Chapter 148 Absent-minded
A chill ran down her spine, but Gu Qiuyue's face showed enlightenment and understanding: "I understand, Comrade Liu, don't worry, I understand the organization's discipline and will never say anything nonsense." She behaved like a small town teacher who absolutely cooperated with the organization and had no other thoughts.
"Very good." Comrade Liu finally stood up. "The car will take you back."
On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was even more depressing than when they came. Comrade Liu said no more and just closed his eyes to rest. Gu Qiuyue hugged the two children tightly, watching the familiar scenery passing by outside the window, but her heart was surging.
She repeatedly reviewed every question and answer, making sure that she had not left any obvious loopholes.
But the request, "including family," felt like a thorn in her heart. She wasn't sure whether to obey completely. Her husband, Xie Shiyu, with his vast knowledge and calm demeanor, might be able to offer better advice. But what if this itself was a test? While the atmosphere of the early 1980s had warmed somewhat, caution still pervaded certain areas.
The car stopped at the gate of the family compound. After thanking the driver, Gu Qiuyue got out of the car with her child. Watching the black car drive away, she breathed a sigh of relief, her palms full of cold sweat.
"Mom, is that uncle a bad guy?" Shuangshuang looked up and asked timidly.
Gu Qiuyue squatted down, straightened the children's collars, and forced a smile. "No, uncle is the leader of Mom's unit. He came to ask about some work matters. Seeing uncle today and riding in the car is a little secret between the three of us. Don't tell anyone, not even Dad. Okay? Let's make a pinky promise."
She held out her little finger, but felt a little guilty and uneasy in her heart for temporarily hiding it from her husband.
The children made a pinky promise with her, not quite understanding what she was saying.
Gu Qiuyue held the two children's soft hands and stood at the gate of the family compound. It was not until the black car completely disappeared from her sight and turned into a blurry black dot that she truly felt the invisible pressure dissipate slightly.
The early autumn breeze blew by with the afternoon heat, but it could not blow away the chill in her heart. The wetness in her palms reminded her of her previous tension. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her rapid heartbeat.
"Mom, it's a secret..." The little daughter muttered softly, while her other free hand was unconsciously playing with the corner of her clothes, as if she felt a little confused and uneasy about this sudden "game".
"Yes, a little secret." Gu Qiuyue bent down and took the two children into her arms again, her voice soft and gentle. "If you make a promise, you must keep it, right? Mommy will make you steamed egg custard tonight."
After temporarily diverting the children's attention with their favorite food, Gu Qiuyue stood up, straightened her slightly messy hair and clothes, put her usual gentle and calm smile on her face again, and then took her children's hands and walked towards her own yard.
The family compound was very quiet. At this time, people who went to work had not yet returned, and most of the children who were still in school had not yet finished school.
Gu Qiuyue felt as if every step she took was on cotton, with a hint of lightness after exhaustion, but her brain did not stop, running rapidly, repeatedly chewing over every word and every expression of Comrade Liu.
"Including family members..." These four words echoed in her mind like a tight curse.
Of course she understood and respected the organization's discipline, but Xie Shiyu was not someone else. He was her lover, someone who had experienced ups and downs and was worthy of trust and reliance. There had always been very few secrets between them. Should she really keep silent about such an important matter?
What if…what if the organization learned about this through other channels in the future, and Xie Shiyu was completely unaware of it, would it bring him trouble? After all, he was currently in the ascendant of his career, and any slight movement could be magnified and interpreted.
On the other hand, Comrade Liu's particular emphasis on "including family members," though expressed in a calm tone, carries with it an undeniable weight. Could this itself be a test, a test of her confidentiality, a test of her absolute obedience?
In the early 1980s, although the cold winter had passed, the occasional late spring cold snap still left a lingering fear. She couldn't let her impulsive judgment bring any potential risks to Shi Yu and her family.
While her mind was turning over and over, she had already reached the door of her home. She took out the key and opened the door. The familiar smell of home filled her face, soothing her tense nerves a little.
"Go wash your hands first, then play by yourself for a while, and mom will prepare dinner." Gu Qiuyue arranged the two children, trying to keep her voice steady.
She tied an apron and walked into the kitchen, mechanically washing rice and vegetables, but her mind was not on the stove at all. Outside the window, the sizzling sound of the neighbor cooking and the faint voice of talking came, full of the breath of life, which formed a sharp contrast with the turbulent waves in her heart.
What should I do? Tell me or not?
Time passed quietly in the entanglement. When the sky was dyed with sunset glow and the familiar, steady and powerful footsteps sounded at the gate of the courtyard, Gu Qiuyue's heart skipped a beat.
It’s Xie Shiyu who’s back.
The door was pushed open and Xie Shiyu walked in wearing a military uniform. There was a trace of fatigue after work between his brows, but when he saw his children coming to greet him and his wife leaning out from the kitchen, that fatigue instantly turned into warmth.
"Dad!" The two children rushed over cheering.
Xie Shiyu smiled and bent down, picking up the children one in each hand. He then looked at Gu Qiuyue, keenly catching the complex emotions in her eyes that she had not yet completely concealed and her slightly pale face. His brows moved almost imperceptibly.
"Are you back? How was your day?" Gu Qiuyue tried hard to make her voice sound the same as usual, even with a hint of deliberate lightness.
"I'm fine, same as always." Xie Shiyu put the child down, walked to the kitchen door, leaned against the door frame and looked at her. "How about you? You don't look well. Are you too tired from work at school?"
His eyes were filled with concern and scrutiny. Years of marital understanding and the unique insight of a soldier enabled him to easily sense the slightest abnormality in his wife.
Gu Qiuyue's heartbeat quickened. She lowered her eyelids, pretending to focus on the food in the pot, avoiding his gaze. "Nothing, maybe just a little tired. Today... I helped Teacher Tang with two classes, so it was a bit taxing."
That's a lame excuse.
Xie Shiyu was silent for a moment, and did not ask any further questions immediately. He just said, "Then go to bed early tonight." He walked in, rolled up his sleeves, and said, "I'll help you."
"No, no, it will be ready soon. You can go and accompany the children." Gu Qiuyue said quickly.
At the dinner table, the atmosphere seemed the same as usual. The children chattered about interesting things in kindergarten. Xie Shiyu occasionally responded, but his eyes often fell on Gu Qiuyue who was eating quietly. She ate very little and seemed a little absent-minded. Once, she even almost had the food fed to her nose.
Xie Shiyu saw all of this.
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