Chapter 82.3

Jiang Nian woke up naturally and when she got up, Lu Yu had already left. Today, Gu Shizhou and the others were coming to their house for lunch. After breakfast, Jiang Nian started preparing at home. 

Lunchtime was approaching. Those who came included Gu Shizhou, Chen Yao, Yu Liang and Jiang Zhou. There were not enough vegetables and meat, so she planned to go to the food station.

As soon as she stepped out, she met Guan Lu.

Guan Lu hesitated for a moment, nodded at Jiang Nian, who smiled back. As they walked out together, they found they were heading in the same direction, so Guan Lu asked, “Are you going to the vegetable market?”

Jiang Nian replied, “Yes, and I’ll go to the food station to buy some meat as well.”

Guan Lu smiled, “Let’s go together.”

The two walked together silently, and it was quiet along the way. When they reached outside the base, Jiang Nian saw a woman standing there. Her demeanor was similar to Guan Lu’s, with a scholarly air, long hair tied with a white ribbon, and carrying an old-fashioned single-shoulder bag. Her gentle brows and eyes seemed familiar, as if Jiang Nian had seen her somewhere.

When the woman saw Jiang Nian and Guan Lu, she smiled lightly at Guan Lu before looking away.

After walking a distance, Jiang Nian couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know her?”

Guan Lu said, “Our parents know each other. I’ve met her a few times.” There was a hint of sadness on Guan Lu’s face, as if she had touched upon a sore subject. She sighed softly and suddenly turned to Jiang Nian, “She, like me, comes from a family with a troubled background.”

Jiang Nian was taken aback, somewhat surprised that Guan Lu would share this with her.

Before Jiang Nian could say anything, Guan Lu added, “She’s luckier than me. She has elders outside protecting her, and there’s also a senior brother in the military region who risks everything to protect her.”

The doubts lingering in Jiang Nian’s heart were instantly resolved. She finally understood why Guan Lu had married Luo Chengyi, who was divorced and had a daughter. If her family background wasn’t good and she hadn’t suffered hardships, marrying Luo Chengyi might have been her only way to avoid being sent down to the countryside.

She didn’t know if her guess was correct, but she felt it was close enough.

Jiang Nian didn’t ask further questions. She and Guan Lu went to the food station to buy a pound of meat, then went to the vegetable market to buy some vegetables before returning to the barracks. By the time they returned, the woman outside the base had already disappeared.

Jiang Nian got busy as soon as she got home. Lu Yu had already prepared the fish, so she just needed to cook.

Nowadays, there was no need to burn firewood, making cooking much more convenient. Halfway through cooking, neighbors upstairs and downstairs started shouting at the windows, eagerly sniffing the aroma of the food. Everyone knew this fragrance came from Commander Lu’s house. Only when Commander Lu’s wife cooked would there be such a delicious smell.

After the last dish was ready, footsteps could be heard outside.

The door opened, and Lu Yu came in first, followed by Chen Yao and Yu Liang, who had his arm in a sling,, and Jiang Zhou. Lu Yu walked into the kitchen, standing close to Jiang Nian, he reached out to hold her shoulder and lightly pinched it, “Tired?”

Jiang Nian smiled, “Not tired.”

It was just making a meal, nothing to be tired about.

“Oh, Sister-in-law, the dishes smell so good!”

Chen Yao’s voice came from outside the kitchen. Jiang Nian smiled, “Let’s eat.”

Lu Yu carried the dishes out, and Chen Yao came in to help. Jiang Nian took chopsticks and went out. Not seeing Gu Shizhou, she asked in confusion, “Where’s Political Commissar Gu?”

Lu Yu took the chopsticks she handed over and pinched her fingertips, saying, “He’s gone out.”

Yu Lang sniffed the fish aroma, “Sister-in-law, this fish smells really good.”

Jiang Zhou said, “And the chicken.”

The three of them discussed the dishes, and Jiang Nian, sitting next to Lu Yu, just picked up a bite of food when Lu Yu said, “Professor Ling’s daughter is here. Gu Shizhou went to see her.”

The first thing Jiang Nian thought of was the woman she had seen outside the base today.

I finally realized why I felt that her features looked familiar. She was somewhat similar to Professor Ling.

Seeing the astonishment in Jiang Nian’s eyes, Lu Yu asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Nian whispered, “I saw her today when Guan Lu and I went to the food station. At first, I felt her appearance was familiar. It turns out she is Professor Ling’s daughter.”

No wonder she had a scholarly air and was similar to Guan Lu. Guan Lu said their parents had problematic backgrounds, perhaps like Professor Ling’s, who had been sent down to the countryside.

Jiang Nian took a bite of food and noticed Lu Yu’s gaze on her, a hint of deeper meaning in his eyes.

She paused for a moment and blinked, “What’s wrong?”

He smiled, “Nothing.”

Jiang Nian: …

But she felt there was something inscrutable in Lu Yu’s smile.

Yu Liang’s right wrist was injured, so he could only use chopsticks with his left hand. After struggling for a while to pick up food, he kicked Jiang Zhou, “Feed me some chicken.”

Jiang Zhou: …

He disdainfully picked up Yu Liang’s chopsticks and picked up a few pieces of chicken to feed him. Yu Liang nodded contentedly, “It’s really delicious.”

Chen Yao also fed Yu Liang a few bites of meat, and Yu Liang finally stopped complaining.

After dinner, Chen Yao and the others left. Lu Yu asked Jiang Nian to rest. He took the dishes to the kitchen to wash them, while Jiang Nian wiped the table outside. Just as she finished sweeping the floor, Lu Yu hugged her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. “Nian Nian.”

His low voice carried a hint of magnetic tenderness, making Jiang Nian’s heart flutter.

She turned her head slightly to look at Lu Yu’s angular profile, vaguely sensing that Lu Yu had something to say.

Looking into her eyes, he said, “Professor Ling’s wife passed away six years ago.”

Jiang Nian was stunned. Turning around in Lu Yu’s arms, she looked up at him. “How did you know?”

“Gu Shizhou told me,” Lu Yu replied.

“Oh.”

Jiang Nian thought of Professor Ling’s weathered face and felt a pang of sympathy for him. If it was six years ago, it would have been the year Professor Ling was sent to the cowshed. Did his wife also pass away because of that upheaval?

Just as she pondered these thoughts, Lu Yu’s voice came through again, “Nian Nian, Professor Ling’s wife is not good at cooking. Who taught you how to make pastries?”

Jiang Nian: ???

Oh no!

She blinked several times, frozen in place, unable to say a word for a long time.

Lu Yu gazed at Jiang Nian, the smile fading gradually from his lips.

He hadn’t wanted to ask too much about Jiang Nian’s secrets before, but her recent unusual behavior at her hometown and last night’s oddness had left him unsettled. He wanted to know what secrets Jiang Nian harbored, to find a way to help her stay by his side forever.

So he asked again, “Who taught you how to make pastries?”

Jiang Nian: …

Jiang Nian tightened her lips, unable to meet Lu Yu’s eyes. She wanted to say she learned it on her own, but felt this excuse was flimsy. She thought and thought but didn’t know how to respond.

Lu Yu cupped Jiang Nian’s chin, forcing her to tilt her neck up, facing his intense gaze with nowhere to hide. “Jiang Nian, tell me.”

His voice was low and deep, with a seductive allure, urging Jiang Nian to confide every detail to him.

“I…” 

Jiang Nian opened her mouth, words stuck in her throat.

Should she say she’s from the New Century? Should she say they’re living in a book, where everyone is a paper person, he’s the male lead, and Sun Ying is the female lead? Should she say the real Jiang Nian should have died from the beginning, and it’s her who took over Jiang Nian’s body and lived again?

It all seemed unbelievable. Even if she said it, how could Lu Yu believe her?

Jiang Nian bit her lip and finally squeezed out, “I have a natural talent and taught myself.”

Lu Yu: …

He chuckled unkindly, feeling Jiang Nian’s lips were truly sealed.

Jiang Nian pushed against Lu Yu’s chest with both hands, “It’s getting late. You should go back to the regiment. I need to work on my embroidery.”

Seeing her resistance to reveal the truth, Lu Yu let go of her and ruffled her hair. “I’ll be back later.”

Jiang Nian sighed with relief only after Lu Yu left. Sitting on a stool in the room, she looked at the nearly finished embroidery in front of her, scratching her head in frustration. These things were on the tip of her tongue, ready to be said, but she just didn’t know how to say them.

She feared Lu Yu would think she was crazy.

Especially in this era, such things were taboo, and Lu Yu was a staunch military man. How could he believe such things?

These past few days, Jiang Nian had been rushing to finish her embroidery, and Lu Yu hadn’t mentioned that matter again. But just because it wasn’t mentioned didn’t mean it hadn’t happened. It hung between them like a sword, ready to fall at any moment. That’s why these past few days, facing Lu Yu, Jiang Nian always felt guilty and dared not look at him.

These past few days, Deputy Commander Ning handled old Mrs. Wu’s affairs well and the situation with Ning Xiu was improving. Early in the morning after breakfast, Tian Mai brought Ning Xiu and Ning Qian to find Jiang Nian, even bringing two pounds of brown sugar, thanking her for helping take care of Political Commissar Gu and Captain Yu.

Jiang Nian smiled, “Even if Sister Tian hadn’t mentioned it, I would have gone to see Political Commissar Gu and the others. Keep this brown sugar for the two children to drink.”

Seeing Jiang Nian insist, Tian Mai felt a bit embarrassed. “Jiang Nian, I really want to thank you this time.”

After speaking, she touched Ning Xiu’s head. “She can now draw cute pictures and even talk to us a few words.”

Jiang Nian sat across from Ning Xiu, watching her lower her head and twist her hands together nervously. Vaguely, she saw shadows of the original Jiang Nian from her, and thinking of Lu Yu’s recent probing, Jiang Nian felt somewhat guilty and anxious.

She knew Lu Yu was suspicious, but she really didn’t know how to explain.

“Aunt Jiang, my sister drew these over the past few days. She wanted you to take a look.”

Ning Qian handed the notebook to Jiang Nian. Glancing at the slightly blushing Ning Xiu, Jiang Nian smiled, “Sure, let me take a look.”

She flipped open the notebook and was startled by the first page.

Ning Xiu had drawn with a pencil, in a style similar to sketching. The first page depicted a group of rabbits eating grass in a meadow, their eyes and the swaying grass vividly portrayed. She turned to the second page, showing Fang Xia and Fang Guo hand in hand, carrying school bags out of the classroom door, both smiling with well-drawn facial features.

Jiang Nian glanced up at Ning Xiu, unexpectedly meeting her gaze. Ning Xiu was also taken aback, then bashfully lowered her head, saying nothing.

Jiang Nian remained silent and continued to look down.

The third page showed her and Lu Yu. Lu Yu was riding a bicycle with her sitting on the back, holding onto Lu Yu’s waist. Even the wind blowing her hair was depicted with pencil details, along with the surroundings of the apartment building, corners, and windows.

She remembered this place. It was the day after their wedding when Lu Yu took her on a bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things.

When she saw Ning Xiu draw her image that day, Jiang Nian was merely shocked. But now, her surprise exceeded her shock. She realized that although Ning Xiu was timid, insecure, and even somewhat withdrawn, her observational skills were strong. She could observe the subtle expressions of everyone and the details of the surroundings when the wind blew.

This child is extraordinary.

If it weren’t for old Mrs. Wu, Ning Xiu might be doing even better now.

Jiang Nian flipped through the remaining pages. There were two more drawings: one of Ning Qian and Tian Mai. In Ning Xiu’s eyes, these were the only things she could see and imagine. As she experiences more in the future and ventures into the broader world outside, she will only continue to develop.

“Jiang Nian, how did Ning Xiu’s drawings turn out?” Tian Mai couldn’t help asking.

She couldn’t see anything special, but she felt that Ning Xiu’s drawings resembled them a lot.

Jiang Nian closed the notebook and looked at Tian Mai. “They’re very good.” Then she turned to Ning Xiu with a gentle tone. “Ning Xiu, can you give this notebook to Aunt Jiang? Aunt Jiang wants to give it to a teacher who can appreciate these drawings. When you grow up a bit more, we can continue to develop in this field. Is that okay?”

Ning Xiu didn’t understand Jiang Nian’s meaning, but she knew that Jiang Nian liked these drawings, so she nodded gently.

Tian Mai was also confused by what she heard. “Who did you say you wanted to give it to?”

Jiang Nian explained, “I’m going to the city in a few days to show this notebook to the director of the embroidery shop. She has a wide network and knows a lot about the field of paper drawing. Perhaps she can help Ning Xiu find a good teacher.”

Seeing Ning Xiu look up at her, Jiang Nian smiled warmly. “Aunt Jiang promised you to find a teacher, and I will definitely keep my promise.”