Axolotl Translations

The rest of the dormitory finally approached Qiao Haoyu, surrounding him with amused expressions and wasting no time in teasing.

“Haoyu, I never would’ve guessed—you’re already declaring eternal loyalty to a fiancée you haven’t even introduced to us yet!”

“Man, Liu Jiaojiao practically revolves around you, and she’s pretty cute too. What kind of goddess are you saving yourself for, huh?”

“Haha, did you see Zhang Yifeng’s face just now? He was so mad, he looked like he was going to explode!”

Zeng Guoqiang stepped forward, clearly annoyed, and said, “As if we don’t know what’s going on. Zhang Yifeng likes Liu Jiaojiao himself, doesn’t he? He’s just using Haoyu as an excuse. If he’s into her, he should have the guts to pursue her properly!” Then, turning to Qiao Haoyu, he added with a suspicious tone,

“By the way, Haoyu, since when do you have a fiancée? How come we’ve never heard about this before? Don’t tell me you just made it up to deal with Zhang Yifeng.”

“If that’s true, Haoyu’s really unlucky. Thanks to Zhang Yifeng and Liu Jiaojiao, now you’ve had to announce you’re taken. The girls at school are going to be heartbroken!”

“Exactly! You didn’t need to go that far. What if this rumor spreads and people actually think you’re taken? It could really mess things up when you actually want to date someone in the future.”

“That’s right. Just ignore Liu Jiaojiao, but whatever you do, don’t let this turn into a bigger problem that ends up backfiring on you.”

Qiao Haoyu listened to them go on and on, their words becoming increasingly ridiculous. He could only shake his head in exasperation.

“What nonsense are you all talking about? I do have a fiancée.”

“No way! How come you’ve never mentioned this before? We’ve been classmates for three years, and we’ve never seen you send or receive a single letter!” Zeng Guoqiang said, astonished.

“Yeah, seriously. How did this fiancée suddenly pop out of nowhere?” The others chimed in, equally surprised.

“Why would I lie to you? My fiancée is still young, and we’ve been engaged since childhood. Our parents were war comrades and close friends, so they arranged the engagement when we were little.”

“My mom has always treated her like her own daughter—better than she treats me, honestly.”

To put an end to any future troubles involving people like Wu Jiaojiao or Liu Jiaojiao, Qiao Haoyu decided to lay it all out.

“So that’s why you’ve never paid attention to any of the female comrades around here. You’ve had someone waiting for you all along!”

“Right, and it’s even a childhood sweetheart!”

“Do you have a picture, Haoyu? Show us! What does she do? Someone as exceptional as you must have a fiancée who’s just as impressive.”

Everyone started bombarding Qiao Haoyu with questions, their curiosity insatiable. They were dying to know what kind of girl could match their school’s most outstanding student.

“Should we spread the news that Haoyu already has a fiancée?” someone asked.

“No need for us to say anything. Zhang Yifeng’s probably already out there blabbing to everyone like a loudspeaker.”

“He’s always been jealous of Haoyu. I bet he’s thrilled that Haoyu has a fiancée—that way, Liu Jiaojiao won’t have any options left, and he can swoop in and pursue her.”

“Exactly. Only someone like him could put up with Liu Jiaojiao’s spoiled attitude. Sure, she’s pretty, but with that arrogance of hers, it’s no wonder Haoyu isn’t interested. I’d keep my distance, too,” Zeng Guoqiang said, shaking his head as though recalling an unpleasant experience.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” another person chimed in, a mysterious look on his face. “Liu Jiaojiao’s father is the director of the Political Department at our school. Do you think she’d be so full of herself if she didn’t have that kind of background? It’s the only reason she has the guts to chase Haoyu all over the campus.”

“Really? So Zhang Yifeng is only going along with her because of that?”

“Of course! Zhang Yifeng may seem quiet, but he’s clever. If he manages to win over Liu Jiaojiao, his future will be smooth sailing. The school leaders here are connected to comrades all over the country. No matter what unit he gets assigned to, he’ll have someone looking out for him.”

“But there’s no need for that. We’re proper college graduates. No matter where we’re assigned, we’ll be high-ranking officers in the military. Why would he lower himself to rely on someone like Liu Jiaojiao? With her personality, that kind of life doesn’t sound appealing at all.”

While the others continued debating Zhang Yifeng and Liu Jiaojiao’s situation, Qiao Haoyu stayed quiet and didn’t join in.

Everyone sees things differently. Zhang Yifeng’s admission to the military academy was proof of his competence. But his constant attempts to provoke Qiao Haoyu revealed a narrow-mindedness and an excessive ambition that made him unsuitable for close trust.

Qiao Haoyu would never feel comfortable entrusting his safety—or anything else—to someone like Zhang Yifeng.

Revealing Wei Jiajia’s existence wasn’t just about telling the truth—it was a way to stop the female classmates who were constantly finding excuses to approach him.

He understood that his own circumstances were attractive enough to garner attention from some women. He didn’t blame them for wanting to form a connection, but that was based on them not knowing he was already engaged.

That said, it depended on the person. Some women, those with a sense of morality and a certain level of pride, would back off once he firmly turned them down.

But people like Liu Jiaojiao were a different story. He had turned her down in public several times, but it hadn’t made the slightest difference. Even after telling her about his fiancée, she still wouldn’t stop.

She was the kind of person who only listened to what she wanted to hear, disregarding anything else. Even if he didn’t have a fiancée, he wouldn’t spare her a second glance.

That’s why he had to eliminate the problem from its source. As long as Zhang Yifeng knew he had a fiancée, the news would spread across the entire academy within a day.

Even if Liu Jiaojiao didn’t care, Commissar Liu wouldn’t let his daughter behave recklessly at school and ruin her reputation.

Thinking about his little fiancée gave Qiao Haoyu a bit of a headache.

He’d only seen her a few times when he was thirteen or fourteen, and she’d been just eight or nine years old back then. From what he remembered, she was a very pretty, quiet child who didn’t talk much and was a bit shy. Whenever she saw him, she would hide behind Huimin, looking a little scared.

At that age, he hadn’t been particularly interested in playing with little kids either. To him, she was like a younger sister. Even now, she was only sixteen—still just a child. To expect him to have romantic feelings for her was absurd; he wasn’t that kind of person.

Deep down, what he truly longed for was a natural, mutual love—a relationship that developed freely and willingly.

Though he hadn’t met anyone he liked yet, and he maintained his distance from other women because of his engagement, he still believed in the idea of a steady partnership.

Since his mother liked the girl so much, he figured that if they did end up getting married in the future, he could focus on his duties at the front without worrying about the stability of their home. If they became husband and wife, he would fulfill his responsibilities as a husband.

But at the end of the day, the girl was far too young to understand much about life or relationships.

If, over the next few years, she found someone she loved, he would wholeheartedly give her his blessing. He’d also convince his family to annul their engagement. After all, his family cared for her deeply and would want her to pursue her happiness above all else.

While Qiao Haoyu was lost in thought about his upcoming trip to Shencheng, Wei Jiajia had already arrived at school, preparing to fill out her college applications.

As soon as Wei Jiajia and Zhang Huimin stepped into the homeroom teacher’s office, they noticed it was bustling with activity. Several classmates were already there, including Wang Weiguo, Zhao Ting, and her usual group of followers.

The teacher’s face lit up when he saw Wei Jiajia. “Ah, Wei Jiajia! Come in! How do you feel about your exam results? Have you decided which school you want to apply to?” As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Zhang Huimin, who stood beside her.

“And what about you? Are you planning to go to college? How about I help you estimate your score and pick a school?”

Zhang Huimin quickly shook her head and waved him off. “Mr. Li, please, don’t joke. You know my grades as well as I do. I’ll be more than happy just getting my high school diploma. I’ve never liked studying. I plan to join a military performance troupe and become a singer. College? That’s Jiajia’s goal, not mine.”

Zhang Huimin was there solely to support Jiajia as she completed her application. She, on the other hand, already had her future figured out. In two weeks, the military would come to Shencheng to recruit new soldiers. She’d sign up then, go through basic training, and eventually be assigned to an art troupe within the army.

Zhang Huimin’s almost exaggerated aversion made Mr. Li chuckle helplessly. “Joining a military art troupe is a great path, too. No matter where you work, it’s all about serving the people.”

He then turned his attention to Wei Jiajia, a student he had always held in high regard.

Nervously, Wei Jiajia stepped forward and shared her preferred schools and major with Mr. Li.

Mr. Li carefully helped her fill out her application and reminded everyone to wait for further news at home. Once the admission notices arrived, the school would notify them to come and collect them.

He also mentioned that in a week, they would need to school to collect their graduation certificates. It would be the last time the class would gather before everyone went their separate ways.

After leaving the office, Wei Jiajia and Zhang Huimin were making their way toward the bike shed when someone called out to her.

“Wei Jiajia, wait a second!” Wang Weiguoshouted, jogging toward them.

“Wei Jiajia, we just finished submitting our applications too. Since we’re all free until the admission letters arrive, we’re planning to go watch a movie together. Why don’t you and Zhang Huimin join us?”

As Wang Weiguo extended the invitation, Wei Jiajia noticed Zhao Ting standing behind him, her face clouded with displeasure. Clearly, Zhao Ting hadn’t expected Wang Weiguo to invite her right in front of everyone.

Although Zhao Ting didn’t explicitly refuse, her piercing glare at Wei Jiajia made her feelings abundantly clear.

Her little entourage, however, wasn’t as reserved. Noticing Zhao Ting’s dark expression, they eagerly stepped in to defend her.

“Wang Weiguo, the movie we’re watching today is The Butterfly Lovers, and is a private screening. The tickets aren’t available to the public.”

“Exactly! Even if they wanted to come with us, they wouldn’t be able to get into the theater.”

Hearing this, Wang Weiguo finally remembered that the movie they were going to watch wasn’t open to the general public. The tickets had been privately distributed.

In fact, their group had only managed to secure tickets because Zhao Ting’s uncle worked at the theater and had pulled some strings for them.

But having already extended the invitation, Wang Weiguo now found himself in an awkward position. Backtracking would make him lose face in front of everyone, and his pride wouldn’t allow that.

Standing there, he couldn’t ignore the subtle changes in Zhang Huimin and Wei Jiajia’s expressions. Their eyes seemed to be sizing him up, as if they were reevaluating him.

Desperate for a way out, Wang Weiguo glanced over at Zhao Ting, silently hoping she would step in to resolve the situation.

After all, snce her uncle worked at the theater, adding two more tickets shouldn’t be an issue.

But, oddly enough, Zhao Ting seemed completely unaware of his silent pleas for help.

The atmosphere became slightly awkward. Wei Jiajia almost couldn’t help laughing but managed to hold back, while Zhang Huimin, struggling to suppress her laughter, turned bright red.

“No thanks. I’m heading home with Huimin—our families are waiting for us,” said Wei Jiajia, smiling politely.

“Yes, yes! We won’t go to the movies with you. Those tickets are so precious—it’s best you enjoy them yourselves,” Zhang Huimin added, not bothering to glance at anyone’s expressions before grabbing Wei Jiajia’s hand and heading toward the bike rack.

As soon as they left the school, Zhang Huimin broke out into uncontrollable laughter.

She laughed so hard she nearly cried, especially when she thought about the constipated expressions on the faces of the other girls who always picked on Jiajia.

Meanwhile, Wang Weiguo’s face was a stormy mix of frustration and humiliation.

He felt as though he had completely lost face today. Just recalling Zhang Huimin’s smirk as she walked away made his chest tighten with anger.

Without saying a word to Zhao Ting, he stormed off in the opposite direction.

“Hey, Weiguo, wait for me!” Zhao Ting quickly ran after him, leaving the rest of the group standing there, exchanging awkward glances.

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