Chapter 18

“It’s not just about the food being good…” Cheng Yuan trailed off, belatedly realizing the Captain seemed upset.  

“I’m done eating. Just remembered I have something to take care of. I’ll come by tonight to pick up the kids.” He quickly got up and retreated.  

“Why’s he in such a rush? I hope he ate enough,” Su Qianqian muttered softly.  

“You seem awfully concerned about him,” Cheng Yue remarked.  

“He’s the only person I know around here, and he’s from the same field unit as you. It’s only right to show some concern, isn’t it?”  

Cheng Yue was left speechless and resorted to scooping all the remaining food from the plate into his own bowl, eating in big, forceful bites.  

“You’re really going at it with gusto!”  

Though his eating was rough, with large mouthfuls, he didn’t smack his lips. It was very much the style of a rugged soldier. He finished everything on his plate and still seemed unsatisfied.  

Su Qianqian handed him a clean towel. “Here, wipe your mouth.”  

He took it and wiped haphazardly. “I’m full. Your cooking is delicious.”  

“Good to hear. Did the doctor say when you’ll be discharged?”  

“They didn’t give a specific time. Just said they’d observe for now. I probably won’t stay long, though; I’ll need to recuperate at home.”  

She figured she couldn’t apply the spiritual spring water to his leg yet, but ingesting it should still be effective. She decided to wait and see what the doctor said. If his recovery was notable, it would confirm the water’s efficacy.  

—

At dinnertime, Cheng Yuan showed up again.  

“Captain, I’m here to pick up the kids.”  

“Cheng Yuan, have you eaten yet?” Su Qianqian asked.  

Cheng Yuan glanced at Cheng Yue, recalling the lunchtime situation. But as his gaze fell on the food on the table, he couldn’t resist—it looked so tempting. Sister-in-law’s cooking was not only delicious but also left him feeling refreshed and energized afterward.  

“Not yet,” he replied with a smile, avoiding Cheng Yue’s eyes and addressing Su Qianqian instead.  

He sat down and started eating without hesitation, ignoring Cheng Yue’s displeasure.  

After years as comrades, he knew their bond wouldn’t break over a couple of meals. First, he had to fill his stomach.  

“Eat as much as you want; I made extra tonight,” Su Qianqian said, having considered the hearty appetites of soldiers. She had prepared four dishes, all colorful, flavorful, and incredibly appetizing.  

It turned into a competition between Cheng Yue and Cheng Yuan, both racing to eat more. Their speed and enthusiasm left Su Qianqian and the three children stunned.  

“Uncle Cheng Yuan,” Sanya timidly asked, “don’t you guys have enough to eat normally?”  

“Huh?” Cheng Yuan was momentarily confused.  

“The way you’re eating reminds me of Huahua back home.”  

“Who’s Huahua?” Cheng Yuan asked with a chuckle.  

“Our pig,” Erbao answered matter-of-factly.  

Cheng Yuan’s smile froze.  

*Cough, cough!* He choked immediately.  

Su Qianqian could hardly contain her laughter. That was just the innocence of children—they had no idea how devastating their words could be.  

At least the two men slowed down their eating a bit after that, though they still ate in big, hearty bites, making for a rather comical sight.  

When the meal was over, Cheng Yuan leaned back in his chair, thoroughly satisfied, even letting out a burp. “That was amazing! A hundred times better than the canteen food!”  

“Cheng Yuan,” Cheng Yue said, “with my injury, I’ve fallen behind on a lot of tasks. I need you to handle a few things for me. Make sure all injured soldiers are properly documented, ensure records for those we’ve lost are complete, and assist families of soldiers who’ve been out of contact for years.”  

“Understood, Captain! I’ll take care of it right away!” Cheng Yuan assumed it was just standard business.  

But Cheng Yue’s real thought was that the extra work might keep him too busy to keep coming over for meals.  

Su Qianqian handed a blanket to Daya. “Go with Uncle Cheng Yuan, and come back for breakfast tomorrow.”  

The blanket, brought from home, carried a familiar scent that would help the children sleep better.  

Before bed, as usual, Cheng Yue needed to use the bathroom. To his surprise, he felt like his legs were stronger than the day before. Standing wasn’t as painful anymore. He was puzzled—could he really be recovering this quickly?  

“I can manage on my own,” he said confidently.  

“Really? Aren’t you worried about falling?”  

At that, both of them recalled the awkward incident from the previous night.  

Su Qianqian took a deep breath and reminded herself: *I have no worldly desires.*  

She waited outside, ready to assist if he fell. But there was no sound, and Cheng Yue successfully managed on his own.  

“You’re in pretty good shape. Seems like you’re recovering well,” Su Qianqian commented, knowing the spiritual spring water was working but attributing the progress to his physical fitness.  

“Yeah, I feel a bit better. I’ll ask the doctor to check tomorrow.”  

Later, as they lay in bed, Su Qianqian, exhausted, was just drifting off when Cheng Yue’s voice jolted her awake.  

“Su Qianqian, I want a divorce!”  

She was instantly wide awake and sat up to look at him.  

“You insisted on clinging to me back then. There’s no love between us. Of course, I know you’ve had a hard time these past five years and gave me three children. So, I’ll compensate you. I’ll give you all the money I have now, plus ten yuan every month.”  

Hearing the word *divorce* made her want to jump with joy, but she had to restrain herself. She kept her expression neutral as she stared at him.  

“Fifteen yuan a month,” Cheng Yue added, noticing her sour expression.  

Although Su Qianqian had behaved well the past couple of days and cooked delicious meals, Cheng Yue believed it was all an act. Eventually, her true nature would surface, and without any feelings between them, living together would just lead to more problems. Better to divorce now.  

“What about the three children?” she asked, focused on their well-being. Money wasn’t a concern—she could earn her own.  

Of course, if he insisted on giving her money, she wouldn’t turn it down; she needed startup capital for her business.  

“If you don’t want them, I’ll take care of all three,” Cheng Yue said firmly. He wasn’t about to abandon his children.  

Su Qianqian frowned. “The three children stay with me.”  

Cheng Yue was stunned. He had assumed she wouldn’t want any of them, given her past behavior.  

“You can remarry and have more children. As the saying goes, ‘a stepmother brings a stepfather.’ I don’t trust leaving the children with you. If you agree to this, I’ll divorce you. If not, no divorce,” she declared firmly.  

If she divorced Cheng Yue, it was likely he’d end up with Zhou Yun, who would surely look down on her children. She couldn’t let her kids suffer like that.  

“I need to think about it.” The idea of not keeping a single child required serious consideration, and he’d also need to discuss it with his family.  

“Give me custody of the three children, and you only need to pay me ten yuan a month,” she said. For her, custody was more important than money. She was confident she could earn enough through her entrepreneurial ventures, especially with the help of the spiritual spring water.  

Cheng Yue frowned slightly. Could the children have changed her?  

He decided he needed to investigate the past five years further. His parents might not tell him the full truth, but perhaps the team leader or secretary would.  

Unaware of his thoughts, Su Qianqian was already envisioning a bright future: becoming a wealthy woman with three little angels and no husband. Perfect!  

—

The next morning, Cheng Yuan brought the three kids to the hospital, along with breakfast from the cafeteria.  

“Sister-in-law, good thing you haven’t gone to the cafeteria yet. I bought a little of everything,” he said, growing increasingly familiar with Su Qianqian.  

Every time Cheng Yue watched their interactions, he felt uncomfortable, though he didn’t quite understand why.  

Drinking his porridge, Cheng Yue frowned. “Why doesn’t this taste as good as yesterday’s?”  

“Really? Isn’t it the same? The flavor doesn’t change day to day,” Cheng Yuan said, taking a few sips himself but not noticing any difference.  

“Yesterday’s had a different taste. It was better,” Cheng Yue insisted, then turned to Su Qianqian. “What do you think?”