Ruan Shujin glanced at Xie Zheng, and neither of them rushed Cheng Xinfeng.
Xie Zheng kept an eye on Ruan Shujin’s expression.
“Happy?”
Ruan Shujin paused, one hand covering her face.
“Is it that obvious?”
Xie Zheng nodded and tapped his head slightly.
“After we finish eating and you deliver the meal to Sister Yinglan, once everyone’s done, we’ll head to the hospital.”
“How’s the woman who gave birth?”
“No news is good news.”
“Then that’s good.”
In the small cafeteria, when Ruan Yu saw Ruan Shujin, she waved excitedly.
Ruan Shujin quickened her pace a little. She used her hand to tickle the tip of Ruan Yu’s nose.
“Little Yu, why are you up so early?”
“Sis, this place is really different from our hometown. Dad wouldn’t let me run outside.”
“When everything settles down, I’ll take you out to see around.”
“Yay, yay!”
Ruan Yu was still young and well protected by her family. Even though she had faced danger, she still had a childlike nature.
Ruan Shujin looked at Ruan Yu and remembered herself at ten—her grandfather’s health had already begun to decline, spending all day among his medicines. She had been crying and calling for her parents. Thinking about it, Ruan Shujin felt like she had become a killer herself.
Ruan Dong placed the meal in front of Ruan Shujin.
“You just pamper her. Eat quickly, so you don’t starve.”
Ruan Shujin collected her thoughts and looked at Uncle Ruan Dong.
“Uncle, I was even more troublesome than her when I was ten!”
Ruan Shujin ate quickly. By the time she went upstairs with her meal, Li Yinglan was already awake, tidying herself.
Ruan Shujin pointed to the food, and Li Yinglan understood immediately.
“Speaking things out makes the heart feel so much lighter. For the first time, I feel this relieved inside.”
Li Yinglan said this and bit into the firm steamed bun.
Seeing Ah Jin beside her, Li Yinglan’s chewing slowed a little.
Ruan Shujin realized Li Yinglan was staring intently at her.
“Are you thinking of your grandfather?”
Li Yinglan exclaimed.
“My grandfather—different places call him differently. My mother’s father is called that.”
Li Yinglan nodded.
“He was a very good old man,” Ruan Shujin lowered her head, “but I feel quite sorry for him. I was very disobedient.”
Li Yinglan put down the bun.
“Ah Jin, sometimes, if we haven’t lived through what the other has, we just can’t understand. Like in our place, some girls were family treasures, but stubborn men made them suffer for love, angering their parents to near death. Only after they followed their own hearts would they understand their parents’ good intentions.”
“Still, most girls from our place were unlucky—bound feet, forbidden to read… these were defaults in our region.”
Li Yinglan’s words cheered Ruan Shujin up considerably.
After eating, Li Yinglan quickly packed the lunch boxes and pulled Ruan Shujin, ready to go out.
“Let’s go. Stop overthinking. Today’s important task is to visit the woman who gave birth on the train.”
Ruan Shujin staggered slightly as she was pulled, only steadying herself once they reached a wider area.
Xie Zheng nudged Cheng Xinfeng. Both of them stood up.
Ruan Shujin looked at Ruan Dong, who had packed the luggage, then turned to Xie Zheng.
“After the hospital, we’re not going back to the inn?”
Xie Zheng nodded.
Li Yinglan called Cheng Xinfeng, and the two went to get their things.
Ruan Shujin and Xie Zheng exchanged glances, then got into the car first, helping Ruan Dong with his luggage.
Since Ruan Shujin and the others were going to the hospital, they didn’t follow the main group to Mokou.
Seeing Xie Zheng driving the jeep, Ruan Shujin remembered how she and he had married without ever properly discussing their work—she had just been married off directly.
Xie Zheng seemed to have installed a detector in Ruan Shujin’s mind, always able to guess what she was thinking.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you starve.”
“Who has a higher position, you or Cheng Xinfeng?”
“About the same, but I’m too lazy to manage much. I ran faster than him before, begged our commander to make me deputy regiment leader and him full regiment leader, so he’s busier than me.”
Ruan Shujin laughed at his words.
“Xie Zheng, you’re doomed. Having married me, that’s it for life.”
Xie Zheng waved his hand.
“My ambitions aren’t here. I came here chasing a bigger dream.”
“Many people chase high positions, but I didn’t want that. It’s not you dragging me down; I dragged you—made you, a city girl, come to a place like this.”
Ruan Shujin felt a little guilty. Xie Zheng didn’t continue, just glanced outside.
“They’re here.”
Ruan Shujin looked at Li Yinglan and finally felt completely at ease.
Once everyone was present, Xie Zheng and Cheng Xinfeng sat in the driver and passenger seats. The second row had three adults, and three children squeezed in the back.
Ruan Shujin hooked Li Yinglan’s finger with hers, only to be glared at playfully. Not being foolish, she withdrew the gesture.
The First Hospital of Baoshi was the most renowned. Xie Zheng and Cheng Xinfeng led the way, with Ruan Shujin and Li Yinglan following behind.
Upon arrival, Ruan Shujin first saw the elderly woman with an injured foot. She stood up immediately, holding Ruan Shujin and Li Yinglan’s hands.
“Thank you, girls. If not for you, my daughter-in-law really would have been in trouble this time.”
“Grandma, it’s nothing, just a small effort.”
Ruan Shujin looked at the elderly woman’s foot.
“Grandma, how’s your foot?”
“It’s fine, much better now. The people in white clothes wrapped it for me.”
Xie Zheng called Ruan Shujin’s attention, and she saw two men standing nearby—one older in green military uniform, gray hair; the other around thirty, tall and strong.
“Ah Jin, this is Division Commander Song Renshu of the Mengdu Corps Second Division. The man next to him is Company Commander Song Zhongyi.”
Ruan Shujin extended her hand.
“Commander, I’m Ruan Shujin.”
After introductions, she shook hands with Song Zhongyi as well. Li Yinglan copied her.
Song Renshu’s gaze made Ruan Shujin’s scalp tingle slightly.
Fortunately, a voice came from the ward.
Song Zhongyi glanced at his father and led the two women inside.
Seeing Tian Maizi’s expression, Ruan Shujin and Li Yinglan knew she was fine.
Tian Maizi tried to get up but was gently pushed back by them.
Ruan Shujin pointed to the chair by the bed.
“Don’t move. We won’t be formal with you; just find your spot.”
Li Yinglan nodded in agreement.
“You just gave birth. Don’t move around too much.”