However, with no other thoughts in mind, since it had been such a long time since they last saw each other, he felt entitled to collect some interest. Gu Xingdong stepped forward, his slender fingers hooking under her small chin, and then he leaned down to kiss her soft lips.
Gu Xingdong’s kiss was light, and he quickly pulled away, retreating a few steps. The taste was too exquisite, and he feared he wouldn't be able to control himself and would desire more.
The sequence of actions happened so swiftly that Chen Lishu hadn't even had time to react before he was standing two steps away from her.
"You go take a bath first. The mess hall will be opening soon, so I'll go get you some food." Gu Xingdong said, then turned and walked out.
It was only after he left that Chen Lishu opened the bag she had brought, took out her change of underwear and toiletries, and headed towards the bathroom with her basin.
After a comfortable bath, Chen Lishu returned to the room to find Gu Xingdong already seated at the table. Beside him sat two lunchboxes containing two dishes: stir-fried greens and cabbage stewed with meat. Four steamed buns were skewered on chopsticks resting on the lids of the lunchboxes.
"It's still warm, come eat quickly." Gu Xingdong looked up at the sound of the door opening and called out to her when he saw her come in.
Chen Lishu put down her washbasin, hung her washed underwear on the rack, pulled off the hair tie from her wrist, and casually swept her still-damp hair back into a ponytail before walking over to sit at the table.
The communal kitchen food wasn't particularly delicious, and coupled with the bumpy journey, she didn't have much of an appetite. She managed to eat only half a steamed bun before feeling full.
"I really can't eat anymore." Chen Lishu frowned at the remaining half-bun in her hand.
"If you can't eat it, then don't force yourself." Gu Xingdong said, taking the bun from her hand and eating it in a few quick bites.
"You eat too fast; it's not good for your health." Chen Lishu couldn't help but advise him as she watched him quickly finish all the remaining food.
"It's a habit. Sometimes when I'm on a mission, I don't get to eat for two or three days, so when I do, I have to eat quickly."
As Gu Xingdong finished his last bite, Chen Lishu saw him put down his chopsticks and tried to get up to clear the table. Gu Xingdong stopped her, "You sit there and don't move. It's just a little bit of stuff; I'll wash it up in a moment."
With that, he quickly cleared the table, picked up the lunchboxes and chopsticks, and went outside to wash them.
…
"Old Wu, did you pick up Old Gu's wife?" Zhou Liang, who had just finished training, ran into Wu Zheng, who was carrying his food, at the entrance of the mess hall and couldn't help but ask.
"Mm, I did." Wu Zheng nodded. The moment he saw Zhou Liang's gaze, he knew what he wanted to ask but decided not to indulge him.
"Your sister-in-law is waiting for you at home to eat. I won't chat any longer; I'm leaving now."
"You're such a grown man, and you still have to bring food back for your wife? This won't do; you're spoiling her too much."
Wu Zheng inwardly scoffed: When it comes to spoiling wives, you, Zhou Liang, are second to none in the entire camp.
"What else can I do? He married her, so he can't return her, can he? As long as she doesn't overstep, we have to cherish her." Wu Zheng shrugged, sighed helplessly, and turned to leave.
Zhou Liang: "…"
In the visiting dorm, Chen Lishu was taking things out of her bag one by one: "My mom insisted on me bringing the rabbit and pheasant. Since we can't cook in the dorm, why don't we send some to the mess hall for everyone to try? Tomorrow we're going to Old Wu's house, right? Let's take him a rabbit too, and the preserved vegetables. Oh, and Mom also made you two pairs of cloth shoes, saying the military shoes issued by the unit aren't as comfortable as those from home. Do you want to try them on?"
Chen Lishu chattered on for a long time without hearing a response from Gu Xingdong. She turned her head to look and met his deep, dark eyes.
Gu Xingdong sat on the edge of the bed. Under the light, a bead of sweat slid silently down the temple of his short hair. The top button of his military green shirt was undone, revealing the lean and strong muscle lines of his shoulders, back, and chest beneath the snug shirt.
"It's getting late." Gu Xingdong's voice, originally low, carried a hint of huskiness. He stood up, his long legs taking him to the doorway in a few strides. Hearing the 'click' of the door locking, Chen Lishu's heart began to pound rapidly.
She suddenly felt as if the oxygen in the room had become thin, and her breathing had unconsciously quickened.
A pair of large hands put down the things in her hands, and then her body felt light. By the time Chen Lishu reacted, she was already lying on the bed.
Gu Xingdong knelt on the edge of the bed, leaning over her, his hands braced on either side of her head. He was like a taut bow, his dark eyes fixed on her, like black whirlpools that drew people in without them realizing it.
After a moment of eye contact, Gu Xingdong suddenly withdrew. His slender fingers rapidly unbuttoned his shirt, followed by the sound of his belt buckle releasing.
Chen Lishu's moist eyes unconsciously traced his neck and then fell upon the well-defined muscles of his lean waist and abdomen, then lower to his V-line and hip bones…
Chen Lishu's face suddenly turned as red as a cooked shrimp. Before she could dodge, her body was suddenly pressed down, and Gu Xingdong's kiss landed on the hollow of her neck.
After a night of tender intimacy, it wasn't until the latter half of the night that Gu Xingdong, like a contented large cat, mercifully let her go. Chen Lishu rolled over and finally fell into a deep sleep, not even roused by the morning reveille.
When she woke up, it was already broad daylight. The moment she opened her eyes, she met Gu Xingdong's eyes, which were filled with a smile.
Seeing that she was awake, Gu Xingdong leaned down and placed a kiss on the corner of her eye. Chen Lishu tickled by his peck, couldn't help but laugh, "You're naughty, it tickles."
Gu Xingdong straightened up, "I've gotten breakfast. You should get up and wash up first."
"Mm." Chen Lishu replied, but as soon as she sat up, the soreness in her body made her let out a soft gasp.
"What's wrong, still hurting?" Gu Xingdong looked at her, his brows furrowed with concern. "Should I go to the infirmary and have them prescribe some medicine for you to apply?"
Chen Lishu blushed and shot him a reproachful look. "Are you comfortable mentioning this kind of thing to others? I'm too embarrassed to face anyone."
Gu Xingdong laughed, "Are you stupid, or am I? Of course, I'll say I got injured, and that's why I'm getting medicine."
"Anyway, I'm not stupid," she mumbled softly, Chen Lishu enduring the discomfort and getting dressed before getting out of bed. She said, "I'm fine, I'll be better in a bit." With that, she picked up the washbasin and went out to wash up.
Gu Xingdong had really worn her out last night. In the end, he had only managed to give her a simple wipe. Combined with the hot weather, Chen Lishu felt sticky all over. She thoroughly cleaned herself in the bathroom before returning to the dorm.
"I've asked the leader for three days of leave. What do you want to do today? How about I accompany you to tour the city? We have plenty of time, and we can even watch a movie."
Wu Zheng, that blockhead, was unreliable. Watching a movie was a suggestion he had specifically asked Zhou Liang about, and the latter had given him the idea. He thought it was a good suggestion, so he brought it up with Chen Lishu.
"Okay." Chen Lishu thought Gu Xingdong's suggestion was good and nodded in agreement.
After she had eaten, as they were leaving the dorm, Chen Lishu's eyes immediately landed on the military jeep that had picked her up yesterday, parked not far away.