Chapter 32

She was absolutely certain it hadn’t been there before. The spring had always been small, crystal clear, and easy to see the bottom of at a glance. But this time, there was clearly a tiny sprout.

Could other things grow in here? The discovery thrilled her, and she eagerly anticipated what it might become.

Given how amazing the spring’s effects were, wouldn’t anything that grew from it be even more miraculous?

“Kids, wake up! Mommy’s going to dress you in new clothes.” She was so happy that even her tone sounded like it was bouncing with joy.

She dressed all three little ones in their new outfits.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yue had to quietly dress himself. The stark contrast made him feel the sting of being left out.

“Mommy has a mirror. Take a look at yourselves!” Su Qianqian held up a small mirror for them, wishing she had a full-length one instead—this tiny mirror wasn’t very practical.

“So pretty!” Daya and Sanya, who had never worn new clothes before—let alone such lovely ones with little flowers on them—looked at each other and couldn’t stop complimenting how great they both looked.

Erbao, being a bit more reserved, didn’t express his excitement as openly as his sisters. However, he gently touched his new clothes like they were a precious treasure.

When Cheng Yue got out of bed, he immediately noticed that his injured leg had improved significantly. It barely hurt when he put weight on it, and the slight discomfort was something he could easily tolerate.

He suddenly wanted to test if he could walk without his crutches.

Taking a few steps, he realized he could indeed walk. He grew excited, sped up a little, and then shouted, “Qianqian, I can walk!”

Su Qianqian turned to see Cheng Yue walking toward her and then—

His knee buckled, and he lost his balance, falling forward. Su Qianqian quickly moved to catch him, but he was far too tall and heavy. She couldn’t steady herself and fell onto the bed with him landing squarely on top of her.

The romantic, tension-filled moments from TV dramas? Completely unrealistic!

This wasn’t romantic at all—it felt like her organs were about to be crushed. He was so heavy!

To top it off, the “accidental kiss” trope wasn’t as effortless as it seemed. Instead of kissing her lips, Cheng Yue’s mouth awkwardly bumped into her head, landing on her hair.

The three kids stood there, stunned.

“Get up!” Su Qianqian pushed at Cheng Yue, who propped himself up on his arms. The three little ones quickly rushed over to help. Despite their small size, their combined effort managed to lift him.

Then Sanya suddenly shouted, “Did you squish Mommy? Her face is all red!” She glared at Cheng Yue, angrily accusing him.

Cheng Yue noticed that Su Qianqian’s face was indeed flushed—and his own wasn’t much better. His face and ears were bright red.

“You three, come help Mommy make breakfast!” Su Qianqian bolted out of the room, calling for the kids to follow.

Daya and Sanya left immediately.

Erbao, however, lingered, staring at Cheng Yue for a moment.

“What?” Cheng Yue’s tone toward his son wasn’t as gentle, coming off a bit gruff.

“You’re not allowed to bully Mommy. Otherwise, when I grow up, I’ll beat you up!” Erbao waved his tiny fists in warning.

Cheng Yue froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“I wasn’t bullying her—it was an accident.”

“Good. Then don’t bully her in the future either!” With that, Erbao finally left.

Little rascal!

He’s already challenging me at such a young age?

Surprisingly, Cheng Yue wasn’t angry. Instead, he felt a bit proud. His son had clearly inherited his personality.

The three little ones were noticeably more cautious while helping in the kitchen, afraid of getting their new clothes dirty. Su Qianqian just watched with a smile. She understood their feelings well—when she was little, back when Chinese New Year had a strong festive vibe, wearing new clothes on the first day of the year brought immense joy. She, too, had been extra careful back then, refusing to let her dirty hands touch her clothes.

I should design some clothes for the kids, she thought, especially pretty little dresses for Daya and Sanya.

During breakfast, Su Qianqian noticed that Cheng Yue could now walk on his own. The three children didn’t need to stay home to look after him anymore.

“Is there a kindergarten in the compound? A place for kids who are too young for first grade to learn and play?”

“There is. Are you planning to send the kids there?”

The compound had a small kindergarten, mainly to help working parents who had no one to care for their children. The kindergarten also provided basic literacy and math lessons.

“Yes. It’s good to expose them early so they won’t feel scared when they start first grade and will already have some foundational knowledge.” She remembered how little formal education she’d received in the countryside, only learning briefly with Chuan Chuan. If she tried to teach the kids herself, she doubted she’d manage well. Sending them to kindergarten seemed like a better option—it would also give them a chance to socialize with peers.

“Let’s go check it out tomorrow,” Cheng Yue suggested. He was recovering quickly and felt he was only a step away from moving with ease again.

“What about my night school? Can I go tonight?”

“Yes, I’ve already arranged it.”

Though Cheng Yue’s expression revealed some reluctance, he still said, “I’ll have Cheng Yuan accompany you tonight to familiarize you with the route. That way, you can go by yourself in the future.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Having night school as a cover meant Su Qianqian could now safely explore her talents and pursue her goals. She could just attribute everything to her night classes.

When it was time to take her to night school, Cheng Yuan came over for dinner. He was ecstatic about the meal, having missed Su Qianqian’s cooking. He even joked about how his future wife’s only requirement was to cook well—he’d happily handle all the chores if it meant having delicious meals.

“Sister-in-law, if you ever open a restaurant, it’ll be packed with customers!” Cheng Yuan said earnestly.

“Running a restaurant is too tiring,” Su Qianqian replied. She had considered it before but decided that if she ever opened one, she’d hire skilled chefs and only offer limited servings of her dishes. That way, it wouldn’t be too exhausting.

Cheng Yuan nodded. “That’s true, and the smoke and grease aren’t good for your health.”

“Cooking is bad for your health?” Cheng Yue asked, surprised. He hadn’t known this and immediately thought of how Su Qianqian had been cooking every day lately.

“Yes, I’ve heard that long-term exposure to cooking fumes can be harmful.”

Cheng Yue said nothing but made a mental note. We’ll just eat at the cafeteria from now on. No need for her to cook daily.

“Time’s up. Let’s go.” Su Qianqian stood, tidied up, hugged the three little ones, and left with Cheng Yuan.

As she stepped out, Cheng Yue called out, “Come back early!”

“Got it.”

Watching the two leave, Cheng Yue felt uneasy. He couldn’t describe the feeling—it wasn’t rational to stop them since they were doing something legitimate, but he still disliked it.

It’s all because of this injury. He needed to recover quickly so he could escort his wife to night school himself.

Half an hour later, there was a knock at the door.

Cheng Yue’s spirits lifted, thinking Su Qianqian had returned. He hurried to open the door, but—

It wasn’t her. His initially hopeful expression instantly turned serious.

“Captain, I’ve finished the investigation you requested.”

“Come to the study,” Cheng Yue ordered, immediately reverting to his usual stern demeanor.

In the study, the soldier placed a stack of papers in front of Cheng Yue. “Based on the investigation over the past few days, your wife, Comrade Su Qianqian, indeed has a bad reputation in the Tianshui Village. She frequently beat her children, tried to give her youngest daughter away, and prioritized helping her natal family to the point of leaving her household destitute.”