Zheng Jinxin faltered for a moment before composing herself. "Captain Lu is highly respected in the Northwest. It's only natural for everyone to look up to him."
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her movements carrying a hint of casual boastfulness.
"He was injured leading a mission a while back, and I was the one who treated his wound. I could see how much pain he was in, but he bore it without making a single sound."
"That kind of fortitude is truly admirable."
Her words were laced with concern, and her eyes held a wistful, reminiscent look.
Su Tang's gaze turned cold, but she kept a smile on her face.
"Then we really must thank Nurse Zheng for her hard work. Lu Xiao has always been one to push himself."
"I have a medical background myself, so from now on, you won't need to trouble yourself, Nurse Zheng. I'll be here to take care of him."
As she spoke, she smoothed down the hem of her clothes in a gesture that seemed to declare her sovereignty.
Hearing Su Tang's words, the smile on Zheng Jinxin's face nearly faltered.
Su Tang was no Hu Lili; a few simple words weren't enough to intimidate her.
In this first clash, Zheng Jinxin felt she had seen Su Tang's true nature.
"We're at the family compound. Do you live here too, Nurse Zheng?"
By the time she finished speaking, they had arrived at the family compound. Su Tang stopped at the entrance and spoke to Zheng Jinxin.
Her tone made it clear she had no intention of inviting Zheng Jinxin in for a cup of tea.
"I'll see you around."
Zheng Jinxin maintained her superficial smile, turned, and left after saying this.
Su Tang stood at the entrance, arms crossed, watching Zheng Jinxin's retreating figure.
Zheng Jinxin had clearly understood the implication in her words, but Su Tang didn't care.
'I'll handle whatever she throws at me. As if I'd be afraid of someone like Zheng Jinxin.'
"Sister-in-law?"
Just as Su Tang was about to head inside, she heard Chang Jia's voice. She turned to see him and Lu Xiao walking over.
The man's stoic face was smudged with dirt from training, making him look like a refugee fleeing a famine.
"Were you out, Sister-in-law?"
Chang Jia asked, noticing the bag Su Tang was carrying. She gave a slight nod.
"I went to mail a letter to my parents. I also ran into Nurse Zheng."
As she mentioned Zheng Jinxin, Su Tang's eyes landed on Lu Xiao, as if curious to see his reaction.
But Lu Xiao was as impassive as ever. When he heard Nurse Zheng's name, it was as if he'd heard a complete stranger's.
"Nurse Zheng?"
Chang Jia, however, subconsciously glanced at Lu Xiao.
'Now that's an interesting reaction.'
A smile touched Su Tang's lips as she pretended not to have noticed a thing. "Coming in for a glass of water?"
Hearing Su Tang's invitation, Chang Jia was about to accept when Lu Xiao cut him off.
"He's just here to grab something. He's heading back to his dorm right after."
"I... Right, right, I have to get back to the dorm. I'll drop by next time, Sister-in-law."
Chang Jia sucked in a sharp breath as he felt Lu Xiao pinch the flesh at his waist.
'This guy, Lu Xiao... Got a wife and suddenly no time for his brothers?'
'Besides, it's not like there was anything between him and Zheng Jinxin. What's he so afraid I'll say?'
With that, Chang Jia practically fled the scene.
Lu Xiao came to Su Tang's side, and they walked home together.
Once they were inside, Lu Xiao washed his face and went into the back room to change.
"I also ran into Hu Lili at the post office today."
As soon as Su Tang said this, Lu Xiao emerged from the room. "Did she give you a hard time?"
"She sure did. Not only did she give me a hard time, she even threatened to report me."
Su Tang got up and poured them both a glass of water. Cradling her enamel cup, she sat back down and told Lu Xiao the whole story from beginning to end.
"Hu Lili seems dead set on having you, you know."
Her teasing remark didn't cause the slightest change in Lu Xiao's expression.
He sat down and met her gaze.
Lu Xiao wore his hair in a neat buzz cut that made him look sharp and capable.
With no hair to soften his features, his sharp, falcon-like eyes were all the more prominent.
They were as dark as obsidian, as deep as the night sky.
"Hu Lili and Hu Jianjun's parents died during the development of the Northwest."
"On the very railway you took to get here."
After speaking, Lu Xiao took a long drink of water. GULP GULP GULP. Then he continued, "The leadership arranged jobs for them as a gesture of compassion."
"But if Hu Lili gives you any more trouble, you tell me."
Hearing this, Su Tang set her enamel cup aside, propped her elbows on the table, and rested her chin in her hands.
She leaned forward slightly, and the scent of her jasmine-scented cream, almost like her natural fragrance, drifted up to him.
"Tell you? And then what?"
Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating Su Tang.
Her fair skin, delicate features, and amber eyes made Lu Xiao think of a porcelain doll.
'He'd never seen such a beautiful woman. So beautiful, in fact, that he could hardly believe she was his wife.'
"Someone will handle it. If she harasses you again, it will be a violation of discipline."
Lu Xiao watched as Su Tang's slender fingers tapped lightly against her cheek, as if playing a piano.
One finger falling, another rising.
The sight made his mind race and his imagination run wild.
He quickly turned his head away, forcing himself not to look at Su Tang.
"Oh. And here I thought you were going to stick up for me personally."
Lu Xiao's expression remained unchanged, but the bright red tips of his ears gave him away. He might have otherwise fooled Su Tang completely.
"I..."
"I can handle it myself."
Su Tang stopped teasing him and got up to change her clothes.
Lu Xiao shot to his feet as well. "Don't hit her," he said urgently.
"Do you really think I'm that violent? If it came to a real fight, I doubt I could win against Hu Lili anyway."
With that, Su Tang reached out and tapped him on the forehead. "I'll use this."
'Her status here was precarious, and she was already being ostracized. The slightest disturbance would lead to her being branded with some negative label.'
'Su Tang had no desire to cause unnecessary trouble. She wouldn't do anything that wasn't to her advantage.'
"I'm going to change and then go see Sister-in-law Zhang Cui."
Su Tang went into the back room and set aside the dirty clothes Lu Xiao had changed out of.
Lu Xiao looked at the clean clothes she was wearing. 'Didn't she just change into that this morning?'
Su Tang changed into a smart, professional-looking outfit and, for the first time, put her hair up.
She even put on some lip balm.
The woman in the mirror smiled. Su Tang couldn't help but sigh. 'It's great to be young.'
'This face is more than good enough to be a movie star.'
Lu Xiao was just about to light the stove to make dinner when he saw Su Tang heading out, dressed to the nines.
She looked as beautiful as a pin-up girl.
'She's getting all dressed up just to see Sister-in-law Zhang Cui?'
Lu Xiao tightened his grip on the firewood, a flicker of panic rising in his chest.
Su Tang left the house, but instead of going straight to Zhang Cui's place, she took a stroll around the family compound.
She turned quite a few heads.
After soaking up the envious gazes of the other women, Su Tang knocked on Zhang Cui's door.
Zhang Cui opened the door, a child in her arms. When she saw Su Tang, she let out a gasp. "My goodness!"
"I thought a movie star had come to visit!"
"Is this a good time, Sister-in-law? There's something I wanted to talk to you about."
Su Tang asked with a smile as she took Mai Sui from her arms.
"Yes, of course! Come on in. What's the special occasion? You're dressed so formally."
Zhang Cui ushered her inside. Su Tang got straight to the point. "I was thinking of making some things to trade with everyone."
Hearing this, Zhang Cui asked, a bit confused, "What are you looking to trade for?"
"For things you can't just buy in a store, of course."
"I'm also doing this to get closer to everyone. Otherwise, the next time Hu Lili tries to bully me, no one will be willing to speak up for me."