Chapter 12

Since Wen Lin was injured and unable to move, Wang Dazhu and the other soldier carried the bowls of noodles into his room to eat with him.

Mu Wanwan set a small table across Wen Lin’s bed so it would be easier for him to eat.

The steaming noodles, with their creamy-white broth, looked especially appetizing.

Wen Lin lifted some noodles with his chopsticks and put them into his mouth. The noodles were springy and smooth, and the broth was rich and fragrant—it stirred his appetite at once.

Wang Dazhu and the other soldier ate even more heartily. The three men finished their bowls in only a few bites.

Luckily, Mu Wanwan had made plenty and helped them to another serving.

“Sister-in-law, your cooking is incredible! I think it’s even better than what the state-owned restaurants serve.”

“That’s right. Commander, you really are blessed. To have a wife as beautiful and skilled as sister-in-law!”

They were genuinely envious. Neither of them was married yet, and to marry such a woman would feel like a blessing from a previous life.

All the praise made Mu Wanwan a little embarrassed, though she couldn’t deny she felt satisfied inside.

So, before Wang Dazhu and his companion left, she packed some braised food for them to take back.

They were entranced by its aroma, grinning from ear to ear as they left.

It felt worth the trip to bring the commander home. Once they got back, they would surely boast to the others in the unit about how remarkable Commander Wen’s wife was.

After sending them off, Mu Wanwan went again to Wen Lin’s room.

“I’m going to sleep soon. If you need anything in the night, just call me.”

Given his condition, Wen Lin would need help even to walk. If he had to get up in the middle of the night, there was no way he could manage alone.

They hadn’t divorced yet, and she still bore the duty of looking after him—especially since he had been injured carrying out a mission. She couldn’t just leave him unattended.

“Mm. Thank you,” Wen Lin said gratefully.

Mu Wanwan didn’t say more. After her bath, she went to sleep in the guest room.

She had been busy the past days, so that night she slept deeply and didn’t wake until after nine the next morning.

After washing up, she knocked on the door of the master bedroom. When she entered, she found Wen Lin still asleep.

Taking a closer look, she realized something was wrong. His face was flushed red. Could he have a fever?

She quickly touched his forehead—sure enough, he was burning up.

Looking again at his injuries, she saw that the bandages around his waist and thigh had blood seeping through. Some stitches might have torn.

But everything had been fine the night before. How had it worsened overnight? Had he tried to get up and walk?

Her brows knit. Whatever the cause, she couldn’t let his fever go unchecked. She recalled the medicine Wang Dazhu had left yesterday.

First, she needed to check his wounds.

She quickly unbuttoned Wen Lin’s shirt, exposing his upper body.

His broad shoulders, narrow waist, and solid chest muscles came into view. His abs and V-line were clearly defined, and two scars across his chest gave him an added air of rugged wildness.

Mu Wanwan’s face heated. She had to admit—his body was indeed impressive. She even felt an urge to touch.

Stealing a glance at him, she reasoned that since he was feverish and likely unconscious, he wouldn’t notice anyway. Touching him a little couldn’t hurt.

In her past life, though she had been married to Wen Lin for three years, they had always slept in separate rooms, without such intimacy. A little touch now, she told herself, was a kind of compensation.

She poked at his pectorals first—not as hard as she expected.

Then her hand slid to his abs—firm as a washboard, with a surprisingly satisfying feel.

“Enjoying yourself?”

A hoarse voice suddenly sounded. Mu Wanwan froze, looking up to find Wen Lin’s eyes open, watching her.

Startled, she snatched her hand back, flustered and uneasy.

“Don’t misunderstand! I just wanted to check whether your wound had split open because of the fever,” she explained quickly.

“Is that so?” Wen Lin clearly didn’t believe her. He had been conscious for a while.

When she unbuttoned his shirt, he already knew she was trying to examine his injuries.

What he hadn’t expected was that she would actually touch him.

Her hand was soft and cool against his fevered skin, making his whole body tense and tingle.

As her hand moved lower, he realized that if he didn’t open his eyes, he might lose control.

Mu Wanwan avoided his gaze and changed the subject. “Did you get out of bed last night?”

“Mm.”

He had. He had gone to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

At first, he had called for her, but she hadn’t woken.

Besides, he felt awkward needing someone to help him even with that. So he gritted his teeth and went by himself.

Not long after returning, the fever came on, leaving him dizzy.

Mu Wanwan untied the bandage around his waist, finally seeing how deep the wound was.

A ten-centimeter cut slashed across his side. It wasn’t shallow, and fresh blood still oozed.

She frowned. On closer inspection, the stitches hadn’t torn, but the wound had been strained. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious enough to require rehospitalization.

She disinfected it, applied medicine, and rebandaged it. Then she reached for his trousers.

Wen Lin’s ears turned red instantly.

“The wound on my thigh is fine. You don’t need to touch it.”

That injury was in a more private spot. Though married, they had never been physically intimate, and he felt embarrassed.

“Your thigh wound is bleeding. How can that be fine? You already have a fever—if the wound gets infected, it will only worsen.”

Her tone was stern, leaving no room for argument.

This time, Wen Lin didn’t stop her.

Mu Wanwan pulled down his trousers and saw the gash on his inner thigh. Her own cheeks flushed.

Even though she tried not to look higher, she inevitably caught a glimpse.

The sight was… overwhelming.

Hurriedly lowering her gaze, she focused on the wound. Thankfully, it hadn’t torn either. She carefully applied medicine, taking great care not to touch anywhere inappropriate.

But as she wrapped the bandage, her hand brushed against his most private area.

Immediately, Wen Lin’s abdomen tightened, and he reacted involuntarily.

Heat surged through him—whether from embarrassment or arousal, he couldn’t tell.

Mu Wanwan, mortified, quickly finished tying the bandage and bolted from the room, her retreat looking very much like an escape.