Chapter 25: Bringing Her Home

By the time Chen Zheng arrived, Shen Qingye had already gone out to borrow some white sugar.

When he returned with a glass of sugar water, Shen Qingyao had settled into a quiet rest on the bed. She made some soft sounds in her nose, as if trying to say something. Jiang Yan leaned in to listen closely, only for Shen Qingyao to reach out and grab his arm.

"Jiang Yan, you’re actually quite soft..."

Soft? Jiang Yan was puzzled, instinctively pinching his own arm with his free hand. How could he be soft? He couldn't quite fathom it.

Shen Qingyao began to mumble again, and Jiang Yan leaned in once more. "Brother... braised pork..."

Shen Qingye sighed deeply and pulled Shen Qingyao up. "Always talking about braised pork. All you ever think about from morning till night is food."

He handed the sugar water to Shen Qingyao, but she made no move to drink it. Jiang Yan took the glass and began feeding it to her slowly. During this time, for some reason, Shen Qingyao suddenly became remarkably docile. She stared straight at Jiang Yan with wide eyes, then suddenly reached out to touch his eyebrows.

"Why are your eyebrows so thick, while mine are just a little bit?"

Shen Qingye said helplessly, "Yaoyao!"

But this call could not bring Shen Qingyao back to consciousness; instead, she vomited the sugar water she had just swallowed. Jiang Yan calmly stepped aside and, while Shen Qingye scrambled for a towel, used his own handkerchief to wipe the corners of her mouth.

"Oh dear, oh dear..."

This bout of sickness made Shen Qingye’s heart race. What if Jiang Yan decided to call off the engagement after this? As Shen Qingye’s mind filled with a thousand anxious possibilities, Shen Qingyao lay back down and drifted into a deep sleep. This time, she finally lay still, just like she would in a normal sleep.

Jiang Yan wanted to take the handkerchief to wash it, only to realize that Shen Qingyao was clutching his clothes. He didn't dare move, simply sitting by the bed, watching her.

*She, drunk; he, doting; and I, in despair.*

For a moment, Shen Qingye almost doubted whether this was his dormitory or a place for Shen Qingyao and Jiang Yan to go on a date. Fortunately, his reinforcements arrived right on time. Chen Zheng burst through the door with a rush, catching Jiang Yan sitting by the bed, guarding Shen Qingyao.

"Squad leader, I'm here..." He immediately turned around, acting as if he hadn't seen a thing.

Shen Qingye’s voice was weak. "Hey..."

Only then did Chen Zheng notice there was someone else there, and he hurriedly greeted Shen Qingye.

"To the Textile Factory compound."

Jiang Yan still didn't move, merely tilting his head. Chen Zheng stood at attention. "Yes, the car is ready."

Shen Qingye couldn't get a word in, so he could only stand to the side and nod. Jiang Yan picked up Shen Qingyao and nodded at Shen Qingye. "I'll take Yaoyao and go first."

"Go ahead, travel safely."

Since Jiang Yan was the one taking her, Shen Qingye had no reason to worry. His main concern now was how much face Shen Qingyao had lost. When she was small, even a drop of alcohol would make her drunk; their family never left liquor where she could reach it. It wasn't until a neighbor once sent over a plate of meat that must have contained some wine—after which she slept for an entire day—that they learned the truth. All in all, how Shen Qingyao behaved would be up to fate.

Jiang Yan carried her to the car. The guard at the gate rubbed his eyes as if to confirm he wasn't seeing things. Chen Zheng noticed the guard's gaze and, after asking Jiang Yan for permission, went over to offer him a cigarette.

"Uncle, want one?"

"I can't afford this kind of thing..." The guard usually smoked water pipes or dry tobacco; he had never tasted a brand-name cigarette like this before. Though he said he didn't want it, his hand was honest. He took it, weighing it in his palm, but didn't light it.

Chen Zheng spoke with pride. "That's our Commander. You should have seen him when he came last time. You know how good our Commander is. Well, Miss Shen got drunk today, so he’s taking her home."

"I see." The guard thought for a moment and lit the cigarette.

"It's getting late, I won't bother you anymore. I'll be off." Chen Zheng smiled and saluted the guard. The guard stood there with the cigarette in his mouth, nodding in return. As Chen Zheng turned away, the smile on his face nearly burst forth.

Jiang Yan looked down at Shen Qingyao, not moving an inch. Hearing that people who have been drinking shouldn't catch a cold, he covered her with his own coat. She was wearing light-colored clothing, and the military-green coat provided a sharp contrast. Chen Zheng couldn't ignore it, but he could only pretend not to see, focusing entirely on driving. *So this is what it means for an iron tree to bloom.*

Chen Zheng could barely suppress his grin, already imagining how he would recount this vividly to others later. Strictly speaking, Jiang Yan’s gaze wasn't fixed on Shen Qingyao the entire time—but for every second he looked at the road, he spent ten looking at her. Holding her in his arms, he kept thinking of that word "soft" for no reason. Paired with her tone, the word seemed to take on a strange new quality. But Jiang Yan had to admit, he liked it.

Jiang Yan pulled the coat up further, but Shen Qingyao shoved it down with effort. She buried her head in his chest, the heat of her breath spilling against him. Jiang Yan’s breathing grew unsteady; he lowered his head, his lips just a hair's breadth from her hair. Driven by an inexplicable impulse, he quickly pulled away, as timid as a chick pecking at grain.

Shen Qingyao sensed this slight change, opened her eyes, and looked up at him. Just as he hoped to hear her say something, she buried her head back into his chest. Jiang Yan suddenly felt reluctant to put her back down. The distance wasn't far, but every road must have an end.

Downstairs at the textile factory, aside from a few elderly women, there were only small children playing in the courtyard. Chen Zheng pulled over, but Jiang Yan didn't move.

"Commander..."

"Shh." Jiang Yan made a gesture for silence. Chen Zheng didn't understand, but he obeyed. The vehicle parked at the entrance attracted attention, and the women began to gather around one after another. Jiang Yan didn't engage with them, but a second later, the sound of an argument drifted down from upstairs.

"Oh my, are Guihua and Old Shen fighting again?"

"Can you call it fighting? It’s just Old Shen suffering one-sidedly. Back when Du Tang was still here, there was never this much drama."

"Who’s to blame? He’s the one who went and found someone like Wang Guihua."

After hearing a few sentences, Jiang Yan told Chen Zheng to drive off. Chen Zheng finally couldn't hold it in. "Commander, why?"

Jiang Yan didn't know why either. He gave a cold snort as a reply.

"Then... where to?" Chen Zheng asked again. This time, Jiang Yan gave him an answer: he was taking her home.

Chen Zheng complied, continuing his role as a silent driver. Xie Meiyi and Jiang Feng were chatting after dinner; hearing the sound of the car, Xie Meiyi left Jiang Feng behind and hurried out. She didn't see Jiang Yan at first, only the girl covered by the military coat.

"Oh my, what is this..."

"Mom, Yaoyao drank too much."

Jiang Feng came out just in time to hear this. He reacted for a moment before turning on Jiang Yan. "You brat, you..."

Jiang Yan tried to explain, "Dad, listen to me!"

"Yaoyao, Yaoyao, don't bump her!"

Chen Zheng chose that moment to shout, "Madam, Chief, please stop arguing and listen to me!"