Chapter 107 A Final Word Before Departure

His voice was muffled, carrying an unprecedented vulnerability and reluctance.

"I just married you, and I don't want to be apart from you for even a day."

Su Yue didn't say anything, but simply reached out and hugged his strong waist.

After a long while, she gently pushed him away.

"I'll go pack your things."

She turned and walked into the bedroom, her back straight and ramrod straight, without the slightest hesitation.

As Gu Beichen watched her retreating figure, a part of his heart softened completely.

Su Yue opened the wardrobe, took out the military green canvas duffel bag, and quickly began to pack it.

Two sets of training uniforms to change into, several pairs of thick socks, and a small medicine kit she had prepared beforehand, containing various commonly used medicines for stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation, and treating diarrhea.

Her movements were steady and calm, without the slightest hint of panic.

But when she pulled out a red amulet she had sewn herself from under her pillow, her fingers couldn't help but pause for a moment.

She carefully tucked the small talisman embroidered with the word "peace" into the innermost pocket of Gu Beichen's training uniform.

Gu Beichen leaned against the door frame, quietly watching her finish all of this.

He walked over, hugged her from behind, and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Wife, I promise, I will definitely come back to see you safely."

Su Yue turned around and looked up at him.

"Gu Beichen, listen to me carefully."

Her expression was very serious.

"Once you're out there, you're not allowed to act like a hero. Your life is mine now, and you're not allowed to risk it without my permission."

Gu Beichen was amused by her little tiger-like appearance, but his heart was filled with emotion.

"Yes, I'll listen to my wife."

The low hum of a car engine could be heard outside the courtyard gate.

The person who came to pick him up has arrived.

The time for parting has come.

Gu Beichen cupped her face in his hands and lowered his head to kiss her.

This kiss was different from the tenderness of their wedding night; it carried a desperate, possessive force and an unforgettable longing, as if he wanted to meld her whole being into his very bones.

He only released Su Yue when she was almost out of breath, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I'll find a way to send you a message."

His breathing was hot and slightly unsteady.

"But if... if you don't hear from me for a long time, don't panic or be afraid."

"Stay home, take care of yourself, and wait for me to come back."

He released her hand, his fingertips tracing her cheek with endless longing.

Then, he turned around abruptly, strode out, and never looked back.

He was afraid that if he turned back, he would never be able to leave again.

Su Yue followed him to the courtyard gate and watched him get into the military jeep.

The car started, its headlights drawing two bright beams in the darkness, and quickly turned the corner and disappeared into the night.

The engine sound faded into the distance until it was completely inaudible.

Night returned, and silence reigned once more.

The evening breeze made the red double happiness symbols pasted in the courtyard rustle.

Su Yue stood there for a long time until she felt a chill, then slowly walked back into the house and closed the courtyard gate.

The house, which had just been filled with his presence, suddenly became empty and desolate.

She entered the bedroom, where the wedding quilt with dragon and phoenix decorations was still laid out on the bed, and the red candles on the table were burning quietly, their flames flickering.

But this room full of celebration no longer held a trace of warmth.

The person who could warm her with their body heat is gone.

Su Yue sat on the edge of the bed, overwhelmed by endless longing and worries about the unknown.

On the first morning after Gu Beichen left, Su Yue was awakened by the empty silence.

The bed beside me was ice cold, without a trace of warmth. When I reached out to touch it, all I felt was a smooth, wrinkled surface.

In the huge new house, the red double happiness symbol pasted on the wall was glaring, and the burnt red candle on the table left a pool of solidified wax tears. All the festive objects seemed particularly desolate because of that person's absence.

Su Yue lay on the bed with her eyes open for a long time until the daylight outside the window was fully bright before she slowly sat up.

She couldn't let herself get caught up in it.

She threw back the covers and got out of bed, starting to look for things to do.

First, the whole house was cleaned. The floor was wiped so clean you could see your reflection, and the tables and chairs were wiped spotless with a damp cloth.

Then she ran into the yard to water and weed the rows of vegetables that had just sprouted green shoots.

She forced herself to devote all her energy to these trivial household chores, trying to use physical busyness to dispel the emptiness and worry in her heart.

But the more this happened, the clearer Gu Beichen's serious yet gentle face lingered in her mind.

His desperate kiss before he left, and every word he said, still echoed in my ears.

"Knock knock knock".

There was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Su Yue put down the small hoe in her hand, walked over and opened the door.

There were two people standing at the door; they were Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Li, who lived next door.

Sister Xu was holding a large bowl filled with steaming noodles, while Sister Li was carrying a basket of plump white steamed buns.

"Xiao Su, we figured you wouldn't want to cook by yourself, so we made a little extra. Eat it while it's hot." Aunt Xu handed the bowl to Su Yue, her face full of genuine concern.

Sister-in-law Li also peeked in and looked Su Yue up and down.

"Oh my, your face looks so thinner after just one night! Did you not sleep well?"

Su Yue felt a warmth in her heart from their enthusiasm and quickly invited them into the house.

"Sisters, thank you so much for going to the trouble. I was just about to cook."

"What are you doing! Why bother with all that effort by yourself!" Sister Li was a straightforward person, and she directly pressed Su Yue down onto the stool in front of the dining table. "Eat up! You'll have the energy to think about men when you're full!"

These words made Su Yue's cheeks flush, but they also eased the worries in her heart.

Sister Xu glared at Sister Li and then picked up a bowl of noodles for her.

"You're such a chatterbox. Xiao Su, don't listen to her."

Aunt Xu sat down next to Su Yue, looked at her somewhat haggard face, and sighed softly.

“We military wives all have to get through this.”

"Men are there to protect the country and do great things. We women should stay at home, relax, take good care of the home, and not distract them."

"Don't let our usual joking around fool you, when a man leaves a woman's home, she feels an emptiness that could run a horse through her heart."

Sister-in-law Li nodded in agreement.

"That's right! Every time my husband goes on a mission, my heart is in my throat. I can't eat or sleep well. But so what? I still have to get up the next day and do what I have to do."

"We are their support. If their support collapses, how can they charge into battle?"

Su Yue listened silently, eating the hot noodles in her bowl, a warm current flowing from her stomach all the way to her heart.

She knew these principles, but hearing them from others, especially from women like herself who were silently waiting for their husbands to return, felt completely different.

"Sister-in-law, I'm just... not used to it yet," Su Yue said softly.

"Hey, you'll get used to it eventually," Sister Li patted her shoulder and teased her with a wink.