Chapter 77 Family Life

The setting sun shone like a golden hue, casting a soft veil over the bustling campus entrance. Gu Qiuyue, held by Xie Shiyu's shoulders, walked step by step towards the warm glow outside the school. Her tense nerves gradually relaxed under the guidance of her husband's steady steps.

However, Xie Shiyu's gaze was incredibly sharp. He paused, lowered his gaze, and gently stroked the cuffs of her army-green jacket with his slender fingers. His fingertips landed on a few dry, dark stains, and his brows furrowed imperceptibly. "What's wrong with the cuffs?"

He spoke in a low voice, with the sharp scrutiny unique to soldiers, "He doesn't look well either." The bloodstains appeared an ominous dark brown in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Gu Qiuyue's heart suddenly sank, as if burned by the fingertips. Almost instinctively, she quickly pulled her arm back behind her, then forced herself to lower it with composure. She forced a small smile on her face, speaking in a deliberately light tone, "Nothing. I accidentally knocked over a bottle of red ink while packing."

She paused, avoiding his inquiring gaze, and looked towards the street outside the school gate in the distance. She lowered her voice, a little tired, and said, "The dormitory... was a bit noisy during the day, and it gave me a headache."

The glaring red in the daytime, the shrill screams, Lin Xiu's desperate cries, and the venomous word "retribution" suddenly surged up again, and were suppressed back into her heart. Now is not the time. She cannot let this rare, stolen reunion time be tainted with that heaviness.

Xie Shiyu looked at her silently, the setting sun outlining her slightly pale profile. Beneath the deliberately maintained calmness was the fear and deep fatigue that she was trying hard to conceal. He did not ask any more questions, but the hand that was around her shoulders silently tightened its grip, and the dry and warm palm transmitted the ironing temperature through the thin fabric.

Pushing open the familiar courtyard door was like pushing open a barrier that isolated the noise. Two small cannonballs were instantly fired from the house, accompanied by clear and loud children's voices.

"Mother!"

"dad!"

Mingming and Shuangshuang, one on each side, clung to Gu Qiuyue and Xie Shiyu's legs like koalas. Mingming, with his little face tilted upward, excitedly reported, "Grandma made some big steamed buns today. They're bigger than my face!" Shuangshuang, on the other hand, held up an old abacus as if presenting a treasure. The beads clicked as she fiddled with them, "Look! I can do the math now!"

Xie's mother's voice came from the living room door, "You're finally back."

Xie Shiyu and Gu Qiuyue looked at each other and walked in together, "Mom, I'm sorry for tiring you out during this period."

"Don't be tired, don't be tired!" Mother Xie patted Gu Qiuyue's hand, her face full of smiles, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out. "I have Xiaohe to help me. Mingming and Shuangshuang are both obedient children. I don't need to worry about them at all. But you, you've lost a lot of weight in just a short time. You must be under a lot of pressure at school. Go wash your hands quickly, and you'll be able to eat soon."

Xie Shiyu, who was standing aside, was completely ignored by her. Seeing her husband's bad face, Gu Qiuyue leaned over to smell it, and exaggeratedly fanned her nose, "It's so sour, who's vinegar jar is overturned!"

Xie Shiyu freed one hand and gently pinched Gu Qiuyue's cheek, "What nonsense are you talking about? How am I jealous? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll show you how I'll deal with you tonight."

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a few small fists hit her legs. She looked down and saw her daughter puffing up her face fiercely, "Don't let Daddy bully Mommy!"

Xie Shiyu was immediately melted by the cuteness of the little baby. He picked up the baby and spun her around in the air. The little girl was not afraid and giggled non-stop. Seeing her sister having so much fun, Huahua clamored to play too.

Xie Shiyu naturally satisfied him, until Xie's mother called them again, then he put the children on the ground and went to wash their hands together.

The small courtyard was instantly filled with the noise of children, the aroma of food and the warm yellow light. The down-to-earth atmosphere of home, like warm spring water, gently wrapped around Gu Qiuyue, melting away the coldness and tension remaining in her bones bit by bit. The stormy waves of the day were temporarily isolated outside this warm wall.

The dining table was steaming with soft white flour buns, six dishes and a soup, a combination of meat and vegetables, a very rich meal, obviously fully prepared for her and Xie Shiyu to go home.

Xie Shiyu was obviously not good at dealing with two clingy little guys. Shuangshuang rubbed her sauce-stained hands on his brand new military pants. He clumsily picked up a towel to wipe them, but the more he wiped, the more it looked like an abstract painting, which made Shuangshuang giggle. Huahua stood on tiptoe and tried to stuff the bitten bun into his father's mouth to share the "sweetest piece" he had found.

Xie Shiyu was a little flustered by the two children. His usually cold and hard eyebrows and eyes softened completely under the warm yellow light. He listened patiently to Huahua's jumbled description of the "confrontation" with the neighbor's puppy during the day.

Gu Qiuyue watched the scene quietly, watching her husband's rare and somewhat helpless gentleness, the children's unbridled attachment, and the satisfaction in her mother-in-law's eyes. The blood, depression, and screams in the dormitory during the day became distant and blurred at this moment, as if separated by a layer of frosted glass. The heavy stone in her heart loosened quietly.

She picked up the serving chopsticks, picked up a piece of braised beef in soy sauce, and placed it steadily into Xie Shiyu's bowl. Xie Shiyu looked up at her, and their eyes met lightly in the air. There were no words, but they both understood the cherishment and peace in each other's eyes as if they had survived a disaster.

"Mom, Honghong!" Shuangshuang suddenly pointed at Gu Qiuyue's wrist where she had just held the chopsticks, her little voice clear as a baby. Gu Qiuyue subconsciously lowered her head and rolled up her sleeves. Although the few dark red spots from the daytime had been washed off, there were still very faint marks left when she looked closely.

There was a moment of silence at the dinner table.

Xie's father, mother and Huahua also looked over. Gu Qiuyue's heart skipped a beat. She was about to open her mouth to cover it up when a big, bony hand reached out. Xie Shiyu held her wrist very naturally, and his fingertips gently stroked the light red spot, as if brushing away invisible dust.

He turned his head and said to Shuangshuang, who was blinking her big eyes, in a calm and gentle voice with a convincing power: "Mom is very busy at school. When I was helping the teacher organize things, I accidentally rubbed some red ink on her. Just wash it off, don't worry."

Shuangshuang nodded, not quite understanding, but her attention was immediately drawn to the meat in the bowl. Huahua also nodded pretentiously and continued to gnaw on his big steamed bun.

A hint of understanding flashed across Xie's father and mother's eyes. They didn't say anything, but just added another piece of fish to Gu Qiuyue's bowl. Gu Qiuyue felt the hot warmth of Xie Shiyu's palm on her wrist. That silent protection and understanding was like a solid dam, completely blocking the last bit of panic in her heart.