“Wife, you’re awake? How are you feeling? Still sore?” Zeng Guoqiang asked, stepping into the room, alerted by the sounds of movement. He was simply concerned, thinking nothing more of it. Even though he had been as gentle as possible last night, it was still her first time. He could still remember the tears of pain in her eyes.
Zhang Huimin, caught mid-movement as she tried to dress, was startled by his sudden appearance. She quickly ducked back under the covers, her face burning.
“Who told you to come in? Get out! I need to get dressed!” she snapped.
Seeing his wife’s embarrassed expression—the flushed cheeks, the averted gaze—Zeng Guoqiang felt a wave of awkwardness himself. Stuttering, he said, “O-okay… Just hurry and get dressed. I’ve brought breakfast. I was waiting for you to wake up.”
With that, he spun around, shut the door, and left, fearing he’d spontaneously combust if he lingered another moment.
Once he was gone, Zhang Huimin finally pushed the blanket aside and gingerly got out of bed. But the all-over soreness made her wobble, nearly sending her sprawling.
Her eyes fell on the bright red garment draped over the chair—Wei Jiajia’s wedding gift. The vibrant color only brought back the memory of her husband’s frantic reaction last night. She felt like she could never look at it the same way again.
That damned thing had practically killed her.
The pain had been excruciating…
Without hesitation, she snatched it up and shoved it into the back of the wardrobe, out of sight, out of mind. Only after slipping into plain undergarments did she feel a sense of security.
Slightly limping, she stepped out of the room—only to be met by the eager gaze of her newlywed husband.
“Hmph…” Zhang Huimin shot him a glare before heading off to brush her teeth and wash her face.
“Why are you following me?” she asked irritably, noticing her husband trailing behind her, grinning like a fool.
“I’m just worried about you! You’re still not familiar with where everything is in the house. If you need anything, just tell me,” Zeng Guoqiang said eagerly. Having finally won over his beloved wife, he couldn’t be happier—of course he’d be extra attentive now.
“Look at you,” Zhang Huimin scoffed, shaking her head. She didn’t bother arguing, simply letting him follow her as she bustled about.
By the time she finally sat down to eat her much-delayed breakfast, she felt a bit more at ease, her hunger finally satisfied.
As she ate, she casually instructed, “Later, go check if Jiajia’s home. We got back so late last night, and I didn’t see any lights on at her place. See if everything’s okay. Since my cousin’s not around, we need to look after her.”
Yesterday, after getting their marriage certificate, she and Zeng Guoqiang had wandered around town before heading home late. She’d noticed the house next door was dark but assumed Jiajia had gone to bed early, so she hadn’t thought much of it. Then, once she got home… well, Zeng Guoqiang hadn’t exactly given her the chance to think about anything else. Now that she had a moment, she wanted him to check on Jiajia for peace of mind. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go herself—her body simply wasn’t up for running around at the moment.
“Got it,” Zeng Guoqiang agreed instantly, gazing at his wife with deep affection. Fulfilling her requests—especially one this simple—was a given.
Besides, it wasn’t just because his wife was close to the Qiao couple. He and Qiao Haoyu had been brothers-in-arms for years. Looking after his wife while he was away was only natural.
After breakfast, Zhang Huimin, still feeling unwell, went back to lie down. Zeng Guoqiang tidied up the table before heading next door.
Seeing the lock hanging on the Qiao family’s door, Zeng Guoqiang frowned in confusion. Where could Wei Jiajia have gone so early?
Just then, a passerby noticed him and smiled warmly. “I heard that Captain Zeng and Comrade Zhang got their marriage certificate yesterday? Congratulations! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness and love.”
“Thank you for the kind wishes! We’ll definitely grow old together,” Zeng Guoqiang replied cheerfully, a touch of pride in his voice. His smug tone earned him a few good-natured chuckles from the woman—she understood, after all. A newlywed young man was bound to be a little proud.
Seeing him standing at Qiao’s doorstep, the woman paused. “Are you looking for Captain Qiao’s wife? She’s probably not home. Yesterday, I saw her leaving with a packed bag, and a soldier in uniform. They looked like they were in a hurry and got into a car parked at the gate. It seemed like something urgent came up.”
Hearing this, Zeng Guoqiang’s expression turned serious. He thanked the woman, then glanced back at his own house, hesitating briefly before striding quickly towards the military camp.
Upon arriving and meeting with Commander Qin, he finally learned what had happened—why Wei Jiajia had left in such a rush without a word.
When he returned home, he sat down, deep in thought, uncertain how to break the news to his wife. Her cousin was injured and hospitalized. If she found out, she would undoubtedly insist on going to see him. But given her current condition, could she endure the long, rough journey?
“We’re going. Why wouldn’t we go?!” Zhang Huimin immediately sat up, her voice trembling. “There’s nothing seriously wrong with me—I can rest in the car just fine. My cousin is in the hospital right now, and I don’t even know how badly he’s hurt. How can I possibly stay here, waiting anxiously at home? And besides, I need to be there for Jiajia. She must have been terrified when she got the news yesterday, and she didn’t have anyone with her. I have to go.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned and hurried into the room, already beginning to pack.
“Don’t… wife, don’t cry. I’ll go borrow a car from the logistics department. Once I get it, we’ll leave right away. Commander Qin said Haoyu’s surgery was a success—he should be awake by now. Comrade Wei is also emotionally stable, which is a good sign. Now that you know this, you can be a little more at ease. Just please, don’t cry.”
Seeing his wife like this, Zeng Guoqiang immediately caved. He had originally planned to take advantage of his wedding leave and go to the hospital alone, but now, it was clear that leaving his wife behind wasn’t an option.
“Then hurry up!” she urged, her voice still thick with emotion.
“Alright, alright, I’m going. Pack two sets of clothes—there’s no way we’ll make it back tonight.” With that, he turned and left to find a vehicle.
Back in the bedroom, Zhang Huimin hastily stuffed two sets of clothes into her bag. Then, she dug out a metal box from the bottom of her wardrobe. Inside was the money she had saved from her salary, along with the allowance and ration tickets Zeng Guoqiang had given her. She decided to bring everything—just in case Jiajia had left in such a hurry that she hadn’t packed properly. These might come in handy.
She placed the box into her bag, locked the house, and waited for her husband to return with the car. The moment he pulled up, she got in, and they set off for the provincial military hospital.
When Wei Jiajia saw the couple walk through the door, she was so startled she nearly dropped the cup of water in her hands.
“What are you two doing here? Who told you? Have you eaten yet?” She quickly stood up, pulling Zhang Huimin into a chair. Seeing her friend’s condition, she couldn’t help but worry—Huimin didn’t look too well herself. It was already past three in the afternoon, and she had no idea whether they had eaten lunch.
“You’re one to talk! Something this serious happened, and you didn’t even tell me? If I hadn’t asked Guoqiang to check on you, I wouldn’t have even known! He found your house locked up, and when he asked around, he learned my cousin was injured and in the hospital,” Zhang Huimin complained.
“I’m sorry, don’t be mad! I panicked at the time and completely forgot. By the time I remembered, I was already on the road, and I didn’t have a chance to send word.” Wei Jiajia clung to Zhang Huimin, acting spoiled as she sought forgiveness. Yesterday, all her thoughts had been consumed by her husband’s injury—she truly hadn’t considered anything else. It was her fault for worrying her friend.
“Fine, I forgive you!” Zhang Huimin tapped Wei Jiajia’s forehead lightly before turning toward her cousin.
Zeng Guoqiang, who had entered the hospital room, didn’t join the conversation between the two friends. Instead, he walked over to the other side of the room and looked at his now-alert comrade.
“How are you feeling? You have no idea how worried I was when I found out today. My wife even burst into tears when she heard you got injured!”
“I’m fine, really. Just a little weak from the surgery, but after a month or so of rest, I’ll be as good as new. The doctor said that as long as I recover properly, my body will be no different than before.”
Seeing his friend in good spirits, Zeng Guoqiang finally let out a sigh of relief. As comrades who had fought side by side, he understood better than anyone what their military uniform meant to them. No one wanted to take it off because of an injury.
Hearing her cousin’s reassuring words, Zhang Huimin also felt a weight lift off her chest.
“You look exhausted. You must have come all this way without stopping, and I bet you haven’t even eaten yet, have you?” Wei Jiajia asked knowingly. The look on Zhang Huimin’s face was all the confirmation she needed.
“Come on then! It’s too late for the state-run restaurant—there won’t be anything left. And the hospital food isn’t great either. I rented a small stove at the guesthouse across the street. We can cook there, and while we’re at it, I’ll book you two a room. You definitely won’t be able to head back tonight, so just stay there.”
With that, Wei Jiajia took Zhang Huimin by the hand and led her outside, leaving Zeng Guoqiang behind to chat with her husband.
Zeng Guoqiang had no objections to the arrangement—his wife clearly needed a proper rest.
If he had known earlier, he would have held back last night. After all, they were already legally married—waiting another day or two wouldn’t have made a difference. Seeing his wife so weak now, he couldn’t help but regret it deeply.
The two women arrived at the guesthouse, where Wei Jiajia asked Zhang Huimin to take out her identification documents—especially the marriage certificate she shared with Zeng Guoqiang. She handed them to the receptionist, requesting an additional room for them.
Once the room was booked, she quickly urged Zhang Huimin to go upstairs and rest while she headed to the kitchen. She planned to cook a meal for the couple and prepare dinner for herself and her husband as well—after all, it was only a couple of hours earlier than usual.
Besides, Zhang Huimin and Zeng Guoqiang had just gotten married, yet they had traveled all this way on short notice because of her husband’s injury, even using up part of their leave. She would remember their kindness and be sure to repay them in the future.
Friendship, camaraderie, and kinship—these were not things measured in calculations of obligation. True bonds were built on actions, not just blood ties. Sometimes, people unrelated by blood could be closer than family, while even direct relatives could feel more distant than strangers.
Relationships between people needed effort and care to be maintained.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, Wei Jiajia retrieved the ingredients she had set aside that morning and got to work, moving efficiently in the kitchen. Just as she finished preparing the meal, Zhang Huimin came downstairs.
“I could smell the delicious aroma from a mile away! What did you make?” Zhang Huimin asked as she peered into the pot.
“Oh my goodness! Where did you manage to get all these amazing ingredients? The supply store?” she exclaimed in shock, staring at the stir-fried pork with green peppers, braised chicken, and the simmering fish soup on the stove. Even at a state-run restaurant, it would be rare to find all these dishes at once—having just one would already be a luxury.
“I happened to see someone selling these in secret today, so I bought them all. Your cousin needs proper nutrition right now—this isn’t something we can skimp on,” Wei Jiajia whispered into Zhang Huimin’s ear.
Zhang Huimin understood immediately. She must have bought them on the black market—there was no other way to get all these ingredients at once. Worried, she asked, “That must have been expensive, especially since you were buying rare ingredients. Do you have enough money? If not, I brought all the savings we had at home—I can cover it.”
“Thank you, Huimin…” Wei Jiajia turned and hugged her, her voice slightly choked with emotion.
“Oh, come on! Don’t be so formal with me. We’re the famous ‘twin flowers’ of the alley—we grew up sharing everything, remember?” Zhang Huimin teased, making Wei Jiajia laugh.
Still, Wei Jiajia shook her head. “You don’t need to worry about money. Your cousin and I have more than enough savings, and I brought everything with me. Keep your money—save it for when you have kids.”
“Ugh, you just had to go there! I only got married yesterday, and you’re already pushing me to have kids? I didn’t expect you to be the first one to nag me about this! Besides, shouldn’t you be the one having a baby first?”
Wei Jiajia chuckled. “Once your cousin recovers, we’ll start trying!” She truly wanted a child of their own.
With their moods lifted, the two women packed up the food and headed back to the hospital.
The couple stayed with them until nightfall before Qiao Haoyu finally shooed them away, telling them to enjoy their time together and not to come back the next day. He reassured them that Xiao Shi and Wei Jiajia would be there with him.
Once the couple left with Xiao Shi, Wei Jiajia brought a basin of warm water into the room. She carefully wiped her husband down so he could sleep more comfortably. Only then did she crawl into bed, just like the night before, resting on the side closest to him.
Qiao Haoyu reached out, took her soft hand, and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “Sleep well.”
“Mm… sweet dreams.”
That night, their hands remained entwined until morning.
Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter
Axolotl Translations 
Leave a comment