Lin Xiaoxiao was startled by Zhou Xiaoli's gloomy, lifeless stare—her eyes were hollow, like a ghost's. Steadying herself, Lin asked, "You're awake? Are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor?"

Zhou Xiaoli coldly turned her face away, clearly refusing to engage.

Unfazed, Lin Xiaoxiao stood up and went outside to where Zhou Huai'an and Zhou Changyuan stood beside a flowerbed. "Xiaoli is awake. For everyone's convenience, you should transfer her to another room."

She had no interest in taking care of Zhou Xiaoli. Judging by the girl's attitude, she'd only repay kindness with malice. Lin Xiaoxiao didn't consider herself kind enough to return good for evil.

Zhou Changyuan looked cluelessly at Zhou Huai'an, who nodded and said, "I'll find a doctor."

He didn't ask Lin Xiaoxiao to help look after Zhou Xiaoli—he knew she wouldn't want to.

Zhou Xiaoli was quickly moved to a room with only one elderly patient.

Zhou Changyuan carried her there himself. When Zhou Xiaoli saw her older brothers, her eyes reddened and she began to cry. "Big brother, second brother..."

Zhou Changyuan still felt for his sister. He helped her lie down and tucked her in. "It's alright.

Just a couple more doses of antibiotics and you can go home."

Zhou Xiaoli was in pain and full of regret. She knew what the surgery meant, and part of her wished she had kept the baby—after all, her mother had said Lin Xiaoxiao could always raise it.

Had Lin Xiaoxiao known Zhou Xiaoli was still scheming against her in this state, she would've slapped her twice to knock some sense into her.

As dusk fell, Zhou Huai'an glanced at Lin Xiaoxiao, who had been standing silently by the window looking tired. He said to Zhou Changyuan, "You stay with Xiaoli. I'll take Xiaoxiao to rest."

Zhou Changyuan knew city girls weren't as hardy, so he nodded quickly. "Sure, go ahead."

Zhou Huai'an took Lin Xiaoxiao to a guesthouse near the hospital. Since they didn't have a marriage certificate or proof of relationship, they couldn't stay in the same room.

Seeing that Zhou Huai'an only booked one single room, Lin Xiaoxiao whispered, "Where are you sleeping tonight?

"It's fine. I have an army buddy in town. I'll stay with him."

Then Lin Xiaoxiao remembered Zhou Huai'an had driven the tractor all this way—who knew what shape his wound was in now? "Come upstairs with me first. Let me check your injury."

The front desk clerk overheard and immediately objected. "That won't do. If you can't prove you're married, you can't go up together."

Lin Xiaoxiao was baffled. "If we weren't married, would we be this open about it?"

The clerk smirked. "Who knows? You two just don't look like a couple."

The man was decent-looking but too dark-skinned—he didn't match this pretty girl at all.

Lin Xiaoxiao glanced at Zhou Huai'an, amused. Did couples need to "look the part" now?

Zhou Huai'an gently tugged her sleeve. "My wound is fine. Let's just put your things down and go eat."

Reluctantly, Lin Xiaoxiao left her bag in the room and went back downstairs with him.

They found a noodle stall near the hospital and each ordered a bowl of noodles.

Lin Xiaoxiao actually preferred rice. She hadn't been picky before—just focused on filling her stomach—but after days of nothing but wheat-based food, her appetite was gone. She slid her bowl toward Zhou Huai'an. "I can't finish this. Have some."

She transferred most of her noodles into his bowl.

Zhou Huai'an could tell she just didn't like them. He gave her a look but said nothing, picking up his bowl to eat.

Lin Xiaoxiao slowly ate what was left and finished all the broth, which made her stomach feel better. A full stomach led to wandering thoughts: How nice it would be to have a plate of fresh greens.

But it was only early March—too early for anything green. Cabbage and radishes were the best they could get.

After paying, Zhou Huai'an came back and said, "I bought another portion for my brother. Wait here for me—I'll be right back."

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't argue. She didn't want to see Zhou Xiaoli again anyway. "Should I just go back to the guesthouse?"

Zhou Huai'an insisted, unusually firm. "No, I won't be long."

With that, he left quickly with the lunchbox.

Lin Xiaoxiao waited at the stall, which had a view of the hospital gate.

The stall owner was a friendly older woman. With no customers around, she sat down to chat with Lin Xiaoxiao. "Family member in the hospital?"

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. "Yes."

The woman comforted her, "Spring is when everything comes alive—including illnesses. But you and your husband make such a lovely pair. In all my time running this stall, I've never seen a better-matched couple."

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled, pleased. "You think we look good together? The clerk at the guesthouse said we didn't seem like husband and wife."

The woman scowled. "Nonsense! He must be blind—you're a handsome pair!"

Lin Xiaoxiao laughed and chatted with her while keeping an eye on the hospital entrance.

Instead of Zhou Huai'an, she saw Luo Caixia hurrying inside with a cloth bag.

The woman noticed too and exclaimed, "Isn't that the girl who runs the tailor shop east of town?

What's she doing at the hospital?"

Lin Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "You know her?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, I live around there. She's clever with her hands—embroidering, sewing clothes—and she's kind, too. She even mends clothes for free for those in need."

Lin Xiaoxiao felt a twinge of complexity as she gazed thoughtfully toward the hospital.

After waiting over twenty minutes, the sky had turned completely dark. The woman, seeing no more customers, started packing up to go home.

Having nothing else to do, Lin Xiaoxiao stood and helped her stack the stools.

The woman thanked her warmly. "You're too kind. Such a pretty girl with a good heart—you and your man will have a chubby baby for sure!"

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Who knew how far she and Zhou Huai'an would really go?

Luo Caixia was so admirable—Lin almost felt bad "stealing" her man.

The woman slowly pushed her cart away. Lin Xiaoxiao decided to head back to the guesthouse—who knew if Zhou Huai'an would run into Luo Caixia and forget all about her?

After just a few steps, she heard a pained cry not far behind her.

Turning, she saw the woman she'd just been talking to lying on the ground. Two men had overturned her cart, snatched something, and were running away.

Without thinking, Lin Xiaoxiao ran toward her—on a cold night like this, a fall could be serious for someone her age.

By the time she reached the woman, the robbers were long gone.

Lin Xiaoxiao quickly knelt to help the elderly lady, who couldn't move. "Auntie, are you okay?"

She didn't notice at all—someone was creeping up behind her, raising a wooden club to strike...