Chapter 71: The Mission Arrives

Su Yue thought of the system and the powder she had bought for Han Aiguo last time. Ever since exchanging for the Zhixue Powder, she had not touched the system points again. She always felt that she could not rely on the system for everything and that life had to be lived by her own effort. Anything that could not be obtained through her own hands, she should not depend on.

Her points should be spent wisely, on meaningful things. Helping Xu Can, for example.

Over the past six months, she had accumulated quite a few points. When she opened the panel, the number displayed was one thousand and twenty. She was not sure if that would be enough to help Xu Can.

Su Yue called to the system in her heart.

The system responded: Does the host need help?

Su Yue asked, “System, is there anything that can help women get pregnant; something that can cure infertility?”

The system opened the mall interface, brought her in, and began to mobilize the products, displaying a row of options according to her request.

These items in front of you are all helpful for female fertility. The host may choose the one you need.

Su Yue frowned. If she simply handed over a medical prescription, Xu Can would surely ask about its origin. Could she really make up the story of some mysterious old Chinese doctor again? Han Aiguo had already exposed that excuse last time. Others might see through it too, and then it would be impossible to explain.

Besides, Xu Can had already consulted many doctors, including her own grandfather, a man of great skill, and none of them had managed to cure her. If Su Yue suddenly claimed a certain doctor could solve it, what if people insisted on seeking him out? What name could she possibly provide?

Worse still, many of the prescriptions in the system were formulas lost to history. Some of the rare herbs required were already extinct in this era. Xu Can could never find them. And if Su Yue bought those herbs directly with system points, she would have no way to explain their origin.

In short, using a medicinal prescription would only bring unnecessary trouble. The last thing she wanted was to cause complications for herself and Han Aiguo, who could not protect her from the fallout.

What she really wanted was a dietary supplement prescription. People often said medicinal treatment was not as good as food therapy. Food-based remedies were gentler, more long-term, and far less suspicious. If anyone asked, she could just say she had researched it herself.

Thinking this over, Su Yue asked the system again.

The system searched carefully, then presented her with a new option: This is a food tonic prescription for regulating the womb and improving fertility. According to records, it has had good results in treating female infertility. However, food therapy is a mild, long-term process. It will not be as fast as medicine.

Su Yue’s eyes lit up. She had not expected such a thing to exist. This system mall was truly a treasure trove.

“I want this. How many points?” she asked quickly.

This recipe requires 600 points.

Su Yue breathed a sigh of relief. “Exchange it immediately.”

Understood, host. Redeeming now.

As the voice fell, her points decreased, and a detailed dietary prescription appeared in her mind.

She studied it carefully. It was indeed different from medicinal formulas. The ingredients were all common foods or herbs found in daily life. Even the few less common ones were still available in this era. Nothing rare or impossible to obtain. The preparation method was also simple, essentially making a soup, not a decoction. As long as the proportions were followed, it could be done easily.

Su Yue quickly copied it down on paper, then handed it to Xu Can.

“This is from my hometown,” she explained casually. “It’s very effective for maintaining a woman’s uterus and increasing the chance of pregnancy. When you mentioned your difficulties the other day, it came to mind, so I wrote it down for you to try.”

Xu Can read over the recipe. The ingredients were all ordinary, with no rare herbs at all. She hesitated.

“Is this really useful? I’ve taken all kinds of expensive medicines before with no effect. These are just everyday foods… can it really work?”

Su Yue couldn’t reveal the truth about the system, so she smiled and said, “I can’t guarantee anything. But back in my hometown, several women used this recipe and got pregnant afterward. Besides, it’s only food therapy. Even if it doesn’t work, it won’t harm your body. Just treat it like soup. If it works, great. If not, you’ve lost nothing, right?”

Xu Can, as a doctor herself, knew the contents were at least beneficial to health. Su Yue was right, it wouldn’t hurt to try. And the thought that this recipe had helped others was too tempting to ignore.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Su Yue reminded her carefully, “You must be consistent. Drink it once a day, without stopping. The effect will only come if you keep at it.”

Xu Can clasped her hand. “Don’t worry. Since I’ve decided, I’ll take it seriously. I want another child so how could I not? I’ll try anything.”

Hearing that, Su Yue felt relieved. She believed that if Xu Can persisted with this regimen, she would surely conceive again.

After handing over the recipe, Su Yue stopped worrying about it. Her own belly was growing at a frightening pace. Day by day it swelled like an inflated balloon, leaving her more uncomfortable each time.

Her legs and feet were completely swollen; none of her shoes fit, so she had to wear Han Aiguo’s. At night, she often woke from painful leg cramps, drenched in cold sweat, and only Han Aiguo’s soothing could help.

Worse still, she could hardly sleep. Lying flat was impossible; she had to rest on her side. Even turning over required Han Aiguo’s help. Each time she shifted, she felt like a helpless turtle flipped on its shell.

If not for Han Aiguo by her side, she would not have been able to endure. Fortunately, he was there.

Unfortunately, when Su Yue was seven months pregnant, Han Aiguo received orders for a major mission. He would be leaving in two days.

Su Yue froze in shock. He had not gone on a mission once since they moved here. His daily routine of leaving early and returning late had almost made her forget that he was a soldier, with a profession that could call him away at any time. Now that the day had come, her heart sank.

She clutched his hand tightly, unwilling to let go. “Where are you going? When will you come back?”

Han Aiguo stroked her hair, his eyes full of guilt and worry. “I can’t tell you where as it’s confidential. I also don’t know when I’ll be back. But I promise, as soon as the mission is complete, I’ll return to you. Alright?”

Su Yue’s eyes grew red. She lowered her head, pressing her hand to her belly, and after a long moment, whispered the question she dreaded most: “Is this mission dangerous? Will you get hurt?”

Han Aiguo crouched down in front of her, looking up with steady eyes. After a long silence, he said, “Yue’er, I promise you, I’ll do everything I can to protect myself and come back to you and the children. With you waiting for me at home, how could I ever throw myself away? Even if I have to crawl, I’ll crawl back to you.”

Su Yue sniffled. She knew she was being unreasonable. Soldiers had to put the country and the people first. If everyone shied away from danger, how could the nation remain safe?

Someone had to bear that burden.

As a soldier’s wife, her role was to support him, not to hold him back.

She wiped her eyes, forcing back her tears, and nodded. “I understand. I’ll take good care of myself. Go do your duty without worry. The babies and I will be here, waiting for you to come back. By then, my belly will be even bigger.”

Han Aiguo stroked her cheek, reluctant to part. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. How can I feel at ease leaving you alone? I’ll send a telegram to my mother, ask her to come early and take care of you. Otherwise, no one will be here to look after you.”

Su Yue thought for a moment, then nodded. “Last month, Mother wrote that the third daughter-in-law had given birth. She should almost be recovered by now. If Mother comes here, no one will say anything. I’m just worried she won’t be able to let go of things at home. There are still a few chickens and the dog to take care of.”

Han Aiguo replied, “It’s only a few chickens. That’s nothing. Let Second and Third Brother handle them. As for the dog, Second Brother can keep it and let it guard their house. Mother knows you’re carrying twins and she’s been worrying about you. She asks about it every time she writes, afraid that I can’t take proper care of you. In her last letter, she even said she should come early to look after you. So don’t worry about it.”

Since he put it that way, Su Yue no longer hesitated. “Alright then, send the telegram to Mother.”

She added after a pause, “Once she tidies up the house in the village, she can come over. I’ll prepare the second bedroom for her to live in. By the way, the fourth brother just graduated from elementary school and hasn’t gone to junior high yet. Let him accompany Mother here. That way someone will be with her on the road. Otherwise, I’ll be worried if she travels alone at her age. It will also give fourth brother a chance to see the world outside the county as he’s never been away from home.”

Han Aiguo nodded. “Good idea. I’ll send the telegram right away. I’ll ask Mother and Fourth Brother to come quickly so you’ll be settled before I leave.”

Su Yue pushed down the reluctance in her heart and busied herself packing Han Aiguo’s things. It wasn’t the separation she feared most but it was the possibility of him being injured. Fortunately, she still had the precious zhixue powder she had exchanged from the system.

She carefully tucked it into a hidden pocket she had sewn into his uniform, reminding him again and again not to lose it.

Han Aiguo, patient and gentle, promised each time, “I won’t lose it.”

Even so, Su Yue remained uneasy. The injury to his leg from his last mission had nearly ended his military career and that alone showed how dangerous these tasks were. Who knew if this mission would be even worse?

The thought that haunted her most was the possibility of dreaming something ominous. In the past, whenever she dreamt before he left, it meant danger was ahead. But in these two days, she hadn’t dreamed at all. That reassured her somewhat and at least for now, it seemed his path was safe.

Two days later, Old Lady Han and Han Aimin arrived from the village. Early in the morning, Han Aiguo borrowed an army vehicle to pick them up at the station.

Su Yue had been waiting eagerly, missing them both dearly. Knowing they would arrive at noon, she had waddled out to the vegetable garden with her big belly, picked some fresh greens, then took out the remaining meat at home and cooked several dishes.

Just as the meal was finished, the front door opened. From the kitchen, Su Yue heard Old Lady Han’s booming voice: “Yueyue!”

Startled and delighted, Su Yue quickly set down the spatula and hurried out. “Mother, you’re here!”

The first thing Old Lady Han saw was Su Yue’s enormous belly. She was taken aback, rushing forward to steady her. “Why is your belly so big? Aiguo wrote that it was large, but I didn’t expect this! You’re only seven months so how does it look bigger than women about to give birth?”

Su Yue helped them sit, smiling as she explained, “Mother, I’m carrying two babies. Of course my belly is bigger. Besides, I’m hungry all the time and eat several big bowls each meal. The children are growing well.”

Han Aimin stared at her belly curiously. Their family had never had twins before. Could there really be two babies inside? He had heard twins often looked exactly alike.

“As long as you can eat well, it’s a good thing,” Old Lady Han said happily. “Eating well means the children are strong.”

Su Yue laughed bitterly. “Good for the babies, but I’m nearly draining our family dry. Aiguo insists I eat first at every meal. Sometimes he doesn’t even have enough left for himself. I worry so much.”

“What nonsense are you saying?” Old Lady Han immediately scolded. “When you’re pregnant, you can’t go hungry. Of course he wants you to eat first. Don’t worry, Mother knows you’re short of food. I brought you money and ration tickets.”

She turned to her youngest son. “Fourth child, quickly take out what we sewed inside your clothes. Give it to your sister-in-law.”

Obediently, Han Aimin slipped off his coat, reached into a hidden pocket, and pulled out a bulging cloth bag. Opening it revealed bundles of money and a thick stack of ration coupons. Handing it to Su Yue, he said, “Sister-in-law, Mother brought this for you. She was afraid of thieves on the road, so she sewed a secret pocket into my clothes.”

Su Yue was stunned. Inside were not only rolls of banknotes but also a large number of food coupons.

Old Lady Han explained, “This is the money I earned making cakes. I already gave some to your second and third brothers. The rest I brought to you. Before leaving, I even spent extra to buy food tickets from other households. I went to many places to collect this much.”

Su Yue quickly waved her hands. “Mother, we have money. How can we take yours? You should keep it.”

“What are you saying? Take it.” Old Lady Han stuffed the bundle into her hands. “There’s no bank here, you need cash for everything. You can’t make money selling cakes on her. You live only on Aiguo’s subsidy, and now you’re expecting twins. Everything will be doubled. How can it be so easy? Why are you being polite with me? Besides, you were the one who taught me how to make cakes. You deserve a share of this money. You must take it.”

Han Aimin chimed in, “Yes, Sister-in-law, take it. My second and third sisters-in-law have been eyeing the money in Mother’s pocket every day, pestering her nonstop. They cry poverty, saying they can’t feed their children and all just to squeeze money out of her.”

Old Lady Han tapped her youngest’s head. “You talk too much.”

Han Aimin hunched his shoulders but muttered, “It’s true. This time when they heard we were coming to take care of you, they weren’t happy. They spoke sourly and even came crying to Mother, saying they had no money after separating and building their houses. They said if it went on, they’d have to sell the children just so Mother would pity them. Second Brother and Third Brother didn’t care at all, just let their wives cry day after day. They only feared Mother would bring all her money to Eldest Brother and you. In the end, Mother was so troubled that she gave each family two hundred yuan before leaving, just to buy some peace.”

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. “They keep thinking about the money Mother works so hard to earn. If I’d known, it would’ve been better not to earn at all. At least then we could’ve had peace.”

From their expressions, Su Yue could tell both she and Han Aimin now understood more about life back home. Every letter Mother had written always contained good news, and never the hardships. Clearly, she had been keeping her troubles from them.

Old Lady Han’s smile faded. She sighed deeply. “They only worry about me when I have money, afraid I’ll give it to another son. I realize now that earning so much as an old woman only brings strife. Better to stop making pastries altogether when I return. Then everyone can live in peace.”

Su Yue hurried to reassure her. “Mother, we all support you. You’re too old to be working so hard alone. Stop the business and rest. For now, don’t think about it. Just stay here with us peacefully. I don’t want you going back, you should just live here with Aiguo and me. We’ll support you.”

Hearing this, Old Lady Han’s heart warmed. The pain left by her other sons faded a little. She could see clearly now: in the future, she would have to rely on her eldest and youngest. The second and third were hopeless. The fourth was still young, and she didn’t know what kind of wife he would marry; if the woman wasn’t good, there’d be little hope there either.

But the eldest and his wife were dependable. Every month they sent money, never coveting the little she had, always treating her sincerely.

From now on, she resolved not to care about the others anymore. She would focus on raising the fourth child and later help the eldest child’s family take care of the children, lightening their burden.