“Commander Huo, your wife is just pregnant and was startled. It’s nothing serious.”

“But she is malnourished and physically weak. If this continues, there could be complications when she gives birth.”

“Would it be dangerous to her health if she terminated the pregnancy now?”

“Commander Huo, are you saying you don’t want the child? While a miscarriage at three months isn’t usually life-threatening, with her condition, it could affect her ability to conceive in the future.”

“I understand. Thank you for your help…”

Xu Suining lay on the hospital bed, her lashes trembling slightly. She didn’t dare open her eyes as she listened to the two men talk.

She never imagined that after working late and dying of exhaustion, she would wake up in the 1970s, inside the body of a young woman also named Xu Suining.

The original Xu Suining had married Huo Qingshan, the commander of a special operations unit, at the age of twenty. She had been unhappy with the arranged marriage and had insisted on sleeping in separate rooms after the wedding.

But an unexpected incident had occurred. They had shared a bed once, and she had gotten pregnant.

The original Xu Suining had someone she loved but was forced to marry Huo Qingshan. Now pregnant, she had become even more withdrawn, listless and melancholic. She barely spoke or ate, and her health deteriorated rapidly.

Then she received a letter from the man she loved, telling her he would take her away from this cage.

She left behind a note and disappeared. When Huo Qingshan returned from a mission and found the letter, he immediately requested leave and went after her.

He found her in a small motel on the outskirts of the city, alone and unconscious on the floor. Her clothes were disheveled, and she had a large bump on the back of her head. She had slipped into a coma.

That was the moment Xu Suining had transmigrated into her body.

When the doctors were trying to save her, she had already regained consciousness and overheard a nurse and a doctor chatting nearby. They said it had taken three days to find her, who knew what had happened during those three days?

They also mentioned that when Huo Qingshan carried her in, his clothes were torn.

As she listened to their gossip, she began absorbing the original Xu Suining’s memories.

The more she absorbed, the more alarmed she became.

The original had no recollection of those missing three days. She didn’t know whether anything had happened with the man she’d run to.

If something had happened… Xu Suining didn’t even want to imagine the consequences she’d face upon waking up.

It was 1974, and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution wasn’t over yet.

In this era, having a bad reputation was better than being labeled as a “fallen woman who ran off with a man.”

Her grandmother had told her once: women like that had their heads shaved, shoes hung around their necks, and were paraded through the streets.

Huo Qingshan stood by the hospital bed, looking at the pale-faced Xu Suining. Her long lashes trembled, and her eyes moved beneath her lids. He could tell she was awake.

He thanked Dr. Chen and told him he could leave.

Once the doctor was gone, Huo Qingshan looked down at Xu Suining with tightly pressed lips.

He had no strong feelings about this wife. They had met through a matchmaker. She seemed educated and sensible—someone who could manage a household.

He hadn’t expected her to be so stubborn and troublesome.

His expression grew cold as he spoke. “I know you’re awake. If you really don’t want to continue this marriage, focus on getting your health back. Once the child is gone, I’ll apply for a divorce.”

Xu Suining couldn’t pretend anymore. She blinked her eyes open, a trace of moisture still clinging to the corners.

She struggled to sit up, her movements weak. Glancing up at Huo Qingshan, she couldn’t help but be stunned by his appearance.

He truly looked like the male lead from a novel, his military uniform crisp and imposing, tall and well-built, with tanned skin, sharp features, a straight nose, and a strong jawline.

He stood tall and upright, like a pine or cypress—calm and powerful.

And his eyes—deep and dark, unreadable, with a gaze that seemed to pierce straight through her.

Xu Suining felt a sudden pang of guilt. But with years of experience dealing with demanding clients, she knew the best way to defuse tension was to show vulnerability.

She curved her lips into a faint, somewhat ingratiating smile. “I’m hungry.”

It was the truth. She’d been starving ever since she woke up in the operating room.

More importantly, she needed time to gather her thoughts and figure out how to communicate with Huo Qingshan.

His gaze darkened slightly as he looked at her smile, somewhat surprised.

She was naturally beautiful, with fair skin, delicate features, and a touch of classical elegance. But her fragile body made her look even more pitiful when she smiled like that.

“What do you want to eat?”

Xu Suining wasn’t sure what kinds of food were available in this era and didn’t dare ask for much. “Dumplings? Or noodles would be fine.”

Huo Qingshan gave her another long look. “Wait here in the ward.”

After he left, Xu Suining let out a deep sigh of relief and ran a hand through her hair, trying to think.

She didn’t want to be dragged through the streets or assigned to backbreaking labor where she’d be bullied.

She had no money, no ration tickets, and no travel permit. She couldn’t go anywhere.

The searing pain in her heart before she died, the fear of death—it all made her treasure this second chance at life.

She didn’t just want to survive, she wanted to live well.

That meant she needed to get along with Huo Qingshan.

She reached out and touched her belly. Maybe, for the child’s sake, he’d treat her with more compassion?

She hadn’t even figured out her next move when Huo Qingshan returned, carrying an aluminum lunchbox.

He placed it on the bedside table, glanced at her briefly, then turned and walked out again.

Xu Suining wasn’t sure what to make of his behavior. Was he leaving the food for her to eat on her own?

Just as she was about to get out of bed, Huo Qingshan came back with a washbasin, a blue-and-white striped towel draped over the edge.

He pulled a stool over and set the basin down. “The water’s warm. The towel is new. Wash your face before eating.”

His tone was cold and emotionless.

Xu Suining understood the reason behind his indifference. The original had despised his rural background and had refused to share a bed with him.

She wet the towel and wiped her face, then washed her hands. Looking up, she sincerely said, “Thank you.”

The unfamiliar phrase caught Huo Qingshan off guard. He looked at her more closely, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Xu Suining didn’t dare say anything more, afraid she might slip up. She watched as Huo Qingshan picked up the lunchbox and opened it with long, slender fingers.

He held it out to her. Inside were dumplings, a bit soggy and broken. They looked like they had been sitting around for a while. Some were clumped together, but they were made of white flour!

Huo Qingshan noticed her staring at the dumplings but making no move to eat.

Recalling her picky nature, he offered an explanation. “It’s past meal time. These are leftovers from lunch. If you don’t want them, you’ll have to wait until dinner.”

Xu Suining quickly took the lunchbox. “I don’t mind. I’ll eat them.”

She was genuinely starving. She popped one dumpling after another into her mouth, not even tasting them as she hurried to fill her stomach.

Huo Qingshan frowned as he watched her eat. She had never eaten like this before.

Once she’d finished the entire lunchbox, Xu Suining finally felt alive again.

Her strength was returning, her mind sharper. She looked up at Huo Qingshan and gave him a cautious smile, “Thank you.”

He didn’t react, only pressed his lips into a thin line. His eyes briefly landed on her belly, lingered for a moment, then abruptly looked away.

Just as he spoke in his usual cold tone, Xu Suining also opened her mouth.

“If you abort the child, then we…”

“I lost my memory!”