Chapter 213: Cold Her

As Yu Xiangyang rode his bicycle back to the army base, it felt like there was a deer bouncing around in his chest, his heart pounding wildly.

He was filled with an inexplicable excitement!

Especially when he thought about the moment when he and Xia Qingyun had gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, he felt like the blood in his body was flowing in reverse.

He pedaled his bike furiously, not stopping until he reached Cheng Jingmo’s house.

Inside, Cheng Jingmo and his family were quietly studying, each minding their own business.

Hearing a knock on the door, Cheng Jingmo glanced at it, puzzled.

Who would be coming at this hour?

He walked over and opened the door to find Yu Xiangyang standing there with a wide grin on his face.

Before Cheng Jingmo could say anything, Yu Xiangyang grabbed his arm, “Come on! I’ve got something to tell you.”

On the way, Cheng Jingmo asked several times, “What do you want to say?” but Yu Xiangyang remained silent.

Yu Xiangyang didn’t stop until they reached the training grounds at the base.

They sat on a patch of grass, and Yu Xiangyang stared at the night sky, grinning foolishly.

Cheng Jingmo said, “Are you going to tell me or not? If not, I’m going back.”

Yu Xiangyang wanted to confide in someone, but when it came to actually saying it, he didn’t know where to start.

He thought for a long time before saying, “Xia Qingyun fell and got hospitalized. I just got back from visiting her.”

Cheng Jingmo responded with a simple “Oh.”

Yu Xiangnian had already mentioned it when she came home.

“Cheng Jingmo, can you understand how I feel right now?” Yu Xiangyang looked both excited and troubled. “I’m so happy, but at the same time, it’s so hard!”

Cheng Jingmo replied, “Yeah.”

Of course, he could understand.

Back in the day, he had it even harder than Yu Xiangyang!

Every time he visited Yu Xiangnian’s house, he felt both inferior and ecstatic, so excited he couldn’t sleep. But every time he left her house, he was disappointed and sad for a long time.

Yu Xiangyang was confident, outgoing, and bold in his love for someone. He could speak his mind without any reservations.

But Cheng Jingmo, feeling both inferior and proud, would act like he didn’t care even though he was deeply in love. He had no one to confide in and bore all the ups and downs of his emotions alone.

Staring at the night sky, Yu Xiangyang said, “If only my parents would approve of my relationship with Xia Qingyun.”

Cheng Jingmo echoed what he had told Yu Xiangnian, “They don’t approve, but you’re still dating her, aren’t you?”

Yu Xiangyang sighed, “But if they don’t approve, I can’t…”

He shyly lowered his head and said, “Today, I almost kissed her.”

Cheng Jingmo was shocked. “Yu Xiangyang, you’re a soldier! You need to be responsible for your future partner! You must stay controlled and rational!”

“I know,” Yu Xiangyang said, “but I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself. When you’re with someone you love, how can you stay controlled?”

Cheng Jingmo suggested, “Spend less time alone with her.”

“Easy for you to say! Why don’t you spend less time alone with my sister?”

Cheng Jingmo replied with a touch of smugness, “We’re married.”

Yu Xiangyang shot back, “Stop showing off! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been able to marry Nian Nian! I’ve helped you so much; you’ve got to help me too!”

Cheng Jingmo asked, “How can I help?”

Yu Xiangyang thought for a moment, realizing that Cheng Jingmo probably couldn’t help with this situation either.

“Go home and nag Nian Nian a bit, tell her to hurry up and convince my parents.”

Cheng Jingmo listened as Yu Xiangyang rambled on about various things. By the time he got home, Yu Xiangnian had already gone to bed.

It was all Yu Xiangyang’s fault—they hadn’t fulfilled their marital duties in two days!

The next day.

Yu Xiangnian bought some canned goods and went to the hospital to visit Xia Qingyun.

Xia Qingyun was half-lying in bed, lost in thought. When she saw Yu Xiangnian arrive, her face lit up with a smile. “Nian Nian, you came too?”

Yu Xiangnian said, “I heard you were injured and hospitalized. Are you feeling better today?”

Xia Qingyun naturally assumed that Yu Xiangyang had told Yu Xiangnian about her situation, and she said with a hint of reproach, “It’s not that serious. Why did Yu Xiangyang make such a fuss and get you all involved?”

Yu Xiangnian smiled and replied, “It’s not a fuss at all. I should have come to visit you.”

Xia Qingyun was very good at keeping the conversation going, and Yu Xiangnian stayed with her for about an hour. Although they weren’t very familiar with each other, there was never an awkward silence.

After leaving the hospital room, Yu Xiangnian went to find Zhao Ruozhu.

Zhao Ruozhu had been angry all day.

That morning, she had already heard about the incident between Yu Xiangyang and Xia Qingyun.

Visiting her was one thing, but they actually kissed in the hospital room!

How could that be allowed?

She decided she must summon Yu Xiangyang home today and scold him harshly!

Yu Xiangnian couldn’t believe how furious Zhao Ruozhu looked. Yu Xiangyang wasn’t the kind of person who would overstep boundaries like that. It didn’t make sense for him to behave like that in a hospital room!

Moreover, Yu Xiangyang had gone to see Cheng Jingmo last night. If they had actually kissed, Cheng Jingmo would have surely mentioned it to her. But Cheng Jingmo hadn’t said anything.

Yu Xiangnian asked, “Who saw them kissing?”

“A nurse!” Zhao Ruozhu snapped angrily. “Yu Xiangyang even had the nerve to ask the nurse to take care of Xia Qingyun! Who does he think he is, making such demands?”

Yu Xiangnian asked further, “Did the nurse see them actually kissing?”

“No! They were just about to when the nurse interrupted them!”

Yu Xiangnian felt relieved. “Maybe the nurse misunderstood. We should trust Yu Xiangyang.”

Mistaken kisses are a common trope in TV dramas!

“Trust him?!” Zhao Ruozhu fumed. “He’s completely out of his mind right now!”

Yu Xiangnian calmly responded, “If you don’t trust him, what can you do? Are you going to confront them?”

“Humph!” Zhao Ruozhu retorted, “I only care about my son. It’s not my place to confront someone else’s child!”

Yu Xiangnian continued, “You’ve already said that he’s not thinking clearly right now. Can you really control him? If he denies this, will you believe him? And if he admits it, what will you do? Will you make him take responsibility for Xia Qingyun?”

Zhao Ruozhu replied, “I have to control him, even if it’s difficult! I’ll have your father arrange for him to be sent on a mission far away! As for Xia Qingyun, if she doesn’t care about her reputation, why should I?”

Zhao Ruozhu added coldly, “On the first day of her hospitalization, she made sure the entire hospital knew she’s with Yu Xiangyang. She’s trying to test me!”

Yu Xiangnian asked, “So what’s your next step?”

Zhao Ruozhu declared, “The more she pushes, the more I’ll refuse to agree!”

Yu Xiangnian pressed, “So?”

“Ignore her!” Zhao Ruozhu said with a smirk. “She thinks she can outsmart me, but she’s still too young!”

Yu Xiangnian gave her a thumbs-up. “The older, the wiser!”

As Yu Xiangnian was leaving the hospital, she crossed paths with Bai Dewen, who was carrying some things into the hospital.

It was work hours, so Bai Dewen was likely visiting Xia Qingyun alone to avoid running into other colleagues.

Yu Xiangnian didn’t believe for a second that there was nothing going on between them.

At the very least, Bai Dewen was one of Xia Qingyun’s backup options.

They recognized each other, exchanged a brief glance, and passed by without a word.

Not long after Yu Xiangnian left the hospital, Yu Xiangyang arrived on his bicycle.