Although Song Qingfeng had become disabled, there was not the slightest trace of panic in Qiao Nianyao’s eyes.
That was because not only had she transmigrated into this world, but she had also brought her wood-element ability with her. Her wood-element ability could be used offensively, allowing her to stimulate thorny vines to attack enemies.
It could also be used defensively, and its regenerative healing ability was so powerful that it could practically be called a healer’s skill.
Moreover, besides her wood-element ability, she also possessed an enormous storage space that had dropped from an enemy. It was as large as the Bird’s Nest recorded in history books. She did not know exactly how many cubic meters it contained, but it was truly immense.
Although more than half of the supplies inside had already been used up, the remaining stockpile was still beyond imagination.
Qiao Nianyao had long since examined it. Everything necessary for daily life was inside. Time within the space was completely frozen, and whatever was placed inside remained exactly the same when taken back out.
However, after arriving here, Qiao Nianyao did not rely on that space. A person who had survived the apocalypse firmly believed that only by becoming strong herself could she truly stand on her own.
Even those with supernatural abilities still needed to build a strong body and excellent physical fitness.
Still, since she had such a space and it contained so many supplies, there was no need to make things unnecessarily difficult for herself. From time to time, she would still take out a few supplies to improve their meals.
For example, at that moment, Qiao Nianyao had boiled a large pot of water. She first filled the household’s two thermoses and the military canteen, then used the remaining hot water to cook a bowl of broad noodles.
The noodles had come from her storage space. In this era, they were unquestionably a refined grain and considered a luxury.
Not only had she used noodles, but she had also cracked three eggs into the pot, blanched a few vegetable leaves, and finally sprinkled a handful of chopped scallions over the top.
A steaming, fragrant bowl of egg noodles was soon ready.
Qiao Nianyao carried the bowl into the room.
Song Qingfeng looked toward her.
Before returning, it was obvious that his comrades had cleaned him up. His entire body was spotless.
Her husband had an exceptionally handsome face, but there was no expression on it. The light that had once filled his eyes was gone, leaving behind only numbness and gloom.
Qiao Nianyao was not surprised. Anyone who experienced something like this would find it impossible to accept. The contrast between before and after was simply too great.
“Hungry? I made you a bowl of egg noodles,” Qiao Nianyao said as she placed the bowl on the kang table before going over to help him sit up.
Song Qingfeng no longer had any feeling in either of his legs, but he could still support himself with his hands and lean against the wall to sit up.
Seeing that he could manage on his own, Qiao Nianyao merely gave him a helping hand and arranged a pillow behind his back.
However, Song Qingfeng did not touch the bowl of egg noodles. Instead, he looked at his wife, the woman with whom he had spent only a few days together.
His wife was very beautiful. Her thick braid was black and glossy. Her almond-shaped eyes were large and bright, her nose was delicate, and her skin was fair. She did not look like a country girl from a rural village at all. Anyone who did not know better would have thought she was a university student.
She was slender, even somewhat frail, yet the determination in her eyes radiated tremendous strength.
The reason he had agreed so readily back then was because he had been moved by that steadfast resolve in her eyes.
“You should leave. Find yourself a good family to marry into. I don’t want to hold you back,” Song Qingfeng said numbly after remaining silent for a while.
Although she was his wife, the two of them had barely known each other at the time, so they had never consummated their marriage.
He had become a cripple. He could no longer support her, nor could he give her happiness.
She was still young. She should find someone else to marry, have children, and live her life instead of wasting it on him.
Qiao Nianyao had clearly not expected him to say such a thing. She studied him carefully and realized that he truly meant it. He was not testing her.
But two years earlier, he had willingly spent five hundred yuan to completely sever her ties with the Qiao family so that she could live a peaceful life on her own. Before leaving home, he had bought her grain, taken her shopping for clothes and quilts, and left her so much money and so many ration coupons.
From that moment onward, she had acknowledged him as her husband.
Because a husband like this was even rarer than a priceless treasure in the apocalypse.
Now he had proven once again that her judgment had not been wrong.
Even after ending up like this, he was still willing to let her go.
But he was truly foolish.
If she left, what would happen to him? Was he supposed to fend for himself and wait for death?
Not to mention that she had brought her supernatural ability with her and could heal him, even if she could not heal him, she would still willingly stay to care for him and ensure that he lived the rest of his life in comfort.
“Are you trying to drive me away?” Although that was what Qiao Nianyao was thinking, what came out of her mouth was something entirely different, her voice filled with grievance.
Considering that her appearance had allowed the Qiao parents to treat her like a valuable commodity, her beauty naturally spoke for itself.
She was simply too beautiful. Even dressed in coarse homespun clothing, she could not conceal the natural elegance that seemed untouched by artifice. When she looked aggrieved, she became especially heart-rending.
She had actually wanted to squeeze out a couple of tears as well. That would have made her even more effective.
But there was no need.
Tears were not meant to be used that way.
Song Qingfeng looked at the grievance on her face and met her eyes. His heart was as still as an ancient well, without the slightest ripple. “I’m already like this. If you stay, I’ll only hold you back. You can leave. You don’t have to pay that money back.”
“Qingfeng!”
Before Qiao Nianyao could say anything, Song Dagu’s anxious voice came from outside.
Song Dagu had taken a nap at noon. She had only just gotten up when she heard that her nephew’s legs had been crippled and that the army had sent him home.
It was no less than a bolt from the blue.
Chapter 3: I Don’t Want to Hold You Back
Supporting her was the eldest grandson’s wife, Lin Xiaohong. She hurriedly said, “Grandma, don’t worry. Maybe the villagers exaggerated it.”
However, neither of them entered because Dahuang blocked the doorway, barking furiously.
Qiao Nianyao came out. “Dahuang, let Aunt come in.”
Upon hearing its mistress’s command, the fierce Dahuang put away its bared fangs and stepped aside, allowing Song Dagu and Lin Xiaohong, who had been blocked outside the door, to enter.
Song Dagu was a thin yet capable elderly woman. As soon as she entered, she hurriedly asked, “Qingfeng was brought back by an army vehicle? Is it really true?”
“Aunt, I’m in here,” Song Qingfeng called from inside the room.
Lin Xiaohong did not know what the situation inside was, so it was not appropriate for her to enter. “Aunt-in-law, Uncle…”
Lin Xiaohong was Dadou’s mother.
“He’s fine,” Qiao Nianyao said.
As for Song Dagu.
The moment she entered the room, she saw her nephew leaning against the wall, wearing an expression of utter despair as though he no longer wished to live. He was covered by a quilt, so it was impossible to tell what condition his legs were in.
Her lips trembled. “Why are you lying down as soon as you got back? Are you too tired?”
“When I was carrying out my mission, the enemy shot through my legs. They’re ruined.”
Since Song Qingfeng knew that his aunt had already heard the rumors spreading through the village, he did not conceal the fact that he had become disabled.
Song Dagu lifted the quilt to take a look. Her nephew’s legs were simply lying there. They appeared perfectly normal. Refusing to give up, she asked, “Could there be some mistake? Aren’t they perfectly fine? How could they be crippled?”
Song Qingfeng said nothing.
Looking at her once spirited and high-spirited eldest nephew in such a state, Song Dagu nearly failed to hold back her tears.
How could she not understand her nephew’s character?
There was no way he would joke about something like this.
But she quickly composed herself, hurriedly wiped her eyes, forced a smile, and said, “What’s the big deal? As long as you’ve come back alive and well, that’s enough!”
Song Qingfeng wore a numb expression. “I know, Aunt. You don’t have to comfort me.”