He was a disabled military officer who doted on his research work in the Northwest.

Her mentor from a past life. A middle-aged man who will grow up to have a receding hairline and a large belly. Now people say he's a "perfect match" for her.

This scene is simply unbearable to watch.

"My relationship with Professor Lu is purely academic," Shen Tang said seriously. "Please tell your mother for me—no need for matchmaking, thank you."

"That's true." Gu Bei shrugged. "But don't take it too seriously. That's just how the women in the compound are; they'll try to set up young men and women if they see them exchanging a few words. Besides, you really are... well, you're a good catch."

Shen Tang didn't bother to respond to that, and continued working on her problems.

Shen Yao, who was passing by, overheard their conversation. She was secretly pleased. People were gossiping in the military compound too? It seemed she wasn't the only one overthinking things.

Then...Mu Qinghan must have heard about it too, right?

Great! Let him know what kind of fickle woman he's found.

Mu Qinghan... She had never seen him before, except for the last time he came to pick up Shen Yao.

After the betrothal was arranged, the Mu and Shen families maintained contact solely through letters and occasional telegrams. Later, when Mu Qinghan was injured and hospitalized, the Mu family clearly couldn't attend to the matter. Father wanted to wait until things calmed down before discussing breaking off the engagement, ideally with the Mu family agreeing themselves. Unexpectedly, Shen Tang returned, and Father saw this as a good opportunity—a way to avoid gossip and get rid of Shen Tang.

But unexpectedly... Mu Qinghan was so handsome, and he seemed to be recovering...

If she can really stand up, then she won't have to retire from the army, and marrying her will make her an officer's wife.

Now that he's heard the rumors about Shen Tang and others, he must be feeling terrible. If I appear before him, and he knows that if it wasn't Shen Tang, then she's the one who will marry him. Will he regret it? Maybe he'll drive Shen Tang away and come looking for me?

In that case, she would go with the flow, keeping Zhao Jianhui hanging on while observing the situation.

She wasn't in a hurry to place a bet; she needed to choose carefully.

……

Weekend. Garden at the military hospital.

After finishing his rehabilitation exercises, Mu Qinghan had Xiao Li push his wheelchair in the garden for some fresh air. He leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed, his complexion much better than it had been six months ago—no longer a lifeless paleness, but with the rosy glow of a normal person.

But he wasn't in a good mood.

Over the past few days, he has heard those words from various sources—

"Tangtang and Teacher Lu are a good match."

"Commander Mu doesn't acknowledge the engagement, so Tangtang's marriage will have to be reconsidered."

"A young woman should find a good husband."

Every word felt like a needle piercing his heart.

Everyone in the compound felt that Shen Tang had nothing to do with him, that she was someone who could be pursued by others and married to someone else.

What caused all of this?

He himself said he "did not acknowledge the marriage contract".

He himself allowed her to register her household as his "cousin".

He himself pushed her into the position of "single and available for pursuit".

Mu Qinghan gripped the armrests of the wheelchair tightly.

He knew why he had done what he did—he felt he was a useless person and didn't want to be a burden to her. He felt that this marriage was about repaying a debt of gratitude, not forming an alliance, and she shouldn't be bound to a disabled person by a marriage contract.

But now—

Now he regrets it.

Every day, every moment, I regret it more and more.

"Brother Mu...?"

A strange, timid female voice came from the other end of the path.

Mu Qinghan opened her eyes.

A young woman in a floral dress stood a few steps away, carrying a bag of fruit in her hand, with a cautious smile on her face.

Mu Qinghan glanced at her.

A completely unfamiliar face.

"Who are you?" he asked, his tone devoid of any warmth.

She was prepared—he didn't know her. They had never met before. But she hadn't expected his tone to be so cold, as if he were questioning an unrelated stranger who had barged in.

"I...I'm Shen Yao." She clutched the bag in her hand tightly. "Shen Guoping's daughter. The one you were engaged to back then...that..."

Mu Qinghan's brow twitched slightly.

Shen Yao. The adopted daughter of the Shen family.

He remembered the name—but only the name.

"What is it?"

It's not a question. It's an urging.

Shen Yao took a deep breath.

She had prepared a story—first, she would ask about Shen Tang's well-being with a caring tone, then casually mention Shen Tang's affair with the male teacher, implying with tears in her eyes, "Sister is sorry." But Mu Qinghan's impatient interrogation left her no time to develop any of her groundwork.

She could only get straight to the point.

"Brother Mu, I...I've come to tell you something." Her voice trembled, and her eyes reddened. "My sister—Shen Tang—she's with a male teacher outside...Everyone in the compound is talking about it...I feel indignant on your behalf—"

"Feeling indignant on my behalf?"

Mu Qinghan interrupted her.

His voice was soft, but sharp as a knife.

"My affairs are none of your concern."

outsider.

Shen Yao's face turned deathly pale instantly.

"I'm not an outsider—I was the one who got engaged back then—"

"It wasn't you. The engagement was with the Shen family's bloodline; you were adopted." Mu Qinghan's tone was calm and without a trace of emotion.

"But..." Shen Yao became anxious, her tone quickening, "But she signed a letter severing ties with her family, she's no longer a member of the Shen family, she doesn't deserve..."

Shen Yao was interrupted by Mu Qinghan before she could finish speaking.

"Whether you're worthy or not isn't up to you to decide," his gaze was deep, as if he held a block of ice in his mouth, "The person who usurped the nest has no right to say such things."

The phrase "cuckoo in the nest" stung Shen Yao, and tears streamed down her face, making her look pitiful. "I know I'm just an adopted daughter, but she's my sister. It hurts me to see her wrong you."

Mu Qinghan's expression, which had just been cold, now carried disgust. "The Shen family has never raised her for a single day. Please don't pretend to be her family anymore."

"Xiao Li." Mu Qinghan didn't want to waste any more words with this woman, so she pulled the blanket over her lap. "Let's go back."

Xiao Li responded and turned the wheelchair around. The wheels crunched over the stone pavement.

Shen Yao stood on the garden path, her fingers gripping the fruit bag's drawstring, her knuckles white. Her lips trembled for a long time, but she couldn't utter a single word.

He was scolding himself; he was protecting Shen Tang.

Without even asking the reason, without even listening to the whole story, they directly labeled her as a cuckoo occupying another's nest.

He didn't even care about the rumors circulating outside.

What right does he have to treat Shen Tang like this?!

Shen Yao stood there, her bangs covering her eyes, her lips pressed into a pale line.

……

That evening. Tutoring time.

Mu Qinghan sat at the octagonal table, grading Shen Tang's paper with a red pen. Shen Tang sat opposite him, working on chemistry problems.

The room was quiet, with only the scratching of a pen on paper and the occasional cracking of coal in the stove.

"How are you adjusting to school lately?" Mu Qinghan asked without looking up.

"It's fine," Shen Tang replied. "The classmates are all easy to get along with."

Mu Qinghan hummed in response.

It paused for a few seconds.

"That Mr. Lu—" He turned a page of the test paper, his voice extremely casual, "is he still substituting for students recently?"