Cheng Baichuan felt that Li Wanqing seemed a little different from before.
In the past, she hadn’t even dared to look him in the eye when speaking. She had been timid and shy.
But now she actually dared to give him attitude!
For the first time, he realized that imposing authority had nothing to do with gender, and apparently not much to do with appearance either.
She was clearly a woman who looked rather frail, yet somehow, he couldn’t help feeling a little nervous around her.
“When I received the mission back then, I left right away. I planned to submit the marriage application after I returned. I never expected to get injured and end up lying there for two whole years.”
The more Cheng Baichuan spoke, the guiltier he felt.
He felt like a scumbag who had gotten what he wanted and then run away.
Li Wanqing’s expression remained unchanged.
Actually, this was what she had guessed too.
The problem was that this man had remembered to remind the logistics department to send his allowances on time, yet somehow he had completely forgotten about the marriage application.
She didn’t know whether to call him attentive or heartless.
Either way, the original owner had given her heart to the wrong man.
“Since that’s the case, I’ll just raise the child on my own. That way, I won’t stop you from finding someone else you actually like.”
“Besides, everyone in the brigade says I forced and threatened you into marrying me.”
As Li Wanqing spoke, she started to get up to pick up her daughter.
Cheng Baichuan panicked and immediately sprang out of bed with the child in his arms.
“No! I’ll write the marriage application right away.”
Li Wanqing stared blankly at the man standing before her, his face full of vigilance, and at his feet firmly planted on the floor…
Was this really the level of severity the doctor had been talking about when he said Cheng Baichuan would probably need to leave the military and recover at home?
Cheng Baichuan was stunned too.
He had stood up!
He had actually stood up!
Unfortunately, before he could even express his joy, his legs suddenly gave out, and his entire body fell toward the floor.
Fortunately, Li Wanqing reacted quickly and caught Nono in time. Otherwise, the child would have fallen.
Nono was startled and immediately began crying.
Cheng Baichuan’s heart tightened with worry, but he couldn’t move his legs.
“How’s Nono? Is she hurt?”
Li Wanqing soothed her daughter while checking her over.
“She isn’t hurt. She was just frightened.”
“What about you? I’ll call the doctor right away.”
Cheng Baichuan breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt anyway.”
Actually, it had hurt just now.
He simply didn’t think it was a big deal.
Li Wanqing frowned slightly.
“No, I’m going to get the doctor.”
Just then, Xiao Wu came in. Seeing what had happened, he immediately went to call the doctor.
Cheng Baichuan’s attending physician, Doctor Huang, arrived soon after.
After asking several questions and examining Cheng Baichuan, a look of excitement appeared on his face.
“Although you weren’t able to remain standing for very long, your response was extremely quick. This means your condition is much better than we originally expected.”
Li Wanqing: …
This was getting a little surreal.
Two hours ago, Doctor Huang had still been lamenting that an outstanding soldier would have no choice but to leave the military.
Two hours later, that same soldier had suddenly stood up because he’d been startled—and now he might not need to leave the military after all?
Doctor Huang had Cheng Baichuan try standing again.
He tried several times, but he still couldn’t stand.
Cheng Baichuan was somewhat discouraged, but Li Wanqing felt that this was actually more normal.
How could someone who had been lying down for nearly two years possibly recover so quickly after only two days of waking up?
Perhaps what had happened earlier was just…
A conditioned reflex?
“Given Comrade Cheng’s current condition, it would be best if he could receive professional rehabilitation equipment and training.”
Doctor Huang thought for a moment before continuing.
“The hospital recently received a batch of rehabilitation equipment, but you’ll need the director’s approval before you can use it.”
“According to the procedure, I’ll submit the application now. At the earliest, you’ll be able to use it in half a month.”
Half a month?
The corner of Li Wanqing’s mouth twitched.
What an incredibly “fast” process.
Li Wanqing suddenly remembered the letter Meng Renjie had given her.
She should find some time to pay him a visit too.
After being busy all day, Li Wanqing was already exhausted.
That night, Xiao Wu stayed behind to take care of Cheng Baichuan, while Li Wanqing took her daughter to the guesthouse next door.
After getting a good night’s rest, Li Wanqing was refreshed and full of energy.
Early the next morning, she took her daughter outside to buy some breakfast. She also bought a chicken and some eggs.
After that, she had almost used up the meat and grain coupons she had exchanged for before leaving Renxing Brigade.
If Cheng Baichuan was going through rehabilitation while eating only the hospital’s standard meals, he definitely wouldn’t get enough nutrition.
The cuisine in Sichuan was quite spicy, and Nono couldn’t eat spicy food either.
So Li Wanqing simply borrowed the hospital cafeteria’s kitchen and decided to cook for them herself.
Everyone knew she was Cheng Baichuan’s family member, so they treated her very well.
While she was cooking, they even helped look after the child.
Nono couldn’t speak clearly yet, but that didn’t stop her from being adorable.
Her little babbles and childish sounds were incredibly endearing.
Before long, she had become friends with everyone in the kitchen.
Even her mother benefited from all the goodwill.
When Li Wanqing returned to the ward, Xiao Wu was just about to leave.
“Comrade Xiao Wu, stay and have something to eat before you go.”
“Sister-in-law!”
Xiao Wu raised his hand in a salute and called out loudly,
“No, thank you! I’m in a hurry to get back to the unit.”
With that, he slipped past her and hurried out of the ward.
He had to deliver Battalion Commander Cheng’s marriage application to the political commissar as quickly as possible.
Li Wanqing was a little confused.
“You gave him some instructions?”
Cheng Baichuan’s eyes flickered.
“Just something concerning the unit.”
Li Wanqing still felt that something was off.
The expression on Xiao Wu’s face as he left had clearly seemed to have something to do with her.
Cheng Baichuan quickly changed the subject.
“Today’s food doesn’t look like hospital food. Did you buy it outside?”
Li Wanqing set the dishes on the table as she spoke.
“No. I cooked everything myself. Nono can’t eat spicy food, so I made some soup for you while I was at it.”
Cheng Baichuan’s eyes lit up.
Even if he had only been an afterthought, he was still incredibly happy.
No one had ever gone out of their way to cook for him before!
Li Wanqing served him a bowl of chicken soup before sitting down with her daughter to eat steamed egg custard and chicken.
The delicious aroma of the chicken soup filled the room.
Cheng Baichuan felt like he was about to drool.
How had he never realized that chicken soup could smell this good?
“What are your plans from here?” Li Wanqing asked.
Seeing that Cheng Baichuan didn’t seem to understand what she meant, she added,
“Your body still needs rehabilitation, but you don’t need to stay in the hospital indefinitely.”
“The hospital isn’t very convenient in many ways. If possible, it would be better to have a place where we can cook.”
Nono was older now. Simple supplementary foods like steamed egg custard wouldn’t be enough for her anymore.
Cheng Baichuan also needed more nutrition for his recovery. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to handle the intensity of rehabilitation.
“I already applied for a family housing unit yesterday. We should be able to move in tomorrow or the day after,” Cheng Baichuan said.
He wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible too.
After lying in the hospital for nearly two years, he felt as though his entire body smelled of disinfectant.
They could actually have moved in today, but their marriage application had only just been submitted, and he also wanted his comrades to help clean and organize the place first.
“So does this mean I’ve officially joined you as a military spouse?” Li Wanqing asked.
Cheng Baichuan nodded.
“Of course. You were supposed to join me as a military spouse two years ago.”
Li Wanqing quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
She had thought there would be a period of investigation and approval first.
What she didn’t know was that because of Cheng Baichuan’s special circumstances, the military district had expedited the procedures and handled the matter as an exception.
After eating, Li Wanqing cleared the dishes while speaking.
“Take care of Nono for a while later. I have something I need to take care of.”
Cheng Baichuan didn’t know what she needed to do.
But the chance to spend some time alone with his daughter?
He was more than willing.