Chapter 257: She Likes Him
Chapter 257: Chapter 257: She Likes Him
"Xie Huaizheng!" Shu Xue couldn’t help but cry out as she looked at the man before her.
She felt so flustered she could hear her own heart pounding.
’He’s so handsome,’ she thought. ’Much more handsome than any man I’ve ever seen, and so masculine.’
’This is the man my grandfather arranged for me to marry. It’s just a shame someone else beat me to it.’
At this thought, Shu Xue’s mood soured.
’He was supposed to be mine.’
Xie Huaizheng walked up to Shu Xue and called out, "Shu Xue?"
Shu Xue nodded.
’So it really is her.’
Xie Huaizheng looked at the girl before him. She was about Su Zhaozhao’s age, but she seemed more immature.
"It’s nice to meet you. You should know who I am, right? I’m the one you were supposed to marry, but you ended up with another woman."
Hearing Shu Xue’s disrespect toward Su Zhaozhao, Xie Huaizheng couldn’t help but frown.
"I’m sorry, but I’m already married, and I love my wife very much."
"No, you can’t! I’m the one you were supposed to marry! Xie Huaizheng, how could you do this?" Shu Xue was practically apoplectic.
’How could he? How could he choose another woman?’
’But we were the ones who were engaged! So he made a mistake and married the wrong person. Why can’t he just end that mistake?’
Xie Huaizheng’s brow furrowed, and a cold, hostile aura radiated from him. The sheer force of his anger was so palpable that even Shu Xue belatedly sensed it, and she couldn’t help but take two steps back.
Xiao Yuanming, trailing behind Xie Huaizheng, scented juicy gossip in the air.
’Oh my god, what the hell is going on?’ he thought. ’My sister-in-law isn’t the only one? There was another fiancée?’
’What’s with our Battalion Commander? Is he engaged to a bunch of women?’
But Xiao Yuanming was still on Su Zhaozhao’s side. First impressions were everything, and besides, Su Zhaozhao was very good to him, always sharing her tasty snacks.
No matter what, he was going to keep an eye on Brother Zheng and make sure he didn’t do anything foolish.
"Shu Xue, I’ll buy you a ticket home. You should go back. It’s not safe for a young woman to be here alone."
Xie Huaizheng was not a gentle person by nature. When faced with another woman’s affections, he felt it was imperative to handle the situation cleanly and decisively, leaving no room for her to harbor any delusions. To do otherwise would be a sign of disrespect.
Shu Xue’s eyes reddened, and tears welled up. "Xie Huaizheng, what are you trying to say? Are you saying you like that impostor? I don’t care! Our engagement was the legitimate one! You’re supposed to marry *me*."
People were coming and going, and the eyes of many soldiers were drawn to them. Xie Huaizheng paid them no mind. He was so exasperated that he let out a short, humorless laugh.
"I just love her. Even if you had shown up sooner, I probably still would have fallen for her. Shu Xue, go home."
"That’s impossible, Xie Huaizheng! You only like her because she was pretending to be me in the beginning! If she hadn’t had my identity back then, you wouldn’t have given her a second thought!"
Shu Xue’s voice trembled, and her whole body shook.
But to Xie Huaizheng, none of that mattered anymore.
He was endlessly thankful that he had met Su Zhaozhao. If it had been Shu Xue, he probably wouldn’t have fallen for her.
He was so glad that Su Zhaozhao had been the one to show up by mistake, because he had been the one to fall for her first.
"Shu Xue, no matter what, I’m already married. There’s no possibility of anything between us. You’re my grandfather’s comrade’s granddaughter, so I can treat you like a little sister."
"I don’t want to be your little sister!" Shu Xue cried, her brow furrowing at his words. "Xie Huaizheng, you were supposed to be my fiancé!"
At first, Shu Xue had only come to meet Xie Huaizheng out of curiosity, to see what the fiancé who had been stolen from her before they’d even met looked like.
But after seeing how handsome Xie Huaizheng was, her attitude shifted completely.
’Originally, this man was mine!’
She was a university student now, exposed to liberal, open-minded ideas. She felt there was nothing shameful about pursuing her own happiness.
Xie Huaizheng was married, yes, but if he were willing to get a divorce and be with her, Shu Xue wouldn’t mind one bit.
She would fight for her own happiness, regardless of what anyone else thought.
As more and more people started to gossip, Xiao Yuanming couldn’t help but remind Xie Huaizheng, "Battalion Commander, it might not be the best idea to have this conversation right at the main gate."
Xie Huaizheng’s thin lips pressed into a line. He asked Shu Xue, "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. I came looking for you as soon as I got off the bus. And I have to say, after waiting so long, I’m absolutely starving."
"Xiao Yuanming, take her to get something to eat," Xie Huaizheng said, turning to him.
Xiao Yuanming had just been enjoying the drama, not expecting to be dragged into it by Xie Huaizheng.
"Brother Zheng, is that really a good idea?"
’This is Brother Zheng’s fiancée? Well, his former fiancée,’ he thought. ’This is weird, but I know Brother Zheng isn’t the type to play around. There must be some kind of misunderstanding.’
"No! I want to eat with you, Xie Huaizheng!" Shu Xue shouted.
Then, she shot a glare at Xiao Yuanming.
Xiao Yuanming, on the receiving end of this random glare, couldn’t help but scratch his head. ’Hey, I didn’t do anything. Why’s she glaring at me like that?’
Xie Huaizheng shot her a look. "We’re not close. You’re just the granddaughter of my grandfather’s comrade. Fundamentally, there’s no relationship between us. If you refuse to leave now, then whatever happens is your own problem."
His tone grew cold, taking on the same sharp edge he used when reprimanding his own men.
His stern, harsh demeanor made Shu Xue’s eyes well up with tears of indignation.
"Don’t cry. I’m not going to comfort you. I’m leaving," Xie Huaizheng said. With a wave of his hand, he strode away.
He had never been one to be gentle with women. He had been harsh with Su Zhaozhao plenty of times in the past. It was only after he fell in love with her that he began to cherish her completely.
But that tenderness was reserved for Su Zhaozhao alone.
No other woman would receive the same treatment from him.
Shu Xue watched Xie Huaizheng’s retreating figure, then turned her gaze to Xiao Yuanming.
Xiao Yuanming scratched his head, feeling a major headache coming on. But for the sake of his sister-in-law and Brother Zheng’s happiness, he’d just have to take one for the team.
"Miss, come on. I’ll take you to our mess hall. The chef’s food is fantastic, and they’ve got some local specialties. I guarantee you’ll love it."
"I don’t want to!" Shu Xue snapped before turning on her heel and running after Xie Huaizheng.
’Hmph! After all the trouble I went through to get here, he thinks he can just send me away? Not a chance!’
She had a naturally rebellious streak—the more someone told her not to do something, the more determined she was to do it.
’So Xie Huaizheng doesn’t want me to follow him? Well, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I have to see what this woman who stole my place actually looks like!’