Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Jin Xiuzhu entered with the children and stopped at the foot of the bed without saying anything.

It was her son who rushed to Jiang Mingchuan's side, examining him from head to toe before bursting into tears. "Dad, what happened to you?"

Over the past few days, hearing that his dad was in the hospital had been a constant worry for him. However, his mother and aunts assured him that his father was fine. He knew he was the only boy in the family, with his mother pregnant and his sister still young, so he tried not to show how scared he felt. It wasn't until yesterday when his mother suddenly told him to take a day off school and accompany her to visit his father in the hospital that he guessed things might be worse than they said.

On their way here, while he comforted his mother and sister, he had prepared himself for the worst. Seeing his father lying in the hospital bed now only made his heart ache even more.

He had never seen his father look this bad.

"Dad, does it hurt?"

Looking at his son's red eyes, Jiang Mingchuan's heart softened. He reached out to pat his head but remembered that he was holding an unfinished peach in one hand and couldn't move the other. "I'm okay, I'll be better soon."

Fu Yanyan hadn't expected Mr. Jiang's injuries to be so severe. She slowly walked behind her brother and watched with concern.

Jiang Mingchuan smiled at her and then looked up at Jin Xiuzhu. "It's really not that serious. They're all minor injuries. If they were serious, I'd need surgery, but I don't."

Jin Xiuzhu didn't say anything as she looked at his suspended leg.

She didn't understand the treatment method, but she trusted the doctors here. Looking back at Jiang Mingchuan, she noticed how much weight he had lost in such a short time; his eye sockets seemed sunken.

She pursed her lips. "This is what you mean by being able to go home in a few days?"

Her tone was calm, but Jiang Mingchuan knew her well enough to realize she was truly upset.

"It won't be long. The doctor said I'm recovering quickly and can go home next week."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed in response.

Jiang Mingchuan offered her a seat, but upon looking around, he realized there weren't any stools left—other visitors must have taken them. He asked his son to fetch two stools from the neighboring room.

He Yan obediently ran out.

This was the first time Jiang Mingchuan had experienced something like this. In the past, whenever he was injured and hospitalized, he had always managed on his own. Occasionally, his comrades would drop by for a brief visit, but he had never had his family come to see him.

He suggested Jin Xiuzhu sit on the bed and offered fruit to the mother and daughter. "These were sent by the families of fellow soldiers. You should try some."

Fu Yanyan glanced at the fruit on the floor beside the bed—a peach and a small watermelon.

But she just wasn't in the mood to eat right now. She looked back at her father.

Jiang Mingchuan, under the silent gaze of his wife and daughter, suddenly didn't know what to say.

The ward, which had been lively, fell quiet after Jin Xiuzhu and the children arrived. In the adjacent beds, one patient was a young soldier, and the other was a civilian injured when a building collapsed.

The young soldier's bed was near the entrance. There were many young soldiers in the hospital, and several of his comrades had visited earlier, including two of Jiang Mingchuan's subordinates.

During the days that Battalion Commander Jiang had been in the hospital, none of his family members came to visit, leading to speculation among the soldiers about whether he and his wife had a good relationship. After all, other leaders had family members visiting, bringing food and drinks, and often staying overnight. Only Battalion Commander Jiang had no visitors.

Now seeing his wife and children, the soldiers were curious and listened intently.

The family of three in the other bed also sensed the delicate atmosphere and remained quiet.

This made Jiang Mingchuan feel even more awkward. At home, he could whisper sweet nothings to Jin Xiuzhu, but with so many people around, he felt embarrassed.

Fortunately, He Yan returned quickly with the stools—one for his mother and one for his sister. He lay down beside his father's bed, staring at him.

"Dad, why are your injuries so severe? The aunts said you'd be back in a few days. Mom, my sister, and I waited every day, counting the days. But yesterday, Mom couldn't wait anymore and had me take a day off school to come here today. Good thing we did, we didn't know it was this bad."

Hearing this, Jiang Mingchuan looked apologetically at Jin Xiuzhu. "Actually, it's not that bad. I've had worse injuries in the past. Unlike now, Shida Jun's wife brings me meals every day, saving me a lot of trouble."

Jin Xiuzhu didn't know what to say. She understood that he was trying to protect her, knowing that she was pregnant and that the children were still young. Telling them would only cause unnecessary worry.

"But you shouldn't keep everything to yourself. Even if I can't come every day, I could come every other day. And there's our son—he could help take care of you, run errands, and wash clothes."

Jiang Mingchuan could tell that Jin Xiuzhu was less angry now and nodded, smiling. "Right, you're right. You think of everything."

Jin Xiuzhu gave him a sidelong glance and scolded, "Stop making fun of me."

He Yan chimed in. "That's right, Dad. I can take care of you."

He wasn't a child anymore. He was capable of doing many things now.

Jin Xiuzhu carefully examined Jiang Mingchuan and frowned. "How many days has it been since you last bathed?"

His face was dirty.

Jiang Mingchuan didn't want to admit that it had been nearly twenty days since his last bath.

Even if he didn't say it, Jin Xiuzhu could guess. She asked He Yan to bring a basin of hot water.

Jiang Mingchuan quickly said, "The basin is under the bed."

A few days ago, Jin Xiuzhu had someone bring clean clothes and the basin, but since he couldn't move much in bed, he didn't want to inconvenience others and hadn't used them.

He Yan found the basin and got up to rummage through the bag, pulling out a clean towel.

Jiang Mingchuan added, "The hot water is in the water dispenser at the end of the corridor. Turn the faucet towards the red side, and you'll get hot water."

He Yan had already run out the door. "Got it."

Jin Xiuzhu asked her daughter to find the razor and other items in the bag. Fu Yanyan slid off the stool and skillfully retrieved what Jin Xiuzhu needed.

When He Yan returned with the basin of hot water, Jin Xiuzhu washed Jiang Mingchuan's face with the towel and then used soap and a razor to shave his beard clean.

Jin Xiuzhu moved gently, and Jiang Mingchuan closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.

Jiang Mingchuan had always felt like an adult. This wasn't his first time being injured and hospitalized, so from the start, he hadn't thought about notifying Jin Xiuzhu and the two children. He believed he could handle it on his own.

And as it turned out, he was right. These days, lying alone in his hospital bed, the only inconvenience he experienced was not being able to take a bath. Other than that, he didn't feel any discomfort.

Seeing others being taken care of by their family members didn't make him envious either.

But just now, when he saw Jin Xiuzhu enter with the two children, aside from the initial tightness in his heart, he felt more joy and excitement.

Now, watching Jin Xiuzhu gently wash his face and shave him while the children watched from the bedside, he felt a deep sense of contentment.

The young soldiers in neighboring beds exchanged glances and winks at this sight. After chatting for a while, they dispersed. Those who were less severely injured supported each other as they left. Once outside, they dared to whisper amongst themselves—

"That's Captain Jiang's wife? She's really beautiful."

"Isn't she? If I were him, I wouldn't want my wife to come here either."

"You're dreaming. Could you even find someone that beautiful?"

"It's not just her looks. She's also a great cook. Earlier this year, she was specially recruited by Chef Zhang to prepare breakfast in the canteen. Every day was different, and the food was so good you'd want to eat your own hand."

"Really? Then why isn't she cooking there anymore?"

"She was reported. You weren't here back then. It's a shame; during holidays, many leaders would reserve her dishes to send home. Now we can't even taste them anymore."

"Is it really that good?"

"Of course. Even the food sold in the department store can't compare..."

Their voices faded as they walked away. A passing woman, who had overheard their conversation, suddenly stopped and turned around to glare at their retreating backs.

The young soldiers seemed to sense something and looked back.

The woman quickly turned away.

Seeing that it was a pregnant woman with a child, the soldiers didn't think much of it and continued chatting and laughing.

Tang Ying, being considerate, remained silent and looked up at her mother.

Zhao Yun touched her belly and whispered, "Let's go."

She led her daughter upstairs.

Upon reaching Room 409 on the fourth floor, Zhao Yun headed straight for Yang Yao, who had been admitted the previous night. With his permission, the hospital nurse had called the military unit and contacted his family.

Today, Zhao Yun brought her child along. She currently lived in the city, and it had been a while since she last saw Yang Yao.

Yang Yao, lying in his hospital bed, almost didn't recognize her upon seeing her.

Zhao Yun had gained weight recently, her skin had turned sallow, and several pimples had appeared on her cheeks and chin. Her nose seemed wider, and due to her weight gain, two dark lines had formed on her neck. She had cut her hair short, and upon closer inspection, it appeared thinner.

Yang Yao didn't dwell on these changes. Upon recognizing her, he immediately said, "Please sit down and rest for a bit."

However, Zhao Yun caught his momentary surprise and her expression soured. She pursed her lips tightly and didn't move.

She knew she didn't look good. She had always been proud of her beauty and figure, but ever since becoming pregnant, she had become increasingly unattractive. Recently, she had even stopped looking in the mirror.

When she gave birth to Tang Ying, she hadn't changed much, except for her expanded belly.

But now, she didn't dare to leave the house.

Her neighbors said this pregnancy would surely result in a son, but she didn't care about the gender. All she wanted was to regain her former appearance.

She regretted having this child. She had noticed Yang Yao's growing indifference towards her, which is why she decided to use her pregnancy to improve their relationship. If she had known it would lead to this, Zhao Yun would never have gone through with it.

Tang Ying glanced at her mother.

Yang Yao asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Zhao Yun suppressed her disgust and shook her head. She then sat silently on a nearby chair.

Yang Yao looked at her. Zhao Yun hated being looked at now, so she lowered her head to avoid his gaze.

Yang Yao couldn't guess her thoughts. Assuming it was due to their long separation, he softened his tone and asked, "How has the baby been lately?"

At this question, Zhao Yun's mouth tightened, but she replied, "It's okay."

"That's good."

Yang Yao nodded, unsure of what else to say.

After sitting in silence for a while, Zhao Yun took her daughter and left.

Tang Ying followed her mother. As they exited the ward, she couldn't help but look back. Unlike before, Uncle Yang wasn't looking at her mother. Instead, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

She looked at her mother again. At such a young age, she didn't fully understand the complexities between adults, but she sensed that something wasn't right.

"Mom, when can we go back?"

In reality, she wanted to tell her mother that Uncle Yang was very kind to them and hoped she wouldn't be angry. She wished for a brother, just like the girl downstairs who was treated so well by hers.

Zhao Yun paused at her words.

She stood at the stairwell for a while. Finally, after some contemplation, she led her daughter away.

Downstairs, Zhao Yun encountered Jin Xiuzhu and the two children at the staircase.

She seemed surprised to meet them unexpectedly.

Jin Xiuzhu recognized her and raised her beautiful eyebrows in surprise.

Zhao Yun felt infuriated under Jin Xiuzhu's gaze but pretended not to notice it, lowering her head and walking away first.

When she reached the corner of the staircase, she heard Jin Xiuzhu's son's voice, "Was that Auntie Zhao?"

His tone was filled with surprise.

Not wanting to hear more, Zhao Yun gritted her teeth and quickly left with her daughter.

She thought to herself, at least she had conceived a child for Yang Yao. Jin Xiuzhu had been married for over a year now and still showed no signs of pregnancy. Just this point alone made her feel superior to Jin Xiuzhu.

On the stairs, Jin Xiuzhu gave He Yan a light smack on the head, "Why so loud? You're not afraid of others hearing?"

He Yan hastily covered his mouth, looking innocent as he stared at his mother and sister.

Fu Yanyan didn't bother with him, knowing his loud voice meant he had definitely heard.

However, she also found it surprising. She hadn't expected Zhao Yun to look like that after getting pregnant.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't care about their thoughts and simply said, "Let's go back home. We'll come visit Dad again the day after tomorrow."

"Okay."

Afterward, Jin Xiuzhu brought the children to the hospital twice more. By Sunday, Jiang Mingchuan was discharged early, with only his left hand and right leg still injured while the rest were mostly healed.

On that Sunday, Zhu Ying brought the two children along, helping carry things. Jin Xiuzhu cooked at home, even specially going to the supply and marketing cooperative in the morning to buy vegetables and meat, starting to stew the meat upon returning.

When Jiang Mingchuan came back, he smelled the aroma of meat the moment he opened the door.

He Yan exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Smells delicious!"

Hearing the commotion, Jin Xiuzhu emerged from the kitchen, hurriedly taking the items from Zhu Ying. Zhu Ying avoided her, placing the bag on the ground and saying, "It's good that you returned safely. Your family should enjoy a good reunion. I'll go check on Fang Min."

"Sis, why don't you and Fang Min come over for lunch? I've prepared a lot of dishes."

Zhu Ying didn't refuse, "Alright, then I'll tidy up a bit before coming over."

Jin Xiuzhu closed the door after seeing her off. Turning around, she saw the three men already seated on stools. Jiang Mingchuan was slightly out of breath—this time, his body had truly suffered. Climbing just a few floors with a cane had left him panting. Normally, even climbing seventeen or eighteen floors wouldn't have caused such a reaction.

He asked his son to fetch him a glass of water. He Yan was tired too, having carried the items all the way. After sitting down, he remembered the many snacks in the package and started rummaging through them with his sister, not even looking up when he replied, "Dad, the doctor told you to move more. It helps with recovery."

Jiang Mingchuan glanced at him irritably before turning to Jin Xiuzhu. Jin Xiuzhu ignored him, "I've been busy since early morning."

She turned and went back into the kitchen.

Jiang Mingchuan clicked his tongue, muttering softly, "You weren't like this in the hospital."

Fu Yanyan, who wasn't far away, heard and stifled a laugh. When Jiang Dad was still seriously ill in the hospital, Mother and He Yan had doted on him. Now that he could return home, meaning he wasn't severely injured, Mother and He Yan began treating him differently.

For lunch, Jin Xiuzhu prepared six dishes, symbolizing a smooth and prosperous future. Fang Min's belly had already started to show, but since she was slim, it wasn't overly prominent.

Jin Xiuzhu and the children usually only saw Fang Min, assuming that pregnancy merely made one's belly larger. That was why they found Zhao Yun's appearance so strange that day.

Thinking about this, Jin Xiuzhu had been intentionally eating less these past few days—not because she feared gaining weight, but because she worried about her belly growing too large, making childbirth difficult later.

Jiang Mingchuan didn't know this. Seeing Jin Xiuzhu eat little, he kept serving her food.

Due to the presence of others, Jin Xiuzhu didn't want to embarrass him and ate everything. She also responded politely whenever he spoke to her.

However, once everyone left and they returned to their room to rest, she started asking about his injuries.

"I heard you got hurt saving someone?"

Without much thought, Jiang Mingchuan nodded.

Jin Xiuzhu seriously said, "As a soldier, you often say you serve the people, and I fully agree. But I heard you saved an old man and nearly got swept away by the flood yourself. If that old man was kind and reasonable, I wouldn't say anything. However, after you carried him to the middle of the river, he suddenly wanted to go back, clearly not valuing his own life or yours. Putting yourself in danger to save such a person, what would happen if something happened to you? What about our two children and the one in my belly?"

Jiang Mingchuan remained silent. At the time, he hadn't thought that much, only focused on saving the person.

Jin Xiuzhu knew his character and softened her tone, "I'm not angry, just worried about you. I hope that next time, you can think of us before acting. Your job means sometimes sacrifices are inevitable, but I don't want you to needlessly risk your life. Think about it: if you hadn't gotten injured this time, couldn't you have saved more people? Perhaps many young lives would have been saved instead of risking yourself for that unreasonable old man, causing many innocent lives to be lost."

Jiang Mingchuan hadn't initially seen a problem with his actions, but hearing this, he realized it might indeed be true.

Deep down, he understood that Jin Xiuzhu was saying all this because she feared something happening to him and wanted him to prioritize his safety in dangerous situations.

He felt touched by her concern but, as she mentioned, he was a soldier and needed to follow orders. If ordered to save someone, he couldn't abandon them.

In the past, Jiang Mingchuan would have argued, but he gradually understood how couples interacted. Thus, he feigned contemplation and nodded, "I'll be more careful next time."

Only then did Jin Xiuzhu feel satisfied.

Her demeanor softened as she snuggled closer to him, speaking gently, "Before, I was really angry, but later I understood. You're just this type of person; what can I do? In the hospital, there were others around, so I gave you face and didn't scold you. Now, it's just the two of us, and I want to tell you that others are important, but you are important too. You need to protect yourself so that you can protect more people."

Hearing this, Jiang Mingchuan's heart melted.

He realized he shouldn't have given her that dismissive response earlier. Opening his mouth, he repeated the same words, "I'll be more careful next time."

This time, he meant it sincerely. Next time, he'd still save people but wouldn't put himself in danger.

Jin Xiuzhu pressed her face against his chest, sensing the subtle difference in his tone and smugly curved her lips.

How dare he try to play mind games with her?

Hmph.

---

In the following days, Jin Xiuzhu stayed at home, focusing on nurturing her pregnancy and taking care of Jiang Mingchuan.

Of course, she received much help from next door. Zhu Ying would assist Jin Xiuzhu after finishing her household chores, and both families now shared meals together, alternating between houses. When it was their turn to cook at home, Jin Xiuzhu would give Zhu Ying money and coupons for groceries beforehand.

Due to this, Jin Xiuzhu felt rather embarrassed. After finishing her drawings during the day, she would sew clothes for children, starting with Fang Min's child.

Zhu Ying said that Fang Min was expecting a girl and praised how beautiful Fang Min looked during her pregnancy. Jin Xiuzhu didn't understand these things, so she made more dresses and shoes suitable for little girls.

Zhu Ying marveled at them, never expecting that Jin Xiuzhu wasn't only good at drawing but also excellent at sewing clothes, even better than those bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.

By late July, Bai Jingzhi returned from school.

In her previous letter, Bai Jingzhi mentioned that she would be returning later for the summer break as she was helping her teacher translate some books.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't tell her about Jiang Mingchuan's injury, not wanting her to worry about home.

Bai Jingzhi arrived in the evening. Coincidentally, both families were having dinner together when they heard a knock on the door. He Yan went to open it, speculating if it might be one of the aunts. Instead, he found his significantly changed aunt standing there, leaving him stunned.

Bai Jingzhi entered with bags full of items, smiling broadly.

Jin Xiuzhu reacted quickly, standing up and exclaiming in delight, "You child, why didn't you tell us you were coming? We could have picked you up."

She walked over to help her take off her bags, asking, "How many good things did you bring back?"

Bai Jingzhi chuckled, "Not much."

Jin Xiuzhu patted her shoulder, smiling, "You've grown taller and more beautiful."

Most importantly, her demeanor had changed. She no longer seemed timid and hesitant to speak. Now, confidence radiated from her eyes.

Bai Jingzhi smiled shyly, touching her long hair, assuming her sister-in-law was complimenting its length.

Jiang Mingchuan smiled, urging them to sit down and eat.

He Yan astutely ran to the kitchen to serve his aunt some rice.

Fang Min and Commissioner Zhu Ying greeted her warmly, asking about her life at school.

Bai Jingzhi greeted everyone by name before sitting down to share stories about her school life.

Only Zhu Ying, since Bai Jingzhi entered, had been looking at her with bright eyes. Then, she secretly tugged at Fu Yanyan's clothes where no one could see, asking in a low, eager voice, "Who is this? Which relative of yours?"

Fu Yanyan didn't think much of it, assuming that Zhu Ying's old age had affected her hearing and that she hadn't heard their earlier greetings. She replied, "This is my aunt."

Zhu Ying's eyes lit up. "Oh, your aunt! How old is she? Is she married?"

Fu Yanyan: "…"

What was she getting at? Was she thinking of matchmaking her notoriously unmarried son again?

Don't think I'm too young to know; she even had her eye on Jin Xiuzhu before, disliking how Jiang Dad wasn't as handsome as her son.