Chapter 17 Delivery
Chapter 17
"Xie Shiyu! You can't go!" Gu Qiuyue snapped back to her senses, her heart tightening as if by an invisible hand. Recklessly, she rushed forward to grab his arm, which was tightly clutching the file bag. Her voice was filled with tears, and every word seemed to be torn from her throat: "Your injury will kill you. Doctor Yang said that if the old injury recurs, internal bleeding may occur at any time! Did you hear me, Xie Shiyu!"
Xie Shiyu's body trembled, and he turned his head suddenly, his sharp eyes fixed on her face, which was filled with embarrassment and determination, and there was a trace of embarrassment hidden deep in his eyes that he was unwilling to admit.
He suddenly pushed her away, causing him to be injured. He groaned and broke out in a cold sweat. "Gu Qiuyue! This is a military order! Get out of the way! I know my own body well." His hoarse voice carried an unquestionable tone tempered on the battlefield.
"Battalion Commander, my sister-in-law is worried..." The communicator Xiao Wang on the side was rubbing his hands anxiously and was interrupted before he could finish his words.
Xie Shiyu didn't bother looking at Gu Qiuyue. He endured the sharp pain in his ribs, bent down, picked up the medicine bottle on the ground, and stuffed it into his trouser pocket. He clutched the briefcase tightly, his knuckles turning white. "Follow orders! Go!" He straightened his back and rushed out of the hospital gate. His back still looked as tall and straight as ever, but in Gu Qiuyue's eyes, there was a hint of frailty and staggering.
The courtyard door slammed shut, and Gu Qiuyue slid down to the ground with her back against the door frame, tears streaming down her face. The stiff touch of his arm and the coldness of the medicine bottle seemed to remain in her hands, and she was overwhelmed by immense powerlessness and panic.
Time passed slowly, and Gu Qiuyue wandered around the yard in a daze.
"Sister Qiuyue?" Mrs. Zhang pushed the door open and took her cold hand. "Is Captain Xie out on a mission? Are you worried?"
Gu Qiuyue choked in her throat and nodded with difficulty, her eyes instantly turning red again.
"Oh, I understand. As military wives, who among us doesn't endure this day after day?" Mrs. Zhang pulled her to sit on a small stool and called Chen Cuifen, who lived across the street. "When a man puts on that military uniform, his life is no longer his own. It's worrying? It's completely normal, but we have to hold on."
"Sister, don't be afraid! Captain Xie is very capable, he will definitely come back safely!" Sister Chen's gentle voice was very reassuring. She sat down next to Gu Qiuyue, "Who is Captain Xie? He is a famous soldier in our entire division. He has accurate shooting skills, good physical fitness, a quick mind, and great skills! He will definitely come back safely."
"That's right! The border was so dangerous last time, but didn't we all come back safely in the end? We can rest assured at home and protect our home as a show of support!" Mrs. Zhang clapped her hands vigorously.
The words of the military wives brought warmth, but the heavy fear in Gu Qiuyue's heart did not diminish at all, and her eyes always drifted towards the gate of the courtyard.
A few days later, news arrived: The mission was a success! Captain Xie had made a great contribution! But then came the tragic news: while shielding his comrades, he was caught in the explosion and was seriously injured and sent to the hospital!
Boom! Gu Qiuyue's eyes went dark. When she regained consciousness, she felt somewhat relieved. This time, he couldn't escape.
The lights outside the emergency room of the military district were pale, and Gu Qiuyue was shivering against the wall.
The communicator, Xiao Wang, whispered, "...The battalion commander pushed Erhu away, but was blown away by the blast..."
The emergency room door opened, and the doctor's expression was serious: "He's saved, thank goodness, but the new injuries are three fractured ribs on the left side and a moderate concussion. More seriously, the old injury under the left ribs was severely torn and dislocated by the explosion, forming a hematoma. Immediate surgery is required!"
The operating light came on again, and Gu Qiuyue waited tiredly.
When Xie Shiyu was pushed out, he was still under anesthesia, his face was pale, he was wrapped in bandages and connected to instruments. Gu Qiuyue's heart was deeply broken.
After being transferred to the ward, Gu Qiuyue stayed by his side without leaving, and the sky turned from white to black and then back to white.
Finally, Xie Shiyu's eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze focused on Gu Qiuyue, who was lying on the bed with dark circles under her eyes.
Gu Qiuyue woke up in shock and looked up, their eyes met.
Xie Shiyu's eyes were tired and weak, with complex emotions surging deep inside him, including a sense of relief, powerlessness, and embarrassed guilt. His lips moved slightly, and only a breath came out.
Gu Qiuyue looked at the bandages and instruments on his body, with thousands of words stuck in her throat. In the end, she said nothing, but reached out and carefully and tightly held his cold hand that was not on an IV.
The attending physician and Dr. Yang from the clinic came in together. After a careful examination, Dr. Yang knocked on the edge of the bed without hesitation:
"Captain Xie, you're absolutely ridiculous! New injuries piled on top of old ones. Do you really think you're invulnerable? The root of your old injury was caused by the explosion that year, and the bone hasn't healed yet. Do you know how dangerous this surgery is?"
He glanced at Gu Qiuyue. "You're already married, yet you're still so desperate? Do you want your wife to become a widow right after your wedding?" He snorted coldly. "You must stay in bed for a month and cooperate with the treatment. You are not allowed to move a step. This is a death order. If you don't recover, I will report you and ask you to take off your military uniform and go home!"
Xie Shiyu met the old military doctor's stern gaze, then looked at Gu Qiuyue, who was holding his hand tightly with a determined look. His Adam's apple rolled, and he finally closed his eyes tiredly and resignedly.
Gu Qiuyue's heart finally settled down.
After the doctor left, the ward returned to silence. Gu Qiuyue tucked in the quilt for him and brushed his slightly furrowed brows with her fingertips. "Did you hear what Doctor Yang said? This time, you have to listen to me."
Xie Shiyu's eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes, looking at her deeply with an unprecedented complexity: apology, helplessness, embarrassment, and a hint of faint warmth.
"In the drawer...the iron box..." He pointed to the bedside table with difficulty.
Gu Qiuyue opened the drawer and took out an old biscuit box. At Xie Shiyu's signal, she opened it. Inside were several military medals, several bullet shells... and a "current savings passbook" with a dark blue plastic cover.
She opened it and saw the account name: Xie Shiyu, with a considerable amount of money in it.
"Take it." His voice was hoarse but solemn, "...you will take care of the household expenses...from now on." His eyes were filled with unquestionable entrustment and trust.
Gu Qiuyue understood instantly that this was not just about money, but that he, who was used to controlling everything, was giving her all his savings and most precious things.
He recognized her identity and status and gave her the right to "control him".
This is an apology, but more importantly, it is a heavy trust and dependence.
A warm current washed away the grievance and anger, leaving only a sore feeling of being touched and the responsibility entrusted to her. She clutched the passbook tightly, walked back to the bed, and held his slightly cold hand again. Her voice was clear and firm: "Okay, I'll take it. Xie Shiyu, you rest assured and recover. I will help you. We will definitely get better."
The word "we" was uttered softly, and Xie Shiyu stared at the protective light in her eyes. His tense jaw relaxed completely. He did not speak, but just lightly grasped her warm fingertips, and then slowly and completely closed his eyes. This time, it was a truly tired sleep after unloading the burden.
The sun's warmth streamed in, enveloping the sleeping man and the woman holding his hand beside the bed, her eyes determined. The storm had subsided, and in the tranquility of the aftermath, something quietly melted, and something quietly grew.
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