Chapter 17

She used to be dark and skinny, but now she seemed much more radiant. Her face had filled out, and her skin was fairer.  

“The cafeteria is in that building over there. See it?” Cheng Yue pointed to the adjacent building through the window.  

Su Qianqian nodded. “Erbao, Sanya, you stay here and take care of your dad. Daya, come with me to buy breakfast.”  

Erbao and Sanya looked a bit panicked but didn’t voice any objections.  

After the two left, the three remaining people sat there awkwardly, exchanging glances without saying much.  

“Do you not have proper names? You’re just called Erbao and Sanya?” Cheng Yue asked, trying to start a conversation.  

Erbao nodded. “Mom said she’ll give us proper names soon, before we start school.”  

Sanya, hiding behind her brother, looked up at Cheng Yue with big, curious eyes, studying this man who suddenly appeared and claimed to be their father.  

“Your mom will choose the names?” Cheng Yue couldn’t help but frown. *What kind of names can a woman with no education come up with?* He decided to think of some good names himself. After all, they were his children, and he owed them a lot over the past years.  

The siblings both nodded.  

“Tell me about your life at home. Don’t be scared,” Cheng Yue said, trying to soften his tone. But after years in the military and even on the battlefield, he carried a natural air of authority that intimidated the children. They avoided making eye contact with him.  

After some hesitation, Erbao shared a few safe details about their home life, mentioning Chuan Chuan and their financial difficulties, but omitting any mention of the harm caused by their biological father.  

“Why didn’t you come home? Everyone says we don’t have a dad, that our dad is dead,” Sanya suddenly asked, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.  

Cheng Yue felt a deep pang of guilt. “I’m sorry. I was on a special mission and couldn’t return. But once I recover, I’ll take you all home and let everyone know your dad is alive.”  

Sanya lowered her gaze, saying nothing more. She was too young to understand what a “special mission” meant. But the thought of returning home and showing everyone they had a dad comforted her.  

Erbao suddenly asked, his tone serious, “Do you not like Mom?”  

The question caught Cheng Yue off guard. “Why do you ask that?”  

“The people in the village said you left because you don’t like Mom,” Erbao replied, his voice still childlike but his gaze mature beyond his years.  

Cheng Yue didn’t know how to answer. He truly hadn’t liked Su Qianqian back then. She had practically forced herself on him, and he would never have married her otherwise.  

But how could he explain that to the kids?  

Just then, Su Qianqian returned with Daya, sensing something was off in the atmosphere. “What’s going on? Time to eat breakfast.”  

“Nothing. Just chatting,” Cheng Yue replied.  

Su Qianqian placed porridge, fried dough sticks, buns, and steamed bread in front of him. “Is this enough? If not, I can get more.”  

“This is enough,” Cheng Yue said.  

She brought out some pickled cucumbers to serve as a side dish.  

Cheng Yue was pleasantly surprised. *How could something as simple as pickled cucumbers taste this good?* They were perfectly balanced—neither too salty nor too bland—and crisp and refreshing. They paired wonderfully with the porridge.  

Even the porridge itself seemed more flavorful and comforting than usual.  

Unbeknownst to him, Su Qianqian had added two drops of mystical spring water to the porridge, hoping it would help his leg heal. Since the spring water had healed her forehead injury, she believed it could aid his recovery too.  

“How about I take you outside for some sun later?”  

“Sure, thank you,” Cheng Yue said.  

Su Qianqian wheeled him outside. Along the way, many people greeted them.  

“Cheng Yue, is this your wife? She’s quite pretty,” someone said.  

Indeed, Su Qianqian looked radiant today. She had good features, and though she wasn’t very tall—just about 1.6 meters—she had a charm that belied her humble rural upbringing.  

“Oh wow, three kids? You’re lucky, Cheng Yue!” someone teased.  

Cheng Yue felt a bit embarrassed. “Triplets. Just luck.”  

The three children, similar in size and build, were unmistakably triplets at a glance.  

“Twins are common, but triplets? That’s rare, Cheng Yue. Impressive!” Someone raised their eyebrows playfully, making Cheng Yue blush even more. He was still puzzled about how he ended up with three kids in one go.  

The greetings continued, with Su Qianqian handling them gracefully, nodding and smiling politely. She exuded the poise of a city woman, while Cheng Yue appeared stiff and awkward.  

Thankfully, the three kids shared in his discomfort, keeping him company.  

Around noon, Cheng Yuan arrived. “Sister-in-law, I brought some groceries. I was worried you wouldn’t know where to buy them.”  

“Thank you so much, that’s wonderful!” Su Qianqian beamed at him with a radiant smile.  

Cheng Yue: *?? She’s never smiled at me like that before.*  

“Could you take care of him and the kids for a bit? I’ll go make lunch, and you should stay and eat with us.”  

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose.”  

“What’s there to feel bad about? You bought the groceries.”  

Cheng Yuan grinned, rubbing his hands together. “Then I won’t hold back. I’ve been craving my sister-in-law’s cooking.”  

After Su Qianqian left, Cheng Yue stared at Cheng Yuan, making him feel uneasy.  

“C-Captain, is something wrong?” Cheng Yuan stammered. The way Cheng Yue was looking at him felt unnerving.  

“You’ve eaten her cooking before?”  

“On the train. She’s got real talent in the kitchen. Captain, you’re lucky to have her.”  

“By the way, did anything happen on your way here?”  

“Not during the trip, but before we left, her family showed up causing a scene. They demanded support money, saying they wouldn’t let her leave otherwise. But sister-in-law handled it like a pro—she threatened to call the military police to arrest them, and they backed off immediately. If it weren’t for her, we’d have had some trouble getting out of there.”  

Cheng Yue frowned. Wasn’t Su Qianqian always protective of her family?  

“Captain, I think sister-in-law has changed a lot. She’s not the same person I remember. Do you feel the same?”  

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.”  

“Maybe it’s because you were gone for five years without a word. Over time, she had to change.”  

Cheng Yue sighed. There was no escaping the weight of his five-year disappearance.  

“Tonight, could you look after the kids? Let them sleep in your dorm? I remember your roommate went home.”  

“Sure, no problem. But will they be okay? Kids this young might get scared at night and miss their mom.”  

Erbao stepped forward confidently. “We’re not scared. We’re willing to sleep with Uncle Cheng Yuan.” He remembered how his mom had spent the night hunched over by the bed, clearly exhausted. If they stayed with Uncle Cheng Yuan, his mom could finally sleep in the bed.  

“What a good boy!” Cheng Yuan ruffled their hair. “Looks like I need to find myself a wife and have kids soon.”  

Cheng Yue: *Two days, and still not one ‘Dad’ from them.*  

Watching how easily the kids bonded with Cheng Yuan, Cheng Yue couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.  

—  

Su Qianqian cooked three dishes: one meat and two vegetables.  

As she opened the door to leave, she noticed the door across the hall also opening. Both women paused, surprised.  

“You’re the wife of Captain Cheng?”  

“Yes, and you are…?”  

“I’m Wu Sufen, also from the countryside. If you ever need help with anything, feel free to come to me. We country folks stick together.”  

Su Qianqian smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I’ll come by to chat later. I need to bring lunch to Cheng Yue now.”  

“Of course, go ahead.”  

She arrived at the hospital, picked up some rice from the cafeteria, and headed to the ward.  

“There are just three dishes. Make do for now. Once he’s discharged, I’ll make something better for you all.”  

“This is already amazing! It smells delicious. Sister-in-law, don’t mind if I dig in!”  

Cheng Yuan began eating eagerly, clearly satisfied.  

“This is so good! The chopped chili is perfectly spicy and flavorful—absolutely incredible!”  

Seeing him enjoy her cooking so much, Su Qianqian was pleased. “If you like it, eat as much as you want.”  

“Don’t worry, I have a big appetite!”  

Cheng Yue couldn’t help but cough. “Cheng Yuan, since when did you become so chatty while eating?”