"What are you doing, smiling so lewdly?" Tan Peishi propped herself up, pinched her cheeks, and mischievously twisted them out of shape.
"Ouch!" Ling Ruoke quickly pulled her hand away, smiling. "I just think that Tan Peishi is really a very good friend, and also a very good wife!"
Tan Peishi laughed heartily, quite pleased with herself. "Damn, you only just realized that now? You're so slow!"
"Shameless!"
The two of them were laughing and joking around.
"Hey, don't press on my stomach!" Tan Peishi shouted.
Ling Ruoke quickly braced herself with her hands and rolled over. Looking at her stomach, she asked in surprise, "You...you're not pregnant, are you?" Her stomach seemed to have grown, but it didn't seem very obvious.
"Bingo!" Tan Peishi grinned and pulled her hand over, placing it on her stomach. "Come on, say hello to your godson."
Ling Ruoke carefully extended her palm and placed it against her abdomen. It wasn't very noticeable from the outside, but she could feel it in her palm. "It...it's starting to move?"
"Not yet, I'll start feeling the baby move in a few days." Tan Peishi smiled happily. "You don't know, his dad is so funny. When I first got pregnant, he took leave from work and stayed up all night, just staring at my belly! He looked so silly! But it's really so wonderful!"
Fu Peigang is an orphan, and now that he has someone who is related to him by blood, it is inevitable that he is excited.
Ling Ruoke was filled with envy by what she said, and wished she could get pregnant right away.
"If you're okay, you and the captain should hurry up too. It would be great if we were both pregnant! But your son has to call my son 'brother,' hehe!" Tan Peishi laughed smugly.
Ling Ruoke gently poked her arm helplessly. "Do you think this is like planting radishes, where you can just plant them whenever you want?"
Tan Peishi leaned close to her ear and whispered mischievously, "Don't worry. The captain is so fierce, he'll definitely hit the target on the first try!"
Ling Ruoke almost gave her another slap on the head, but remembering she was pregnant, she quickly withdrew her hand. However, she was tempted. She also wanted to get married, have a home, and a child of their own!
She gently pressed her face against Pei Shi's belly, feeling the baby's presence. How miraculous, another person growing inside one!
"This feeling is really subtle. You can really feel it; it's connected to your heart. It seems to sense your every move. You don't know, at the beginning, I was even afraid to put any weight on my feet when I walked. His dad was even funnier, like I was a time bomb, he was so careful about everything I did. He followed me here and there, he wanted to follow me even to the toilet! He wouldn't let me do this or that! If it weren't for my mom, he would have hired several people to follow me around 24 hours a day!"
Tan Peishi laughed even harder as she recalled the scene.
"You don't know how lucky you are!" But she knew that Pei Shi was actually showing off their happiness. For the sake of the children, she would let her off the hook for now.
"I'm so happy! So you should hurry up and get pregnant too! When that happens, the captain will definitely treat you like a treasure!" The captain is such a reserved person, he might be even more exaggerated than Fu Peigang.
Ling Ruoke smiled but didn't say anything.
Later, the two talked about the company. Because of her pregnancy, Pei-Shi hired another person to help manage it.
The two of them have agreed that starting next year, Ruoke will take over the management.
As for Tam Pui-sze, she can focus on being a mother.
As Ling Ruoke left Tan Peishi's house, she was preoccupied with thoughts of marriage and having children, and was somewhat absent-minded.
"What are you thinking about?" Huo Qingfeng pulled her into his arms and touched her face, which was cool from the wind.
Ling Ruoke looked at him silently and smiled. "Peishi is pregnant."
Huo Qingfeng nodded, indicating that he understood. Then, looking at her with burning eyes, he asked with a grin, "Want to have my baby?"
"No way—" Ling Ruoke wanted to deny it, but swallowed the words back. She pouted and glared at him with dissatisfaction.
My mother once said that the bond between parents and children is a matter of fate, something that cannot be forced, and one should never casually say that they don't want a child. You should know how many people spend their entire lives trying to conceive, but still fail.
"Don't be angry, honey." Huo Qingfeng hugged his wife and kissed her cheek. "Even though they're ahead of us, we can outnumber them. How about we have twins?"
Ling Ruoke poked his chest, both amused and exasperated. "Do you think you can just shove as many babies as you want into the soles of your feet?"
"It's alright, I'm the one who put them in there, I'm in charge!" He said with a serious and earnest expression, as if it were a matter of great importance.
"You pervert!" Ling Ruoke cursed, her face flushed, and ran away.
Huo Qingfeng hurriedly chased after him, bent down and picked him up in his arms, then ran forward.
"What are you doing?" Ling Ruoke screamed in fright, hurriedly looking around to see if anyone was on the road. Luckily, it was already late at night, and no one was wandering around outside.
Huo Qingfeng didn't slow down at all, answering as he ran, "Going home to make babies!"
On her first night back home, little Ling Ruoke was pinned down on the bed by the wolf-like colonel, who took her again and again. Although she didn't faint in the end, she was so exhausted that she couldn't move a single finger.
While Colonel Huo was washing her body, he said smugly, "Wife, there must be our child in here!"
Ling Ruoke didn't have the strength to hit him, so she could only glare at this scoundrel.
But she couldn't help thinking, if only she could really get pregnant! With the fruit of their love, the bond would feel even stronger, and little Fu'an would have a companion.
"Wife, don't seduce me. I'm not full yet!" Colonel Huo looked at his wife's seductive eyes and felt the fire in his body start to burn again.
Ling Ruoke endured her aching body and kicked him in the face. But because of her weakness, it seemed more like she was teasing him.
Colonel Huo grabbed his wife's delicate foot and kissed her fair instep. Then, he pulled her up by her ankle, and she lay in the bathtub. He pounced on her.
"No more! Help!" Ling Ruoke cried pitifully. Unfortunately, no one heard her.
The only one who heard it, Colonel Huo, was busy conquering her body.
In an instant, a wave of intense heat swept through the bathroom, lingering until dawn before finally subsiding.
...
The next day, Ling Ruoke slept until the sun was high in the sky before getting up.
I stretched and couldn't help but let out a groan. My whole body felt sore and weak, as if I had been training for three days and three nights; every bone in my body was sore and weak.
Her scream had barely begun when the door opened.
Huo Qingfeng strode over, sat down by the bed, and scooped his wife, blanket and all, into his arms. He slipped his hand under the covers and gently massaged her aching lower back. "Are you feeling any better?"
Ling Ruoke nestled against his chest and softly responded. His massage was so soothing that she felt drowsy again. She had never known that sex could be so exhausting!
No wonder the book says that sex is a physically demanding activity! And men are naturally skilled in this area.
Ling Ruoke looked up at the radiant colonel and thought to herself that what he said was absolutely true.
"Wife, wake up, get up and eat something." Seeing that she was about to fall asleep again, Huo Qingfeng hurriedly shook her awake. It was already noon, and she needed to eat something.
Ling Ruoke pouted and whined softly, "Tired! I don't want to move!" She was truly exhausted and didn't want to move at all.
So, Colonel Huo, who doted on his wife, personally dressed her, then carried her into the bathroom, squeezed toothpaste onto her lips, and fed it to her. After she brushed her teeth, he gently washed her face. Finally, he carried her to the dining table and served her a delicious soup he had carefully prepared, along with fragrant dishes.
Ling Ruoke took the chopsticks the man handed her, put them in her mouth and chewed on them, looking at the colonel with a smile.
"What's wrong?" The colonel patted her head and raised an eyebrow as he asked.
Ling Ruoke smiled brightly. "I'm loving you more and more, what should I do?" Yes, she loved him.
I just said it so directly, without feeling embarrassed at all. On the contrary, it seemed that my love for him deepened the moment I said it.
Huo Qingfeng's eyes widened in surprise. He pulled his wife into his arms, pressed her head against his chest, and kissed her deeply. Finally, forehead to forehead, he said in a low, husky voice, word by word, "I love you, Ruoke. In this world, you are the one I love most!"
Ling Ruoke smiled and pecked his lips. "My heart feels the same way."
She wouldn't be foolish enough to doubt, much less ask questions like, "Where's your mother?" She was willing to believe—to believe in love, and even more so, to believe in this man. She belonged to him, and he belonged to her.
Being able to belong to each other is happiness in itself.
"Eat quickly, the food is getting cold." Colonel Huo kissed his wife and put a piece of food on her plate.
Ling Ruoke smiled sweetly, head down as she ate the loving lunch her beloved man had prepared. His cooking wasn't bad, though it was far from the level of the hotel's top chefs, but the food was the most delicious. It contained his care and love for her.
"After dinner, how about we go shopping for New Year's goods?" Ling Ruoke suggested enthusiastically. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and they haven't bought any New Year's goods yet.
Fortunately, today is the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, and supermarkets and shopping malls are still open.
"Okay. But can you do it?" He looked at her, his gaze ambiguous and smug.
Ling Ruoke tapped the back of his hand with the tip of her chopsticks, her face slightly flushed. "If I can't do it, then you can carry me on your back. What, you don't want to?"
"How could that be! I have a wife to carry on my back, you have no idea how envious those guys are of me!" Colonel Huo was telling the truth.
Soldiers don't have the opportunity to meet girls or date, and military wives face a life of separation, so it's very difficult for soldiers to find wives.
Seeing his expression, Ling Ruoke chuckled. She gave him a playful glare and said, "Dream on!"
"My wife is the most beautiful!"
The two of them bickered and joked around, and the meal was finished in no time.
So they went downstairs hand in hand, got into the Hummer, and went to buy New Year's goods.
As the most important festival for 1600 Chinese people, the Spring Festival is the grandest. Even in second- or third-tier cities like Z City, the streets are filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the streets are decorated in red for a festive atmosphere.
The 28th day of the twelfth lunar month is the last time to buy New Year's goods, so the streets are crowded with people and very lively.
Huo Qingfeng dared not drive his Hummer any further in; it was worse than walking. So they would just park on the outskirts and walk hand in hand to buy things.
The first thing to buy, of course, is the new clothes.
As the saying goes, a new year, a new look. No matter what, you should always get a new outfit.
This is generally how lovers are in the world: men only care about women's clothes, while women only see men's clothing.
If the couple is financially well-off, then the sales clerks in the mall will be beaming with joy. The young women in the women's clothing store will be glued to the man, chattering away, recommending clothes that would make his wife look even better; the young men in the men's clothing store will be showering the woman with compliments, praising how handsome he is and how he would look even more dashing in certain outfits…
So, after one round, both of them bought quite a lot.
"Wife, you're so good to me!" Huo Qingfeng said sweetly, kissing his wife's cheek as he carried all the bags.
His wife never uttered a single complaint. Although she didn't treat her husband like some wives doted on him, she cared for him and was considerate in every little detail of life. No matter how long he was away, the light was always on when he returned home. The moment he opened the door, he would always see her gentle smile. Sitting down, he would be served hot tea and cooked meals.
Ling Ruoke accepted it with a smile. It was a compliment from her lover, and she felt no shame and was delighted.
After buying clothes, the two went to the supermarket to buy food.
In the New Year picture section, Ling Ruoke ran into Gu Miaomiao and Rong Xiumei. Actually, it was Rong Xiumei who spotted them first.
Ling Ruoke felt two unfriendly gazes on her. When she looked up, she saw Rong Xiumei with a dark expression. Standing next to her was Gu Miaomiao.
Gu Miaomiao had lost a lot of weight and looked very haggard. The innocent smile was gone from her face. It was as if something had suddenly drained her of her vitality, leaving her looking lifeless.
Huo Qingfeng went to the restroom.
Ling Ruoke knew she wasn't popular, so she didn't go up to greet anyone. Instead, she looked away, picked out some items, and headed to another section. But after only two steps, she was blocked. Looking up, she saw Rong Xiumei's cold gaze and dark face.
Ling Ruoke took a step back and asked calmly, "Is there something you need? If not, could you please move aside?"
"You're disgusting!" Rong Xiumei cursed angrily, raising her hand to hit her.
Ling Ruoke grabbed her wrist and shook her off. "I don't owe you anything, so I won't take this slap." She changed direction and walked into another passage.
She took a few steps when someone caught up from behind and put his arm around her shoulder. She looked up and smiled at him. "I just saw Gu Miaomiao and her mother."
"Oh," Colonel Huo replied curtly. "Have you picked out the New Year's pictures? What's next?"
Seeing that he changed the subject, Ling Ruoke knew he didn't want to see the mother and daughter either, so she forgot about them as well. Just like she said, she didn't owe them anything.
The two men emerged from the supermarket laden with bags and packages; the colonel, if not for his good stamina, would have been unable to carry them at all. Keep in mind, the car was still some distance away.
By the time I put the things in the car, it was already getting dark.
Both of them were a bit tired, so they didn't plan to go back and cook. Instead, they chose a restaurant in Z city that was supposedly quite romantic for dinner.
The restaurant was quite large, with a quiet and comfortable ambiance. In the center was a raised platform, essentially a small stage, where a young man was singing. Since it was during mealtime, most of the music was soothing and emotional.
Colonel Huo ordered a bottle of red wine, and the two clinked glasses to welcome their first New Year together, and to the happier and longer life ahead.
"This seems to be our first time having a candlelight dinner, right?" Ling Ruoke said with a smile.
He's always busy, and it's rare for him to sit down and enjoy a leisurely meal. When he does have time, he prefers to stay home and eat her cooking. After eating, they can cuddle, chat, and watch TV—life is so comfortable.
Colonel Huo leaned down and kissed her. "I'm sorry, honey, your husband is so unromantic!" Soldiers just don't have a romantic streak.
"I'm happy with what I like." Her smile remained unchanged.
His heart was warm and tender.
Midway through, Huo Qingfeng suddenly stood up and went to the restroom.
Ling Ruoke held her red wine and sipped it slowly. Just then, all the lights suddenly went out, leaving only the stage in the center illuminated.
The boy, holding the microphone, said emotionally, "Among you is a beautiful and kind girl. It's lucky to be with such a girl. As the New Year approaches, her lover wants to sing her a song! Let's welcome this lucky gentleman!"
A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted.
Ling Ruoke also became interested, finding this man quite romantic. She put down her chopsticks and quietly waited for the song of love to begin.
The stage lights went out, and after a while, they slowly came back on. But they weren't as bright as before; they were dim and hazy, which created a more atmospheric effect.
"Ah!" Ling Ruoke covered her mouth, looking at the man on the stage with surprise. Even in the dim lighting and from a distance, she could still recognize him at a glance.
"This song, 'You Are My Beloved Girl,' is dedicated to my love. I also hope that all lovers in the world can be united in marriage. And I hope that all men in the world will cherish their women. No matter what you do for a living, try to spend time with her. She takes care of you and bears your children; it's truly not easy for her!"
His deep, magnetic voice echoed in the hall, lingering for a long time.
Ling Ruoke smiled brightly, but tears were silently streaming down her face. Those three words weren't there, yet they were far more moving than those three words.
The couple sitting next to her turned around, looked at her with envy, and said, "Sister, you're so lucky!"
"Cherish it, you will too!" Ling Ruoke returned a smile of blessing. Turning around, she looked at the figure on the stage with tears in her eyes. Meeting you in this life is the greatest fortune of my entire life!
In the quiet atmosphere, the deep voice finally finished singing the last note.
An even louder round of applause erupted from the crowd. Some people even whistled and shouted, "One more!"
"Bless us, and bless you!" The man on stage made a cool gesture and walked off the stage with a flourish.
The temporary emcee had already taken the microphone and said, "Everyone, do you think we should bring this beautiful and kind young lady up here and have her sing a song for this gentleman?"
"Yes!" The voices were clear and loud, in unison, as if they had been trained.
Ling Ruoke certainly wouldn't go up, and Colonel Huo disagreed as well.
Some things need to be done in moderation; going too far makes them seem pretentious, or even suggestive of showing off or hype.
When Huo Qingfeng stepped off the stage, the lights were off, so apart from a few nearby tables, no one knew who he was. However, those who knew kept looking in their direction, and soon everyone knew. Some people even stood up to get a closer look.
After quickly finishing their meal, Colonel Huo grabbed his wife and ran off. They stopped a short distance from the restaurant entrance.
Ling Ruoke boldly turned around and wrapped her arms around the colonel's waist. "Thank you, I was very happy tonight. I will cling to you for the rest of my life and never let go!" she said, feigning savagery.
“It’s my honor.” Colonel Huo grinned, revealing his white teeth, and smiled happily. He slowly took her hand and looked at her deeply. “Holding your hand, we will grow old together.”
Ling Ruoke let out a sob and hugged his neck tightly. Behind him, tears streamed down her face.
The night was pitch black, with only a few scattered stars.
Looking at the stars, Ling Ruoke said quietly, "Mom and Dad, can you see them? I've finally found my happiness!"
Thank you, my love.
...
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