Chapter 26: Her Face in the Hollow of His Palm

In the afternoon, Lin Wen arrived carrying some food.

“Sis-in-law, I’m here,” Lin Wen said, having already changed into a fresh set of clothes.

“I wasn’t sure what you like, so I just grabbed a few things from the restaurant,” he added casually.

“It’s alright, I’m not picky,” Sang Yu replied.

As Lin Wen unpacked the food, he said, “Sis-in-law, after you finish eating, you should go back and rest. It’s fine here with me watching over the captain.”

“No, you should rest instead. I’ll stay here to take care of Brother Jiang,” Sang Yu insisted.

She noticed the dark bruises under Lin Wen’s eyes. Despite his energetic demeanor, the exhaustion hidden beneath was unmistakable. He must not have had proper rest during their recent missions.

“No, sis-in-law,” Lin Wen refused.

Sang Yu shook her head firmly. “No need to argue. I’ll take care of him.”

“Alright then,” Lin Wen relented.

After Sang Yu finished eating, Lin Wen tidied up and left.

Taking care of Jiang Jingming required little more than keeping a close watch on his condition. Since he was unconscious, he didn’t need food.

Still, to be able to notice any changes immediately, Sang Yu barely slept that night. Fortunately, his condition remained stable, with no fever.

It wasn’t until dawn’s first light that Sang Yu finally dozed off, leaning against the bedside.

On the hospital bed, the man’s eyelashes fluttered, then slowly opened.

His gaze fell upon the white ceiling; the sharp scent of disinfectant filled his nostrils.

He gently turned his head and saw Sang Yu beside the bed, her chin resting on one hand, lost in thought.

He watched her with eyes full of endless tenderness and love.

His gaze overflowed with gentle, delicate emotion, as if his whole world was reflected in her.

Only when she closed her eyes could he look at her so plainly.

Otherwise, the passion in his eyes would surely startle her.

Suddenly, Sang Yu’s hand slipped, and Jiang Jingming immediately raised his hand to catch her face.

Though the movement tugged slightly at his wound, he merely frowned faintly, unfazed.

In his eyes, there was only her; his palm cradled her face, soft and delicate.

She seemed utterly exhausted, showing no sign of awakening.

Jiang Jingming held her face tenderly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Even though his hand had gone numb, he did not move it an inch.

Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the room in warmth.

The man’s eyes remained fixed on the woman, who rested serenely in his palm.

Outside, time flowed on, but inside, she and he seemed frozen in this moment.

This was their time — theirs alone.

Yet this tender scene was soon interrupted.

That morning, Lin Wen and the others came to visit Jiang Jingming.

As soon as they opened the door, they saw the scene before them.

Jiang Jingming shot them a warning glance.

Though they had said nothing yet, the sound of the door opening roused Sang Yu.

The expression on Jiang Jingming’s face instantly darkened.

Lin Wen, quick to read the situation, said tactfully, “Uh, we just realized we forgot something. We’ll go get it right away.”

With that, he pulled the other two away.

Sang Yu blinked dumbly, only now realizing where she was.

She looked down at the hand still holding her face, eyes glazed with a hint of daze.

Seeing such a soft and endearing Sang Yu, Jiang Jingming’s heart seemed to melt.

When she finally realized the hand wasn’t his, Sang Yu suddenly snapped awake.

“Sorry,” she murmured.

The softness beneath his palm vanished, and a trace of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

“It’s alright,” he replied gently.

“How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” Sang Yu asked, feeling guilty for not noticing his awakening sooner.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry,” Jiang Jingming said, slightly twisting his arm.

Sang Yu noticed this subtle movement and felt a pang of shame. “Sorry, you could have just woken me.”

Jiang Jingming remained silent; how could he bear to disturb her?

“Are you hungry? I can get you something, or cook whatever you want,” she offered.

“No need to trouble yourself. You haven’t rested well. Let Lin Wen and the others handle it,” he said.

“Alright then, I’ll go freshen up,” she said.

When Sang Yu returned, Lin Wen and the others had also come back, accompanied by a doctor.

They greeted her in unison, “Hello, sis-in-law.”

Sang Yu smiled warmly in return, graceful and composed.

The doctor first examined Jiang Jingming. “His condition is good. From now on, he just needs to rest and recover.”

Sang Yu asked, “Doctor, are there any dietary restrictions during recovery? What should he eat?”

She was inexperienced with patient care and wanted to be thorough.

Seeing her so attentive, Jiang Jingming’s heart ached with a mix of tenderness and pride.

“Avoid greasy and spicy foods. A light diet is best,” the doctor advised.

“Got it, thank you, doctor,” Sang Yu replied politely.

After the doctor left, Lin Wen said to Jiang Jingming, “Captain, you did an excellent job on this mission. I heard there’s a promotion coming your way.”

Originally, when Jiang Jingming left the military, he held more than just the title of captain.

But he had always said that military honors belonged to the army; once discharged, they no longer counted.

He worked his way up from a regular officer to captain through sheer effort—that was something Lin Wen deeply admired.

So after his injury and discharge, Jiang Jingming chose to stay under his command.

“Captain, we owe this mission’s success to you. Without you, we couldn’t have finished so quickly.”

“Yeah, our captain’s like a god!” the three men chimed in one after another.

Jiang Jingming’s expression remained steady.

“Well then, you guys stay with your captain. I’ll go home to grab some fresh clothes,” Sang Yu said.

“Let Lin Wen see you off,” Jiang Jingming offered.

“No need. I’m not a child anymore; I can manage myself,” she replied and left.

After she left, the others said, “Captain, sis-in-law is really beautiful.”

“Yeah, I almost got stunned just now.”

Lin Wen added, “I told you, sis-in-law’s not only beautiful but a great cook.”

The others looked at Jiang Jingming expectantly. “Captain, do you think we’ll ever get to eat her cooking?”

Jiang Jingming lifted his eyes slightly, his expression speaking volumes: Dream on.

“It’s a pity we missed your wedding last time.”

“Yeah, it was just the two of us on a business trip. Such a shame.”

“There’ll be other chances,” Jiang Jingming suddenly said, his voice barely a whisper.

The others didn’t catch it clearly. “Captain, what did you say just now?”

The man shook his head. “Nothing.”

In the last moments before losing consciousness, his mind had pictured Sang Yu’s face.

Suddenly, he felt a twinge of guilt.

Their wedding had been rushed.

If he could, he wanted to give her a grander celebration, one where she could dress in full splendor.