Chapter 35: Green Tea, I Don’t Take It Lightly

Bai Yiling feigned innocence and tugged at Huang Yao, scolding her softly, “Yao Yao, stop it. Don’t upset Nanhe Ge.” However, her gaze occasionally drifted to Mu Nanhe, trying to gauge his reaction.

Huang Yao, however, shrugged off Bai Yiling’s hand and stubbornly retorted, “I’ll say what I want. Nanhe Ge, you really need to think this through. The future is long; do you really want to be with someone who has no background or capabilities?”

Bai Yiling added fuel to the fire, “Yao Yao, don’t say that. Nanhe Ge saved me, and I’m grateful to him.”

Huang Yao continued, “Have you forgotten how he risked everything to save Yiling? If it wasn’t for him, she could have been in serious danger. Don’t you have any special feelings for her?”

Yang Qingyan sneered, “So this is your strategy to use gratitude to gain affection, huh? Too bad it’s too late.”

Mu Nanhe, his face darkening, shouted angrily, “Enough! Huang Yao, if you keep spouting nonsense, don’t blame me for being rude. Qingyan is my wife; she’s the one I have chosen to spend my life with. Don’t ever bring up any of this rubbish again.”

Huang Yao shrank back slightly, intimidated by Mu Nanhe’s fierce demeanor. She mumbled something under her breath but didn’t dare shout again.

Bai Yiling, sensing the situation was turning poorly, stepped forward to smooth things over, saying gently, “Nanhe Ge, don’t be angry. Yao Yao is just worried about you; she means no harm, right, Yao Yao?” She cast a subtle glance at Huang Yao.

Reluctantly, Huang Yao agreed with a half-hearted “yeah.” Bai Yiling then turned to Yang Qingyan, plastering a forced smile on her face. “Sister-in-law, please don’t hold it against us. We’ll leave right away.” With that, she hurriedly pulled Huang Yao along and exited the room.

Once the two had left, Mu Nanhe gently tugged on Yang Qingyan’s hand, saying, “Wife, don’t listen to their nonsense. I don’t have anything going on with her. I saved her because it’s my duty as a soldier. I only love you.”

Yang Qingyan replied, “Don’t move around too much; your hand isn’t healed yet. I still don’t take them lightly.”

Mu Nanhe, seeing that Yang Qingyan wasn’t angry, continued, “I was on a mission when I happened to encounter her being captured by traffickers, and I saved her. That’s when I met her father, who is a military commander here in Beijing. He thinks highly of me, but I’m not interested in Bai Yiling.”

Yang Qingyan said, “Okay, I get it. You don’t need to explain. I know my man is exceptional.”

Hearing her say “my man,” a wider smile broke across Mu Nanhe’s face. “It’s so nice to have you understand me.”

Yang Qingyan felt her cheeks warm slightly as she picked up a towel, gently wiping Mu Nanhe down. Once finished, he felt much more refreshed.

For an entire week after that, the ward remained quiet, with no unexpected visitors.

Yang Qingyan meticulously took care of Mu Nanhe, cooling his food before feeding him, helping him bathe, applying medicine, and secretly using her abilities to aid his recovery.

During this time, Dr. Wang frequently came by to check on Mu Nanhe’s progress. After each examination, he couldn’t help but praise Yang Qingyan’s medical skills. “Comrade Yang, your medical expertise surpasses that of many professional doctors. Major Mu’s rapid recovery is largely thanks to your efforts!”

Yang Qingyan always smiled modestly in response, softly replying, “Dr. Wang, you flatter me. I’m just doing my best, hoping he recovers quickly.”

Under this tender care, after a week of rest, Mu Nanhe’s injuries healed visibly. His spirit and energy returned significantly, and he could now attempt to get out of bed and move around. However, due to the severity of his leg injuries, he still needed more time to fully recover and resorted to using a wheelchair for mobility.

One day, sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden carpet on the floor of the ward. Mu Nanhe sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes yearning for the freedom to move. He turned to Yang Qingyan and said, “Wife, I feel much better. Lying here in bed has made me feel stiff; I want to go out for some fresh air. Is that okay?”

Seeing his eager expression, Yang Qingyan’s heart softened, and she nodded, “Okay, but you have to be careful. I’ll push you out.”

Gently, Yang Qingyan helped Mu Nanhe sit in the wheelchair and placed a light jacket over his shoulders before carefully wheeling him out of the ward.

However, as they returned to the ward, they found Dr. Wang, the principal, a professor, and an unfamiliar person waiting there. Surprised by the sudden crowd, Yang Qingyan asked, “What brings you all here? Are you conducting rounds? Dr. Wang, didn’t you just check on him?”

As they walked in, the unfamiliar man gazed at Mu Nanhe with surprise, internally wondering, *How does this young man resemble my son so much? But I only have one son.* He stayed silent, though, letting the others speak first.

The principal cleared his throat and explained, “Comrade Yang, we’re here for you. This is the commander from the military district. His son is also a soldier who was injured during a mission. He’s been treated in other places, but he has severe damage to his hand muscles and cannot lift a gun. We heard you possess skills in this area and wanted to see if you could help.”

The commander, surnamed Xia, appeared somewhat anxious as he spoke, “Comrade Yang, I hope you can help my son. Being a soldier and not being able to carry a weapon is incredibly harsh for him; he’s become very despondent. We’ve consulted many experts, but they all said there’s no hope.”

Yang Qingyan frowned, contemplating for a moment before responding, “I can take a look, but I can’t guarantee a full recovery. Besides, you’ve brought him to this hospital, and my husband still needs care; I can’t leave him unmonitored.” Yang Qingyan admired soldiers and felt compelled to help, utilizing her abilities if necessary.

Seeing her hesitance, Commander Xia revealed a hint of relief on his face. “Comrade Yang, thank you so much. I apologize for the trouble.”

Yang Qingyan slightly shook her head, “Let’s not thank each other yet; we still don’t know if I can help.”

She first assisted Mu Nanhe back up to the bed, letting him recline against the cushions. After covering him with a blanket, they chatted for a while.

Just then, someone lightly knocked on the door and entered—a guard sent by Commander Xia. Respectfully, he said, “Comrade Yang, the commander requests your presence.”

Yang Qingyan glanced back at Mu Nanhe, soothingly assuring him, “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.” Mu Nanhe smiled and waved her off, “Wife, take your time.”

Following the guard, she proceeded to another hospital room, where she found a quiet man sitting on the bed. He looked somewhat slender, but his back was straight, exuding the resilience of a soldier. However, he had his head lowered, seemingly detached from everything around him, lost in his own despondency.

Yang Qingyan approached carefully, treading softly to avoid startling him. She gently said, “Hey, I’m Yang Qingyan. I’m here to check on your injuries.”

The man slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with confusion and despair. Upon seeing Yang Qingyan, he offered a bitter smile, a meager gesture of acknowledgment.