Chapter 60.3

Half a year had passed, and his voice no longer came through the phone receiver but from behind a door.

Jiang Nian’s breath trembled as she pushed open the door to the ward. At first glance, she saw Lu Yu lying on the outermost bed. He had taken off his military uniform and was wearing the cornflower-blue sweater she had knitted. From her angle, she could only see Lu Yu’s profile, and she immediately noticed how much thinner he had become, his sharply defined features looking even more angular.

He was covered with a blanket, and Jiang Nian didn’t know where he was injured.

Upon hearing the door open, several people, thinking it was a nurse, looked up. Zhu Jun raised his head and froze at once. “Sister-in-law!”

How did she come here?!

This “sister-in-law” made everyone in the ward turn to look.

Lu Yu’s brow furrowed slightly as he turned to see Jiang Nian walking in. His expression changed slightly for a moment, his throat feeling as if it were blocked by intense charcoal heat, making it hard for him to speak. Jiang Nian walked to the bedside, lowered her head to look at him, and mist filled her bright eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me you were back?”

Supporting himself with his elbow on the bed, Lu Yu sat up. This movement seemed to drain him of all his strength. Sweat broke out on his forehead, his complexion worse than before. Jiang Nian was frightened and grabbed his arm, but Lu Yu gripped her wrist tightly, then released it, his deep voice hoarse. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

Zhu Jun felt a little embarrassed. “Sister-in-law, how did you know we were here?”

Jiang Nian looked at Lu Yu, her voice choked with emotion. “I saw you coming out of the state-run restaurant and followed you secretly.”

Zhu Jun: …

Lu Yu glanced at Zhu Jun, who sighed helplessly. Who would have thought they would be caught by sister-in-law?

Song Bai glanced at the arm that Lu Yu held in his hand and said, “I’ll go ask the doctor about the situation.”

Zhu Jun said, “I’ll go too.”

“Lu Yu, is this your sister-in-law?”

“Hello, sister-in-law!”

The two men in the other beds greeted Jiang Nian, all of them having gone out with Lu Yu on this mission. The man in the innermost bed looked at Jiang Nian and smiled. “Hello, sister-in-law, I’m Chen Yao. I know you. I was there when Lu Yu called you.”

Jiang Nian remembered the first time Lu Yu called her, she indeed heard a man’s voice on the other end, much like Chen Yao’s.

She nodded and smiled lightly. “Hello, I’m Jiang Nian.”

Another man smiled, “Sister-in-law, I’m Zhou Ji.”

Jiang Nian nodded. “Hello.”

“Sister-in-law.”

Lu Yu held Jiang Nian’s wrist hidden under the blanket, his fingers slowly sliding into her palm, gripping the gaps between her fingers. His eyes filled with thick emotions. “You’ve gotten thinner.”

Her wrist had become even finer.

He lightly held half of her palm.

“Sit here.”

Jiang Nian pursed her lips and sat on the edge of the window. Under the blanket where no one could see, Lu Yu’s hand kept squeezing hers.

He said, “I miss your mixed sauce noodles.”

Jiang Nian’s eyes instantly reddened. She bit her lip tightly, trying to hold back tears, her flushed lips falling into Lu Yu’s eyes, his gaze darkening slightly. “I’m fine, just need a few days to recover.”

Jiang Nian sniffed and her voice trembled. “Where are you injured? Let me see.”

Lu Yu coughed lightly. “No need to look.”

Chen Yao laughed, “Sister-in-law, you can’t see this. Lu Yu injured his pelvic bone.”

Jiang Nian was stunned, seeing the amusement in Lu Yu’s eyes.

She pursed her lips and looked down for a moment before asking, “How did you get hurt?”

Lu Yu casually replied, “Scratched by a bullet, it’s not serious.”

Lu Yu noticed Jiang Nian’s hand stiffening. He rubbed her backhand, and if there hadn’t been two other people in the ward, he would have wanted to hug her, holding this lively person he had missed for half a year in his arms.

Jiang Nian knew that Lu Yu had probably been in a dangerous area for half a year. He could only call her twice, probably expending a lot of effort. Jiang Nian felt a sour discomfort in her heart, more afraid for Lu Yu now than ever before.

Jiang Nian tried to hold back her tears, but she couldn’t, and her sobs came in shaky bursts.

It had been half a year since she’d seen him, and now, after finally reuniting, he was lying in a hospital bed.

Chen Yao and Zhou Ji exchanged glances. Watching Jiang Nian biting her lower lip, trying her best to suppress her sobs and tears, they both thought to themselves that Deputy Commander Lu’s sister-in-law looked stunning even when crying.

Chen Yao and Zhou Ji: …

Chen Yao said, “Sister-in-law, Lu Yu really is okay.”

Zhou Ji said, “Sister-in-law, Lu Yu’s physique is really good.”

Jiang Nian sat by the bedside for a long time. Their hands were tightly clasped under the blanket. She gradually stopped crying. Seeing the aluminum lunchbox on the table and Chen Yao and the others holding lunchboxes and eating, she said to Lu Yu, “Let’s eat first.”

She withdrew her hand, but didn’t manage to pull it away.

Reluctantly, Lu Yu tightened his grip before releasing it. Jiang Nian quickly opened the aluminum lunchbox and tried to help Lu Yu sit up, but he supported himself with his arms against the bed headrest. Jiang Nian was startled, “Don’t strain yourself, you might reopen the wound.”

“It’s fine,” Lu Yu replied.

He took the lunchbox Jiang Nian handed him and asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

Jiang Nian nodded. “I’ve eaten.”

After she spoke, she noticed the man smiling slightly and frowned. “What are you smiling at?”

Lu Yu called out toward the door, “Zhu Jun.”

Zhu Jun, who had just reached the doorway, heard the voice and came back in. “Deputy Commander Lu, what’s the matter?”

Lu Yu said, ‘”Take my sister-in-law to the state-run restaurant for lunch.”

Jiang Nian: …

Nothing can be hidden from Lu Yu.

Jiang Nian followed Zhu Jun and Song Bai to the state-run restaurant. The three chose a window seat. Song Bai ordered four dishes and asked Jiang Nian, “Sister-in-law, do you want rice or steamed buns?”

Jiang Nian replied, “Rice.”

During the meal, Song Bai asked Jiang Nian, “Sister-in-law, will you go back with us later, or stay here?”

Jiang Nian said, “I’ll go back and bring Lu Yu two sets of clothes to change into.”

She just saw that Lu Yu’s sweater was stained with blood, which looked creepy.

Song Bai looked at Jiang Nian’s bright and beautiful eyes and smiled, “Alright then.”

After dinner, they went to the hospital. Lu Yu had already finished eating, and the aluminum lunch box was on the table. Zhu Jun took the initiative to take it for washing. Jiang Nian saw that Lu Yu was already lying in bed. Standing by the bedside, she said, “I’ll go back with Zhu Jun later. I’ll bring two sets of clean clothes for you tonight and deliver them to you tomorrow.”

“No need.”

Lu Yu looked at Jiang Nian’s thin cheeks. “Just stay at home. I’ll come to find you in a few days.”

Jiang Nian shook her head. “I’ll come see you tomorrow. It’s settled.”

It was the first time she stubbornly refused him.

When Zhu Jun came in, Lu Yu told him to go back and ask the military district if there would be a procurement vehicle coming tomorrow. If there was, Jiang Nian could come over. Otherwise, it wouldn’t work.

Jiang Nian: …

She glanced at Lu Yu’s pale face and turned to leave with Song Bai and Zhu Jun.

Chen Yao said, “Lu Yu, your sister-in-law is really good to you.”

Lu Yu smiled, “Yeah.”

“By the way, is your sister-in-law’s mixed sauce noodles really that delicious? I see you always say you want to eat her mixed sauce noodles.”

Lu Yu looked out the window, smiling meaningfully, “Very delicious.”

Chen Yao and another person chimed in, “We should try your sister-in-law’s cooking sometime.”

Lu Yu: …

Jiang Nian, Song Bai and Zhu Jun boarded the bus. It was already dusk when they returned.

There was an issue in the Third Regiment, and Song Bai was called away as soon as he got out of the bus.

Zhu Jun said, “Sister-in-law, I’ll go ask first, and I’ll let you know whether there is any.”

Jiang Nian nodded, “Thank you. By the way, check the dormitory to see if there are any clothes of Lu Yu. Can you bring them back for me?”

Zhu Jun said, “Okay.”

Jiang Nian went back, lit the charcoal fire in the house to warm it up, then went to Lu Yu’s room. She found a clean set of clothes in his closet and put them in her bag. After finishing up, she went to the kitchen to knead dough, planning to make some snacks and pastries to bring to Lu Yu. Just as she put the pastries in the pot, she heard footsteps outside the door.

“Sister-in-law.”

Zhu Jun handed Lu Yu’s clothes to her, “There’s a procurement vehicle going to the city tomorrow morning. It leaves at four in the morning. Just wait at the army gate, and they’ll take you there.”

“Okay.”

Seeing Zhu Jun about to leave, she stopped him, “Wait a moment. My pastries and snacks are almost ready. Take some back for you and Song Bai to eat.”

Hearing about food, Zhu Jun nodded without hesitation, “Then we’re in for a treat tonight.”

When the pastries were done, Jiang Nian packed them into a basket, covered it with a cloth, and handed it to Zhu Jun. She went back to wash up in the house. She couldn’t dare to sleep soundly. When it was nearly four o’clock, she changed into her clothes, wrapped herself in a scarf, held the little bag, and went outside the barracks. She caught the procurement vehicle, and after a four-hour ride, she arrived in the county. She hurried to the state-owned restaurant to buy three meals for Lu Yu and rushed to the hospital.

When Jiang Nian arrived, Lu Yu had just finished changing his bandages.

He was lying in bed, bloodstains on his cornflower blue sweater. Seeing her come in, Lu Yu pulled the blanket over himself, “How did you come?”

Jiang Nian knew Lu Yu didn’t want her to see. She placed the little bag on the chair, “I came on the procurement vehicle.”

After saying that, she put breakfast on the table and handed two portions to Chen Yao and the others.

They both smiled, “Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Lu Yu thought about the meat buns and soy milk she bought. Jiang Nian pressed his shoulder and said, “Just lie down and eat.”

Lu Yu: …

He hadn’t become so weak yet…

But looking at Jiang Nian’s care for him, Lu Yu still complied with her.

After breakfast, Jiang Nian handed him clean clothes, “Change your clothes, and I’ll wash the blood off your clothes for you.”

Lu Yu said, “No need, I’ll do it when I get back.”

Jiang Nian shook her head stubbornly again. She hated blood, and she hated the blood on Lu Yu even more. If she hadn’t come with Zhu Jun this time, she wouldn’t have known Lu Yu had been hospitalized. Although she hadn’t seen Lu Yu’s injury, she knew it must be serious.

Lu Yu chuckled softly, “Okay, I’ll change.”

Jiang Nian turned and left. Chen Yao was injured in the arm. He turned over to help Lu Yu change his clothes. He touched the cornflower blue sweater and said, “Did your sister-in-law knit this?”

Lu Yu: “Yeah.”

Chen Yao smiled, “No wonder you never wear it on missions. If such a nice sweater gets torn, I’d feel bad too.”