After entering the compound, Feng Tao put down a leg-tied wild chicken, fed the dogs for a while, and then went home.
Su Die watched his thin back and sighed, “What such a clever and lively child when he grows up, he’ll definitely be someone of note.”
At this moment, Gu Jingzhou wasn’t thinking about anyone else. He wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist and couldn’t stop nuzzling her.
“Wife… it’s time to rest. We have to get up early tomorrow.”
Su Die: “!!!”
She truly couldn’t understand why this man was so obsessed with that sort of thing, as if he never knew fatigue.
“I haven’t drawn the plans yet, you brute!”
After letting him nuzzle her for a few minutes, she hurried to sit at her desk.
Gu Jingzhou chuckled softly.
“I’ll go boil some water; when you finish, you can take a bath.”
Over an hour later, the drawings were finally done. Su Die had arranged every corner of the courtyard according to her preferences. How to implement it was left to her husband.
After washing up and climbing into bed, Gu Jingzhou entered his completely uninhibited state…
The next morning.
Feng Tao arrived. “Brother-in-law.”
Gu Jingzhou was in the kitchen making breakfast. “Have you eaten?”
“Already.”
Feng Tao, naturally at ease, entered the kitchen, picked up some rice porridge, and went to feed the dogs.
“Eat something after feeding them. There’s a lot to do today.”
Gu Jingzhou had steamed carrot-and-egg buns and cooked millet-red-date porridge that morning.
He wanted to replenish his wife’s energy after she had been exhausted the night before.
Su Die hadn’t gone to bed until almost dawn and couldn’t get up in time.
After feeding the dogs and washing his hands, Feng Tao came to eat buns with Gu Jingzhou.
“Brother-in-law, where’s my sister?”
Gu Jingzhou lowered his voice. “She’s still sleeping. Let’s eat first and leave; we’ll go after she wakes up.”
Feng Tao obediently nodded. “Got it.”
After finishing the buns, Gu Jingzhou took Su Die’s courtyard plan and went to the military family compound with Feng Tao.
Xiao Lu, Meng Shiguang, and four soldiers from the Engineering Battalion were already there with their tools.
“Brother Zhou, is this the plan our sister-in-law drew?”
Meng Shiguang took a look, eyes wide. “This could rival designs from an actual design institute!”
Gu Jingzhou raised his eyebrows proudly. “Of course… regardless of who drew it, in this whole compound, only my wife has this ability.”
The others: “…..” jealousy can make a person look monstrous.
Following Su Die’s plan, everyone divided up the work.
With Feng Tao, a half-grown kid, there were eight people in total. They paired up and got started.
Su Die didn’t wake until almost 10 a.m.
She felt the person next to her cold sheets. Gu Jingzhou had already left.
“You brute! My thighs hurt so much, and my back is stiff.”
Yesterday, he had used four of the small umbrellas she brought back.
That little bag wasn’t much; soon he would need more, which made Su Die feel embarrassed just thinking about it.
After a quick wash, she sat down to eat buns.
Gu Jingzhou’s cooking skills were excellent even plain vegetarian buns tasted delicious.
After breakfast, she entered the storage room and took half a bag each of cornmeal and wheat flour, six pounds of pork, six pounds of potatoes, and some seasonings.
If others were helping, they needed lunch.
She packed the flour and meat in a basket and covered it with cloth, leaving enough food for the two little dogs. Then she rode her bicycle to the compound.
By the time she arrived, it was 11:30.
The late-summer heat was at its peak; the men were drenched in sweat from hard work.
Gu Jingzhou had stripped down to a white tank top.
Su Die’s eyes were instantly fixed.
The fabric clung to his chest and arms, highlighting the muscles beneath. His abs were carved and defined, exuding a wild, powerful beauty.
Although she had touched Gu Jingzhou’s abs plenty at night, she hadn’t really looked at them in daylight.
“Gulp.” Su Die heard herself swallow.
She admitted it she was a gluttonous little girl.
Even though she was already full, she couldn’t resist stealing a glance at him.
Gu Jingzhou had long noticed the little admiring looks from his wife and curved his lips into a crescent smile.
“Brother-in-law, your sister’s here.”
Feng Tao put down his work and ran over to take what she was carrying.
Gu Jingzhou suppressed a smile and walked over. “Wife, why did you bring so much?”
“I thought we could treat everyone to lunch. Can’t let them work for nothing.”
Su Die knew that military rations these days were basic. Filling, but not much oil or flavor.
“Thoughtful as always, my wife.” Gu Jingzhou leaned closer to let her wipe his sweat.
Blushing at his gesture, she scolded playfully: “You’re the regiment commander, and you don’t care about your image at all.”
Feng Tao’s eyes nearly popped out. He hoisted the basket and ran to the kitchen.
Xiao Lu and Meng Shiguang were green with envy. When would they get a soft, sweet wife like hers?
“Let Feng Tao help me cook,” Su Die said, after wiping Gu Jingzhou’s sweat, and pushed him to start work.
“Be careful,” he reminded her anxiously.
“Okay, got it.”
She entered the kitchen.
Although it was a flash marriage, their married life was sweet.
Su Die enjoyed the warmth and happiness.
Gu Jingzhou went back to dig the vegetable cellar, still smelling the fragrance from his wife’s handkerchief mixed with her natural scent, both enticing.
“Brother Zhou, why are you smiling?”
Meng Shiguang noticed that ever since Brother Zhou brought his wife back, he kept smiling to himself.
The once-grumpy man, who could scare the delicate performers, now seemed like a different person.
“You don’t understand. Once you have a wife, you’ll see,” Gu Jingzhou said, in a good mood.
“Ugh… I’m only a year younger than you. Why haven’t I met a girl who makes my heart race?” Meng Shiguang sighed.
Xiao Lu pouted. “Don’t talk. I’m four months younger than Brother Zhou and haven’t found anyone either. We’re in the same boat.”
“My cousin introduced me to a young educated girl. Should I meet her?” Meng Shiguang hesitated.
“Educated youth from the city, cultured. No harm meeting her, but don’t get your hopes too high. This is the border; she won’t stay forever. If you marry and get divorced in a few years, what then?”
Xiao Lu thought long-term not everyone could handle the hardships of military family life.
Gu Jingzhou felt lucky his wife didn’t mind following him to the northwest.
Meng Shiguang: “I thought of that too, so I haven’t met her yet. But she seems eager to marry; she’s already pushed my cousin several times.”
“Then you must be careful. A girl rushing to marry you may have hidden motives.”
Su Die carried a jug of water out, overhearing their conversation.
These days, tricksters were everywhere, and people being manipulated into marriage was not unheard of.