“No need,” Lin Shiheng said with his usual gentle demeanor, but there was a distance in his movement as he sidestepped the hand that Miao Xing was reaching out to him. Instead, he wrapped his long, protective arm around his wife’s shoulder, saying, “I’m worried about her.”
It was merely a trip to the bathroom. Besides, He Xuezhu wasn’t particularly stunning—her skin and figure were quite ordinary. What was there to be worried about?
Miao Xing thought dismissively, but beneath the surface, jealousy began to coil inside her; Zhang Yanming never showed her such concern.
The more she compared, the more regret she felt about being intimate with Zhang Yanming in the past. She should have firmly rejected his advances at the beginning. If only Shiheng had not overheard them, perhaps they would have already been together.
It was clear that at that time, Shiheng had started to soften towards her.
Wait!
Miao Xing’s eyes suddenly brightened as an idea struck her.
Could it be that Shiheng was deliberately putting on such a show for her benefit? After all, when they first got to know each other, although she was aware that Lin Shiheng had a wife back home, he had never mentioned her. Miao Xing had even tried to casually inquire about it when she bumped into Shiheng’s subordinate at the hospital—no one in their unit seemed to know that he had a wife.
If Lin Shiheng truly cared for his wife as he had just demonstrated, then why had he never mentioned her in the military?
He must still have lingering thoughts about her, but he was just being considerate in front of Zhang Yanming, putting on an act of taking care of his wife.
The more Miao Xing thought about it, the more convinced she became. The idea that Lin Shiheng still thought about her sent her heart racing.
If she were happily united with Zhang Yanming, seeing Lin Shiheng would perhaps only stir a moment of resentment in him. But the reality was that Zhang Yanming acted like a child; he barely took care of her and didn’t even expect her to care for him.
Not to mention that Zhang Yanming held a lower position than Lin Shiheng. Even in terms of accommodating her family, he was unwilling to compromise, filling Miao Xing’s heart with a sense of threat.
Before, she hadn’t had better options, but now that she had the hope that Lin Shiheng still cared for her, her spirits lifted.
She had only agreed to be with Zhang Yanming for now; they hadn’t even registered their marriage yet. And that He Xuezhu couldn’t hold a candle to her; her personality was clearly not one that could win people over.
Perhaps she could take this opportunity to rekindle Shiheng’s interest in her.
As for Zhang Yanming…
If it didn’t work out, Lin Shiheng’s character would likely keep him from expressing his feelings. But if she succeeded, there was a difference in ranks—one was a regiment leader, the other was a deputy commander—Zhang Yanming could only swallow his pride.
Miao Xing was confident in her strategy, but Lin Shiheng never gave her a chance to interact with him. The train sped straight to the city where the military was located, and Miao Xing was unable to exchange a word with Lin Shiheng.
Even He Xuezhu, who felt unwell, remained leaning against her husband’s shoulder, her eyes closed, which caused Miao Xing to internally curse the sickly woman.
Her gaze shifted to He Xiaobao.
He was young and obedient, plus he was He Xuezhu’s brother. If she could coax him into a conversation, she might extract some useful information.
He Xiaobao was happily watching the train come to a stop. Don’t think that just because he looked cowardly now that he wouldn’t act; he was waiting for the train to stop so he could find a public phone to call home.
His eldest sister was the most afraid of their mother—he wanted their mom to tell her to let him go home, and if his brother-in-law objected, she could take it up with his sister.
As soon as the train stopped, He Xiaobao immediately stood up excitedly like a bird longing for freedom. Just as he stood, a menacing voice from his brother-in-law called out, “Xiaobao, grab the stuff.”
He Xiaobao’s face fell, quickly replaced by a compliant expression as he obediently slung the backpack over his shoulder. Still under his brother-in-law’s watchful eye, he walked dutifully behind He Xuezhu, careful not to let anyone bump into her even while carrying the heavy bag.
Endure!
He could endure!
He would endure until he got off the train, made the call home, and wouldn’t have to be afraid anymore!
Feeling miserable, He Xiaobao appeared to those watching him from behind like a young man who was diligent and considerate, caring for his sister. Zhang Yanming connected the dots regarding Miao Xing’s younger brother and felt uncomfortable, so he stepped forward to cut through the crowd and disembarked first, leaving Miao Xing with two heavy bags, watching her husband who hadn’t looked back after what they had done together, gritting her teeth in frustration.
She took a deep breath and softly called out to the young man ahead, “Xiaobao, Xiaobao…”
He Xiaobao was sweating from being jostled in the crowd. Hearing someone call his name, he turned around, puzzled, to look at the woman he met for the first time.
Miao Xing’s hair was slightly disheveled, her fair face flushed, and her eyes held a hint of shyness and discomfort. Her delicate lips gently bit down as she collected her thoughts for a few seconds before saying sweetly, “Sister Miao can’t carry the luggage; could you help me, please?”
She had often used this tactic on the train when returning home. As long as he was a man, being asked in such a way would invariably…
“I can’t carry it either; I was hoping you would help me out.”
He Xiaobao looked at the woman who dared to ask him for help upon their first meeting, rolling his eyes. He adjusted the bag on his back and turned to continue after his sister and brother-in-law.
Having grown up in a family that valued boys over girls, He Xiaobao felt entirely justified in refusing, turning his back on Miao Xing as if she were of no importance, leaving her standing in the crowd, furious to the point of almost fainting.
Once off the train, He Xiaobao obediently followed his sister and brother-in-law, but his eyes were darting around, finally spotting a public phone.
Great!
Now he could call home for help!
With joy, He Xiaobao rushed over, only to feel a cool grip around his neck as Lin Shiheng picked him up as if he were a small chick.
After a few steps, he was shoved into the car, and his belongings were thrown in, all in one smooth motion.