An Hao had started taking her medicine, and a medicinal pot had been prepared at home for brewing the herbal concoctions.
The thick scent of traditional Chinese medicine permeated the house every day, and the taste of the medicinal brew was bitterly potent, which An Hao forced herself to swallow.
Zhang Yun was originally quite upset about An Hao not being able to conceive, but seeing her daughter-in-law return from the hospital and diligently cooperate with the treatment, her litany of complaints was swallowed back.
Before they knew it, it was already the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
Qin Jian’s vacation had ended, and he needed to attend classes at the Military Staff College for three months.
Early in the morning, as he prepared to leave, Zhang Yun began to grumble, "Really, starting classes on the big holiday. Couldn’t they let you stay home until the fifteenth is over?"
"Why can’t classes start in the first month? Like the wars of the past, who cared if it was the fifteenth or the sixteenth? Battles didn’t stop for the New Year’s Day!" Ning Yibin couldn’t stand his wife’s nagging and slapped the table as he began to lecture her, "Your way of thinking is wrong. You used to be so conscious, how come your awareness has become so low now?"
The older couple started bickering early in the morning, while An Hao ate her food silently, without uttering a word.
After Qin Jian finished his meal and noticed that An Hao seemed a bit unhappy, he said to her, "Today is the fifteenth of the first month, and there will be a lantern show on South Street. I’ll come home early tonight and take you to admire the lanterns."
"Alright," An Hao nodded, "Go ahead, I’ll be fine. I should start my own classes tomorrow, so I need to prepare."
The first day of registration was quite busy.
Each student had to first collect their accommodation supplies, get settled into their lodgings, and then sign in to receive their study materials.
Qin Jian was also assigned a room; with the short lunch breaks, he wouldn’t go home but would rest here instead. He would return home in the evening to spend time with his young wife.
The day was busy and late by the time he was ready to return home. A few acquaintances then dragged him out to dine, and by the time Qin Jian wanted to go home, he realized he couldn’t fulfill the promise he had made to his wife.
It was already late, and it was probable that the lantern fair had already ended if he took his wife out now.
Thus, he decided to choose a lantern at the fair to bring back to An Hao, hoping to please her.
Even though it was late, South Street was still bustling with people. Qin Jian wove through the crowd and spotted a lotus-shaped lantern that looked quite attractive from a distance, so he decided to buy it.
As he was negotiating the price with the vendor, he heard a commotion not too far away.
He looked in the direction of the noise and saw a crowd of people surrounding a lantern stall, tightly packed, with cursing and crying emanating from within.
"Who the hell do you think you are! Daring to fight with me over things! You country bumpkin, you should’ve asked around South Street who I am! I’m telling you, put down the lantern and leave now, or I swear I’ll kill you today!"
"Just try to kill me! If you do kill me, I’ll send an army here and flatten your den in no time!"
The voice was incredibly familiar, and a sinking feeling hit Qin Jian’s heart; he quickly made his way towards the crowd.
Parting the sea of tightly packed onlookers, Qin Jian reached the front and, seeing the scene before him, his face darkened and anger surged within him.
Five or six men were beating his younger brother, Qin Fen, raining punches and kicks upon him, leaving his mouth bloody and his face bruised.
Curled up on the ground and wailing in pain, Song Yueqin stood nearby with tears streaming down her face, begging, "Stop hitting him! Please stop! I’m begging you! He’ll die if you keep this up."