novelweb Chapter 1443 Your husband is in the military?
Chapter 1443 Your husband is in the military?
“Goldman Sachs? That’s an international financial giant! Wang Hao, can you really help me get in? I’m thinking of changing jobs recently…” A male classmate immediately chimed in, his tone full of envy and eagerness.
“Well, I can give it a try. I’ve been there for years and built up some connections, so my words carry some weight.” Wang Hao puffed out his chest, his tone deliberately flat, but his eyes involuntarily glanced at Chen Jun. However, Chen Jun simply sat there quietly, his face showing no envy or surprise, not even lifting an eyelid, as if the name “Goldman Sachs” was no different from a roadside grocery store. What annoyed Wang Hao even more was that he clearly caught a faint, almost pitying, sarcasm deep in Chen Jun’s calm, expressionless eyes.
This silent indifference was more embarrassing for Wang Hao than a direct provocation. His displeasure quickly festered, and when he turned to An Ran, though a smile remained on his face, his tone had taken on a sharp edge: "An Ran, your husband… seems quite distinguished. I wonder where he works? To win over our school beauty back then, he must be no ordinary man, right? At the very least, he must be a senior executive at a Fortune 500 company, or… perhaps he's the boss himself?"
He paused, glanced around at the classmates who were engrossed in the topic, and raised his voice slightly, with a hint of condescension: "You can't possibly... not even be interested in a company like Goldman Sachs, can you?"
His words were sarcastic, but given his status as a "returned overseas executive," they carried considerable weight in the eyes of many of his classmates. Their curiosity was piqued, and all eyes turned to Chen Jun.
After all, An Ran was a universally acknowledged goddess back then, possessing excellent looks, temperament, and abilities. Anyone who could capture her heart must have something extraordinary about them. Some female classmates secretly compared her to their own partners, their gazes towards An Ran filled with envy and a subtle sense of comparison. A few female classmates, who had harbored complex feelings for An Ran back then and whose lives might not be entirely satisfactory now, scrutinized Chen Jun with an almost critical eye, as if trying to find evidence that he was "unworthy" of her.
They saw Chen Jun dressed in a well-tailored but logo-free dark casual suit, simple leather shoes, and no expensive watch on his wrist. There was nothing on him that suggested "success" or "wealth." In their perception, which often judges a person's "class" based on clothing, accessories, and car, Chen Jun looked...too "ordinary." Aside from his tall, upright figure, ramrod-like posture, and a natural air of confidence, he seemed no different from the other composed ordinary people on the street.
And so, some subtle psychological changes occurred silently. It seems the school beauty's taste wasn't all that great after all? Perhaps she's just getting older and settling? No wonder she hasn't shown her face for so many years; apparently, she found an "ordinary" husband and felt embarrassed?
Several male classmates who had once harbored feelings for An Ran now felt even more complicated. Watching their "white moonlight" ultimately choose a seemingly "ordinary" man, a mix of disappointment, relief, and even a hint of schadenfreude quietly welled up within them. "What's the use of being tall and handsome? In this materialistic society, can you put food on the table? With that physique, it's a shame he's not driving a tricycle or delivering food..." they used these slightly malicious jokes to soothe their bitter resentment.
Even those who were relatively simple-minded and just happy to reunite with their old classmates couldn't help but have some doubts about An Ran: With An Ran's qualifications, she could have found a "better" and "more suitable" partner, so why... could it be because of her military sentiments? But that's too much of a sacrifice.
To be fair, after years of military service, especially the tempering of intelligence work, An Ran's temperament has become increasingly outstanding.
She stood tall and graceful, her movements both efficient and resilient. Her eyes were clear and determined, and every smile and gesture carried the radiance of her youth, yet also a touch of seasoned elegance—more captivating and alluring than in her student days. This unique charisma caught the eye of many self-proclaimed successful men present, causing some to feel their hearts race.
Especially Wang Hao. He had worked hard abroad for years, going on countless blind dates, but he could never find someone who could compare to An Ran in his memory. Those with good conditions looked down on his "working-class" nature, while those with average conditions were beneath him. Caught between a rock and a hard place, he became a so-called "golden bachelor." This reunion, seeing An Ran even more radiant than before, and comparing her to her "unremarkable" husband, a strong impulse called "I could have" and an inexplicable fighting spirit burned fiercely within him.
He felt that Chen Jun was not good enough for An Ran.
He felt he still had a chance, at least... to make An Ran see the gap and feel regret.
Driven by this complex psychology, he relentlessly steered the conversation toward Chen Jun, his words becoming increasingly provocative and provocative.
An Ran finally grew a little impatient with the questions. She knew all too well the competitive atmosphere at these class reunions and didn't want Chen Jun to get caught up in this pointless rivalry. She glanced at Chen Jun, and seeing that he remained calm, she simply said, "He is a soldier, a very excellent soldier."
"Yes, I am a soldier," Chen Jun replied, his voice steady and clear.
soldier?
This answer clearly surprised everyone. A moment of silence fell over the private room, and the expressions on everyone's faces were a complex mix. Surprise, realization, confusion, and even… a hint of barely perceptible disdain? So he's a soldier; no wonder he sat so upright, his demeanor was rather "rigid."
"Ha..." Wang Hao couldn't help but chuckle briefly, his laughter filled with an "I see" tone. He quickly adjusted his expression, but the sense of superiority in his tone was almost overflowing: "A soldier! No wonder... he has this kind of temperament, like a sculpture, so serious. Sorry, sorry, I may not have asked the right question just now."
He changed the subject, looking at An Ran with feigned concern but actually with a hidden barb: "But An Ran, to be honest, I've heard... many people who join the army are those who weren't very disciplined in school, and their families couldn't manage them, so they were sent to the military for training. Things like internet addiction, being mischievous, or... their grades just couldn't keep up, so they were looking for a way out. I wonder which situation your husband was in back then?"
These words grew increasingly outrageous, bordering on personal attacks. They not only belittled the military as a whole but also subtly criticized Chen Jun's personal abilities and qualities. An Ran listened, her brows furrowing and her face darkening. She knew what kind of person Chen Jun was; his achievements, responsibilities, and abilities were far beyond the comprehension of this narrow-minded Wang Hao. It was simply that Chen Jun's special status meant many of his deeds were classified and couldn't be casually publicized.
Given Violet's temper, she almost slammed her fist on the table and gave this arrogant guy a good wake-up call.
Just then, a warm and strong hand gently grasped hers under the table—it was Chen Jun. He shook his head slightly, indicating that she didn't need to be angry.
An Ran's best friend, Zhang Xinyi, couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up: "Wang Hao, you're being too rude! We're all classmates, is it really necessary to be like this? Soldiers protect our country, without their sacrifices, where would we have our peaceful lives now? You've been abroad for a few years, and you've forgotten even the most basic respect?"
Wang Hao, feeling somewhat embarrassed by Zhang Xinyi's retort, scoffed, "I didn't mean to disrespect soldiers. Defending the country is certainly important. But we also need to objectively view the gap! I'm stating a fact; our country does lag behind developed countries like the United States in many aspects, including overseas protection capabilities. Sometimes movies portray things as thrilling and exciting, but what about reality? We shout slogans loudly, but when something actually happens, we still have to rely on local authorities... or figure things out ourselves?"
The more he spoke, the more he felt he was standing on the high ground of "objectivity" and "rationality," and his tone became increasingly "heartbroken and indignant."
Chen Jun genuinely had no intention of lowering himself to argue with this kind of person. In his view, such boasting and belittling, based on narrow-mindedness and vanity, was ridiculously childish. He was only sitting there to keep An Ran company. As long as the other party didn't go too far, he was happy to have some peace and quiet.
However, Wang Hao's remarks began to take a turn for the worse, shifting from flaunting his personal superiority to belittling the things he was loyal to and defending, and even subtly questioning the country's strength and achievements. This crossed Chen Jun's line.
He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze as calm as a lake, yet so profound it was unsettling, as he looked at Wang Hao, who was still talking incessantly.
"You keep saying how great foreign countries are, as if we're inferior to them in every way." Chen Jun's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a peculiar penetrating power that instantly suppressed all the noise in the private room.
"You say we are backward and subject to technological blockade. But do you know that just recently, our country independently developed and mass-produced 4-nanometer process chips, breaking the decades-long technological monopoly and blockade imposed by the West? Even some countries that you admire so much are helpless in this regard, and their so-called sanctions have become a joke. These things have been reported in the news, can't you see them?"
"You say we can't protect our compatriots overseas because we're not strong enough. But do you know that in a recent international incident, our new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) combat system cornered a major power's most advanced aircraft carrier battle group on the high seas, forcing it to retreat in panic, and even now it can't accurately assess what weapons we used. Isn't that a demonstration of strength?"
"You say we lack influence. But do you know that our neighbors, such as Goguryeo and the Peacock Kingdom, are actively adjusting their diplomatic strategies and seeking closer cooperation because they have seen our strength and sincerity in cooperation? They are even starting to clear out the military presence of certain extra-regional powers. These changes are happening, can't you feel them?"
With each word Chen Jun spoke, his tone grew colder, and his imposing aura—the quiet authority of someone long accustomed to high positions and commanding vast armies—was unconsciously amplified. It wasn't a deliberately feigned authority, but rather an aura naturally cultivated from countless crucial decisions and the weighty responsibilities he shouldered.
"You've just returned to China and know nothing about the tremendous changes that have taken place here in recent years. You're just sitting here spouting nonsense based on outdated impressions from a few years ago and one-sided reports from foreign media. You're belittling your own country and flaunting your pitiful sense of superiority built on information asymmetry."
Chen Jun stared intently into Wang Hao's eyes and said, word by word, "You're not knowledgeable, you're just narrow-minded, do you understand?"
These words struck like a hammer blow to everyone's hearts. Not only because they touched upon national achievements that they might not normally pay attention to, but also because of Chen Jun's unwavering certainty and the powerful aura he exuded. That was a demeanor not possessed by an ordinary soldier, or even an ordinary officer.
Wang Hao was stunned by this sudden, information-rich, and powerful rebuttal. Especially when Chen Jun's deep, sharp eyes looked at him, he felt an inexplicable pressure, as if his heart was being clenched by an invisible hand. He involuntarily avoided eye contact, his gaze flickering away. In that instant, he felt as if he were facing not a person, but a silent mountain, or a lazy yet potentially ferocious beast ready to pounce and devour him at any moment.
The private room was completely silent. Everyone was stunned by Chen Jun's words and subconsciously looked at Wang Hao, waiting for his response.
Wang Hao's face flushed red and then paled. He certainly couldn't admit defeat easily, especially in front of An Ran, especially when his newly established image as a "successful person" was on the verge of collapse. He forced himself to remain calm, gave a dry laugh, and tried to regain his composure:
"You...you're talking about all these things, like 4-nanometer chips, drones shooting down aircraft carriers, and neighbors turning around...I haven't really paid much attention to these news stories." He turned to the male classmate next to him, "Old Zhao, have you heard of them?"
The male student who was asked the question shook his head blankly. He usually paid more attention to financial and social news, and he really didn't know much about military technology developments.
Wang Hao felt like he had grasped a lifeline and asked several other classmates in succession, but the responses he received were mostly hesitant shaking of his head or "not quite sure".
Wang Hao seemed to regain some confidence. He straightened his back, looked at Chen Jun, and said with a mocking tone, "Look, it's not that I don't know. Ask everyone, they live in China all year round, and they don't know either, do they? How much of this news is exaggerated by the media to boost morale? How much of it is true? I don't need to deliberately find out about these things."
The more he spoke, the more convinced he became of his point, and his voice regained its previous "height": "The strength of the United States has been tested by two world wars and the Cold War. It is a universally recognized superpower. Its technological, economic, and military strength are objective facts that cannot be changed by a few inspiring reports. Young people, patriotism is good, but you must also recognize reality, be down-to-earth, and not be blinded by some empty slogans."
He deliberately referred to Chen Jun as a "young man" in an attempt to regain a psychological advantage in terms of age and "experience".