Chapter 37: When Siblings Meet

At this moment, a crowd had gathered around them. Seeing that Mu Nanhe was ignoring her, Bai Yiling tried to incite the onlookers to blame Yang Qingyan. She shouted, “Yang Qingyan, I was just trying to say hello! Why did you push me and splash dirty water all over me?”

Some uninformed bystanders began to whisper their criticisms of Yang Qingyan. The crowd murmured various opinions:

“What’s wrong with this girl? Even if there are conflicts, she shouldn’t resort to violence.”

“Yes, she seems calm, but her actions are reckless.”

“Is it really necessary to make such a big deal over a simple greeting?”

Yang Qingyan didn’t fear their scrutiny; she retorted, “If I wanted to splash water on you, I would do it openly, like this.” As she spoke, she splashed some water onto Bai Yiling.

Then she continued, “How about that? Do you still want me to push you openly? And as for you telling me to leave my husband—what qualifications do you have for that?”

The atmosphere shifted abruptly, and onlookers began to turn against Bai Yiling.

“This girl is going too far! Stealing someone’s husband and then playing the victim?”

“Exactly! Just look at her fake fall—it’s so obviously a set-up.”

“Disrupting a military marriage is a crime; how dare she act so arrogantly?”

Bai Yiling turned pale at the tide of public opinion against her. At that moment, Huang Yao stepped forward and said, “What do you know? My sister Yiling and Nanhe are meant for each other! This country girl doesn’t deserve him!”

Bai Yiling’s face grew even paler as she pulled Huang Yao, trying to leave the scene.

Suddenly, Xia Tianyou stepped in to block their path, saying, “I saw everything. You grabbed Yang Qingyan’s hand and pushed yourself. You also splashed water on yourself. Bai Yiling, do I need to inform your father about your behavior?”

Bai Yiling jumped in fright; she feared her father the most and quickly replied, “Tianyou, please don’t say anything to my father. I’m leaving now!”

Xia Tianyou insisted, “Apologize to Yang Qingyan.”

Reluctantly, Bai Yiling stepped in front of Yang Qingyan, hanging her head, and muttered, “Yang Qingyan, I’m sorry.” After saying that, she hastily grabbed Huang Yao and left.

Once they had gone, the crowd also dispersed. Yang Qingyan turned to Xia Tianyou and said, “Thank you for standing up for me, Xia Tianyou.”

Xia Tianyou smiled, revealing a set of white teeth, and sincerely replied, “Yang Qingyan, there’s no need to be so polite. I just spoke the truth. If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t be able to watch you be wronged.”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Mu Nanhe, slightly furrowing his brow as he pondered: *This man looks somewhat like my father—same robust demeanor, same imposing aura, and even the resolute spirit in his eyes is strikingly similar.*

Yang Qingyan keenly picked up on his look and smiled brightly, introducing, “This is my husband, Mu Nanhe. Nanhe, this is Xia Tianyou, the young soldier I’m treating for his hand injury.”

Mu Nanhe nodded, “Hello, I’m Mu Nanhe.” Xia Tianyou responded with a nod, “I’m Xia Tianyou. I heard from Yang Qingyan that you’re also a soldier.”

Mu Nanhe offered a friendly handshake. “Xia Tianyou, thank you for helping Qingyan just now. It’s a pleasure meeting you.”

Xia Tianyou quickly shook his hand with his injured hand and then straightened up to salute, “Major Mu, I’ve long admired your reputation. It’s an honor to meet you in person; your heroic spirit is truly remarkable. I also want to thank Doctor Wang for agreeing to help me with my hand, giving me hope to return to the battlefield.”

Mu Nanhe patted Xia Tianyou’s shoulder. “You have the spirit of a good soldier. Cooperate well with the treatment, and once you recover, we’ll fight side by side.”

A spark of determination flickered in Xia Tianyou’s eyes. He nodded vigorously, “Certainly!”

Yang Qingyan watched the two men converse, feeling a sense of comfort. She noticed the shared determination between them, as though she could envision them charging into battle together in the future.

When Yang Qingyan returned to the ward, she said to Mu Nanhe, “Nanhe, didn’t you think Xia Tianyou looks a bit like you? The similarities are quite striking.”

Mu Nanhe paused, reflecting for a moment on his encounter with Xia Tianyou and his family. He then shook his head, saying, “Maybe it’s just a coincidence. I haven’t thought much about it; I just feel they’re quite friendly.”

Noticing his casual nature, Yang Qingyan’s curiosity deepened. She couldn’t help but ask, “With your mother treating you poorly, is it possible that you’re actually not their child, and Xia Tianyou and his family might be your real kin?”

Mu Nanhe chuckled lightly, gently caressing Yang Qingyan’s nose with a pampering smile. “You’re thinking too far ahead. I’ve never heard that I’m not biological; no one in the village has said anything like that.”

Yang Qingyan remained puzzled. Despite witnessing Mu Nanhe’s indifference, she decided against pressing the issue further, making a mental note to find a chance to investigate later. After all, the resemblance was too coincidental, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was an untold story hidden behind it.

Finally, the day of Xia Tianyou’s surgery arrived. Mu Nanhe gazed at Yang Qingyan with trust and support in his eyes, saying, “Wife, I’ll wait for you outside.”

Yang Qingyan felt a warmth in her heart and leaned down to kiss Mu Nanhe gently on the cheek before turning to quickly head to the operating room for preparations.

As Xia Tianyou was wheeled in, the atmosphere in the surgical room grew tense.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Qingyan steeled herself and approached the operating table, gently speaking to Xia Tianyou, “I’ll give you a local anesthetic. You can’t have general anesthesia because I need you to sense the recovery of your hand during the surgery. There may be some pain, so try to relax.”

Xia Tianyou took a deep breath, his gaze firmly fixed on Yang Qingyan. “I can endure it; just focus on what you need to do.”

With that, the surgery officially commenced. Yang Qingyan meticulously checked the surgical instruments one last time to ensure everything was correct. Holding the syringe confidently, she administered the appropriate dosage of local anesthetic.

As she injected, she offered soothing words, “Don’t be nervous; this is just the beginning. It’ll all be over soon.” Once the anesthesia took effect, she picked up the scalpel, her gaze focused and calm as she decisively cut open the area where the nerves needed reconnecting. Blood began to seep out, but she remained composed, quickly using gauze to wipe it away so she could see the incision clearly.

Next, she immersed herself in the delicate task of reconnecting the nerves, her nimble fingers moving like skilled spirits, carefully manipulating the complex network of neural tissues. One by one, she precisely aligned the severed nerves.

Every movement was executed with utmost caution, for she understood that even the smallest oversight could affect Xia Tianyou’s recovery. During the procedure, she occasionally used her abilities to aid in the rapid repair of the nerves. A subtle, unseen glow emanated from her fingertips, seemingly infusing this surgery with an additional light of hope.