Chapter 9: Moving Back In

With the cornbread cakes Liang Huantao had stuffed into her hands, Yang Qingyan walked home step by step, the evening breeze brushing against her face. The golden glow of the setting sun cast a soft light on her figure, outlining her thin yet resolute silhouette. It felt as if all the fatigue from the day had been gently erased by the warmth of her neighbors’ kindness. Slowly, this unfamiliar era, this unfamiliar residential compound, was starting to feel familiar—almost like home.

Before long, she arrived at her doorstep and gently pushed open the door. A scent both unfamiliar and familiar greeted her. The first thing she saw was Mu Nanhe’s busy figure moving about the slightly cramped kitchen, awkwardly going back and forth as he tried to prepare a meal.

Hearing the door open, Mu Nanhe turned his head and saw Yang Qingyan. A faint smile appeared on his lips, his eyes holding a trace of expectation, though also a careful restraint—almost as if he was afraid of touching the invisible barrier between them. He asked gently, “You’re back. Was everything smooth up in the mountains today?” He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I bought some rice and flour today, as well as some fresh vegetables. I thought we could eat at home tonight.”

Yang Qingyan paused slightly in her steps and looked at Mu Nanhe. There was still some distance in her gaze, but she gave a slight nod, curving her lips into a faint, polite smile. “Alright. Sister-in-law Liang gave me some cornbread cakes. If we make a pot of wild vegetable porridge, that should be enough.”

With that, she walked over to the side, placing the wild vegetables in a basin and preparing to wash them.

Mu Nanhe’s hands paused for a second as he watched her, a flicker of disappointment flashing through his eyes. But he quickly recovered and replied, “Okay, I’ll steam the rice and stir-fry some vegetables, too.”

With that, he turned back to the kitchen, continuing his work—washing rice, chopping vegetables—his movements skilled and fluid. Yet his gaze would occasionally drift toward Yang Qingyan, as if trying to gauge her emotions, searching for a way to break the silence. But in the end, he didn’t know where to start.

Yang Qingyan focused on washing the wild vegetables, the tender green leaves swaying gently in the water. Her thoughts drifted along with them. She knew that there was still a long road ahead for her and Mu Nanhe. Though she remained distant for now, perhaps in the ordinary moments of daily life, something subtle was beginning to change. Maybe this was the true start of a new life.

Before long, the meal was ready, the warm aroma filling the room. Yang Qingyan sat at the table and quietly ate, maintaining the same reserved demeanor. Mu Nanhe, watching her eat in silence, felt a little uneasy. He hesitated several times before finally summoning the courage to break the stillness. “I moved back from the dormitory today. The army is reclaiming the barracks.”

He gave a brief explanation, pausing slightly as he glanced at Yang Qingyan, trying to catch a reaction from her expression. After a moment, he added, “From now on, I’ll be living here at the family quarters.”

Yang Qingyan’s chopsticks stilled for a second before she looked up at him. Her response was simple and indifferent. “Mm. This is your home to begin with. If you want to move in, then move in.”

Mu Nanhe saw her nonchalant attitude and felt another wave of disappointment. Still, he pressed on. “I’ll stay in the other room. In a couple of days, I have to return to the unit. I won’t be home for lunch, but I’ll come back for dinner.”

After saying that, he stood up, walked to his room, and returned with a savings book. He placed it on the table somewhat awkwardly and said, “It’ll be easier for you to handle the household expenses.”

Yang Qingyan had always been a straightforward person. Since they were still married, the household funds should naturally be shared. Without hesitation, she reached out and took it, her expression calm. “Alright.”

Mu Nanhe watched as she accepted the savings book, feeling both relieved and helpless. He knew that rebuilding their relationship wouldn’t happen overnight. But at least… this was a start.

As night fell, the lights in the family quarters dimmed one by one. Only the small lamp in Mu Nanhe’s room continued to cast a faint glow. He lay in bed, the new sheets feeling soft against his skin. If he leaned in close enough, he could catch the faintest trace of Yang Qingyan’s scent lingering in the fabric. That subtle fragrance seeped into his thoughts, making them more chaotic than ever.

He thought back to their interactions throughout the day—the distant look in her eyes, the polite yet detached responses. Each moment felt like a small hammer, tapping lightly at his heart.

He had assumed that on a night like this, filled with complicated emotions, he would struggle to sleep, tangled in frustration and worry. After all, the invisible yet undeniable wall between them made him feel powerless.

Yet, perhaps due to the exhaustion from shuttling between the army and the family quarters, or maybe because this unfamiliar home carried an unexpected sense of comfort, his eyelids gradually grew heavy. The restless thoughts in his mind receded like the tide. Before he realized it, he had fallen into an unexpectedly deep sleep.

In his dreams, Mu Nanhe’s brows furrowed slightly, as if he were caught in some internal conflict. His lips moved faintly, murmuring something indistinct.

Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the window, casting a silvery glow on his sharp features, as if it, too, were peering into the uncertainty and quiet hopes buried in his heart.

Meanwhile, in the next room, Yang Qingyan lay in the darkness, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts drifted far away.

Like Mu Nanhe, she was unsure about the future. But for some reason, a faint sense of hope lingered in her heart.

On this silent night, though they were in separate rooms, it felt as if an invisible thread was quietly connecting them—pulling them toward the unknown tomorrow.