Chapter 10: Embrace

Shen Mengyi had a bold guess in her heart, but looking at the faces of Jiang Yan and Shen Qingyao, she dared not jump to any conclusions. Just as Shen Mengyi began to speak, Jiang Yan quietly took off his cap and held it in his hand. Before Shen Mengyi could see clearly, she heard a doctor calling out.

"Who is the family member of Lu Shaojun? He's awake!"

Shen Mengyi raised her hand, "I am, I am..."

Watching Shen Mengyi walk away, Shen Qingyao tilted her head toward Jiang Yan. "What did she mean by that just now?"

Jiang Yan did not answer directly; he only tightened his grip on Shen Qingyao's hand. "I'm going to check on Lu Shaojun."

Inside the hospital room, Shen Mengyi's eyes were filled with tears, yet she kept scolding Lu Shaojun. "Why did you block it? It clearly wasn't your business..."

Jiang Yan pulled back the curtain. "How are you feeling now?"

Lu Shaojun was overjoyed. "Squad leader!"

Seeing Lu Shaojun’s pathetic display, Shen Mengyi curled her lips. Resigned to her fate, she poured him a glass of water and helped him sit up to take his medicine. Watching these actions, Shen Qingyao’s expression grew complex.

"Yaoyao brought you to the military hospital, and I know what happened," Lu Shaojun said, looking at Shen Qingyao with sincerity. "Thank you, sister."

"Sister?" Jiang Yan looked at Shen Qingyao. Recalling the marriage arrangement between Shen Mengyi and Lu Shaojun, he felt it made sense.

Shen Mengyi brought the water glass to Lu Shaojun, but Lu Shaojun handed it to Jiang Yan instead. "Brother-in-law, drink some water, drink some water..."

Jiang Yan did not take it and pushed the cup back. Lu Shaojun naturally did not dare to accept it, and the two began to push the cup back and forth. Shen Mengyi rolled her eyes and grabbed Lu Shaojun by the ear. "You wretch, are you trying to die by not taking your medicine?"

Lu Shaojun winced in pain. "Mengyi, take it easy, my sister and brother-in-law are still here..."

Shen Qingyao had originally thought that Shen Mengyi only loved Lu Shaojun for his money and status. Seeing what she was doing now, Shen Qingyao realized that she truly loved him. In her own world, Shen Qingyao was an orphan, and after growing up, she had two relationships that both ended in infidelity. She had never been truly loved, nor did she believe in the existence of true love. Books said that in the past, carriages were slow and a lifetime was only enough to love one person. Shen Qingyao thought that, perhaps, this was also a kind of love.

In the original book, Lu Shaojun never cheated, and every month he spent his earnings on his family. Later, when he became a battalion commander, he would return home to do chores after finishing his work. Everyone in the surrounding villages said that Lu Shaojun was a very good man.

Thinking of this, Shen Qingyao’s eyes dimmed. She walked silently to the door of the hospital room and sat down in a seat. Jiang Yan watched her back and followed her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just a bit tired." Shen Qingyao smiled and shook her head.

Jiang Yan met Shen Qingyao’s gaze, his eyes turning tender as water at that moment. Shen Qingyao instinctively avoided it, but Jiang Yan took a large step toward her. He pulled her into his arms, his gentle voice echoing in her ear. "If Wang Guihua and Shen Dongsheng give you any trouble, you can come to me."

Shen Qingyao was torn between laughter and tears. "Why come to you? Those are my father and stepmother."

The feeling of being held by Jiang Yan was strange. Shen Qingyao had always assumed that people in this era disliked showing affection in public and that hugging might be inappropriate. After transmigrating into the book, she realized that at least Jiang Yan was not that kind of person.

What kind of person was Jiang Yan? Shen Qingyao couldn't figure it out; her heart was simply thumping wildly.

"I don't care. You are my lover." Jiang Yan whispered in her ear like they were sharing a secret, and Shen Qingyao felt as if someone was blowing on her neck. She scratched her neck, a blush creeping up her cheeks. She had wanted to refuse the hug, but the moment Jiang Yan saw the blush on her face, he laughed out loud.

Shen Qingyao immediately buried herself back in Jiang Yan’s embrace, pressing her face against his chest. Jiang Yan was stunned for a moment, then lifted a hand to pat her back gently, as if coaxing a child.

"That's enough, that's enough..."

Shen Qingyao was not inexperienced, but she had never met a man like this. Was this what people in the 21st century called a "succubus"? Ripples stirred in Shen Qingyao’s heart. Jiang Yan’s eyes were also filled with tenderness.

[Host, three hundred points have been credited.]

Three hundred points? Damn, just by hugging Jiang Yan, she got three hundred points. That wasn't a loss at all. The system had previously mentioned that Jiang Yan was also one of her tasks, but Shen Qingyao still hadn't figured out what that task was.

[What exactly is Jiang Yan’s task?]

[Host, this is a hidden task. The system does not know the specifics, but since you have triggered it, you must complete it, otherwise points will be deducted.]

[Why do I feel like you're just making things up?]

Shen Qingyao felt something was wrong no matter how she thought about it. This damn system, why was it always so vague?

Jiang Yan felt the warmth of the person in his arms and instinctively tightened his hold. Shen Qingyao struggled a little. "You're going to choke me, Jiang Yan."

Hearing her say his name, which was a rare occurrence, Jiang Yan was in a great mood. "Your voice is very pleasant."

Shen Qingyao’s voice wasn't actually anything special—at least that was what she thought. The original owner’s reputation wasn't very good, but this voice and this face sometimes made people feel she wasn't so aggressive. Shen Qingyao was, after all, a civilized person from the 21st century, and her behavior wasn't as shrewish as others.

As it happened, Jiang Yan met Shen Qingyao at this time. He had never seen her acting like a boisterous middle-aged woman, nor had he seen her get into a fight. Crucially, Shen Qingyao’s large eyes were often misty, which confused Jiang Yan’s heart even more.

Shen Qingyao didn't know how to respond to Jiang Yan’s words. She remained silent for a long time, just letting him hold her.

"Battalion Commander, the documents are here!" Chen Zheng appeared out of nowhere.

Shen Qingyao pulled away from Jiang Yan’s arms and walked to the other side. Watching her back, Jiang Yan frowned. His speaking speed increased, and he wanted to reprimand the man but felt it wasn't the right time. "What is it?!"

"About the documents, the job certification is out. It’s just that you and the Chief will need to follow the requirements on it..."

"Got it." Jiang Yan looked displeased, and Chen Zheng shrank his neck. "Squad leader, then I'll be going..."

Jiang Yan spoke slowly, "Stop. You got the address wrong. Go back and run a few laps as punishment."

As soon as Jiang Yan finished speaking, Chen Zheng stood at attention and saluted. "Yes, Squad Leader!"

Chen Zheng was puzzled, but then he seemed to have a sudden realization. Jiang Yan glanced at him, and Chen Zheng immediately ran off without a moment’s hesitation, fearing that Jiang Yan would increase the punishment.

Shen Qingyao was muttering to herself in the corner when a hand rested on her shoulder. The weight suddenly became heavy, and she knew without looking that it was Jiang Yan.