Chapter 107: A Reassuring Kiss 

Jiang Rou was not trying to smell any traces of infidelity.

Not to mention Zhou Zhongshan’s personality—he was highly responsible, never casting a second glance at women—cheating was absolutely impossible for him.

Even if she took a step back and considered the possibility, there were no women on this island who would wear perfume.

What Jiang Rou wanted to ask was what exactly Zhou Zhongshan had been doing.

As a food blogger, her sense of smell was exceptionally keen.

On top of that, in recent days, the nourishment from the spiritual spring water had enhanced all her senses.

Sometimes, she could hear the faintest sounds and detect the subtlest scents.

For example—the smell of gunpowder.

It was the scent of explosives.

Jiang Rou had caught a faint, slightly acrid gunpowder scent on Zhou Zhongshan.

In an instant, she tightened her grip on his military uniform, raised her slender, fair neck, and asked anxiously,

“Did you go to clear landmines?”

The unease in Jiang Rou’s heart had never settled throughout the night.

She had persuaded Zhou Xiaochuan not to worry, yet she couldn’t stop herself from worrying.

Jiang Rou racked her brain, trying to recall the original novel’s plot, wondering if it had ever mentioned a mine-clearing operation on the island.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remember.

For one, this event had taken place before the Original Owner’s death.

The novel had started with the reborn female protagonist arriving on the island, meaning the mine-clearing operation had likely already concluded and was therefore not mentioned.

On the other hand, when Jiang Rou had read the original novel, she had skipped around haphazardly.

She had paid more attention to the subplot involving Song Qingqian than to the main characters’ storyline.

As a result, she had little recollection of Zhou Zhongshan’s experiences and had no idea if the novel had ever stated that he participated in the mine-clearing mission.

Beyond that, Jiang Rou’s biggest worry was the immense butterfly effect her presence had caused.

Zhou Zhongshan’s life trajectory had been completely altered.

Rather than seeing this world as the one from the original novel, it was more accurate to describe it as a parallel world.

There were similarities between the two, but also many differences.

Jiang Rou feared that the once-protected Zhou Zhongshan, who had always carried the protagonist’s halo in the original story, might truly be in danger this time—if he encountered an explosion—

She didn’t dare think about what would happen next.

At this moment.  

Under the dim yellow light.  

Jiang Rou caught the scent of gunpowder on Zhou Zhongshan and immediately tensed up, her heartbeat nearly leaping into her throat.  

Zhou Zhongshan was surprised. “Wife, you knew?”  

“You really went?”  

Jiang Rou’s fingers tightened even more, her nails digging deeply into her palms, almost leaving marks.  

Her expression at this moment was eerily similar to that of Zhao Guifen, who had rushed over after hearing of an explosion—her face was pale as paper.  

A military wife’s worries were always the same.  

Zhou Zhongshan looked at Jiang Rou’s visible anxiety and the worried gaze that repeatedly scanned him.  

His heart ached for her.  

Without hesitation, he pulled his delicate and soft wife into his embrace.  

His broad palms held her tightly.  

Their bodies pressed closely together.  

He wanted to use their intimate contact to soothe Jiang Rou’s concerns.  

Zhou Zhongshan spoke to explain.  

“Wife, the smell of gunpowder on me is from today’s shooting training. I fired my gun—it’s just the scent of bullet residue.”  

“I didn’t tell you about the mine-clearing operation because I didn’t want you to worry or overthink.”  

“I’m not in charge of the mine-clearing mission. The higher-ups assigned it to someone else.”  

Jiang Rou didn’t immediately believe him and asked again.  

“Really?”  

“Really.” Zhou Zhongshan gave a solemn promise and continued to explain: “This area doesn’t just have landmines; there are also bombs. Disarming those things isn’t something just anyone can do—it requires expertise. There’s someone more qualified than me, and he’s the one handling it.”  

Zhou Zhongshan only told half the truth and concealed the other half.  

Back when he was on the battlefield, he had actually learned how to clear mines and dismantle bombs.  

Despite his rough exterior, he was meticulous.  

His ability to learn and his hands-on skills were exceptional.  

Initially, the higher-ups had indeed intended to assign the mine-clearing mission to Zhou Zhongshan.  

But someone else had volunteered.  

That person had taken on the dangerous task.  

And from a technical standpoint, they were indeed the more suitable choice.  

So the leadership had changed their decision.  

Zhou Zhongshan didn’t want to reveal these details, afraid that it would only make Jiang Rou worry more.  

After listening to Zhou Zhongshan’s explanation, Jiang Rou thought it over carefully. It did seem reasonable.  

Her tense body finally started to relax.  

As the tension in her chest eased, her body softened.  

She felt weak.  

Luckily, Zhou Zhongshan’s hand was supporting her waist, preventing her from collapsing onto the floor.  

Jiang Rou had been frightened for nothing.  

After steadying herself, she hesitantly asked,  

“Then who exactly did the higher-ups send for the mine-clearing mission? Is this something you can talk about? It wouldn’t be considered a military secret, right? If you are not allowed to say it, then don’t.”  

“I can tell you this.”  

Zhou Zhongshan watched Jiang Rou’s conflicted and expressive face—her features lively and animated—looking more and more like Zhou Xiaohua.  

He tightened his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap as they sat down together.  

Then, in a low voice, he murmured a name.  

“It’s He Donglai.”

He Donglai, though only at the rank of Company Commander, was a graduate of a prestigious military academy and an undeniable genius with an exceptionally high IQ.  

For certain complex bombs, he only needed a single glance at their exterior to roughly sketch out their schematics.  

When it came to bomb disposal, there was no one in the entire military more suited for the job than him.  

The moment Jiang Rou heard He Donglai’s name, her eyes, which had just begun to calm down, widened once again.  

It was actually He Donglai. And he had volunteered for this mission.  

He… was he really doing this purely for technical reasons?  

A trace of doubt flashed through Jiang Rou’s mind.  

Her brows furrowed slightly.  

Seeing her expression, Zhou Zhongshan assumed she was still worried, so he elaborated further.  

“Actually, when the military unit first arrived, they had already carried out an initial mine-clearing operation, removing most of the dangers before allowing the production teams and farmers to return to the fields. However, some bombs were buried too deep, and sometimes the equipment couldn’t detect them all, which is what led to this recent explosion.”  

Jiang Rou tilted her head up, listening quietly.  

She understood the limitations of current technology. It wasn’t that the soldiers hadn’t done their job well—there were simply technical constraints.  

Zhou Zhongshan continued,  

“This time, the operation will be even more meticulous and thorough, ensuring the safety of civilians and their property. Not just in the fields, but also in the mountains, on the beaches…”  

At the mention of the beach, Jiang Rou suddenly recalled some vague memories.  

The original novel had indeed mentioned it.  

This island had once suffered the ravages of war. A fierce naval battle had taken place near the shore.  

As a result, the beach had the highest concentration of unexploded bombs.  

That was why, despite being an island, no one dared to go foraging along the coast to improve their livelihood—no one wanted to take such a huge risk.  

“Wife, don’t worry. In just one more month, everything will be completely settled. Some of the restricted areas will finally be opened to the public.”  

“Really?”  

“Really. I promise. So, can you rest easy now?”  

Zhou Zhongshan lowered his gaze, locking eyes with Jiang Rou, who was just inches away.  

Jiang Rou gave a small nod.  

Now that she fully understood the situation, she was finally able to put her worries to rest.  

But—  

Zhou Zhongshan’s heart was still racing.