Chapter 29: Worry

Since that morning, the tension between Lin You and Qin Lang had only deepened. Lin You kept all her thoughts to herself, saying nothing. Qin Lang sensed she was troubled, but with no answers from her, he poured all his emotions into their time together. Seeing her exhaustion, he felt guilty, but he knew this was the only way she’d focus on him alone.

Their relationship, after so much time together, seemed to have returned to square one. Before, Lin You wasn’t particularly invested in their relationship she could endure his absences without much pain. But now, she truly cared for Qin Lang, yet his dismissive attitude hurt her deeply. Instead of addressing the root of their issues, he only increased his demands on her.

After arriving at the medical unit, Qin Lang learned from his team members that Lin You had fainted after being deliberately put under stress by Qiong Hua. Furious, he confronted Qiong Hua that same day

“Why did you go out of your way to make things hard for her?”

Qin Lang’s eyes were full of anger and disappointment as he glared at Qiong Hua.

Feigning innocence, she replied, “I didn’t. It was just routine training. I don’t know what happened with her that day.”

“She was late that morning, so I added an hour of extra training. Isn’t that a normal punishment?”

Qin Lang remembered the events of his last night at home and felt a wave of regret. But he pressed further, asking, “Did you say anything to her recently?”

Qiong Hua noticed the suspicion in his gaze and silently felt relieved, as it seemed Lin You hadn’t told him anything. So, she shook her head.

Qin Lang sighed heavily. “Qiong Hua, I’ve told you before I’m married. Please, let go of your feelings. We’re comrades, that’s all.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

That afternoon, Qin Lang went straight to the medical unit, hoping to pick Lin You up after work.

“Wife, are you tired? I came to walk you home.”

Lin You didn’t respond, walking straight ahead.

Seeing her silence, Qin Lang continued to speak. “I talked to Qiong Hua this morning.”

Lin You stopped and looked at him in surprise.

“She didn’t deliberately make things hard for you. Being late in the morning and adding an hour of training is standard.”

Qin Lang held Lin You’s hand. “It’s partly my fault. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

He continued, “I didn’t know Qiong Hua would be part of the next day’s training. I wasn’t notified about this kind of scheduling.”

Lin You yanked her hand free, frustration filling her as she walked ahead. She had thought he would speak on her behalf, yet he was defending Qiong Hua. This situation was his fault, and here he was, trusting Qiong Hua’s word.

On the way home, Lin You walked ahead while Qin Lang followed, occasionally trying to get her attention. Colleagues passing by couldn’t help but notice the tension and salute him with sly smiles, clearly aware of their disagreement.

When his fellow soldiers approached, Qin Lang paused and looked away, pretending to be captivated by the sky.

“What are you looking at, Captain?” one of them asked with amusement.

“The blue sky and white clouds,” Qin Lang replied.

“Well, your wife has already walked off in the meantime,” another joked.

Qin Lang glanced back to see Lin You disappearing into the residential building. One of his subordinates cautiously asked, “Captain, is she mad at you?”

Qin Lang sighed and nodded.

“Women, Captain. Just say a few nice words, they’ll forgive you,” advised one of his comrades.

“Kind words alone won’t work,” another chimed in. “Actions speak louder than words.”

Ignoring them, Qin Lang headed home. Just as he arrived, his pager went off.

“Qin Lang, emergency assembly.”

He immediately joined his team, rushing to the assembly point.

Back home, Lin You sat on the couch, waiting for Qin Lang. She realized this standoff couldn’t continue they needed to talk openly. If he truly had feelings for Qiong Hua, she’d let them be together. She couldn’t interfere in a military marriage.

As she watched a helicopter take off outside the window, she felt a pang of worry, knowing he’d be facing danger once more. She waved goodbye, hoping not to distract him.

Lin You noticed that many members, including Ye Qing, Wen Xin, and even Qiong Hua, were part of this mission. They’d be together for a while, she assumed. She shook her head, scolding herself for being so possessive. They were going out to perform their duties, after all.

Lin You’s personality was a blend of contradictions she could be carefree about things that didn’t matter to her, but when something did, she longed for equal devotion in return. Her childhood was marked by loss, after her parents died, she lived with her grandfather until he too passed away, leaving her with the Qin family. They treated her well, healing much of her old wounds, but she still preferred to avoid difficult conversations. So, in recent days, she ignored Qin Lang’s attempts to win her over, believing that if she wasn’t at fault, there was nothing to explain.

In many ways, Lin You was overly sensitive. As she sat in the medical unit, her thoughts drifted to the mountains beyond the window, cloaked in autumn’s chill.

“A rainfall in autumn brings a chill,” she murmured, recalling the saying. Tomorrow, the weather would turn even colder.

She wondered where Qin Lang was whether he was deep in the mountains or in a bustling city. He’d been gone for a week now. Was he warm? Was he safe? Her mind filled with images of him, either maneuvering through rugged forests or navigating the chaos of the city.

Just then, Xiao Nan interrupted her reverie. “Dr. Lin, it’s the weekend tomorrow. How about we go to the city for a bit?”

Lin You thought for a moment she’d hardly bought Qin Lang any winter clothing since arriving. “Is winter here very cold?”

“Yes, quite chilly. I was planning on buying a new down jacket.”

“Alright, let’s go together tomorrow.”