Before it was even time for lunch, Qi Fang returned. The moment Yan Xue saw him, she immediately bid farewell to Shan Qiufang.
Shan Qiufang tried to keep them. "Why leave so soon? Didn’t we agree you’d have lunch here?"
Shan Qiufang’s mother-in-law chimed in, "I’ve already washed the vegetables—they’re ready to be cooked. It’ll be done in no time."
"I know your cooking is delicious. Last time, Jigang ate so much he nearly burst," Yan Xue said with a smile. "But we rarely get to come down here, so we’d like to take a stroll around."
Shan Qiufang laughed. "Ah, young couples these days. Alright, I won’t keep you."
Once they left Shan Qiufang’s house, however, the atmosphere wasn’t as pleasant as Shan Qiufang had imagined—especially with Qi Fang, who glanced at Yan Xue’s left shoulder and then fell silent.
Yan Xue knew his earlier attitude had been off, and after pressing him a few times, she realized it was because of this. "You were still in the county at the time, so I didn’t tell you."
Qi Fang remained silent, refusing to look at her, much like when they had first gotten married and were still awkward around each other—keeping everything bottled up inside.
Yan Xue had no choice but to move her shoulder to show him. "It’s really nothing serious. See? I’ve recovered just fine—"
Before she could finish, Qi Fang pressed down on her arm with a cold expression. "Are you really recovered, or are you just refusing to admit it even if it hurts?"
"I really am—"
Yan Xue barely got the words out before he cut her off. "That’s what you said when you hurt your foot last time."
Qi Fang’s expression darkened. "Can’t you just take care of yourself instead of getting hurt all the time?"
As if she did it on purpose. Yan Xue’s smile faded. "Can’t you just talk properly instead of picking a fight in the middle of the street?"
Qi Fang’s face turned even stormier. "Am I the one picking a fight? Shouldn’t you have told me about something like this?"
"What good would that do? Would I have healed faster, or could you have taken the pain for me?"
"At least I could’ve come home sooner to make sure you didn’t make it worse."
"Like you could’ve come back even if I told you—" Before Yan Xue could finish, Qi Fang looked straight at her.
"I could."
His gaze was firm, his tone even firmer. "If you had told me, I would’ve found a way to come back immediately."
But Yan Xue had never been the type to complain about her pain to others, much less ask someone to drop everything for her. At his words, she fell silent.
The silence made Qi Fang stare at her for a long moment. When it became clear she had no intention of speaking, he pressed his lips together, his usually warm eyes turning dark.
Neither of them spoke another word. By the time they reached the state-run restaurant, Qi Fang didn’t even glance at it before walking past.
Was he so upset he didn’t even want to eat?
Yan Xue pressed her lips together and decided not to remind him, simply following behind to see what he planned to do.
When they arrived at the town’s forestry bureau hospital, Qi Fang finally turned to look at her before stepping inside. "Get me an appointment."
Yan Xue paused at the entrance but eventually followed, still silent.
The orthopedic department had only one doctor, who clearly remembered Yan Xue. Taking in their tense expressions, he asked, "Didn’t you heal up fine last time? Did it get worse?"
Yan Xue wouldn’t let her personal feelings affect how she treated outsiders, so she smiled. "No, my husband just wanted to be sure."
The doctor had wondered why her husband never accompanied her before—now it made sense. He must’ve been away.
He gave Yan Xue a quick checkup. "You’ve healed well. Youth helps with recovery."
"Will there be any lasting effects?" Qi Fang’s expression remained tight. "Like frequent dislocations?"
"You mean chronic dislocation? That usually happens if treatment is delayed or recovery is poor. Hers is fine."
"Then…" Qi Fang hesitated before lowering his voice. "Does it still hurt?"
The doctor was taken aback. With how serious Qi Fang looked, he’d expected a graver question. He chuckled. "If there was pain, it would’ve been in the first month. It’s been three months now."
Most family members asked about recovery or long-term effects—few asked about pain, especially after this long.
Smiling, the doctor reassured Qi Fang, "Don’t worry, young man. Your wife’s injury has healed well. She’s fine."
Once they left the hospital, Yan Xue couldn’t help but glance at Qi Fang, but he still refused to look at her, just as he had before they entered.
He was clearly still angry—even though the doctor had confirmed she was fine and not in pain.
Yan Xue decided to explain one more time. "By the time you came back, I was already healed. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry."
So hearing from someone else that she’d been injured—nearly in a car accident—wasn’t supposed to make him worry?
Qi Fang turned to look at her but said nothing, afraid that if he opened his mouth, he’d only snap at her, and they’d end up arguing in public again.
Besides, he had specifically written to her before, asking if everything was alright. What had she told him then?
Qi Fang turned away and kept walking, leaving Yan Xue’s explanation hanging in the air. Her smile wavered.
Back when they’d first married, he had been like this too—silent when upset. But Yan Xue wasn’t the type to feel awkward just because no one was talking.
Yet today, after multiple attempts to explain had been met with coldness, she no longer felt like trying. If he wanted to stay angry, fine. The way he was acting, she had every right to be upset too.
So the couple ignored each other all the way through lunch at the state-run restaurant and the train ride home.
Only after stepping through their front door did they put on smiles again, forcing themselves to act normal in front of Second Old Lady and Yan Jigang.
When they heard that Shan Qiufang had given birth safely to a daughter, Second Old Lady repeatedly murmured, "Safe and sound is all that matters."
But when they mentioned that Yan Jizu’s wife had prematurely given birth to a son during New Year’s, she fell silent, her expression suggesting she wasn’t the least bit surprised.
Both thought they were hiding their tension well, but after dinner, Yan Jigang quietly asked Second Old Lady, "Why… why isn’t brother-in-law looking at sister?"
Before, even though Qi Fang didn’t talk much, his eyes had always lingered on Yan Xue.
If even Yan Jigang noticed, Second Old Lady certainly had. She patted her grandson’s head. "Maybe your brother-in-law had a rough day at work."
Still, marital disputes were the hardest to meddle in—even parents hesitated to interfere, let alone an adoptive grandmother like her.
Second Old Lady said nothing and asked nothing, hoping the two would work it out themselves.
Back in their room, once Second Old Lady and Yan Jigang were gone, the couple returned to ignoring each other, each busying themselves with their own tasks.
But when it was time to sleep, they still shared the same quilt—apparently, their cold war didn’t extend to the bed.
Yan Xue moved to shift her pillow farther away, only for a slender, strong hand to press down on it.
Qi Fang looked up at her, silent, but his grip was unyielding. When she didn’t relent, he tugged the pillow back toward him.
How amusing. He was the one who was angry, the one who refused to listen to her explanations—and now he wouldn’t even let her move her pillow.
In any case, Yan Xue couldn’t match a man’s strength, so she didn’t bother arguing. Instead, she lay down and turned her back to him.
Qi Fang noticed this, his expression growing even colder. She had gotten hurt without telling him, even acting as if she’d done nothing wrong—yet now she was the one giving him the cold shoulder.
The two of them had inadvertently contributed to the future family planning policy in advance. The next day, however, they resumed their usual routine with Second Old Lady and Yan Jigang as if nothing had happened.
For several days, neither of them broke the silence. Eventually, it was Second Old Lady who couldn’t stand it any longer. Seizing the opportunity while Yan Jigang was at school, she pulled Yan Xue aside. "Did you not tell Qi Fang about your injury?"
She didn’t ask whether they had argued or why. Instead, she went straight to the point—the injury. Yan Xue remained silent, not denying it.
Second Old Lady sighed. "I thought after all these months, you would’ve told him already. I should’ve paid more attention."
"It’s fine. It wasn’t a big deal," Yan Xue reassured her, only for the old woman to swat her lightly. "Not a big deal?"
Gazing at the granddaughter she had watched grow up—the girl who had not only saved her life but also brought her to live here—Second Old Lady spoke more than usual. "If Qi Fang got hurt outside and didn’t tell you, wouldn’t you be angry? What if it were Jigang? Wouldn’t you be upset?"
Yan Xue fell silent. After a long pause, she finally murmured, "Grandma, no one ever told me I could share my pain with others."
In both lifetimes, no one had taught her that—not in her previous life, nor in this one.
In her past life, her father had suffered even more than she did, and later fell ill. No matter how harshly others berated her outside, she never dared let even a hint of redness show in her eyes when she returned home.
In this life, even though her stepfather was kind, her mother had died too soon. Living in a household with only one blood relative left, she also had to take care of Jigang…
So it wasn’t that she didn’t want to speak up. Hiding pain had simply become instinctive—she never even considered confiding in anyone.
Second Old Lady knew how hard her life had been. Her breath hitched before she sighed again, long and heavy. "You’ve suffered all these years."
"I think I’m doing alright," Yan Xue said, never one to wallow in self-pity. "I still have you, and Jigang. Things are getting better now."
Her smiling eyes curved gently, clear and unforced, yet it only made Second Old Lady’s heart ache even more.
Having lived under someone else’s roof herself, she understood Yan Xue’s feelings all too well. She dropped the subject but later sought out Qi Fang.
At the time, someone from the family support team had come to notify Yan Xue, telling her to prepare for the mountain forest clearing work starting the day after tomorrow.
The moment Second Old Lady saw Qi Fang return from work, she quickly intercepted him and pulled him aside. What they discussed remained unknown, but when Yan Xue returned after seeing the visitor off, she found herself locked in the gaze of a pair of peach-blossom eyes.
For days, he had avoided looking at her. Now, his stare was unrelenting, and Yan Xue felt an inexplicable discomfort, instinctively averting her eyes.
That slight evasion betrayed the emotions she had buried beneath her composed façade—feelings even she might not have fully recognized.
Unlike before, when accidental eye contact would make him turn away, Qi Fang stepped forward this time and raised a hand to brush his fingers against her temple.
Yan Xue almost flinched but then remembered what lay beneath her hair there—the scar from when she had once split her head open. She forced herself to stay still.
Qi Fang’s fingers lingered over the scar. He lowered his gaze, about to say something, when someone else walked in.
Liu Weibin had clearly run all the way here, his face flushed and his breath uneven. "Yan Xue-jie, Jigang got into a fight at school! The teacher sent me to get you!"
"Jigang got into a fight?" Yan Xue was stunned.
Yan Jigang was obedient and shy, someone who had to muster courage just to argue with others. How could he have gotten into a fight?
"I’ll go right away." She turned to grab her coat, but Qi Fang had already fetched it for her.
Hearing the commotion, Second Old Lady grew anxious too. "Was anyone hurt?"
"Not really," Liu Weibin scratched his head. "They were fighting at school when the teacher caught them."
Clearly, in this child’s mind, the real problem wasn’t the fight—it was getting caught.
Yan Xue quickly got ready and left with Liu Weibin, only to find Qi Fang following them.
She didn’t comment, instead asking Liu Weibin if he knew what had started the fight.
But Liu Weibin didn’t know either. He only said that during recess, someone had said something, and Yan Jigang had lunged at them.
So Jigang had thrown the first punch. That made Yan Xue even more uneasy.
When they hurried into the school office, they were met with Teacher Liu’s loud scolding before even stepping inside. "Even if you don’t have parents, shouldn’t your sister have taught you better? Hitting someone out of nowhere—what did our Guozhong ever do to you?"
Teacher Yuan’s voice chimed in, trying to mediate. "We haven’t figured out what happened yet. Don’t be so hard on the child."
"What’s there to figure out? Everyone saw him throw the first punch! Our Guozhong didn’t provoke him—"
Before she could finish, Yan Xue and Qi Fang walked in. Teacher Liu immediately redirected her fury. "How have you been raising your brother?"
Next to her desk stood her son, sniffling, his cheeks red from the cold, tears and snot still streaked across his face.
Yan Jigang, meanwhile, stood with his head bowed by Teacher Yuan’s desk. Hearing the commotion, he looked up, his expression full of shame when he saw Yan Xue.
Yan Xue first gave him a reassuring glance before turning to Teacher Liu. "I think I’ve done just fine. At least Jigang doesn’t go around saying things like ‘you don’t have parents.’"
Losing parents wasn’t the child’s fault. Compared to a child who grew up without parental guidance, those who used it as an insult were the ones lacking upbringing.
Teacher Liu clearly understood the jab. Her eyebrows shot up. "What’s that supposed to mean? Your child hit someone, and you’re defending him?"
Yan Xue ignored her, crouching in front of Yan Jigang instead. "Tell me the truth—did he call you a stutterer again?"
"How is ‘stutterer’ an insult? Your brother does stutter," Teacher Liu retorted, knowing her son well.
Yan Xue continued disregarding her, focusing only on Yan Jigang. Meanwhile, Qi Fang, who had been silent since entering, finally spoke. "Then ‘idiot’ probably doesn’t count as an insult either."
His tone was flat, as if stating a simple fact, but it was enough to make someone nearby stifle a laugh.
Yan Jigang’s lips twitched slightly before he shook his head. "N-no… he didn’t say that."
Teacher Liu seized the opportunity. "See? Even your brother admits my son didn’t provoke him!"
But Yan Xue caught the nuance in Jigang’s words—"he didn’t say that" implied the actual remark had been worse than mocking his stutter.
Her voice softened further. "Then what did he say? Can you tell me and the teachers?"
No scolding, no interrogation—just patience and trust.
Yan Jigang pursed his lips again and lowered his head. "He said... he said you're a hen that can't lay eggs."
It was because of her?
Yan Xue froze for a moment before Yan Jigang continued, "He said you've been married for a year and still haven't had a child."
The office fell silent instantly, even Teacher Liu's retort got stuck in her throat.
Yan Xue instinctively refuted, "Impossible! How would our Guozhong know such words?"
"Then you should ask who said it in front of him," Yan Xue turned to Teacher Liu. "It couldn't be me or Jigang making this up about ourselves, right?"
She was genuinely angry. Though she knew there were gossips in the forestry station, how could they spread such rumors in front of a child?
Without even asking the child, it was obvious from Teacher Liu's son's guilty expression. Yan Xue confronted Teacher Liu directly, "Is this what you teachers teach children these days?"
She smiled coldly, her eyes devoid of warmth. "I’m seriously starting to doubt the school’s standards for hiring teachers. I worry for the kids in your class."
"How would I know where he heard it?" Teacher Liu tried to deflect, but her words tacitly admitted her son had likely repeated such talk.
"How noble of you," Yan Xue retorted. "Earning a teacher’s salary but worrying about national affairs, even meddling in population growth."
From the moment Yan Jigang spoke those words, Qi Fang’s expression had turned icy. "If you're so concerned, maybe you should quit teaching and focus on increasing the population at home."
The implication—that Teacher Liu should go home and have children herself—made someone in the office stifle a laugh.
The couple took turns rebutting until Teacher Liu was left speechless. Yan Xue then turned to Teacher Yuan. "Sorry for the trouble."
Teacher Yuan shook her head. "Jigang is usually well-behaved. But next time, tell the teacher instead of resorting to fighting."
This last part was directed at Yan Jigang, who nodded sheepishly. "S-sorry, Teacher."
"Can we take him home now?" Yan Xue had no intention of making her brother apologize to that mother and son. They hadn’t provoked them—why should they bow their heads and endure this humiliation?
On the way back, Yan Xue asked Yan Jigang, "Had you heard such gossip before? Is that why you wanted a nephew?"
His earlier avoidance of her gaze suggested more than just Liu Weibin’s words.
Sure enough, Yan Jigang glanced up at her before dropping his head again—silent confirmation.
"People really have too much time on their hands," Yan Xue began, but Qi Fang cut in, ruffling Yan Jigang’s hair. "Ignore them. Your sister and I aren’t in a hurry—why should they care?"
Yan Xue softened her tone, patting Yan Jigang’s other side. "Our Jigang is growing up, already protecting his sister."
Seeing his shy smile, she added gently, "But next time, tell us. We’ll handle it properly—we’re in the right."
Yan Jigang nodded. When Yan Xue looked up, she accidentally locked eyes with Qi Fang. Only then did she realize—in their united front against outsiders, they’d forgotten they were still in the middle of a cold war.
Back home, the Second Old Lady was furious upon hearing the story. "What kind of people say such things to a child?"
She glanced at Qi Fang and Yan Xue. Qi Fang said flatly, "We’re still young. There’s no rush."
Seeing he wasn’t upset, the Second Old Lady relaxed and urged everyone to eat.
But as soon as the food was served, Yan Xue suddenly covered her nose and turned away, fighting nausea.
Qi Fang’s eyes darkened. "What’s wrong? Did that woman ruin your appetite?"
Yan Jigang looked up anxiously. "S-sis, sorry... I won’t fight again."
"It’s not that," Yan Xue waved a hand, then turned away again.
Qi Fang pressed his lips together. Could it be... the stress of their cold war?
He patted her back, leaning close to whisper, "I’m not angry anymore, okay? Don’t be upset."
Truthfully, after the Second Old Lady’s earlier words, his anger had faded into concern.
Amid the flurry, the Second Old Lady remained composed. "Has your period come this month?"
Qi Fang didn’t grasp it at first—until Yan Xue blinked. "Not yet."
"How many days late?"
"Six or seven."
Without another word, the Second Old Lady removed the pungent fermented bean paste from the table. "Skip the forestry work for now."
Finally, Qi Fang understood. His grip tightened on his chopsticks as he stared at Yan Xue’s still-flat stomach.
After dinner, he lingered by the kang bed, stealing glances at Yan Xue until she grew uneasy.
As work time approached, he finally stood. "I’ll take leave tomorrow. We’re going to the hospital."
Yan Xue, still dazed, found his reaction almost amusing. "No need to rush. Wait for your day off."
Whether confirmed or not, she’d avoid the forestry team—especially with Secretary Lang’s pending news.
The married women there quickly guessed why Yan Xue had vanished. Lang Yue’e visited promptly. "You’re pregnant, aren’t you? Even if unsure, be careful—no heavy lifting!"
Li Shuwu’s wife was secretly pleased. With Yan Xue sidelined for at least a year, she’d surely hurry to buy tree stumps for mushroom cultivation.
This time, she’d charge eighty, not fifty.
Unaware of these undercurrents, Secretary Lang reviewed the proposal and took it to Qu Mingli.
Cunningly, he’d noted Qu Mingli’s prior private meetings with Qi Fang—an ally in pushing Yan Xue’s plan.
The ambitious young secretary, eager for achievements, was open to innovation.
Qu Mingli read the entire document before looking up. "Yan Xue devised this?"
Secretary Lang nodded. "She trialed it last year—successfully." He produced a bag of Yan Xue’s cultivated mushrooms. "Her results speak for themselves."
Qu Mingli opened it and examined the contents. "The quality is indeed excellent—far better than what we usually see in small markets or procurement stations. Are all her products of this standard?"
In truth, procurement stations had always accepted wood ear mushrooms, but Yan Xue avoided selling there mainly because the prices were too low. Most people only took goods to the procurement stations when they couldn’t sell them in small markets—items like pelts, medicinal herbs, or heavy, hard-to-sell pine nuts.
Secretary Lang hadn’t realized Yan Xue had put so much effort into drying the mushrooms. "The key is that these are cultivated. They’re harvested at peak ripeness, while the unripe ones are left for the next batch."
This was indeed an advantage over wild-grown varieties. Qu Mingli was genuinely surprised—the young woman who once called him "big brother" with every sentence wasn’t just kind and quick-witted; she also had this skill.
He flipped through the proposal again. "It’s definitely feasible. After all, if we don’t grow wood ears, those tree stumps and substandard lumber at the bureau would just go to waste. However…" Qu Mingli’s tone shifted. "There might be some resistance within the bureau. We’ll need a convincing argument to push this through."
Qi Fang: Folks, is it too late for me to buy a washboard now?
