Chapter 54.1

The kitchen looked like it had just experienced a bloody battle.

Jiang Nian could hardly catch her breath. Just as she was about to suffocate, Lu Yu reluctantly let her go. Their hot breaths mingled together, and in the dimly lit kitchen, it felt as if they were both being dragged into a bottomless abyss. Jiang Nian’s heart was pounding wildly as she looked at Lu Yu’s eyes, filled with a thick, almost crazed darkness. She pressed her lips tightly together, too scared to move.

“Lu Yu…”

Jiang Nian kicked her legs in the air, her head pressed against the wall, trying to get as far away from Lu Yu as possible. But the distance between them was limited, and there was nowhere else to go.

“What’s wrong?”

Lu Yu’s voice was hoarse, and there was an uncontrollable impulse in his gaze as he looked at Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian tensed up in fear. “I told you, I’ll think about it some more. I haven’t agreed yet!”

Lu Yu lifted Jiang Nian by her waist, burying his head in the crook of her neck, exhaling warm breaths. “You say what you want, and I’ll do what I want.”

Jiang Nian: “…”

What kind of logic was this?

She hadn’t expected Lu Yu to go back on his word. Feeling the frequent warmth in the crook of her neck, Jiang Nian pushed against him with both hands. “You weren’t like this in the hospital. You said that before I agreed, you wouldn’t do anything inappropriate to me.”

“Sorry.”

Lu Yu hugged Jiang Nian tightly, shamelessly and greedily kissing the hollow of her neck. “I’ve changed my mind.”

To him, Jiang Nian was like a drug, an addictive poison.

Once tainted, it was uncontrollable.

Last night, he had thought about many things. Perhaps on the day he brought her to the army, he already had feelings for her.

He knew he was despicable and shameless, but he couldn’t help falling in love with Xu Cheng’s woman.

Lu Yu held Jiang Nian tighter, wishing he could embed her into his body. “Jiang Nian, promise me. Don’t make me wait too long.”

He didn’t want to hide like this. He wanted Jiang Nian to stand proudly by his side.

He even wanted to hold her hand and tell everyone, “This is my wife, not my sister-in-law.”

The rough breathing at her neck forced Jiang Nian to agree. “Alright, let me go first.”

When her feet touched the ground, she almost collapsed.

Leaning against the wall, she looked at the tall figure of Lu Yu, who was just within reach, and bit her lip. “Don’t do this again.”

She had been really scared just now. What if someone came and saw this? What would they think?

Had he considered the consequences?

Lu Yu said, “I know what you’re worried about. None of that matters to me.”

Jiang Nian lowered her head, not wanting to continue the topic.

Yes, they weren’t really brother and sister-in-law, but everyone thought they were. If their relationship came to light, people would talk behind their backs.

She didn’t care about the gossip, but she couldn’t stand to see Lu Yu being talked about. Especially since he was due for a promotion and transfer after the Dragon Boat Festival. If anything went wrong now, it could be used against him and affect his future.

She didn’t want to drag Lu Yu down or tarnish his bright future.

“Lu Yu.”

Song Bai’s voice came from outside.

Jiang Nian snapped out of her thoughts and moved aside, turning to face the cabinet. She whispered to Lu Yu, “I’ll think about it.”

Song Bai stood in the yard. “Lu Yu, my brother’s calling you for a meeting.”

“Got it.”

Lu Yu responded and glanced at Jiang Nian’s thin back. “I’ll be back tonight.”

It wasn’t until the footsteps outside faded that Jiang Nian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She had thought a lot last night. She couldn’t ignore her feelings for Lu Yu, but she couldn’t make any promises or give him hope until his transfer orders came through. She couldn’t risk his reputation and future.

After Lu Yu left, Jiang Nian returned to her room to continue her embroidery. Around noon, a military guard came to the family quarters to inform her that she had a phone call. Jiang Nian went to answer it, and heard Ge Mei’s voice on the other end. “How have you been these past few days?”

Jiang Nian smiled. “Pretty good.”

Ge Mei said, “I’m leaving soon.”

Jiang Nian was stunned for a moment, then reacted with joy. “Are you going to take up the position in Yuan City?”

“Yes.”

Ge Mei said, “It was originally scheduled for two months later, but the director in Yuan City left early, so I have to go take over. Jiang Nian, after I leave, a new director will come to hand over the embroidery work to you.”

Jiang Nian felt reluctant to part with Ge Mei, who said, “I’ll find you before I leave, and we can have a meal together.”

Jiang Nian gripped the phone tightly. “Okay.”

After hanging up, Jiang Nian walked out of the military guard office, suddenly feeling a bit lost about the future.

She had always worked with Ge Mei, and now that Ge Mei was leaving, she felt a sense of loss.

On her way back, Jiang Nian unexpectedly encountered Tang Ze and Sun Ying.

They were coming out of the family quarters, with Sun Ying carrying a bag of zongzis. They were chatting and laughing, mostly Tang Ze talking and laughing while Sun Ying just smiled along.

“Younger Sister.”

Tang Ze greeted Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian nodded at Tang Ze and glanced at Sun Ying, who looked away coldly. Tang Ze awkwardly smoothed things over. “What were you doing, Younger Sister?”

“I was answering a call.”

Jiang Nian replied and then walked away.

Thinking about Sun Ying and Wu Youshan from her dream, Jiang Nian couldn’t help but wonder. If Sun Ying and Lu Yu didn’t get married in the story, how did the plot end?

She hadn’t thought about the subsequent plot. She just felt uncomfortable thinking about Sun Ying and Lu Yu together.

She took a deep breath, trying not to think about the book’s contents.

Otherwise, the more she thought about it, the more upset she would be.

After all, it had nothing to do with Lu Yu. When she read the book, Lu Yu was just a cold character on paper.

Back in the courtyard, Jiang Nian resumed her embroidery. By noon, Lu Yu hadn’t returned. She was about to ask Feng Mei when she remembered that Lu Yu had said he would be back in the evening.

Jiang Nian heated up two zongzis for lunch. After eating, she continued with her embroidery, wondering who the new director would be after Ge Mei left at the end of the month.

Feng Mei and Xu Yan came over in the afternoon. Jiang Nian was sitting in the yard embroidering, listening to them gossip about the family quarters.

Feng Mei looked at Jiang Nian. “Guess who I saw when I went to find Old Song after breakfast?”

Jiang Nian looked up. “Who?”

Xu Yan was also curious, her ears perked up. Feng Mei chuckled. “I saw Tang Ze bringing a woman home. I’ve seen that woman before. She’s a nurse from the county hospital. She gave you an injection before, and she gave Xiangdong an injection this time too. She’s pretty, but she looks unapproachable, like a city person, very arrogant. She didn’t even greet people.”

It’s Sun Ying.

Jiang Nian encountered her when she returned.

Xu Yan said, “Tang Ze’s prospective partner?”

Feng Mei said, “I think it’s very likely. Otherwise, why would she come home with Tang Ze? And during the Dragon Boat Festival? It’s obvious.”

She paused and gossiped, “Do you think this nurse is also divorced? Otherwise, why would she fancy a widower like Tang Ze?”

Jiang Nian almost laughed out loud.

To be honest, Feng Mei’s comment reminded her of how Feng Mei used to try hard to match her with Song Bai, so she joked, “What’s wrong with a widower? You didn’t mind that I was a widow, did you?”

“You and your sharp tongue.”

Feng Mei laughed and patted Jiang Nian’s shoulder. “I’m just curious how Tang Ze met that nurse.”

They chatted for a while. With the Dragon Boat Festival passing today, Song Xiangdong and Liu Jianye were going back to school tomorrow. Feng Mei and Xu Yan left after a short visit, as they had a lot to do at home. Xu Yan said, “I have to pull weeds tomorrow. There are still some weeds in the field that haven’t been cleared.”

Jiang Nian remembered that there were also weeds in her own plot that needed to be pulled.

The vegetables were growing, and if the weeds weren’t removed, the vegetables wouldn’t grow well.

After Xu Yan and Feng Mei left, Jiang Nian put down her embroidery, changed into patched clothes from last year, and grabbed a small shovel to go to her plot. However, when she arrived, she found that the field was already clean, with not a single weed in sight.

Jiang Nian: …

No need to guess, it must have been Lu Yu who cleared it.

She turned back with her small shovel. When she reached the intersection between the family quarters and the regiment headquarters, she saw a group of people, led by Lu Yu and Captain Lu. For the first time, Jiang Nian began to care about her appearance. She glanced at her black patched clothes and pants, feeling a bit embarrassed as she tried to avoid meeting Lu Yu and the others.

“Sister-in-law.”

Lu Yu’s voice came from behind her. Jiang Nian pressed her lips together, took a deep breath, and turned to face Lu Yu and Captain Lu with an awkward smile. “Where are you going?”

Lu Yu’s eyes held a complicated look as he replied, “Just going out for a while, will be back soon.”

The soldiers following behind greeted Jiang Nian with a loud, “Hello, sister-in-law.”

Jiang Nian smiled awkwardly, glanced at Lu Yu quickly, and said, “I’ll go back now.”

Then she ran towards the family quarters.

Her little legs moved quite fast.

Lu Yu’s brows furrowed, his thin lips pressed into a hard line.

Was she really that afraid of him now?

“Deputy Commander Lu, Commander Song and the political commissar are waiting for us. Let’s go.”

Captain Lu reminded him.

Lu Yu withdrew his gaze. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Nian returned to the family quarters, quickly changed out of her patched clothes, and breathed a sigh of relief before resuming her embroidery. She worked until dusk, then went to the kitchen to start cooking.

Tonight was the Dragon Boat Festival, and Lu Yu would be back for dinner. Jiang Nian planned to make several dishes.

Cooking alone was a bit hectic. She chopped and prepared ingredients, heated the pot and oil, and used the meat she bought yesterday to make a dish of stir-fried onions and pork, along with two vegetable dishes and steamed rice. After the meal was ready, Lu Yu still hadn’t returned. Jiang Nian kept the dishes warm in the pot, then went back to her room to continue working on a half-finished piece of clothing.

It grew dark, but Lu Yu still didn’t come back.

Jiang Nian leaned against the wall and called towards Feng Mei’s yard, “Sister Feng, is Commander Song back yet?”

Feng Mei stuck her head out of the window and replied, “Not yet. They’ve been busy these days and will probably be back very late. You don’t have to wait for Deputy Commander Lu, just eat your dinner first.”

Jiang Nian had no choice but to return to her room and continue working on the clothes. She waited until almost midnight, but Lu Yu still hadn’t returned. She finally went to the kitchen, ate a little, heated some water to wash herself, and went to bed.

She slept deeply until the next morning, waking with her head dangling off the edge of the bed, her ear aching from the hard surface.

Jiang Nian turned over and settled properly, then groggily opened her eyes to find it was already daylight. She heard faint footsteps outside and immediately woke up, quickly got dressed, combed her hair, and tied it up. When she opened the door, she saw Lu Yu placing food on the table in the yard.

He looked at her sleepy eyes and smiled. “You’re up?”

Jiang Nian nodded. “You didn’t come back last night?”

She walked to the well to fetch water for washing up, listening to Lu Yu explain, “I was busy until midnight. Song Bai and I had some corn pancakes in the dormitory and then went to sleep. Did you eat last night?”

Jiang Nian finished brushing her teeth and said, “I ate a little.”

Lu Yu noticed that last night’s food was mostly untouched. He had reheated it earlier and now passed her some chopsticks as she sat across from him. “Eat more.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Nian kept her head down, eating in small bites. Her bowl was filled with pieces of meat, and Lu Yu’s voice came from across the table. “You’re too thin.”

Though it was a normal statement, Jiang Nian blushed.

She couldn’t help but recall what had happened in the kitchen the previous morning and didn’t dare lift her head. She ate whatever Lu Yu put in her bowl, her mouth full of rice and meat, mumbling a response, “I know”

Lu Yu glanced at her, her head nearly buried in her bowl. He furrowed his brows but said nothing, quietly finishing his meal. After they cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen, Jiang Nian started to leave.

“Jiang Nian.”

A deep voice called from behind.

Jiang Nian stopped and turned at the kitchen door. “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yu’s stern brows hadn’t relaxed all morning. “You don’t have to keep avoiding me.”

“I’m not.”

Jiang Nian realized she had responded too quickly and hurriedly added, “I’m not avoiding you.”

Lu Yu said nothing more and turned to wash the dishes.

Jiang Nian went back to her room, exhaling in relief. She glanced at the partially completed embroidery and sat by the bed to continue her work. Outside, she heard the sound of water being poured and footsteps. Each time the footsteps sounded, her heart would beat uncontrollably.

She slowly realized that her emotions seemed to always be led by Lu Yu.

She tried her best to block out the sound of footsteps outside, focusing on her embroidery. But as she heard footsteps approaching, she turned her head and unexpectedly met the dark eyes of a man. Jiang Nian tightened her grip on the needle and smiled, “Are you done with your work?”

Lu Yu didn’t say anything, just nodded slightly.

He stood outside the door for a moment, then walked straight towards Jiang Nian. Without waiting for her to get up, he reached out and held her hand, carefully removing the needle to prevent her from hurting herself.

“You…”

Jiang Nian bit her lip, her heart pounding.

“I just want to hold you for a while.”

Lu Yu embraced Jiang Nian, his hands firm yet gentle on her back, as if they possessed a mesmerizing power. “If you’re worried about gossip, I can wait. I’ll wait until the time is right, and then we can get married. How does that sound?”

In Jiang Nian’s mind, the right time would only come when he transferred away from here.

She nodded lightly in Lu Yu’s arms. “Okay.”

Seemingly encouraged by her response, Lu Yu tightened his grip on her arm, his touch strong like steel.

“Jiang Nian.”

His husky voice lingered in her ears, making Jiang Nian tremble slightly. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, his hand moved through her hair and held the back of her head, kissing her lips.

The scorching breath between them was intense.

His arms around her waist tightened, pulling her closer. His heavy breathing flushed Jiang Nian’s face and quickened her heartbeat. Faint footsteps came from outside the courtyard, making Jiang Nian nervous and scared. In a moment of distraction, she accidentally bit down on something.

“Jiang Nian.”

“Release me”

Blushing, Jiang Nian hurriedly leaned back, but then heard Commander Song’s voice from the courtyard outside: “Lu Yu, today in the regiment…”

Startled by the words, Jiang Nian rolled to the other side of the bed and sat there, pretending to tidy her hair. Her face was flushed, clearly having done something improper. Lu Yu chuckled silently, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the room.

Seeing Lu Yu come out, Commander Song said, “”Hurry up and let’s go. You’ve probably been busy these days.”

Not a moment could be wasted.

Sitting in the room, Jiang Nian heard Lu Yu say before leaving, “I won’t be back for lunch.”

Through the window, Jiang Nian replied, “Got it.”

When they walked outside, they were accompanied by Captain Lu and several other battalion commanders. When Captain Lu saw the smile on Lu Yu’s face, he was stunned for a moment. After working with Deputy Commander Lu for so many years, this was the first time he saw this kind of… a kind of indescribable smile on Deputy Commander Lu’s face.

Lu Yu noticed Captain Lu’s gaze and cleared his throat. “Is everyone from your team here?”

Captain Lu said, “They’re all here.”

The footsteps outside the courtyard grew fainter and fainter. Inside the room, Jiang Nian patted her less flushed cheeks. It was only now that she noticed a faint taste of blood in her mouth. She froze for a moment, realizing she had just bitten Lu Yu’s tongue.

Jiang Nian: …

She pursed her lips, washed her face with well water, and returned to continue embroidering in the room. Around noon, a military guard came to find Jiang Nian, saying someone from the state-run embroidery shop was looking for her outside the barracks. Jiang Nian knew it must be Ge Mei.

She changed her clothes and followed the military guard outside the barracks, where she not only saw Ge Mei but also Zhang Xiao. Jiang Nian ran over with a smile, “Sister Ge, Zhang Xiao.”

“Sister Jiang!”

Zhang Xiao hugged Jiang Nian. “I missed you.”

Jiang Nian smiled back, “I missed you too.”

Seeing the affectionate scene between them, Ge Mei couldn’t help but smile and said to Jiang Nian, “Let’s go to the county town for lunch.”

Jiang Nian said, “Sure.”