"We won't let you run for nothing. How about ten yuan?"
Ten yuan? The old man's heart stirred upon hearing the price. He wouldn't earn this much in several days collecting scrap.
"Daughter, it's not that I'm unwilling to deliver, it's just that your place is quite far, and there's so much stuff."
Chen Lishu was in a hurry to go elsewhere. In the end, she added two more yuan to the old man before he agreed to deliver the items.
After Chen Lishu left, Gu Xingdong was bored at home. Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps outside the window, followed by a knock on the door: "Battalion Commander, open the door."
Gu Xingdong tiptoed to the door and opened it, seeing Wang Dazhu and several other young soldiers, each carrying something on their shoulders: "What's all this?"
"An old man with a tricycle was stopped by the guards at the entrance. We found out it was your wife's purchases, so we've brought them over."
Gu Xingdong heard him and moved aside. As Wang Dazhu entered, several others followed in succession. When they had put the items down and were about to leave, Wang Dazhu paused, remembering something: "Battalion Commander, Sister-in-law also asked the old man to give you a message, saying a table leg is broken, and if you're bored at home, fix it for her."
As Wang Dazhu spoke, he couldn't help but admire Chen Lishu. To dare assign tasks to their stern Battalion Commander, this sister-in-law was no ordinary woman.
"Understood," Gu Xingdong replied. He watched Wang Dazhu leave and closed the door.
Meanwhile, after leaving the scrap metal station, Chen Lishu went to the department store. Gu Xingdong had given her some money and ration coupons before she left, and she began to purchase items one by one according to her list.
A thermos, a kettle, a washbasin, towels, soap, and fabric for curtains. The odds and ends were accumulating, and she definitely couldn't carry it all back in one trip. Chen Lishu had no choice but to go home first and come back tomorrow.
She took the bus to the entrance of the barracks. A young soldier on duty saw she was carrying a lot of things and, knowing she was Battalion Commander Gu's wife, immediately called another soldier to help carry the items back.
"Thank you so much. Please come in for some water before you go," Chen Lishu said with a smile, asking the young soldier to stay as he helped her to her door and put down the items.
"No, Sister-in-law, I'll be going back now." The young soldier turned and left.
Gu Xingdong had a leg injury, and to avoid him moving too much, Chen Lishu took out her key and was about to open the door when she suddenly heard voices from inside the room.
"Your husband is quite capable, isn't he? Where did you find so many things?" Zhou Liang was struggling to place the dressing table against the wall as Gu Xingdong had instructed.
"Old Gu is usually only capable with us. The moment it's about his wife, he turns into a paper tiger. You wouldn't believe what happened at the hospital that day..."
As Wu Zheng started talking, he became careless with his words.
Gu Xingdong, who was in the process of reattaching a table leg, looked up and narrowed his eyes, saying in a low voice, "What happened that day?"
Wu Zheng instantly felt a gust of cold wind on his neck and instinctively shivered.
Seeing his timid demeanor, Gu Xingdong chuckled, "Speak, why did you stop?"
Wu Zheng immediately smiled sheepishly, "I misspoke, just a slip of the tongue. Actually, nothing happened."
As Wu Zheng spoke, he looked up and saw Chen Lishu opening the door, as if seeing a savior. He rushed forward, "Sister-in-law, why did you buy so many things? Tell me where to put them, and I'll carry them for you."
Seeing Wu Zheng's behavior, Zhou Liang couldn't help but tease, "Is it that necessary, Old Wu? Is Old Gu going to eat you?"
Wu Zheng thought to himself, he wouldn't eat him, but he could torment him to death.
"I bought some bones today, and other dishes too. You should eat at our place tonight." Chen Lishu smiled and said to the two of them as Wu Zheng carried the items to the kitchen.
Zhou Liang was about to agree when Wu Zheng quickly emerged from the kitchen, "No, no need. You still have a lot to unpack. Besides, I didn't tell my wife in advance, so let's do it another time. Don't worry, Sister-in-law, I'll remember your family's meal, it won't be missed." Da Feng Novel Network.
Seeing Wu Zheng say this, Zhou Liang also smiled and said, "Next time," and then the two of them bid farewell and left.
"Isn't your wife home? It's too troublesome to go to the mess hall. Just come to my place for a meal."
After leaving Gu's house, Wu Zheng said to Zhou Liang.
Zhou Liang thought for a moment and nodded. He then added an explanation, "Zhao Jing is busy rehearsing for a performance with the cultural troupe lately, so I didn't have her come back and forth."
...
After the two left, Chen Lishu, afraid that Gu Xingdong would be too tired and hinder his leg injury recovery, urged him to go to bed. She then washed the bones and put them in the pot to stew. Afterward, she began to put away the items bit by bit.
By the time she had put away all the items, the bones on the stove were almost done. After taking out the bones, she started preparing the dough and rolling out noodles. The broth was made from the boiled bone broth, with a little leafy vegetable added, and a splash of soy sauce and vinegar. Soon, a delicious noodle soup was ready.
"They say eating something that resembles the affected part can help with healing. This will be good for your leg injury recovery," Chen Lishu said with a smile, seeing him already sitting obediently at the table and placing the noodles and a large bone in front of him.
Comparing him to a pig? Gu Xingdong raised his eyebrows: "Do you really think I can't handle you just because one of my legs is injured?"
Chen Lishu sat beside him triumphantly and teased, "With you like this, barely able to stand on one leg, how can you handle me?"
Gu Xingdong stared at her for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward, hinting suggestively, "I have more than two legs."
Chen Lishu paused her chopsticks, her face flushing with a visible speed as she understood his meaning. Her ears, shaped like gold ingots, also gradually turned red.
Gu Xingdong's throat bobbed. He suddenly reached out and gently pinched her small earlobe.
His fingers, calloused from years of training, had a slight roughness that made Chen Lishu gasp and her whole body feel half-numb.
Gu Xingdong looked at her reaction with some pride, but suddenly his vision darkened, and his lips met hers with a gentle pressure. Then, the other party boldly traced the shape of his lips with their tongue.
Gu Xingdong's body trembled. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, the other party seemed to anticipate his intention and quickly pulled away.
"How does it feel?" Chen Lishu raised her eyebrows, imitating his gesture, her gaze towards him full of allure.
Gu Xingdong had never seen Chen Lishu like this before. He felt the blood rushing to one place, making him feel as if he would explode.
Seeing his flushed face and the way he was breathing heavily, Chen Lishu dared not tease him further. She moved her stool further away from him and said, "Eat."
Gu Xingdong sat there to calm himself for a while before gritting his teeth and saying hatefully, "You just wait."
After they finished eating, Chen Lishu cleaned the kitchen and then took out the dark green cotton-linen fabric she had bought during the day. She unfolded it and asked Gu Xingdong to help her hold it up to roughly gauge the size, which was just right.