Mid-June, 1966 – Military Hospital in Jing City

Lara Scott had lost so much blood she floated in and out of consciousness. When her eyes fluttered open for a second, she realized she was laid out on an operating table, upper half almost completely bare.

A pair of gloved hands were pressing gauze tightly to her chest, trying to stop the bleeding.

She looked up and nearly choked—the guy patching her up was ridiculously good-looking, like he’d just fallen from the sky.

What the hell?! A male doctor stitching her up?

Absolutely mortifying. Honestly, death might’ve been less embarrassing.

And just like that, she passed out again.

Truth was, Lara had been reborn from a post-apocalyptic world. At twenty-three, she’d died from a sneak attack, but before drawing her last breath, she snatched her enemy’s spatial supplies and brought back both lightning and wood powers—then woke up here, in the ‘60s.

One Month Later – State-Owned Restaurant, Jing City

Now out of the hospital, Lara was zoning out in front of the wall menu, staring like it might start moving.

She licked her lips and said to the person behind the counter, "Comrade, I’ll have the braised pork, and two taels of rice. Forgot my ration tickets."

The server gave her a quick look and said briskly, "Sure, that’ll be 6 yuan and 2 cents."

She paid and grabbed herself a seat. Just then, the door creaked open. Reflexively, she glanced over—

In walked a man. Crisp white shirt, olive-green trousers. Tall, straight-backed, almost graceful. His whole vibe screamed upper-class.

His black hair gently fell across his smooth forehead. Sharp brows, high nose, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched right on his nose.

Through the lenses, Lara got a good look at him.

Upturned, alluring eyes that looked detached yet subtly captivating. His lashes were long and thick, like crow feathers twitching slightly. There was something about him—refined, magnetic.

His skin was pale as porcelain, lips naturally pink... honestly, this man was unfairly good-looking.

He walked over and made his order in a calm voice, "Braised pig’s feet, egg drop soup, celery stir-fried with lean pork, three buns, and four taels of rice."

"Big appetite today, Dr. Mitchell?" asked the counter worker half-jokingly.

Ethan Mitchell replied evenly, “Not really. I’m meeting a matchmaking date."

Lara blinked. A guy who looked like *that* needed matchmakers?

Her own fiancé had just been snatched away by that phony Celinda Scott... was it her turn to crash someone else’s party?

She glanced at him again. Something about him felt oddly familiar.

Did they cross paths in the apocalypse?

Just then, a stylish woman strode in, came right over to Ethan’s table, and smiled shyly.

"Ethan Mitchell, hello! So nice to meet you! I’m Althea Clark, I work at the department store... we’re matched for today."

Heart pounding, Althea stared at the man in front of her, every inch the dashing dream.

"Nice to meet you," Ethan said politely, motioning for her to sit.

She didn’t waste a second. "Your background’s really something. I heard both your parents work at a research institute, and you’re transferring to Hainan next month?"

He just nodded. "Mm."

Althea frowned. "You’re going to Hainan? What about my job then?"

Ethan hadn’t even wanted to be here. But his grandfather had pushed hard, said he had to marry a proper Jing City girl before heading to the island, scared he’d end up with someone random out there. So, here he was.

But now, looking at this woman, he was already skeptical.

They weren’t even a couple yet, and she was already fussing over how *she’d* cope?

So, he cut to the chase. “Althea, if leaving Jing City for my job is a deal-breaker, then maybe we shouldn't continue. Besides, I won’t be going alone—I’ve got a kid to take care of too.”

Althea nearly shrieked, "What? You’ve got a kid?! You look all perfect on the outside, turns out you’re just here to scam someone into marriage?!"

Ethan couldn’t even begin to respond.This woman’s manners were seriously lacking. Hadn’t the matchmaker explained everything clearly already?

Just then, Lara Scott strolled up to the table with a grin. "Dr. Mitchell, mind if I grab a seat here?"

Ethan Mitchell paused, recognizing her. "Sure, go ahead..."

"What’s your problem, lady? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something here?" Althea Clark's face darkened.

"You’re still talking? I’m Dr. Mitchell’s second date for today. Why don’t we all chat together?" Lara said casually, not bothered at all.

For her, awkwardness was someone else’s problem. All she wanted was a decent guy to escape that suffocating home.

She’d heard everything earlier — Dr. Mitchell was being transferred to Hainan. If it meant leaving Beijing behind, she’d agree to anything.

In the apocalypse, everything was taken by force. In the sixties, marriage was no different.

Money? She had enough of that. What she lacked was guts.

Althea clenched her fists and glared at Lara like she wanted to slap her. She turned to Ethan. "Dr. Mitchell, is this woman really another date of yours today?"

Ethan had intended to deny it, but then he looked at Lara’s pretty face and nodded anyway.

"Yeah, she is the second one I was meant to meet."

Althea glanced at Ethan's sharp features, then at Lara’s delicate looks, bitterness rising in her chest.

Lara flashed Althea a polite smile. "Hello, Comrade Clark. I’m Lara, eighteen years old. A friend of Dr. Mitchell’s and his second blind date today. I was going to wait till you two were done, but figured hey, the more the merrier, right?"

Althea’s face turned green with anger. She pointed at Lara and snapped, "You’re shameless! You heard we were on a date and still barged in. You did it on purpose, didn’t you?"

Lara put on a pitiful face and turned to Ethan. "Dr. Mitchell, are you seeing how she’s talking to me...?"

Ethan frowned, clearly annoyed. "Comrade Clark, maybe tone it down a bit."

But Althea didn’t back off. "You’re both in on this, I swear! You might look decent, but you’ve got no shame. I must’ve been blind thinking this setup was worth my time!"

With that, she stormed off, furious.

Ethan's expression tightened. Lara tried to sneak away from the table, but he caught her wrist.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

"Uh..."

"Lara, sit down. Weren’t we supposed to be on a date?"

"Wait, how’d you know my name?"

"Half a month ago, I was the one who stitched up your injury."

Embarrassment spread across Lara’s face. She wished she could just disappear.

Ethan went on, "I heard about your fiancé and cousin. That betrayal must’ve hit hard, but don’t do anything rash. Nothing in life is that hopeless — the next chapter might be better."

"I’m Ethan Mitchell, twenty-four. Graduated from military medical school. Currently a surgeon at the Military District Hospital, holding a lieutenant colonel rank. I’m at administrative level 14, earning 141 yuan a month. My grandfather’s a top officer here in Beijing. My parents are aerospace engineers. One brother’s in the army, the youngest’s only nine..."

Twenty-four and already a lieutenant colonel?

That had to be equivalent to a deputy regiment-level position.

Especially now — the rank system was just scrapped this year, yet he was already drawing level-14 pay.

Lara smiled awkwardly. Ethan’s background really was impressive. With parents who were both experts and such a promising career of his own, guys like him were rare finds.

Her own parents? "Deceased" might’ve been kind. More like dead to her emotionally. They were technically alive but had long vanished from her heart.

Just thinking about her disappointing, embarrassing family made her chest tighten. How could she be stuck with parents like that...

"Lara? Are you okay?"

"Dr. Mitchell, maybe we’re not a good match. I think we should drop this."

Ethan let out a dry chuckle, irritated and a little amused.

"You scared off my date, and now you’re backing out too? Shouldn’t you at least help me find a replacement?"