Chapter 20 Strong Maintenance

The gate closed, blocking out the outside world's view, and Gu Qiuyue's tense back relaxed slightly. Home, this small courtyard, was her only fortress at this moment. While it was satisfying to be rude, the vicious plot was still chilling.

"Sister Qiuyue, you were so awesome just now!" Xu Wanru said with admiration.

"We can't give in to people like this," Gu Qiuyue patted her hands, "otherwise they will only get worse."

Xie Shiyu was pale and too weak to speak in the wheelchair. Gu Qiuyue moved him to the bed skillfully and gently, accurately avoiding the bandages and possible pain points. Xu Wanru assisted tacitly.

After settling Xie Shiyu, Xu Wanru said, "Sister Qiuyue, I'm relieved that Brother Xie is home safely. I have to go to the hospital to handle the transfer order procedures." She lowered her voice, "Those gossips in the family compound... I'll also go and find out the source." Her tone was gentle but firm.

Gu Qiuyue shook her hand gratefully: "Wanru, thank you for your hard work." After sending her to the door, the two whispered a few words about nursing details and coping strategies before saying goodbye.

The door closed, and the courtyard became deserted. Gu Qiuyue walked to the bedside, tucked in the quilt, and looked at her husband's closed eyes and pale face, her heart heavy.

Hurried footsteps and calls echoed: "Shiyu! Qiuyue! I'm coming!" Gu Qiuyue hurried out to greet them, only to see Wang Xiulan standing at the door, exhausted and worried. She ignored her luggage and eagerly looked into the inner room: "Where's Shiyu? Did you have any luck on the journey?"

"Mom, why are you back? Shi Yu has just been settled down and fell asleep." Gu Qiuyue took the luggage and led her into the house.

Wang Xiulan walked quickly to the bedside and carefully stroked her son's pale cheek. Seeing his furrowed brow and red eyes, she sighed silently and turned to Gu Qiuyue. Her voice was hoarse, "Qiuyue, thank you for your hard work. I've asked for leave from work. Shiyu's father and grandfather all know about you."

She took out two envelopes and said, "This is given by grandpa, and this is ours. We cannot refuse a gift from an elder." Gu Qiuyue had no choice but to accept it.

A few days later, on a sweltering evening, Wang Xiulan went to the service center to buy groceries. As she approached, she heard a shrill voice: "...She's a bad luck charm! Captain Xie is such a good man? They've only been married a few days, and he's been through the gates of hell several times! Isn't she the bad luck? And that nurse Xu, she serves a man without any official status, who knows what she might be up to!"

Someone murmured in agreement, "That's right! This marriage is strange! My wife said that Captain Xie was seriously injured while carrying out an important mission. Could it be that this tough fate is the reason for the mishap?"

"Husband-killing woman", "Nurse Xu", "serving a man without any status", "weird", "being unlucky because of something going wrong on the mission"... Every word burned Wang Xiulan's heart like a branding iron, and blood rushed to her head.

With a "bang", she threw the basket of vegetables away. Amidst everyone's astonishment, Wang Xiulan rushed to Zhu Yuhua and grabbed her wrist, "It doesn't matter whose family member you are!" Wang Xiulan's voice was like an ice cone, filled with thunderous anger, "Shut your shitty mouth, making up stories about my son and daughter-in-law? Slandering military families? Denigrating nurse comrades? Who gave you the guts?! Come on! Follow me to see the political commissar! Let me tell you about your crimes of destroying the unity of military families, spreading rumors and causing trouble, and slandering the families of military personnel with meritorious service!" Every word hit the political vital point.

Zhu Yuhua was frightened by the "political commissar" and the "charges". Her face turned pale and she tried to break free. The military wives around her instantly fell silent and retreated.

"Who else?" Wang Xiulan's eyes swept across the crowd like lightning. "Who else thinks my family is evil? Who else thinks my son and daughter-in-law deserve your slander? Come together and ask the organization for justice!"

The service center was completely silent, even the air seemed to be stagnant.

"Who are you?" Zhu Yuhua still stiffened her neck. "What's going on with the guards at the door? Who are they?"

Before he could finish his words, the person next to him pulled his sleeve down and whispered, "She seems to be Captain Xie's mother."

When Zhu Yuhua heard this, her expression immediately changed as she said, "Auntie, I...I just spoke nonsense quickly...Don't take it seriously..."

"You're talking nonsense?" Wang Xiulan sneered, her eyes icy. "Your tongue is more poisonous than a knife, and every word you say is murderous. If I hear you use a dirty word to slander my family again, I will sue you for defamation and send you to jail!" She shook off Zhu Yuhua's wrist in disgust.

Zhu Yuhua staggered a step, feeling ashamed and angry.

Wang Xiulan straightened her back, picked up the empty vegetable basket, swept her cold eyes across the crowd, and left proudly.

Wang Xiulan returned home with a murderous look on her face and a dark complexion.

"Mom?" Gu Qiuyue was startled.

"Nothing, just dealt with a few gossips." Wang Xiulan briefly recounted what happened and said solemnly, "Qiuyue, listen carefully, you are Shi Yu's legitimate wife, and you are the legitimate mistress of this family.

If those filthy-hearted people out there dare to throw dirty water, Mom will be the first to tear her apart. We have nothing to fear from our own shadows. Next time we meet them, we will stand up straight and fight back. Even if the sky falls, Mom will back you up."

"Mom..." Gu Qiuyue was completely stunned. The words "I have your back" were like a warm current that broke through her heart, and her eyes reddened. "...Thank you!"

Wang Xiulan looked at her daughter-in-law's red eyes, and a protective feeling surged up in her. She waved her hands and said, "Why thank me? Silly child, we are all family. Let's live a good life in the future."

From outside the hospital came subdued but excited discussions:

"Have you heard? Something happened in Zhu Yuhua's family. Her husband, Wang Li from the Second Regiment, is raising a child outside. The child is almost old enough to help with cooking. Wasn't Zhu Yuhua just punished by Captain Xie's mother? She wanted to go back to her parents' house to complain, but on the way she saw a family arguing and went to watch. To her surprise, her husband and mother-in-law were there, and there was a boy crying next to them.

This is karma in this life!"

Wang Xiulan snorted coldly: "Serves you right! God will punish you for your bad mouth!"

Gu Qiuyue felt mixed emotions and didn't know how to comment.

The bedroom door was ajar, and Xie Shiyu was leaning against the head of the bed, and he could hear the conversation in the main room clearly.

His mother's protection, his wife's gratitude... The corners of his pale lips curved up in a very faint but real arc, however, when his eyes swept across the sinking twilight, the warmth was replaced by solemnity, and his eyes were dark.

It's late at night and everyone is asleep.

The pale moonlight filled the window lattice. Gu Qiuyue got up quietly to check and glanced out the window out of habit.

The blood froze instantly!

In the thick shadows at the base of the courtyard wall, a blurry figure was silently peeping into the Xie family's window. The moment Gu Qiuyue's eyes swept over it, the figure suddenly shrank its head, as fast as a ghost, and disappeared into the darkness.

An icy chill rushed straight to the top of his head, and the prying posture was filled with creepy malice. How could someone sneak into the family compound?

Gu Qiuyue's heart was pounding. She suppressed her scream and moved to Xie Shiyu's bedside holding her breath.

I found that Xie Shiyu was not asleep at all. His eyes were wide open in the darkness, his sharp gaze fixed on the window, his thin lips were tightly pursed, his brows were furrowed, and his hands outside the quilt were clenched into fists, his knuckles were horrifyingly white due to excessive force!

He saw it, with no surprise, only a heavy sense of alertness that a storm was about to come.

Their eyes suddenly met in the dim light, and Gu Qiuyue saw a clear warning in his eyes: Don't move, don't make a sound!