Su Jiuyue had been keeping a close eye on both children all night. The moment Yunsheng developed a fever, she noticed.
The little boy felt freezing cold. He curled himself tightly under the quilt, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
Yet he didn’t dare make a single sound.
The sight made Su Jiuyue’s heart ache.
She reached out and pressed her hand against his forehead.
It was burning hot.
He had a fever.
Lowering her voice, she hurried out of bed, soaked a towel in cool water, and laid it across his forehead to bring his temperature down.
She changed the towel again and again before the shivering finally stopped.
But then he began mumbling in his sleep.
“Mom… Mom, don’t leave… Please don’t leave… I’ll be good…”
Su Jiuyue sighed softly.
After making sure Jiaojiao was fine, she went over and gathered the little boy into her arms.
Holding him with one arm, she gently wiped his forehead, neck, and palms with a towel dipped in warm water.
“Yunsheng? Yunsheng? Can you hear Mommy?”
Her voice was gentle yet filled with concern as she spoke beside his ear.
“Don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here. It’s only a fever. Once you sweat it out and take your medicine, you’ll be all right…”
Half-conscious from the fever, Yunsheng drifted in and out of awareness.
But he could feel the warmth of the embrace.
And that soothing voice…
Is that really Mom…?
Su Jiuyue held him in her arms the entire night.
By dawn, his fever had finally broken.
Only then did she carefully lay him back on the heated kang bed, instinctively moving him a little farther away from Jiaojiao.
Call her selfish if they wanted.
The only reason she could care for Yunsheng was because she refused to let Jiaojiao suffer.
That night, however, many people in the military compound failed to sleep.
Huo Tingxuan’s open protection of Su Jiuyue had everyone thinking.
The signal…
…was impossible to ignore.
Especially for families with unmarried sons or widowers.
Combined with the rumors Bai Lili had been enthusiastically spreading before…
Everyone suddenly realized something.
Su Jiuyue was actually quite a catch now.
Her husband was gone.
She had only one well-behaved daughter.
She had a stable job.
She received a martyr’s pension.
And Commander Huo himself seemed to be backing her.
Not to mention…
She was exceptionally beautiful.
If someone married her, they’d gain both a capable wife and financial security—and perhaps even establish a connection with Commander Huo.
Take the cafeteria kitchen, for example.
Su Jiuyue quickly noticed something was different that day.
As she worked, she could constantly feel people’s eyes on her.
As though she had become a piece of meat laid out on a chopping block, waiting to be picked over.
Breakfast service had just ended.
Everyone was busy washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen.
Worried about the children at home, Su Jiuyue informed Head Chef Li that she was leaving early.
But the moment she stepped out the back door, someone blocked her path.
“Xiao Su! Finished already? I was just looking for you!”
Looking up, she recognized the woman.
It was Company Three’s commander’s mother.
Everyone called her Aunt Fang.
In her fifties, Aunt Fang was sturdy and energetic, with a round face and a smile that narrowed her eyes into slits. She had the shrewd, overly familiar air of someone who could strike up a conversation with anyone.
Her husband had passed away years ago, and she’d moved to the military compound to live with her son.
She was famous among the military families for being warm-hearted.
Or, more accurately…
For sticking her nose into everyone else’s business.
Especially when it came to matchmaking.
Exactly the sort of person Su Jiuyue preferred to avoid.
She merely nodded and tried to walk past.
“Aunt Fang, I’m done for the day, but the children are waiting for me at home. I really need to get back.”
“Oh, it won’t take long! Just a couple of words!”
Aunt Fang nimbly sidestepped, blocking her way again.
Her smile grew even wider as she lowered her voice, adopting the tone of a close confidante.
“Xiao Su, seeing you raise a child all by yourself, working so hard inside and outside the home… it really pains me. A woman without a man to help her has such a difficult life.”
Su Jiuyue’s heart sank.
She knew trouble had arrived.
Suppressing her impatience, she answered politely.
“Thank you for your concern, Aunt Fang. I’m doing all right. I’m used to it.”
“Oh, you can’t say that!”
Aunt Fang slapped her thigh.
“You’re still so young! You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. You need someone who’ll care for you. And Jiaojiao needs a father to love her!”
Here it comes…
Su Jiuyue quietly took a deep breath, her expression remaining calm.
“I don’t have any plans for that right now.”
“Oh, stop being shy with me!”
As if she hadn’t heard the refusal at all, Aunt Fang barreled ahead like beans pouring from a sack.
“I actually know the perfect man for you!
He’s my younger daughter-in-law’s own younger brother. His surname is Wang. He works as a temporary employee in logistics, and he’s a very capable fellow!
He’s handsome, strong, and… well… his first wife wasn’t fortunate. She passed away from illness, leaving behind a son who’s being raised by his grandparents back in their hometown, so he won’t be a burden.
He’s honest, hardworking, and has the best temper you could ask for!
His family’s doing pretty well too. If this match works out, the bride price will be at least…”
Aunt Fang praised “Comrade Wang” as though he were a once-in-a-lifetime treasure.
They were supposedly close in age.
But Su Jiuyue had met the man before.
Setting his character aside…
He was at least seven or eight years older than she was.
As for his future?
He was only a temporary worker who could lose his job at any time.
And his family circumstances?
There was nothing to brag about.
He still lived in Aunt Fang’s house.
Rather than introducing a good match…
It looked more like Aunt Fang was trying to unload a burden.
The more Su Jiuyue listened, the angrier—and more absurd—it all seemed.
She tried several times to interrupt, but Aunt Fang never gave her the chance.
Finally, the older woman actually grabbed her wrist with surprising strength.
“Come on, come on! He’s checking inventory at the logistics warehouse today—not far from here.
I’ll take you to meet him. I guarantee you’ll like him the moment you see him! Seeing is believing!”
At last, Su Jiuyue’s patience snapped.
She yanked her hand free so forcefully that Aunt Fang staggered backward.
Standing straight, all traces of polite courtesy vanished from her face.
She looked directly at Aunt Fang, whose smile had frozen in surprise.
“Aunt Fang.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm enough to brook no argument.
“I appreciate your good intentions.
But as I already said, I have no such plans.
I won’t meet him.
I won’t consider the man you mentioned—or anyone else.
So in the future, please don’t try to introduce anyone to me again.”
The kitchen workers, who had all been secretly listening, instantly fell silent.
The smile disappeared from Aunt Fang’s face as well.
She had never imagined Su Jiuyue would refuse so decisively, without leaving her the slightest bit of face.
In Aunt Fang’s opinion, she’d personally come to make the introduction, offering such “excellent” conditions.
A widow like Su Jiuyue—what right did she have to be picky?
She was obviously just putting on airs.
“Xiao Su.”
Aunt Fang’s tone cooled, taking on the lecturing authority of an elder.
“Now that’s not right.
I’m only thinking about what’s best for you!
You can’t stay like this for the rest of your life, can you?
As for Yanchuan… well, that’s all in the past. People have to move forward.
Find yourself a dependable man—someone who’ll treat you well and be good to Jiaojiao too. That’s the only way you’ll have a real future.
Just listen to Auntie. Go meet him. I promise…”