Yang Qingyan held the corn cake Liang Huantao had stuffed into her arms, and walked towards her home step by step in the evening breeze. At this moment, the last rays of the setting sun shone on her, outlining her thin but firm figure, as if all the fatigue of the day had dissipated in the warm friendship between neighbors, and she felt more and more that this strange era and strange family compound were slowly becoming familiar and amiable.
Soon, she walked to the door of her home, gently opened it, and a strange yet familiar breath came to her face. What appeared in front of her was the busy figure of Mu Nanhe, who was going in and out of the slightly cramped kitchen, preparing to cook swiftly.
When Mu Nanhe heard the door open, he turned around and saw Yang Qingyan. A faint smile instantly appeared on his face, with a look of expectation in his eyes. He seemed a little cautious, as if he was afraid of touching the vague barrier between the two of them. He asked softly, "You're back. Did you have a good time in the mountains today?" After a pause, he continued, "I went to buy some rice and noodles today, as well as some fresh vegetables. I thought we should eat at home today."
Yang Qingyan paused for a moment, raised her eyes and looked at Mu Nanhe, her eyes still a little distant, but she nodded gently, a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and she replied indifferently: "Okay, it just so happens that Sister Liang gave me a few corn cakes, and we can cook a wild vegetable porridge and it will be enough to eat."
As she spoke, she walked to the side and placed the wild vegetables in the basin, preparing to wash them.
Mu Nanhe was slightly startled as he watched her move, a hint of imperceptible emotion flashed across his eyes, and then he came to his senses and said, "Okay, then I'll quickly steam the rice and stir-fry some vegetables."
As he spoke, he turned around and threw himself into the busy kitchen work, washing rice, washing vegetables, and cutting vegetables. His movements were skillful and smooth, but his eyes drifted towards Yang Qingyan from time to time, trying to capture her emotions and find some topics to break the slightly dull atmosphere, but he didn't know where to start.
Yang Qingyan was washing the wild vegetables attentively, the tender green leaves swaying gently in the water, and her thoughts drifted away. She knew that there was still a long way to go between her and Mu Nanhe. Although her attitude was still distant at the moment, in this ordinary and trivial daily life, it seemed that some subtle changes were slowly brewing. Perhaps, this was the beginning of a new life.
Soon, the food was on the table, and the steam was emitting an alluring aroma. Yang Qingyan sat at the table, concentrating on eating, without saying a word, still maintaining that sense of alienation. Mu Nanhe looked at her eating quietly, feeling a little uncomfortable. After several times of wanting to say something, he finally plucked up the courage to break the silence and said, "I moved back from the dormitory today. The army dormitory is going to be reclaimed."
Mu Nanhe found an excuse and paused for a moment, glancing at Yang Qingyan, trying to catch a hint of emotional change on her face, and then added, "I'll be living in the family compound from now on."
Yang Qingyan paused with the chopsticks in her hand, looked up at him, and replied briefly: "Well, this is your home, come back if you want."
Seeing her attitude, Mu Nanhe couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but he still continued to say: "I live in another room. I will go to the army in two days. I won't come back for lunch every day, but I will come back for dinner."
After that, he stood up, walked to the room and took out the passbook, returned to the dining table, and handed the passbook to Yang Qingyan with a little restraint, explaining: "It's convenient for you to take it for daily expenses at home."
Yang Qingyan was a straightforward person. Since they were still married, the family money should be used together. She did not refuse and took it with her hand. She responded calmly, "Okay."
Mu Nanhe watched her take the passbook, feeling slightly relieved, but also a little helpless. He knew that it would take time to break the ice between the two of them, but at least this was a small start.
The night fell, everything was silent, the lights in the courtyard gradually went out, only the desk lamp in Mu Nanhe's room was still emitting a dim light. He lay on the bed, the new sheets were soft to the touch, and he sniffed carefully, as if the faint scent of Yang Qingyan's body was still lingering, this scent was vague, but it went straight into his heart, making his thoughts more confused.
Recalling every bit of his time with Yang Qingyan during the day, her distant eyes and indifferent responses were like little hammers, gently hitting his heart. He thought that in such a night filled with complicated emotions, he would toss and turn, entangled in sorrow and unable to sleep. After all, the invisible and intangible but real barrier between them made him feel a little powerless.
However, perhaps because he was too tired from running between the troops and the family compound during the day, or perhaps because the familiar yet strange atmosphere of his home made him feel at ease, his eyelids gradually became heavy. The disturbing thoughts in his mind also receded slowly like the tide. Before the darkness completely swallowed the room, he fell asleep unexpectedly quickly.
In his sleep, Mu Nanhe's brows were slightly wrinkled, as if he was caught in some kind of entanglement. Occasionally, his lips moved slightly, but it was unclear what he was mumbling.
The moonlight shines through the cracks in the window, shining on his angular face, outlining a silver light and shadow, as if it is also peeking at his confusion and expectations for future life deep in his heart.
In the next room, Yang Qingyan was also lying quietly in the dark. She closed her eyes, looked at the ceiling above her head, and her thoughts drifted far away. For her, like Mu Nanhe, she had many uncertainties, but she inexplicably held a glimmer of hope. In this quiet night, although the two were in different rooms, their hearts seemed to be quietly tied by an invisible thread, waiting for the dawn to come and greet a new day.
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