With three superpowers at his fingertips, he could dominate the 1970s.

When Jiang Zhiyu walked out of the Song family's gate again, she clearly sensed a difference.

look.

Subtle, scrutinizing, and multifaceted gazes fell upon her from all directions. Some whispered as she passed by, their voices barely audible; others stood at a distance, watching her while exchanging pleasantries with those around them.

She found it somewhat amusing.

It was just a few nice gifts she received, and it's been blown out of proportion. Luckily, no one knows what those gifts actually were.

She didn't mind and continued walking slowly along the red brick road as usual.

---

Lin Qingqing also knew that Jiang Zhiyu had gone out today.

She dressed up deliberately—she changed into her favorite light blue dress, styled her hair in a neat updo, and even polished her shoes to a shine.

She pretended to be nonchalant as she walked down the path Jiang Zhiyu was bound to take.

Before leaving the house, she looked at herself in the mirror again and again—bright and elegant, as upright as a poplar tree. This was her best appearance.

When she saw that figure approaching from afar, she subconsciously straightened her chest and raised her chin.

coming.

She silently thought to herself: I'll just walk over there confidently, without dodging or avoiding her, and show her that the people in this compound aren't to be trifled with.

but--

As the figure drew closer, her steps gradually slowed.

It wasn't a deliberate slowing down; it was an involuntary slowing down.

Because she saw Jiang Zhiyu as a whole person.

In the sunlight, the girl wore a plain white shirt, the sleeves casually rolled up to her forearms, dark trousers, and ordinary leather shoes. She wore no jewelry, no adornment, and even her hair was simply tied back.

But even in such a simple outfit—

Lin Qingqing was stunned.

She finally understood what her brother's hesitant expression yesterday meant.

The man walked with a measured pace, each step firm and steady, as if he were treading not the brick path of a courtyard, but the most certain path home in the world. His eyes were cool and aloof, not in a way that kept people at arm's length, but in a calm that had naturally settled after weathering many storms.

With just one glance, Lin Qingqing knew—the most beautiful and dignified person she had ever seen in her life was right there.

No, "beautiful" is not the right word to describe it.

It was a kind of... noble and aloof temperament, an aura that kept strangers at bay. That confidence and composure came from within, something that could not be learned or imitated.

She suddenly felt deflated.

But what could she do? She had already walked up to them and couldn't turn back.

---

Jiang Zhiyu also saw the girl walking towards her from the opposite side.

Bright and beautiful, exquisitely dressed, it was clear that she had prepared carefully. Her mental energy easily sensed the other person's emotions—tension, competitiveness, unwillingness, and a touch of stubbornness.

It becomes clear after a little thought.

He was most likely an admirer of Song Yanzhou.

The girl in the compound took a liking to Song Yanzhou, but Song Yanzhou brought back an "outsider"—anyone would feel bad about that.

Interestingly, when the girl walked up to him, his competitive spirit suddenly dissipated.

The emotional changes perceived by mental power are very interesting—from confrontation to shock, from shock to self-deprecation, from self-deprecation to… a strange sense of relief.

Jiang Zhiyu thought this girl was quite interesting.

People who openly display their emotions aren't necessarily malicious. Truly shrewd people don't let their emotions flow out like water from a burst dam.

Out of politeness, she smiled and nodded slightly at the other person.

Having survived in the apocalypse for so many years, she has always been tolerant of women. Because for women, living in the apocalypse is a hundred times, a thousand times harder than for men. Most of those prejudices, jealousy, and hostility are not because of malice, but because they have never seen a wider world.

---

That one smile instantly dispelled the knot in Lin Qingqing's heart.

The smile was faint, subtle, not even warm. But when those eyes looked at her, there was no scrutiny, no hostility, and no condescending pity—just a peaceful, friendly gaze toward someone of the same sex.

She suddenly felt relieved.

She used to think she was very outstanding, but she didn't realize there were even more outstanding people. Her world was too small—she only saw the sky within this compound, without looking at the sky beyond.

She used to think that "a clear and bright sky" was just a phrase, something that writers used in poems to describe a vague and ethereal scene. Now she has a real understanding of this phrase—it can truly describe a person.

And this person was standing right in front of her.

Jiang Zhiyu walked up to her and stopped.

She looked into Lin Qingqing's eyes—those eyes that had just been red but were now calm—and said only one sentence:

"It seems you've come to terms with some things."

Lin Qingqing was startled.

My hair stood on end.

What kind of person is this? With just one glance, he saw right through her? What was she thinking when she walked over, all dressed up? What was she thinking when she deflated after getting close to him? And why is she relieved now? This woman saw through it all.

In an instant, her shock turned into genuine admiration.

She smiled with relief, a genuine smile from the bottom of her heart, without any pretense:

"Hello, my name is Lin Qingqing, and I currently work at the Beijing Municipal Performing Arts Troupe. It's nice to meet you."

Jiang Zhiyu reached out and shook hands with her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Jiang Zhiyu."

Lin Qingqing held that hand; her palm was slightly cool, and the pressure was just right, neither too light nor too heavy.

She suddenly realized that she would have someone to admire from now on.

This is the person right in front of me.

That calm, wise, and all-seeing gaze, that unpretentious yet commanding presence, made her feel that the person in front of her was unfathomable and unattainable.

Isn't this exactly the person she's always aspired to be?

She asked hesitantly, "Can we be friends?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded: "Sure. I'm staying at the Song family's place now, but I'll be leaving in a couple of days. If you need anything in the next couple of days, you can come find me at the Song family's place."

Lin Qingqing immediately cheered up, her eyes crinkling into crescents, as if she were a completely different person.

It turns out that girls don't necessarily need a boy to compete with them. There's a much wider world to conquer.

She suddenly felt that she had found direction in her life again.

Not bound by marriage, not bound by this military compound.

---

Jiang Zhiyu continued walking forward.

Lin Qingqing stood there, watching the figure walk further and further away.

The setting sun cast a long shadow of the girl, and her composed steps showed no hesitation, as if she were heading towards a farther place.

That receding figure was like the ideal she suddenly saw—flying across this world and out of this compound.

She took a deep breath, turned around, and ran home excitedly.

When the door was opened, Lin's parents and Lin Qingci were sitting in the living room, their faces still showing some worry—they were still concerned about what had happened that morning.

"Mom! Brother! Dad!" Lin Qingqing stood in the doorway, her eyes shining brightly. "I've found my direction in life!"

The three men looked at their daughter in surprise.

The person who was crying her eyes out in her room this morning is now like a completely different person.

Looking at her sister's expression, Lin Qingci tentatively asked, "Have you met Jiang Zhiyu?"

"Brother, how did you know?"

"Don't forget what your brother does," Lin Qingci smiled. "I'm a psychologist. I'm glad you can let go."

He paused, then said softly, "I didn't tell you yesterday, but I've seen that girl too. Love at first sight, unattainable."

Lin Qingqing's eyes lit up: "Yes! Brother, I want to be like that in the future! Confident and composed—I feel that she's not attached to marriage or anything else, and exudes confidence and laziness from the inside out, something I can never imitate in my lifetime."

She got excited again as she spoke: "You know what? She and I became good friends! I feel like she's a guiding light in my life, and I want to learn from her!"

Looking into her daughter's bright eyes, Lin's mother finally felt relieved after being anxious for so long.

Lin's father breathed a sigh of relief, but his tone remained harsh: "What lighthouse nonsense? Your own ability is what truly matters."

Lin Qingci didn't speak, but just looked at her sister and smiled slightly.

This girl, finally, he doesn't have to worry about her anymore.

---

Only then did the Lin family feel completely relieved.

What they didn't know was that this little rumor, once it reached the higher-ups, was dealt with with swift and decisive action.

Although the old leader said to keep a low profile, that only applied to external matters. Internally—if anyone dared to gossip about Jiang Zhiyu in the compound, it wouldn't be as simple as a "talk."

As for what methods were used, outsiders have no way of knowing.

But from that day on, everyone in the compound would avoid Jiang Zhiyu when they saw her—not out of avoidance of suspicion, but out of respect.

Along with the whispers and scrutinizing glances, they vanished completely overnight.

Jiang Zhiyu was completely baffled by this.

She only went out for one day, so why did the wind in the yard change?

Seventeen chuckled in her mind: "Host, you're probably being protected."

Jiang Zhiyu touched her nose and didn't say anything.

She wasn't quite used to being protected like this.