Qin Lie’s heart felt as if an invisible hand had clenched it.
He stared at the dazzling yet uncanny smile on Jiang Wu’s face, his mind thrown into chaos.
Torn up the divorce report?
Said she wanted to live well together?
None of this matched any scenario he had anticipated.
Shouldn’t she have been holding the divorce report to force him to compromise, or signing it and striding away with her luggage?
He watched her silently, his hawk-like sharp eyes filled with scrutiny and suspicion.
He wanted to find even the slightest trace of pretense on her face.
But he failed.
Her eyes were clear as water, reflecting his figure, brimming with sincerity and a kind of… fervor he couldn’t understand.
“Jiang Wu, what exactly are you trying to do?”
He finally found his voice again, but the wariness in his tone only grew.
Anything out of the ordinary must have an ulterior motive.
He couldn’t believe that a woman who had been preparing to elope just moments ago could genuinely change her mind the next moment.
Jiang Wu took another step forward, closing the distance between them until they could almost feel each other’s breath.
She could smell the pleasant scent on him—a mix of sunshine and faint soap, a distinctly masculine aroma.
This scent stirred the spiritual energy within her, making it come alive.
She raised her hand, her slender fingers pressing against his firm chest through the thin fabric of his uniform.
“Can’t you tell what I want to do?”
Her voice was low, carrying a breathy undertone, like the most intimate whisper between lovers.
“I want to be a good wife to you, darling.”
Qin Lie felt the spot where her finger touched as if it had been singed by a flame, burning hot.
That heat raced through his veins, spreading swiftly to every limb.
For the first time in his twenty-six years of life, he understood what it meant to be at a loss.
His body reacted faster than his mind, grabbing the hand she was using to tease him on his chest.
Her hand was small and soft, enveloped in his large palm, as if it would shatter with a bit of force.
“Keep your hands to yourself!”
He gritted the words out through his teeth, though the tips of his ears grew warm uncontrollably.
Even with her hand caught, Jiang Wu wasn’t annoyed.
She leaned into his grip, pressing her body against his arm.
Her soft form pressed against his iron-hard arm, the startling sensation making Qin Lie’s muscles tense all over.
“Darling, you’re hurting me.”
She furrowed her delicate brows, her eyes quickly welling up with tears, looking as if she were about to cry.
If it had been the original host, Qin Lie would have felt nothing but impatience.
But the same face, the same expression, when worn by the current Jiang Wu, inexplicably stirred something in his heart.
The strength in his hand unconsciously loosened.
Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Wu pulled her hand back, rubbing her reddened wrist while complaining softly, “Why so rough? It’s not like I’m going to eat you.”
Even as she complained, her eyes drifted to his palm, calloused from years of holding a gun.
Truly, hands full of strength.
Qin Lie’s gaze darkened as he saw the red mark his grip had left on her fair wrist.
He had never raised a hand against a woman before—this was the first time.
Even though he hadn’t used much force, her skin was too delicate, and it had still left a mark.
“I didn’t mean…”
He wanted to explain, but the words died on his lips.
“You didn’t mean to, I know.”
Jiang Wu continued thoughtfully for him, then shifted the topic, her gaze settling on his tightly pressed thin lips.
“Darling, you must be tired after returning from the barracks, right? Are you hungry? I’ll cook something for you.”
With that, she turned and started toward the kitchen.
But after only two steps, she stopped and looked back at Qin Lie, a troubled expression on her face.
“But… it seems like the rice jar at home is empty, and the grain coupons have run out too.”
The original host was a pampered young lady who never lifted a finger for household chores and spent money lavishly. The grain coupons and allowance issued at the beginning of the month were usually squandered before month’s end.
This household had long been pushed to the brink of having nothing to eat by her antics.
Hearing this, Qin Lie’s brows furrowed even tighter.
He pulled out his wallet from his pocket, took out a few grain coupons and a few crisp banknotes, and handed them over.
“Use them sparingly,” he said, his tone as stiff as ever.
Jiang Wu took them with a smile, her fingers brushing lightly against his palm as she did so.
Qin Lie flinched as if shocked, quickly pulling his hand back.
“I’ll go to the military wives’ canteen right now to exchange some rice,” Jiang Wu said cheerfully, holding the coupons.
With money and food, there was no panic.
The first step was to fill their stomachs.
She opened the door and was about to step out when she ran into a few military wives holding basins, heading to the washroom.
Leading them was Mrs. Zhang from next door, notorious for her gossipy mouth.
The moment she saw Jiang Wu, Mrs. Zhang’s eyes lit up, her plump face breaking into a sly smile.
“Well, isn’t this Regimental Commander Qin’s wife? Where are you off to? I thought you’d already left the island by now?”
Her words were dripping with sarcasm, and the other military wives around her covered their mouths and snickered.
Although the original host’s plan to elope hadn’t blown up yet, rumors had long been circulating in the camp.
Everyone was waiting to see Regimental Commander Qin become a laughingstock.
After all, Qin Lie was the youngest and most accomplished regimental commander in the entire military district, with a good family background and handsome looks—the dream man of all unmarried young women and young wives.
Yet such an outstanding man had married a troublesome “drama queen” who stirred up chaos all day long, and everyone had long been dissatisfied with her.
In the past, the original host would have jumped in anger and started quarreling with them.
But Jiang Wu only swept them with a cool glance.
“Mrs. Zhang, you can eat whatever you want, but you shouldn’t say whatever you want.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a clear, cold authority.
“Why would I go anywhere when I’m perfectly fine at home? As for you, instead of staying home so late, you’re out here gossiping. Aren’t you afraid your Old Wang will make you kneel on the washboard when he gets back?”
Mrs. Zhang was caught off guard.
This Jiang Wu—how had she changed so much today?
Not only was she not throwing a tantrum, but her words were sharp, and her gaze was as piercing as a knife, making Mrs. Zhang’s heart flutter uneasily.
“You—what nonsense are you spouting?” Mrs. Zhang’s face flushed red as she tried to defend herself.
“Whether I’m spouting nonsense, you know best.”
Jiang Wu couldn’t be bothered to waste words on her. She turned and left, leaving behind a swaying, graceful figure.
Behind her, Qin Lie watched everything from inside the door.
His gaze lingered on Jiang Wu’s slender yet straight back, his eyes growing even more complicated.
In the past, whenever Jiang Wu was wronged outside, she would only come home crying and throwing tantrums, blaming everything on him.
But just now, she had been like a little wildcat baring her claws, calmly and neatly countering the other’s provocation.
Efficient, decisive, and even with a hint of… coolness?
Qin Lie was startled by the word that popped into his mind.
He watched as Jiang Wu’s figure disappeared around the corner, then lowered his head to look at the palm she had just touched.
It seemed to still carry the faint, tingling itch left by her fingertips.
What had happened to this woman?