Chapter 14

Lying on the hospital bed, Cheng Yue finally noticed Su Qianqian and the three children.  

He didn’t immediately recognize Su Qianqian, though she seemed vaguely familiar.  

“When did you get married? And the kids are already this big?” he asked curiously, addressing Cheng Yuan. As far as he knew, Cheng Yuan wasn’t married.  

“Captain, don’t you… recognize her?” Cheng Yuan replied awkwardly, gesturing toward Su Qianqian.  

To say Su Qianqian felt awkward would be an understatement.  

It was clear Cheng Yue had someone else in his heart now, making her presence feel unnecessary.  

“Am I supposed to know her?” Cheng Yue asked, confused.  

Cheng Yuan, worried that Su Qianqian might lose her temper, stole a glance at her. To his surprise, she remained composed. Left with no choice, he pointed at the three children and said, “Captain, look closely at these kids. Who do they resemble?”  

Both Cheng Yue and the other woman turned their attention to the children, who, feeling uneasy, hid behind Su Qianqian.  

“Huh, Cheng Yue, these kids do look a bit like you,” the woman teased with a smile. “Could they be your wife and children?”  

Cheng Yue froze, scrutinizing Su Qianqian more carefully before exclaiming, “You’re Su Qianqian?”  

“Yes, it’s been a while,” Su Qianqian responded, her tone light but strained. The situation couldn’t have been more awkward.  

The smile on the woman’s face froze, her shock evident. She had heard of Cheng Yue’s wife, Su Qianqian—a rural woman whom she had always dismissed as insignificant. Yet here she was, standing before her, with three children in tow.  

“Wait, three children? Cheng Yue, haven’t you been away from home for years?” Her words carried a thinly veiled implication.  

Cheng Yue’s expression darkened. He had only been with Su Qianqian once before leaving. How could this be?  

“Captain, here’s what happened,” Cheng Yuan interjected. “The higher-ups sent me to bring the sister-in-law over to care for you since living alone would be inconvenient. When we got to Tianshui Village, we discovered she had triplets. Auntie said that after you left, she found out she was pregnant.”  

Cheng Yuan had developed a good impression of Su Qianqian during the journey and decided to explain on her behalf. After all, a woman’s reputation was important.  

The three children glanced nervously at Cheng Yue, who looked completely unprepared for the sudden reality of fatherhood.  

“And this lady is…?” Su Qianqian broke the awkward silence.  

“Oh, hello. I’m Cheng Yue’s classmate, Zhou Yun,” the woman introduced herself, extending her hand.  

Su Qianqian shook hands briefly with Zhou Yun, observing her refined demeanor. Zhou Yun’s half-up hair, paired with a blouse and skirt, exuded elegance and wealth.  

Although Su Qianqian’s hands had softened over time due to her use of the mystical spring water, they still couldn’t match Zhou Yun’s delicate ones.  

“Cheng Yue and I met at military school,” Zhou Yun said, smiling warmly. “Back then, he was like a hot-headed fool, always getting into arguments. We fought a few times before becoming friends. When I heard he was injured, I came to visit.”  

Her tone was casual yet brimming with familiarity, clearly meant to assert her closeness to Cheng Yue.  

Su Qianqian didn’t mind. After all, there were no feelings between her and Cheng Yue. Even if he wanted a divorce now, she wouldn’t care.  

But Zhou Yun’s condescending gaze rubbed her the wrong way. Su Qianqian decided she wouldn’t retaliate unless Zhou Yun acted out.  

“Why are the kids so thin?” Zhou Yun crouched down and greeted them. “Can you say ‘auntie’?”  

The children didn’t respond, huddling closer to Su Qianqian.  

“Are they always this shy?” Zhou Yun’s face betrayed a trace of disdain, her gaze suggesting that the children were unrefined.  

“We’re from the countryside,” Su Qianqian said evenly. “Isn’t it normal to be shy? Miss Zhou, you might not be familiar with rural hardships. It’s a miracle these three survived without starving to death. Being thin is inevitable since Cheng Yue hasn’t been home for five years or sent any news.”  

Her tone remained soft, yet her words carried an unmistakable jab at Cheng Yue.  

Cheng Yue realized that the Su Qianqian before him was almost unrecognizable from the shrewish woman he once knew.  

“Zhou Yun, thank you for visiting me,” Cheng Yue said, breaking the tension. “It’s getting late. You should head back.”  

“Alright. If you need anything, just call my office,” Zhou Yun replied, glancing at Su Qianqian dismissively before leaving. To her, a rural woman like Su Qianqian could never match someone like Cheng Yue.  

After Zhou Yun left, Su Qianqian felt the unbearable awkwardness return. Trying to lighten the atmosphere, she said, “Why don’t we drop off our luggage first? I can make some food and then come back to keep you company.”  

Given Cheng Yue’s leg injury, it was clear he’d need someone to stay with him.  

“Alright. Cheng Yuan, take… her to the family quarters to unpack,” Cheng Yue said, stumbling over the words. He, too, felt uncomfortable.  

Once Su Qianqian and the children were gone, Cheng Yue lay back on the bed, reeling from the sudden realization of fatherhood—triplets, no less. Should he laugh or cry?  

—  

At the military district compound, their arrival drew many curious glances.  

A woman in her early thirties approached with a smile. “Xiao Yuan, you got married?”  

“No, no, these are Captain Cheng’s wife and kids. The captain was injured, so they’ve come to take care of him.”  

“Oh wow, Captain Cheng is so lucky! Triplets, no less,” she exclaimed, crouching to pinch the youngest child’s cheek gently. Too startled to move, the little girl froze but didn’t cry.  

“How adorable! I wish I had a daughter,” the woman said wistfully.  

The youngest’s eyes widened in delight at being called cute, her lips twitching into a shy smile.  

“This is the youngest, the second, and the eldest,” Su Qianqian said, introducing the children. She found this woman quite likable and shared a brief introduction.  

“How lovely! I’m Lin Xuemei. I live in the building next to yours,” the woman said warmly.  

“I’m Su Qianqian. If you don’t mind, I’ll bring you a jar of pickled cucumbers to try later,” Su Qianqian offered.  

“I’d love that! I adore crunchy snacks. I’ll let you get settled now,” Lin Xuemei replied, stepping aside.  

Finally, they reached their floor. The building had two apartments per floor, with a stairwell in between.  

Upon entering the house, Su Qianqian found it neat and clean, with no unnecessary furnishings—exactly what one would expect from a bachelor’s residence.

Then!  

She discovered a problem!  

A very serious problem!  

There were only **two rooms**!  

If the three children shared one room, she would have to share the other with Cheng Yue. However, if she slept with all three children, the bed wouldn’t be big enough.  

*Let’s just divorce—quickly divorce.*  

“Sister-in-law, if you need anything, just let me know. I’ll leave your things here for now,” Cheng Yuan said.  

“I’ll need your help buying some meat, ribs, and a starter for sourdough. I’d like to make some meat buns. Is that convenient?” she asked, unfamiliar with the local markets.  

“No problem at all! We’ll take care of it right away.”  

Cheng Yuan and his companion split up, quickly returning with everything Su Qianqian had requested, along with plenty of extra vegetables. She hurried to pay them back, unwilling to let them spend their own money.  

“It’s fine, Sister-in-law. Save your money. We’ll have it reimbursed through Captain Cheng.”  

Su Qianqian paused mid-motion, then tucked the money back into her pocket. “Alright, then, reimburse it is.” No need to spend her own money when Cheng Yue’s funds were available.  

“Thank you both so much! Please take these things back with you to eat. You’ve been a big help these days.”  

“No, no, it’s not necessary. It’s just our duty.”  

Su Qianqian insisted, pressing the food into their hands. “It’s just a token of my appreciation—unless you find it unacceptable?”  

“Not at all, Sister-in-law. Everything you make is delicious!” The two left with the food, smiling.  

After quickly organizing the supplies, Su Qianqian began preparing a meal. Luckily, she had brought plenty of items from home. Otherwise, Cheng Yue’s sparsely stocked house would have made things quite challenging.  

“Babies, tonight we’re having meat buns. Come help Mom out.”  

The three children, accustomed to helping out, eagerly joined in without causing any trouble.  

Hearing her call them “babies,” the three little ones blushed but couldn’t hide their happiness.  

When the meat buns were steamed and cooked, the delicious aroma filled the air. The children sniffed eagerly, their mouths watering. Seeing their excitement, Su Qianqian’s face lit up with a maternal smile. *This is how children should be.*  

“Here, one for each of you. Eat slowly, and be careful—it’s hot. Big Sis, keep an eye on your younger siblings.”  

“Okay, Mom!”  

Watching them devour the buns, Su Qianqian felt a surge of satisfaction.  

Though the children ate slowly and cherished every bite, they each finished their bun and looked satisfied yet longing for more. However, none of them reached for another.  

“Are you full?”  

The three nodded.  

Su Qianqian smirked slightly and cut another bun into three pieces. “Here, eat.”  

“Mom, you eat,” they said, despite their longing for the food. Even after licking their lips, they pushed the plate toward her. “We’re full.”  

“You’re not eating? Then I’ll just throw it away.” She pretended to toss the bun, which startled them into action.  

“We’ll eat! We’ll eat!”  

Relieved, Su Qianqian handed them the bun pieces. Every time she teased them, she found it both amusing and heartwarming. These children were her little angels.  

After making two bowls of shredded pork noodles, she packed them in containers, added the remaining buns, and took the children to the hospital. The hospital wasn’t far, and after one trip, she had memorized the way. By the time they arrived, the food was still warm.  

“Cheng Yue, time to eat,” she said as she entered. Cheng Yue, still feeling awkward, glanced at her.  

“I already ate,” he replied, recalling the dreadful meals she used to make. He wasn’t eager to relive that experience.  

Su Qianqian raised an eyebrow. *Already ate?* There was no lingering scent of food in the room, which didn’t seem consistent with his claim. But if he said so, she wouldn’t push it.  

“Alright, then we’ll eat ourselves.”  

She laid out the noodles, buns, and pickled cucumbers.  

“Babies, have some noodles too. Eat up and grow stronger.”  

*Babies?*  

Cheng Yue flinched at the overly sweet term. *How can she call them that?*  

The enticing aroma of the meat buns and noodles wafted through the room. *How can it smell this good?* Cheng Yue thought. *Wasn’t her cooking supposed to be awful?*  

“Mom, this is so good!” the second child exclaimed, enthusiastically eating.  

He wanted to grow up quickly so he could protect his mom, big sister, and little sister.  

As Su Qianqian tore a meat bun open, the juices soaked into the soft inner layers, releasing an irresistible scent of seasoned meat. Then…  

*Grrr…*  

A stomach growled loudly. Whose could it be?