Chapter 135: First Meeting with Lin'er
"My husband...you're back."
This soft call, carrying the trembling of someone who had survived a catastrophe and an indescribable longing, was like the softest feather, yet it precisely plucked the most resilient yet most vulnerable string in Gu Yangui's heart.
He stood frozen at the doorway, his armor still bearing the dust of the frontier and a faint scent of blood. His hands, usually steady as a rock before a thousand armies, trembled slightly. His gaze lingered greedily on Su Wanrou's face, almost unrecognizable—her once radiant face was now gaunt and pale, devoid of any color. Only her almond-shaped eyes, still clear, were filled with weariness and a heartbreaking vulnerability as she looked at him through tears.
His beloved, the shy and plump girl he left home with, has been worn down into this state!
Guilt, heartache, lingering fear... a torrent of emotions overwhelmed this tough man. His Adam's apple bobbed violently; he wanted to say something, but found his throat tightly blocked by something, unable to utter a sound.
He walked step by step toward the bed, his heavy boots clattering on the floor, each step feeling like a blow to his own heart. He ignored the excruciating pain from his wounded arm, his eyes fixed only on the figure leaning against the headboard, seemingly fragile, and the small, quiet, curled-up baby in her arms.
Finally, he walked to the bedside and knelt down on one knee so that he could look her in the eye. This commander, who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies on the battlefield, now looked up at his wife and children in an almost humble posture.
He reached out, wanting to touch her face, but fearing that his rough fingers and chill would startle her, he stopped just before his fingertips touched her cheek. In the end, his large hand gently, very gently landed on her hand clutching the quilt, carefully enveloping her icy fingers.
"Jiaojiao..." He finally found his voice, terribly hoarse, with an uncontrollable sob, "I'm back... I'm sorry... I'm late... I've made you suffer..."
A drop of scalding liquid unexpectedly slid down from his deep-set eyes, landing on Su Wanrou's hand and making her heart tremble.
Was he crying?
Su Wanrou could hardly believe her eyes. This towering man, this husband as steady as a mountain, was actually...shed tears?
She gripped his large, calloused hand tightly in return, as if trying to confirm his real presence. Tears streamed down her face, but she shook her head desperately, saying, "It's not too late... not at all... Your safe return is the best thing... The baby and I are waiting for you..."
Her gaze drew him to the swaddled baby in her arms.
Gu Yangui's heart suddenly raced. He took a deep breath and looked at the tiny life with an almost reverent awe. The child was so small and fragile, with skin so thin it was almost transparent, features scrunched up, sleeping peacefully, breathing so faintly that the rise and fall of his chest was barely visible.
Is this his child? The continuation of his and Jiaojiao's bloodline?
A strange and overwhelming emotion instantly seized him, more shocking than any victory. This was his flesh and blood, the precious child Jiao Jiao had risked her life to give birth to for him.
He trembled as he reached out his other hand and gently, with the pad of his fingertips, touched the child's incredibly soft cheek. The warm touch melted his heart.
“He…” Gu Yangui’s voice was still hoarse, filled with an incredulous tenderness, “How could he… be so young?”
With tears in her eyes, Su Wanrou revealed the first truly relaxed smile she had shown in days, filled with the tenderness and pride of a new mother: "Doctor Lin said it was because of premature birth that he has some congenital deficiencies... But our child is very strong, he pulled through... Husband, look, his eyebrows and nose, don't they look just like yours?"
Gu Yangui examined the figure closely, his heart filled with an indescribable mix of emotion and sorrow as he looked at the faintly discernible outline. He leaned down, gently pressing his forehead against Su Wanrou's, and closed his eyes, forcing back the tears welling up in them.
"Thank you for everything, Jiaojiao." He whispered, each word filled with deep love and gratitude. "Thank you... thank you for being alright, thank you for bringing our child into this world."
He looked back at the sleeping child, his gaze firm yet gentle: "I am your father," he whispered, solemnly promising the seemingly oblivious baby, "Your father is back. From now on, I will never let you and your mother suffer again."
The family of three, having finally overcome the test of life and death and the long separation, reunited in this small bed. The air was filled with the smell of medicine, yet also with silent warmth and the preciousness of something lost and then regained.
Granny Zhou and Qingdai quietly retreated to the outer room, wiping away their tears, unwilling to disturb this hard-won reunion.
Gu Yangui remained kneeling by the bed, unwilling to rise for a long time, his gaze lingering on his wife and young son, as if he could never get enough of looking at them. It wasn't until Su Wanrou couldn't help but cough softly that he suddenly snapped out of his reverie and quickly got up.
"Lie down quickly, don't sit, you'll tire yourself out." He helped her lie down slowly, his movements clumsy but incredibly gentle. He tucked her in, then carefully looked at the child in the crib next to her before sitting up.
Only then did Granny Zhou dare to bring in the ginseng soup that had been kept warm.
Gu Yangui took the soup bowl, tested the temperature himself, and then sat down by the bedside, patiently and meticulously feeding Su Wanrou spoonful by spoonful. As he watched her sip the soup, a hint of warmth gradually returned to his pale face, and the heavy weight that had been hanging over his heart for months finally lifted.
The dust of the journey has not yet settled, and the wounds have not yet healed, but with home here, my heart finds peace.
Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, casting a warm glow throughout the room. The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had finally welcomed its true master, and a fulfilling life that had become all the more precious after weathering the storms of life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com