had been clipped, now held in a hand and released out a window, unsure how to fly.

But Zhu Shinian wasn’t a bird with clipped feathers.

He couldn’t let go of the rebel zone or its people, nor would he be content to remain in someone’s grasp forever.

If it were his life versus his ideals, the rebel zone, and the family and friends there, Zhu Shinian might hesitate, might struggle to decide.

But now, Gu Zhen didn’t want to humiliate himself. “You’re free,” he repeated.

The rotors were still spinning slowly as the helicopter gradually descended. Several people dressed in civilian clothes but looked unmistakably like military men stepped out.

Zhu Shinian got out of the car. Gu Zhen didn't roll down the window to say goodbye to him, and he truly never looked back as he walked toward the helicopter.

For no reason at all, Gu Zhen thought of a rabbit he had raised before.

It was originally game that a cousin had caught while hunting to eat, but it was too small. Gu Zhen wanted to raise it, and since no one in the family would defy the young master, they let him keep it.

That rabbit had never been a pet. As it grew bigger and bigger, Grandfather grew more and more displeased with it.

A wild rabbit was really not an elegant pet that could flaunt one's status.

The kind-hearted butler feared that one day the rabbit would really be cooked and eaten, so on the weekend he took Gu Zhen into the mountains and set the rabbit free.

That rabbit, just like Zhu Shinian now, was so happy to have regained its freedom. It hopped and skipped into the mountains, never once looking back at Gu Zhen even once.

Slowly, slowly, it turned into a grayish-white dot.

But it seemed that it was always humans who wanted to confine the rabbits that ran and jumped freely in the mountains and forests.

Why would the rabbit feel attached?

Those who came to pick him up hugged Zhu Shinian warmly and familiarly; some even shed tears of excitement, as if it was they who had escaped death.

Gu Zhen recognized Fu Cheng and Jiang Huaiyan. The former was still exuding his silly air, making the latter seem like the male lead of an idol drama with his beloved.

He didn't know the rest of them.

Fu Cheng was designated by Gu Zhen. Fu Cheng had followed Zhu Shinian from the Empire to the Resistance Zone, so he should truly have no ulterior motives toward Zhu Shinian.

Zhu Shinian seemed to have many important people in the Resistance Army.

He was a little... jealous.

He was so jealous.

As the cabin door was about to close, Zhu Shinian stopped and looked back toward the off-road vehicle.

It was just a very quick glance, so fast it seemed like Gu Zhen's illusion.

On February 19, 764 of the Empire, the Resistance Army raided the Imperial Thirteenth Sector Fortress, forcing the Imperial Northern Front troops to withdraw for defense.

.......

Later investigation confirmed that the raiding squad numbered no more than five hundred people.

After pinning down nearly ten thousand Imperial Northern Front troops who were returning to defend from the Southern Front, they left almost unscathed, with only twelve men wounded or captured.

Eleven captured ordinary soldiers and low-ranking officers safely returned to the Resistance Zone during the prisoner exchange in early March.

One captured senior officer was verified to be a former Imperial military senior officer who had defected. The Empire had originally planned to make a big issue out of him and negotiate for greater benefits with the Resistance Army, but what came instead was news that he had escaped prison a second time.

Major General Gu Zhen of the Military Department announced that he would take full responsibility for this matter.

In complete contrast to the Empire, this surprise attack was without doubt a great victory for the Resistance Army, defeating a larger force with a smaller one.

After discussion, the high command of the Resistance Army commended Major General Zhu Shinian for his heroic actions in raiding the fortress and promoted him to Lieutenant General.

As for his behavior of exploiting a loophole in the Resistance Army's rules and taking unauthorized risks by going off on his own, since it did not violate regulations, Governor Tao Jun, despite being very angry, only gave him a demerit and ordered him to write a two-thousand-word self-critique.

After Zhu Shinian's return, something else happened that gave Governor Tao Jun quite a headache.

He discovered that his chosen successor, Zhu Shinian, seemed to have become an omega after returning from the Empire.

Author's Note: