Chapter 379 - If You Don't Pass the Political Screening, I'll Just Strip off My Military
Chapter 379: If You Don’t Pass the Political Screening, I’ll Just Strip off My Military Uniform and Marry You
Shao Yibai chuckled when he heard that Yuan Xuan was about to get married so soon. “That little boy actually beat me to it in the end!”
Jiao Shuzhen glared at him and rebuked, “Don’t be rude. Yuan Xuan is older than you after all.”
Su Qingcheng had yet to meet Yuan Xuan, but she could deduce from his tone of voice that the two men were close.
Shao Yibai pondered for some time before a bright light flashed across his handsome face. “Father, mother, why don’t I get married at the same time as Yuan Xuan?”
Shao Jingshan and Jiao Shuzhen exchanged a glance while Su Qingcheng’s face reddened. Shao Yibai had actually brought up the topic of marriage on their first visit to his parents. Was he not being too hasty?
Jiao Shuzhen was upset by the proposition, but she would never say anything too bad in front of Su Qingcheng. She merely reproached him by saying, “You should already know that the military compound is so vast. Do you think that it’s a trifling matter for the Shao Family to welcome our daughter-in-law? The preparations for this event on their own will have to take a year!”
“Are you sure it’ll take that long?”
Well, Shao Yibai had clearly never gotten married before…
“Your father has his old subordinates, old comrades, and his previous instructors. Did you forget that we have to invite them beforehand? We also have to make preparations in advance for the banquet and the bridal photo shoot.” rambled Jiao Shuzhen.
Shao Jingshan who was sitting on one side voiced his disagreement with a wave of his large hand. “Our country is encouraging us to cut down on our expenses now. We must answer the call and go about everything in the simplest way possible.”
When Jiao Shuzhen thought about it, she realized that what he said make sense as well.
“Well, we must prepare at least the most basic of routines. Anyway, we have to wait for a while for Little Su’s information for the political screening to be approved, right? You have to do the premarital health checkup as well. We can’t leave these things out…”
Su Qingcheng glanced at Shao Yibai with her big glistening eyes. Only now did she realize that marrying this man was not as simple as she had imagined. His parents had agreed to it, but the country had to give their consent as well…
Shao Yibai sighed. “Xiaodai doesn’t have a registered permit!”
Su Qingcheng lowered her head when she saw how shocked Jiao Shuzhen had looked.
“Are you saying that Little Su is an unregistered resident? Does she even have an identity card?”
Shao Jingshan was a little surprised as well. Due to his position in the military, it would probably be risky if his son married a stateless and unregistered woman.
“There are five children in her family, but her parents had never registered her nor her siblings. I helped her obtain a temporary identity card because she needed one to be put on record for her studies.”
Shao Yibai only knew what Su Chingcheng had told him about her family.
Shao Jingshan and his wife exchanged a glance. They were in awe as they only had one child.
The Wei Family had three children due to special circumstances. Most of the other children in the military compound did not have any siblings, but the Su Family actually had five children…
Su Qingcheng instantly felt that her status made her seem terribly lowly. She tugged at the corners of her skirt and realized that she might had just been a little too optimistic earlier on.
Shao Yibai held her hand and consoled her. “If you don’t pass the political screening, I’ll still marry you even if I’ll have to chuck away my military uniform!”
Shao Jingshan was shocked when he heard those words leave Shao Yibai’s mouth. Shao Jingshan knew how much his son had loved this uniform.
Today, he was actually willing to boldly discard that uniform for the sake of a woman…
“Father, I know that you really wanted your influence to be passed on to me. That thought never left my mind as well,” said Shao Yibai with a smile.
“However, as a man, what kind of person would I be if I couldn’t even protect my own little family?
“There are many ways for a good man to protect his country. I’ve realized that I’ve contributed a lot to this nation by fighting in the special forces all these years. Once I’ve started my own family, I’d like to change to a profession that’s less dangerous.”
Jiao Shuzhen would definitely support Shao Yibai when he made decisions like this. “Thank heavens, you’ve finally sobered up. You carry guns and fight here and there every day to maintain the peace and to catch the criminals out there. I’m always worried about you and nearly frightened to death every time…”
Deep down, Su Qingcheng was aware that Shao Yibai was making a huge sacrifice by doing this. He was devoted to the military camp.
*
Shao Yibai sent her back to her apartment after they left the Shao household.
Both of them had made substantial progress in their relationship. Shao Yibai would never accept it if one were to ask him to experience the “bitter days” of the past again.
Although they could not make love every night, it would be enough for them to do it once when he returned every month. On the other hand, the policy allowed people in his position to bring family members with them. Thus, Shao Yibai turned to Su Qingcheng and asked, “Why don’t I take you to see Tian Qi when you’re doing your internship?”
Su Qingcheng was foolishly unaware of Shao Yibai’s actual intentions. It was true that she had not seen Tian Qi for a long time. Her heart was filled with joy at this idea.
Su Qingcheng moved out of the school’s dorms two months after her classes started.
As an outstanding student who was about to graduate, she was given a referral to do her internship at the police headquarters that was responsible for the area near her apartment. Every day, her life grew further away from a student and more inclined to be a part of the society.
When she left the vast and remote mountain area, she turned from a victim into someone who could help others. She was very excited and relieved at this transformation.
Before Shao Yibai could keep his promise to take her to the military camp to see Tian Qi, some bad news arrived instead.
Tian Qi had directed a violent attack on one of the captives while he was carrying out a mission.
This incident was not terribly severe, but it was not a small matter either.
The important point was that Tian Qi was more skilled at fighting than the average person. Moreover, he had no sense of proper limits. The prisoner was already sentenced to death, but Tian Qi continued to attack him. Several punches later, the man’s spleen had ruptured completely. If they had not rescued him in time, his insignificant life would have been lost.
The consequences for matters that involved grievous injuries were extremely dire. Unfortunately, someone had recorded a video of Tian Qi assaulting the man. This incident was spread around like wildfire the moment it was uploaded online.
The keyboard warriors and the gossipers took this incident out of context, and numerous articles that were intended to slander the military soon popped up online…
Their superiors immediately formed an internal investigative group in the army to investigate the incident.
If Tian Qi was proven to be guilty, he would be brought to trial in the military court.
Shao Yibai was so furious he jumped up in anger. He had single-handedly mentored this soldier. Furthermore, he had looked highly upon Tian Qi all this while because of his personal friendship with Su Qingcheng.
Tian Qi was a stubborn blockhead, but his heart was pure.
People like him were suitable to be in the army because they were loyal to their country. Once he left the army, he would be useless in society.
Both of them had suffered as children and had experienced what it was like on the brink of death. Su Qingcheng even regarded Tian Qi as her family.
Su Qingcheng became extremely anxious when she heard that Tian Qi was captured. She tearfully begged Shao Yibai to save Tian Qi.
Shao Yibai bribed the internal and external parties so that he could mediate between both sides. He managed to get Su Qingcheng to visit Tian Qi at the detention center with great difficulty.
Su Qingcheng was happy with the news. She prepared some food and followed Shao Yibai to the detention center.
However, this was not a happy place. Now that Tian Qi had removed his military uniform, he did not look as mighty as before. Sitting in the detention center, he was separated from them by several metal bars. Su Qingcheng saw that the young man was dressed in the standardized prison uniform, and he looked terribly upset.
“Tian Qi…” Su Qingcheng called his name in a small voice. She found this unbearable. “You’re an idiot. Why did you attack him?”
Tian Qi was much thinner now than he was before, and his sunken eye sockets were darkened. “Xiaodai, that man was a human trafficker. He had managed to escape from getting caught all this time. When he kidnapped the girls, he would… He would do horrible things to them first before selling them to South-East Asia…”
When Su Qingcheng heard this, she instantly understood why Tian Qi had attacked that man even after he was captured.
He had definitely witnessed those extremely brutal scenes when he was saving the hostages.
He still remembered the time when she was almost assaulted at the Yunnan-Burma Junction.
“Idiot. You’re really an idiot…” Su Qingcheng could not help but burst into tears. “What’s going to happen to you in the future?”