Chapter 47: Song Yuzhou — In Our House, My Wife Has the Final Say

“Does it hurt?” Song Yuzhou asked, eyes filled with concern as he looked at the red, swollen ankle.

“It does,” Jiang Zhi Ning replied, eyes welling up a little, not bothering to hide her fragility.

Earlier, in her rush to confront Wang Yufen, she’d accidentally twisted her ankle.

Hearing her response, Song Yuzhou gently massaged the swollen spot with his thumb. The pain made Jiang Zhi Ning wince and instinctively try to pull her foot away.

“Don’t move,” Song Yuzhou said in a low voice, holding her foot firmly in place.

Seeing this, she could only grit her teeth and bear it.

“How did you even notice?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“Right before you came in.”

Then, out of nowhere, Song Yuzhou said softly, “I’m sorry.”

Jiang Zhi Ning looked up at him.

Seeing her silent, Song Yuzhou met her gaze seriously and repeated his apology, “Being a stepmother is never easy. You were right — taking care of the kids isn’t your responsibility.”

His words stirred something in her heart. “So… you also think I left Xixi home alone on purpose?”

“No,” he said firmly. “I believe in who you are. I just know how it feels — stepmothers get blamed for everything when something goes wrong.”

Thinking of the gossiping neighbors from earlier, Song Yuzhou felt ashamed. It was his fault Jiang Zhi Ning was being dragged into this. If it weren’t for him, she might’ve married someone better.

She stayed quiet.

He straightened up and gently held her hand. “I’m the one who married you. I’ll mend things between you and Song Chen.”

Jiang Zhi Ning hadn’t expected him to consider things from her perspective.

“So… what if something like this happens again in the future?” she asked seriously. “And he tells you to divorce me again. Will you?”

Song Yuzhou met her intense gaze. “No.”

Jiang Zhi Ning took a deep breath and said slowly, “If we’re destined to end in divorce anyway, it’s better to do it sooner than later.”

She wasn’t joking. Her life — her marriage — should be her own choice.

Though she cherished the gentleness Song Yuzhou gave her, she didn’t want her fate to be dictated by others.

What if someone like Wang Yufen appeared again to harm the children?

And she would be blamed for it?

…No way.

Song Yuzhou held her hand tighter and said seriously, “Trust me.”

Jiang Zhi Ning stayed silent.

He stood and sat beside her, voice low and steady: “They’re my children. You’re my wife. You’re all my family. Life is full of the unexpected — we can’t control it.”

“So even if, because of my oversight, they get hurt… you won’t blame or abandon me?” she asked.

He nodded. “I chose you. No matter what happens in the future, we’ll face it together.”

A tear slipped from her eye.

Seeing her cry, Song Yuzhou panicked. “Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No. Yuzhou… I just hope you keep your word.”

He stood tall and straight, saluted her like a soldier, and solemnly declared, “I swear on my life — everything I just said stands.”

She burst into a soft laugh and finally smiled. “Then I guess I’ll reluctantly trust you.”

Relieved, Song Yuzhou finally relaxed.

He gently wiped her tears with his thumb and said softly, “No more crying.”

“Okay.” Jiang Zhi Ning smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Xixi. I won’t let bad people have another chance.”

No matter the time period — even in a military compound — there would always be malicious people.

Realizing this, Jiang Zhi Ning knew she had to be more cautious moving forward.

“Just hang in there a little longer. Soon, Xixi will be old enough for kindergarten,” Song Yuzhou said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Okay.”

Song Yuzhou glanced at her ankle again before turning to fetch a bottle of safflower oil to promote circulation.

Then, with focused care, he began applying the medicine to her foot.

While he was tending to her injury, voices came from outside the house.

Putting down the safflower oil, he said, “I’ll go take a look,” and quickly walked out.

At the front gate, Captain Zhang was trying to come in, but was blocked by Song Chen.

Thinking of how Wang Yufen had almost poisoned Xixi, Song Chen’s eyes burned with hatred.

“Song Chen, let me in,” Captain Zhang pleaded. “I just want to talk to your dad.”

“No.” Song Chen crossed his arms and refused coldly.

Captain Zhang was getting frustrated and was just about to lash out when Song Yuzhou came out.

“Commander Song! Commander Song!” Captain Zhang called out eagerly.

Song Yuzhou stepped beside Song Chen, expression calm. “What is it?”

“Commander Song, for the sake of our past as comrades, can you forgive my wife, please?” Captain Zhang looked sincere. “I just got back from the police station. They said my wife could be sentenced to several years.”

Wang Yufen hadn’t expected the charge to be attempted murder. If she really went to prison, her life would be ruined.

Song Yuzhou’s gaze turned icy. “Sorry, Captain Zhang. That’s not my decision to make.”

“W-what do you mean?”

With a calm and steady voice, Song Yuzhou said, “In our house, my wife has the final say. She said to pursue justice, so that’s what we’re doing. I stand by her.”

“But—”

“My wife’s right. If we hadn’t discovered it in time, this wouldn’t just be attempted murder — it would be actual murder. A life for a life. Captain Zhang, please leave.”

With that, Song Yuzhou shut the gate with a loud bang.

Turning around, he saw Song Chen standing there.

“Chen, what happened this time was an accident.”

Song Chen didn’t say a word. He just turned and walked away.

Seeing that, Song Yuzhou frowned slightly, a trace of worry in his expression. He didn’t want Song Chen to hold resentment toward Jiang Zhi Ning.

Back inside, he found Jiang Zhi Ning leaning over, applying more safflower oil.

“Did Captain Zhang leave?”

“Should have,” Song Yuzhou replied, sitting down at the edge of the bed. He lifted her leg onto his knee and continued applying the medicine.

Looking at her, he hesitated as if he wanted to say something.

Jiang Zhi Ning chuckled lightly, “Yuzhou, do you have something to say?”

“Well…” Song Yuzhou cleared his throat awkwardly. “That man.”

“Which man?” she teased playfully.

“The one who got all close to you,” he said, clearly annoyed.

Jiang Zhi Ning found his expression amusing. “You mean Sheng Hao?”

At the mention of that name, Song Yuzhou instantly pictured the man’s handsome, youthful face — and suddenly felt a sense of crisis.

“You two… know each other?”

Jiang Zhi Ning nodded. “Know each other? He was my ex-fiancé.”

Song Yuzhou’s hand paused mid-rub. “Ex-fiancé?”

Seeing the change in his expression, Jiang Zhi Ning couldn’t resist teasing him. “Yup. He was someone I liked for ten years.”

As the words fell, Song Yuzhou’s hand slipped, pressing down a little too hard.

“Ouch! Song Yuzhou, are you trying to kill me?!”

Snapping out of it, he quickly apologized, “Sorry, I just… uh…”

“Just what?”

“…Jealous.”