After returning home, everyone in the house was asleep.
Gu Jingzhou quietly took a shower and then slipped into his wife’s bed.
Even though Su Die had slept all day, she was still tired. After washing up, she had just rested her head on the pillow and dozed off, so she didn’t wake when Gu Jingzhou returned.
“Honey… I missed you.”
Gu Jingzhou had an excellent tolerance for alcohol he could drink endlessly without faltering. After returning, he even took a cold shower, which left him fully refreshed.
Su Die was awakened by his kiss in her sleep and, still half-dreaming, gave herself to him.
“You rotten man…”
Even though he’d brushed his teeth, there was still a trace of alcohol on his breath.
“Even if I’m rotten, I’m still your man.”
Gu Jingzhou cherished these three nights before their departure; he didn’t leave a single thing undone.
…
The next day, Su Die still didn’t get up, and Gu Jingzhou stayed with her until noon.
Zhao Shuyi, the caring mother-in-law, had prepared soup for lunch and also packed everything that needed to be sent to the northwest.
Since there was no wedding, she had bought anything they might need at home and prepared it for shipment.
Even small items like towels, pillowcases, toothpaste, and toothbrushes were ready.
She also bought Su Die four sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes.
Gu Jingxi packed things while sighing, “I really hope my brother and sister-in-law can bring a little nephew back next year. My sister-in-law is not only beautiful but talented; any child she bears will surely be smart and handsome.”
Zhao Shuyi herself longed for a grandson. At Gu Jingzhou’s age, children could already be running around on their own.
“Yes, we’re all looking forward to good news from them.”
Having finally married a wife they were happy with, expecting a grandson was only natural.
After lunch, Gu Jingzhou took Su Die back to the Su family home.
They would stay one night and catch the train to the northwest early the next morning.
Before Su Die left, Zhao Shuyi put a jade bracelet on her wrist.
Its quality was excellent, clearly very valuable.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Su Die truly appreciated her mother-in-law, not only for protecting her but also for being so generous.
“You don’t need to be polite with me. Being willing to follow Jingzhou is a blessing for the Gu family.”
The Gu family didn’t care about social class; they valued the children’s opinions. Forcing Gu Jingzhou to marry someone he didn’t love would have ruined him for life.
As long as he liked someone, the family accepted it. After all, back in the day, who wasn’t from humble beginnings?
“Sister-in-law, this is for you.”
Gu Jingxi didn’t want her sister-in-law to leave either, so she had prepared a small gift: two jars of Snowflake Cream.
Su Die smiled, holding her sister-in-law’s hand. “Remember to write me letters. If anything bothers you, tell your sister-in-law. If you can’t solve it, I’ll help.”
Gu Jingxi hugged her, tears falling. “Sister-in-law, you’re so kind.”
The guard, Xiao Chen, escorted them to Yangliu Alley and arranged to pick up the packages the next day. Ten large parcels were sent to the northwest military district.
So for the trip, Gu Jingzhou and Su Die only needed to carry light luggage.
Niu Zhenzhu had been waiting anxiously at home, and after work, Su Xue returned too.
No one knew when they would see Su Die again, so the four women embraced and cried, with Duoduo clinging to Su Die’s legs, sobbing loudly.
Gu Jingzhou felt distressed watching them, so he went to the kitchen to cook, letting the women talk in peace.
After dinner, Niu Zhenzhu gave Su Die a long list of instructions before letting her wash up and sleep.
That night, Su Die lay in Gu Jingzhou’s arms, pouting. “Do you have a holiday during the New Year?”
Gu Jingzhou thought for a moment. “Yes. I haven’t come home for years, and even this holiday isn’t enough, but as long as there’s no mission, I can definitely come back.”
“Then I’ll be at ease. During the New Year, I want to bring Grandpa Ge back with me.”
“Yes, everything is up to my wife.”
After speaking, Gu Jingzhou leaned down and kissed her, and they sank into the night together.
…
The train to the northwest departed at 8 a.m.
Niu Zhenzhu got up at midnight to make dumplings.
They were particular about having dumplings on the train and noodles when they arrived.
The weather was hot, so they couldn’t bring much cooked food.
They brought two lunchboxes of dumplings and a few scallion pancakes.
“Mom, we’re leaving. Big sisters, take care of yourselves.”
Niu Zhenzhu wept. “Write letters back, eat properly, and don’t neglect yourselves.”
Though Su Die hadn’t been in this world long, her bond with them was already deep.
Parting was always painful. As they rode the jeep away, Su Die buried herself in Gu Jingzhou’s arms, crying sadly.
Gu Jingzhou kissed her forehead. “When there’s a holiday, we’ll come back.”
The train tickets were for sleeping berths; he couldn’t bear to have his wife in hard seats for days.
The train was crowded and chaotic, so Su Die took the upper bunk and Gu Jingzhou the lower for safety.
Except for going to the bathroom or eating, Su Die stayed on her bunk.
When bored, she read a book, and Gu Jingzhou read his own.
The journey was peaceful.
On the third morning, two train attendants anxiously called out:
“Which passenger is a doctor? Someone has fainted can anyone help?”
Su Die immediately sat up.
She wasn’t a Western doctor; in her previous life, she had learned traditional Chinese medicine from her grandfather.
Seeing her move, Gu Jingzhou stood up. “Honey?”
Su Die looked toward the attendants. “Someone seems ill. I’ll go see.”
Gu Jingzhou nodded and lifted her down from the upper bunk. “I’ll go with you.”
He was devoted; whatever his wife wanted, he supported unconditionally.
Su Die took out acupuncture needles from her kit and applied them to key points: Neiguan, Shenmen, Zusanli, Yongquan, and Danzhong.
Soon, the middle-aged man in a white shirt woke up. His face was pale but stable.
The attendants were amazed. “Comrade, you’re incredible! Just a few needles and he’s fine!”
After putting away her needles, Su Die explained: “This comrade likely overexerted himself, causing discomfort in his heart. Combined with the stuffy carriage, he fainted.”
Xie Longping looked grateful. “You’re right. My heart felt off, and I thought drinking water would help, but I fainted. I feel much better now. Thank you.”
It was Xie Longping’s first time in the northwest, and he had been parachuted into a position with high expectations. Without Su Die’s help, he might not have survived the journey.
“You’re welcome. I’ll leave now.”
Su Die smiled and prepared to return to her berth with Gu Jingzhou.
“Wait, young comrade, can I have your contact info? I want to thank you properly later.”
Xie Longping wasn’t ungrateful; he wanted to repay the life-saving favor.
Su Die glanced at Gu Jingzhou, and he immediately understood. “You’re a military spouse, accompanying your husband to the northwest?”
“Yes, this is my husband, Gu Jingzhou.”
After the introduction, Gu Jingzhou wrote his own contact info on paper.
If someone wanted to thank his wife, it had to go through him.
Xie Longping received it respectfully.
Su Die smiled and nodded, then walked away with Gu Jingzhou.
Before returning to the berth, they washed their hands and got a pot of hot water.
Gu Jingzhou looked at his charming wife, pinched her hand, and whispered into her ear:
“Honey… your husband is completely smitten.”
Su Die had never told him she knew acupuncture. Being able to save someone in such an emergency showed how skilled she really was.
She smiled: “This is just the beginning. There’s more to come.”
By then, it was almost mealtime. Gu Jingzhou took Su Die to the dining car.
News of her life-saving act had spread; even the lady serving meals knew.
While serving, she praised her: “Young comrade, you’re both beautiful and kind. Without you, he might not have survived.”
Nowadays, trains didn’t always have doctors, and people sometimes died from sudden illness. Not everyone was as lucky as Xie Longping, meeting a capable healer.
Su Die took the lunchbox and smiled: “Saving a life is worth more than building seven pagodas. I’m just earning good karma for myself.”
For healers, saving lives builds merit, benefiting themselves, their families, and future generations.
Gu Jingzhou listened, eyes filled with tenderness. How lucky he was to have such a wife.
Just as he was basking in his wife’s aura, a sharp voice behind them irritated him:
“What’s the big deal? Just a blind cat catching a dead mouse, yet everyone’s praising endlessly. Ridiculous!”