Chapter 43 Returning Home at Night
It was late at night.
Nan Zhi was overwhelmed with thoughts and couldn't sleep.
It's been three months.
She counted the days crossed out in red on the calendar, each day darker than the last.
Suddenly, a muffled thud came from the courtyard.
Nan Zhiyi held her breath and listened intently.
Then, another, clearer footstep.
She went out barefoot, without turning on the light, grabbed the rolling pin behind the door, and pressed her back against the door panel.
A tall figure appeared at the doorway, covered in the dust of a long journey.
He gently closed the courtyard gate behind him, his movements alert.
It's Gu Xiao!
The rolling pin in Nan Zhiyi's hand fell to the ground with a thud at her feet.
She was both surprised and delighted:
"Fifth Brother!"
She stumbled barefoot into Gu Xiao's arms, burying her face in the cool collar of his military uniform, her nose instantly filled with his unique scent.
"Hmm!"
A muffled groan came from above, and Gu Xiao was so shocked by her bump that he staggered back half a step and slammed heavily against the door.
But the arms around her waist tightened their grip, causing her slight pain.
Her tears welled up quickly, soaking the fabric of his shirt.
Her voice trembled uncontrollably: "You're lying... You said... you'd be back in ten days or half a month... Fifth Brother, you're a big liar!"
He placed his large hand on the back of her head and gently stroked her hair.
"I broke my promise, I said half a month... I'm sorry."
The living room lights were off, only the moonlight shone, casting a silvery white glow on the floor.
Gu Xiao carried her and walked a few steps to sit down on the sofa in the living room.
Nan Zhiyi buried her face in the crook of his neck, silently shedding tears, her shoulders trembling slightly.
He held her in his arms and patted her back gently over and over again.
A long time passed, long enough for the tear stains on her face to dry from her body heat.
She slightly raised her head and looked at him in the moonlight.
She had a lot to say to Gu Xiao.
However, he had lost weight, become darker-skinned, had dark circles under his eyes, and his lips were pale.
Nan Zhiyi swallowed the rambling words she wanted to say.
She raised her hand, her fingertips touching his slightly furrowed brow.
Are you hungry?
Gu Xiao grabbed her hand and held it tightly: "We've already eaten, we're on our way."
I could hear the weariness in his voice.
Nan Zhiyi's heart clenched again.
She nudged him: "Then...go wash up quickly. Get some rest, there's hot water on the stove."
He got up as instructed.
He lay down on the bed, still damp and smelling of soap.
Nan Zhiyi immediately snuggled up to him, curled up in his arms, and found a comfortable position.
Gu Xiao was overjoyed at her unexpected initiative: "You missed me?"
She pressed herself against his chest and honestly admitted, "Yes, I miss Fifth Brother."
She began to quietly recount what had happened in the past three months.
"The cucumbers in the yard have started to grow small gourds, with blossoms and thorns still attached, about the length of a finger..."
"The eggplants are blooming too, all purple... The peppers are growing the best; Sister Wang says the first batch is ready to be picked... I also learned how to pickle salted duck eggs from Sister Liu; I'll let you try them once the oil has rendered out..."
She talked about these trivial daily routines: planting vegetables, watering flowers, almost burning her hand while trying to steam buns, and listening to the gossip of the women next door.
His tone was light and cheerful, deliberately filtering out the disheveled state, the bewilderment of being alone in an empty house, and the fear in the dead of night.
Gu Xiao listened quietly, one arm around her shoulder, his palm gently stroking her arm, his fingertips occasionally brushing against the skin of her shoulder, causing a slight shiver.
His responses were brief, such as "um," "okay," and "I understand," but they were delivered with complete focus.
When she stopped talking.
"Zhiyi, thank you for your hard work."
Gu Xiao didn't even know what to say to express his heartache for her. She only talked about happy things, but he could imagine her bitterness.
Nan Zhiyi rubbed her face against his shoulder: "I missed you, Fifth Brother, did you miss me?"
In the darkness, Gu Xiao tightened his arms around her, his Adam's apple bobbing.
“Yes,” he replied, “I miss you too.” After a pause, he added, “I miss you a lot.”
Before I got married, I had this little princess in my heart, a hazy thought veiled by a thin layer of gauze. Occasionally, during training breaks, she would cross my mind, carrying a sweet feeling of something unattainable.
After getting married, holding her in my arms, kissing her, touching her, tasting the softness of her lips, and feeling the warmth and fragrance of her body, the feeling changes when I think of her again.
It felt like a fire had been lit, burning so intensely that even the bones in my body felt hot and hard.
Several times during missions, bullets grazed his scalp, and he had only one thought in his mind: I can't die. To die would be such a damn waste!
Nan Zhiyi was completely unaware of the thoughts churning in his mind.
She felt only warmth and security in his embrace, which carried an intoxicating aura.
She nuzzled her cheek against his neck affectionately, murmuring indistinctly, "Fifth Brother..."
Another suppressed gasp escaped from between his clenched teeth.
Nan Zhiyi sat up and asked in alarm, "What's wrong with you?"
Gu Xiao didn't answer, but used a little force in his arm to try to pull her back into his embrace. "It's okay."
"Liar!"
Nan Zhiyi broke free from his arm and reached out to pull the light cord.
The lights were dim and yellowish.
She scanned his entire body.
He lay on his back, wearing only a vest and trousers. Under the lamplight, his face seemed even paler than it had looked in the moonlight in the living room.
"Where are you hurt?" Nan Zhiyi's fingertips hovered over his back, not daring to touch him.
"It's a minor injury, it'll heal soon."
"Almost done?"
She recklessly tried to pull at his vest, but her movements were careful.
Gu Xiao didn't stop her, but his brows furrowed slightly.
A white bandage wrapped around the lower left rib.
A faint trace of blood seeped out from the edge.
"Does it hurt...?" Nan Zhiyi's tears flowed even more fiercely, her heart aching with both sorrow and pain.
Gu Xiao raised his hand to wipe away her tears.
"Don't cry, you don't hurt."
He carefully held her in his arms and sighed:
"It breaks my heart to see you cry."
Nan Zhiyi was both angry and amused. "At a time like this, you're still saying things like that?"
"That's the truth."
"Smooth-talking!"
"Only for you."
Gu Xiao gently embraced her and lay down on the bed.
Nan Zhiyi was afraid of touching his wound, so she didn't struggle and went along with his movements.
I slept well all night.
When the two got up, it was already broad daylight.
I've had breakfast.
Gu Xiao insisted on washing the dishes, saying that his hands were still functional.
He said, "I'll go to the division headquarters later and report to Division Commander Li on the final steps."
Nan Zhiyi leaned against the door frame, watching his sharp profile: "Is it serious? Will it be a lot of trouble?"
"Mission summary, I'll be back soon." Gu Xiao turned around, his warm palm brushing against Nan Zhiyi's cheek. "Wait for me at home."
As soon as he left, Nan Zhiyi ran to Sister Wang's house.
The Zheng family raised some chickens.
She used her money to buy a chicken, hoping to nourish Gu Xiao.
The earthenware pot on the stove was bubbling and the lid was being gently tapped by the steam.
The May weather was already dry. Nan Zhiyi was wearing a slightly worn light blue dress, with a thin layer of sweat clinging to her waist.
A pot of red date and chicken soup was simmering. Sister Wang had taught her the steps carefully: chop the chicken into pieces, blanch it, rinse it with cold water, bring it to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam, add two slices of ginger, simmer over low heat for two hours, and finally sprinkle in a handful of red dates.
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