Chapter 35: Rubbing the Belly

“Hm?” Jiang Zhi Ning looked at him with confusion.

“Being a mom is tiring. Do you regret marrying me?” Song Yuzhou said slowly.

Seeing his expression, Jiang Zhi Ning realized—he had overheard what she said earlier.

“The tiredness I mentioned isn’t from taking care of the kids,” Jiang Zhi Ning explained.

Song Yuzhou didn’t say anything; he just kept looking at her.

Clearly, he didn’t quite believe her words.

“You know I grew up in the city. I’ve always been delicate. So after doing a bit of housework, I got tired, that’s all.” She replied with a playful smile.

Hearing this, Song Yuzhou’s expression turned serious.
“I’ll handle the housework. You just take care of Xi Xi. Even when I’m home, I’ll help take care of her.”

“Okay.” As she spoke, Jiang Zhi Ning reached out and hugged his waist. Song Yuzhou’s body stiffened immediately.

Her small face pressed against his chest, she could hear his heart racing wildly inside.

Jiang Zhi Ning tilted her head up, resting her chin on his chest and smiling gently.
“Marriage is about both of us. If you don’t treat me well one day—don’t love me or cherish me—then yes, I’ll regret marrying you.”

Her voice was soft and affectionate, and Song Yuzhou’s heart skipped a beat because of her.

His large palm wrapped around her slender waist, and in his deep eyes, her reflection was crystal clear.
“I will treat you well,” he said solemnly.

“If you can keep that promise, I’ll never regret it.” Jiang Zhi Ning responded with a soft smile.

Song Yuzhou leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead—not driven by desire, but more like a seal of his commitment.

Before Jiang Zhi Ning could say anything, Song Yuzhou bent his knees and lifted her up in his arms, striding quickly toward the bedroom.

“It’s still daytime! What are you doing?” she laughed, clinging to his neck.

“You’re tired. Go lie down and rest. I’ll handle everything else.”

Speaking softly, he gently laid her on the bed and tucked her in before heading off to take care of Xi Xi.

Jiang Zhi Ning watched his tall figure disappear, her eyes full of warmth.
Marriage takes two. Both husband and wife must invest their time and effort.

“Better go drink some spiritual spring water,” she thought to herself, then entered her space dimension to drink it and recover.

Her previously exhausted body gradually regained energy. The heaviness faded as she gulped down two bowls of the magical spring water.

As for what Song Chen had said earlier, Song Yuzhou didn’t bring it up—because he trusted his wife.

Loving her means trusting her.

That night, when Song Chen returned home, he thought he’d walk into an awkward cold war between Song Yuzhou and Jiang Zhi Ning—but to his surprise, everything seemed completely normal between them.

In that moment, Song Chen secretly felt relieved.

---

Later that night, Jiang Zhi Ning and Song Yuzhou were in the midst of a rather harmonious activity.

“It hurts.”

The experience was significantly dampened. Because of protection, there was a physical barrier, and much of the passion was muted.

Though it wasn’t as enjoyable, Song Yuzhou insisted on using it.

He already felt Jiang Zhi Ning had sacrificed a lot by marrying him. He didn’t want her to suffer any harm, not even physically.

In the small room, moonlight quietly streamed in through the window. On the bed, two entwined figures were locked in an intimate embrace.

The passionate session came to an end. Jiang Zhi Ning lay weakly on the bed, her body marked with traces of affection.

As Song Yuzhou got up to take care of the aftermath, Jiang Zhi Ning suddenly felt a sharp pain.

It was unfamiliar, intense pain.

Her body curled slightly as she clutched her belly.

“Ah!” she cried out from the pain.

With his sharp hearing, Song Yuzhou rushed over and turned on the bedside lamp.

“What’s wrong?” His usually calm voice carried a hint of panic.

“My stomach really hurts,” Jiang Zhi Ning said, wincing as she clutched her lower abdomen.

Under the light, Song Yuzhou saw her delicate face pale and beads of cold sweat forming at her temples.

When he touched her, her body was ice-cold. His heart tightened instantly.

“I’m going to get the doctor.” Song Yuzhou turned to leave, but his sleeve was caught.

“Wait,” Jiang Zhi Ning said weakly. “No need to call the doctor.”

“No, your face is pale,” Song Yuzhou insisted, eyes serious.

“I… I think it’s just menstrual cramps,” Jiang Zhi Ning finally said, as she felt a warm liquid begin to trickle downward.

Hearing this, Song Yuzhou was confused.

“I just got my period. Every woman goes through this a few days each month. Do we have any sanitary pads at home?”

Hearing this explanation, Song Yuzhou finally understood. “I’ll go buy some.”

He gently stroked her head in a comforting gesture, then quickly put on his clothes.

His movements were swift and decisive, like when dealing with emergencies during military operations.

Fully dressed, Song Yuzhou rushed out of the room, not forgetting to close the door behind him to prevent any cold wind from blowing in and chilling her.

Jiang Zhi Ning was in so much pain that she couldn’t speak. In modern times, she had never experienced menstrual cramps—just dull aches and occasional lower back pain when overworked.

Now, the steadily intensifying pain in her lower back and abdomen was making it hard to even think.

“Looks like this body is still too weak. I’ll need to do some proper conditioning,” Jiang Zhi Ning muttered to herself.

Meanwhile, Song Yuzhou ran full-speed to a small shop, waking the sleeping shopkeeper.

After buying two packs of sanitary pads, he sprinted back home.

Jiang Zhi Ning accepted the pads. Though not as refined as modern ones, they were usable—and she wasn’t picky.

When she returned from the bathroom after changing, she saw that Song Yuzhou had already changed the bedsheets.

Upon seeing her, he hurried over and gently carried her back onto the bed.

“How are you feeling now?” Song Yuzhou asked with concern.

“Sanitary pads don’t relieve the pain,” Jiang Zhi Ning replied softly, her body weak and limp.

Looking at her pale, fragile appearance, Song Yuzhou’s heart ached. “Should I get a doctor to come take a look?”

Jiang Zhi Ning shook her head. “No need. At most, they’ll just prescribe painkillers. Oh—do we have a hot water bottle?”

“We do. Wait here.”

He ran out again, returning soon after with a small object in hand.

Jiang Zhi Ning took it and looked at it in surprise—it looked like an old-fashioned plastic hot water bottle.

Without overthinking, she placed it on her belly.

As the warmth slowly spread through her body, her pain finally began to ease.

“Much better,” she said softly.

Sitting at her bedside, Song Yuzhou seemed to suddenly remember something.

“I’ll be right back.” With that, he left the room.

Still in pain, Jiang Zhi Ning didn’t think too much of it.

Song Yuzhou jogged over to Liu Zhi Lan’s home and knocked on the door.

“Captain Song? Is something wrong?” Platoon Leader Leng Chunmao, wearing a jacket and looking sleepy, opened the door.

“Brother Chunmao, I need to speak with your wife.”

Leng Chunmao paused for a couple of seconds, then called Liu Zhi Lan out.

“Captain Song, is something the matter?” she asked, puzzled.

“Yes. I’d like to ask for your advice on something…”

—

Just as Jiang Zhi Ning was about to fall asleep from the cramps, someone entered the room. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Song Yuzhou’s tall figure blocking the light.

“Drink this first,” he said in his low voice.

“What is it?”

“Brown sugar water,” Song Yuzhou answered simply.

With his help, Jiang Zhi Ning sat up and leaned against him.

One arm around her, he held out the brown sugar water he’d just learned to make from Liu Zhi Lan.

Jiang Zhi Ning took a sip, surprised. “There’s ginger and red dates in it? You know how to make this?”

“Mm. I just asked Sister Zhi Lan how,” he replied honestly. “Drink it while it’s hot.”

Jiang Zhi Ning’s nose tingled. In her whole life, no one had ever taken care of her so thoughtfully.

“Okay.” She smiled sweetly and kept drinking the warm brown sugar water.

Not wanting to waste his kind gesture, she drank the whole bowl. Warmth flowed through her abdomen.

The pain she’d been enduring… actually eased quite a bit.

“Thank you. It’s late, and you have to get up early tomorrow. Go to sleep,” she said gently.

“Alright.” Song Yuzhou got into bed and lay beside her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. His long arm rested across her waist, his broad palm placed gently on her stomach.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Zhi Ning asked softly.

“Helping you rub your belly.”