Chapter 55

“When they first arrived, no one noticed that their relationship was unusual. Who would have thought that not long after they returned, news of their marriage would spread?”  

At this point, Liu Chang clicked his tongue. “I don’t know if they were just good at pretending or if we were just too dense to notice.”  

His tone carried undisguised disdain.  

“What did they go to the base for?”  

Shen Qingyun had no interest in gossip about men and women, but when he heard that those two had gone to the base together, he became somewhat alert and asked.  

Hearing his question, Liu Chang visibly froze for a moment, his expression revealing a hint of regret.  

He glanced up at Shen Qingyun and, under his piercing gaze, hesitated for a long time before finally giving in.  

“I promised the instructor not to tell you anything… But he can’t reach me now anyway… Even if he wants to hit me, it’d be too much trouble for him.”  

“Cut the nonsense!” Shen Qingyun impatiently slammed his finger onto the table, his gaze turning serious.  

“The instructor has been suspended for investigation.” Liu Chang pursed his lips and lowered his head as he spoke.  

“What?” Yin Xiaoman asked in shock.  

At the same time, bang! Shen Qingyun slammed his palm fiercely onto the table.  

The dishes and bowls on the table jumped up from the impact before falling back down again, startling the two people sitting next to him so much that their hearts almost leaped out of their chests!  

“What happened?” Shen Qingyun narrowed his eyes, staring at Liu Chang intently. His gaze was so sharp and cold that Yin Xiaoman had never seen anything like it before.  

She had originally wanted to ask as well, but under the man’s icy stare, she instinctively clutched her chest and shut her mouth.  

Liu Chang had clearly prepared for this reaction. He didn’t even lift his head and avoided making eye contact with his Battalion Commander. With his head down, he spoke rapidly, not daring to stop as he revealed everything he knew.  

“Not long after you left, it seemed like Sister-in-law’s family received a letter. I don’t know the details, but I do know that Liu Chuang and Lin Hui went to the base to investigate the matter and were confronted by the instructor. The instructor told them that the people had already left, so what was the point of investigating? He told them to go look for the person elsewhere and that he didn’t have time to waste on their nonsense.  That was basically it. Then those two left, but soon after, two people from the regiment arrived and took Wang Guangming away.”  

“Wang Guangming?”  

Yin Xiaoman was even more surprised and quickly asked: “What did Wang Guangming do this time?”  

Wang Guangming was a young soldier in the Cooking Squad. He was the one who had first followed Gao Chong and Yin Xiaoman to the beach to dig for stone crabs.  

The kid was the youngest in the Cooking Squad, probably only sixteen or seventeen years old.  

But he had a great personality—always smiling and never afraid of hard work. Since Yin Xiaoman was familiar with the people in the Cooking Squad, she had always been particularly fond of the boy.  

“They say he has a great-uncle living abroad and that he concealed his overseas relations.”  

At this point, Liu Chang became so angry that he abruptly lifted his head. “These people are completely unreasonable!”

Wang Guangming said that from the day he was born until now, he had never even heard of this so-called great-uncle. He was a distant relative so far removed that their families had no real connection. Apparently, even his father did not remember having such an uncle, saying that he had never met him in his life.

At this point, Liu Chang’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. He looked at Shen Qingyun and asked: “Battalion Commander, what has the world come to? What kind of nonsense is all this?”

Shen Qingyun remained silent. He simply reached out and gently rubbed the back of Liu Chang’s head.

The young man’s eyes instantly turned red.

Still thinking about the young soldier, Yin Xiaoman pressed on: “What about Wang Guangming? What happened to him in the end?”

“His military status was revoked, and he was sent back to his hometown.”

As soon as Liu Chang said this, the room fell into an eerie silence.

Yin Xiaoman felt a tightness in her chest, as if something was squeezing her lungs, making every breath sting painfully.

She couldn’t help but put herself in his shoes.

A wave of fear swept over her as she dared not imagine—if their family had not left when they did, what fate would have awaited them? More importantly, what would have happened to Shen Qingyun?

“Why was Old Qi suspended and investigated? He wasn’t the one who handled the recruitment process. What does Wang Guangming’s case have to do with him?” Shen Qingyun asked.

“Exactly!”

Liu Chang was furious again. “The selection of soldiers was handled at the regiment level. When they were sent here, their political screenings had already been completed and approved.

“Isn’t that supposed to be the responsibility of the Military Affairs Office? Since when did our base have to conduct its own individual reviews? But now, they’re saying that the instructor failed to properly assess the situation of his soldiers. They claim he placed such a ‘dangerous individual’ in an important position in the Cooking Squad. They’re accusing him of dereliction of duty. They even said that if Wang Guangming had poisoned the food when no one was looking, the instructor would be an accomplice and would deserve to be executed by firing squad. I swear, to hell with them!”

Liu Chang, normally a refined and scholarly man, was so enraged that he cursed outright. “If I were Wang Guangming, why the hell would I poison my own brothers? If anything, I’d poison those bastards first!”

This was a case of trumped-up charges—fabricating a crime where none existed.

Not to mention the others present, even Yin Xiaoman understood that Qi Feng was taking the fall for them.

If those people hadn’t failed to find them and needed an outlet for their frustration, things might not have escalated this far.

Wang Guangming’s case might have been investigated sooner or later, but if Qi Feng hadn’t openly clashed with them, he wouldn’t have been slapped with such an accusation.

For a soldier, especially a frontline political officer, being branded with “dereliction of duty” meant the end of their career.

It was practically a death sentence for his future.

He would never have another chance to rise.

Those people were truly ruthless!

Yin Xiaoman trembled with anger.

…

Because of everything that had been said, even though the table was filled with delicious food, no one had the appetite they had earlier. Everyone’s hearts felt heavy.

Previously, Sister-in-law Cui had mentioned to Yin Xiaoman that Liu Chang came from a prominent family.

His entire family practiced medicine—his grandfather and father were both leading figures in the military hospital.

The reason he had ended up working at a small clinic in their remote base was, first, because he was still young, and his family wanted him to gain experience.

And second—though unspoken yet understood by all—because the world outside was unstable. His family likely didn’t want him to draw too much attention and had deliberately sent him somewhere far away to keep him safe.

Now, if even Liu Chang had been sent all the way to Zhongshan Island to avoid trouble, that was enough to show that Vanguard Camp was no longer a place where one could stay safely.

After seeing Liu Chang off and making sure the children had washed up and gone to bed, Yin Xiaoman returned to the bedroom.

There, she saw the man standing with his back to the door, staring out the window. She had no idea how long he had been standing there.

From her angle, she couldn’t see his face, but just from his posture, she could feel the fury burning inside him—the kind of rage that came from sheer helplessness.

She quietly walked over and stood beside him.

After a long silence, she hesitantly asked: “Should I go talk to Grandpa Hua?”

This was an unspoken secret between the two of them.

Although no one had ever explicitly mentioned it, both of them knew that the reason they had been able to come to Zhongshan Island was thanks to Grandpa Hua.

No—more accurately, it was thanks to Yin Xiaoman’s late father.

Shen Qingyun was still young, a soldier stationed at a remote border defense post.

With his current rank and reputation within the military unit, he was not yet significant enough to catch the attention of the highest levels of leadership, let alone be specially assigned to oversee the security of an entire island.

The moment Liu Chang revealed how much injustice Qi Feng’s family had suffered because of them, Yin Xiaoman had already begun considering this option.

However, given how turbulent the situation outside was, she didn’t dare to decide rashly.

After all, Grandpa Hua’s position was a precarious one.

In military engineering, he was an irreplaceable authority—his status was unshakable, beyond question.

But in other areas—

Yin Xiaoman had always sensed that he had his own difficulties.

Even if he never spoke about it, she could tell that his life wasn’t as smooth as he made it seem.

Clearly, what troubled Yin Xiaoman was also troubling Shen Qingyun.

Hearing her say this, Shen Qingyun shook his head. “No need. Don’t mention this to Grandpa Hua; I’ll find a way to handle it.”

Not knowing what method the man could possibly have, Yin Xiaoman did not ask further. However, the heavy stone pressing on her heart refused to be lifted.

That night, in her dreams, she repeatedly saw Sister-in-law Cui leading her around the Vanguard Camp, familiarizing her with the environment and chatting happily together.

The cheerful sound of laughter echoed in her ears.

When she woke up in the morning, she found a large patch of tears staining her pillow.

---

Li Chun gazed at the piece of paper placed inside the cupboard by the celestial being, her face full of worry.

On the paper, there were only five words: hand cream, face balm.

She then looked at the large basin of live fish and fresh shrimp placed beside it. She truly had no idea what kind of hand cream and face balm could possibly match the value of all these seafood.

In fact, for some time now, she had felt that the celestial being seemed to care less and less about what she received in exchange.

The seafood left behind was still as fresh and plump as ever, worth a fortune. Yet, the requests she made in return became increasingly trivial.

Last time, she had left behind a basin full of shrimp and shellfish, yet all she asked for in return were five eggs, two apples, and a bottle of honey!

Looking at the note, Li Chun remained silent for a long time. She had a feeling—

These items were not truly what the celestial being needed. It was very likely that she did not need anything at all but had simply scribbled down a few things to put Li Chun at ease.

This thought made Li Chun feel deeply moved, yet at the same time, it also filled her with concern.

Ever since the Grand Prince’s birthday banquet, she had come to an agreement with Old Li, the vegetable supplier. The seafood would go through his hands first, and each time, he would take a fair share as his cut.

Old Li had been supplying goods to the imperial palace for many years, ever since her master’s time. His character was relatively trustworthy, and most importantly, his family was wealthy.

If there was anyone in the Capital City capable of transporting seafood from distant regions into the city, aside from his family, there was no one else.

Therefore, by passing the goods through him, no one in the palace would grow suspicious.

Furthermore, as long as she remained in the Imperial Kitchen, Old Li would always have something to ask of her, so she was not afraid of him playing any tricks behind her back.

Since their partnership had lasted a long time, and since the palace did not require large amounts of seafood every day, even though the celestial being delivered once a week, the quantity each time was substantial. With the weather growing hotter…

So later, Li Chun agreed to let Old Li sell some of the things she didn’t need to other nobles.

Once this channel was established, everything became increasingly smooth. To be honest, even though only half a year had passed, Li Chun had already made quite a bit of money.

She felt that even if she were to leave the palace immediately, she would have enough to buy a rather nice house in the Capital City.

Under such circumstances, how could she not feel immense gratitude toward the little celestial being?

Li Chun desperately wanted to share some of her earnings with the celestial being, but she could sense that the celestial being had no interest in worldly possessions.

She had also tried her best to prepare the finest food for her, but now, even the food she requested was becoming less and less.

Li Chun could not help but fall into a state of unease.

She feared the day when the little celestial being would no longer need her.

It was not just about ceasing to deliver seafood—what Li Chun feared even more was that one day, just as she had appeared suddenly, the celestial being would vanish without a trace, never to return.

By now, for Li Chun, the exchange of goods was no longer the most important thing. The celestial being had become more like a source of comfort—just knowing that she was there made Li Chun feel at ease.

Staring at the white paper with only five words written on it, she fell into confusion once again.

Perhaps because of the thoughts weighing on her mind, Li Chun was in a daze the entire day.

As a result, when she finished work, she did not even react for a long moment when Mama Xu from the Noble Consort’s palace grabbed her arm.

“Hey, Li Chun, do you still have any of the face balm your master left behind? The one she gave me before is all used up. Ah, you know, I never realized how good it was when I used it every day. But now that it’s gone, just look—my hands are already cracking again…”

Mama Xu continued talking endlessly, going on about how effective Li Chun’s master’s face balm and hand cream were.

If she had any left, she absolutely had to share some and not keep it to herself.

She was even willing to pay for it if necessary.

At first, Li Chun patiently listened, but as she continued to hear Mama Xu talk, a thought suddenly struck her, making her heart skip a beat. Then, everything became clear in an instant!

Every time her master made face balm, she would always give some to Li Chun. But since Li Chun was not the type to fuss over such things, she had simply stored them in her cabinet, barely using them.

If—just if—she gave her master’s face balm to the little celestial being, would she like it as well?

She probably would, right?

After all, when Li Chun had bought face balm from the market for her before, the celestial being had not turned it down, had she?

Muttering a few more hurried words to Mama Xu, Li Chun quickly excused herself and rushed back to her small room.

She pulled open the cabinet and took out a box from the bottom shelf.

When she opened it, she found not only an assortment of delicate jars and bottles but also hand-written recipe books, hand-drawn illustrations of fresh vegetables, and fruit guides.

Seeing these, her nose tingled, and in the next moment, tears streamed down her face.

Everything inside the box had been left to her by her master.

Aside from the face balm and hand cream, those recipes and illustrations had all been meticulously written and drawn by her master’s own hands.

After her master had passed away, Li Chun had placed all these items inside the box, rarely daring to open it.

Every time she looked at them, her heart would ache for a long time.

She took out a small box of face balm and opened it. A light, rosy fragrance instantly filled the air.

Li Chun held the jar in her hands for a long, long time, her expression full of hesitation.

She could not bear to give away the things her master had left behind.

Yet she also knew that, unlike the books and illustrations, these jars of face balm would expire if left unused for too long.

Letting her master’s creations go to waste—that would be the real tragedy.

Taking out all the bottles and jars from the box, Li Chun’s gaze fell on a sheet of paper at the very bottom, covered in writing.

She paused for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

---

When Yin Xiaoman saw the neatly arranged bottles and jars in Li Chun’s cabinet, she was momentarily dazed.

For a brief moment, she felt as if she had returned to the past.

She reached out and picked up one of the jars. Opening the lid, she inhaled the deeply familiar scent, yet she could not quite describe what she was feeling inside.

When she had asked Li Chun for face balm, she had assumed the girl would, as before, give her some ordinary product purchased outside the palace. Never in a million years had she expected to receive these instead.

She did not think there was anything inappropriate about Li Chun giving her something that had been left behind for her.

These were consumables, after all. If they were not used in time, they would go bad anyway.

And since that girl never cared for such things, rather than letting them go to waste or end up in someone else’s hands, it was far better for her to have them.

It was just that… seeing these things so suddenly filled her heart with countless emotions.

Back when Yin Xiaoman lived in the palace, the items she used had naturally been of the highest quality. Especially when it came to hand oil—its effects had always been immediate and remarkable.

In less than two days, she could already see the changes. Her hands became noticeably smoother, and the skin, which had darkened slightly, gradually lightened.

If the hand oil worked this well, then the transformation brought by the face cream needed no further explanation.

After half a month, even Shen Qingyun, who was always rough and indifferent to such small matters, couldn’t help but take notice.

One night, after an intimate moment, he leaned in, pressed his nose against her face, and took a deep breath. Then, with a curious look, he asked: “Wife, what exactly have you been using? How are you getting more fragrant by the day? And look at you—your little face is even fairer than before.”

Hearing this, Yin Xiaoman’s temper flared. She raised her hand and smacked his back.

“I asked you before if I had gotten darker, and didn’t you say no?!” She glared at him, puffing up angrily.

Shen Qingyun grinned sheepishly. Naturally, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to continue down that line of conversation. Instead, he laughed and tried to smooth things over.

“You weren’t dark, really! My wife has always been a natural beauty—how could she ever be dark? It’s just that now, you’re even fairer. How did you get so radiant?”

He was telling the truth.

Perhaps it was because she was eating better now, or maybe it was simply because she had grown older, fully blossoming into her most youthful and vibrant years.

Day by day, Yin Xiaoman was becoming more beautiful.

At this moment, the moonlight streamed through the window lattice, casting a soft glow on her face. Her smooth, delicate skin seemed to shimmer faintly.

Shen Qingyun thought to himself—his wife’s complexion was even finer, even more beautiful, than the most exquisite porcelain he had ever seen.