Chapter 86 Communication between Two Places
Gu Qiuyue's heart was hit hard by the understanding and trust in his words, and her nose felt even more sore, but the impulsive uneasiness was strangely soothed. He understood her, always understood her, understood her desire for knowledge, and understood the meaning of the world she wrote about.
"But..." She looked at his legs that still needed the help of crutches to stand steadily, and the faint fatigue between his brows left by the hard work of the project, and was filled with worry and heartache.
"No buts," Xie Shiyu interrupted her, his tone carrying the decisiveness typical of a soldier, but his eyes were gentle as water. "Being separated is a temporary difficulty. Many soldiers and their wives have experienced this, and it's not in our hands either. Besides, communication conditions are much better now than before. It's convenient to write letters and make phone calls."
He paused, planning for her, as if describing their future reunion. "After the winter and summer vacations, you can bring the children to visit relatives at the base and stay for a while. I will apply to keep the house in the family compound."
He leaned slightly closer to her, his voice softer, with a barely perceptible expectation: "Or, when my work here is finished and I get a vacation, I will immediately return to Beijing to see you three. We can have a good family gathering in Beijing, visit the park, and watch a movie." The scene he described was so ordinary, but at this moment it seemed incomparably precious and warm.
Gu Qiuyue looked at her own shadow clearly reflected in his eyes, listened to his clear plans for separation and how he protected her dream, and the sadness of parting was gradually replaced by a stronger warmth.
Yes, separation is for better perseverance and reunion. He has his mission, and she has her journey.
She took a deep breath, forced the moisture out of her eyes, nodded vigorously, and raised the corners of her mouth in a firm arc: "Yes! I understand. Don't worry, go back. I will take good care of myself, take care of the family, study hard, and finish the manuscript!"
She reached out and grasped his broad palm tightly, conveying a silent promise and strength. "You also have to promise me that you will take good care of your injuries, eat on time, and not lose track of time when working so hard like before. To me, your health is more important than anything else."
Xie Shiyu looked at her instantly strong face, a deep smile and heartache spreading across his eyes. He took her slightly cold hand and completely wrapped it in his warm palm, and solemnly promised: "Okay, I promise you, I will eat on time and take care of yourself. You will swim in the ocean of knowledge, and I will protect our country and our home from there."
Outside the window, the autumn wind blows, and the golden sycamore leaves swirl and fall, carrying a quiet beauty of the cycle of life. The lights in the room are still warm, and the sadness of parting is melted by deep understanding, firm support and common expectations for the future.
The road ahead may be long and arduous, but they know that their two hearts are always heading in the same direction. They are striving forward on their respective battlefields, waiting for the next warm reunion.
On the day Xie Shiyu returned to the team, the sky in Beijing was bright blue, with a few thin clouds like torn cotton wool. On the platform, the sound of the train whistle was long and carried a sense of parting.
Gu Qiuyue and Xie's parents, along with their two children, watched the man in a neat military uniform, whose posture had mostly recovered, board the green train. He waved vigorously at them with his crutch, his eyes fixed deeply and firmly on them through the window, with silent promises and concerns.
It wasn't until the train became a tiny black dot on the skyline, completely disappearing from view, that Gu Qiuyue slowly retracted her gaze, suppressed the bitterness surging in her heart, bent down and kissed Shuangshuang and Huahua on the cheeks. "Dad has gone to protect everyone," she said to the children and to herself, "Mom has to go to school too and learn many skills."
Back to school, life seemed to be fast-forwarded.
Home, school, library, dormitory, Gu Qiuyue's steps became more hurried, but her goal was clear. She turned the longing for separation into a longer-lasting lamp in front of the desk and more dense handwriting in the notebook.
Late at night, when the children are asleep, the desk becomes her main battlefield. Under the orange desk lamp, on one side is an open economics tome and professional manuscripts waiting to be translated, and on the other side is the manuscript of her novel that she has revised repeatedly. The comment from editor "Lin" that "the writing style needs to be refined and the details can be fuller" is like a small guiding light.
Communication has become the warmest bond connecting two hearts thousands of miles apart.
Xie Shiyu's letters were always on time, with the unit number and address written in a strong and powerful manner on the envelope. However, when the letter was unfolded, the content was not all about heroic spirit. He would describe in detail the "home" in the family compound where the garrison was stationed, complain about the occasional poor performance of the canteen chef ("I miss the chicken soup you made"), and clumsily ask how many new teeth Huahua and Shuangshuang had grown.
Of course, he also reported on his rehabilitation progress: "I'm using crutches less, and the military doctor says my bones are growing well." His letters, written between the lines, reflected ordinary daily life, yet were permeated with the warmth of everyday life and a longing for home.
Gu Qiuyue's reply was like a delicate, meticulous painting. She depicted the golden carpet of fallen sycamore leaves on campus in autumn, recounted fascinating exchanges of ideas between professors in class, shared brilliant analyses she'd overheard while auditing a literature lecture, and rambled on about her children's anecdotes. She even enclosed a few flattened, golden-edged sycamore leaves at the end of her letter.
In a thick reply letter, Gu Qiuyue clearly outlined her "three-year plan" to Xie Shiyu for the first time, and at the end she said very frustratedly that she had asked the Academic Affairs Office and was told that the school allowed outstanding students to spend at least three years in undergraduate studies, which broke her original plan to apply for postgraduate entrance examination in her sophomore year.
After sending the letter, Gu Qiuyue felt a little uneasy, wondering whether her "ambition" was too unrealistic in his eyes.
Soon, Xie Shiyu's reply arrived. The envelope was thicker than usual. Unfolding the letter, it began with his unwavering affirmation:
"Yueyue: I received your letter and have read the plan carefully. It's very good! The goals are clear and the steps are distinct. Since the school has set regulations, you should study with peace of mind and treat it as a way to consolidate what you have learned. You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry! Remember, your health is the capital of revolution, so don't work too hard. 'Hummingbird' is also making progress, don't worry. My allowance supports everything at home, so you can study and create with peace of mind. I look forward to your success reports at every stage! - Shiyu"
The letter also contained a small, sticky sketch he'd drawn himself—a bird with its wings spread, ready to take flight. Next to it, scribbled words read, "Qingwu, keep going!" (clearly a parody of the pen name Gu Qiuyue used in her letters). This clumsy yet heartfelt encouragement made Gu Qiuyue smile for a long time, her eyes warming slightly as she held the letter. His support would always be her strongest support.
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