1 Chapter 1: The Encounter

It was at her Grandfather's birthday banquet when Li Yuhuan first met Lei Hanping. 

Like any other celebrations the Li Family hosted, the birthday banquet was a big affair. Friends and family were all invited, though there were more elderly who attended. There were many guests in the front hall. Since Li Yuhuan didn't like crowds, she hid in the backyard. It just happened to be snowing the day before, so Li Yuhuan crouched in the snow and built a snowman.

When the snowman had just taken shape, she heard her brother, Li Chen's loud voice coming from outside the courtyard, "Fourth Brother1, you can park your car here!" 

Then, Li Chen entered the backyard through the gate, dressed in a suit. When he noticed Li Yuhuan squatting in the snow, he patted the snow off her head and said with a smile, "Don't you think you're a little old to be playing in the snow?"

"Who said old women can't make a snowman?" Li Yuhuan glanced at Li Chen. In her brother's presence, she lost the typical reserved and silent demeanor she displayed around strangers, "Not only can this old woman make a snowman, but she can also have snowball fights," She grabbed a handful of snowballs and threw them at Li Chen.

Li Chen knew that Li Yuhuan was actually a very mischievous person underneath her dignified and polite facade. As soon as he saw her raise her hand, he ducked down, dodging the snowball that whizzed above his head, consequently striking Lei Hanping, who had just walked through the gate moments earlier. 

The military uniform the man wore gave Lei Hanping a courageous and heroic look. He stood close to 1.9 meters tall2 and had a crew cut. With his outstanding form, long legs, and slender waist, he would look good in any attire he wore. The freezing snowball slid down his collarbone when it hit his neck.

"You little... You're so reckless! Now hurry and apologize to Fourth Brother," Li Chen promptly dragged her forward to apologize.

Lei Hanping was one of the most attractive guys Li Yuhuan had ever seen, both in terms of his physique and aura, and she had seen many gorgeous men abroad before. Unfortunately, he was a serious and rigid soldier.

Li Yuhuan collected herself and apologetically said, "I'm sorry for accidentally hitting you, Fourth Brother," 

During his time in the army, Lei Hanping had heard Li Chen talk about his sister quite a lot. He told him that she had been studying abroad and had a wild personality. Seeing her in person today… That description was entirely accurate.

Li Yuhuan couldn't hide in the backyard anymore since Li Chen had arrived back home, and as soon as she entered the front hall, she was pulled by her mother to meet the many elderly guests and relatives. She succumbed to her fate. As a 25-year-old woman, she couldn't escape the most fatal, frequently asked questions: Do you have a boyfriend? I can introduce you to some if you don't already have one?

For the past few years, Li Yuhuan's mother, Liu Xi, worried that her daughter might bring a foreign son-in-law home from abroad. If that ever happened, not only would she and her husband be unable to converse with their daughter's spouse due to the language barrier, but also, due to the great distance, they wouldn't be able to see their daughter whenever they wanted to. So, as soon as Li Yuhuan returned home, Liu Xi rushed to find someone to introduce to her daughter.

Li Yuhuan was powerless against her mother's request, so she had no choice but to let her be. As she listened to the older guests' predicted questions, she kept an eye on the front hall. Lei Hanping, the guest her brother had brought home, appeared to be very popular. Li Qiao, her conceited aunt, rushed over just to talk to him.

Although she was Li Yuhuan's aunt, Li Qiao was a few years younger than her. In fact, her aunt was only two years younger and had just turned twenty-three this year.

Noticing her daughter's gaze, Liu Xi took the initiative to introduce her, "That is Lei Hanping, Uncle Lei3's youngest son from Xiang City Military Region. He is three years older than your brother and is still serving in the army all these years. But don't look down on his young age. He is already a general," When Liu Xi noticed that Li Yuhuan was still listening attentively to her, she asked, "What do you think of him?"

Li Yuhuan quickly waved her hand, knowing that her mother was attempting to act as her matchmaker again, "No, I'm not a fan of those serious, cold, and stiff soldiers. They're boring," As soon as she was done speaking, Li Chen began to cough pointedly beside her. Confused, Li Yuhuan raised her head, following Li Chen's line of sight, and her eyes met Lei Hanping's.

' … Did he hear what I just said?'

...

As the birthday banquet came to a close, the guests took their leave one after another, but Lei Hanping did not leave. Her aunt Li Qiao had no intention of leaving either as she continued to sit on the sofa and chatted with him. After observing them for some time, Li Yuhuan had the impression that the two of them would probably finish their conversation soon.

Li Yuhuan was abruptly beckoned by her father, Li Guowei, to come over to where Lei Hanping and her aunt were sitting, "Yuhuan, this is Hanping's first time at our house. You should show him around,"

'Why am I showing him around?' Li Yuhuan thought, 'Is father really that oblivious? Didn't he see the way her aunt is clinging onto him?'

Despite her confusion, Li Yuhuan still nodded her head obediently, "Yes, father," Right after she said this, she suddenly felt as though someone was staring at her. Lei Hanping's intrusive and oppressive gaze caught hers as she raised her head. Beside him, her aunt Li Qiao's angry and resentful glare bored metaphorical holes through her head.