Ye Wenshu strode into the house, her gaze immediately locking onto Jiang Linchuan, who was sitting by the stove.
He was simply sitting there, elbows on his knees, the firelight reflecting on his sharply defined face, making his rugged features even more pronounced.
Ye Wenshu felt her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.
She gently bit her lower lip, her eyes slightly lowered, and her voice was a few decibels softer than usual, "Commander Jiang, I am so grateful to you for saving me today. You are my savior. I... I am truly thankful to you."
As she spoke, she held up the cloth bag in her hand, "This is a small thank-you gift I prepared. It's all candy and dried fruit that I brought myself. You must accept it."
After she finished speaking, her cheeks were flushed red, and in the flickering firelight, she looked much better than before. Even her sickly sallow complexion was given a touch of vibrancy.
Jiang Linchuan's eyes darkened. He was all too familiar with that look. Several young nurses in the military had liked him before, and they looked at him with the same expression of shyness and admiration that they couldn't hide.
He subtly leaned back, creating some distance, and said in a very formal tone, "It was nothing, no need to thank me. You can take the gift back; I appreciate your kindness."
Ye Wenshu suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with stubbornness, and handed the cloth bag to Jiang Linchuan again. "Commander Jiang, please accept it. You saved my life. This little token of my appreciation is nothing. It's what I should do."
Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Linchuan suddenly turned his head, reached out and took Xu Xinghe's hand, which was resting on her knee, his brows furrowing slightly. "Why are your hands still so cold? Is the fire by the stove not warm enough?"
These words were like a stone, instantly silencing Ye Wenshu.
She stared blankly at their clasped hands.
Jiang Linchuan's large hands completely enveloped Xu Xinghe's hands, the gesture natural and intimate, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
Why would he suddenly hold that woman's hand?
What is their relationship?
Jiang Linchuan squeezed Xu Xinghe's hand reassuringly before turning to Ye Wenshu, his tone instantly becoming more distant. "Comrade Ye, I am a military commander, and protecting the people is my duty. Saving you is what I should do. Moreover, the military has discipline that prohibits taking even a needle or thread from ordinary people. I appreciate your kindness, but you must take the things back with you."
As soon as he finished speaking, he took off his military overcoat, draped it over Xu Xinghe's shoulders, and carefully adjusted her collar. "Wear more next time you go out."
"No need to give it to me, you can wear it!" Xu Xinghe quickly tried to hand the coat back, "My cotton-padded coat is thick enough."
The mutual concern between the two acted like an invisible wall, completely keeping Ye Wenshu out.
She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted blood, then abruptly shoved the cloth bag onto the table beside her and ran out the door.
Lieutenant Wang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly stood up and tried to call out to her, "Hey, Comrade Ye! Why are you running away? Take your things back!"
Lian Xiao sat to the side with his legs crossed, seeing everything clearly. He deliberately tried to sow discord between Jiang Linchuan and Lieutenant Wang, saying, "Deputy Commander Wang, didn't you see that? Commander Jiang is quite capable. He only came to Hongqi Village once and he's already won over the heart of that female educated youth. Now that Commander Jiang is treating Xu Xinghe so well, she must be heartbroken and has run away."
Jiang Linchuan's eyes instantly turned cold, and his sharp gaze swept over Lian Xiao. "Comrade Lian, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."
"My heart belongs only to Xu Xinghe, and it has always belonged only to her. Moreover, if such words were to spread, it would greatly damage Comrade Ye's reputation. Please be careful with your words and actions, and do not make unfounded speculations or spread false rumors!"
Lian Xiao pursed his lips. "Weren't you supposed to be quiet? Why are you talking so much more lately?"
Xu Xinghe quickly tried to smooth things over, "Alright, stop talking."
Despite the cold weather, it couldn't stop these two from competing with each other.
Zhang Cishu quietly warmed himself by the fire, pretending not to see anything.
In his eyes, there can only be Xu Xinghe.
She is the target of his mission, and also someone he needs to learn from.
However, Zhang Cishu was very curious. Everyone says that the relationship between men and women is the most fragile, so why do they only have trust in each other?
Xu Xinghe wasn't jealous at all. In fact, when their eyes met, there were only things they understood between them.
Why are two complete strangers, with no blood relation, able to develop such trust simply because they came together through feelings?
And he... had none for anyone.
There is only trust in his grandfather, but not the warmth or presence he feels when the two of them look at each other.
Zhang Cishu lowered his eyes; it seemed he still had a lot to learn.
...
"Bang--!"
The wooden door of the educated youth settlement was pushed open with a thud. Ye Wenshu stumbled and fell onto the kang (a heated brick bed), buried herself in the quilt, and finally let the tears she had been holding back all the way burst forth, falling onto the quilt.
Why is God treating her like this?
It's bad enough that she had to leave her familiar city and come to this poor, remote place to suffer from the cold and hardship, but when she finally met someone who made her heart flutter, he was already taken!
Hearing the commotion, the female educated youth in the next bed quickly got up and went over to her, gently patting her back. "Wenshu? What's wrong? Didn't you go to Xiejiang to take command? Why are you crying when you came back? Did the village chief's wife bully you again?"
"No..." Ye Wenshu choked and shook her head, lifting her head from under the covers, her eyes red and swollen like walnuts.
She desperately needs to confide in someone; all the pent-up grievances inside her are about to burst if she doesn't speak them out soon.
"I...I think I've fallen for Commander Jiang. When he saved me, it was like a god descending from heaven in a novel. I thought he was my destined one, but now...now he's already with someone else!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but hug the female educated youth again, crying even harder, her voice trembling.
The female educated youth gently patted Ye Wenshu's back, a fleeting hint of jealousy flashing across her eyes.
She would never forget the first time she met Xu Xinghe. The woman was wearing an ordinary cotton-padded jacket, but she couldn't hide her dazzling charm. Even the old people in the village doted on her and called her Lucky Star.
On what grounds?
Liu Mengyao has always been outstanding since childhood. She was a class leader in the city, and she should have been the most eye-catching person in Heilongjiang Province. However, because of Xu Xinghe, her luggage was thrown into the snow by the villagers on the day she arrived, and she became the laughing stock of the whole village.
She will never forget this humiliation.
"You mean the woman next to Commander Jiang?" Liu Mengyao softened her voice, as if mentioning it unintentionally. "Her name is Xu Xinghe. I heard from someone that they are just engaged and haven't registered their marriage yet."
Ye Wenshu suddenly sat up straight, looking at her with teary eyes, "Mengyao, what...do you mean by that?"
Liu Mengyao smiled faintly, lowering her eyes slightly to conceal the calculation in them. "Not having a marriage certificate means they don't have a real relationship yet. If you really like Commander Jiang, you might still have a chance. As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Don't you love reading novels? Which novel's male and female protagonists didn't overcome many obstacles before getting together? Xu Xinghe is, at most, a stumbling block between you and Commander Jiang right now."
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