Chapter 76 Returning Home
Looking at the glaring pool of blood on the ground, and her frank admission of her identity as the "mother of two children"...all the grudges and discussions that had arisen before because Gu Qiuyue was not sociable, had good grades, or could not stand her aloofness, now seemed so ridiculous and insignificant in Wang Fang's heart.
The school doctor and teachers who heard the news rushed into the dormitory quickly. They all worked together to lift the groaning Liu Mei onto a stretcher. The country woman who caused the disaster was also taken away for questioning by the school security department with serious expressions.
The dormitory suddenly became empty, leaving only the mess on the floor and a pool of dark red blood that had not yet been completely cleaned up and smelled of rust. The air was filled with a suffocating depression.
Wang Fang silently picked up the broom and mop and began to clean up the books and dirty water on the floor. Several other roommates also hurried to help. They moved carefully, trying not to make any loud noises, but their eyes would occasionally drift towards Gu Qiuyue who was sitting quietly on the edge of her bed.
Gu Qiuyue lowered her head, looking at the glaring dark red spots on her cuffs. Liu Mei's shrill "retribution" and Lin Xiu's desperate "I'm scared" on the phone echoed alternately in her mind. The hideous face of life pressed down so clearly and heavily at this moment, and fatigue swept over her body like a tide.
Wang Fang cleaned up at her feet, hesitated for a moment, and handed her a clean wet towel. Her voice was filled with unprecedented restraint and a hint of subtle awe: "Qiuyue...you, wipe your hands."
She paused, looking at Gu Qiuyue's calm yet tired face, and whispered sincerely, "I never thought... you usually have to worry about your children at home and study, but when faced with something like this... you can still remain so calm."
Gu Qiuyue looked up at her, took the towel, and said "hmm" lightly without saying anything more.
Wang Fang exchanged glances with her other roommates. The curiosity, dissatisfaction and even subtle rejection that once existed in those eyes were now replaced by a complex and indescribable awe.
Liu Mei's tragedy is like a mirror, reflecting everyone's choices and prices, and also makes Gu Qiuyue's tenacity and responsibility as a "mother" and "military wife" appear extremely real and heavy.
At this moment, the penetrating voice of the aunt in the message room downstairs once again broke the dead silence of the dormitory. This time, it was unusually urgent:
"308 Gu Qiuyue—phone call! The other party said it was your lover!"
Military Academy? Xie Shiyu?!
Gu Qiuyue stood up suddenly! Her heart seemed to be grasped by an invisible hand, suddenly rising to her throat, and a chill instantly ran down her spine and throughout her body.
This was the first time Xie Shiyu had called her. Could it be that...something had happened to him?!
She didn't even have time to wipe the blood off her hands. She suddenly opened the door and rushed downstairs again like an arrow from a bow. "Dong dong dong!"
The sound of hurried footsteps exploded in the empty corridor, just like Gu Qiuyue's heartbeat that was beating like a drum. She almost broke open the door of the message room and grabbed the old-fashioned black telephone receiver. The cold touch of plastic could not suppress the trembling of her fingertips and the fear surging in her heart. She could even smell the faint smell of blood belonging to Liu Mei lingering on her cuffs.
"Hello? Xie Shiyu? Is that you? How are you?" The voice rushed out of her throat, with a sharpness and urgency that she herself didn't even notice, and her breathing was disordered.
There seemed to be a pause on the other end of the receiver, and then a deep and familiar voice came, with a barely perceptible smile. Through the crackling sound of electricity, it clearly soothed her tense nerves: "Qiuyue? It's me. Why are you running so fast? You're out of breath like this."
It was Xie Shiyu, himself, his voice steady, even a little relaxed.
Gu Qiuyue's tense body suddenly relaxed, and she leaned against the cold wall of the communication room almost helplessly. The fingers holding the receiver were slightly numb from excessive force, and a layer of cold sweat instantly seeped out of her back.
The countless terrible thoughts that flashed through my mind just now, injuries, missions... disappeared in an instant, leaving only the exhaustion of surviving a disaster.
"I... I'm fine." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heart and disordered breathing. Her voice was still a little dizzy. "Why... why did you call me suddenly? You scared me to death." There was a subtle hint of anger and fear in her tone.
A low chuckle came from the other end of the phone, and I seemed to imagine him shaking his head slightly: "The military academy has just finished a phase of intensive training and has been approved for two days of leave. I haven't seen you for a long time. After class, I will pick you up? Tonight... go home and stay?" His voice slowed down, with a deliberate, soothing gentleness, and the last few words were even lowered, with a hint of imperceptible expectation and intimacy.
"Go home?" Gu Qiuyue was slightly startled, and then a warm feeling surged in her heart, diluting the previous fear and the remaining depression in the dormitory. "Okay." She agreed without hesitation, and her voice finally returned to its usual calmness, even with a hint of warmth. "I only have one big class this afternoon, which ends at 4:30. I'll wait for you at... the old place?"
"Yeah, the usual place." Xie Shiyu's smile deepened. "Wait for me. By the way," he paused, his tone casual but full of concern. "Your voice just now sounded off. Are you okay at school?"
Gu Qiuyue's heart tightened. Lin Xiu's desperate face and the blood under Liu Mei's body flashed through her mind. She subconsciously clenched the receiver, but in the end she just shook her head slightly, as if he could see it right in front of her: "It's nothing serious. I'll tell you when you come."
Now was not the time to discuss in detail, and besides, there were some things she wanted to tell him in person.
"Okay, then...see you later." Xie Shiyu didn't ask any more questions. His military acumen made him notice the lingering solemnity in his wife's tone, but he chose to trust her judgment at the moment.
"Okay, see you later." Gu Qiuyue hung up the phone, listened to the busy tone, leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. The bloodstains on her cuffs seemed no longer so glaring. The huge rock hanging in her heart was quietly half settled because she was about to see her husband.
The evening breeze brought the warmth of early summer, rustling the leaves of the sycamore trees on campus. Gu Qiuyue walked out of the teaching building with her books in her arms and saw the familiar tall figure from afar.
Xie Shiyu was wearing casual clothes, his posture still as straight as a pine or cypress. He stood under the old locust tree at the school gate. The golden glow of the setting sun cast a layer of soft light on his angular profile. He glanced calmly at the crowd pouring out. The moment he saw her, a clear smile appeared in his eyes, and he strode towards her.
Without saying much, he naturally took the book from her hand, and gently put his other hand around her shoulders, with a steady and soothing force, "Let's go home." These three simple words seemed to have magic, instantly dispelling Gu Qiuyue's fatigue and the storms she had experienced during the day.
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