The afternoon sun was slowly tilting westward, and the kitchen work was finally done.
Su Wanqing rubbed her sore, aching waist, hoisted her cloth bag, and started walking out. She froze as soon as she stepped out of the cafeteria.
Under the old locust tree at the military district gate, Lu Yan was standing there.
His military green uniform was crisp and perfectly fitted, buttons fastened tightly, and the star insignia on his epaulets glimmered faintly in the sunset. His broad shoulders and narrow waist made him look like a tall, sturdy pine tree.
Su Wanqing froze, emotions churning.
He… was waiting for her?
Her gaze lingered on him, hesitant.
The sunset light fell across his face, highlighting his sharp, stern features. His eyes were slightly narrowed, the shadows from his thick lashes hiding the emotions beneath, leaving only a pair of deep, black eyes, calm and still like a dark pool.
What caught her attention, however, was what he was holding…
“Cluck cluck cluck—!!”
Two plump live roosters, their red combs standing high, flapped their wings frantically, emitting piercing cries.
Su Wanqing’s carefully composed face nearly cracked.
Was this his apology gift?
She glanced down at another bulging cloth bag in his hand.
Peeking inside, she saw a few roasted sweet potatoes wrapped in oiled paper, with charred marks.
Two live roosters and a large bag of roasted sweet potatoes…
Su Wanqing: …
As an apology gift, this combination looked less like a gift and more like a haul straight from the morning market.
It was both ridiculous and laughable.
She forced her face into a straight line and walked forward.
After just a few steps, her wrist was lightly grabbed.
Lu Yan’s fingertips were cool, the grip gentle, as if afraid she would walk away.
Su Wanqing stopped, neither turning nor speaking.
Her posture said: I’m still sulking, not talking to you.
Lu Yan lowered his eyes to her pouting profile, a trace of helplessness flickering in his gaze.
He let go of her hand, pulled out a small notebook from his pocket.
On it was a pre-written apology, neatly written: “Returned late from mission last night, sorry for not informing you in advance.”
Su Wanqing glanced at the note and nodded slightly inwardly.
Explaining the late return earned him some points.
But…
She looked down at the two roosters, then back at Lu Yan’s serious, stern face.
His brows were slightly furrowed, jaw tense.
As if what he held were not live animals but critical military documents.
Though she wanted to laugh, the apology gift? Zero points!
Seeing her reaction, Lu Yan raised his hand and offered the “gifts” to her.
The roosters, seemingly aware of their fate, stretched their necks and struggled violently, wings flapping and scattering feathers.
The scene was chaotic.
Su Wanqing: …
Lu Yan’s brows knit tightly, holding the roosters’ heads steadily with one hand.
Su Wanqing’s eyes widened, one hand on her forehead. “Chief Lu, who taught you this? Bringing live chickens as an apology gift?”
Lu Yan’s fingers twitched, his gaze lowering to her, black eyes reflecting her figure, contemplating seriously.
He didn’t speak, but a flicker of confusion passed through his eyes.
Not a fan of it?
He recalled Shen Xing telling him, “To appease your wife, give something practical. Food is better than stamps or cloth.”
So he had gone around to a rural household outside the city to buy the chickens, and got roasted sweet potatoes in town.
Unexpectedly…
Lu Yan pressed his thin lips, withdrew the gift, and set it down.
He pulled out a pen and quickly wrote in his notebook: “Not good?”
The handwriting had a clumsy, questioning quality.
It was completely unlike the decisive, no-nonsense man he was in the military.
Su Wanqing looked at the two words, then at him.
His collar button was loosened at some point, revealing pale, smooth skin.
She noticed the scar running from his neck down to his collarbone.
“Lu Yan, you’re hurt… why didn’t you tell me?”
Her tone was insistent, yet tender. Her eyes were like seas, bright and clear, the corners slightly lifted, her small nose delicate, lips pursed.
Lu Yan froze mid-stroke at her words.
Having grown up in the military, he had countless small injuries.
In the military, these were trivial matters; no one would bring them up in front of him, and no one like Su Wanqing would ask with such pure concern, “Why didn’t you say?”
He was silent for a moment before slowly raising his eyes to her. In his black eyes, there was only a deep, calm stillness.
He looked down at the notebook and wrote, slower than before: “Minor injury, no need to mention.”
Su Wanqing, however, wasn’t satisfied. She stepped closer and lightly tugged his sleeve, voice serious: “Lu Yan, I’m your wife. Shouldn’t I know about your injuries?”
She paused, softening her tone: “I care about you. You need to tell me these things.”
She spoke plainly, making her request clear.
Lu Yan looked at the earnestness in her eyes, his Adam’s apple moving almost imperceptibly.
He bent down again, writing: “Arm injury is old, caused by shrapnel on a previous mission, nothing serious.”
Just five short words, yet they quietly revealed a corner of the long-hidden past, offering it to her.
Reading the line, Su Wanqing’s anger mostly melted away.
She thought of his previously undisclosed anorexia, hesitated for a moment…
But ultimately chose not to bring it up just yet.
“Alright, let’s go home.”
Su Wanqing walked ahead, unconsciously twisting the cloth bag strap with her fingers.
The anorexia matter was still too sensitive…
She hadn’t figured out how to ask about it.
Lu Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. He lifted the roosters by the net bag with one hand, fingers precise, not a trace of mess.
He strode with long, steady steps behind her.
The family compound.
Click. Lu Yan produced a key and unlocked the door.
As the door opened a crack, a figure suddenly rushed over.
It was Lu Zhengming, anxiously waiting at home all day.
He had been lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling wood grain, and sprang up as soon as he heard the noise, eyes darting between the two of them.
Seeing Su Wanqing’s relaxed expression and her appearance, along with his brother carrying… chickens and sweet potatoes,
Lu Zhengming immediately breathed a sigh of relief and grinned: “Brother, sister-in-law, you’re finally back! I’ve been waiting all day!”
Su Wanqing went straight to the bathroom.
“I’m going to wash my face. You guys put these away, don’t let the chickens escape.”
Lu Zhengming watched her enter the bathroom, then quickly leaned toward Lu Yan, lowering his voice: “Brother, did you explain to sister-in-law? About your anorexia—she knows now, right? You talked to her properly?”
Lu Yan was bending down, placing the roasted sweet potatoes on the coffee table, and froze mid-motion at the words.
He straightened, the pale skin under his loosened collar slightly cool, black eyes flickering with evident surprise.
Meeting his brother’s dangerous glare, Lu Zhengming immediately realized: sister-in-law hadn’t told him, and he still didn’t know… but she already knew.
His mind went in a whirl, and nervously swallowing, he hurried to clarify:
“Brother, I didn’t say anything! Sister-in-law figured it out herself!”