Wang Fenglan noticed that Zhou Huian wasn't speaking up for her at all. Feeling uneasy and a little guilty, she didn't dare say anything more. Hurriedly, she took Zhou Xiaoli by the arm and left almost in a panic—as if escaping some disaster.

Lin Xiaoxiao watched them disappear through the doorway, then turned to look at Zhou Huian. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by what had just happened. In fact, he looked completely unruffled. Curious, she asked, "Why does it feel like your mother is kind of scared of you?"

Wang Fenglan usually came across as loud and unreasonable—even more so than Lin Xiaoxiao herself. So why did she suddenly become so timid around Zhou Huian?

As expected, Zhou Huian didn't answer.

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't press him. She picked up her towel and washbasin and headed to the bathroom. As she washed up, she overheard bits of conversation among other family members who were staying with patients.

"That carp you bought yesterday looked pretty good. How much was it?""Oh, it was free! Some folks were fishing down by the river. After they left, I picked up a few that were left behind."

Lin Xiaoxiao's ears perked up at the word "free." She even slowed down her brushing.

"Seriously? Free? How's that possible?""The fish were kinda small, so they didn't want 'em. If you're interested, you should check it out. Just head east not too far from here—there's a big pond.""Alright, I'll go take a look later."

Lin Xiaoxiao made a mental note of the location. She finished brushing her teeth and washing her face quickly, brought a basin of water back for Zhou Huian, and decided she'd go check out the pond as soon as he finished breakfast.

She rushed to the storage room to reheat the duck soup, then bought two soft white steamed buns for Zhou Huian. "Eat up—make sure you finish all the meat and the soup. I'm going out for a bit."

Without waiting for a response, she dashed out again. She grabbed a coarse multigrain bun from the cafeteria, stuffed some pickles in it, and began munching as she walked.

Just outside the hospital's main entrance, she ran into Dr. Lu Yuanda, who was arriving for his shift. She quickly hid the bun behind her back and greeted him, "Good morning, Dr. Lu."

Dr. Lu had been noticing Lin Xiaoxiao's behavior these past couple of days. He looked at her kindly and said, "Good morning. Heading out already?"

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded quickly. "Yes, just some errands. I won't keep you."And with that, she hurried off cheerfully.

Dr. Lu couldn't help but smile. He turned and saw Lin Xiaoxiao already walking away, still eating that bun. If he wasn't mistaken, it was the cheap, coarse kind—sorghum and corn flour mixed—known to be dry and hard to swallow.

People always said Zhou Huian had married a difficult woman, but what he saw was quite different.

Dr. Lu decided to stop by Zhou Huian's room before going to his office. There he was, sitting up in bed, drinking duck soup and eating soft white buns.

"Looks like Xiao Lin is taking very good care of you. Duck soup, huh?" Dr. Lu remarked.

Zhou Huian set down his lunchbox and made to stand, but Dr. Lu gently motioned for him to stay seated. "Don't get up. You're recovering well."

"I have you to thank for saving my life," Zhou Huian said, with a hint of humor rare for him.

Dr. Lu feigned sternness. "Let's not go through that again. I'm too old for another scare like that."

The two went way back—from the front lines, where Dr. Lu served as a military medic. They'd known each other for ten years.After asking after Zhou Huian's condition, Dr. Lu shifted the topic. "That wife of yours... She seems decent. I heard things weren't so good between you two?"

Zhou Huian fell silent. There was too much between him and Lin Xiaoxiao that was hard to explain.

"Listen," Dr. Lu said thoughtfully, "every couple has their arguments. But look at you—you've got duck soup and nice buns. The lady at the canteen told me your wife has been eating coarse multigrain buns with pickles these past few days."

Zhou Huian looked surprised.

Lin Xiaoxiao had always claimed she wouldn't sacrifice for anyone. He had actually believed her.

Noticing his reaction, Dr. Lu went on, "Can't believe that delicate city girl would rough it? I saw her just now, eating that bun as she walked. She's a good one. You should treasure her."

Zhou Huian felt a sudden pang of emotion. He remembered how lively Lin Xiaoxiao looked when she talked, and now he could almost picture her struggling to swallow that dry, rough bread.

She used to complain about even cornmeal buns—how could she be eating sorghum mix?

Dr. Lu smiled warmly. "You're a lucky man. A young, pretty wife who treats you well? Don't let that go."

Zhou Huian nodded firmly. "I won't."If Lin Xiaoxiao stayed, he would spend his whole life making it up to her.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoxiao had hurried all the way to the fishing spot. She found a crowd already gathered around the pond. It turned out to be a fish farm, and with the ice melted, it was time to harvest the winter stock.

Some were using explosives; others were netting. And plenty of people were scrambling for the smaller fish that were left behind.

Lin Xiaoxiao never imagined she'd one day be fighting for free food. But to save money and help Zhou Huian recover, dignity didn't matter. She dove right in.

When a net was hauled ashore, small fish no bigger than half a palm slipped through the mesh. Nobody wanted those—so a crowd surged forward.

Lin Xiaoxiao rolled up her sleeves and pushed her way into the fray. She was quick and strong; when someone jostled her, she jostled back.

After a few rounds, she'd grabbed over twenty small fish. She put them in a cloth bag, held it tight, and headed back triumphant—not realizing how disheveled she looked.

She was already thinking: these little carp would make a rich, milky-white soup, full of nutrition. Maybe she could have a flatbread with it too.

Her mouth watered at the thought. She was just as hungry.

Back inside the hospital grounds, she made a beeline for the canteen—she wanted to clean the fish before returning to the room.

But there, standing at the canteen entrance, was Zhou Huian. He stood straight and firm, like a winter poplar in the sun, as though his abdominal injury meant nothing.

Zhou Huian's expression was serious as ever. Lin Xiaoxiao's hair was messy, stuck to her face with sweat. There were smudges of mud on her fair skin, and her clothes were dirty. She looked a mess—but still beautiful.

Seeing him out of bed again, anger flashed in her bright eyes. "What are you doing here? Do you not care about getting better?"

Zhou Huian's lips moved. Surprisingly, he answered softly, "I was coming back. I got worried when you were gone so long."

Lin Xiaoxiao looked him over, puzzled by his unusual willingness to explain. "Well, go back then. I've got things to do here."

But Zhou Huian didn't move. He just stood there, looking at her...