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Hello, dear readers! I’m truly sorry for not posting any updates over the past few days. To make it up to you all, I’ve unlocked 18 CHAPTERS! Please note that this may not be reflected on the NU page right away, as it’s part of a mass update/unlock. Once again, thank you so much for reading my translations. Enjoy the chapters~! (づ> v <)づ♡

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Chapter 113: She Was Wrong, So Wrong  

Just like that.  

Lin Yulan firmly held onto Lin Yuyao, who was still gritting her teeth in anger, and, along with the other sisters-in-law from the compound, gradually left.  

The front of Song Qingqian’s house returned to its usual calm once again.  

The small commotion had finally passed.  

“It’s fine now. They’re all gone, you…”  

Jiang Rou turned to look at Song Qingqian, comforting words on the tip of her tongue, just about to be spoken.  

But in an instant—  

Jiang Rou’s wrist was suddenly gripped tightly by a forceful hand.  

She saw Song Qingqian’s face, just inches away.  

All traces of her usual vibrance had disappeared. Instead, her complexion was somewhat pale, and her delicate brows, once furrowed, had never relaxed.  

A beauty with furrowed brows—  

It evoked both heartache and pity.  

But something was off.  

This was not the first time Song Qingqian had faced such an ordeal.  

She was proud by nature, a person who valued her dignity above all else.  

Even if she had to swallow broken teeth along with her blood, she would never show her vulnerability in front of others.  

Song Qingqian was definitely not frightened. There had to be another reason…  

As Jiang Rou was pondering this, Song Qingqian suddenly spoke in a hurried voice.  

“Is what they said true?”  

“What’s true or false?”  

For a moment, Jiang Rou wasn’t sure which statement Song Qingqian was referring to.  

After all, during the argument just now, both she and the sisters-in-law had said a lot.  

“He Donglai—he could have been promoted to regiment commander. But because of me, not only did he not get promoted, he was even demoted instead?”  

Song Qingqian’s brows furrowed deeply. Her eyes burned with intensity as she fixed her gaze on Jiang Rou, her voice tight with urgency as she asked again: “Is this true?”  

She completely ignored all the accusations and slander directed at her, treating them with cold indifference.  

But when it came to He Donglai, she could not let it go.  

When she had first heard it, her heart had trembled.  

Even more so than when she had learned He Donglai had been assigned to a mine-clearing mission.

That man… he was an officer.  

That was what Song Qingqian’s grandfather had told her before the arranged meeting.  

At that time, the Song family was already on the verge of collapse.  

Song Qingqian had no interest in listening to any further details about He Donglai.  

She couldn’t make sense of the difference between a Company Commander, a Battalion Commander, or a Regiment Commander.  

She didn’t even remember He Donglai’s name.  

It wasn’t until she sat in the bedroom during the arranged meeting and saw the man who walked in that she realized—  

The person her grandfather had arranged for her to meet was actually He Donglai.  

How could it be He Donglai?!  

Something had happened between them in the past.  

Why would He Donglai be willing to meet her for an arranged marriage?  

Didn’t he hate her?  

Throughout the entire meeting, Song Qingqian had been completely absent-minded.  

She was certain the marriage wouldn’t happen, and her grandfather would surely be disappointed.  

After all, how could He Donglai possibly agree to marry her?  

And yet—  

Something completely unexpected happened.  

Back then, He Donglai had actually agreed to the marriage. Not only that, but he had even taken the initiative to submit a marriage report to the Military Unit.  

Song Qingqian could hardly believe it.  

So, during their second meeting—  

She questioned him: “Why are you willing to marry me? Is it to take revenge for what I did in the past? You don’t have to do anything—I won’t have a good ending anyway.”  

The man, wearing glasses, did not answer her question. Instead, he simply told her—  

“You don’t have to worry. Our marriage report will definitely be approved.”  

Later…  

Just as He Donglai had said, the marriage report was indeed approved.  

That day—  

Her grandfather was overjoyed, saying that his precious granddaughter was finally saved and would have a good life.  

At that time, Song Qingqian had thought it was because He Donglai’s rank was high enough that the higher-ups had made an exception and approved their marriage.  

On the day the marriage report was approved—

It was also on the day He Donglai’s transfer order to the island was issued.  

There was no time for adjustment—Song Qingqian had no choice but to leave her home and follow He Donglai to the island.  

And it was during these days on the island—  

That Song Qingqian gradually pieced things together. She realized that He Donglai’s rank was Company Commander—not particularly high, yet not exactly low. He was just an ordinary officer within the Military Unit.  

However, among the other Company Commanders of his rank, it seemed that He Donglai commanded a bit more respect.  

Song Qingqian knew very well that the stability of her current life was entirely due to He Donglai’s protection.  

She had once wondered—so even a mere Company Commander could shield her, a capitalist’s daughter whom everyone despised?  

If He Donglai were promoted, wouldn’t he be able to protect her family as well?  

That had been her dream.  

Until today.  

Until she heard the words blurted out by the sisters-in-law.  

Only then did she realize—  

She was wrong!  

So terribly wrong.  

…  

Song Qingqian’s eyes were tense, her grip tightening as she firmly held onto Jiang Rou’s hand, persistently asking—  

“Jiang Rou, tell me—are those words true or not?”  

She was desperate for an answer.  

If it were true—if He Donglai had truly given up a golden opportunity for promotion just because he married her—then everything she had believed before would be overturned.  

This man had paid such a heavy price, yet he was still willing to marry her.  

Why?  

Doubt swelled in her heart like a snowball, growing bigger and bigger.  

“It’s…”  

Jiang Rou almost blurted it out.  

But—  

The next second, she bit her lip.  

Then, she changed her words.  

“Whether it’s true or not, it’s not up to us to say. Only Company Commander He is the one involved. If you really want to know the truth, you should ask him yourself.”

Jiang Rou’s earlier guess had been correct.  

The biggest issue between He Donglai and Song Qingqian was their silence.  

She didn’t want to be the one to speak on his behalf—Song Qingqian had to ask for herself.  

But even after hearing Jiang Rou’s words, Song Qingqian refused to give up.  

She stared intently at Jiang Rou.  

Those always-cold and proud phoenix eyes now held a silent plea.  

Song Qingqian had compromised.  

All for the sake of uncovering the truth about He Donglai.  

But Jiang Rou remained resolute in her refusal.  

“Qingqian, this is a matter between you and your husband. It’s best if you talk it out between yourselves. The rest of us are just outsiders.”  

With that, Jiang Rou pushed against Song Qingqian’s hand.  

It took several tries before she finally managed to pry herself free.  

She watched as Song Qingqian bit her lower lip, standing dazedly by the door, utterly lost.  

In the end, Jiang Rou steeled herself, turned away, and left.  

…  

Jiang Rou returned to her small house.  

The courtyard was empty—there was no sign of the two children.  

As she stepped further inside—  

Zhou Xiaochuan was sitting by the window, holding a glass marble high in the air, watching the sunlight refract through it.  

The colorful light looked just like a rainbow.  

But the little shadow that usually followed him around was missing.  

Where was Zhou Xiaohua?  

That tiny little one who loved clinging to her big brother was nowhere to be seen.  

Jiang Rou continued walking further in.  

She spotted Zhou Xiaohua’s small figure twirling around inside the tiny kitchen, his big, round eyes darting about.  

A little glutton, through and through.