Chapter 942: Take Again

“Hao Shuwen, what’s so joyful? You’re beaming! And Suizi too—haven’t seen you in just a few days, but you look much better.”

Several days had passed since Wang Yan’s face graced the newspaper’s front page, and Lin Dingding had long wanted to contact Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi; today, she finally reached them. The moment they met, she noticed the odd tension between them.

Seeing Hao Shuwen at a loss for words, Xiao Suizi knew it was due to Lin Dingding’s presence and smiled: “My improved complexion is just your imagination—nothing but time apart. But Hao Shuwen really does have good news—she’s getting married. How could she not be happy?”

“Married? So suddenly? To whom?”

Lin Dingding’s heart clenched—she’d already guessed the answer, yet clung to hope, blurting out three questions in a row.

“Not sudden at all. After all these years, who else could it be?”

“Wang Yan?”

“Who else?” Hao Shuwen beamed brightly. “The date’s set—October 4th, at the Beijing Hotel. Nothing grand, just a meal with family and friends. You’ve got to come.”

“And Suizi…” Lin Dingding stared at Xiao Suizi’s cheerful face, utterly confused.

She knew both Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi had loved Wang Yan—but now Xiao Suizi was smiling as she announced Hao Shuwen’s engagement to him, and Lin Dingding couldn’t make sense of it.

“Why are you staring at me? Of course I’m happy for Hao Shuwen and Wang Yan.” Xiao Suizi shifted the topic to Lin Dingding. “Aren’t you getting married too? Back in the Cultural Troupe, half the men chased you. Now you’re in college—surely someone’s pursued you. Haven’t you found anyone you like?”

“None of them really impressed me…”

Lin Dingding was, of course, highly sought after. She listed four or five men, criticizing each one’s flaws.

After this tirade, she asked, “Hey, Hao Shuwen, if you’re marrying Wang Yan, won’t he need a transfer? He’s got such big achievements—his photo’s all over the papers. He can’t stay in the Cultural Troupe anymore, right?”

“Yes, his affiliation’s been moved to the General Staff, to the Equipment Department. But he’ll still be in Beijing for over a year. He’s a writer, and after fighting in the war, he wants to write more books—he’s going to tour the combat units to gather material. He planned to leave right away, but now that we’ve set the wedding date, the distance between north and south is too great—round trips take ten days or more—so he’ll wait until after we’re married.”

“So he’s not busy all the time? Call him over for dinner—we’re old friends. You’re not still holding a grudge, are you? I swear, me and Wang Yan are just friends, nothing more.”

“Don’t be silly—I’m not holding a grudge. He’s genuinely busy.”

Hao Shuwen shook her head with amusement. “I don’t know how equipment research works, but he clearly understands it well—he’s working with researchers. Also, during the war, he was acting company commander, and all the soldiers under him were transferred to Beijing. The officers assigned him to train them—I don’t know the details, it’s classified—but he spends half his day at the barracks, and when he comes home, he’s still writing and sketching. He truly has no time.”

Lin Dingding nodded understandingly: “So if you marry Wang Yan, you’ll be alone most of the time. Even after he settles in Beijing, he’ll still be too busy. You’ve got it hard.”

“But that’s just how it is. If a man’s capable, he’s rarely around. If he’s not capable, he’s always there—and that’s annoying too. Life’s never easy.”

Xiao Suizi laughed. “Nothing’s perfect—you have to give up something to gain something. Enough with the melancholy. Let’s go eat, then take a walk.”

Three beautiful girls in trendy clothes strolled down the street, laughing and chatting—unaware they’d stirred the heart of some passing young man lost in romance…

As Hao Shuwen had said, after she and Xiao Suizi had talked things through and made peace with themselves, they’d resolved their emotional entanglement and brought it to a close. So Wang Yan and Hao Shuwen’s October wedding was unplanned. Thus, Wang Yan stayed in Beijing, waiting to marry Hao Shuwen before heading south for performances and gathering material, while Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi continued their studies.

This arrangement was acceptable—three months was enough time to lay a solid foundation for the Special Forces, after which training could proceed systematically.

Though only a little over half a month had passed, the Special Forces had already grown. They now needed a kitchen unit for meals, and teachers for cultural lessons.

Current cultural courses include political ideology, psychology, languages, camouflage, explosives, intelligence gathering, tactics, battlefield first aid, biological identification—over a dozen subjects. Many of these are taught by specially invited experts.

Wang Yan also teaches—he covers tactics, kidnapping, assassination, and other combat-oriented subjects, which count as cultural courses. Occasionally he teaches political ideology—he’s an expert in it.

For practical training—physical fitness, hand-to-hand combat, weapons drills, driving, swimming—specialized skills like driving require instructors. So they’ve brought in personnel to teach automobile, tank, armored vehicle driving, and small mortar use, along with coordinate systems.

Wang Yan also recruited biologists and students to conduct targeted nutritional research.

Meanwhile, Wang Yan compiled textbooks on physical fitness, hand-to-hand combat, weapons drills, tactics, and intelligence. He passed on his own rapid-killing martial techniques and organized a new dagger combat system.

At the Equipment Department, besides sniper rifles, he proposed needs to other research teams and military factories: bulletproof vests, combat boots, special forces uniforms and gear belts—everything from quick-dry, sweat-wicking fabric to cold-weather insulation, tactical bulletproof helmets with integrated small radios, infrared imaging, night vision, and new multi-functional daggers.

All these are gear the Special Forces will need. He’s setting clear goals so everyone knows where to aim. Many items aren’t technically difficult—the hard part is just having the idea.

Take combat boots: comfortable, breathable, secure, with strong grip for running and jumping. They’re not that hard to make—even with today’s materials, they can meet many needs, far better than the current Liberation Shoes.

Other special gear—like Wang Yan’s old leg-mounted holster, chest holster, ammo belts, and grenade belts—require no technology, only smart design.

Most importantly, proper personnel recruitment. Wang Yan has submitted a report to his superiors: hold a major competition within the Beijing Military Region to select the strongest individual soldiers for the Special Forces, expanding the unit and refining its structure.

But approval hasn’t come yet. He must wait until this first batch shows some promise. Wang Yan is confident—he’s already submitted the report; once they get a chance to compete, everyone will see.

With the wedding settled, Wang Yan’s life changed little. Perhaps feeling guilty toward Xiao Suizi, he visited the house occasionally to eat with her—still, Xiao Suizi spent more time with Wang Yan, always in the evenings.

By day, Wang Yan was either at the barracks or the Equipment Department. Sometimes he’d wake in the middle of the night for an emergency muster. Otherwise, he did paperwork, wrote textbooks, and kept writing his book. Thanks to his current stability, “Youth on the Plateau” was progressing quickly—he’d finish it before the wedding.

By July, Xiao Suizi came home to stay. Since Wang Yan had accompanied her to visit her family, she hadn’t shown up again, so she returned to see her parents—and also because of those few days each month. Hao Shuwen planned to wait until the wedding night to sleep with Wang Yan, refusing to visit him alone at night—she feared things might go too far.

So today, for once, Wang Yan was alone. After a research meeting at the Equipment Department, he didn’t return to the barracks but ate dinner outside and went straight to the Beihai residence.

He’d just parked when Lin Dingding stepped out from the shadows—a girl in a floral dress, her hair in a high ponytail.

Wang Yan got out of the car: “Huh? How’d you find this place?”

Though he asked, he already knew. Lin Dingding had simply followed Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi, secretly discovering the location.

True enough, Lin Dingding was candid: “Last month, I followed Xiao Suizi here. I waited outside until past nine, but she never left.”

“Young lady, don’t wander around at night—it’s dangerous.”

“Won’t you invite me in for a while?”

“Come in.” Wang Yan didn’t refuse. He pulled out his keys, unlocked the gate, and led her inside.

“This house is huge—aren’t you afraid living here alone?”

After inspecting the place, Lin Dingding entered the study and sat across from Wang Yan, who was boiling water for tea. “You’ve been on the battlefield, earned great merit. The papers say you killed three hundred and sixty-five men—you must be fearless, unafraid of anything.”

Wang Yan smiled faintly, saying nothing, just placing tea leaves in a cup and swirling them rapidly.

“You’re marrying Hao Shuwen?”

“October 4th.”

“You haven’t cut ties with Xiao Suizi? Don’t lie to me—I saw her come in myself.”

Wang Yan smiled but said nothing.

Lin Dingding asked, “What about me?”

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know.”

She shook her head. “Do they know?”

Seeing Wang Yan silent, she spoke for herself: “They must know. How did you…?”

“Don’t be so curious. Before you came, you should’ve weighed things, prepared yourself mentally. You should’ve already decided your final goal. What do you want? What are you going to do?”

This Wang Yan felt alien to Lin Dingding. He’d once been so shy—why was he now so cold? She thought it must be because he’d slept with Xiao Suizi—and Hao Shuwen—and had lost interest in her.

Tears welled in her eyes. She leaned forward and hugged him tightly. “Don’t treat me like this. You weren’t always like this.”

Wang Yan acted decisively—he pulled her onto his lap and stroked her. “Have you decided?”

Lin Dingding didn’t resist. Her breathing quickened. She murmured, “Will you treat me well? Like you treat them?”

As Wang Yan had said, she’d already made up her mind before coming. But now, as the moment arrived, a crushing sense of insecurity flooded her.

She couldn’t recall why she’d pursued Wang Yan in the first place—was it his growing excellence, or her fear of being inferior to Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi?

Wang Yan’s excellence was undeniable. In the Cultural Troupe, he was the best. After leaving, for a long time, Lin Dingding believed there were better men outside—better ones in college.

But she realized she was wrong. Whether the men introduced by her relatives in Shanghai, the suitors at university, or the famous figures she knew—all paled beside Wang Yan.

His books sold nationwide, loved by all ages. His songs were sung from north to south. Even now, strangers hummed his tunes on the street. Even his humble storytelling earned him widespread admiration among soldiers. He volunteered for combat, fought fiercely on the battlefield, killed countless enemies, and became a nationally renowned hero, recognized by countless officers.

At some point—perhaps from those one or two long-distance calls a year, or the letters she sent anonymously as “Ding Lin,” the telegrams she dispatched—she realized she simply couldn’t let him go. Wang Yan—or possessing him—had become an obsession.

She didn’t understand why she clung to him so desperately…

Wang Yan understood—it was simply because he, Wang Mou, was so outstanding. Lin Dingding, who’d originally set out to toy with him, had unknowingly fallen, convinced herself it was real, and now couldn’t escape.

His hand reached for her breast: “If you stay quiet, don’t cause trouble, things will be fine.”

“Wang Yan, you weren’t like this before.”

“Looks like we need to get to know each other again.”

Undoubtedly, this new understanding was deep and thorough—a fusion of bodies and souls, a wonderful experience.

Though Lin Dingding had no experience, she gave her all, ignoring discomfort. Perhaps she was using the pain and pleasure of her body to vent her emotions.

Finally, the intense battle ended. Wang Yan, ever skilled, cleaned up. Leaning against the headboard, he looked relaxed, cheeks flushed, forehead glistening with sweat. Lin Dingding, hair damp and clinging to her brow, ignored the heat and clung tightly to him.

“Now I realize—I came to you willingly.” After the passion faded, Lin Dingding looked back, her voice hoarse from earlier frenzy.

“Back in the Cultural Troupe, you gave the canned goods you brought back from performances to them. On days off, you bought meat and cooked them red-braised pork. After coming to Beijing, you took them to Friendship Store to shop, even met their parents. But me? I got nothing. And now I’ve been taken advantage of.”

Wang Yan understood her intent perfectly. “I bought houses for both of them. I’ll buy one for you too. And I’ll give you money—tickets, foreign exchange coupons—whatever you want to buy. I still have some funds.”

“I’m not asking you for money~” Lin Dingding’s voice was wounded.

“Of course—I’m offering it. I can’t always be by your side, so money is all I can give you.”

“What if… they find out?”

“Dingding, I know you’re a smart woman. There’s no need to ruin this harmony.”

“Oh, I’m doing this willingly—I’d never hurt you. It’d ruin your future, wouldn’t it? Don’t you think I know the stakes?”

Lin Dingding rubbed against Wang Yan, sharply sensing his displeasure. Her fleeting sense of security vanished instantly.

She changed the subject: “Did you know? Many in our university want to go abroad. They say it’s wonderful there. I looked into it… What about you? You wouldn’t want to leave, right? You’re so ideologically sound. But with your talent, you’d do even better overseas.”

“If the country’s bad, we fix it—make it better. That’s what we should do. Of course, everyone has their own choices. Some want to leave China and assimilate into Europe or America; others want to study advanced technology and return to build the nation. I respect all choices.”

“But life abroad isn’t easy. I’ve heard many go there and start by washing dishes, barely earning enough to eat. Juggling studies on top of that? Hard. If they fail, they’ll blame the country for letting them down. Do you want to go abroad?”

“Just idle chatter. My grades are average—I won’t get a government scholarship. Self-funded? I can’t afford it. And if I went, I’d be washing dishes—I’m not used to hard labor. Unless I marry a Chinese overseas—solve my status and my future at once.”

Wang Yan chuckled softly and lit a cigarette.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand—I was just talking. If I wanted that, why would I be with you?” She rubbed against him, less reserved than Xiao Suizi—uninhibited, having broken through one barrier, she relaxed further.

“I don’t misunderstand. As I said before, everyone chooses their own path. I respect your choice. I believe a marriage certificate doesn’t truly bind a man and woman. Just like I’m marrying Hao Shuwen, yet I’m with you… Clearly, I’ve betrayed Hao Shuwen, and I’ve wronged Xiao Suizi. I’m already an unfaithful man. How can I demand more from you, given our relationship?”

“So now you’ve got me, and you want to kick me out? Listen, Wang Yan—I’m not leaving. I’m sticking to you.” Lin Dingding rubbed harder…

She was a clever woman—her wit was all focused on Wang Yan. She kept testing him, trying to stir his emotions, aiming to shift her status, and over time, gain control over him.

Undoubtedly, if this continued, Wang Yan would be ruined—utterly destroyed. Because then, Lin Dingding would demand even more.

But unfortunately, she’d met Wang Yan.

Then again, if Wang Yan could be manipulated by Lin Dingding, how would they have reached this point?

Precisely because he couldn’t be controlled—from teasing, to her own emotional surrender, to now… this.

Wang Yan chuckled: “How are you going to cling?”

“Of course like this,” Lin Dingding said, still smiling seductively despite lingering discomfort, her leg brushing against him.

“You lit the fire—you’re responsible for putting it out.”

“I really can’t anymore~”

Wang Yan chuckled and pressed her head down…