Zheng Yun glanced at Ling’ai and said, “The situation in Shun Cheng has just been stabilized after the internal unrest, but fighting has broken out again in Xi Nan. The young commander is short-handed right now, so I’m planning to go back tomorrow.”

Father Zheng nodded in agreement. “You were raised up by the young commander himself. Without him, you wouldn’t have the achievements you have today. At a time like this, you shouldn’t be leaving Shun Cheng — you should be there helping him maintain stability. We must always be grateful for the kindness shown to us.”

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you and your new wife to the town,” Elder Brother said. “There’s a train heading to Shun Cheng at noon — just right.”

The Zheng family were not only humble and honest, but also open-minded — they gave Zheng Yun’s career their full and wholehearted support.

At a time like this, Zheng Yun needed to return to Shun Cheng. And Ling’ai was deeply worried about Yan Qing, hoping she could find some way to help.

The two spent one more night in Taohua Village, and at the crack of dawn the next day, they climbed into the horse cart Elder Brother had prepared, hurrying toward the town.

By the time they reached Shun Cheng, it was the middle of the night. The two of them hailed a rickshaw and went straight to Zheng Yun’s residence.

When Zheng Yun lit the kerosene lamp, the small courtyard that had been silent for days was at once filled with warmth.

Zheng Yun placed Ling’ai’s luggage in the sitting room, then took her to the side chamber.

After Ling’ai entered, Zheng Yun struck a match and lit the lamp. As the light came on, Ling’ai spotted a doll sitting on the bed’s headboard.

She walked over, a little surprised, and carefully picked it up.

This doll had been left behind when she departed — a deliberate goodbye to her past. She hadn’t imagined that after everything had turned in a circle, the doll would find its way back to her hands — and by now, she was already his wife.

“This doll just spoke,” Zheng Yun said, pointing to it with a perfectly straight face.

Ling’ai laughed. “What did it say?”

“It said: whoever throws me away again is a little dog.”

“Zheng Shu Shi — are you insulting me in a roundabout way?” Ling’ai narrowed her eyes at him.

“I wouldn’t dare — my darling wife is supreme.” Zheng Yun said, and pulled her — doll and all — into his arms. “From now on, my darling wife is the mistress of this home. Whatever the matter, I am willing to follow her instructions.”

“Then teach me to cook.”

“That sort of thing, I’ll handle.”

“No.” Ling’ai turned to face him, looking at him seriously. “Your work at the Military Police Department is already demanding enough. I happen to have time to spare — as long as you don’t mind me being a beginner whose cooking might not taste very good.”

Zheng Yun felt a warmth spread through him, and a smile rose to the corners of his eyes. “My darling wife thinks of me in everything — I feel…”

He pulled her close. “Very happy.”

Before, it had been just him in this home. After she married Shi Guang, the place had become as empty and barren as a wasteland — beyond eating and sleeping, he had nothing else to look forward to. But now, everything was different.

“You’ve had a long day — get some sleep.” Zheng Yun patted her shoulder. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll need to go back to the Department.”

These past few days, he had left things in Bai Jin’s hands. By now Bai Jin was probably exhausted and ready to explode. Before he erupted in frustration, Zheng Yun needed to get back and take over.

After a brief tidy-up, the two lay down in each other’s arms. Despite a day of travel, sleep would not come.

“Shu Shi.” Ling’ai pressed her face against his chest. “I never imagined I’d come back to Shun Cheng. Everything feels like a dream — too perfect to be real.”

“Silly girl — it’s not a dream. If you don’t believe me, pinch me.”

“Why would I pinch you, foolish man.” Ling’ai gave him a light bite on the chest. “War has broken out in Xi Nan. Yan Qing and the young commander will have their hands full. Tomorrow I’ll go to Yan Qing’s place too — to see if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“What they lack now isn’t manpower — it’s money.” Zheng Yun said with a worried expression. “Once the fighting starts, there are costs everywhere. Even the best troops require financial backing. Seventh Brother should be busy raising funds right now from every direction.”

Ling’ai thought for a moment, then said in a consultative tone: “Father once bought a mansion for me — said it was to be used when I got married. Right now that mansion is sitting empty. How about we sell it and use the money to support the young commander?”

Zheng Yun half sat up, looking at her with some surprise. “You don’t want to live in that mansion?”

His home was just a small courtyard — probably not even as big as the mansion’s garden.

Ling’ai shook her head. “As long as I can be with you, I’d be happy living in a thatched cottage. Besides, I don’t like mansions — they’re too big and too empty, with no warmth of life. And I don’t want to have to clean it every day — scrubbing the floors alone would take half a day.”

Zheng Yun’s heart warmed, and a smile settled at the corners of his eyes. “If that’s what you truly want, I naturally agree.”

“Don’t worry — Father also left me a good amount of money. Selling one mansion won’t make a dent.”

“I suddenly feel like I’ve become a man of wealth,” Zheng Yun said with a laugh. “Because I have a very rich wife.”

“I’ve never had much attachment to money. My father isn’t a greedy man either — he could have lived a far more comfortable life, yet he always chose to stay in that old courtyard.” Ling’ai thought of Hui Village, and a wave of longing swelled in her heart. “Father must have already returned to Di Guo by now.”

“Tomorrow, write him a letter — I’ll have someone deliver it for you.”

“Mm.” Ling’ai nodded happily. “Then let’s sleep now.”

She was just about to lie down when she pointed at the kerosene lamp. “Go get up and blow out the lamp.”

Zheng Yun lay with his arms around her, not moving. “Blowing it out doesn’t require getting up.”

“It’s so far away — you can’t blow it out from here, surely?”

Zheng Yun’s palm flipped over, and a soybean appeared between his fingers. With a flick of two fingers, the kerosene lamp was extinguished, and darkness swallowed the entire room in an instant.

Ling’ai stared in disbelief.

“This skill is nothing compared to Seventh Brother’s — but flicking out a single lamp is more than enough.”

“Knowing martial arts really is a wonderful thing,” Ling’ai said with open admiration.

Then, as if she had just remembered something, she spoke again with a note of entreaty in her voice: “I have a request.”

Zheng Yun looked at her — those clear, liquid eyes — and felt his heart stir. If not for the long journey she had endured, he would have found it impossible to let her be.

“What request?” In the face of his beloved wife’s gentle gaze, his voice naturally turned very soft.

Ling’ai leaned a little closer to him and coaxed him carefully: “Could you let me go to the Military Police Department to study under Forensic Examiner E?”

“You want to be a forensic examiner?”

“It has always been my ambition.” Ling’ai said with deep longing. “When I was at the Shi Mansion, whenever I could catch hold of Yan Qing, I’d have her teach me. But no amount of theoretical knowledge compares to hands-on practice.”

Ling’ai studied Zheng Yun’s expression carefully, though in the darkness his face was barely visible.

“Do you think I’d say no?” Zheng Yun’s voice resonated warmly.

Ling’ai shook her head.

“As long as it’s something you love, I will support you. And besides — if you come to the Military Police Department, I’ll be closer to you. If anything comes up, we can look out for each other. I have no reason not to agree.”

“Shu Shi, thank you.” Ling’ai held him tightly with joy. “Thank you for understanding me and supporting me.”

“Silly girl — I’m your husband. If I don’t support you, who will?” Zheng Yun laughed. “From now on, I’ll be counting on Miss Ling’ai to do great things for the Military Police Department.”

“Then you’d better pay me a salary.”

“Sorry — interns don’t receive a salary.”

“Hey — do you really have to be this stingy with your own wife?”

“Not charging you tuition fees is already a bargain.”

“Zheng Shu Shi, you iron rooster — I’ll pluck every last feather off of you.”

“Come on, then.”

Ling’ai launched herself at him, and he didn’t dodge. The two of them laughed and tumbled together, their joyful voices drifting out of that small room, traveling far, far away.

~

Yan Qing was reviewing the account books when Murong told her that Ling’ai had returned. For a moment she was startled — then happiness rushed in, and she went out to greet her.

The moment she saw Ling’ai, Yan Qing felt she was different from before.

She was wearing a padded outer garment today, with a deep red jacket underneath. Her face was radiant and full of life — utterly unlike the quiet, sorrowful Ling’ai of the past.

“Something good has happened, hasn’t it?” Yan Qing guessed. “Didn’t you leave with the gentleman from Hui Village? And now you’ve come back glowing — it looks like true love has found its way home.”

“That’s exactly what I love about you — your sharp mind.” Ling’ai laughed. “No need for many words — one guess and you’ve already hit the mark.”

After the two sat down, Ling’ai told her everything: how she had gone to Taohua Village, how Zheng Yun had found her there, and how the two of them had been married in Taohua Village.

Yan Qing was overcome with excitement upon hearing this.

One was her dear friend, the other was Shi Ting’s close brother — these two people had finally gotten what they wished for. It was, without question, a joyful and happy thing.

“You got married and I haven’t even given you a wedding gift yet — let me prepare something for you.”

“What wedding gift?” Ling’ai took an envelope from her bag. “I’ve brought something for you instead.”

“Something for me?”

“I know the young commander is short of funds right now. So Zheng Yun and I discussed it, and we sold my mansion. There happened to be someone who had long wanted to buy it — they had approached Father several times before, but Father never agreed. This morning I found him, and he paid by cheque on the spot.”

Yan Qing opened the envelope. When she saw the cheque inside, her eyes immediately grew warm with emotion.

“This is far too precious. You and Zheng Yun have just married, and in the future you’ll still need…”

“I have enough money. You don’t need to worry about that.” Ling’ai pressed the envelope into her hands. “The young commander is going to war this time for the sake of us in Bei Di. If Bei Di falls into the hands of the Xi Nan army, there will be no peace like we have now. The ones who will suffer will only be ordinary people like us. I’m helping the young commander — and helping myself.”

The scene ended there.