September 9, 1972. Haishi.
"Shengsheng, Irene Barlow's brother died saving me back then. No matter what, I have to look after his sister."
"If he hadn't taken that bullet for me, the man standing in front of you now wouldn't be me..."
"Just help her get that job slot first. Once it's settled, I'll bring you to the army camp right away. I swear I won't let you suffer in the slightest."
Only then did Vivienne Prescott fully come back to herself. She lifted her eyes and looked at the man in front of her, the one staring at her like he was full of feeling.
The bastard did have a decent face, that much was true. Those peach-blossom eyes of his made him look tender with just about anybody he looked at.
No wonder the original Vivienne had been so dazzled by him she lost all sense.
If Vivienne hadn't come here from another world, and if she hadn't already figured out what kind of man he really was, she might've fallen into his trap too.
That's right. Vivienne Prescott had transmigrated into a book.
In the twenty-fifth century, she had been a top-level research genius, the kind who could handle everything—medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, none of it was beyond her.
She worked day and night on all kinds of cutting-edge projects, pushed herself too hard, and in the end her body gave out. She had simply dropped dead from overwork.
Then she opened her eyes and found herself inside a novel called Sweetheart Follows the Army, and the Chief Holds Her Waist Every Night in Wild Adoration.
The man standing before her now was the male lead of that book, Leonard Holt, a top army officer.
But Vivienne Prescott was not the heroine. She was only the male lead's cannon-fodder fiancée, the only daughter of Barnaby Prescott, Haishi's richest man and a red capitalist.
In the book, Vivienne was highly educated and had even studied abroad, yet when it came to love, her brain stopped working. A few soft words from Leonard Holt were enough to make her obey him completely.
She had only just been coaxed into giving up her work post to the male lead's childhood sweetheart—the female lead, Irene Barlow.
Right after that, the Prescott family was reported. The whole family was sent off to the most remote countryside, and in the end every one of them was tormented to death in the village.
Meanwhile, Leonard Holt had already swallowed up most of the Prescott family's property. He used that money to grease palms and smooth the way, and from then on the Holt family rose fast.
Leonard Holt himself used that wealth to pave every step ahead, and that was how he climbed all the way to the seat of command.
As for Irene Barlow, she got the secure iron rice bowl at the steelworks, and later, through Leonard Holt's arrangements, transferred with the army to his military research institute.
The two of them had been carrying on sweet as you please, all soft words and stolen looks.
But now that Vivienne Prescott was here, there was no way she was going to let them use her as a stepping stone.
She copied the way the original Vivienne usually acted, lifted her eyes with a tender look, and gazed at Leonard Holt. "Really, Jianhua-ge... you’d take me with you to the army post? That’s wonderful! I don’t need that job anyway. It’s just right for Irene."
Leonard’s face lit up with gratitude. He couldn’t help reaching out, wanting to pull Vivienne into his arms. "Shengsheng, you’re so good to me..."
The girl standing in front of him had skin like fresh milk and a face so pretty it was hard to look away. For a brief moment, Leonard’s heart actually wavered.
But what a pity... with her family background... no matter what, he could never marry her...
Without changing expression, Vivienne shifted aside and neatly avoided the hand he reached toward her. "Oh, Jianhua-ge, I just remembered my mother told me to come home for supper. I’d better go first."
Leonard stood up at once, anxious. "Hey... Shengsheng, then when are we going to get the job transfer done?"
Vivienne answered carelessly, "No rush, Jianhua-ge. Let’s do it a week from now. I’ve got a few things to take care of these next few days."
He didn’t dare press too hard, so he could only nod. "Alright, Shengsheng. In a week, I’ll bring Irene to the steelworks labor office to see you."
Vivienne turned back and smiled at him. That smile was especially bright, almost dazzling. "Okay!"
Leonard stared, momentarily stunned. In that instant, a flicker of hesitation rose in his heart...
But the second he thought of Vivienne’s family background, and those things his father had secretly told him... Leonard’s gaze hardened again.
He was doing this for the country.
He had done nothing wrong.
...
The moment Vivienne turned around, her face dropped.