Chapter 49: A Dim Yellow Light in the Water Room

Zhou Xiaochuan had been going to the river to bathe for several days.

At first, Jiang Rou hadn’t noticed either.

It wasn’t until last night, after meeting with Military Doctor Pei, that she learned Zhou Xiaochuan’s fever had already exceeded thirty-nine degrees.

Food poisoning or acute gastroenteritis could indeed cause a fever, but usually, it would only be mild—it wouldn’t be this severe.

It was at that moment that Jiang Rou realized Zhou Xiaochuan might have already been running a fever beforehand.

She carefully recalled the unusual changes in Zhou Xiaochuan’s condition.

After piecing things together, she came to a conclusion—Zhou Xiaochuan must have secretly bathed in the river.

It was only early spring. Even though the island had plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures, the midday sun only provided heat for a short while.

The river water was still freezing cold.

Zhou Xiaochuan had been bathing in that icy water every day—how could he not have gotten sick?

At this moment, Zhou Xiaochuan’s reaction completely confirmed Jiang Rou’s suspicions.

This little wolf cub—why was he so stubborn?

There was warm water at home, yet he refused to use it. Instead, he avoided her and insisted on bathing in the cold and dangerous river.

Jiang Rou had no choice but to harden her expression and speak sternly.

“Xiaochuan, if you want to bathe, you can do it at home. No one will laugh at you. The river is so cold—that’s why you have a high fever. And it’s dangerous. If you fall in and something happens to you, what will Xiaohua do? What about your dad?”

One heavy sentence after another pressed down on Zhou Xiaochuan’s heart.

Zhou Xiaochuan wasn’t an unreasonable child.

On the contrary, he was too sensible, which was why he acted so mature for his age—stubborn and unyielding.

He clenched his teeth, pressed his lips together, and had the words “I was wrong” stuck in his throat. But for some reason, he just couldn’t say them.

Jiang Rou took a silent deep breath.

She calmed the frustration weighing on her chest, softened her voice, and gently continued.

“Xiaochuan, let’s keep this as a secret between us. I won’t tell your dad, but from now on, you’re not allowed to bathe in the river anymore—it’s too dangerous.”

Zhou Xiaochuan, with his eyes slightly red, was stunned.

He looked at Jiang Rou in disbelief.

“You… you’re willing to keep this secret for me?”

“Mm. It already happened, and telling your dad now would only make him worry even more. He’s the regiment commander—there are already so many troubles in the military camp. Let’s not add to his burdens with family matters. Isn’t that what you’ve always thought? That’s why, even when Xu Chunxiang bullied you and Xiaohua, you never said a word.”

Jiang Rou’s seemingly casual words struck directly at Zhou Xiaochuan’s heart once again.

Every little thought he had was completely laid bare in front of her.

Zhou Xiaochuan felt embarrassed, but not ashamed.

Because Jiang Rou was willing to keep his secret… Did that mean they were on the same side?

After finishing her words, Jiang Rou lowered her head again, gently massaging the back of Zhou Xiaochuan’s hand.

Zhou Xiaochuan could feel the sensation spreading from his palm—the soft, warm egg rolling in slow circles, as if it were moving across his chest instead.

“…Why?”

Jiang Rou looked puzzled. “What do you mean, why?”

“Why did you take care of me? Why did you carry me to see the doctor? Why?”

Zhou Xiaochuan’s small face was tense, his brows furrowed as he looked at Jiang Rou in confusion.

Even though he was sick, he knew how fierce the storm had been last night.

This woman, who had only been with them for a few days, had risked danger just to take him to the doctor.

Even his own mother had never done such a thing.

Zhou Xiaochuan truly couldn’t understand. He didn’t know why.

Jiang Rou lifted her head and smiled gently.

She spoke softly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“What other reason could there be? Because we are family. Isn’t it normal for family to take care of each other? Just like how you take care of Xiaohua, I should take care of you.”

To Jiang Rou, everything that happened last night was nothing out of the ordinary.

She had never thought of using this incident to change anything in Zhou Xiaochuan’s heart or to gain anything from Zhou Zhongshan.

In that moment, she had only acted out of a sincere desire to protect the child.

Zhou Xiaochuan listened to Jiang Rou’s words, his mouth slightly open, staring blankly without reacting.

The egg in Jiang Rou’s hand had already lost its warmth.

The back of Zhou Xiaochuan’s hand had been massaged enough, the blood circulation improved, and the bruising reduced.

She unfolded the handkerchief, took the peeled egg, and while Zhou Xiaochuan was still in a daze, she shoved it directly into his mouth.

“Mm… mmph…”

“Eat it. This egg is for you. Don’t let Xiaohua see it. From now on, your eggs are yours—you’re not allowed to secretly give them to Xiaohua.”

Jiang Rou had long known that even though each of them was given one egg, both always ended up in Zhou Xiaohua’s stomach.

Today, she watched Zhou Xiaochuan closely, making sure he ate the egg himself.

With Jiang Rou staring at him and listening to the sound of water splashing in the courtyard where Zhou Xiaohua was playing, Zhou Xiaochuan puffed up his cheeks and slowly ate the entire egg, bite by bite.

It was his egg.

——

That afternoon.

The sisters-in-law in the courtyard heard about the child’s illness and came to check on him, expressing their concern.

At the same time, they also congratulated Jiang Rou.

After all, the marriage report for Zhou Zhongshan and Jiang Rou had been approved. Yang Hongping had already shared the good news with everyone, and such a joyous occasion naturally called for a proper celebration.

Lin Yulan smiled and said,

“Sister Rou, you and Regiment Commander Zhou are now officially husband and wife. You can live here with peace of mind. Your days ahead will surely be prosperous and filled with happiness.”

Zhao Guifen, on the other hand, was more concerned about another matter.

“Sister Rou, will you be holding a wedding? Both you and Regiment Commander Zhou are getting married for the first time, and such a joyous event should be lively and celebratory. Besides, a woman only gets married once in her life. If you don’t have a wedding now, you might regret it when you’re older.”

Jiang Rou first thanked Lin Yulan for her blessings.

Then, she turned to Zhao Guifen and replied,

“Sister Guifen, whether we hold a wedding or not doesn’t really matter. As long as the organization recognizes my marriage with Zhongshan, that’s enough for me. Besides, everyone’s lives are already tight, and since Zhongshan is a regiment commander, we shouldn’t be the ones setting an example of extravagance. I’ll just buy some sweets another day and share them with everyone—that will count as our celebration.”

“Aiya… Sister Rou, you always put Regiment Commander Zhou first… He’s truly fortunate to have a wife like you.”

With all the back-and-forth conversations, Jiang Rou ended up spending most of her afternoon entertaining the sisters-in-law.

By the time night fell, Zhou Zhongshan still hadn’t returned.

He hadn’t even sent Song Yan over with a message, which showed just how busy he was.

Jiang Rou went about her usual routine—tidying up the house, preparing dinner, and taking care of the child.

As the night deepened, the small courtyard remained quiet.

A dim yellow light flickered inside the washroom…