Volume One, Chapter Four: I Wish to Devote Myself to the Nation

“Reason.”

What?

Shen Zhiyi didn’t react immediately.

Perhaps her confusion was too obvious in her eyes, so Song Huaichuan, who was looking down at her, repeated his question once more:

“Why me?”

Shen Zhiyi finally caught on—her male idol was asking why she had chosen him as a partner.

But the problem was, she didn’t really know the answer either. This was a mission assigned by the system; she only wanted to benefit from him.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Zhiyi tilted her head and said:

“Maybe… because you’re handsome?”

On a summer street beneath the lush branches of an ancient tree,

A youthful and beautiful girl knelt on the ground, clutching a man’s thigh persistently. Perhaps she had just been crying, as her eyes were still slightly red.

The man she was holding stood tall and slender, as upright as a pine tree.

He lowered his head and silently stared at the girl by his side, his deep eyes unreadable in emotion.

A breeze stirred, lifting the hems of their clothes.

Having received no response for so long, Shen Zhiyi felt her neck growing sore from looking up.

“Um…”

She spoke weakly, lacking confidence.

“If you feel uncomfortable… we could just pretend to be dating for now… you know, I was just dumped; my ex-fiancé’s family looks down on me with pride and disdain… I just want to prove something…”

“We can spend some time together. During this period, you can freely use me as a shield, and when I need you, you have to cooperate and spend time with me… After two months, if you don’t have any feelings for me, I promise I won’t bother you!”

As for what happens after two months, that could wait.

For now, she needed to solve the immediate problem.

“Or… we could just date without getting married. What do you think… is that okay?”

She cautiously tested the waters.

After all, given her physical condition,

With Song Huaichuan’s qualifications, she was already reaching beyond her status.

It was natural for him to look down on her.

But Shen Zhiyi felt she had lowered herself enough.

A beauty as blooming and flawless as her, and the other party only needed to date her without any responsibility—what more could he want?

She had just underestimated his moral bottom line.

Even though Shen Zhiyi stepped back repeatedly, she was still rejected.

“Sorry.”

A cold voice sounded from above her head. “I’m very busy. Forgive me, but I cannot play this child’s game with you.”

With that, he reached out and began to pry open her hands, which were tightly clutching his thigh.

The moment their fingertips touched, Shen Zhiyi burst into tears.

Song Huaichuan hesitated for a moment but continued to separate her fingers one by one.

Nearby, Shen Zhigao couldn’t stand it any longer.

He angrily rushed over and pulled Shen Zhiyi up from the ground.

“Sis, get up!”

Shen Zhigao was genuinely furious.

Partly because of Shen Zhiyi’s despair, and partly because of Song Huaichuan’s ungrateful attitude.

In Shen Zhigao’s eyes, although his sister was physically weak, she was perfect in every other way; there was no man in the world she couldn’t match.

Yet now, despite his sister’s humble plea, the other party remained aloof.

And he even rejected her!

Angry, Shen Zhigao tightened his grip.

“It’s just a man! Three-legged toads are hard to find, but are there not plenty of two-legged men?”

“It’s just a marriage deal; who’s blind and deaf is not you! We don’t need him!”

His sister could live her whole life unmarried if she wanted—he could support her!

Under Shen Zhigao’s tugging, Shen Zhiyi reluctantly loosened her grip on Song Huaichuan’s hand.

“No!”

She was losing her points extractor!

Throughout, Song Huaichuan stood motionless, not even shifting his stance.

After Shen Zhiyi was pulled away, he maintained his previous posture, seemingly lost in thought.

Wang Tieniu walked over, scratching his head.

“Boss, you really rejected that girl just now?”

…

Elsewhere,

Shen Zhigao, who had dragged Shen Zhiyi away, had calmed down.

“Sis, I’m sorry. It was older brother’s fault.”

When he first received the letter of broken engagement from the family in Jing City, he shouldn’t have believed his sister when she said she was fine.

How could she be fine? The other party ended the engagement with such a grand excuse.

Girls were sensitive and delicate; she might have thought she was a burden.

Thinking this, Shen Zhigao’s eyes welled up.

“Sis, you don’t have to feel like you’re a burden to us brothers. You will never be.”

Their sister was young and already a teacher at the commune middle school—a coveted job many would kill for.

Even without her brothers, her salary was more than enough to support herself!

In fact, they brothers were the ones taking advantage.

“Sis, with us around, if you want to marry, we’ll find someone; if not, we’ll stay home. No one says a girl must get married. Though I’m not very capable, I won’t fail to protect my own sister. If worse comes to worst, your eldest and third brothers are here.”

Their eldest brother’s care for their sister was no less than Shen Zhigao’s.

As for the unmarried third brother? Shen Zhigao didn’t even consider him.

Because in this family, the one who doted on their little sister most was none other than the third brother—he guarded her as if she were his own eye.

He always put her first; whoever she chose in the future would have to accept her as she was.

Shen Zhiyi nodded, “Thank you, second brother. I know all that.”

She could tell whether her family’s feelings were genuine or not.

Seeing that she had come to terms with it, Shen Zhigao felt some relief.

He patted her shoulder again.

“Don’t worry. No matter what you want to do, your brothers will support you… By the way, do you have any plans right now?”

Originally walking beside him, Shen Zhiyi suddenly stopped.

She turned toward the ripened rice fields nearby.

The green sea of rice swayed in waves.

The wind carried her words into Shen Zhigao’s ears—

“Brother, I want to dedicate myself to the country.”

Before the system appeared, she only thought about how to live her life quietly, without troubling her family.

But now, the system had emerged.

Born beneath the national flag, raised in the spring breeze, the shining five stars were her faith.

Before, if there was no way or knowledge, it was one thing; but now, with a convenient path laid before her, how could she not be tempted, how could she willingly give up?

Blessed to live in a prosperous era, one must live up to it.

With the youth of our generation, we shall defend the China of our youth.

With our bodies, we shall support the flourishing nation.

Shen Zhiyi withdrew her distant gaze and looked at the person beside her.

“Sorry, brother, for embarrassing you just now.”

Shen Zhigao snapped out of his daze and reached out to ruffle her hair.

“It’s okay. Our little Yi will always be second brother’s pride and will never make me lose face. Whatever you want to do, go ahead. Your brother will always be your backing!”

Actually, Shen Zhigao didn’t take Shen Zhiyi’s lofty ambitions seriously, thinking them merely the fancies of a young girl that would fade with time.

More than anything, he worried about her sadness over the broken engagement.

After returning home, he gathered the family for a small meeting.

Meanwhile,

Shen Zhiyi was clutching the system panel, tears of joy streaming down her face.

This was huge—after more than half a month, she had finally redeemed enough points for a small voice recorder, with some points left over!

Recalling the grand promises the system had painted for her, she curiously browsed the points required to learn how to manufacture fighter jets, rockets, and the like.

When she saw the long string of zeros, her vision went black.