"Gulp—"
Zhan Zeye swallowed hard, then set the wooden tub aside. His face was stern as he scolded, "Nonsense!"
It was unclear whether he was referring to himself or to Tang Qiyue.
Tang Qiyue couldn't help but laugh.
Zhan Zeye pushed the door open and walked out, closing it behind him.
"Stop laughing. Hurry up and wash your hair—I'll make you some ginger soup!"
Even after his footsteps faded, Tang Qiyue didn't stop smiling.
Only then did she realize that Zhan Zeye wasn't always so bold. She was now certain he probably hadn't had a girlfriend before; otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted like that.
In a great mood, Tang Qiyue finished washing her hair. When she came out wrapped in a towel, a bowl was already placed in front of her.
The dark ginger soup gave off a strong, pungent aroma.
Tang Qiyue didn't dislike ginger, but she didn't enjoy the spiciness of ginger soup. She wanted to say she could just take some medicine to prevent a cold, but explaining would be too troublesome.
So, despite her reluctance, she obediently drank the ginger soup in one gulp.
Zhan Zeye was pleased with her cooperation. After she finished, he handed her a bowl of warm water to rinse her mouth.
The spicy taste faded, and Tang Qiyue felt much better. Just as she was about to thank him, Zhan Zeye placed the bowl on the windowsill and pulled her toward the kitchen.
"Dry your hair, or it'll all be for nothing!"
Her words of thanks were cut off. Tang Qiyue decided it didn't matter—after all, he was her husband.
She sat by the stove and slowly dried her hair.
It was hot, so she didn't need to be too careful, but seeing Zhan Zeye's serious expression, she treated it as his clumsy way of showing concern and said nothing.
While she dried her hair, Zhan Zeye boiled water in the pot. He filled the thermos with hot water, leaving a little behind.
"Are you hungry?" he suddenly asked.
Tang Qiyue was surprised.
"If I remember correctly, I just ate, didn't I?"
"No," she answered honestly.
Even so, Zhan Zeye still put two eggs into the pot and covered it.
After that, he carried the thermos inside. Tang Qiyue followed him shortly after, as the fire had already died down.
Back in the house, Zhan Zeye set the thermos down and turned to look at her.
"Do you realize how dangerous your actions were today?"
His tone was stern again.
Tang Qiyue calmly braided her hair into a pigtail and tied it with a handkerchief.
"I'm not your soldier. You don't need to lecture me like this."
Her tone was slightly coquettish, and Zhan Zeye immediately realized he had been too harsh.
"It's a good thing you're not one of my soldiers. Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting here now."
He gave a short laugh and sat down beside her. When she didn't respond, he leaned back on the bed, resting his hands behind his head as he looked at her.
"The ocean is far more dangerous than you think. One wrong move and you're dead. I've seen too many people die at sea. I don't want you to become fish food."
This time, his tone softened.
Tang Qiyue nodded.
She had only relied on the system's breathing device and her basic swimming skills. Looking back, it really had been risky.
"I'll think more carefully before acting in the future," she said seriously. "I won't leave any hidden risks behind."
With that assurance, Zhan Zeye let it go and instead explained what had happened between Sister Zhao and Company Commander Wang.
He had been there the night before and had even tried to mediate, but Wang's temper had made things worse.
"Both of them were at fault," Zhan Zeye concluded.
Tang Qiyue disagreed.
"Even if Sister Zhao made mistakes, it's still Wang's responsibility. He didn't give her a sense of security. As a husband, he failed to maintain boundaries with other women. Of course she would feel uneasy."
Zhan Zeye leaned closer, studying her expression.
"You seem very sensitive about this kind of thing."
Tang Qiyue nodded.
"You know what my father was like. Besides my mother, he had other wives and many concubines. I've seen too much of that kind of behavior."
Zhan Zeye was aware of her father's past.
Tang Qiyue continued, "People might not know the full story, but for a woman like Sister Zhao to choose death, do you really think it's just because of a misunderstanding?"
She poked his arm.
"You men always think women are overreacting. But if a man has time to care about other women, why doesn't he spend that time caring for his wife?"
Zhan Zeye grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.
"You can criticize him all you want, but I'm not like that. I won't give anyone the chance."
Tang Qiyue didn't fully believe him.
"Really? What about Dr. Qin? Everyone says you two are a good match."
Zhan Zeye didn't get angry. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her.
Not giving her time to react, he pressed her down and deepened the kiss until she softened.
"If I wanted to be with her," he said quietly, "I wouldn't have married you."