Chapter 109 I'm waiting for him to come back in the bridal chamber
Time flies, and it has been almost half a month since Gu Beichen left.
Winter on Hainan Island isn't cold; the sun is still warm. Yet, Su Yue felt that the entire military compound exuded a lingering chill.
Especially their small courtyard.
The bright red "double happiness" characters on the gate and windows of the courtyard were still brand new, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
But the room felt eerily empty.
Without the looming presence of that tall figure, without the gaze of those deep eyes, even the air seemed to thin.
Su Yue began to pour all her pent-up longing into the small vegetable patch and a few potted plants in the yard.
Every day without fail, she watered them with diluted spiritual spring water, watching the green leaves grow ever more lush and vibrant at a visible speed, as if in doing so, she could also pass on her vitality to someone far away.
My mother-in-law, Zhang Huilan, comes over almost every day right around mealtimes.
She never said anything sentimental, but simply helped Su Yue tidy up the house or brought her homemade soup.
Today, she carried a thermos into the yard again.
"Xiaoyue, come here quickly, Mom has made you some black chicken soup."
As soon as Zhang Huilan entered the room, she saw that Su Yue's already small face seemed to have become even thinner, and the sharp chin under her eyes was even more obvious. Her heart ached.
"Look at you! Beichen has only been gone a few days, and you've already gotten so thin. Before he left, he repeatedly told me to make sure you were well-fed and plump. If he came back and saw this, wouldn't he be heartbroken?"
Zhang Huilan ladled out the soup and, without a word, shoved it into Su Yue's hand, her tone full of reproach.
Holding the warm soup bowl, Su Yue felt a warm glow in her heart.
She knew her mother-in-law genuinely cared for her.
"Mom, I'm fine, I just haven't had much of an appetite lately."
"You have to eat even if you don't have a good appetite!" Zhang Huilan tapped her forehead, then sighed and sat down beside her.
"The New Year is just around the corner, and this will be your first New Year since you married into the Gu family. You'll be living here all alone, all cold and lonely. What kind of life is that?"
Zhang Huilan took Su Yue's hand and patted it gently.
“Listen to your mother, pack up in the next couple of days and move back to the old house. Your father, brother and sister-in-law are all here, it will be lively at home, and your mother can watch over you every day and cook you delicious food. It’s better than you being here alone and overthinking things.”
This was the first time Zhang Huilan had formally suggested that Su Yue move in.
She could tell that although her daughter-in-law didn't say it, her worry for Beichen was almost overwhelming her.
Upon hearing this, Su Yue felt a surge of warmth in her heart.
She could feel the pure care and love in her mother-in-law's words.
In this unfamiliar era, to meet such a family is her greatest blessing.
She looked up and surveyed the small living room.
On the wall hangs a photo of their wedding. In the photo, Gu Beichen is wearing a military uniform, looking heroic and upright, while she herself is wearing her phoenix wedding dress, smiling happily.
On the table sat his used teacup, and in the bedroom lay his everyday clothes, which he hadn't had time to take with him, still smelling of the pleasant scent of soap and sunshine that lingered on them.
His traces are everywhere here.
This is their marital home, their true home.
Su Yue withdrew her gaze and looked at Zhang Huilan, her eyes gentle yet firm.
"Mom, I understand what you mean, and thank you for your kindness."
She grasped Zhang Huilan's hand in return, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable determination.
"But I want to stay here."
"This... is Beichen's and my real home. I want to stay here and wait for him to come back."
“I think that when he finishes his mission and returns to the military region exhausted, he will see me as soon as he opens the gate of this compound, and he will be able to drink a sip of the hot water I boiled for him and eat a hot meal I made for him.”
Su Yue's words left Zhang Huilan speechless with words of comfort.
Looking into her daughter-in-law's clear yet stubborn eyes, she suddenly understood.
Yes, for a military wife, staying at home and waiting for her husband to return is a kind of faith in itself.
“You child…” Zhang Huilan’s eyes reddened slightly, and in the end, she could only let out a long sigh.
"Okay, Mom understands. Mom won't force you."
She patted Su Yue's hand, her tone softening.
"Then you have to promise me you'll eat well, sleep well, and not lose any more weight. If I find out you're not taking care of yourself, I'll just tie you up and take you back to the old house!"
"Yes! I promise you!" Su Yue nodded vigorously, a bright smile blooming on her face.
Zhang Huilan didn't linger, only telling her to rest early after finishing the soup, before getting up and leaving.
Su Yue escorted her mother-in-law to the gate of the courtyard, watching her slightly hunched back disappear into the alleyway, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
She married the right person.
She also gained a family that truly loves and respects her.
For the next two days, Su Yue's life remained peaceful.
The house suddenly became lively.
Zhang Huilan, as if she were emptying the entire supply and marketing cooperative, directed the guards to deliver things to Su Yue's courtyard time and time again.
Fresh pork belly, cleaned whole chickens and ducks, lively fish, bags of rice, flour, and cooking oil, as well as various candies, melon seeds, and pastries...
The spectacle was even more extravagant than when she prepared her dowry.
The small refrigerator was crammed full, and even the corner of the kitchen was piled with small items.
Su Yue stopped him, both amused and exasperated.
"Mom, that's enough, that's enough! Are you trying to turn this place into a warehouse? How can I possibly eat all this by myself!"
"What do you mean 'enough'! You're spending the New Year alone, so you can't skimp on your food!" Zhang Huilan said, hands on her hips, with a "mind your own business" expression.
"These are all fresh, you can keep them and eat them slowly. Cook whatever you want to eat, or go to Mom's to eat if you don't feel like moving! In short, don't go hungry!"
Seeing her mother-in-law's domineering yet adorable demeanor, Su Yue's melancholy caused by longing was largely dispelled.
She carefully arranged all the New Year's gifts, which were filled with love, and then sat down at her desk and spread out the letter paper.
I wrote letters to my maternal grandparents in Shanghai and my aunt Chen Yaru in Beijing.
In the letter, she described her married life in detail, praised the Gu family, and said that she would stay on Hainan Island for the New Year so that they would not have to worry.
She thought that her family's concern was another source of strength that kept her going here.
The days slipped by in this peaceful and warm anticipation until the day before New Year's Eve.
That afternoon, Su Yue had just finished cleaning the yard and was preparing to cook something for herself when the gate was suddenly pushed open from the outside with a "bang".
A figure rushed in like a small cannonball.
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