“Wanxing! What’s wrong?”
Lu Chenyuan rushed in like lightning!
He didn’t even look at what was going on inside—by instinct, he reached out and pulled Su Wanxing straight into his arms.
Steam filled the air.
Su Wanxing naturally wrapped her arms around Lu Chenyuan’s neck.
Their eyes met.
When the unique fragrance belonging to a woman rushed into his senses, Lu Chenyuan finally realized that Su Wanxing was wearing nothing but a thin camisole.
His mind went boom—it was as if all the blood in his body surged straight to his head, and he froze on the spot!
His face flushed crimson. He immediately turned his head, grabbed the quilt from the bed, and wrapped Su Wanxing up tightly before daring to look at her again.
“What happened? Did you slip and hurt yourself somewhere?”
Wrapped up like a dumpling, Su Wanxing nearly suffocated!
It was summer, for heaven’s sake!
The guesthouse room didn’t even have an electric fan, and with a basin of hot water added on top of that, she was about to pass out!
Seeing that Su Wanxing didn’t respond, Lu Chenyuan grew even more anxious.
“Wanxing, say something!”
“Let go of me first.”
Su Wanxing’s voice was muffled.
Lu Chenyuan carefully set her down on the bed. Then he noticed the puddle of water on the floor and hurriedly crouched down.
“Did you twist your ankle?”
He held her foot in his hand, his rough fingers pressing inch by inch around her ankle, searching for the injured spot.
Su Wanxing only felt the warmth of his fingers rush straight to her head, making her feel light-headed.
She gave a soft “Mm.”
“Here? Or here?” Lu Chenyuan pressed on the two spots most prone to sprains and asked.
Su Wanxing didn’t answer, so he could only continue probing.
But for him, this was pure torture.
The delicate sensation beneath his fingertips felt like an electric shock, his heart itching as if scratched by a cat’s claws.
Yet he could not cross that line…
“Lu Chenyuan…”
Su Wanxing leaned forward, her fair, slender fingers lifting his chin.
Their gazes locked.
Desire and flame burned in both pairs of eyes.
She cupped his face with both hands, closed her eyes, and slowly leaned in…
Thump, thump, thump—
Lu Chenyuan’s heart was about to leap out of his chest.
Just as their lips were about to touch, he suddenly sprang to his feet, as if chased by a ghost, and bolted out of the room without looking back—
Bang!—slamming the door shut behind him.
Su Wanxing froze for a moment, staring at the tightly closed door, then angrily punched the bed!
What kind of ridiculous male-department incurable illness was this?!
Even the Spiritual Spring water couldn’t fix it?
Su Wanxing didn’t know how she fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already past nine in the morning.
A stool had been placed outside the door. On it sat an aluminum lunch box and a note in Lu Chenyuan’s handwriting: “Remember to eat breakfast.”
Inside the lunch box was porridge and two white-flour steamed buns.
Su Wanxing was a little surprised. Conditions in the Northwest were poor—most people ate sorghum or coarse grains. White flour was expensive and rare.
She couldn’t help feeling a little happy.
Lu Chenyuan really couldn’t bear to let her suffer even the slightest hardship.
After finishing the buns, Lu Chenyuan still hadn’t returned.
Su Wanxing grew a bit worried.
Could it be that he was too embarrassed to face her because of last night’s “failure”?
Sigh… it was all treatable.
She went downstairs to look for him. Just as she reached the entrance of the guesthouse, she saw Lu Chenyuan talking with a young man in military uniform.
Hearing the movement, both turned to look.
A trace of awkwardness flashed across Lu Chenyuan’s face, but he quickly hid it. “You’re awake. Did you eat breakfast?”
“Mm.”
Su Wanxing nodded.
Lu Chenyuan continued the introduction. “This is Zhou Ting.”
“Sister-in-law, hello! My name’s Zhou Ting, 24 years old, deputy commander of the special forces! If you need anything at all, you can order me around!”
Special forces—Su Wanxing knew that.
Lu Chenyuan was the commander of the special forces. They often had classified missions, like the one right before the wedding.
Zhou Ting had a baby face and looked very approachable. He grinned at Su Wanxing, revealing two little tiger teeth, and scratched his cheek shyly.
“Sister-in-law, you’re really beautiful—like a movie magazine star.”
After finishing his mission, he had been directly transferred to the Northwest, so he hadn’t been present at Lu Chenyuan and Su Wanxing’s wedding.
Because of that, he had even squatted outside Chief Luo’s house for half a month.
“Thank you. You’re very handsome too.”
In her previous life, Su Wanxing had spent most of her time abroad. She was already used to this kind of compliment.
She had a good impression of Zhou Ting and proactively reached out to shake hands.
But Lu Chenyuan stepped in front of Zhou Ting, blocking him and denying him the chance.
“Pack up. We’re setting off.”
With that, he went upstairs with Su Wanxing to get ready.
Zhou Ting pulled a face at Lu Chenyuan’s back.
Stingy! Won’t even let me shake hands!
And here I was, doing so much work for him for free!
Grumbling aside, Zhou Ting still ran back and forth helping to carry the luggage.
As soon as they got into the jeep, Lu Chenyuan tossed a red cloth bundle into Zhou Ting’s arms.
“What’s this?”
Zhou Ting opened it and immediately beamed. “Wedding candy! And it’s White Rabbit milk candy!”
He quickly unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth, grinning like a child. “So sweet! Totally worth staying here so long for you.”
Lu Chenyuan smiled and lightly punched Zhou Ting’s shoulder.
Zhou Ting laughed as he started the engine.
It would take more than two hours to reach the base. As he drove, Zhou Ting introduced the situation there.
Su Wanxing summed it up roughly: the base was mainly engaged in military industry, a classified unit. Lu Chenyuan was one of the big bosses in military manufacturing.
Aside from work confidentiality, daily life was relatively open. Villagers lived nearby and interacted with them. Conditions were a bit tough, but the necessities were basically all there.
After the jeep jolted along for more than two hours, it finally stopped in front of the family housing.
The environment was much better than Su Wanxing had imagined.
Though it was in the far north of the Northwest, there was still some greenery—not just endless yellow earth and sand.
The family housing consisted of rows of single-story houses made of rammed earth mixed with blue bricks—simple, but livable.
The house assigned to Su Wanxing and Lu Chenyuan was at the easternmost end: one bedroom, one living room, plus a small kitchen, about thirty square meters. The bed, wardrobe, square table, stools, and stove were all already in place.
Because it was an end unit, the courtyard was relatively large, about twenty square meters.
Su Wanxing thought that when they had time, she could have Lu Chenyuan turn over the soil and plant some grain and vegetables—food wouldn’t be a problem.
But Lu Chenyuan kept his lips pressed together. With conditions like this, he wasn’t sure whether Su Wanxing would be able to get used to living here.
“In a few days, I’ll ask someone to go to the city and buy a Simmons mattress and a sofa. For now… I’m wronging you.”
He truly couldn’t bear to let her suffer.
“Really? Lu Chenyuan, you’re amazing!”
Su Wanxing happily grabbed his hand.
Though she had prepared herself mentally, she really wasn’t used to sleeping on wooden boards.
Zhou Ting came in sweating heavily, carrying two large bags, and happened to see this scene. He muttered sourly,
“Sigh, I carry big bags for the commander, but there’s no room for me in the commander’s eyes.”
Su Wanxing withdrew her hand a bit embarrassed. “Zhou Ting, thank you for your hard work. Once we’re settled, we’ll invite you over for a meal.”
“Sure thing! Thanks, sister-in-law! Working for you doesn’t tire me at all!”
As he spoke, he even picked up another bag with his mouth and strode inside.
With a burst of noise at the doorway, three middle-aged women entered—family members who had followed the army.
“Commander Lu is here!”
“Oh my, this must be your wife?”
The sisters-in-law crowded around Su Wanxing, studying her curiously.