Chapter 38

However, just two minutes later, when he saw what Yu Xiangnian was holding, he immediately changed his tune, “This is exactly your wife who doesn’t know how to manage life. Look at her, even the kids know to find some wild vegetables to take home, but she’s out there picking useless wildflowers!”

Cheng Jingmo didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the figure picking flowers, lost in thought.

It was clearly the same person, but how could the changes be so drastic?

In the past, Yu Xiangnian wouldn’t even glance his way, but recently, she had been cooking for him, going into town with him, and even smiling at him!

What had gone wrong?

Before long, Yu Xiangnian came running back with a big bunch of colorful flowers, her face beaming with joy. The flowers made her smile appear even more charming.

She sat down in the shade of a tree, placed the flowers on the ground, and used her hands to fan her face.

Cheng Jingmo, sitting not far away, noticed that Yu Xiangnian’s cheeks were flushed, with beads of sweat on her forehead and nose, and her slightly parted lips looked even more vibrant.

He swallowed hard and picked up his military water bottle to hand it over.

Yu Xiangnian accepted it with a smile, “Thank you,” and poured some water into the cap, taking small sips to quench her thirst.

Dong Minghao couldn’t stand Yu Xiangnian’s delicate demeanor!

The kids were still looking for wild vegetables, and here she was, picking wildflowers and complaining about the heat!

“Comrade Yu Xiangnian, can you eat those wildflowers?” he asked, feigning ignorance.

Yu Xiangnian could hear the sarcasm in his tone.

The cap of the water bottle was small, and she drank several sips before casually responding, “Spiritual nourishment.”

Dong Minghao scoffed, “You seem quite spirited. Wait until you can’t get any meat and then come to Cheng Jingmo to make a fuss!”

Yu Xiangnian replied cheerfully, “I’m causing a fuss with Cheng Jingmo, not with you. What’s your problem?”

Dong Minghao: “···” Everyone was right; Yu Xiangnian was quite sharp-tongued!

Yu Xiangnian found a vine to tie the flowers she had picked into a bouquet and held it out in front of Cheng Jingmo.

“Cheng Jingmo, do you think this bouquet is pretty?”

Cheng Jingmo looked down at the flowers, red, yellow, pink, and white… various colors mixed together to form a bunch.

Even though they were just wildflowers tossed together, they were surprisingly beautiful.

Then he looked at Yu Xiangnian; her bright black eyes sparkled as she looked at him, resembling a child waiting for praise.

“It’s pretty,” Cheng Jingmo said with two simple words.

Yu Xiangnian proudly shot a glance at Dong Minghao and then pushed the flowers toward Cheng Jingmo again, saying, “I’ll give this to you!”

Cheng Jingmo was taken aback.

Even Xiao Tuanjie and Dong Minghao, who were sitting nearby, silently watched the two.

They had seen people gift vegetables, meat, noodles, rice, oil, and sugar, but they had never seen anyone give flowers!

After a long moment, Cheng Jingmo said, “I don’t want them.”

“Hahaha…” Dong Minghao burst into loud laughter, and even Xiao Tuanjie was chuckling softly.

Yu Xiangnian was both rejected and ridiculed, and her face instantly turned red. She frowned, “This is the first time I’m giving you something. Are you sure you don’t want it?”

Her words carried a hint of threat, putting Cheng Jingmo in a difficult position.

What use did he have for the flowers? But if he didn’t take them, Yu Xiangnian would surely get upset!

After some thought, Cheng Jingmo decided to accept the flowers.

Yu Xiangnian smiled in satisfaction, then turned back to the shade of the tree and used the remaining flowers to weave a garland for her head.

When the children returned with wild vegetables and saw the garland on Yu Xiangnian’s head, they all clamored for one as well.

Yu Xiangnian told them to pick their own flowers and helped each of them make a garland to wear on their heads.

So, Yu Xiangnian and six children, each wearing a garland, walked along singing songs, looking like a queen leading her little subjects.

Cheng Jingmo and the other adults followed behind, their baskets filled to the brim and their hands laden with goods.

They had gathered a variety of wild products from the mountains: green plums, bayberries, wild ferns, bamboo shoots, plantain herbs, mugwort, as well as wild rabbits and pheasants.

Both the adults and the children were thrilled. Such a picnic was not only novel but also allowed them to play and gather a bounty.

They had agreed to have dinner at Dong Minghao’s place that evening.

As they approached the entrance to the residential compound, the smiles on their faces froze.

Everyone noticed Dr. Wu standing at the gate, and then they looked at Cheng Jingmo and Yu Xiangnian.

When Yu Xiangnian saw Wu Xiaomin, her bright smile turned into a faint sneer, and she looked at Cheng Jingmo with a gaze that seemed to say, “Let’s see what happens next.”

Just last week, she had warned Cheng Jingmo that if he wanted to protect Wu Xiaomin, he should keep his distance!

Yet, the first thing Cheng Jingmo did upon returning yesterday was visit Wu Xiaomin and give her a rabbit. And now, here they were meeting again!

She didn’t care whether Cheng Jingmo and Wu Xiaomin had planned to meet here or if it was a coincidence.

Now, she was waiting for Cheng Jingmo’s response!

If there was even a hint of lingering affection between the two, she would make sure they couldn’t show their faces today!

At that moment, Cheng Jingmo remembered what Yu Xiangnian had said: “Cheng Jingmo, if you feel sorry for her, wait until we’re divorced to feel sorry for her. Until then, if she comes to see you, I’ll deal with her each time! So, if you want to protect her, keep your distance!”

He knew Yu Xiangnian’s temper—she didn’t care about anyone and would scold anyone she caught!

Today, with comrades, neighbors, and children present, he didn’t want an awkward scene.

He pretended not to see Wu Xiaomin and continued walking, but Wu Xiaomin, lacking tact, called out to him.

“Deputy Commander Cheng!”

Wu Xiaomin ran up to Cheng Jingmo and handed him a bag of vegetables. “I just picked these from the village today, especially for you. Thank you for the rabbit you gave me yesterday.”

Cheng Jingmo didn’t take them and showed no expression. “No need, you keep them. We found plenty of wild vegetables today.”

Then he walked away, not giving Wu Xiaomin a chance to speak again.

As Cheng Jingmo walked away, the others followed.

Yu Xiangnian was fairly pleased with Cheng Jingmo’s response. She adjusted the garland on her head and walked off without even glancing at Wu Xiaomin.

Wu Xiaomin watched the group walk away, feeling very disappointed.

Wasn’t it said that no one in the residential compound got along with Yu Xiangnian? Why did she seem to get along quite well with these two families?

However, after a moment, Wu Xiaomin regained her confidence.

Look, while Cheng Jingmo and the other adults were carrying baskets and bags, Yu Xiangnian was like a child, wearing a garland and doing nothing!

Such a woman was not fit for real life!

Cheng Jingmo might tolerate her for a year or so, but over time, who would want such an ornament?

Wu Xiaomin took the vegetables to her uncle Su Mingliang’s house and then headed to the entrance of the army base.

She had to do something to make them divorce soon.

Ding Yunfei was washing clothes when a comrade informed him that a woman was waiting for him at the gate.

Puzzled, he went to the gate and saw Wu Xiaomin waving at him.