CHAPTER 190: 184 QIONG’ER ACTING LIKE A BIG SHOT

As dawn broke, Tian Sangsang felt someone calling her. She opened her eyes to see Jiang Jinghuai’s handsome face bathed in the orange morning light.

"I have to return to the unit." The man’s voice, a little huskier than usual in the early morning, brushed across her heart like a feather. "You keep an eye on him for me."

Tian Sangsang rubbed her eyes, understanding, and took Meng Shuyan into her arms. Out of habit, she reminded, "Take care, come back soon."

After saying that, she suddenly felt something was off. She looked up and locked eyes with his narrow gaze.

"Ahem." Tian Sangsang’s face felt a bit hot. Trying to appear indifferent, she looked around and said, "Another beautiful day. May everyone be safe and sound."

Jiang Jinghuai pressed his lips together, his expression deep and unreadable. "Take good care of our son. Don’t run about unnecessarily."

"Got it."

However, just as he stepped out, Meng Shuyan woke up the very next second. The little boy realized he was lying in his mother’s arms while the surroundings felt empty. His tiny hands instinctively clung tightly to Tian Sangsang’s clothes. "Mom, where’s Dad?" How could he fall asleep and Dad just disappear? Was yesterday all a dream?

"He went to work," Tian Sangsang patted his head and explained. "He’ll come back around noon."

Relieved, Meng Shuyan stroked his small chest. "So it wasn’t a dream."

"Yanyan, what do you think of your dad?" Tian Sangsang looked at him and casually asked.

Meng Shuyan recalled the scene of being fed yesterday, his big eyes sparkling. "Daddy’s great! He’s so good to me, warm and caring."

Tian Sangsang nearly choked. No wonder they say a thousand people can have a thousand different versions of Hamlet. Was he really talking about Jiang Jinghuai?

"Do you like him?"

"I do!" Meng Shuyan nodded emphatically, then looked up and asked, "Mom, do you like him too?"

His eyes shimmered, utterly unguarded and full of expectation.

Tian Sangsang, her words not matching her heart, replied, "Hmm, I do like him."

"Do you want to live together with Dad?"

"Is Dad going to live with us?" The little boy asked cautiously, joy pooling in his dark eyes.

"Yes."

"Then we should live together with Dad," Meng Shuyan’s face lit up with delight. "Families are supposed to stay together." Hooray!

Tian Sangsang’s hand on his head trembled slightly, but she didn’t say anything more. Should they really get married?

But military marriages aren’t easy to end.

If it were anyone else, they’d probably criticize her for thinking about divorce before even getting married. But Tian Sangsang truly felt this way. First, for her son’s sake, she was willing to form a family with a stranger. However, military marriages are different; they can’t be entered into hastily. If her and Jiang Jinghuai’s marriage was in name only, and they lived separate lives, each finding new love later, it could lead to gossip and harm her son. On the other hand, if she never found someone else while being tied to Jiang Jinghuai for life, she wasn’t willing to accept that either.

It’s not that Jiang Jinghuai wasn’t good. On the contrary, he was excellent—his family background, abilities, and looks were all top-notch. He just wasn’t her type! As for that Li Yibai, who cared? With how he was in his past life, Tian Sangsang wouldn’t let him off easily in this life. If Li Yibai had any common sense, he’d stay out of her life. If not, if he dared to appear and even had designs on her son, she’d definitely crush him. She’d prove who had the upper hand—him or her. And as long as Jiang Jinghuai wasn’t using their son against him, Li Yibai wouldn’t stand a chance anyway.

For breakfast, Tian Sangsang received two bowls of porridge. The porridge was watery, but the rescue team also gave each person a boiled egg, which wasn’t bad.

While peeling the egg, two little boys were playing in front of her, running back and forth, full of energy.

Their legs went thud-thud-thud, thud-thud-thud... step after step, as though even the ground was trembling.

Meng Shuyan glanced at them and quietly lowered his head.

"Yanyan, time to eat." She brought the smooth, glossy white egg to his lips, and Meng Shuyan took a small bite.

Tian Sangsang naturally sensed his disappointment and comforted him, "Once you get better, you’ll be able to run around just like them."

"Mmhmm." Meng Shuyan held back his sadness and asked, "Do I still have to soak in the medicine today? It hurts so much, I almost fainted."

"Yes, you have to."

"I’m scared of the pain," Meng Shuyan whispered. "But I want to get better. I don’t want to be lame. So, I’ll soak in the medicine."

Tian Sangsang felt a pang in her heart and made a cheering gesture. "Yanyan is the bravest. Your dad will be proud of you."

"I’m proud of Dad!" Meng Shuyan clenched his tiny fist, his eyes shining. "I want to be in the military too one day!"

"Why?" Tian Sangsang asked, slightly worried and not entirely supportive.

"So that when someone’s legs are trapped, I can save them," Meng Shuyan said, his soft, sweet voice brimming with determination.

Tian Sangsang laughed. "If you became a doctor like Aunt Guan, you could also heal someone’s legs. You don’t have to be a soldier for that."

"No." He shook his head. "You have to save them first before you can heal their legs."

"Why not leave the saving to someone else and just focus on healing?"

"Because that’s why I have to save people first," Meng Shuyan replied.

By the end, Tian Sangsang felt like she’d been talked into a circle. Forget it, the future was still far away. She had plenty of time to dissuade her son from becoming a soldier. It was too dangerous. Just thinking about what happened to him in the book made her heart ache with fear.

Suddenly, a murmur spread through the crowd, catching Tian Sangsang’s attention.

She turned to look, and in the middle of the desolate disaster zone, there was a woman dressed extravagantly. She wore a thin red jacket draped over her shoulders, black trousers, and small leather shoes—completely out of place here. She wasn’t skinny, but not overweight either, her figure slightly plump, with fair cheeks. Despite keeping her face composed, there was a clear hint of disdain and impatience.

Such ostentation, so condescending.

Then, Tian Sangsang saw Lu Chi. He said a few words to her, his face remaining cold throughout.

By noon, Tian Sangsang went to see Chen Ying. Chen Ying kept Meng Shuyan with her, so Tian Sangsang went to help in the kitchen again. For lunch, they were cooking vegetable rice—Master Xiao Chun was in charge of the pots, large vats of vegetable rice without any meat and barely enough vegetables to count. Tian Sangsang looked into the corner and saw there were no greens left. Since they weren’t leaving until tomorrow, would they have nothing but porridge for dinner? There’s no way that would be enough to fill their stomachs.

But food still needed to be served. Even though she was concerned, she had to focus on her work first. Each bowl only contained a few sparse pieces of vegetable leaves, barely enough to fill a gap between teeth. If it weren’t for the salty flavor, it would almost feel like watery porridge. Naturally, complaints could be heard all around.

Li Qiong’er, with her usual arrogance, took the meal Tian Sangsang handed her and curled her lips in disdain. She took a small bite and her face changed dramatically. "What is this? It’s like pig food." She was furious. Lu Chi explained that this was the only kind of food available, and everyone was treated equally—there would be no special treatment. But she was pregnant and had traveled so far! How could she get no special care? Just the thought made her livid.

So infuriating.

This was the same woman who had been talking to Lu Chi earlier.