Chapter 52.1

He had endured for two days, resisting the impulse to hold Jiang Nian in his arms. 

The hospital was crowded and noisy, and back at the military base, constrained by their roles as relatives, he had to restrain himself.

Jiang Nian’s hand left the cabinet and hung by her side, her fingers trembling. She wanted to reach out and embrace Lu Yu, but her hand remained suspended in mid-air. The powerful and resonant heartbeat of a man reverberated in her ears, pounding against her earlobes.

Jiang Nian couldn’t describe her feelings.

Just like Ge Mei had said, she asked herself inwardly, did she have feelings for Lu Yu, her brother-in-law?

She didn’t know what kind of emotions Lu Yu harbored for her. If it was mixed with gratitude towards the Xu family, she would rather not have such feelings. She lowered her eyes to the ground, pondering what she felt towards Lu Yu.

She had never thought deeply about these things before, but now everything was laid bare before her, forcing her to consider it carefully.

“Jiang Nian.”

A deep, magnetic voice echoed above her head, tinged with a hoarseness that couldn’t be deciphered in the darkness of night.

Jiang Nian’s eyelashes flickered. “Mm?”

The man didn’t say anything more, but his arm around her tightened slightly. After a while, he reluctantly loosened his grip.

Jiang Nian kept her head bowed and her hands half-curled by her side.

She wanted to ask Lu Yu what he meant by all this, what attitude and feelings he held towards her. Yet, she feared that any answer would be tied to the Xu family’s debt of gratitude. She felt lost and confused. She had never imagined things would develop to this point with Lu Yu.

“What should we have for dinner tonight? I’ll cook.”

Jiang Nian kept her head down. “Anything is fine.”

After Lu Yu left, Jiang Nian finally lifted her head, watching the disappearing figure at the door, and leaned against the cabinet with a sigh of relief.

She stayed in the house for a while before heading to the kitchen to help Lu Yu.

The courtyard was lit, and through the window, Jiang Nian saw Lu Yu chopping vegetables in the kitchen. She pursed her lips and walked into the kitchen, sitting by the stove to start a fire. Lu Yu paused in his chopping, glanced at the petite figure of Jiang Nian, and smiled warmly.

For dinner, they stir-fried two dishes, cooked porridge, and served hot steamed buns. Just as the meal was ready, Song Bai arrived, carrying a fish and casually said, “I’m here to mooch off your meal again.”

Lu Yu side-eyed Song Bai, who shamelessly stood there with his food. “You don’t have to glare at me. I’m not here for a free meal.”

Lu Yu: …

Jiang Nian got up and sat in the courtyard. Lu Yu added an extra piece of meat into her bowl, saying, “Eat more.”

Jiang Nian’s hand holding the chopsticks froze. In their year of getting along, this was the first time Lu Yu had ever served her food.

Song Bai also said, “Yeah, Sister-in-law, eat more. Look how thin you are.”

Jiang Nian smiled and replied, “Hmm.”

She picked up the piece of meat that Lu Yu had picked out for her and ate it. Lu Yu glanced at her, a smile playing on his lips. He and Song Bai discussed matters within the regiment. This meal was the most Jiang Nian had eaten in one sitting because during the meal, Lu Yu added meat for her several times, leaving her no room to refuse.

After finishing the meal, feeling quite full, suddenly from over the wall came Feng Mei’s voice, “Song Bai, your father sent a letter, your brother brought it back for you, come and take a look.”

The three turned their heads and saw Feng Mei’s head.

Jiang Nian: …

If it weren’t for Feng Mei’s voice, turning her head to look at night would have scared someone half to death.

Song Bai finished his bowl of porridge and said, “Got it.”

Feng Mei stood on tiptoe and glanced again, smiling mischievously.

She was quite happy that Song Bai went to Deputy Commander Lu’s house every day, even just for a meal. They could always send more things to Deputy Commander Lu’s house. If Song Bai and Jiang Nian stayed there for long, who knows, they might actually develop feelings for each other?

After dinner, Song Bai returned to the Song family. Lu Yu washed the dishes and prepared bath water for Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian was stuffed and walked back and forth in the yard. Lu Yu carried the bath water and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Nian touched her stomach and said, “I’m stuffed.”

She really ate a lot tonight—a bowl of porridge, one and a half steam buns, and a lot of meat that Lu Yu picked for her. It could easily cover her for two meals. Lu Yu’s gaze fell on Jiang Nian’s hand touching her stomach, his eyes deepened, and he cleared his throat lightly, saying, “Then take a walk to help digest the food.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Nian walked around the courtyard seven or eight times before feeling better. Lu Yu went to the neighboring Song family and returned shortly after. He looked at Jiang Nian sitting in the yard and said, “Sister-in-law.”

Jiang Nian raised her head, her bright eyes looking at Lu Yu, “Are you going back to the dormitory now?”

“Yeah.”

Lu Yu held the courtyard gate, “Come and lock the door. I’ll come over early tomorrow.”

Jiang Nian nodded and got up to walk to the gate. Looking at Lu Yu’s cold and handsome face, she smiled, “Take your time on the way back.”

“Okay.”

Lu Yu closed the courtyard gate, Jiang Nian bolted the gate latch, and listened to the voices of Lu Yu and Song Bai getting farther away.

Jiang Nian returned to her room, took a bath, and lay on the bed, falling asleep in a daze. The next morning, she heard footsteps outside the window. She looked out and indeed saw Lu Yu coming back. He had already prepared breakfast and had just put it on the table.

Jiang Nian immediately got up, quickly combed her hair, and then walked out into the courtyard.

Lu Yu saw the scabs on Jiang Nian’s face and neck and furrowed his brow. “Did you apply the medicine last night?”

Jiang Nian was stunned. She had fallen asleep right after taking a bath last night and had forgotten about it.

Seeing Lu Yu’s furrowed brow, Jiang Nian quickly said, “I did!”

Her hesitation and attempt to cover up were not lost on Lu Yu. He didn’t say anything, just went to the kitchen to get chopsticks.

Jiang Nian washed up by the well, sat on a stool, glanced at Lu Yu who had lowered his eyes, and felt that he probably knew she had lied. So she whispered, “I’ll apply it right after we finish eating.”

Only then did Lu Yu look up and say, “Okay.”

After the bugle call sounded, Lu Yu had just finished eating. He cleaned up the dishes and before leaving, reminded her, “Remember to apply the medicine.”

Jiang Nian nodded hastily, “I will.”

She went back to her room, took out the ointment, and facing the mirror on the wall, applied it carefully to her wounds. After applying the medicine, she resumed embroidering. This embroidery was large-scale, with a deadline two months away.

She embroidered until noon. Jiang Nian made lunch, and when Lu Yu came back, he saw the wound on her neck. Jiang Nian hurriedly said, “I applied the medicine.”

There was business in the regiment in the afternoon, so after lunch, Lu Yu left.

Jiang Nian put away the dishes in the kitchen. Just as she finished washing them, Feng Mei came and asked her, “Are you going to pick reed leaves later?”

Jiang Nian was puzzled, “Why pick reed leaves?”

Feng Mei said, “It’s the Dragon Boat Festival the day after tomorrow. We’ll pick some reed leaves to wrap rice dumplings.”

Only then did Jiang Nian realize. She walked out of the kitchen, “Go.”

The Dragon Boat Festival was approaching. She didn’t know if Commander Song would be promoted this year or next year. Now the plot in the book was completely mixed up, and she couldn’t guess.

Jiang Nian changed her clothes and called Xu Yan and Feng Mei to go to the neighboring village’s riverbank to pick reed leaves. When they arrived at the riverbank, they saw military wives from the neighboring village also picking reed leaves. There were only so many reed leaves, and if someone came late, they would be gone.

The river water was rapid, but fortunately, the reed leaves were all on the riverbank. If they went further in, they would step into the river. Those picking reed leaves tried to stand as close to the shore as possible.

Jiang Nian picked a few more. Just as she wanted to pick more, she met Chen Fang, Hou Lian, and Hou Meng coming towards her. The three of them were chatting and laughing. When they saw Jiang Nian, Hou Lian didn’t speak, and Hou Meng didn’t even look at her properly, clearly still upset about what happened between Jiang Nian and Deputy Commander Lu.

Chen Fang did say a few words. Hou Lian took Hou Meng to find Feng Mei, wanting to get close to her and talk about Song Bai’s affairs. Hou Lian said, “Sister Feng Mei, where are the reed leaves?”

Feng Mei glanced at her, “Can’t you see my basket is full of reed leaves?”

Wasn’t it obvious why she was asking such a useless question?

Hou Lian smiled and said, “Sister Feng Mei, I have something to ask you.”

Feng Mei continued picking reed leaves and said, “Go ahead.”

Hou Meng stood beside her, grabbing a reed leaf. Feng Mei saw this and turned her head, saying, “Don’t pull it. There are already so few reed leaves. If you pull it apart, we’ll have one less leaf.”

Hou Meng: …

She quickly withdrew her hand and stood behind Hou Lian, looking like she had done something wrong and was being scolded but didn’t dare to retort. Feng Mei felt annoyed seeing her like this. She hadn’t said anything, so why did she look so wronged? It made it seem like she had scolded her.

Feng Mei felt frustrated and walked towards Jiang Nian. Commander Song was right about her.

This little girl really wasn’t capable.

Hou Lian glanced at Hou Meng, then walked over to Feng Mei’s side and plucked a reed leaf. Feng Mei’s eyelids twitched. Did these two sisters deliberately go against her today? One destroyed the reed leaf, the other competed with her for it.

Hou Lian said, “I heard Deputy Commander Song hasn’t found a partner yet?”

Feng Mei was taken aback, turned to glance at Hou Lian, then at Hou Meng, and instantly realized they were eyeing her family’s Song Bai?

Feng Mei didn’t want to offend anyone and replied, “Song Bai has someone, but it hasn’t been made public.”

“Eh?” Hou Lian was surprised. “I remember Deputy Commander Song didn’t have a partner?”

Hou Meng also became anxious. Her mother sent her here to marry someone with a high rank, like her sister who married a deputy commander. Now in the unit, the only ones near her age were Deputy Commander Lu and Deputy Commander Song. If even Song Bai wasn’t an option anymore…

Rumors had already spread in the village that her mother wanted her to marry a deputy commander. If it didn’t happen, how could she have the face to go back?

She had high hopes. Among the village girls, she was the prettiest. After coming to her sister’s place, there were suitors in the unit who were interested in her, but she wanted someone like Deputy Commander Lu or Deputy Commander Song.

Chen Fang approached and asked, “I asked Song Bai half a month ago, and he said he didn’t have a partner.”

Feng Mei retorted, “Are you his sister-in-law or am I?”

Chen Fang: …

Chen Fang and Hou Lian fell silent. After a while, Chen Fang looked at Jiang Nian and suddenly remembered last year when Feng Mei mentioned wanting Song Bai to consider Jiang Nian. She had argued with Feng Mei over it.

Feng Mei thought of her younger brother-in-law, Song Bai. While she thought of her own younger brother-in-law, Tang Ze.

Half a month ago, Song Bai didn’t have a partner. How did it suddenly change?

The incident Jiang Nian had in the city spread throughout the family quarters. Deputy Commander Lu was busy running around because Jiang Nian was his sister-in-law. But why was Song Bai running around? Chen Fang’s gaze at Jiang Nian became somewhat peculiar.

Could it be that Song Bai’s partner was Jiang Nian?

Jiang Nian frowned uncomfortably under Chen Fang’s gaze, walked away, and resumed picking reed leaves.

“Mom, we’re back!”

Song Xiangdong, Liu Jianye, and Lu Zhijun ran over together. They were carrying school bags, and Song Xiangdong still had the little boy embroidered by Jiang Nian in military uniform on his back.

Feng Mei asked, “Why are you back so early?”

Song Xiangdong said, “The day after tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, and the teacher will give us a holiday. Mom, I will help you pick reed leaves.”

When he saw Jiang Nian not far away, Song Xiangdong’s eyes lit up. “Aunt Jiang.”

Liu Jianye also called out, “Aunt Jiang.”

Standing beside them, Lu Zhijun looked at Jiang Nian, then at Feng Mei, and followed, “Aunt Feng, Aunt Jiang.”

Both Feng Mei and Jiang Nian responded.

Lu Zhijun had changed from before. As they say, parents are the first teachers of children. Women like Zheng Hong led Lu Zhijun astray. After Lu Guosheng’s mother came, after more than half a year, she finally corrected many of the child’s bad habits.Now he knew to call someone “aunt” and actively played with Song Xiangdong and others without snatching things anymore.

“Grandma.”

Lu Zhijun saw the old lady in the distance, who was his grandmother.

The old lady waved, “Come and pick reed leaves with grandma.”

Hou Lian’s plan to arrange a marriage between Hou Meng and Song Bai seemed to have fallen through again. She lost interest in befriending Feng Mei, since they weren’t in the same unit. Even if she wanted to curry favor, she would only do so with Chen Fang. So, she prepared to leave with Hou Meng.

Hou Meng unwillingly shook off Hou Lian’s hand, her eyes red as she said, “Mom said for you to find me a man with a high rank, sister, talk to Sister Feng again.”

Hou Lian frowned and said helplessly, “Didn’t you hear that Deputy Commander Song has found someone?”

Seeing the two sisters arguing quietly, Chen Fang didn’t want to embarrass the Third Regiment. She pulled Hou Meng aside and whispered, “Let’s talk about this later.”

Hou Meng pouted, Hou Lian curiously asked, “Sister Chen, Deputy Commander Song is always in the unit. Where did he find the time to find a partner?”

Chen Fang plucked two reed leaves, hesitated, glanced at Jiang Nian reaching for reed leaves by the river, “I think it’s probably Jiang Nian. Last year, Feng Mei mentioned wanting Song Bai and Jiang Nian to get to know each other. Think about it, these days Song Bai has been running around with Deputy Commander Lu to help Jiang Nian. Deputy Commander Lu is her brother-in-law, helping Jiang Nian with everything. What about Song Bai?”

When these words came out, Hou Lian and Hou Meng were both stunned.

It doesn’t make sense. Although Jiang Nian is beautiful, she is a widow and is not even a little bit inferior to her sister. What does Deputy Commander Song like about her?

Hou Meng stared resentfully at Jiang Nian, angrily followed Hou Lian and Chen Fang away.