Chapter 21: The Original’s Parents Have Arrived

As soon as the sisters-in-law saw the baby, their eyes lit up, and they crowded around, exclaiming with “tut-tut” sounds of admiration. Yang Qingyan stepped closer, her gaze softening as it rested on the baby, stirred by a wave of affection. After just a few days of not seeing him, the little one had grown so rosy and plump, his skin delicate like that of a freshly peeled egg, making one feel an instinctive urge to bond. She couldn’t help but reach out her hand to gently touch the baby’s soft cheek, her movements so tender as if afraid to disturb his sweet dreams.

This scene caught Liang Huantao’s eye, and her gaze turned mischievous as a smirk appeared on her face. She teased, “Qingyan, you like children so much; when will you and Commander Mu have one of your own?”

As soon as those words were spoken, the other sisters-in-law joined in the teasing, directing their gazes toward Yang Qingyan. Her cheeks flushed a deep rose, and she awkwardly smiled, scratching her head and saying, “Hehe, it has to happen naturally.” In reality, she was well aware that her body was still recovering from being undernourished, and although she and Mu Nanhe were officially married, they hadn’t even shared the same bed yet; thoughts of having a child were far from reality.

The group sat around, filled with laughter and conversation, sharing parenting tips and discussing family matters, with a warm atmosphere enveloping the house. Unbeknownst to them, the day gradually turned to dusk. After chatting for a while, everyone decided to get up, say their goodbyes, and head back home.

Just as Yang Qingyan reached the door, she heard Wei Wan softly calling her from behind: “Qingyan, wait a moment.” Yang Qingyan turned around and saw Wei Wan trying to get up from the bed. She quickly walked back a few steps and pressed her down gently, saying, “Sister, don’t move. If there’s anything, just tell me while lying down.”

Wei Wan grasped Yang Qingyan’s hand, her eyes full of gratitude as she said, “Sister, I was planning to have Jianjun visit you to thank you properly another day, but since you’re here today, I just had to tell you. I’ve been feeling uneasy; you saved both my life and my child’s life. These are a few heartfelt tokens we prepared for you. Please accept them.” She then gave Liu Jianjun a knowing glance.

Understanding her signal, Liu Jianjun turned and entered the house. After a few moments, he emerged carrying a pile of high-end gifts: exquisite dessert boxes, beautifully packaged nourishing supplements, and rare imported fabrics. These items, typically hard to come by in common households, were clearly quite valuable.

Seeing this, Yang Qingyan quickly waved her hands to decline. “Sister, this is too much. I helped you out of kindness; I shouldn’t accept such extravagant gifts.” She genuinely felt she was just doing her duty, unworthy of such a reward.

However, Wei Wan remained insistent, her eyes slightly red. “Sister, please don’t refuse. If it weren’t for you, I can’t imagine what the outcome would have been. This is just a small token of our appreciation, and if you don’t accept it, I won’t feel at ease.”

Liu Jianjun chimed in as well, “Comrade Yang, just accept it. This is our family’s heartfelt wish. If you don’t accept it, we won’t know how to face you in the future.”

With no way to refuse, Yang Qingyan looked at the sincere and determined expressions on Wei Wan and her husband’s faces. After hesitating for a while, she decided to accept the gifts. She understood that this was not just a gift but a heavy sentiment of gratitude from Wei Wan’s family; if she rejected it again, it would seem ungrateful.

“Well then, Sister and Brother Liu, I’ll accept it graciously. Thank you,” Yang Qingyan said sincerely. Wei Wan then showed a relieved smile, offering a few more words of caution regarding resting, before Yang Qingyan bid her farewell and left.

On her way home, with the gifts in her arms, she felt both warmth and a touch of melancholy. In the apocalypse, people often engaged in deception for survival, where resource struggles and calculations were commonplace. Yet in this place, there was an abundance of genuine affection and gratitude, leading her to appreciate this warm sanctuary even more. She silently vowed to protect this space more diligently.

As Yang Qingyan leisurely returned home, having just placed the gifts she received from Wei Wan down, the tranquility was interrupted by a series of urgent knocks at the door. Following that, she heard a soldier’s voice say, “Yang Qingyan, there are two people claiming to be your parents here to visit.” A knowing smile crept across Yang Qingyan’s lips. Without saying much, she got up to welcome them.

Her mind was like a mirror, reflecting back all the grievances from the past; she was very clear about everything her so-called parents had done. She wished she could traverse time and make it all clear. For instance, the matter involving the original and Mu Nanhe; they had ended up together due to the reckless schemes of those selfish parents. They had coveted Mu Nanhe’s status as an officer, calculating that they could rake in a fortune from the Mu family. In a truly despicable move, they drugged the original and passed her out, only to dump her onto Mu Nanhe’s bed. Meanwhile, Mu Nanhe had also been schemed against by his own family, mistakenly consuming the same aphrodisiac. Thus, in the haze, their relationship developed without proper consent.

Mu Nanhe’s family also had their own agenda, believing that the original’s family would be easy to control, thinking that once he married, he could be used as a money dispenser, continuously sending money home.

While contemplating these unpleasant matters, Yang Qingyan’s fists instinctively clenched, a cold snort of derision echoing through her thoughts: “Come here, then. Since you’ve come to my doorstep, I’ll make sure to get some satisfaction for the original today.”

Reaching the door, she glanced up and saw two middle-aged individuals standing awkwardly there. The man was slightly stooped, with disheveled hair falling over his forehead, a somewhat fawning smile on his face; the woman was thin and worn, with traces of her past beauty lingering around her features. She was good-looking, but in her tattered clothing, she looked even duller. Indeed, they were the original’s heartless parents.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Qingyan suppressed her anger and tried to keep her voice calm. “Come in.” Hearing her, the couple hurried in, their eyes darting around, clearly feeling guilty.

As soon as the original’s parents entered the house, their eyes were drawn magnetically to the pile of gifts Yang Qingyan had just brought back. Their gazes were filled with greed and desire, and they unconsciously moved towards it. Yang Qingyan took note of all this quietly, understanding their intentions very well.

They were here for Mu Nanhe’s family. Since Yang Qingyan had accompanied the army, Mu Nanhe had asked his retired comrades to investigate everything that had happened in the past and the year he had been away from home. He had learned of the despicable actions of both his and the original’s parents and, in a fit of anger, had slashed the monthly allowance he sent home to a mere $5, barely enough to maintain the elders’ basic livelihood. This had put Mu Nanhe’s parents in a state of panic, worrying daily about how to encourage him to send more money. However, they understood his temper; if they dared directly ask him, they would face his anger. Thus, they concocted a plan, urging the original’s parents to come press Yang Qingyan, thinking that since she was a woman, she would be easier to sway. As soon as she loosened her grip, Mu Nanhe would undoubtedly send more money home.

Unfortunately for them, the current Yang Qingyan was no longer the weak woman who could be bullied.

Yang Qingyan took the lead in breaking the silence, her gaze icy as she asked, “What brings you here?” The original’s mother was startled by the sudden inquiry, shivering a bit. The mother quickly forced a smile and said, “Qingyan, you’ve been with the army for two months now, and we’ve had no news. We’ve been worried and just wanted to check on how you’re doing.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Qingyan let out a cold laugh, full of mockery. “Do you really care about how I’m doing? I doubt that’s your real reason for being here. If you have something to say, just say it.”