Chapter 29

Awkwardness—an awkwardness like she’d never felt before.

Even after the doctor had come and gone, and everyone else left holding back laughter, Tian Mi, lying on the soft kang bed, still felt embarrassed to the point of digging her toes on the ground.

Her usual favorite, the cozy bedding, now felt like a bed of needles.

Where was the hole?

Let her disappear!

Why hadn’t anyone told her Lou Luhui’s mother was coming?

Just a moment ago, not only had she been hugging and holding him in public, but now she was lying on the same bed as him! 

What a stifling first meeting…

Actually… she really was fine. The temperature of the seawater hadn’t affected her in the least, and even the cold after coming ashore didn’t bother her, thanks to the timely and effective warming measures.

But clearly, that’s not how everyone saw it. In their minds, not only had Lou Luhui gone through a near-death experience, but Tian Mi had also narrowly escaped disaster.

After all, who would guess that someone could be immune to cold and water pressure, freely navigating in the water?

Tian Mi had tried to resist, but her older sister had given her three choices:

First, she could stay on the heated bed in her sister’s room; second, she could go to the children’s room; or third, she could share a bed with Lou Luhui.

The first was a definite no for Tian Mi—sleeping on her sister and brother-in-law’s bed? How strange would that be? Going to the kids’ room would leave her worrying about Lou Luhui, and once her nephews came back from school, it wouldn’t be right to keep occupying their bed.

In the end, Tian Mi gave in, quietly nestling in with Lou Luhui, closing her eyes in resignation under her sister’s disappointed look and her future mother-in-law’s gentle smile.

In the living room, now relieved of worry, the two women finally had time to freshen up.

Tian Yu, who enjoyed chatting, helped her guest tidy up, poured some tea, and placed cookies, seeds, and snacks on the table before smiling and saying, “My brother-in-law never told me you’d be coming over, so I didn’t recognize you at all! And with you looking so young, I didn’t know how to call you my mother-in-law…”

“I married young, you see. I was married to Hui Hui’s father at 18. Mei zi, don’t call me mother-in-law; it makes me sound old! I’m Zhong Yuxiu; just call me Yuxiu.” There wasn’t a woman who didn’t enjoy compliments about her youthfulness, and Zhong Yuxiu, known for her beauty, especially loved it.

After hearing Tian Yu’s compliment, she became even fonder of the brave daughter-in-law who had jumped into the water without hesitation. Her joy grew even more, feeling like she truly was with family, as these sisters were all so genuine at heart.

Tian Yu hadn’t expected her in-law to have such a personality. By all accounts, Zhong Yuxiu was a woman approaching her late forties, yet her manner of speaking was unexpectedly straightforward.

She thought, Tian Mi’s future mother-in-law must have lived in a relatively simple environment.

Still, this personality had its advantages—at least it meant she and Mi Yatou wouldn’t have any conflicts in the future. Thinking this, Tian Yu’s expression softened, and she easily agreed, “Alright, I’ll call you Yuxiu, and you can call me Xiaoyu. My younger sister is Tian Mi.”

At the mention of her future daughter-in-law, Zhong Yuxiu’s eyes lit up. She knew her son’s fiancée’s name.

Heaven knows, when she received a call from her son in Beijing a week ago, telling her he had found someone he loved and was planning to marry, she was overjoyed.

Her son was almost thirty, and now he’d finally met someone he wanted to marry—she couldn’t be more grateful.

If circumstances allowed, she’d have knelt before every deity in gratitude.

For this future daughter-in-law, who would end her son’s single life, she felt both deep gratitude and intense curiosity.

After preparing all sorts of gifts to send to the base, Zhong Yuxiu ultimately couldn’t resist her curiosity and managed to convince her husband to let her travel to the 836th Army Base herself… huh?

…wait.

Zhong Yuxiu stood up, scanning the living room, suddenly realizing something was amiss. She scratched her head awkwardly. “Where are the gifts I brought for my daughter-in-law?”

Also, where was Xiao Zhang, who had brought her here?

Tian Yu asked, “Yuxiu, how did you get to the island?”

“My husband’s guard brought me over, but when we got to the town, I thought I’d surprise my son and daughter-in-law, so I called Jianshe to calculate the timing and meet me at the base gate… Oh, right! I remember now. I brought a lot of gifts for my daughter-in-law, so Xiao Zhang and a young soldier helping with the bags were left behind…” Realizing where her gifts were, Zhong Yuxiu relaxed and sat back on the wooden sofa.

Jianshe should go and fetch them. Meanwhile, she’d stay and watch over her son.

Tian Mi awoke from the heat.

In her half-asleep state, she tried to push away the source of warmth, but to her surprise, her hand was immediately grabbed and held firmly.

Startled, Tian Mi’s eyes flew open, and once the haze faded, her gaze locked onto a pair of beautiful, smiling phoenix eyes.

Now, fully awake, she turned to him in surprise and asked, “You’re awake? How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Does your head hurt? Should I call the doctor…?”

A string of questions poured out, leaving Lou Luhui unsure which one to answer first.

Honestly, when he’d been underwater, he truly thought he wouldn’t survive this time.

He had sustained life-threatening injuries on the battlefield in his earlier years, yet each time, he felt he could pull through.

But this time, the enormity of nature made him feel minuscule. He had a powerful sense that if Tian Tian hadn’t broken through the water to reach him, he would have remained forever on the seabed.

It was the overwhelming feeling of despair that jolted him awake.

But when he awoke to find the girl he loved lying beside him, that fear ebbed away like the tide, leaving only a surge of joy and an overwhelming sense of attachment.

Yes, attachment.

Lou Luhui had always thought that as a man and a soldier, it was his duty to fearlessly protect his family and defend his country from any danger.

But when Tian Tian saved him from despair, he suddenly realized that, on occasion, he too yearned to be cherished and protected.

After all, opening his eyes again to see his beloved, who had risked everything for him, lying by his side, Lou Luhui didn’t want to worry about anything else—he just wanted to hold her close.

Though he was still curious as to how Tian Tian managed to keep her body warm in such frigid water, these questions became unimportant in light of their safety.

Especially when the girl had just opened her eyes and showered him with concern, he felt a happiness that was nearly overwhelming.

He chuckled softly, following his heart, and kissed the little girl’s brow. “I’m fine, just a bit weak. But everything else is good—don’t worry.”

“Really? If anything bothers you, you must tell me. Don’t hide it, alright?” Tian Mi, still not entirely reassured, struggled to sit up, ready to grab the thermometer the doctor had left.

Lou Luhui quickly reached out and stopped her. “I’m really fine…”

Seeing that she still looked doubtful, he understood that his earlier condition had truly frightened her, so he softened his expression and spoke even more gently, “I just feel a bit thirsty.”

At this, Tian Mi immediately got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, and walked to the wall to pick up the hot water kettle. She poured a cup, tasted it to check the temperature, and, satisfied, returned to the bed to hand it to the now-sitting man.

With the warm water soothing his throat, Lou Luhui realized just how thirsty he’d been.

Only after draining the entire cup did he feel the dryness in his throat ease and exhaled with satisfaction.

“Do you want more?”

“No, that’s enough.”

Tian Mi set the cup on the table. “You should rest a bit longer; the doctor advised two days of proper recovery.”

Lou Luhui obediently lay back down but extended a hand toward her. “Lie down with me.”

How could she… how could anyone resist that?

Different from his usual cold demeanor, the man lying on the bed had softened eyes. And after enduring so much hardship, even his strong physique showed signs of weakness, his complexion and lips still an unhealthy shade of pale.

Tian Mi’s heart melted; she smiled, sitting beside him on the bed, and held his hand, trying to reason with him, “Everyone was so worried about you. I should go reassure them. Your mother and my older sister were both in tears over us.”

“My… my mom?” Lou Luhui blinked in surprise. “My mom’s here?”

Tian Mi… “You didn’t know?”

Lou Luhui truly hadn’t known. He sat up again, frowning, “Why is my mom here? Who brought her?”

He didn’t have a clue, but considering his mother’s personality, it wasn’t surprising she’d do something like this. He rubbed his brow, feeling a slight headache. “My mom… she’s always been well-protected by my dad and has a bit of a childish streak. Coming here without informing me—it’s probably because she’s curious about you. She didn’t say anything to make you uncomfortable, did she?”

Although they’d only spoken a few words, Tian Mi could already tell what kind of personality her future mother-in-law had. She joked, “Oh, not at all. I think your mom has a fun personality. We could even be like sisters in the future.”

Lou Luhui’s mouth twitched slightly. “Don’t be fooled by appearances. My mom only shows a friendly face to people she likes; she won’t even give the time of day to those she doesn’t.”

“Is that so?” Tian Mi liked her even more, feeling that such a straightforward personality was easier to get along with than those who hide hostility behind smiles.

But she was curious. “How did you introduce me to her?”

Lou Luhui shook his head. “I didn’t actually give much of an introduction. I kept it simple since I was worried her curiosity would get the better of her and she’d end up coming here. I just mentioned your age, name, and how we met.”

He hadn’t expected that even this brief introduction wouldn’t be enough to keep his mother from coming over.

Seeing his mildly pained expression, Tian Mi chuckled, gently pushing him back under the covers and tucking him in before saying, “I’ll step out for a bit and let them know you’re alright.”

As she walked to the door, her gaze landed on something, and her steps hesitated.

After a few silent moments, she awkwardly pointed to the chamber pot with the red “Double Happiness” symbol in the corner and mumbled, “If… um… you need… you know, just handle it here. We’ll come back in ten minutes.”

Slightly embarrassed, she quickly slipped out the door.

Lou Luhui: …

—

“Have you gotten to the bottom of this? What’s going on here, exactly?” In the Brigade Commander’s office, Commander Wang, usually mild-mannered, was slamming his desk, the sharp sound reverberating through the room.

His usual calm, farmer-like demeanor had faded, replaced by a fierce intensity that made it hard for anyone to look him in the eye. This was the commanding presence of someone who had faced the horrors of battle.

Upon hearing from the aide that Lao Lou, the girl, and the young boy were no longer in mortal danger, Chen Gang and the others had interrogated the boy’s mother.

It was then that everyone finally recognized that the disheveled woman, crying and wailing after the boy had fallen into the water, was actually Liu Xiuju.

And the boy with her was her youngest son.

Through a harsh interrogation, they uncovered a frustrating truth.

Apparently, Liu Xiuju had somehow learned that Battalion Commander Zhu would be on fishing duty today, so she brought her chubby youngest son to intercept him. At that time, Lou Luhui’s group was actually some distance away from them, and with everyone focused on chiseling through the ice amid the constant “ding-ding” sounds, nobody noticed any civilians approaching.

Or rather, nobody expected any family members to show up and risk their lives here. After all, they had repeatedly reminded family members that this area was dangerous and strictly off-limits.

Who could have imagined someone would disregard the military’s regulations like this?

As for the boy, he fell into the ice hole because he spotted fish in it and reached out to grab them. When he stretched too far, he lost his balance and plunged into the icy water.

As for Zhou Peng, who was responsible for securing the safety ropes…

Chen Gang sighed in disappointment. “We haven’t gotten anything from questioning him yet. But I think the whole situation feels a bit too coincidental. Normally, rescue ropes are thoroughly checked, and there’s never been an issue. Why would it just happen to fail this time? And yet, it doesn’t add up. After all, the kid falling into the water was an accident, and I checked that rope carefully, even had LaoTang confirm it—there’s no sign of deliberate tampering.”

His old partner Tang Dahai, a seasoned scout, was much more skilled in these matters than Chen Gang, who had switched to logistics mid-career. Even LaoTang couldn’t find anything suspicious, so it was indeed a tricky matter.

Commander Wang, who’d seen his share of unusual situations, had little faith in coincidence. He snorted, “How is it an accident? Someone told Liu Xiuju that Zhu Jingbing was on the coast, didn’t they? Find out who told her. And that Zhou Peng needs a thorough investigation as well. I don’t believe in coincidences. If there’s something off with him, it’ll come to light. If he’s innocent, he still deserves a scolding—can’t even handle a simple rope check? He’s not fit to be a soldier.”

At this, another possibility crossed Commander Wang’s mind. Frowning, he thought for a moment, then waved Chen Gang over. “This matter is now in your hands, you and LaoTang’s. Dig deep into this Zhou Peng’s background. I’d like to see what sneaky characters might be trying to extend their reach here!”

“Yes, Commander!”

“Alright, dismissed. Oh, by the way—I remember Lou Luhui’s fiancée is named Tian Mi, right?” The mention of the young woman who’d saved his cherished subordinate finally softened Wang’s otherwise grim expression.

This time, his tone was full of approval. “She’s a good one! Capable, courageous, and loyal. A bit reckless, perhaps, but her heart’s in the right place. Has she considered joining the military? She’d make a promising recruit.”

Chen Gang’s mouth twitched. “Er Mei has no intention of joining the army.”

This wasn’t an excuse; he’d asked her when she first arrived on the island. If she wanted to join, he could pull some strings, and LaoLou could help as well.

But the young woman had flatly refused, even giving a ready-made reason: that in a couple, one of them shouldn’t be so busy; someone needed to make the sacrifice to care for the family.

That sentiment had moved Lao Lou, but after spending time with her, Chen Gang was convinced that Er Mei had turned it down because she couldn’t handle the constraints of military life.

Despite her gentle appearance, she had a bit of a wild streak. And Lou Luhui, with his heart set entirely on her, didn’t mind—he was happy to be captivated by her sweet words, even knowing they might be just that.

Commander Wang, slightly taken aback by the rejection, smacked his lips. “Is that so? What a pity… But her bravery is still commendable. Once those two recover, we’ll have to organize a commendation ceremony… And as for that Liu Xiuju—tell her to get lost!”

“Isn’t that… a bit much?” Chen Gang also wanted the mother and son gone from the camp, but technically, she was Battalion Commander Zhu’s wife, and directly dismissing her could draw criticism from others, especially since there were watchful eyes everywhere these days.

But Commander Wang wasn’t bothered. “If I can’t stand up for my soldiers over something like this, I don’t deserve to lead them. Go, tell Zhu Lei it’s my decision. I don’t want to see that woman in my territory again. These are my soldiers, and I look out for them.”

Chen Gang thought to himself that Battalion Commander Zhu would likely be overjoyed to hear this.

After Chen Gang left, Commander Wang sat in silence for a while. Then, after instructing his guard to stand watch outside, he dialed a number he knew by heart.

When a familiar, rough voice answered, Commander Wang spoke solemnly. “Sir, today Lou Luhui had a close call. I suspect…”

Lou Luhui, young and physically resilient, bounced back quickly. 

Upon waking, he felt only mild weakness and some muscle soreness. However, determined to snuggle up with Tian Tian for another night, he continued feigning frailty, staying in bed except for essential needs and acting weak.

It wasn’t about taking advantage; rather, the aftermath of the close call had left him wanting nothing more than to keep Tian Tian within sight. Even though his future sister-in-law kept throwing him dirty looks, he stuck to his “thick skin, good rewards” approach.

Since Zhong Yuxiu’s visit was unexpected, staying with them wasn’t an option due to space. She had long been close friends with Mei Saozi, the commander’s wife, so she arranged to stay with her. 

As for the guard, Xiao Zhang, he simply went to Lou Luhui’s bachelor quarters.

After the lively family dinner, Zhong Yuxiu, worn out from days of travel, announced she was heading out to rest. Before leaving, she handed two of the three packages she’d brought to Tian Mi, smiling. “These are gifts I brought for you. Oh, and there are some for Xiao Yu and the three kids too. Their names are labeled on each bag. You can divide them up yourselves. I traveled for three days, then had the life scared out of me by that stinky boy Hui Hui. I really need a break.”

With these words, Zhong Yuxiu turned, ignoring the surprised expressions around her, and signaled for Zhou Jianshe to take her to Mei Zi’s.

Jianshe and Hui Hui had been close since childhood, and Zhong Yuxiu ordering him around was no different from her own son.

Outside, she patted the tall young man’s back. “Don’t worry, Aunt Xiu didn’t forget you. Your gift and Mei Zi’s are in that bag you’re carrying.”

Holding a flashlight in one hand and a suitcase in the other, Zhou Jianshe chuckled. “Aunt Xiu, I’m so old now. No need to bring me snacks anymore.”

The dim flashlight barely lit the path ahead, just enough for Zhong Yuxiu to see her steps. She smiled, eyes on the ground, and replied, “No snacks this time.”

Zhou Jianshe perked up at this. Helping her along the rough path, he curiously asked, “So what did you bring this time ah?”

After only a few exchanged words, the two had already reached Commander Wang’s door.

Zhong Yuxiu was beaming. “Your mom knows my Hui Hui’s getting married, so she asked me to set you up with someone. And guess what? Before I even came, I really did find a suitable young lady! I even brought her photo—it’s in the suitcase.”

Zhou Jianshe…

Zhou Jianshe promptly handed the flashlight back to Aunt Xiu, spun around, and dashed off, as fast as if chased by a pack of rabid dogs.

“Hey! Hey! You rascal, what are you running for? I wasn’t finished talking—she’s really a good match for you!”

“It’s been years, and you still love teasing Jianshe like that,” Ruan Mei remarked, amused. In contrast to Zhong Yuxiu’s vibrant personality, Ruan Mei, who had been a university professor for years, exuded a dignified and serious aura. She smiled wryly while helping with the luggage. “So, where’s your little Xun Yan?”

“Coming, coming! I’m here, Aunt Xiu! I’ve missed you so much…”

Wang Xun Yan, who bore a strong resemblance to her father, had a delicate, graceful look, with a usual hint of pride in her expression. But upon seeing a familiar elder, her smile turned genuinely sweet.

After warmly helping to bring in the luggage and serving tea for the two ladies, she finally asked with curiosity, “Aunt Xiu, what’s your new daughter-in-law like? I heard she was amazing today, even daring to jump into an ice hole to save someone! Is that true?”

“Absolutely true. My Tian Tian is such a wonderful girl. When you see her next time, be sure to call her ‘Saozi,’ understand? To think, without Tian Tian, Aunt Xiu might never have seen Hui Hui again. At that moment…” Speaking of her daughter-in-law, Zhong Yuxiu was overflowing with gratitude. If not for Tian Tian’s bravery, she couldn’t even imagine the consequences, and thus she showered her with endless praise.

After hearing Aunt Xiu’s glowing words, Wang Xun Yan was puzzled. “Saozi is that great? That’s not what my friend said about her…”

Ruan Mei furrowed her brow, exchanged a look with her friend, then casually asked, “Which friend?”

Meanwhile, after her future mother-in-law left, Tian Mi stared at the two massive bags, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

She’d never thought receiving gifts could mean getting two full packages at once.

Before opening them, she hesitantly consulted her fiancé, subtly hinting that this seemed like…a bit much.

However, Lou Luhui, lying comfortably in bed, looked nonchalant. “Most of it’s probably food.”

Confused, Tian Mi asked, “Why so much food?” Was it meant for the three nephews? Well… it made sense for kids to enjoy snacks.

But his next words completely stunned her.

The handsome man on the bed lazily turned to the side, grinning as if expecting praise. “Beijing has a lot of local specialties, and since you like snacks, I asked Mom to bring some. Originally, I’d just asked her to mail it over.”

Taking in his explanation, Tian Mi numbly asked one last question, holding onto a sliver of hope, “Have you… ever asked your mom for food before?”

Unaware of the danger, the man shook his head honestly. “Nope.”

Perfect. What kind of “reputation” had he set up for her now? In an instant, Tian Mi’s frustration burst forth. She leapt onto him, hands mock-clawing at his neck, and shouted the name she’d been holding back with great effort, “Hui Hui, I’m going to strangle you!”

Ah! She was furious! Now the whole world knew she was a glutton?

No, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She might really need a knife!