Chapter 10: The Little Menace

As the first light of dawn broke through the thin veil of clouds, a soft glow spread over the residential compound. Yang Qingyan had woken up early. She knew that this body was far too weak—if she wanted to live well in this unfamiliar era, she had to recover as soon as possible. A plan quickly formed in her mind: nourishing food was essential, exercise was necessary, and her unique ability could occasionally be used to replenish her body. That should speed up her recovery. With her thoughts settled, she decided to take advantage of the fresh morning air and go for a run.

At the same time, Mu Nanhe’s years in the military had ingrained in him a strict biological clock, waking him up early as well. He got up habitually and pulled on a military tank top, his well-defined muscles faintly visible beneath the fabric—a testament to his years of rigorous training. Although he was no longer in active duty, he planned to make good use of the morning light with a few laps to stretch his muscles.

The moment Yang Qingyan stepped out, she caught sight of Mu Nanhe’s figure. Her gaze was instantly drawn to him, as if magnetized, unable to look away. She had to admit—this man was exactly her type. Tall and well-built, broad shoulders, a firm chest, and those abs subtly visible under his tanned skin… Even though she had lived in the apocalypse and met all sorts of people, she still found herself momentarily dazed.

Sensing her gaze, Mu Nanhe turned slightly. Their eyes met. His heart clenched unexpectedly, and a hint of nervousness crept in. Breaking the brief awkward silence, he spoke first. “Morning. You going for a run too?”

Yang Qingyan snapped back to her senses, a faint, almost imperceptible blush creeping onto her cheeks. She nodded lightly. “Yeah. My body’s too weak—I need to work on it.”

“Let’s run together,” Mu Nanhe blurted out almost instinctively. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them slightly, fearing she might refuse. A trace of uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

Yang Qingyan hesitated for a moment. Having a companion might not be a bad thing. She agreed. “Alright.”

The two jogged side by side out of the residential compound. The morning breeze brushed against their faces, carrying a hint of coolness. However, it didn’t take long before Yang Qingyan began to feel her stamina waning. It was as if a heavy stone was pressing against her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her legs felt leaden, unable to move forward. She was utterly exhausted. Knowing better than to push herself, she gradually slowed to a stop.

Mu Nanhe noticed immediately and halted beside her. Concern flashed in his eyes as he quickly pulled a towel from his waist and handed it to her. “Wipe your sweat. You don’t want to catch a chill.” His voice was soft, his gaze focused solely on her, as if nothing else in the world mattered in that moment except Yang Qingyan’s tired face.

Yang Qingyan froze slightly. She hadn’t expected Mu Nanhe to be this considerate. After a brief pause, she reached out and took the towel, murmuring a quiet, “Thanks.” Then, looking up at him, a hint of helplessness and fatigue in her eyes, she said, “You go ahead. I can’t keep up.”

Mu Nanhe, however, firmly shook his head. His tone allowed no room for argument. “I’ll walk with you. You can’t rush training—you have to take it step by step.” Without waiting for her response, he naturally slowed his pace, staying beside her. Occasionally, he turned to glance at her, his gaze full of encouragement.

Something stirred in Yang Qingyan’s heart. As she walked alongside this tall, steadfast man, the sense of distance she had initially felt toward him seemed to fade, bit by bit.

They continued their slow walk back to the compound, the morning breeze carrying a lingering chill. However, just as they approached the entrance, an unexpected accident occurred.

A wild little rascal came barreling out of nowhere, like a runaway horse, and crashed straight into Yang Qingyan. Caught off guard, she lost her balance. Unfortunately, there was a rock right by her foot—she stumbled and instinctively fell to the side.

Mu Nanhe had just raised a hand to wipe his sweat when he sensed something was wrong. But by the time he reacted, it was too late to do much. His instincts took over—he lunged toward her, trying to catch her from behind to prevent a hard fall. Yet, despite his efforts, they still tumbled to the ground.

Sharp stones littered the ground, and Mu Nanhe landed on his back. A muffled grunt of pain escaped him as the stones dug into his skin. But even so, his first concern was her. “Qingyan, are you alright?” His voice was tight with worry.

Yang Qingyan was momentarily dazed by the sudden incident. Her mind went blank, and it took a second for her to process what had happened. When she finally came to, she hurriedly struggled out of Mu Nanhe’s embrace and got to her feet. “I’m fine. What about you?”

“I’m okay,” Mu Nanhe said. But as he stood, Yang Qingyan caught sight of his back—and her breath hitched. Deep, alarming scratches covered his skin, fresh blood seeping from the wounds.

“You’re hurt!” she gasped. “This is my fault… If I hadn’t lost my balance—”

Mu Nanhe, however, forced a small smile, suppressing the pain. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch.” But the fine sheen of sweat on his forehead betrayed the truth.

Yang Qingyan barely spared a glance at the child who had caused the chaos. Her attention was solely on Mu Nanhe. She quickly reached out to steady him, her steps urgent as she led him toward the clinic.

On the way, Mu Nanhe opened his mouth several times, wanting to say that it wasn’t a big deal and that she didn’t need to rush. But seeing the genuine worry in her eyes, he swallowed his words.

At the clinic, Yang Qingyan spoke anxiously to the doctor. “Doctor, please take a look—his back is injured.”

The doctor nodded and gestured for Mu Nanhe to remove his shirt.

As Mu Nanhe slowly pulled off his clothes, Yang Qingyan’s heart clenched. His back wasn’t just scratched—it was covered in wounds from both the sharp stones and the rough ground. Some cuts had already begun to dry, but fresh beads of blood continued to seep through. The sight was nothing short of shocking.

Yang Qingyan’s heart stirred. If Mu Nanhe hadn’t shielded her at that crucial moment, she would have been the one suffering these injuries.

The doctor prepared disinfectant and bandages while speaking reassuringly. “Don’t worry too much, Captain Mu’s wife. The wounds look bad, but they’ll heal quickly with proper care.”

Standing to the side, Yang Qingyan silently watched the doctor tend to Mu Nanhe’s wounds. Her hands unconsciously clenched into fists. Mu Nanhe, noticing her tension, occasionally turned to glance at her. Seeing her so worried, warmth spread through his chest, and somehow, the pain seemed a little more bearable.

Once the doctor finished treating him, he gave a few instructions, all of which Yang Qingyan carefully memorized.