I was pampered like a treasure after being married off to the young marshal, but my father and broth

Why does it look so familiar?

The guards standing at the gate were all stunned the moment they saw who it was.

The next second, everyone stood at attention in perfect unison, saluted, and shouted, "Commander!"

Quan Tuo, holding his military cap, looked up at the mansion he hadn't seen for five years.

He walked up the steps, his gaze falling on the two adorable little children, a boy and a girl, sitting on them. He paused slightly, looking at the little boy whose features resembled his own, and a thought stirred within him.

Is this Wang Gui and Yue Yan's child?

They've grown so big!

Without much thought, he strode up the steps and entered the mansion.

in the garden.

Jiang Yueyan glanced at her pocket watch, stood up, and curtsied to Shu Nuan: "I've brought the good news. There are still a lot of accounts to settle at the Chamber of Commerce, so I'll head back now."

Shu Nuan nodded and smiled.

"Okay, you can go ahead and get busy."

She watched Jiang Yueyan leave until her figure disappeared behind the moon gate at the end of the garden before turning her gaze away and preparing to tidy up the medical books on the table.

Suddenly, a clear child's voice rang out in the courtyard.

"mother!"

Shu Nuan subconsciously looked up.

Beneath the round moon gate, a tall and imposing figure stood, seemingly out of nowhere.

The sunlight shone from behind him, casting a long shadow.

The man held Quan Jingchuan's hand in one hand and Xiao Yuexi's hand in the other, standing there quietly, his gaze passing through the blooming flowers in the courtyard and landing on her.

Eyes facing each other.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Shu Nuan dropped the medical book in her hand onto the table with a "thud." She slowly stood up, forgetting even to breathe.

Quan Tuo released the two children's hands and walked towards her step by step.

Five years have passed, and her face is still as beautiful as when we first met, only her expression now carries the calm and gentle grace that comes with the passage of time.

She wore a wintersweet wood hairpin, which gleamed warmly in the sunlight.

A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of winter plum blossoms that had haunted his dreams for five years to his nose.

Quan Tuo stopped in front of her and looked at her red eyes.

"I'm back, Nuannuan."

Shu Nuan only came to her senses when she heard his voice clearly.

This was not a hallucination she had in the dead of night.

He really did come back alive.

Tears streamed down her face instantly.

She threw herself into Quan Tuo's arms without a care, hugged his strong waist tightly, buried her face in his chest, and began to sob softly.

Quan Tuo hugged her, buried his face in her neck, and greedily inhaled the floral scent emanating from her body.

The two embraced for a long time before calming down.

They sat side by side on a bench in the garden, watching Quan Jingchuan and Xiao Yuexi chasing each other on the lawn not far away.

Quan Tuo held Shu Nuan's hand, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand: "How has everything been in the manor while I was away for the past five years?"

Shu Nuan leaned on his shoulder and nodded.

"That's fine."

"My mother-in-law is still in good health. My second uncle has given up his business in the Chamber of Commerce and is now quite free. He often takes Jingchuan to the theater in the city to watch plays. Wanggui and Yueyan are managing the Chamber of Commerce very well, and the business is bigger than before. Huai'an has become much more stable and is now leading a caravan to travel around and gain experience. Zhihe has grown up and opened a jewelry store in the city. He is his own boss and the business is very good."

Quan Tuo listened quietly as she recounted the bits and pieces he had missed over the past five years.

Although it was ordinary, it made him feel incredibly at ease.

A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling the stray hairs around Shu Nuan's ears.

He looked at her: "And you, are you alright too?"

A comforting meal.

She turned her head to meet the man's affectionate eyes, and nodded with a smile: "I'm fine. I missed you a lot while you were gone... but every time I saw Jingchuan, I felt that you would come back someday."

Upon hearing this, Quan Tuo's eyes flashed with astonishment.

Then she turned her head and looked at Quan Jingchuan in the yard, who was stern-faced and scolding Xiao Yuexi.

Five years ago, after he left for Nanjing, he faced endless war and an extremely harsh environment. Communication was completely cut off, and he had no chance to send a letter home. Naturally, he did not know whether his family had sent him any letters.

He still thought it was a child longing to return home.

turn out to be...

Five years after he left, his sweetheart gave birth to a son for him.

And they raised their son to be so healthy.

So much like him.

Words cannot express the full extent of the matter.

He held her hands, kissed them, and said in a choked voice, "Nuan Nuan, you've worked so hard."

Shu Nuan smiled and shook her head, then grasped his hand in return, their fingers intertwined.

Looking at his weathered face, she suddenly remembered something and asked softly, "Has the fighting in Nanjing ended? Have the Japanese pirates retreated?"

Upon hearing this question, Quan Tuo pursed his lips, looked at her with a sorrowful expression.

Upon seeing this, Shu Nuan's fingertips trembled slightly.

Three days later.

One morning, air raid sirens suddenly sounded over the once peaceful city of Northern Border.

The sirens wailed through the sky, and loudspeakers at the city hall entrance blared a cacophony of alarms.

Nanjing City has completely fallen.

After conquering Nanjing, the Japanese pirates led by Sato Rin are now gathering a large force to launch a full-scale attack on Beijing City.

The flames of war eventually reached this land.

(End of the book)