Chapter 126: I Want to Eat Your Wedding Candy  

Such a thought flashed through Song Qingqian’s mind, instantly startling her.  

It was perfectly normal for her to like children. Every girl, during her youth, had envisioned a beautiful future with her partner, marriage, and family.  

And of course, that included future children.  

However…  

Why was it that when she thought of children, the first image that came to mind was having a child with He Donglai?  

She knew very well that ever since their marriage, they had been sleeping in separate rooms and had never shared marital intimacy.  

They could hardly be considered a real couple.  

He Donglai had never shown the slightest hint of male desire toward her.  

Because of this, she had always believed deep down that their marriage was nothing more than He Donglai’s way of exacting revenge for the past.  

But ever since yesterday…  

The long-standing belief she had clung to was beginning to collapse like a snow-capped mountain crumbling, with snowflakes falling one after another, making a complete mess of her world.  

She had even entertained the thought of having a child with He Donglai.  

It was simply absurd.  

Song Qingqian quickly suppressed the thoughts that had no place in her mind and snapped back to reality.  

Lost in her daze, she suddenly realized that Jiang Rou was quietly gazing at her from the side.  

In front of her, Zhou Xiaohua tilted her head and looked up at her with big, curious eyes.  

A trace of awkward embarrassment flashed across Song Qingqian’s face.  

“Sorry, I got distracted. Let’s continue. Next is the skirt length… It should be about here, just slightly above the knee. The length is…”  

Zhou Xiaohua’s measurements were carefully recorded.  

Once the measuring was done, Jiang Rou waved a hand, signaling Zhou Xiaohua to go outside and play.  

Just moments ago, Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua had discovered that when playing marbles on the pebble-paved ground, the marbles would roll along the gaps between the stones, making it even more fun than playing on dirt.  

So now, the two children were squatting face-to-face, watching intently as the glass marbles rolled and spun along the ground.

Indoors  

Song Qingqian unfolded the fabric that Jiang Rou had brought and spread it smoothly on the table.  

She went over the design sketch in her mind, then picked up a white chalk marker. With the help of a wooden ruler, she began marking the pattern pieces according to the measurements.  

This step, known as pattern drafting, was one of the most technically demanding skills of a tailor.  

Whether a garment fit well and felt comfortable depended entirely on the tailor’s expertise in this craft.  

It was not something that could be taught in just a few words.  

For this reason, Song Qingqian had no intention of explaining it to Jiang Rou. She chose to do it herself.  

Gradually, the outline of a garment began to take shape on the pink floral fabric.  

Song Qingqian worked with intense focus, her head lowered as she sketched out the pattern.  

At the same time, she felt an immersive sense of enjoyment.  

It had been… a very, very long time since she had last picked up a ruler. An even longer time since she had made a piece of clothing.  

Now, doing what she loved again, an indescribable excitement filled her heart.  

At that moment—  

From the corner of her eye, Song Qingqian occasionally glanced toward the two children outside the door, watching their small figures.  

Zhou Xiaohua and Zhou Xiaochuan were playing happily.  

But—there was no laughter.  

Where there were children, there was always the sound of giggling.  

Yet, these two children from Jiang Rou’s family were eerily quiet.  

The boy might naturally be the reserved type, but a little girl at her age should be chattering away, full of endless words.  

Why wasn’t she speaking at all?  

At this thought, Song Qingqian suddenly realized—since Zhou Xiaohua had arrived, she had not made a single sound.  

She froze.  

Her hands suddenly stopped moving.  

Song Qingqian quickly looked up, her gaze filled with shock as she turned to Jiang Rou.  

Jiang Rou was watching intently.  

She couldn’t quite understand how Song Qingqian was making her calculations, but she could gradually see the garment’s shape taking form.  

Moreover, Song Qingqian’s movements were fluid and graceful—just like the way Jiang Rou cooked in the kitchen, effortlessly smooth and mesmerizing to watch.  

She was completely engrossed—until Song Qingqian suddenly stopped.  

Jiang Rou asked: “What’s wrong?”  

Song Qingqian’s eyes flickered. She glanced once more at the little girl outside in the courtyard, then turned her gaze back to Jiang Rou.

She suppressed her voice and whispered: “Xiaohua… she… is she…”  

—Mute?  

The word was too cruel for Song Qingqian to say out loud.  

Jiang Rou, however, did not show any distress or panic. She remained composed and calm as she responded: “Xiaohua is not mute. When she was young, she went through some things, and since then, she has been unable to speak.”  

“Is it psychological or physiological?”  

Having been raised in privilege, Song Qingqian saw things differently from most people.  

“Psychological. There aren’t many medical resources on the island, so I plan to take Xiaohua to the Provincial Capital for a full check-up when she’s older. With the help of doctors, I believe she will be able to speak again in the future.”  

Jiang Rou spoke with confidence and determination, without the slightest trace of sorrow.  

She even smiled, as if imagining the day to come.  

“When Xiaohua starts talking, she’ll probably be so chatty that she’ll drive everyone crazy.”  

As Song Qingqian pictured that scene in her mind, she couldn’t help but curve her lips into a small smile.  

This was something that should have been painful, something people would normally avoid mentioning.  

After all, no one wanted to admit that their child had a defect.  

Yet, Jiang Rou’s attitude was completely different.  

She wasn’t afraid of others noticing, and she held an unwavering hope for the future.  

Song Qingqian couldn’t help but admire Jiang Rou’s resilience and vitality.  

At that moment, she also understood why the women in the compound enjoyed spending time with Jiang Rou and why they always seemed so happy around her.  

Jiang Rou possessed an undeniable charm that drew people in.  

Once the pattern pieces were all drawn, the next step was cutting the fabric.  

Song Qingqian’s toolbox had everything she needed.  

She picked up a pair of tailor’s shears, their long, sharp blades glinting under the light.  

With a crisp snip, the fabric was cut cleanly and smoothly.  

Holding the scissors in her hand, Song Qingqian continued cutting, the steady snip, snip sound filling the room.

At that moment, Jiang Rou suddenly remembered something even more important.  

She leaned in slightly and asked in a low voice: “Did you ask Company Commander He?”  

Song Qingqian’s wrist trembled, and the scissors veered in the wrong direction, nearly ruining the fabric.  

Fortunately, she reacted quickly, stopping just in time to save it.  

However…  

That simple question had already changed Song Qingqian’s expression.  

Jiang Rou observed the scene and clearly saw the tension on Song Qingqian’s face.  

Even without hearing an answer, Jiang Rou already knew what it was.  

Sigh…  

Getting a reserved person to open up was even harder than getting Zhou Xiaohua to speak.  

It wasn’t something that could happen overnight.  

As expected…  

Song Qingqian gently shook her head.  

She had already done her best the night before, but the image of He Donglai stepping back kept replaying in her mind.  

Jiang Rou found it a pity, but she wasn’t in a hurry.  

For one, they wouldn’t be leaving the island anytime soon, and their marital relationship wasn’t going to change overnight.  

For another, the sweeping changes of the era’s storm would continue for years to come.  

There was plenty of time—they could take things slowly.  

Still, it was a shame…  

“What a pity… no wedding candy today.”  

A devoted shipper sighed over the lack of material to feed their fantasies.  

Song Qingqian looked completely confused. What candy? Is it time to eat candy now?