Chapter 32

But before he could unbutton the two buttons, someone suddenly grabbed his hand.

“I’ll do it myself.” A hoarse, weak voice sounded beside his ear, and then the towel was taken away from him.

Shen Qingyun looked up in surprise, and then he saw that Yin Xiaoman had somehow opened her eyes.

“Wife, you’re awake!”

He was both shocked and overjoyed. He bent down and embraced Yin Xiaoman tightly, speaking excitedly: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I’m back, everything will be fine, nothing will happen again in the future.”

As he spoke, he gently stroked her back, his words filled with tenderness and concern.

Yin Xiaoman didn’t move.

She let him express his emotions.

After a long while, she reached out and pushed lightly on his chest. “Get up, it’s cold.”

“Oh, oh.” Shen Qingyun then noticed that while his wife’s face was flushed red, her body was trembling slightly.

He quickly released her and covered her with the blanket again.

He put the towel back into the warm water, rubbed it, and then wrung it out. However, when he was about to help Yin Xiaoman wipe herself, his hand froze mid-air, unable to move forward.

He realized that Yin Xiaoman was quietly staring at him.

There was no trace of the “madness, despair, pain, sadness…” emotions his comrades had described to him. Not even surprise. There was only an unexpected calmness.

A calmness so profound that he almost didn’t dare to touch her.

“The doctor said I should help wipe your body down. He said if your temperature doesn’t go down, it’ll be bad for your health.” After a while, Shen Qingyun explained awkwardly.

“Mm.”

Yin Xiaoman nodded, then pointed to the chair beside her. “We’ll talk later. Sit down first.”

“Oh.”

Shen Qingyun quickly agreed, but as he spoke, he still placed the towel on her forehead.

Yin Xiaoman closed her eyes but did not stop him.

“What happened?” Yin Xiaoman asked.

After the dramatic ups and downs at noon, her voice was a little hoarse. In the quiet, empty hospital room, it sounded tired in a way that was hard to describe.

“I’m not quite sure either.” Shen Qingyun also calmed down.

He shook his head. “I came back three days ago with Engineer Ning, oh, the same Engineer Ning who came with you on the train before, and another Mr. Hua. Those two insisted on doing some undercover investigation, so we didn’t call ahead. Who knew this would happen?”

At this point, Shen Qingyun reached out and held Yin Xiaoman’s hand, which was resting on the blanket, looking guilty as he said: “I scared you, didn’t I?”

Yin Xiaoman didn’t respond, but she didn’t pull her hand back either.

To be honest, she had been frightened, which was why she had lost control earlier at noon.

But at that moment, she truly couldn’t control herself.

She was deeply disappointed.

Yin Xiaoman had always known she wasn’t one of the lucky ones. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have lost her parents as a child, and every step of her growth had been one where she had to grit her teeth and struggle to live.

But she thought all of that would end when she fell, lost her life, and crossed over to this world. After that, everything would get better.

After all, the heavens had given her a new family, kind family members, and a path to the Imperial Kitchen.

So, she put in effort, trying to repay them.

She treated her family well, treated her neighbors well, and even used every means possible to help improve the food in the camp, offering assistance to those around her.

She also worked hard to control her naturally cold temperament, trying to treat everyone around her with kindness.

Yin Xiaoman had been serious about doing these things because she believed that accumulating good deeds, building good relationships, and being kind were the only ways she could repay the heavens for their favor.

She wanted the heavens to feel her sincerity, to give her the opportunity to live this life peacefully.

However, in this situation, Shen Qingyun still got into trouble, and time proceeded exactly as it had always done, according to its course, without any change.

This realization suddenly overwhelmed her, making her feel that everything she had done before was just her one-sided wishful thinking.

If it had been when she first arrived at the Military Unit, she might have naïvely thought that whether or not Shen Qingyun was around didn’t matter. She could survive on her own.

She could even support two children.

But the longer she stayed here, the more she realized how naïve her past thoughts had been.

The reason she was able to live so comfortably in the Military Camp now, without worrying about food or clothing, and gaining respect from others, was partly due to her own efforts and the help she gave to the kitchen. But the most important reason was that she was the family member of a military officer, Shen Qingyun’s wife.

If that man were gone, how could an outsider possibly stay long-term in the military camp?

Even if she were a widow, even if she had once accompanied the troops, once the man was gone, in most cases—no, in almost every case—the Military Unit would work with her, encouraging her to return to her hometown with the compensation money.

What would she return to do?

Go back to Shuanggui Village and continue fighting Liu Chunxia over the compensation money, life and death?

Even if she won, or completely severed ties and went back home to live a small life behind closed doors.

Then what?

If the timeline continued unchanged, her late father’s identity would soon be questioned, and people from the county would come to confiscate their property!

Shen Qingyun had been gone for more than two months, far beyond the return date he had written in his letter.

These chaotic thoughts would race through Yin Xiaoman’s mind over and over every day.

She desperately tried to comfort herself, telling herself that everything would be fine, that he would return safely, but she couldn’t stop worrying.

The words from those two people earlier that day were like the last straw that broke the camel’s back, shattering all of her illusions…

For a moment, she even thought it might have been better if she had died from that fall in the past, because living this life again seemed pointless.

But what she hadn’t expected at all was that—Shen Qingyun had actually come back alive!

The moment he entered the room, Yin Xiaoman couldn’t believe it. Though her eyelids were heavy and her body immobile, her heart suddenly felt a sense of relief.

Once that relief came, she didn’t know how, but the fever flared up again.

Seeing Yin Xiaoman remain silent, Shen Qingyun felt uneasy. He cautiously asked: “Wife, would you like to eat something? I heard from Liu Chang that you haven’t woken up since noon. You must be hungry, right?”

Yin Xiaoman shook her head, then realized how late it was.

She glanced at the weary Shen Qingyun. “I’m not hungry, you don’t need to worry about me. It’s late already, you should go rest. I’ll go home myself once the fever passes.”

Her words made Shen Qingyun frown and glare at her. “What are you saying! You stay still and don’t move. I’ll get you some water. Drink more hot water to help with the fever.”

With that, he grabbed the thermos beside the bed and went out.

Before leaving, he poked his head back in and looked at her with concern.

As she gazed at the closed door, a complex look appeared in Yin Xiaoman’s eyes.

She knew that Shen Qingyun truly cared for her, but she had to admit that in the moment when their eyes met just now, all the admiration and fantasies she once had for him vanished in an instant.

Looking at him, she did indeed feel a sense of security, and she was genuinely happy that he was able to escape this crisis.

But the hopes, the little sweet fantasies she once had for him, had all disappeared without a trace.

There was even no longer any desire to share her feelings with him.

She thought to herself that, in the end, she was probably a timid and selfish person.

When she finally wanted to open her heart to someone, she was met with such a harsh reprimand!

This made her instinctively want to withdraw and shut herself off again, not wanting to get close to anyone.

When Shen Qingyun walked in with a cup of hot water, he found that Yin Xiaoman had already fallen asleep.

Perhaps the medicine had finally taken effect, as there was a slight sweat on the tip of her nose.

He gently walked over, removed the towel from her forehead, and noticed that her brows were slightly furrowed, as if there was some worry she couldn’t resolve.

Shen Qingyun sighed and quietly sat down beside her again.

Although his wife hadn’t said anything, how could he not see that this incident had truly frightened her?

The look in her eyes when she looked at him carried a sense of rejection, one that she may not even have realized herself.

Shen Qingyun was reminded of the night before he left, when his wife had held his hand and told him that as long as he came back safe and sound, they would live a good life together and never be apart again.

With this incident, their relationship would likely revert back to square one overnight.

Thinking of this, Shen Qingyun clenched his fists in anger, furious at this inexplicable misunderstanding!

Where had things gone wrong?

Before he left, everything had been fine, and he had even made sure to notify the military factory. How did he go from being on the train to suddenly being on the death list?

He felt that this matter absolutely couldn’t be left unresolved!

No matter the reason, anyone who interfered with his relationship with his wife and caused Xiaoman’s feelings for him to freeze instantly was someone he would never forgive!

Shen Qingyun gritted his teeth and made up his mind that after settling his wife tomorrow, he would personally visit the brigade headquarters.

When Yin Xiaoman woke up again, the sky was already bright.

The man was nowhere to be seen, and sitting by the bed was Cui Yan.

As soon as Cui Yan saw her open her eyes, she immediately broke into a smile.

She picked up the basin of water beside her, added some more hot water, and then handed a towel to Yin Xiaoman.

“You’re fine now, the fever has gone down, don’t worry. Get up and wash your face first, and we’ll have breakfast later. Xiao Shen said he’d go home to make congee for you. He should be back soon.”

When Yin Xiaoman heard that Shen Qingyun was going to cook congee, a look of surprise appeared on her face.

That man could cook? She hoped he wouldn’t burn down the kitchen!

From her impression, that man probably hadn’t even stepped into the kitchen before she arrived.

Seeing her expression, Cui Yan quickly guessed what she was thinking and couldn’t help but laugh.

“I offered to go back and cook, but he insisted that he could do it. Just wait and see; I don’t know what he’ll manage to cook, but let’s hope he doesn’t waste the ingredients.”

At this point, she couldn’t resist giving Yin Xiaoman a wink.

“I’ve really never seen Xiao Shen care so much for anyone! He took a few days of train rides, didn’t even change his clothes, and stayed here with you the whole night. Tsk tsk, in our old Qi’s place, that would be unheard of! Xiaoman, a man who knows how to care for others like this, it’s worth crying for him, no regret!”

Teased by Cui Yan, Yin Xiaoman couldn’t help but feel her face heat up. She pressed her lips together, unsure of how to respond to this conversation.

Thankfully, just then, Shen Qingyun walked in holding a bowl of congee, with the two children following behind him.

The children didn’t know what had happened the day before. They only knew that Uncle Qi had taken their mother away, and soon after, she had fallen ill and been admitted to the hospital.

They had wanted to visit yesterday afternoon but were told by Gao Chong, who was looking after them, that their mother needed rest, so they weren’t allowed to go.

Even when Erniu cried for a while, Gao Chong still wouldn’t relent.

It had been a struggle to hold on until this morning. When their father finally came back, the two children refused to listen to anyone’s words and insisted on coming along.

“Mom!” As soon as they entered the room, the two children rushed towards Yin Xiaoman. Erniu, even without taking off her shoes, climbed directly onto the bed and hugged her tightly through the blanket.

“Hey, get down, you naughty girl, you’ve dirtied the blanket!”

Cui Yan, seeing this, laughed angrily and scolded while pulling Erniu off the bed, but Yin Xiaoman stopped her.

“It’s fine, let her stay there.”

Yin Xiaoman smiled as she sat up, reached out to take off Erniu’s shoes, and then pulled her into the blanket to hold her, not even minding that Erniu was still wearing her jacket.

Meanwhile, Da Bao was tightly gripping her sleeve, silent, unwilling to let go.

Yin Xiaoman had no choice but to free one hand and, with some difficulty, reached over to ruffle his head.

Shen Qingyun stood by, watching everything unfold, and suddenly felt a strange discomfort in his heart.

He couldn’t help but feel that his wife was much kinder to those two little ones than to him!

He had rushed back early in the morning to make congee for her, and he had done it with great care. Yet, no matter how he looked at it, his wife didn’t even glance at him twice!

At that thought, an unspoken feeling of grievance began to well up in Shen Qingyun’s chest, but this feeling had no outlet; there was no one he could confide in.

“Drink some congee, it’s freshly made.” He cleared his throat and interrupted the two children’s chatter. He moved closer and placed the small steel pot on the table beside the bed.

Then, he took a small bowl, carefully ladled out half a bowl, and handed it to Yin Xiaoman.

Yin Xiaoman took the bowl and realized that it was made from the little bit of rice they had left at home. Surprisingly, it was quite well done – the texture was just right, neither too thick nor too thin, sticky but not overcooked, and it was clear that a good amount of time had been spent on it. She couldn’t help but look up and take a second glance at the man.

Perhaps that glance was too warm, but it also made Shen Qingyun’s mood lift, as he could sense something positive in the moment.

He was just about to say something when he saw Da Bao, standing at the side, patting the blanket on the bed with force and loudly shouting to his wife: “I, I, I! I helped dad put in the rice!”

Hearing this, Erniu immediately perked up, twisting her small body and looking up at Yin Xiaoman. “And me! I made the fire!”

Shen Qingyun: “…” His face instantly darkened.

Yin Xiaoman finally couldn’t hold it in and let out a soft laugh.

Since the fever had subsided, Yin Xiaoman didn’t stay at the clinic any longer. After finishing the meal, she took the children and headed home with Shen Qingyun.

Shen Qingyun offered to carry her, but she firmly refused.

Thankfully, the clinic wasn’t far from home, and after walking for about ten minutes, they arrived. However, what Yin Xiaoman didn’t expect was that she would see Engineer Ning in her own yard.

It was clear that Engineer Ning and his group had arrived earlier and had been waiting for a while.

When they saw them approach, Engineer Ning immediately stood up from the bench Gao Chong had moved for them and took a few steps forward. “Comrade Xiaoman, are you feeling better? I heard you had a fever. Why didn’t you stay in the hospital a few more days? You need to take good care of your health, that’s the most important thing.”

Yin Xiaoman knew that Engineer Ning and his group had returned with Shen Qingyun, but she hadn’t expected to see them at home.

This made her feel a little nervous.

She instinctively glanced at the man beside her—did this mean they were leaving?

But at this moment, she couldn’t ask and could only smile politely at Engineer Ning. “I’m sorry for troubling you, you even came to check on me. Thank you, I’m no longer running a fever.”

After speaking, she pretended not to care and continued: “You just arrived, why aren’t you resting? Why come all the way here? After all, it should be us going to see you!”

Her words made Engineer Ning feel quite at ease, and he chuckled twice before taking the initiative to introduce the elderly man standing beside him to Yin Xiaoman.

“This is Old Hua, from our unit. This time, we two old fellows are here to assist Xiao Shen with some undercover work, so we didn’t contact the camp in time, which caused you some worry. I apologize for that!”

Hearing this, Old Hua nodded and added: “Yes, it’s our fault. If we had just asked Xiao Shen to call the camp, you wouldn’t have been frightened. We take full responsibility for this matter. We’ll investigate the cause and give you an answer. Please don’t worry about it.”

He smiled and continued: “If you’re upset, blame the two of us old men, not Xiao Shen. This guy is always thinking about getting home. If you ignore him because you’re mad at him, he won’t say anything, but you can be sure he’ll be cursing us in his mind!”

His words made everyone else nearby laugh.

Yin Xiaoman had never encountered anyone so forward and familiar. To be teased like this on the first meeting made her feel a little flustered.

She turned her head, snatched the steel pot Shen Qingyun was holding, and tossed out a hasty line: “You all chat, I’ll go fetch some water.” before quickly making her way toward the kitchen.

Her steps were quick, as if she were afraid they might say something else behind her.

Watching his wife’s back, Shen Qingyun smiled faintly, but Engineer Ning’s next words made him quickly lose his smile.

Engineer Ning said: “Once everything at home is settled, you should go to the meeting. You’re a Colonel now, so the situation at the arms factory isn’t just an accident.”

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