“Can good looks put food on the table? Shallow.”
“I, Lu Huaian, am not a man swayed by beauty. If I don’t like someone, even if she’s a celestial maiden, I still won’t like her.”
After a long while without hearing Liu Hu’s voice, Lu Huaian turned his head to look.
Liu Hu nudged Lu Huaian’s arm, his voice excited.
“Captain Lu, Captain Lu, look over there—isn’t that the missus?”
Lu Huaian followed the direction of his finger.
The young woman had fair skin and delicate features, her hair tied in two braids. Perhaps she had just squeezed through the crowd, as a few strands were slightly disheveled—but this didn’t diminish her beauty; rather, it lent her a touch of charm befitting a beauty of these turbulent times.
And those big, sparkling eyes seemed to hold spring water within them—one glance was enough to steal a man’s soul away.
Truly both pure and alluring.
His pupils contracted sharply.
His gaze traveled downward, landing on her simple luggage, and he shook his head.
“Not likely.”
Capitalist misses were all particular about appearances—even their hair strands gave off fragrance. Even when taking the train, they’d pull along a little leather suitcase. How could she be like that?
“Really?” Liu Hu was a bit doubtful.
Just now, he’d seen it—when Captain Lu said he wouldn’t be swayed by beauty, that girl’s dagger-like glare had nearly pierced straight through him.
But still…
“Captain Lu, shouldn’t we make a sign to find her?”
“No need. She’s not a child anymore.”
Whether it was his imagination or not, Liu Hu felt the girl’s glare grow even fiercer.
Before Liu Hu could say anything more, a panicked woman rushed over, a child in her arms and a blue gauze scarf wrapped around her head.
Without a word, she dropped straight to her knees.
“Comrade soldier, please, I beg you—save my Shuchen! He’s only seven years old! If he dies, I don’t want to live either.”
The commotion instantly drew the attention of passersby, who gathered around, pointing and whispering at the mother and child.
“Oh my, is this child dying? His face is all blue and purple.”
“Tell me about it—his lips have turned black. What a pity, he’s so young.”
Su Wantang had seen this mother and child when she got off the train. At the time, the little boy held in the woman’s arms had only looked a bit pale, his breathing somewhat labored—as if he were being held too tightly and couldn’t catch his breath.
She had even kindly reminded the woman, but her kindness wasn’t appreciated—the woman had simply walked off with the child.
And in just that short time…
Could the little boy have an illness?
Symptoms like that…
Lu Huaian also noticed the unnatural color on the little boy’s face in the woman’s arms and made a snap decision.
“Liu Hu, go start the car.”
He himself pulled the kneeling woman to her feet.
“Auntie, give me the child. Get in the car—I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Liu Hu had run two steps when he remembered something and ran back.
“Captain Lu, aren’t we picking up the missus?”
Lu Huaian’s icy glare fell on Liu Hu. “A life is at stake. She’s a grown woman—surely she’s not foolish enough to get herself lost?”
Indeed, she wouldn’t be.
Su Wantang stepped forward and grabbed Lu Huaian’s arm. Meeting his deathly cold gaze, her heart inexplicably tightened.
She took a deep breath and said, “If you don’t want him to die, put him down right now—”
Before Su Wantang could finish, Li Juan, frantic with maternal love, lunged at her, her fingernails nearly digging into Su Wantang’s wrist. “You’re cursing my son?!”
The stinging pain in her wrist made Su Wantang’s brows furrow slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the boy’s lips had already turned blue-black. Without another word, she reversed her grip and seized Li Juan’s wrist, deflecting her force.
Her fingertips, accustomed to holding needles year-round, precisely struck the other woman’s pressure point. Li Juan’s arm went limp, and the boy in her arms tumbled to the ground.
“Asthma attack.”
Su Wantang knelt on one knee and unbuttoned the boy’s collar, her voice cold as ice. “If he’s deprived of oxygen for more than five minutes, not even the highest deity could save him.”
Li Juan collapsed to the ground. Trembling, she grabbed the hem of Su Wantang’s clothes and knocked her forehead heavily against the bluestone pavement. “Miss… please save him! I beg you…”
“Hold his shoulders down.” Su Wantang had already pulled silver needles from her canvas bag. Three fine needles pierced into the Lieque, Chize, and Fenglong acupoints in the blink of an eye, her fingertips flicking the needle tails to produce subtle vibrations.
The onlookers drew in sharp breaths—the girl’s technique was remarkably bold—yet they watched as the boy’s blue-purple complexion faded at a visible rate, and a hoarse cough rattled from his throat.
“Go wet a cloth.”
Su Wantang didn’t look up, her fingertips adding another needle to the Tiantu acupoint. “If you keep smothering the child against your chest in the future, not even Hua Tuo himself could save him.”
Li Juan scrambled to do as she was told, watching as her son’s breathing gradually smoothed and the blue-purple color faded from his face.
Suddenly remembering how she’d clawed at the girl earlier, she shuffled aside in shame.
Su Wantang noticed the movement as she withdrew her needles. “Remember: when asthma attacks, the first priority is ventilation—not holding the child and crying.”
“Yes, yes, yes…” Li Juan nodded repeatedly, then suddenly grabbed Su Wantang’s hand and pressed it against her own face. “Please… hit me… I was just out of my mind with worry…”
Su Wantang pulled her hand back, shook out her numb wrist, and raised an eyebrow at Lu Huaian, who stood frozen nearby. “Tell everyone to stop crowding around and disperse the crowd. This child needs fresh air.”
Lu Huaian had taken first aid classes in the army. Though he had no knowledge about specific conditions like asthma, Su Wantang’s explanation was something he’d heard often. Watching her calm expression, he found himself believing she truly had real skill.
“Liu Hu.” Lu Huaian called out.
“Battalion Commander Lu, I’m on it.”
His voice wasn’t particularly loud—not even as booming as Liu Hu’s—but Su Wantang still furrowed her brows slightly.
Lu Huaian felt a strange sensation in his chest. It was him, not Liu Hu, who had made Su Wantang frown because of his voice.
But then again, it didn’t seem like he’d offended her, did it?
After another moment, the young boy Shu Chen opened his eyes and called out weakly, “Mother.”
“Miss, can I hold him now?”
“Mm.”
Afterward, Su Wantang also told Li Juan some daily precautions regarding “asthma.”
The mother and son thanked her and left.
Once they were gone, Su Wantang looked at Lu Huaian.
Lu Huaian immediately straightened his posture and extended his hand.
“Hello, comrade. I’m Lu Huaian.”
Su Wantang didn’t take his hand. Instead, she tilted her head up with a faint, ambiguous smile and looked at him.
“Hello, Comrade Lu Huaian. Allow me to introduce myself—I’m Su Wantang.”
Su Wantang…
So it was her.
“What a beautiful name.” Liu Hu heard this and praised it sincerely.
Though he was a rough man who couldn’t even write, somehow, the moment the name came out, it just felt beautiful—just like their Battalion Commander Lu.
Lu Huaian.
A name that rang loud and clear, one that carried prestige the moment you heard it.
“Miss Su, this is Battalion Commander Lu—”
Before Liu Hu could finish, Lu Huaian kicked him.
Right, he forgot—Battalion Commander Lu had a wife.
“Let’s go.”
Lu Huaian took the first step forward.
Liu Hu was stunned for a moment, flashed Su Wantang a smile, then chased after him.
“Battalion Commander Lu, aren’t we waiting for the sister-in-law?”
“Battalion Commander Lu, isn’t this a bit bad? What if something happens to the sister-in-law, a delicate woman all alone?”
“And what about the political commissar—if he finds out you didn’t pick her up, won’t he tear you a new one?” Liu Hu looked troubled.
He urged, “Battalion Commander Lu, how about we wait a bit longer? What if the sister-in-law turns out to be prettier than a fairy?”
Before Lu Huaian could respond, Su Wantang, who had jogged over, suddenly spoke up.
“Hello, Comrade Liu Hu. I’m Su Wantang—the fiancée your Battalion Commander Lu described as having ‘one nose and two eyes.'”
Staring at the fair, delicate hand Su Wantang extended for a handshake, Lu Huaian understood.
So she’d overheard what they said.
No wonder she’d been giving him the cold shoulder.
She seemed like the type to hold a grudge.
“Sister-in-law?” Liu Hu was taken aback, then shook her hand with a simple, honest grin. “I’m Liu Hu, a soldier under Battalion Commander Lu.”
Suddenly, Liu Hu felt a piercing gaze land on the joined hands between him and Su Wantang.
If he remembered correctly, the Battalion Commander had been staring straight at the sister-in-law just moments ago.
Liu Hu quickly let go and took on the role of an eager matchmaker.
“Sister-in-law, that was all a misunderstanding. Our Battalion Commander Lu is really glad you’re here. It’s just that he’s a soldier, used to being around a bunch of men, so he’s a bit clumsy with words—doesn’t know how to say nice things.”
“It’s fine.” Su Wantang said flatly. “I don’t like rough men anyway.”
“I’m here to break off the engagement.”