Pei Zhengnian was dressed in his combat uniform, sweat soaking the deep green fabric into an even darker shade, clinging tightly to his well-built back muscles.
He had just finished morning training and returned, his face and body still glistening with sweat.
He casually held his training cap in one hand, his short hair damp and plastered to his forehead, giving him a particularly spirited look.
“Back from training?”
Shen Nanchu looked up and asked.
She was sitting at the table, leisurely enjoying her breakfast with the elegance of someone savoring a five-star hotel’s morning tea.
“Yeah.”
Pei Zhengnian replied briefly, but his gaze couldn’t help but be drawn to Shen Nanchu.
Today, she was wearing a loose, pale pink dress with a doll collar. The soft fabric swayed gently with her movements, perfectly concealing her baby bump without making her look bulky.
Her hair was all tied up, revealing a smooth forehead and giving her a fresh, crisp appearance.
What caught Pei Zhengnian’s attention most were the shoes on her feet—soft white cloth shoes embroidered with a few delicate flowers.
Those shoes were made for Shen Nanchu by Yu Lanhua, who had modified them slightly. They resembled the Birkenstocks of a later era and were incredibly comfortable to wear.
Shen Nanchu had only worn them at the Pei family home before because the roads outside Wang Family Village were mostly muddy and hard to walk on.
But the military base had paved cement roads, making walking smooth and comfortable.
“I’m going to take a shower first.”
Pei Zhengnian wrinkled his brow as he sniffed the sweat lingering on his body.
He found a clean set of military clothes and then rushed into the bathroom.
A minute later, he emerged, steam still clinging to him, water dripping from his hair, which he casually wiped with a towel.
He sat down beside Shen Nanchu, his body still carrying the cool freshness of a cold shower, mingled with the clean scent of soap.
Without hesitation, Pei Zhengnian picked up the bowl and chopsticks Shen Nanchu had just used and began eating breakfast.
His movements were quick but not rough, showing the efficiency unique to a soldier.
Shen Nanchu rested her cheek on her hand as she watched him eat, inexplicably feeling a little bit of attraction.
No wonder he was her man—even his way of eating was appealing.
Pei Yunzhou hadn’t gotten up yet; the effects of last night’s drinking were clearly still lingering.
After leaving the rest of the breakfast for him, Pei Zhengnian took Shen Nanchu and headed out.
“Wait a moment, I’ll borrow a bike from next door.”
He pointed to a nearby house.
“Captain Tian’s family has a two-eight bike. I’ll ride you to the hospital.”
The Tian family lived just next door.
The military hospital was about a ten-minute bike ride from their home.
Pei Zhengnian didn’t want Shen Nanchu to tire herself out walking, so he planned to give her a ride.
“Let’s just walk.”
Shen Nanchu waved her hand.
“It’s good to get some exercise.”
She wasn’t fussy; even though she was a few months pregnant, she was still agile and didn’t mind walking a short distance.
Besides, they had just finished breakfast, and a walk would help with digestion.
“Alright.”
Pei Zhengnian led Shen Nanchu toward the military hospital.
The gentle morning sunlight poured down on the cement road, while the sycamore trees on both sides cast dappled shadows.
Occasionally, soldiers marched past in formation. When they saw Pei Zhengnian, they would stand at attention and salute, then sneak curious glances at Shen Nanchu.
A few military wives, baskets of groceries slung over their arms, were returning from the morning market when they spotted the couple and greeted them warmly.
Along the way, the handsome duo attracted quite a few admiring glances from soldiers and military wives alike.
Pei Zhengnian stood tall and upright, dressed simply in his military uniform, yet his commanding presence was impossible to miss.
Shen Nanchu was gentle and graceful, her pink dress making her fair skin glow even more, and her baby bump adding a soft, maternal beauty to her appearance.
Together, they looked like a perfect couple straight out of a magazine.
"Good morning, Commander Pei! Hello, Ma’am!"
"Comrade Shen, you look especially radiant today!"
"Are you headed to the hospital for a check-up?"
Everyone eagerly greeted Pei Zhengnian and Shen Nanchu.
The two responded politely one by one, Shen Nanchu’s face adorned with a composed smile.
By the time they reached the military hospital, Shen Nanchu felt her face stiffen, the corners of her mouth aching slightly from holding the smile for so long.
"The people in your unit are really enthusiastic," she murmured, rubbing her cheek softly.
"They’re enthusiastic about you," Pei Zhengnian said with a smile in his eyes.
The Daliao Military District Hospital was quite large, a three-story white building with a prominent red cross hanging above the entrance.
The hospital was divided into departments—internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology—everything was well-equipped.
Shen Nanchu was headed to the obstetrics and gynecology department, located on the far east side of the second floor.
There were only two doctors in that department: the experienced Director Liu Xiaojing and a newcomer, Liu Yan.
A nurse in the hallway informed them that Director Liu had just been called away to an emergency meeting and wouldn’t be back for a while.
Since it was just a routine prenatal check-up, Shen Nanchu and Pei Zhengnian decided not to wait for Director Liu and agreed to have Liu Yan perform the examination.
Liu Yan was a young doctor in her early twenties, with meticulously styled short hair and a mask covering her face, leaving only her slender eyes visible.
She motioned for Shen Nanchu to lie down on the examination bed and began the routine check-up.
Her hands moved across Shen Nanchu’s belly.
Shen Nanchu’s expression remained calm, but a flicker of doubt crossed her face.
It wasn’t that Liu Yan was unprofessional—rather, her technique felt unusual.
The pressure and placement of Liu Yan’s fingers seemed to go beyond what a typical prenatal exam required.
What raised Shen Nanchu’s suspicion further was that every time her hand neared a certain spot on Shen Nanchu’s abdomen, Liu Yan’s breathing would quicken ever so slightly.
"The fetus is developing normally," Liu Yan’s voice came muffled through the mask, tinged with a hint of heaviness.
"However, I recommend an ultrasound for a more thorough examination."
She straightened up and began writing something in the medical record, but her gaze was restless, avoiding Shen Nanchu’s eyes.
Pei Zhengnian, standing nearby, keenly sensed the strange atmosphere.
He stepped forward.
"Is there a problem?"
His voice was calm, but his eyes were already clouded with concern.
Liu Yan’s hand trembled ever so slightly, and her pen scratched an extra line across the paper.
"N-no major issues," she forced herself to say, trying to appear steady.
"It’s just a routine recommendation."
Shen Nanchu sat up, leisurely adjusting her clothes.
Her gaze lingered on Liu Yan for a moment before she casually looked away.
"Alright, let’s do it," she said softly, a meaningful curve appearing at the corner of her lips.
Shen Nanchu was absolutely certain—this Liu Yan definitely had something fishy about her.
As for what exactly the problem was?
Well, that would only become clear when she slipped up.
The system was already quite advanced and knew to prepare in advance.
“Host, according to the information we’ve gathered, this Liu Yan is just an ordinary doctor.”
Shen Nanchu had already anticipated this outcome.
“What hidden agenda is she hiding? We’ll find out once she steps out for a bit.”
“Keep a close eye on her.”
“Got it.”
…
