Chapter 34: A Kiss for a Secret

Yang Qingyan stood up to change Mu Nanhe’s bandages, and the room settled into a serene quiet again. After a moment, Mu Nanhe’s gaze inadvertently fell to his leg, which was encased in plaster and wrapped in bandages. A trace of melancholy and worry flickered in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment before looking at Yang Qingyan and asking, “Wife, will I be able to stand up again? Will I be able to return to the army?”

Seeing his concerned expression, Yang Qingyan’s heart softened. A playful thought crossed her mind, and a smile crept onto her lips. She raised an eyebrow and said, “You kiss me, and I’ll tell you.”

Chen Feng, sitting nearby, heard this and couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “I’m still here; this dog food comes out of nowhere,” he said with a mock expression of disdain.

Yang Qingyan chuckled and winked at Chen Feng, “You should hurry up and find someone who knows how to take care of you, instead of being a third wheel here.”

Mu Nanhe looked at Yang Qingyan with adoring eyes. He leaned forward slightly and gently pressed his lips against her cheek, then gazed at her eagerly, waiting for her response.

Yang Qingyan felt her cheeks heat up. She cleared her throat and said sincerely, “Don’t worry. With your physical condition and recovery ability, as long as you actively cooperate with the treatment, you will definitely be able to stand up again, and returning to the army will not be a problem. However, the road to recovery won’t be easy; you’ll have to endure a lot.”

Hope reignited in Mu Nanhe’s eyes. He nodded determinedly, “As long as I can recover, I don’t fear hardship.”

The atmosphere in the room brightened with this small exchange, as if the pain and gloom were fading away and a glimmer of future hope was beginning to shine through.

At this point, Chen Feng stood up, his expression solemn yet resolute. He looked at Yang Qingyan and said, “Sister-in-law, I’m leaving this to you. I need to go back to the army; my brothers are still waiting for me. Once Nanhe is back, I’ll come and pick you both up.”

Yang Qingyan nodded slightly, her face breaking into a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, you can go. I’ll keep an eye on Nanhe.”

Chen Feng then walked over to Mu Nanhe’s bedside and gave his shoulder a firm pat. He wanted to say something more but choked on his words. Ultimately, he simply gave Mu Nanhe’s hand a strong grip before turning and striding toward the door.

Once Chen Feng left, Yang Qingyan approached Mu Nanhe, gently saying, “Now you can move a bit. I know you’re not comfortable. Let me fetch some water to help you clean up; you must feel sticky.”

Mu Nanhe looked at her with gratitude and softly said, “Wife, thank you. It’s so nice to have you.”

Yang Qingyan smiled gently and stepped out to get water. Just after she left, the door swung open again, and two girls rushed in, immediately bursting into tears. “Nanhe Ge, how are you? I’ve been so worried!” one exclaimed.

Another added, “Yes, Nanhe Ge! Yiling姐 has been crying every day; she’s so worried about you.”

The two girls were Bai Yiling, the daughter of a military base leader, and Huang Yao, who lived in the same courtyard. Yiling had been following Yao since childhood.

Bai Yiling, her face streaked with tears, walked directly to Mu Nanhe’s bedside, grasping his hand while sobbing, “Nanhe Ge, do you know how heartbroken I was when I heard you were injured? I couldn’t eat or sleep these days, just hoping for your recovery.”

Huang Yao chimed in, “Exactly, Nanhe Ge, Yiling has worried so much for you. We were all scared you’d suffer any lasting harm.”

Mu Nanhe furrowed his brow, a hint of impatience flickering in his eyes, but it swiftly dissipated. He tried to retract his hand, but his injury made it too weak. He politely said, “Thank you for coming to see me; I’m fine now, so there’s no need to worry.”

Bai Yiling, however, seemed oblivious to his attempts to downplay the situation. She continued her lament, “Nanhe Ge, you can’t take such risks in the future. If anything happens to you, I… I wouldn’t know what to do!”

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, tears streaming down her face like a torrential downpour. She wanted Mu Nanhe to wipe her tears, feeling sorry for her, deliberately putting on a weak persona.

Mu Nanhe glanced toward the door, silently wishing Yang Qingyan would return soon. He was not accustomed to this overly affectionate and somewhat overwhelming display and wanted to end this uncomfortable conversation quickly.

Before long, Yang Qingyan came back with a basin of warm water. As she pushed the door open, her eyes were met with a scene that made her halt in her tracks: Bai Yiling was holding Mu Nanhe’s injured hand, tears still staining her face, while Huang Yao stood nearby. Both girls were dressed to the nines. Mu Nanhe was trying to pull his hand back, feeling conflicted expressions of anger and embarrassment on his face.

Seeing Yang Qingyan return, Mu Nanhe opened his mouth to speak, but Huang Yao was quicker, saying, “Why didn’t you knock before coming in? Are you a nurse or a caregiver for Nanhe Ge?”

Yang Qingyan smiled faintly, her patience wearing thin. “Who I am has nothing to do with you.”

Huang Yao retorted, “No matter who you are, please step away from Nanhe Ge. He doesn’t need you here. Can’t you see Yiling is here? They are a couple.”

Yang Qingyan raised an eyebrow, a glint of coldness in her eyes. She placed the basin heavily on the nearby table, making a loud “bang” that splashed some water. “A couple? Since when did I not know my husband was dating someone else?”

With that, she strode over to Mu Nanhe’s bedside, forcefully pulling Bai Yiling’s hand away from Mu Nanhe’s, startling Yiling and causing her tears to momentarily cease as she looked at Yang Qingyan with wide eyes.

Yang Qingyan took a seat beside Mu Nanhe, firmly holding his hand while looking at Bai Yiling and Huang Yao with a cold smirk. “If you want to know who I am to Mu Nanhe, ask him.”

Mu Nanhe, sensing Yang Qingyan’s agitated demeanor, tightened his grip. “This is my wife; you should call her sister-in-law.”

Bai Yiling and Huang Yao’s expressions froze at that moment. It was as if they had received a shocking revelation.

Huang Yao’s eyes widened, stammering, “How… how is that possible? We’ve never heard that Nanhe Ge was married.”

Bai Yiling’s eyes turned red again as she cried, “Nanhe Ge, when did you get married? How come I didn’t know?”

Mu Nanhe sighed, helplessly saying, “I’ve been married to Qingyan for a long time; she is my wife. Please don’t spread rumors in the future.”

Yang Qingyan raised her chin, looking at the two girls with an unfriendly tone. “Now you know? In the future, before entering, at least make sure to understand the situation.”

Bai Yiling bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes as she shot Yang Qingyan an angry glare. Huang Yao, stunned, followed suit with a glare of her own.

Not ready to back down, Huang Yao huffed, “So what if you’re married? With your clumsy hands and lack of care, how can you take care of Nanhe Ge? Don’t drag him down.”

Yang Qingyan laughed angrily. “Nanhe and I have shared so much together. I’ve kept watch over him during his toughest times. Who are you to dictate how I should care for him? Instead of meddling, perhaps you should reflect on yourselves.”