Once again, I find myself back at the moment when Colin Evans swiped the fabric vouchers I had painstakingly collected over three years to woo his childhood sweetheart. This time, instead of tears or outbursts, I calmly turned around and retrieved the wedding invitations. In my previous life, Colin and I were married for fifty-eight years, during which he consistently subjected me to emotional neglect. I managed the household and cared for his parents, only to fall ill with cancer at an early age. When I needed financial support, he used our savings to buy a house for his old flame. In this new life, I am determined to rise above, focusing on contributing to our nation's aviation efforts rather than clinging to insignificant affections.

“What’s the big deal about a few fabric vouchers?” Colin glared at me, his face contorted with anger. Behind him, Julissa Snyder cried melodramatically, “It’s all my fault, getting between you and Alice.” “I’ll take off my dress and give it to her,” Julissa offered. The sight of that dress made my stomach churn. In my past life, I had saved those vouchers for three years, just so I could wear something beautiful at my wedding. But he had taken them to win favor with this manipulative woman. Now, as this scene unfolds again, I find myself surprisingly calm, unlike the hysteria of my former self.

Colin gently patted Julissa’s shoulder. “There’s no need for that; she’s just overreacting,” he said dismissively. “A clumsy tomboy like her wouldn’t look good in anything.” Those derogatory terms he frequently used still stung just as much now. I spoke slowly, “Our wedding is next month. Isn’t it reasonable for me to buy a nice outfit with three years’ worth of vouchers?” Colin’s face tensed, yet he stubbornly insisted, “What’s done is done, let’s not blow it out of proportion.” Whenever he was at fault, he always tried to smooth things over superficially.

Julissa handed me a cup of coffee, whispering timidly, “Don’t be upset, Alice. Have some coffee.” “I didn’t mean it. I’ll find you some more vouchers later.” Initially, I didn’t want to accept, but my throat was indeed dry, so I reached out to take it. The cup was scalding; I flinched, spilling its contents over myself. “Ouch, that’s hot!” I exclaimed, stepping back reflexively. Julissa’s face turned pale. “I’m sorry, Alice. You shouldn’t blame me like that...” she cried, covering her face and running out.

Seeing this, Colin’s demeanor shifted immediately. He pointed at me, shouting, “Not only are you petty, but you never let things go. You’re unworthy of being a soldier!” With that, he stormed off after her without a backward glance. Watching him rush away, my heart felt ice-cold. In my past life, I had reacted with a huge argument, only to receive a slap in return. This time, even speaking calmly yielded no better result. So why should I continue to wrong myself?

I took a deep breath and headed straight to Richard Price’s office. I intended to call off our engagement. I was done with this marriage! I recounted the whole situation to Mr. Price, firmly stating my intention not to marry. Mr. Price listened intently, frowning in silence before finally responding slowly, “Alice, I understand you’re hurt, but marriage is a big decision. It needs to be considered carefully.” “Mr. Price, I’ve thought it through,” I replied with conviction. “I refuse to waste my youth on someone unworthy.”

“Rather than languishing in an unhappy marriage, I would apply to become a test pilot in the Western Command and make a real difference.” Mr. Price looked at me, eyes full of admiration. “Good! That’s the spirit I hoped for! If that’s your decision, I support you. I’ll expedite your application. Take back the wedding invitations,” he said, handing them back with a sigh.

I asked him to keep this in confidence, and he readily agreed, lamenting, “Colin is such a fool. I’ll give him a stern talking-to.” I declined, not wanting to complicate matters further. The idea of soaring the skies as a female pilot was more than enough for me. In my past life, I had given up my uniform due to Colin’s disdain for female soldiers, confining myself to the kitchen and domestic chores after marriage. Watching my peers take to the skies on television was like a persistent needle pricking at my heart.

I walked briskly back to the military housing complex, ready to pack up and move to the barracks. As I opened the door, I saw Colin carefully applying something to Julissa's face, the two of them huddled closely together.

Julissa's eyes caught sight of me, and she called out with a hint of nervousness, "Oh, Alice, you're back." She quickly added, "I heard honey is great for the skin, and Colin is helping me apply some."

Without looking up, Colin ordered impatiently, "Since you're back, you might as well start cooking. We misunderstood Julissa today, so how about making a chicken stew to make it up to her?"

That chicken was originally reserved for Colin's recovery, but since I was about to leave, it didn't matter. I could have some, too. I nodded without expression, agreeing to his demand.

My eyes swept across the table and landed on a small, familiar white jar, and my heart skipped a beat. "Where did the honey come from?"

Colin replied casually, "It's the one your Uncle Owen sent for your health. You never used it."

Fury ignited within me. "Colin, how could you?" I shouted. "That little jar of honey was painstakingly collected by my uncle to help me recover!"

Ever since I was young, I've suffered from severe cramps, and during the 1980s, brown sugar was hard to come by. Uncle Owen went through a lot of trouble to send me this precious honey. I rarely indulged in it, and yet Colin used it all up on Julissa's face!

I grabbed the jar, my eyes wide with disbelief—it was nearly empty! My nose tingled, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

Colin, however, was furious and yelled, "Why are you being so stingy? Aren't soldiers supposed to serve the people? Can't you just spare some for Julissa? You're unbelievable!"

"Unbelievable? That's you! This isn't even yours to give away. How dare you waste it?" I retorted, my anger boiling over.

"We're about to get married! What's yours is mine. If it's gone, just ask your uncle for more," he said, acting as if he was completely justified.

Furious, I wanted to demand compensation from Julissa, but Colin shoved me away, causing my lower back to slam into the table corner. I doubled over with pain, my vision going black, my face turning pale.

"Alice, have you lost your mind?" Colin barked. "If Julissa's face gets scratched, can you afford to pay for it?"

Cowering behind Colin, Julissa put on a frail and helpless act, stealing glances at me with a smug look in her eyes.

The stabbing pain in my back was nothing compared to the coldness I felt inside. I finally realized how foolish I had been in my past life, wasting years on a man like him.

Through gritted teeth, I declared, "Colin Evans, we're done! I'm not marrying you!"

Both Colin and Julissa were stunned, and Colin let out a disdainful laugh. "Fine, don't marry me. You think I care? If it weren't for our parents, I wouldn't have chosen someone like you."

I sneered, unwilling to waste another glance at him. After catching my breath, I began packing my belongings. Having decided to leave, I wouldn't hesitate any longer.

I bundled up my clothes and important items and headed out the door.