"Come on, a toast to our sister!"

Wendy blushed and looked at Xavier as if seeking help.

Xavier immediately raised his hand to block the glass. "She’s too young to drink. I’ll take it for her."

The men laughed and watched him drain the glass, then turned their attention to Nancy.

"Sister-in-law, a toast to you! We're leaving our captain in your hands now!"

"Exactly! You have to drink! It's a double celebration; you can't refuse!"

Nancy couldn't decline and instinctively looked at Xavier.

Xavier leaned back in his chair, swirling his drink and giving her a playful look. "Go ahead, Nan. What’s there to fear if you get drunk? I’ll just carry you home."

Feeling a tightness in her chest, Nancy could only pick up the glass and swallow the drink in one gulp.

The men cheered and continued to toast her, one glass after another.

Soon, her stomach was churning. Unable to take any more, she stood up, muttered that she was going to the restroom, and slipped out of the room.

When she returned, the door wasn't fully closed, and the voices from inside drifted out clearly.

"Captain, you’re so protective of Wendy. Aren't you afraid your wife will get jealous and leave you?"

Nancy froze outside the door.

"Don't worry," Xavier’s voice came through, filled with his usual confidence and a hint of drunkenness. "She can't leave me. She waited fifty-three years for me in the last life—from eighteen until she was seventy-one. She died an old maid for my sake. In this life, a little sweet talk is all it takes to keep her happy."

The men erupted into laughter.

"What 'last life'? The Captain is truly wasted!"

"He’s got a point, though. Everyone in the compound knows Nancy has been following him around since they were kids."

Standing in the hallway, Nancy’s nails bit into her palms.

So, in his eyes, her fifty-three years of sacrifice were worth nothing more than "a little sweet talk."

He had never truly felt sorry for her.

The party broke up around eight.

Xavier parked a military-green motorcycle in front of the restaurant.

He patted the back seat and smiled at Nancy. "Hop on, Nan. I’ll take you for a ride."

The night wind carried away half of his voice, which was heavy with the laziness of alcohol.

Dizzy from the wine and wanting to avoid a scene, Nancy held onto the seat and climbed on.

The motorcycle sped through the dark streets, the streetlights retreating one by one.

Nancy leaned against his back in a daze, feeling a flash of nostalgia.

They used to be like this—her sitting behind him, arms around his waist, believing the safest place in the world was right there.

Her eyes were closed, and she didn't notice the motorcycle had taken a wrong turn.

When they arrived, Xavier killed the engine and lifted her off the bike.

It wasn't until she was laid onto a bed that Nancy snapped awake.

"Why did you bring me to your house?"

She tried to sit up, but Xavier was already leaning over her.

He braced one hand beside her ear while the other unbuttoned his uniform.

He cast aside his jacket, leaving only a faded green military shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

He looked down at her, his Adam's apple moving.

"Nan," he said, his voice low and raspy with the scent of alcohol. "I really do want to give you a child."

Nancy went rigid.

"At the dinner, you kept looking at me." Xavier reached out, his thumb lightly brushing her cheek. "I know you're anxious. You’re afraid this life will end up like the last one, aren't you?"

He leaned down, his forehead against hers, his breath hot.

"Don't be afraid. Once we have a child, you’ll have me tied down. No matter how much of a bastard I am, I would never abandon my own flesh and blood."

Nancy’s head throbbed.

She suddenly raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

Xavier froze. He looked into her eyes, and his heart suddenly wrenched.

He realized for the first time that the eyes once filled with adoration and hope now held nothing but cold disappointment and detachment.

Chapter 5

Nancy looked at Xavier's stunned face and let out a cold laugh.

"Xavier, you keep saying you want to be good to me. But have you ever thought about what people would say if I got pregnant before the wedding? How would I ever show my face again?"

Xavier held his cheek, startled for a moment before he smiled.

He thought her look of anger was only about that.

"That's easy." He sat up on the edge of the bed and reached for her hand. "We can't register the marriage yet because of the age limit, but we can have the banquet first. Will that satisfy you?"

Nancy pulled her hand back and remained silent.

"But... the banquet will have to wait until the day after tomorrow at noon." Xavier paused. "I have to see Wendy off to the army that morning first. Then we'll have ours."

Nancy stared at him.

In the past life, it was always like this.

Everything had to be settled for Wendy before it was her turn.

She should have refused.

But a thought suddenly occurred to her.

In the past life, he had made her wait for fifty-three years.

He had married, had children, and enjoyed a lifetime of glory and success.

And she had raised his parents and lived as his widow, never even receiving an apology at the end.

In this life, he thought a casual bit of "sweet talk" could just erase it all.

Nancy lowered her gaze, her voice very quiet. "Fine. We'll wait until after you see Wendy off."

Xavier’s eyes lit up. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"I knew my Nancy was the most understanding girl."

The next morning, Nancy changed her clothes and headed out.

They had agreed that Xavier would pick her up on his motorcycle to go to the department store.

She waited at the compound gate for ten minutes before hearing the roar of the engine.

Xavier turned the corner, but there was someone else on the back seat.

Wendy.

She was wearing a floral shirt, her hair in a ponytail, her hands lightly resting on Xavier’s waist.

Xavier stopped the bike and smiled. "Hop on, Nan. I passed the breakfast stand and wanted to buy you some soy milk, and I ran into Wendy. She said she needed to buy some essentials for the army today. Since it was on the way, I figured I'd bring her along."

Nancy stood still.

Wendy gave her a sweet, innocent smile. "Sister, I hope I’m not intruding? I’ll leave as soon as I get my things."

Nancy gave her a look, said nothing, and got on.

The three of them were squeezed onto the single motorcycle.

At the department store, Xavier and Wendy huddled together, picking out wedding supplies and laughing. Nancy followed behind, picking up nothing.

A sales clerk smiled at Wendy and said, "Miss, your fiancé is certainly generous."

Wendy blushed and cast a shy glance at Xavier.

Xavier was taken aback and was about to explain when Wendy suddenly clutched her stomach.

"Xavier, my stomach hurts so much..."

"Is your chronic pain acting up again?"

Xavier’s expression shifted instantly. He scooped Wendy up into his arms and turned toward the exit.

As he passed Nancy, he paused briefly, his voice hurried. "Nan, I’m taking Wendy to the hospital. Buy the rest of the things yourself. Just let me know how much it costs and I’ll pay you back later."

Nancy watched their retreating backs. She calmly placed the red wedding gown back on the counter and said to the clerk, "Refund everything."

After leaving the store, Nancy took the bus alone.

After transferring twice and walking for twenty minutes, she reached the area near the compound just as the sky was turning dark.

Suddenly, she heard faint footsteps behind her.

A large hand clamped over her mouth from behind, dragging her into a dark alleyway.

She struggled with all her might, but the man was too strong.

Just then, the sound of a motorcycle and Xavier’s voice came from the mouth of the alley.

"I thought I saw Nancy. Do you think she’s home already?"

Nancy’s body jolted, and she struggled even more violently.

The footsteps grew closer.

But at that moment, Wendy called out to him.

"Xavier, she took the bus. There's no way she could be back this fast."

"But I really thought I saw..."

Xavier hesitated. Before he could finish his sentence, Wendy stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his.

Nancy stared at them, screaming in her heart—

Xavier! Xavier... don't go! I'm here...

Xavier’s hands hovered for two seconds before he finally wrapped them around Wendy’s waist. They walked toward the compound, locked in an intimate embrace.