Chapter 23 Captain Fu ~ No, Brother Jingchuan ~

“… …”
As Jiang Wan spoke, she started to feel embarrassed.

Although she often complained internally that Fu Jingchuan must be a big brute who didn’t know how to comfort a woman, she wasn’t much better herself. Even if she knew a little more than him, it was all just theoretical knowledge.

By the time she got to the end of her sentence, her voice was barely a whisper—like a kitten softly whimpering—shyness hitting her late.

Her thick, long lashes drooped slightly, and she instinctively lowered her head.

Fu Jingchuan’s body stiffened slightly, his deep gaze falling on her.
“Caring for each other… looking after each other.”

Those words felt strangely foreign to him.
His previous three marriages never left much of an impression. Even when those women eventually ran away or betrayed him, he hadn’t felt particularly upset.

Disappointed, yes.
But not even enough to bother holding them accountable.

It was exhausting.
And simply not worth it.

“… I understand.”
After a pause, he finally said in a low, hoarse voice,
“I’ll try to learn… to do what you said.”

“There really was something at the base today, but I’ll come back tomorrow!”

Fu Jingchuan instinctively raised his hand, rubbing the short stubble on the back of his head.

It wasn’t until he looked up at the sky that he suddenly realized—what the hell had he just done?!
He had actually hugged Jiang Wan right there, on the dirt road outside their house!

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he glanced at Jiang Wan.
Her eyes were still slightly red from crying.

He softened his tone as much as he could.
“Uh, I’ll get going then.”
“You should head inside too.”
“I’m usually pretty careless, so I’ll just leave the marriage certificate with you…”

“Also…”

Earlier that day, when he was out cutting wheat in the field, he overheard Zhao Yulan asking his comrade, Squad Leader Gao Zhiguo, whether their wages had come in—because their family was short on money.

That’s when Fu Jingchuan suddenly realized—he hadn’t even asked if his new wife had any money on her.

He reached into his pocket and, in his usual rough manner, pulled out two large denomination bills, shoving them into Jiang Wan’s hands.

“If you need anything, go buy it.”

“If it’s not enough… I’ll get paid in a few days! Once I send some money to Aunt Tang, I’ll give you the rest! I don’t need anything while I’m at the base.”

“I—I’m leaving now!”

As Fu Jingchuan stuffed the money into her hand, the coarse pad of his thumb accidentally brushed against the soft skin of her palm.

His entire body tensed again!
And then… his mind spiraled into a chaotic mess.

He didn’t dare stay a second longer.
With his long legs, he quickly turned and strode toward the base.

Leaving Jiang Wan standing there, staring blankly at the two marriage certificates and the two large bills in her hands.

This man…

Maybe it wasn’t that he didn’t know how to care for someone—
But that he’d always been rough by nature, and no one had ever opened his heart before.

Just now, when she broke down and cried—he didn’t hesitate to pull her into his arms and whisper to calm her.

And now he was even giving her money to spend!

Jiang Wan looked in the direction he’d left, the last traces of the sunset fading from the sky.

She curved her lips and let out a soft laugh—“Pfft.”
Then turned around and walked back into the courtyard.

When she returned to the main house, she pulled out her suitcase and carefully stored the marriage certificate and the money.

But just then, she suddenly remembered—

Right!
When Fu Jingchuan gets paid, he’s supposed to give that bizarre mother-daughter pair a bunch of money too!

No—she can’t let that keep happening!

Jiang Wan pressed her lips together, her long lashes lowering to hide the sharp glint in her eyes.

Good thing she cried today.
At least it brought her and Fu Jingchuan a little closer.

Didn’t he say he’d be back tomorrow?
Well then, she was definitely going to sit down and have a proper talk with him.

As for the two kids…
They must’ve learned quite a bit today, too…

Jiang Wan continued plotting quietly in her head as she raised her pale hand to let down her hair, then rebrushed it.

She was getting ready to wash up and go to bed.

She already knew where the paraffin and kerosene lamps were, but the lighting at night was still dim. Best to prep everything in advance so it’d be easier later.

In this era, people didn’t really have much to do in the evenings anyway—
They all went to bed early.

She’d died in her past life from overwork and staying up late!
Now was the perfect chance to develop a healthy sleep schedule.

The original owner of this body had delicate, fair skin—
She had to maintain it carefully!

She didn’t want to look like in her previous life again—
Sallow-faced and exhausted. Hideous!

---

As for Fu Jingchuan, even after parting ways with Jiang Wan, he still couldn’t calm his heart.

In fact…
He began to wonder—
Did the base hospital miss something in his annual physical?
Could it be he had some kind of heart problem?

Otherwise, why had he felt so flustered the past two days?
Why was his heart racing like crazy, and his whole body feeling hot?

Fu Jingchuan pressed his lips tightly together.
He decided he’d ask the military doctor about it at the hospital later!

By the time he reached the base gate, it was already dark.
The security post and base buildings were lit up, but Fu Jingchuan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He frowned.

The main house at home was supposed to have a lightbulb installed.

But it had burned out.
And he’d been too busy to replace it.

So tonight…
If Jiang Wan only had paraffin to light the room with—would she be afraid?

He suddenly remembered how she’d shed tears in her sleep at noon.
And again, how she had cried just now when she was awake.

…This young girl—who was a full twelve years younger than him—had already cried twice in a single day!

Fu Jingchuan instinctively raised his large hand to touch his chest.
The front of his undershirt was still damp, and his heart—right where it had been pressed—was starting to ache again!
It even felt a little sour…

No good. He had to go to the military-affiliated hospital to get it checked out!

With long strides, Fu Jingchuan turned in a new direction.
The hospital was right next to the base—just a few steps away.

But just as he was frowning deeply, lost in his spiraling thoughts—
A large pink figure suddenly burst out in front of him!!

Even someone as bold as Fu Jingchuan was momentarily startled, his expression freezing for a second.
When he took a second look, his frown only deepened.

“Comrade Yuan Meilin?”
Fu Jingchuan’s long, narrow phoenix eyes flickered slightly as he tried to recognize her facial features.

Her face seemed… covered in colorful patches…
Though hard to recognize, she did look somewhat familiar.

So he cautiously asked again, voice deep and steady:
“Are you Comrade Yuan Meilin?”

“Captain Fu~ Oh wait, no… Brother Jingchuan~”
Yuan Meilin tried to pinch her voice into something delicate and sweet, then grinned widely—revealing a row of yellowing teeth.

Fu Jingchuan’s sharp brows visibly twitched twice.
His dark, deep-set phoenix eyes reluctantly swept over her appearance.

She was wearing a bright pink dress.
Her face looked like it was caked in heavy powder—
But her skin was so dark that the makeup couldn’t cover anything up.

She had apparently bought some makeup last-minute in the county town. Even her eyelids were smeared with pink shadow.
Yuan Meilin thought she looked absolutely stunning right now—
She even winked at Fu Jingchuan…

“!!!! Hey, hey, hey! Comrade, this is a restricted military zone. Who are you? What are you doing getting so close?!”

“Oh my goodness!! My word!!”