Lu Cheng’s brows furrowed deeply as he heard her words, feeling like he could crush a fly with the intensity of his thoughts.

He couldn’t understand what Lin Qingqing meant by not being able to consummate their marriage for two years, nor did he grasp what kind of issue could be so severe that it warranted such a long wait.

Of course, Lu Cheng’s concerns extended beyond just the consummation; the notion that there was something serious enough to prohibit it for two years implied that she must be ill, and it was likely not a mild condition.

Yet, the crux of the problem was that Lin Qingqing had not admitted to being sick, leaving Lu Cheng at a loss for words.

He thought to himself, She must be ill, and I can be certain that her condition won’t improve within two years.

The unsettling memory of her high fever that reached 40 degrees flashed through his mind, and he felt a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest.

However, he didn’t want to project his worries onto Lin Qingqing, so he chose to keep them to himself.

Deep down, he had already made up his mind to visit the hospital the following day.

“Alright,” Lu Cheng finally replied.

If she truly was sick, he would be willing to wait not just two years but even twenty years.

The thought of being her revolutionary partner did not hinge on the consummation of their marriage.

What he liked was Lin Qingqing herself—her character, the essence of who she was.

Besides, they already had Lu Haici; even if they couldn’t consummate their marriage or have more children, he wouldn’t mind at all.

Lin Qingqing, on the other hand, was oblivious to Lu Cheng’s vivid imagination.

He had grown up without anyone to confide in after his parents divorced and his mother passed away, which cultivated his habit of solitary contemplation.

Hearing Lu Cheng agree to her suggestion relieved Lin Qingqing, especially since he didn’t press her for an explanation. “For the next two years, we’ll need to sleep in separate rooms, okay?”

She knew that this request might seem a bit overreaching from the perspective of a wife, but at this moment, separating was the best option for both of them.

She had never found the opportunity to bring it up before, nor had she known how to express it.

Now that she finally had the chance, she seized it.

The reason she chose two years was threefold:

First, the body she inhabited had just turned 18, and in two years, she would be 20, which was the legal marrying age in her time.

Second, she wanted to use the two years to await the return of the original owner of this body and to evaluate her relationship with Lu Cheng.

If the original owner didn’t return within those two years, and if Lu Cheng still wished to develop a romantic partnership with her at that time, or if she found herself developing feelings for him, then they could truly be together.

Third, she needed time to mentally prepare herself.

Currently, she was not at all ready for such a significant shift in her life.

“Separate rooms?” Lu Cheng’s voice turned somber.

He wondered if her condition was severe enough to necessitate such an arrangement, pondering if it was indeed related to the issue she was experiencing.

Lin Qingqing replied, “Yes.”

Her response only strengthened Lu Cheng’s resolve to go to the hospital to inquire about the situation. “Okay.”

Lu Cheng didn’t argue; he didn’t want to add any pressure on the sick Lin Qingqing.

Lin Qingqing was pleasantly surprised by how understanding Lu Cheng was.

She had no idea that he viewed her as a serious patient.

Perhaps because the matter was resolved, Lin Qingqing slept quite comfortably that night.

However, Lu Cheng, on the other hand, didn’t sleep a wink.

He tossed and turned, eager for dawn to break.

As a result, he was already up before the morning wake-up call sounded.

He got up early and took care of all the household chores, such as fetching water, washing clothes, boiling water, and cooking eggs.

He couldn’t help it; he was unable to sleep and had insomnia.

Lin Qingqing woke up feeling refreshed, unsurprised to find that Lu Cheng was already up.

However, when she stepped out of her room and into the living area, seeing the clothes drying in the yard made her realize just how early Lu Cheng had risen.

“I’ve made boiled eggs for breakfast,” Lu Cheng said as he came out of the kitchen upon hearing her movements.

Lin Qingqing was startled to see him. “You’ve got dust around your eyes! You look like a national treasure covered in dust.”

Lu Cheng casually rubbed his eyes. “There’s no dust.”

“Then you have dark circles,” Lin Qingqing said, scrutinizing his dark circles for a moment.

It really did look like he had dark circles.

Lu Cheng responded, “Hmm… it seems like the wound I got before has flared up again. I’m planning to go to the hospital today. Do you want to come with me?”

He wanted to ask about her condition, but since he wasn’t good at lying, he had to phrase it more subtly.

Hearing Lu Cheng mention his wound, Lin Qingqing became a bit worried. “When are you going? I’m only free in the afternoon, before three-thirty.”

“I plan to go in the morning.” Lu Cheng had asked casually just to inform her of his whereabouts, but in reality, he didn’t intend for her to accompany him. If they went together, how could he ask her about her situation?

“That’s a pity. I can’t make it in the morning. Oh, by the way…” Lin Qingqing suddenly remembered something. “I’ve been meaning to pick up my medical check-up report from when I was hospitalized. Could you help me get it when you go to the hospital today?”

If Lu Cheng hadn’t mentioned going to the hospital, she would have genuinely forgotten about it.

Lu Cheng, hearing this, thought it was a great opportunity; he wouldn’t have to think of a way to ask her about her condition anymore. “Sure.”

After washing up, Lin Qingqing had a boiled egg and drank a small bowl of sesame powder before heading to the cooking class.

She also took a porcelain cup filled with sesame powder, planning to make some for Lu Haici and Lu Cheng when they came to the dining hall for breakfast.

When Lu Cheng arrived for breakfast at eight, he received the same treatment as Lu Haici.

However, he considered himself an adult and drank more than Lu Haici, so he privately thought his treatment was better than Lu Haici’s.

The soldiers nearby were extremely envious.

However, it wasn’t the first time Lu Cheng received special treatment in the cafeteria.

Everyone was used to it.

Only the comrades in the cooking team of the third battalion secretly vowed that when they looked for a wife, they would definitely take Comrade Lin as their model.

After finishing breakfast, Lu Cheng greeted Lin Qingqing gently and headed to the county hospital.

He used his officer ID and marriage certificate to prove his identity and easily found out who Lin Qingqing’s attending doctor was.

After all, she was the first case in a while to be admitted to the hospital with a fever of 40 degrees, so she was quite well-known there.

Knock, knock, knock…

Dr. Tong was reviewing a case when he heard the knocking and looked up: “Deputy Regiment Lu is here.” Dr. Tong had known Lu Cheng for several years.

This was a combined county hospital and military hospital, and since there were troops stationed in the suburban area, soldiers who got injured during missions were sent directly to this hospital.

That’s how Dr. Tong and Lu Cheng became acquainted.

“I came to inquire about my wife’s medical records.” Lu Cheng didn’t expect Lin Qingqing’s attending doctor to be Tong Zhan.

One of Lu Cheng’s subordinates was injured during a mission, and Dr. Tong was also his attending physician.

Lu Cheng had visited him multiple times, so they had become familiar with each other.

Later, Lu Cheng himself had sustained various injuries during missions, all treated by Dr. Tong, which deepened their acquaintance.

“Please have a seat. First of all, congratulations on your marriage, Deputy Regiment Lu. What is your wife’s name? I will check it for you.”

Lu Cheng sat down. “Thank you. Her name is Lin Qingqing.”

Upon hearing Lin Qingqing’s name, Dr. Tong paused for a moment. “Oh, it’s her.”

Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow at him.

Dr. Tong said, “Don’t misunderstand. That day, Comrade Lin was admitted with a fever and fainting. She underwent a physical examination the next day, but she hasn’t come to collect her test results. Her test report is still here with me. But you can rest assured, her health is very good.” Dr. Tong pulled out Lin Qingqing’s medical report, flipped through it to confirm he hadn’t overlooked anything, and handed it to Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng took it and looked at it.

Although he didn’t understand the medical terms, he confirmed that the name on the report was indeed Lin Qingqing.

Even though Dr. Tong said Lin Qingqing was in good health, Lu Cheng still felt uneasy: “Could she have any underlying health issues that weren’t detected here because she wasn’t examined?”

“Um…” Dr. Tong didn’t understand his meaning. “Comrade Lin was examined very thoroughly at the time; blood was drawn, and imaging was done…”

“Everything has been checked, and if there were any hidden conditions, we should have caught them. Why did Deputy Commander Lu ask like that?”

Lu Cheng hesitated for a moment. Although it was somewhat difficult to say, he still managed to voice it: “It’s like this, we… we just got married…”

His face turned slightly red as he spoke.

Seeing his expression, Doctor Tong immediately understood. “Ah, newlyweds, full of vigor.”

Lu Cheng continued, “She said she can’t consummate the marriage for two years, but also mentioned that she isn’t sick…”

Once he started, it was easier to continue. “So I’m worried that she might have a serious illness and doesn’t want to worry me, which is why she hasn’t told me.”

“Hmm…” Doctor Tong pondered for a moment. “If she said she can’t consummate the marriage for two years but also said she isn’t sick… then it’s possible there’s some gynecological issue. However, I’m not well-versed in gynecology, so you’ll need to consult a gynecologist about that.”

He glanced at the watch on his wrist. “I happen to have some free time right now. Let me take you over to see a gynecologist.”

“That sounds good,” Lu Cheng replied.

As Doctor Tong led Lu Cheng to the gynecologist’s office, they encountered a female colleague standing at the office door, where the door was closed.

The woman turned her back slightly, feeling a bit shy at their arrival.

Doctor Tong approached the door and knocked lightly.

After a moment, someone opened the door.

It was a nurse. “Doctor Tong, is there something you need? Doctor Yang is with a patient right now.”

Upon saying this, the nurse noticed Lu Cheng standing behind Doctor Tong and looked surprised. “Lu Cheng, what are you doing here?”

Doctor Tong said, “Nurse Qian, you know Deputy Commander Lu? What a coincidence!”

Lu Cheng confirmed, “Yes, we know each other.”

That nurse Qian was none other than Qin Ming’s mother, Qian Yuelan.