Chapter 65 Our Home, Starting with Every Meal

Looking at his serious and earnest expression, Su Yue felt a warmth in her heart for no apparent reason.

This feeling of being managed and worried about is novel and also quite nice.

She nodded obediently: "Okay, I promise I won't act on my own. Next time you go, can you take me with you? I'll watch from a safe spot on the shore."

"Okay." Gu Beichen's answer was crisp and decisive.

And so, an agreement was reached.

Su Yue's mood instantly brightened. She ran excitedly to the pile of farm tools, picked up a long-handled object with a hook, and examined it from all angles.

"What's this for? It looks really strange."

Gu Beichen walked over, glanced at what she was holding, his lips twitched slightly, and his eyes revealed a hint of helplessness and amusement.

"This is a hoe."

"Aren't hoes for digging? This head is so small." Su Yue asked with a curious expression.

"This is a small hoe, used for loosening the soil and weeding," Gu Beichen explained patiently, then took it from her hand and demonstrated, "Look, like this, gently loosen the soil so that the vegetables can grow well."

He bent down and easily drew neat, shallow furrows on a small plot of vegetable garden that had just been leveled the day before.

Su Yue's eyes lit up; it was like opening the door to a whole new world.

She picked up a small shovel and began digging a hole, imitating the other person's actions.

The two worked together remarkably well, one drawing a ditch and the other digging a pit.

Gu Beichen looked at her clumsy yet earnest expression, and his gaze softened unconsciously.

Su Yue carefully placed the seedlings she had bought one by one into the holes, and then mixed in a few rare medicinal herbs that she had secretly taken out of her spatial storage.

She patted the dirt off her hands, looked at the small, lush green vegetable patch in front of her, and a sense of unprecedented satisfaction welled up in her heart.

"When they grow up, we'll be able to eat vegetables we grew ourselves!" She turned around, smiled at Gu Beichen, her eyes sparkling like they were filled with stars.

At this moment, she was neither a medical doctor nor a time traveler, but simply a young woman full of anticipation for the future.

Gu Beichen's heart was struck hard by her smile.

He hummed in agreement, his Adam's apple bobbing, and looked away.

After a busy morning, both of them were covered in a light sweat.

Gu Beichen didn't let Su Yue do anything; he carried the bucket of seafood into the kitchen himself.

Before long, a strong, fresh aroma wafted out of the kitchen.

Su Yue followed the aroma and went inside, where she saw Gu Beichen tending a blazing coal stove with a large iron pot on top, where something was bubbling and simmering.

The red of the shrimp, the yellow of the crab, and the white of the fish, paired with a few slices of bright green ginger, is simply a feast for the eyes and nose.

"What is this? Seafood stew?" Su Yue asked curiously.

“Seafood all in one pot,” Gu Beichen said succinctly.

He took out a small bowl, poured in some soy sauce and vinegar, added some chopped garlic and chili rings, and finally drizzled some sesame oil on top.

"This is our dipping sauce, try it." He handed the bowl to Su Yue.

Su Yue dipped the tip of her chopsticks in the water, smacked her lips, and her eyes lit up: "Delicious!"

This lunch was simple yet plentiful.

The two sat around a small table, eating the hope they had planted themselves and the freshest seafood. Neither of them spoke, but the air was filled with a warmth called "home".

After the meal, Su Yue helped clear the dishes and casually asked, "Did you call back to Beijing yesterday? Mom and Dad...aren't they worried?"

"I did." Gu Beichen paused as he wiped the table. "I told them that Liang Manyun's matter had been taken care of, and that they could rest assured."

"What about the marriage report?" This was what Su Yue was most concerned about.

"I had Xiao Wang resubmit the application, along with the supporting documents you provided. The political commissar approved it personally, saying there wouldn't be any problems this time, and the report would be released soon."

After Gu Beichen finished speaking, he raised his head and looked intently at Su Yue.

The living room fell silent, save for the occasional birdsong coming from outside the window.

He put down the rag in his hand, walked up to Su Yue, and spoke solemnly, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.

"Su Yue, wait until the marriage certificate is approved..."

He paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts.

"Let's...let's go for another check-up and see...see if the situation has improved."

His eyes held both expectation and a lingering unease.

"Then, let's go get our marriage certificate, okay?"

Su Yue's heart skipped a beat.

She looked at the man in front of her.

He was no longer the fool who exiled himself because of a medical report, but a partner willing to face and solve problems with her.

These days, he cooks for her, shelters her from the wind and rain, and takes care of all her troubles.

He showed her through his actions what responsibility and reliance truly mean.

And she, without realizing it, had gotten used to having him in her life.

I've grown accustomed to seeing him when I wake up in the morning, accustomed to his domineering yet gentle control, and accustomed to the deep affection he expresses through silence.

It turns out that being moved isn't about grand, earth-shattering vows, but rather about the everyday moments woven into the fabric of daily life.

Su Yue looked at him and suddenly smiled.

She tiptoed to his ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Okay, Commander Gu. I'll do whatever you say."

Gu Beichen's tall body stiffened abruptly, and his ears turned red rapidly at a visible speed.

A few days later.

On a sunny afternoon, guard Xiao Wang rushed into the courtyard like a gust of wind.

He held a manila envelope high in his hand, his face beaming with barely suppressed elation.

"Commander! Sister-in-law!"

"The report is in! The marriage certificate has been approved!!"

The document, which carried so many twists and turns and expectations, finally lay quietly on the table.

Gu Beichen reached out, his fingertips touching the edge of the file bag, then suddenly tightened his grip, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the force.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and countless emotions surged in his chest, but ultimately only turned into a silent gaze.

Su Yue looked at his tense profile, reached out and covered the back of his hand that was holding the file bag, and gently patted it.

Gu Beichen seemed to be startled awake, and he turned his head sharply, his gaze fixed intently on her.

In those deep eyes, there was ecstasy, relief, and something even deeper.

He didn't open the file folder, but instead pushed it in front of Su Yue, his voice slightly hoarse.

"We have to go to the hospital again before we can get our marriage certificate."

Su Yue looked up at him.

"I want you to see a healthy husband."

He spoke these words with utmost seriousness, each word seeming to have been struck from the depths of his chest.

This was a man's last act of stubbornness, and also his most solemn promise to her.

He wanted to personally erase the shadow that report had cast on his heart, and marry her with dignity, as a complete man.

Su Yue felt a warmth in her heart and nodded in agreement.

"good."