Ruan Qiu also knew that her marriage with Zhou Yishen would not last long, but she simply did not want the person in front of her to have an easy time.
“Since it will not last long, what are you rushing for?”
“You.”
Tian Ruanruan hurriedly stopped her cousin, “Alright Zhuzhu, if you keep this up, Aunt will be angry when she finds out.”
“My mom supports everything I do, and she will never compromise with a rural woman like her!” Xiang Zhuzhu puffed out her chest.
Tian Ruanruan looked utterly helpless and could only give Ruan Qiu an apologetic look.
“Sister-in-law, she is just childish at heart, you do not need to take it to heart.”
“It is fine, I will head back first.”
Ruan Qiu had only come over to drop off some candies and could not be bothered to argue with such a person.
Just as she was stepping out of the hospital entrance, she ran into Chen Ji.
“Sister-in-law, you are not working today? I just looked for you at the nurse’s station and could not find you. Xiao Tao has woken up and wants to thank you in person.”
Xiao Tao had woken up.
Without overthinking it, Ruan Qiu followed Chen Ji back into the inpatient department to visit Xiao Tao in her ward.
They had changed her ward after she regained consciousness. Given the shortage of medical resources at the time, there were only one or two intensive care rooms available.
Fortunately, thanks to Chen Ji’s status as a company commander, Xiao Tao was given relatively decent treatment, an independent room. Though very small, it was at least quiet and suitable for recuperation.
Xiao Tao’s head was still wrapped in thick gauze, and her entire face remained swollen.
“Xiao Tao, this is Battalion Commander’s wife Ruan Qiu, the one who diagnosed your fractured ribs and skull that day,” Chen Ji introduced.
Xiao Tao could only roll her eyeballs, and her speech was slurred and unclear.
Waking up from a skull fracture was already a supreme blessing amidst misfortune. Because her brain nerves were damaged, her language organization skills were affected, and she would not be able to speak coherently for a period of time.
“Focus on recovering well, and I will come visit you again once you are better.”
Xiao Tao blinked her eyes to signal her agreement.
Ruan Qiu knew staying there was pointless. Xiao Tao had just woken up and could not even speak properly, so it was not the right time to question her about falling down the stairs.
Leaving the ward, Ruan Qiu asked Chen Ji, who had followed her out, “Are you not taking leave to take care of Xiao Tao?”
“My mom is coming to take care of her.”
Ruan Qiu wanted to say that was a bad idea, but lacking concrete evidence, she could not jump to conclusions just yet.
“Chen Ji, were you and Xiao Tao in a free-choice relationship?”
“Sister-in-law, how did you know?” Chen Ji was surprised by Ruan Qiu’s analytical ability.
That was not hard to guess. If it had been an arranged marriage by their parents, Chen Ji’s mother would not be looking down on Xiao Tao; only in a free-choice marriage would parents hold such resentment toward a daughter-in-law.
“Xiao Tao has had a hard life. She is an orphan whose parents died early, so she lived with her uncle’s family and went out to find odd jobs to support herself at a very young age. We met in the Great Northern Wilderness. She is very capable, lively, and cheerful, and later on, we got married. She followed me here to Yuncheng.”
“Did you have an arranged childhood betrothal chosen by your parents?”
Chen Ji was even more astounded, “Sister-in-law, you are too amazing! You even know about that?”
Ruan Qiu gave a slight smile. Novels almost always followed this kind of trope, and she had merely been testing the waters with her question. Based on Chen Ji’s answer, Ruan Qiu was one hundred percent certain that Xiao Tao falling down the stairs was no accident.
“I just guessed randomly. Xiao Tao lost her baby, so she must be very heartbroken. You need to spend more time with her. At a time like this, no one else’s company can heal the pain in her heart except yours.”
Chen Ji felt it made sense. “Sister-in-law is right, I am going to apply for leave right now and take good care of Xiao Tao.”
Having said all she needed to say, Ruan Qiu hurried home, mindful that there was still a patient waiting there.
On her way back, Ruan Qiu stopped by to buy some ingredients. Material goods were truly scarce in this era, and most things were seasonal vegetables. Whatever grew in the garden was what you ate, wanting tomatoes in spring or cabbage in summer was simply out of the question.
Right now it was late March, the awkward seasonal gap between spring harvests when green vegetables were scarce. What she could buy were bamboo shoots, red skin radishes, and some garlic bolts harvested by local farmers.
Stir-fried shredded pork with garlic bolts was Ruan Qiu’s absolute favorite dish to go with rice, so she bought a pound of pork belly.
She had originally wanted to buy half a pound, but the butcher’s hand slipped and he cut an extra half pound.
A pound it was, then, Zhou Yishen needed to build up his nutrition anyway.
Carrying her vegetables, Ruan Qiu returned to the family quarters.
Inside the house, several soldiers were chatting with Zhou Yishen. Seeing Ruan Qiu return, they all stood up in unison.
“Sister-in-law is back! We are from the Third Battalion and came to check on the battalion commander.”
After saying that, the fellows all smiled honestly, and a few of them even raised their hands to scratch the backs of their heads.
Soldiers were always this adorable, displaying that standardized shy gesture.
“Stay for lunch,” Ruan Qiu invited.
After exchanging glances, the group of men waved their hands repeatedly, “No need, sister-in-law, we will eat back at the cafeteria. We are heading back!”
The fellows practically bolted out the door.
Zhou Yishen looked at the vegetables and meat Ruan Qiu was holding and, realizing they were going to improve their meals today, spoke up, “We usually often eat food from Company Commander Lian’s place. Since you bought all this meat today, send some over to their place.”
“Alright.”
Ruan Qiu did not want to bicker with Zhou Yishen over this, especially since Company Commander Lian’s wife had indeed been very kind to her, and Political Commissar Lu had shown her immense grace.
When she first came to find Zhou Yishen, Political Commissar Lu arranged housing for her without even laying eyes on her first. What kind of trust was that?
Ruan Qiu first prepared the vegetables and then started cooking.
Unable to help out, Zhou Yisen sat in the living room reading the newspaper.
Ruan Qiu secretly glanced over. What Zhou Yishen was holding was a military daily newspaper. She sighed inwardly.
Even while injured, he did not forget to study, truly admirable.
Ruan Qiu’s signature dish, shredded pork with garlic bolts, was cooked to perfection, and its rich aroma filled the entire house.
The craving worm in Zhou Yishen’s stomach was thoroughly tempted. He could not help putting down the newspaper, standing up, and walking into the kitchen.
“Does it smell good?”
“Good. I never expected you knew how to cook?”
“Underestimate me? Back when I was working, I always cooked my own meals.” Ruan Qiu realized she had slipped up and quickly changed her phrasing, “I figured that once I started working here, I would have to cook for myself, so I learned a bit more.”
Zhou Yishen noticed the flicker of tension and panic that had just flashed in Ruan Qiu’s eyes, and his suspicions deepened further.
She had actually worked before?
Her profile file never mentioned her working, it only stated that she had always worked the fields with her family.
“Uhm, I am going to take this plate of food over to Company Commander Lian’s wife to taste.”
To cover up the awkwardness of a moment ago, Ruan Qiu grabbed the plate and rushed out of the house toward next door.
Watching Ruan Qiu’s retreating figure as she scurried away, Zhou Yishen always felt something was a bit off.
If she were not Ruan Qiu, Zhou Yinian insisted she was his betrothed, if she were Ruan Qiu, her actions and manners were completely different from the profile file.
Ruan Qiu returned after delivering the food, also bringing back two salted duck eggs.
“Company Commander Lian’s wife insisted I bring these back for you to eat, saying they are great for recovery.”
Zhou Yishen let out an acknowledging hum, his gaze fixed on Ruan Qiu filled entirely with scrutiny.
Meeting the man’s probing look head-on, Ruan Qiu asked straight to the point, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Taken aback by the question, Zhou Yishen felt slightly embarrassed and quickly retracted his gaze.
Instead, Ruan Qiu walked step-by-step closer to Zhou Yishen and asked with a teasing tone, “Battalion Commander Zhou, your gaze just now was not very innocent. Could it be that you have fallen in love with me?”