Su Yun pushed open the slightly ajar door.
Entering in the dark, she nearly tripped over the person lying on the floor.
"Xiao Yuan?"
Thinking he had fallen, she quickly crouched down to feel for the man on the ground. "Xiao Yuan?"
"I'm fine."
In the darkness, the man's voice was low, hoarse, and steady.
Completely devoid of the hesitation from earlier in the day.
A pair of large hands pressed down on her groping ones.
Hearing his voice, Su Yun didn't dwell on the difference between him now and during the day. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Why are you lying on the floor?"
"I thought you had fallen."
Xiao Yuan then explained somewhat awkwardly, "There's only one bed at home. You take the bed, and I'll sleep on the floor."
The so-called sleeping on the floor meant laying a thin blanket on the ground and covering himself with a military coat.
Su Yun frowned tightly. "Where are your crutches?"
"Comrade Su Yun…"
Xiao Yuan was somewhat puzzled.
Su Yun had already gone to feel for his crutches. "Do you think others would believe that a man and a woman living under the same roof would sleep separately, one on the bed and the other on the floor?"
"In the middle of winter like this, your leg is already injured. Sleeping on the floor will let the cold seep in. Even if your leg can be cured later, it'll turn into chronic arthritis."
She found the crutches and handed them to Xiao Yuan.
"Use the crutches for support. I'll help you up so you can sleep on the bed."
"Su…"
"Alright, don't be so hesitant. If I'm not worried, why should you be?"
Su Yun cut off Xiao Yuan's words and, without another word, went to help him up.
Xiao Yuan wasn't prepared.
The two of them tumbled back onto the floor.
Fortunately, Xiao Yuan cushioned her fall, or else Su Yun would have surely hit the hard ground.
Her head bumped against his bony chest, making her eyes water from the pain.
"Concussion."
Su Yun covered her forehead, mumbling in a muffled voice.
Xiao Yuan felt terribly guilty. "I'm sorry, I…"
"Alright, quickly hold onto the crutches."
Su Yun interrupted Xiao Yuan again.
Afraid she might fall again, Xiao Yuan had no choice but to grip the crutches for support. With her help, he got onto the bed.
"Your leg is injured, so you sleep on the inside."
After helping him onto the bed, Su Yun had Xiao Yuan sleep on the inner side. She tidied up the floor and then lay down on the outer side of the bed.
Having someone suddenly beside him made Xiao Yuan very uncomfortable.
He lay on the bed, not daring to move a muscle.
In contrast, Su Yun wasn't troubled at all.
Shortly after lying down, she fell asleep.
This was typical of a professional doctor, especially one like Su Yun. During surgeries, it was common for her to work for hours on end.
Overtime was the norm.
So whenever she had the chance to lie down and rest, she could quickly fall asleep.
She fell asleep fast and slept soundly, without any of the usual transmigrating-into-a-book heroine antics like rolling into the man's arms or holding him all night.
Throughout the night, she remained in her original spot, not moving an inch.
Leaving the man beside her to toss and turn, sleepless for half the night.
The next morning, Su Yun's biological clock woke her up on time.
Opening her eyes to look outside, the sky was still somewhat dark, but she knew it must be around seven o'clock.
As soon as she stirred, Xiao Yuan on the inner side woke up.
Or rather, he hadn't slept much at all.
Su Yun sat up, putting on the old, tattered cotton-padded jacket beside her.
"I'm going to the commune later. Are you coming?"
She asked Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yuan looked at his legs with a bitter smile. Having slept poorly all night, his voice was slightly hoarse. "I won’t go."
"Alright, I’ll bring back something tasty for you."
Su Yun said as she pulled back the quilt, got out of bed, and opened the door.
The village was truly cold in the morning.
She couldn’t help but wrap her arms around herself and rub them, then quickly crossed the small courtyard and entered the kitchen to start a fire, boil water, and cook porridge.
Before long, Xiao Yuan walked in from outside, leaning on a pair of crutches.
His legs were severely injured and lacked strength.
He could only move with the help of crutches.
He walked over to Su Yun and, from his equally worn-out cotton jacket, pulled out a faded handkerchief.
Inside the handkerchief were scattered bills and some coupons.
There were over fifty yuan and a few coupons.
Su Yun, sitting on a small stool, looked at him in surprise.
"Do you need to buy something?"
Xiao Yuan shook his head. "For you."
"For me?"
Su Yun was puzzled. "Why are you giving me money and coupons?"
Xiao Yuan awkwardly averted his gaze. "Last night, you were right. No matter what, others won’t believe we have no relationship."
And since she now carried the reputation of being his wife, he would do his best to make her life better.
At least while she was in this household, he wanted her to live well.
Su Yun blinked and chuckled softly. "So, does this mean you acknowledge our relationship?"
Xiao Yuan turned his face away and said nothing.
Su Yun clicked her tongue and took the money and coupons from his hand.
"Thanks. I’ll use them where they’re most needed."
She was straightforward and didn’t beat around the bush.
After putting away the money and coupons Xiao Yuan had given her, she washed her face with hot water and continued cooking the porridge.
"Cooking rice is fine too."
Xiao Yuan sat on a stool by the table and watched as she added half a bowl of coarse rice. He couldn’t help but speak up. "We’re out of grain. Old Wu will bring some over."
"No need. This rice doesn’t taste good as cooked rice, but it’s perfect for porridge."
Su Yun worked efficiently, cooking coarse rice and sweet potato porridge for both of them. She served a bowl for Xiao Yuan and another for herself.
Last night, she hadn’t simply poured the porridge directly from the bowl into her mouth.
Yesterday, she had picked two particularly straight reeds in the mountains, turned them into chopsticks, and brought them back. After washing them, they were ready to use.
Xiao Yuan watched as she ate the sweet potato porridge with the reed chopsticks, clearly enjoying it. He spoke softly again. "When you go to the commune, buy whatever you need."
"I’ll figure out the money."
Su Yun, who had been focused on eating her porridge, looked up at this. "You have a way?"
Xiao Yuan met her gaze but uncomfortably looked away.
Su Yun chuckled lightly, not taking his words to heart.
"Don’t worry, we won’t starve."
Su Yun spoke up. "Since I’m here, life will only get better and better."
She quickly finished her porridge and was about to wash the bowls when Xiao Yuan stopped her.
"If you head to the village entrance now, there might be a tractor going to the commune. You might even catch a ride."
As for the bowls, he could wash them at home.
Su Yun’s smile widened. "Do you think someone like me would be welcome to ride on a tractor with others?"
"Don’t forget, I’m still carrying the reputation of seducing my brother-in-law!"
Xiao Yuan’s expression turned serious. "I’m sorry. The night before last, I couldn’t get you away…"
If he had had the strength to get her away, her reputation wouldn’t have been ruined, and she wouldn’t be tied to a cripple like him…
Su Yun didn’t mind at all.
She spoke calmly and lightly. "What are you thinking? This life now is exactly what I’ve always dreamed of."
"You want to send me away. Do you think the Su family would accept me if I went back? Or would they sell me off again, this time to some old widower deep in the mountains?"
Xiao Yuan wasn't very familiar with the Su family.
But Old Wu knew them well.
He would ask Old Wu about it when he came.
Su Yun washed the bowls with hot water, dried her hands, and asked Xiao Yuan to extend his wrist.
She took his pulse, then went out to the commune in town.
As luck would have it, just as she stepped out, she ran into Qin Xiao and Qin Jiao, who were leaving the Qin household.