Chapter 26 Absence Makes the Heart Blossom

The courtyard was spotless, with water sprinkled on the ground, still damp and not completely dry, clearly having just been cleaned. The air was filled with a rich and enticing aroma of food, much better than the communal cooking in the cafeteria.

Jiang Suining sniffed, and without stopping, pushed open the kitchen door.

A familiar, tall figure came into view. Lu Ye was busy at the stove. Hearing the door open, he turned around. His angular face was still slightly red from the stove fire, but the moment he saw her, his calm and sharp eyes suddenly lit up.

"You're back?" Lu Ye's voice was deep and warm, but his tone was as natural as ever, as if he were just coming home from get off work to cook her a meal, as usual.

It really was him! Jiang Suining's lips curled up uncontrollably. She rushed into his arms, wrapped her arms tightly around his strong waist, pressed her cheek against his broad and muscular chest, smelled the familiar scent of soap, and heard his steady and powerful heartbeat.

This moment brought a sense of peace and security I had never felt since I transmigrated into the book.

"Yes, I'm back." She nestled in his arms, her voice slightly nasal.

Lu Ye hugged her back tightly, his strong arms encircling her, one hand gently stroking the back of her head, like petting a kitten returning home. Then he lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against her ear, and asked with a smile, "Have you missed me these days, Sui Sui?"

"What's wrong?" Lu Ye loosened his grip on her slightly, looked down to see her expression, and gently moved his hand that had been stroking the back of her head down, his calloused fingertips pinching her soft and sensitive earlobe.

Seeing that he was still pressing her for answers, Jiang Suining steeled her resolve and decided to play dead.

Looking at her ostrich-like appearance, Lu Ye found it both funny and cute. He deliberately sighed softly, then leaned down and lightly touched her burning earlobe with his cool lips.

"Ah!" Jiang Suining shuddered. A strong tingling sensation shot from her earlobe to her limbs like lightning. In an instant, she felt her face on fire and her legs went weak. If Lu Ye's arms hadn't been holding her waist tightly, she probably would have slid to the ground in embarrassment.

Lu Ye felt the slight trembling of the delicate body in his arms, chuckled softly, and without saying anything more, he used his strength to lift her up steadily in his arms.

Jiang Suining exclaimed in surprise, immediately understanding what he was about to do, and quickly kicked her legs gently to struggle: "Wait! Lu Ye! I... I haven't washed up yet, I'm covered in salty and fishy smells from going to the beach!"

Lu Ye stopped at the bedroom door, turned around and walked towards the bathroom as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "Then take a shower now."

Jiang Suining was speechless, but the little voice in her heart was rubbing her forehead: This guy, after coming back from a mission, why is he like a wolf that hasn't eaten for months? Oh well, absence makes the heart grow fonder, let him be, it's really not good for his health to stay cooped up for too long.

With that thought, she immediately stopped struggling and even reached out to wrap her arms around his neck, finding a more comfortable position to lean against him.

Lu Ye was clearly pleased with her sudden cooperation, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards even further. He turned on the shower with one hand, tested the water temperature, and then carefully placed her under the running water.

The warm water poured down instantly, soaking their clothes.

He gently pressed her against the wall, one hand tenderly supporting the back of her head, the other hand bracing against the wall, forming a circle around her, before leaning down and precisely capturing her lips.

The unique scent of a man, carrying the aroma of sunshine and sweat, mingled with a faint tobacco fragrance, wafted towards her. It wasn't pungent; instead, it possessed a comforting power. In this deepening, lingering kiss, Jiang Suining gradually lost herself, feeling her body go limp and her consciousness blurred. She could only respond to him instinctively, almost melting into his hot and unwavering embrace.

The rising steam gradually filled the entire bathroom, blurring the glass of the window and also obscuring the two figures that were intimately entwined and reluctant to part.

...

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of running water stopped, and the bathroom gradually became quiet. Lu Ye wrapped his arms around Jiang Suining from behind, his chin gently rubbing against her smooth neck. His voice, languid and hoarse with lingering desire, asked, "Wife, want to do it again?"

Jiang Suining was sore all over, she barely had the strength to lift a finger. Hearing this, she immediately turned around, using the last of her strength to push away his handsome face that was leaning towards her, her voice soft but firm: "No! I'm exhausted. Do you want me to be unable to get up tomorrow?"

"Exhausted?" Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, deliberately misinterpreting her meaning. "I was the one putting in the effort just now, you just enjoyed it."

She was both embarrassed and annoyed, and wanted to rush out of the bathroom, but when she looked down, she realized that her clothes were lying on the floor. Her t-shirt was soaked and unwearable, so she could only pinch the soft flesh of his firm waist and said angrily, "Comrade Lu Ye! Please be mindful of your behavior! Quickly, go back to the bedroom and get me some clean clothes!"

It was already autumn, and as the steam in the bathroom dissipated, a chill crept up on her. Afraid that she would catch a cold, Lu Ye didn't dare tease her anymore. He quickly picked up the wet pants from the floor, put them on, said "Wait here," and strode out of the bathroom.

Lu Ye quickly returned, carrying her clean pajamas and a large bath towel.

"Why haven't you changed out of your wet pants yet?" Jiang Suining asked, puzzled, seeing that he was still wearing those wet pants that clung to his skin.

Lu Ye didn't explain, but handed her a dry, soft bath towel first: "Hurry up and dry yourself off, put on your clothes, don't catch a cold."

"Okay, okay, stop nagging." Jiang Suining felt a warmth in her heart, took the bath towel, and reached for her pajamas. "Give it to me, you should go back and change your wet clothes quickly. It's uncomfortable to have them sticking to your body, and don't catch a cold."

"I'm tough, it'll be fine. We'll go back together once you're dressed." Lu Ye insisted, still holding her pajamas in his hand, his gaze fixed on her as if admiring some beautiful scenery.

Jiang Suining met his gaze, her face flushed again, knowing she couldn't resist him, so she stopped insisting, turned her back, quickly and carefully dried her hair and body, changed into dry pajamas, and just as she fastened the last button, her body felt light again as Lu Ye picked her up horizontally.

"Hey! I can walk by myself! Put me down!" Jiang Suining struggled gently in his arms. Although the way he would carry her like a princess was very much like something out of an idol drama, she still felt a little embarrassed.

"Weren't you just complaining that you were exhausted and your legs were weak?" Lu Ye held her arm firmly as a rock, striding towards the bedroom, his tone carrying a hint of teasing affection, "I'm doing this to serve the people and lighten your burden."

"..." Jiang Suining: Okay, you're strong, whatever you say is right.

"Go change your pants, don't worry about me." After being comfortably settled in the soft blankets, Jiang Suining remembered her business. "I had a great haul this afternoon from beachcombing! I collected so many razor clams, clams, and even sea urchins! I'll cook them for you tonight so you can try my cooking!"

"I'll cook dinner, you get some rest." Lu Ye quickly stopped her from pulling back the covers again, leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Conserve your energy, we'll continue tonight."

Jiang Suining was speechless. She pushed away his handsome face, which was so close to hers, turned over and lay down, pulling the blanket over her head. Her voice was muffled as she said, "No! I'm tired. I want to sleep and rest tonight! I refuse to work overtime!"

Looking at her ostrich-like appearance, Lu Ye couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't press her any further, but gently patted the bulge under the covers: "If you want to sleep, then sleep properly. Don't suffocate under your head. I'll call you when the food is ready."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left the bedroom to change his wet clothes.

Listening to his steady footsteps recede into the distance, Jiang Suining finally peeked out from under the covers, let out a long sigh, and felt waves of lingering soreness and fatigue wash over her. She closed her eyes, relaxed, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

After Lu Ye returned, he wanted to give Jiang Suining a surprise. He took care of some things first, and when he came back, he went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy fresh vegetables and pork, and also brought back a live fish.

He stir-fried two seasonal dishes: stir-fried cabbage with vinegar and shredded pork with green peppers. He also carefully cleaned the seafood that Jiang Suining had collected from the beach, made a pot of fragrant and rich kelp, pork rib and clam soup, steamed razor clams, and made a cold salad of crisp and tender octopus with ginger, garlic and vinegar sauce. Finally, he made a smooth steamed egg dish with the golden sea urchins.

Once all the delicious-looking dishes were placed on the small square table and two bowls of steaming rice were served, Lu Ye took off his apron and went to the bedroom to call Jiang Suining.

He pushed open the door and saw her lying on her side, breathing evenly, sleeping soundly. Her peaceful sleeping face softened his heart, and he was reluctant to wake her. But looking at the sky outside the window, which had already darkened completely, he knew that if he didn't get up to eat, dinner would have to become a midnight snack, which wouldn't be good for his stomach.

He tiptoed to the bedside, bent down, and gently kissed her smooth forehead and her flushed cheeks. Finally, he gently held her slightly parted lips in his mouth, tenderly sucking on them, before softly calling out, "Sui Sui, wake up, it's time to eat."

After being called several times, Jiang Suining finally reacted somewhat, but she was not fully awake. Unconsciously, she kicked off the blanket, mumbled something, turned over, and fell asleep again.

As she turned over, the hem of her pajamas rolled up slightly, revealing a section of her fair, slender, and delicate waistline.

Jiang Suining vaguely heard someone calling her in her sleep, but she was too sleepy to open her eyes, so she simply ignored it.

"You lecherous scoundrel! You pervert!" Jiang Suining blushed with embarrassment and couldn't think of a more powerful word for him. She could only angrily step forward and snatch the pillow from his hand.

"I don't want to!" Before Lu Ye could finish speaking, Jiang Suining interrupted him loudly, her face flushed. She forcefully broke free from his embrace, snatched a pillow, and hugged it tightly to her chest in a defensive stance. "If you're hungry, figure it out yourself! I don't want to! I'm tired, I want to eat now! Eating is the most important thing!"

Lu Ye was taken aback for a moment, then immediately realized that she had misunderstood him and a pleasant smile instantly spread across his face. He looked at Jiang Suining meaningfully and deliberately dragged out his words, asking, "Oh? Suining, do you think I'm hungry or what I want?"

Jiang Suining's face flushed even more, her ears turning bright red. She stammered for a long time, looking at his teasing eyes, wishing she could disappear into the ground.

Seeing her shy and embarrassed, so charming and endearing that she seemed to want to be teased a little more, Lu Ye's heart fluttered, and the fire he had just suppressed suddenly flared up again. Afraid that he would really lose control if he continued to tease her, he took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his restlessness, and stepped forward to pick her up, pillow and all, in one swift motion: "I meant dinner! I've already prepared the food, and it'll get cold if we don't eat it soon. Come on, let's go eat."

"You...you mean eating?" Jiang Suining belatedly realized that she had been judging people solely by their looks, and was so embarrassed that she scratched her toes on the ground.

"Otherwise what?" Lu Ye stared intently at her, his smile deepening. "What did you think it was about? Hmm?" The "hmm" he uttered had a rising tone at the end, carrying an ambiguous undertone.

Jiang Suining's eyes darted around, but she didn't dare to look at him. She tried to remain calm and explained, "I didn't think anything! I just want to eat! Yes, eat! I'm hungry!" She nodded vigorously to make it more believable.

“Mmm,” Lu Ye nodded seriously, just like her, and carried her to the living room, but his tone was clearly teasing, “You must be hungry. You’ve used up so much energy. Eat more later to replenish your energy so you’ll have more strength tonight.”

"You! Shut up!" Jiang Suining couldn't argue with him, so she could only cover his mouth with her hand in embarrassment and indignation, mentally ranting: What kind of weird place did this guy go on this mission? How did he unlock so many witty remarks? Where is the Lu Ye who used to be serious and more action-oriented than verbal? Is this still her innocent soldier brother?!

Lu Ye stopped teasing her, but his eyes were full of smiles.

He gently placed her on a chair next to the dining table, then took a bowl of golden, trembling steamed sea urchin and egg and put it on a small plate in front of her: "Try this, it tastes very fresh."

Jiang Suining picked up a small spoon and carefully touched the orange-yellow surface of the steamed egg custard. The texture was softer and smoother than she had imagined. It wasn't the loose kind of tenderness, but rather a delicate elasticity. When the spoon touched it, she could feel it tremble slightly, like pudding, but it wouldn't easily break.

The sweet and mellow aroma of the egg itself spreads on the tip of the tongue first, without any eggy smell. Then, the unique and rich umami flavor of the sea urchin slowly seeps out from the steamed egg custard. It is moderately salty and fresh, not strong but incredibly long-lasting, and it is also interspersed with the unique, delicate, sandy texture of the sea urchin particles.

Gently break the sea urchin pieces with the tip of your tongue, and an even richer burst of fresh juice instantly fills your mouth. It's fresh without being fishy, ​​and salty without being cloying, perfectly balancing the sweetness of the steamed egg custard and creating a wonderful texture.

When you swallow it, a faint, lingering sweetness remains in your throat, without any greasiness, just a refreshing and satisfying feeling.

"This is so delicious!" Jiang Suining exclaimed sincerely, her eyes squinting with happiness. In her previous life in modern society, she had eaten all kinds of steamed egg custard, but she had never tasted such an authentic, fresh, and tender steamed egg with sea urchin.

Lu Ye's creation completely changed her understanding of steamed eggs. "Lu Ye, you're amazing! This skill is more than enough to open a restaurant!"

Seeing that she was enjoying her meal, Lu Ye's eyes were filled with obvious joy and satisfaction. He picked up a clean handkerchief and gently wiped away a bit of egg custard residue that had accidentally gotten on her lips. He said softly, "If you like it, eat more. Don't just eat egg custard. Drink some soup and try some other dishes." As he spoke, he served her a bowl of steaming hot seaweed, pork rib, and clam soup.

"Okay, you eat too, don't just eat for me." Jiang Suining picked up her chopsticks and tasted a bite of each dish.

Steamed razor clams are sweet and fresh, cold octopus salad is crisp and appetizing, kelp soup is delicious and warming, and stir-fried vegetables are full of wok hei (wok aroma)... Although the flavors are different, they are all absolutely first-class.

"It's so delicious! It feels like your cooking skills have improved a lot since you went on a mission!" she praised indistinctly as she chewed with satisfaction.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ye frowned slightly, knowing that his Sui Sui probably hadn't been eating properly while he was away, either eating whatever was available in the cafeteria or just making something herself. He felt a pang of regret and tenderness, and secretly resolved that from now on, whenever he was home, he would make sure she ate the most delicious meals.

Actually, the food in the military canteen is pretty good for a large-scale catering service, but even the best food gets boring if you eat it every day.

Furthermore, during the time Lu Ye was away on a mission, Jiang Suining often ate alone, which was cold and lonely. Naturally, it lacked the warm and lively feeling of eating with Lu Ye. Over time, her appetite also decreased.

The two of them enjoyed the meal immensely, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Most of the time, Lu Ye watched with a smile as Jiang Suining ate like a satisfied little hamster, her cheeks puffed out. He would occasionally pick up food for her, carefully peel open the shells of razor clams, and remove the tentacles of the octopus.

Jiang Suining ate with great relish, feeling extremely satisfied both physically and mentally.

After they finished eating, Lu Ye firmly refused to let Jiang Suining clean up, and instead made her sit on the sofa in the living room to watch TV and rest. He even peeled an apple, carefully cut it into small pieces, put them on a plate, and stuck a small fork on it, so she could eat while watching TV.

After he efficiently cleared the table, washed the dishes, and polished the kitchen stove until it shone, restoring everything to order, he returned to the living room to find that Jiang Suining had already devoured the entire plate of apples.

Seeing that she had such a good appetite, Lu Ye was in an even more cheerful mood. Afraid that she would have indigestion from eating too much fruit, he didn't dare let her sit any longer. So he pulled her into the bedroom to change into some casual clothes suitable for a walk, and prepared to go out for a stroll to digest her food.

As autumn arrives, the days grow shorter and the nights fall earlier. The daytime heat gradually dissipates with the setting sun, and the evening breeze, carrying the unique moisture and coolness of the island, blows over, making it exceptionally comfortable and pleasant.

The two left their own courtyard and slowly walked out along the path of the residential compound.

Along the way, they encountered many familiar military dependents and officers returning from get off work, and greeted them with smiles.

"Chief of Staff Lu is back?"

"Yes, Sister-in-law Wang, have you eaten?"

"Xiao Jiang, are you taking a walk with Chief of Staff Lu?"

"Oh, Aunt Li, are you taking a stroll too?"

As the two were about to leave the residential compound area, they bumped into Li Guodong. Upon seeing Lu Ye and Jiang Suining walking side by side in front of him, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, a very unnatural expression flashing across his face.

After returning, Lu Ye went to the regiment to submit his mission report. With Jiang Suining on his mind, he did not linger outside and did not have time to exchange pleasantries with his comrades and colleagues. He was quite happy to meet Li Guodong, with whom he had a good relationship, and was about to go up and greet him when he saw Li Guodong suddenly stop, looking embarrassed, with his eyes darting away, and even lowering his head slightly, not daring to meet his gaze.

Lu Ye immediately sensed something was wrong and noticed Li Guodong's unusual behavior. He glanced at Jiang Suining beside him and saw that she looked at Li Guodong with a calm and even knowing expression. He immediately understood seven or eight parts of the situation.

This unusual situation is probably related to his wife.

“Guodong,” Lu Ye said calmly, taking a few steps forward and stopping an arm’s length away from Li Guodong. “What’s wrong with you? You don’t look well.”

“Lu, Lu Ye,” Li Guodong had to raise his head, but his gaze was unfocused, and he forced a smile with embarrassment. “When did you come back? I didn’t hear about it.”

"I just got back this afternoon." Lu Ye saw through his guilty conscience clearly, and his heart sank, but he didn't point it out directly. Instead, he followed up by asking, "You look like this, is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing serious," Li Guodong said, feeling his face burning and wanting to leave this embarrassing situation as soon as possible. "It's just that my son Yuejin, being naughty, fell and hurt his leg."

"Did you fall and hurt your leg? How serious is it? Where is it?" Upon hearing that the child was injured, Lu Ye didn't bother to investigate Li Guodong's unusual behavior and hurriedly asked about the child's condition. "Take me to see him quickly."

“He’s at the military hospital. I was just going home to get him some daily necessities and a change of clothes. He needs to be admitted to the hospital.” Looking at Lu Ye’s sincere and concerned eyes, and thinking about the terrible things his wife had done, Li Guodong felt a strong sense of guilt and felt even more ashamed.

"Then hurry up and get it, don't delay." Lu Ye didn't even bother with the walk anymore and turned to Jiang Suining, saying, "Sui Sui, let's go to the hospital to see Yuejin."

How could he let Lu Ye and Jiang Suining go to the hospital now? Zhou Xiaomei must be in the ward right now; if they ran into her, the scene would be...

Lu Ye seemed not to have heard Jiang Suining's abrupt "don't," or perhaps he heard it but ignored it; he had already taken Jiang Suining's hand and was walking towards the military hospital.

The evening breeze rustled the leaves of the trees along the roadside.

Jiang Suining thought for a moment and decided that she could no longer hide this from Lu Ye. So she carefully chose her words and explained to Lu Ye the conflict between her and Zhou Xiaomei, as well as Li Guodong's awkward situation in the process.

As she spoke, Lu Ye's pace slowed, and his expression gradually darkened. When she finished speaking, he stopped completely, let out a cold snort, and a hint of understanding and anger flashed in his eyes: "I knew it! Why did he look like he had done something wrong and was afraid to see me? It turns out it was his wife's doing!"

"Ultimately, this matter is Zhou Xiaomei's fault. Comrade Li Guodong should not be aware of it." Seeing that Lu Ye sided with her without hesitation, Jiang Suining felt relieved and comforted.

She thought that Lu Ye and Li Guodong were, after all, comrades-in-arms who had risked their lives together. It wouldn't be good if a quarrel between women affected the friendship between men, or even their work cooperation. So she comforted him, "Besides, you men shouldn't interfere in our conflicts. I can handle it myself." She was an independent woman from modern times; how could she be troubled by such a small matter?

“That won’t do,” Lu Ye refused immediately without hesitation. He grasped Jiang Suining’s hand, his tone firm. “You are my wife, Lu Ye’s wife. Before I brought you to join the army, I promised you, your mother, your elder brother, and myself that I would never let you suffer any grievances. Zhou Xiaomei is Li Guodong’s wife. What she does and says is Li Guodong’s responsibility to discipline and take responsibility for. If he can’t manage his own wife, that’s his problem! Don’t worry, I will definitely stand up for you and teach him a lesson.”

His protectiveness warmed Jiang Suining's heart, but she still insisted, "Okay, okay, I know you care about me, but don't go too far. After all, we're comrades." She was mainly afraid that Lu Ye would lose his temper and resort to violence.

This is, after all, a disciplined military unit. Officers fighting would have a terrible impact, and she didn't want Lu Ye to get punished because of her; that would seriously affect his future. "You're a soldier, this is the military, everything must be done with discipline and method, right?"

Lu Ye felt a surge of warmth and tenderness in his heart as he looked at his wife, who was clearly being wronged but still thinking of him. His anger subsided considerably.

He patted the back of her hand, gave her a reassuring look, and his tone returned to its steady tone: "I know, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."