Chapter 230 Peaceful Years
The door hinges turned, making a slight creaking sound.
Lu Zhanming, holding Gu Baobao, turned sideways and used his shoulder to push open the half-closed door of the courtyard house, stepping very lightly into a warm yellow halo.
The lights were still on in the main room.
Wu Guixiang, Li Fenfang, Gu Dahe, Gu Jianqiang, and Gu Dongguo, who stayed behind to keep watch, were all awake.
The New Year's Eve dinner dishes on the table have been carefully put into the cupboard, covered with gauze, and the table has been wiped clean.
The embers in the charcoal brazier glowed with a dark red light, radiating a warm glow.
Hearing the noise, everyone stood up and looked anxiously toward the door.
Seeing Gu Baobao, who was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed and a pale face in Lu Zhanming's arms, Wu Guixiang's lips moved, and Li Fenfang's hands clenched the hem of her clothes.
How is he?
Gu Dongguo lowered his voice, took two steps forward to greet her, glanced at Gu Baobao, and then looked at Lu Zhanming.
Lu Zhanming held the person in his arms, his movements steady without the slightest sway, his voice low and deep, as if afraid of disturbing the person in his arms:
"The surgery was a success, and the injured person is temporarily stable. Baby... was too exhausted and fell asleep."
He was concise, but the three words "too mentally taxing" were enough for his family to imagine the tension and difficulty in the operating room.
Wu Guixiang let out a long sigh, clasped her hands together, and bowed to the air:
"Thank God... I'm so glad he's alright, I'm so glad he's alright..."
She then looked at her granddaughter with heartache.
"Quick, take the baby back inside to rest! It's almost dawn, don't let him get cold!"
Li Fenfang had already turned around to get the hot water bottle, and Gu Jianqiang quickly lifted the cotton curtain leading to the inner room.
Lu Zhanming nodded to his family without saying anything more, then carried Gu Baobao straight through the main room and into the east room of their main house.
They carefully placed the person on the warm kang (heated brick bed) and covered them with a thick quilt.
Inside the main room, Wu Guixiang was giving instructions:
"Dongguo, go and ladle out a bowl of the red date and millet porridge that's been warming on the stove. It's very nourishing for the baby when he wakes up. Also, get a bowl for Xiaolu. Jianqiang, turn the brazier up a bit more and move it to their doorway so the cold air doesn't get in."
Leaning on his cane, Gu Dahe slowly walked to the window of the east room, glanced through the glass at the raised figure on the kang (a heated brick bed), then turned to his wife, son, and daughter-in-law and said:
"We've been up all night, and it's almost dawn, so let's all get some rest. Once the baby wakes up, we'll have a proper family reunion dinner on New Year's Day! We'll make up for it!"
Yes, we didn't get to have dinner on New Year's Eve, but the whole family was together, the baby came back safely, and the surgery went smoothly. This is the best start to the new year.
Everyone then dispersed and went back to their rooms to rest.
The courtyard fell silent again, with only snowflakes continuing to fall silently, gradually covering the eaves and the ground with an ever-thicker layer of white.
In the east room, Lu Zhanming did not lie down immediately.
He sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at Gu Baobao's sleeping face in the dim light reflected from the snow outside the window.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, and even in her sleep, she seemed to retain the focus and exhaustion she had felt on the operating table.
Her cheeks were pale, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyes.
Lu Zhanming reached out and gently stroked her slightly cool cheek with his fingertips before beginning his actions.
He first carefully helped her take off her heavy military overcoat, and then her dusty trousers.
Gu Baobao seemed to be startled, mumbled something indistinctly, her eyelids twitched, but she didn't wake up.
Lu Zhanming made a light movement.
He knew that although his wife seemed to be able to endure hardship, going up mountains and down to the sea, and remaining calm even in the face of gunfire, she was actually a bit delicate in the details of daily life.
She doesn't say anything if she's not sleeping comfortably, like a wrinkle in the sheet is rubbing against her neck or a clothing label is chafing her neck, but she'll unconsciously frown and toss and turn in her sleep.
He couldn't bear to part with it.
Lu Zhanming took out a pair of soft, close-fitting cotton pajamas that he had prepared in advance from the cabinet and gently helped Gu Baobao change into them.
His fingertips inevitably touched her soft skin, and his gaze deepened, but his movements remained restrained and gentle.
After changing her clothes, I tucked her slightly cool feet into the warm bed and tucked the blankets in.
After doing all this, he walked to the washbasin stand in the corner of the room, quickly washed his face with the still warm water, and changed into comfortable pajamas of the same material.
In the past, Lu Zhanming felt that it didn't matter what he wore to sleep, or even not wearing anything at all. Sleeping fully clothed in the field was a common occurrence under field conditions.
But that won't work now!!
His wife likes to snuggle in his arms to sleep, her face pressed against his chest, her hands on his waist, and her legs unconsciously wrapped around him.
He had to change into the softest, most skin-friendly material so that his wife could snuggle comfortably and feel at ease.
He lifted the covers and lay down, and as soon as he reached out his arm, the sleeping Gu Baobao seemed to sense his presence and automatically rolled into his arms.
Finding the most familiar spot, she rubbed her cheek against his firm chest muscles, letting out a satisfied sigh, her breathing becoming long and steady again.
Lu Zhanming tightened his arms, encircling her entirely in his warm and firm embrace, his chin gently resting against the top of her head, which exuded a faint fragrance.
The fullness in his arms, the sweet fragrance at the tip of his nose, the steady breathing and heartbeat from his chest... all of this completely relaxed his nerves that had been tense for most of the night.
Outside the window, a quiet snowy night unfolds on New Year's Eve; inside, a loved one sleeps peacefully.
Peaceful and serene times, this is probably what it means.
This tranquility is what Lu Zhanming is willing to risk everything to protect.
As dawn broke, the snow stopped sometime earlier.
Gu Baobao woke up in a familiar and comforting warm embrace.
Consciousness awakened before her eyes. The first thing she felt was the solid, warm touch beneath her, and the clean yet slightly icy scent that belonged to Lu Zhanming lingered around her nose.
She habitually rubbed her cheek against his firm chest muscles, like a lazy cat.
A deep, husky warning, with the magnetic quality unique to someone just awakened, immediately came from above:
"If you keep messing around, you can forget about making rounds today."
A blatant threat, carrying a certain dangerous undertone.
Gu Baobao paused, then finally opened her eyes fully, meeting Lu Zhanming's deep, now turbulent gaze.
Her face flushed slightly, but she deliberately mumbled something, her voice still soft and sweet from just waking up:
"They're going to do rounds... Honey, give me a hug to get up."
Oh my!
The slight restlessness that had just risen in Lu Zhanming's heart was instantly crushed by this rare, coquettish act.
His wife is usually calm and composed, but when she occasionally throws a tantrum, she does so with a clear conscience. This sleepy, soft dependence is simply irresistible.
"good."
He responded in a hoarse voice, and with a forceful pull, he lifted her up, blanket and all, and sat her astride his lap, facing him.
Gu Baobao gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist to steady herself, and also putting her arms around his neck.
The position was too intimate; the blanket slipped off, and the thin pajamas couldn't block the morning chill and the burning heat from his body.
"Go into the space and wash up."
Lu Zhanming whispered in her ear, his voice low, his breath hot against her sensitive earlobe.
The next second, a slight dizziness.
The two were now in a warm, bright, and temperature-controlled villa.
It appeared directly in front of the spacious bathroom mirror.
Gu Baobao remained wrapped around his waist, her cheeks flushed, glaring at him:
"Put me down!"
"Don't you want your husband to carry you out of bed?"
Lu Zhanming raised an eyebrow, but instead of letting go, he carried her to the shower and adjusted the water temperature with one hand.
"Washing together saves time."
"Lu Zhanming! You..."
The protest was invalid.
Warm water was poured over his head, quickly filling the room with steam.
Save time?
Yeah, right.
When the two emerged from the space, neatly dressed, Gu Baobao's cheeks were still flushed, and her lips were even redder than usual. Her eyes, which she glared at Lu Zhanming, were watery and lacked any real power, instead appearing more like a coquettish scolding.
Lu Zhanming looked refreshed and satisfied, and diligently straightened the collar of her military overcoat:
"Honey, all done? Shall we go to the hospital?"
Gu Baobao slapped his hand away in annoyance and buttoned up her coat herself.
However, she had to admit that although someone had taken the opportunity to act foolishly, after washing with the spiritual spring water and doing some exercise, her original fatigue and stiffness had indeed dissipated by more than half, and she felt much better.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com