Chapter 59: Qingyan, I Did It

Yang Qingyan dragged her exhausted body back home. The moment she stepped through the door, she didn’t even take off her shoes but headed straight for the bedroom. She collapsed onto the bed, as if all her energy had been completely drained.

For the past few days, she had been so focused on developing the antidote that she had been working day and night, and now that the crisis was over, her taut nerves finally relaxed, drowning her in a wave of fatigue and leading her to fall into a deep sleep almost immediately.

After an unknown period of time, Mu Nanhe wheeled himself into the house, slowly pushing open the door. His face was similarly weary, but his eyes held a glimmer of relief after surviving the ordeal. Seeing the quietness of the house, he instinctively lightened his movements. When he opened the bedroom door and saw Yang Qingyan sleeping peacefully, a surge of fondness welled up within him.

“You’ve really worked hard during this time,” Mu Nanhe whispered tenderly, his gaze so soft that it seemed it could drip with warmth.

He quietly exited the room and made his way to the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, he found it bare and suddenly remembered that the house was devoid of groceries. He then turned and headed towards the mess hall.

At that moment in the mess hall, the cooks were busy preparing meals. Mu Nanhe approached the serving window and quietly said, “Zhizhi, could you please pack me two portions of food, something light?”

The cook looked up, saw it was Mu Nanhe, and immediately stood at attention, saluting him: “Captain Mu! Please rest assured, I will prepare it right away. Today’s vegetable soup is particularly fresh, and we also have steamed fish—nutritious and delicious. Your wife will surely love it.”

After a short while, two steaming meals were ready. Mu Nanhe accepted the food container, smiled, and thanked the cook before carefully returning home.

Back at the house, he laid out the meals on the dining table and boiled some water, pouring it into a cup set aside. He then went back to the bedroom and sat by the bed, quietly watching Yang Qingyan.

Whether it was the aroma of the food or Mu Nanhe’s tender gaze, Yang Qingyan slowly regained consciousness. With bleary eyes, she saw Mu Nanhe sitting beside her and couldn’t help but smile as her lips curled up: “Nanhe, you’re back.”

Mu Nanhe gently took her hand and said, “I’m glad you’re awake. Go wash your face. I got you some food from the mess hall—it’s all your favorites.”

Yang Qingyan got up, washed up quickly, and sat down at the dining table. Looking at the spread of food, her heart was filled with gratitude. “Nanhe, you’ve thought of everything.”

The two of them sat across from each other, quietly enjoying this rare moment of peace. The warmth of the food wafted between them, creating a cozy atmosphere that filled the room.

“Qingyan, this time it was all thanks to you. If it weren’t for you, those soldiers…” Mu Nanhe placed his chopsticks down and said seriously.

Yang Qingyan shook her head, holding Mu Nanhe’s hand, “Don’t say that. Didn’t you also uncover the masterminds behind the poisoning? I’m just happy we were able to save the soldiers.” They shared a smile, their eyes reflecting mutual understanding.

The next day, after being busy for more than half a month without formal rehabilitation training, Yang Qingyan decided to resume training starting today.

After breakfast, she helped Mu Nanhe into the yard. “Nanhe, our first exercise today is to try standing. I’ll support you, so don’t be afraid.”

Mu Nanhe took a deep breath, gripping Yang Qingyan’s arms tightly as he tried to stand up. However, as soon as he exerted effort with his legs, a wave of pain surged through him, causing his body to sway.

“Don’t rush, Nanhe. Let’s take it slow. Just get used to the feeling of using your legs,” Yang Qingyan said patiently.

Despite his determination, Mu Nanhe couldn’t stand up on his first attempt. However, he didn’t lose heart. After resting for a moment, he tried again. The second time, his legs shook violently, and he still couldn’t succeed. On the third try, he used all his strength and finally managed to stand up, albeit unsteadily, for a brief three seconds, sweat forming on his forehead.

“I did it!” Excitement flickered in Mu Nanhe’s eyes.

“That’s wonderful, Nanhe! This is an amazing start!” Yang Qingyan encouraged him.

Over the next three days, the standing exercises continued to repeat. By the fourth day, Mu Nanhe was already able to stand independently for five seconds without Yang Qingyan’s support.

As his stability improved, Yang Qingyan began guiding Mu Nanhe in mobility training. “Nanhe, now let’s try taking a small step forward. I’ll support you closely.”

Mu Nanhe carefully lifted his leg and managed to shift forward five centimeters. This seemingly simple action required tremendous effort, and as soon as his foot landed, his body swayed.

“Great, Nanhe, just like that. Keep it up!” Yang Qingyan’s encouraging voice resonated in his ears.

On the first day of mobility training, Mu Nanhe walked a total of five steps with Yang Qingyan’s help. In the following days, he made an effort to increase the number he walked each day. A week later, he could walk twenty steps with her assistance.

On the tenth day, Yang Qingyan suggested, “Nanhe, today let’s try for you to walk a few steps without my support. I’ll be right beside you to protect you, how does that sound?”

Although a bit nervous, Mu Nanhe gathered his courage and agreed. He took a deep breath, slowly releasing Yang Qingyan’s hand, and took his first step. His body lost balance instantly, and Yang Qingyan, quick on her feet, immediately supported him.

“It’s okay, Nanhe, let’s try again,” Yang Qingyan encouraged.

On his second attempt, Mu Nanhe wobbled after taking one step and nearly fell. On the third try, he successfully walked two steps. After more than twenty attempts, he finally managed to walk five steps independently. “I did it, Qingyan!” he exclaimed excitedly.

“I knew you could do it, Nanhe! You’re amazing!” Yang Qingyan applauded and cheered for him.

As his mobility improved, Yang Qingyan began to formulate a more challenging training plan for Mu Nanhe. She laid out some bricks and wooden planks in the yard, creating an uneven surface for him to navigate.

On the first day of training on the uneven surface, Mu Nanhe walked cautiously. Halfway through, his foot accidentally caught on a raised wooden plank, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground, scraping his palm.

“Nanhe, are you okay?” Yang Qingyan rushed over, her heart aching for him.

“I’m fine, Qingyan. This minor injury is nothing,” Mu Nanhe replied through gritted teeth, enduring the pain.

While she cleaned his wound, Yang Qingyan said, “Nanhe, let’s not rush it. Training should be gradual.”

Mu Nanhe nodded, “I understand, Qingyan. I just want to return to the troops as soon as possible.”

After resting for two days, Mu Nanhe resumed training. He carefully observed the terrain and adjusted his steps and center of gravity. Gradually, he became more stable while walking on the uneven surface.

Meanwhile, Yang Qingyan also requested that Mu Nanhe gradually increase the distance and speed of his walking. At first, he would breathe heavily after walking fifty meters, but after a month of training, he could easily walk two hundred meters. His speed improved as well, from initially twenty steps per minute to fifty.

One day, Chen Feng came to visit Mu Nanhe. Upon seeing him walking steadily, Chen Feng was astonished: “Nanhe, your recovery speed is astonishing!”

Mu Nanhe smiled and said, “It’s all thanks to Qingyan. If it weren’t for her constantly training with me and encouraging me, I wouldn’t have recovered so well.”

Chen Feng sighed, “Your sister-in-law deserves a lot of credit. Once you return to the troops, we can fight side by side again!”