Zhao Jingxiang's gaze fell on Ling Huanwu. Seeing that she hesitated to speak but ultimately did not say anything in rebuttal, he knew that he had made the right move.

Thinking of how he had planned for a whole year and finally achieved his wish to marry her, he smiled from the inside out for the first time.

Unexpectedly, he heard a group of aunties behind him discussing the appearances of Zhou Jiuzhen and Commander Zhao. His smile faded, and he quietly clenched his fist at his side.

Fortunately, Zhou Jiuzhen had been bedridden for a whole year, and his complexion and face were very different from before, so Zhao Tingguo didn't notice this when he looked at Zhou Jiuzhen on the bed.

A group of people rushed out of the house and went to Xu Amei's husband's house, which was not far from the family compound, to award her the second-class military medal.

After doing these things.

Surrounded by a group of people, Zhao Tingguo looked at Ling Huanwu again. Everyone knew that now that the official business was over, the commander was going to take care of his personal matters.

Before he could even speak, Song Yaoyao and Zhou Shuyao, who were already quite anxious, jumped out to stop him.

"Commander, although I am only an adopted daughter of the Ling family, I am already registered in the Zhao family's household. It is only right that I should marry Brother Zhao!"

Song Yaoyao jumped out, her eyes full of anxiety.

She certainly wouldn't say that Ling Huanwu and Zhou Jiuzhen were already in a romantic relationship, because she wasn't much better off than Ling Huanwu.

Feeling she had no chance of winning against Ling Huanwu, she pointed at Ling Huanwu and blurted out their secret, "Commander, you don't know, Ling Huanwu took a special secret medicine made by the Ling family to maintain her figure, and now she can't have children. If Brother Zhao marries her, then your family line will be cut off!"

Upon hearing this, Ling's parents chimed in, "Yes, yes, Commander! Our Yao Yao is fertile, and she'll have triplets in her entire life. As the saying goes, marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers, so we agree to let Yao Yao have this marriage..."

The three of them chatted away, completely oblivious to the awkward expressions of those around them.

Is having a baby something you can talk about in public?

Commander Zhao coughed awkwardly, his fist pressed against his lips. "But the name on our marriage certificate for Er Gou is Ling Daniu. Whoever is listed on it must be her. Our Zhao family has always been a family of honor!"

Two sentences left Song Yaoyao and Ling's parents speechless, as they were still harboring wicked intentions.

Zhou Shuyao felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground.

"Ling Daniu!"

Isn't that Ling Huanwu's nickname?

In his previous life, after learning that Ling Huanwu's nickname was Da Niu, he often teased her about it.

Unexpectedly, in this second life, he cried so much that his older brother fainted, and then Zhao Jingxiang suddenly appeared and tried to steal his wife from him, making him furious.

Zhao Tingguo rarely showed a smile to Ling Huanwu, "Your name is Ling Huanwu, right? I remember you. I was the one who presented you with the award when you won the title of Youngest Entrepreneur. I hope you can return to the city with Jingxiang. Your talent cannot be buried here!"

In an instant, the villagers watching all around turned their reluctant gazes to Ling Huanwu.

In particular, Lin Xiaoqin's eyes immediately reddened when she heard that she was leaving.

Ling Huanwu looked around at the simple and honest villagers of Stone Village.

They all knew that she and Zhou Jiuzhen had dated and even lived together.

In an era when a woman's lack of chastity would lead to her being drowned in spittle, not a single person stood up to expose her or call her a slut.

They viewed her with the same care and concern as parents, brothers, and sisters, hoping that she wouldn't be trapped by a person in a vegetative state and would go out and live her own life.

But how could she possibly abandon them and leave?

In a few months, this small island, which is still recovering from the disaster, will once again be hit by a storm surge that is rare in a century.

She can't leave!

Even without space, she wanted to help everyone get out of their predicament.

Ling Huanwu looked at Commander Zhao, who exuded an air of authority and righteousness, and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your praise, Commander! May I say a few words?"

“Everyone thinks that because I’m a capitalist’s daughter, I can’t speak my mind! My family used to own a factory, but I know that no matter how fast the machines run, there needs to be food to feed the people who operate them; no matter how tall a building is built, there needs to be land to support its foundation!”

Her voice carried its usual arrogance as she surveyed the surrounding villagers, but her words were like steel nails driven into the ground: "Smelting steel in the city is for the country, but growing grain in the countryside isn't? My grandfather set up the factory to make the country strong, and now I'm here in the countryside tilling the land, which is also a contribution to the country!"

“Since the storm surge last year, we can no longer grow crops on Wantan Island, and we can no longer raise seafood on the mudflats. For the past year, all the villagers on our island have been living in fear every day. We can’t get enough to eat or sleep, and we are worried about when the next storm surge will come!”

"If you all trust me, I, Ling Huanwu, am willing to stay in Stone Village and prove to you that we islanders don't necessarily have to rely on the sea for our livelihood! We can also support ourselves and overcome storm surges!"

As soon as she finished speaking, someone couldn't hold back and started clapping. The applause then erupted, even more enthusiastic than her voice.

Lin Xiaoqin wiped away her tears, stepped forward and hugged her tightly. The aunties who had been through thick and thin with her at the farm all gathered around with red eyes, and they all hugged each other tightly.

Zhao Jingxiang stared blankly at the woman surrounded in the middle, his heart feeling as if it had been struck by lightning, a mixture of discomfort, suffocation, and tingling.

He understood that Ling Huanwu hadn't publicly rejected him because of his father's status.

But her words just now were tantamount to righteously delaying her engagement with him, which was also tantamount to rejecting him.

Zhao Tingguo was also greatly shocked by this scene, and his eyes showed a hint of appreciation.

Song Yaoyao and Ling's parents were already furious.

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