Gu Chenyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he turned his head to glance at the person sitting in the passenger seat.
From his angle, Lu Yan’s slightly curled hair fell loosely around her face. Her delicate profile looked small and beautiful, while the soft hem of her dress, now smudged with the imprint of his large hand, hung beside her fair legs.
Gu Chenyu remembered that before coming over, both his hands had been in contact with the weapons on the exercise fleet. And because he’d been in such a hurry to get to her, he hadn’t had time to wash the oil and grime from his hands.
However, he offered no explanation.
He simply picked up the tissue box sitting nearby and handed it to her.
Only after a long while did he start the armored vehicle again.
His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, his voice calm and detached.
“That message just now… Did you send it by mistake?”
Lu Yan symbolically wiped at the dirty hem of her dress a few times before deliberately playing dumb.
“What did I send?”
Hearing how unconcerned she sounded, Gu Chenyu figured she had probably already forgotten what she’d supposedly sent by mistake.
His expression darkened.
“Nothing.”
The vehicle drove into the interior of the base. Gu Chenyu handed his jacket to Lu Yan so she could drape it over herself and cover the dirty hem of her dress before he carried her out of the vehicle again.
The patrol officers along the corridor immediately stopped and stood at attention when they saw them.
“Colonel! Colonel’s wife!”
In the past, Lu Yan had always hated appearing in public with him, especially whenever someone mentioned their marital relationship.
Gu Chenyu had assumed Lu Yan would immediately turn cold and deny it as she had before, drawing a clear line between them.
But this time, she didn’t.
Instead, under everyone’s gazes, Lu Yan haughtily lifted her delicate chin.
“Mm.”
She answered them calmly and openly.
Gu Chenyu carried Lu Yan’s suitcase in one hand and continued walking without slowing down. His entire demeanor remained cold and rigid, but a faint flicker of emotion passed through his eyes.
Lu Yan stayed beside Gu Chenyu as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
It wasn’t until they passed through the corridor of the independent apartments that a woman’s voice suddenly came from behind them.
“Brother Yu.”
Lu Yan turned toward the voice.
A woman in a dark-blue military uniform approached them, her short hair cut neatly around her ears.
The insignia on her shoulder was clearly visible. Judging by the markings, she appeared to be a second lieutenant.
Fang Chujun walked closer, her gaze shifting from Gu Chenyu to Lu Yan beside him.
Her eyes paused briefly on Lu Yan’s regal, striking purple irises before sweeping over the oversized military jacket draped across Lu Yan’s shoulders—clearly belonging to Gu Chenyu.
Her expression changed almost imperceptibly, but she quickly pulled out a small smile and spoke in a familiar tone.
“Brother Yu, this must be Sister-in-law, right?”
Gu Chenyu nodded indifferently, then turned his head and briefly introduced her to Lu Yan.
“This is Second Lieutenant Fang.”
Fang Chujun immediately stepped forward and greeted Lu Yan herself.
“Hello, Sister-in-law. My name is Fang Chujun. I’m part of Brother Yu’s flagship squadron, and I’ve always accompanied him on missions.”
Lu Yan nodded knowingly.
“Second Lieutenant Fang.”
Gu Chenyu looked at Fang Chujun.
“What is it?”
Fang Chujun smiled.
“It’s nothing important. Brother Yu, you should stay with Sister-in-law for now. I’ll come find you later when you have time to give you the report.”
With that, she left without waiting for Gu Chenyu’s response.
Lu Yan raised an eyebrow and tilted her head toward the man beside her.
“Did I interrupt you two discussing something important?”
“…”
Gu Chenyu ignored her and continued down the corridor with her suitcase in hand.
When they reached a reinforced alloy door, he raised his eyes toward the iris-recognition panel.
With a soft beep, the security lock to the private apartment was released.
He pushed the door open and walked inside.
The accommodations here were relatively simple. The entire apartment reflected Gu Chenyu’s characteristic coldness and orderliness, without a single unnecessary decoration.
Lu Yan had only just stepped inside and looked around when she saw Gu Chenyu put down her suitcase and head toward the bathroom.
Not long afterward, the sound of running water came from inside.
Lu Yan followed him over and saw Gu Chenyu adjusting the water temperature in the bathroom.
His fingertips occasionally tapped the holographic control panel, his expression focused as he precisely adjusted the water temperature and flow to the settings Lu Yan was accustomed to.
Gu Chenyu had taken care of her throughout her entire pregnancy.
During that time, no matter how demanding or unreasonable her requests had been, Gu Chenyu had always fulfilled every one of them.
Lu Yan hadn’t expected that after three whole years, Gu Chenyu would still remember all those ridiculous aristocratic habits of hers.
Just as she was thinking about it, Gu Chenyu finished adjusting everything and stood up.
His gaze landed on her.
“The conditions in the base apartment are limited. There’s none of the mineral-scented bath lotion you’re used to. You’ll have to make do with a shower.”
Lu Yan didn’t show whether she was pleased or displeased.
She simply gave a dry, “Oh.”
She raised her hand, took off the jacket she was wearing, and returned it to him before walking straight into the bathroom.
Gu Chenyu held the jacket that still carried her body heat and faint fragrance.
His movements paused for a moment.
Then he raised his hand and knocked on the bathroom door.
“You haven’t taken your clothes.”
Amid the soft patter of running water, Lu Yan’s spoiled, gentle voice came from inside.
“Bring them to me.”
Gu Chenyu fell silent for several seconds.
He turned around, opened her suitcase, and took out a change of clothes.
Returning to the bathroom door, he knocked again.
A moment later, the bathroom door opened a narrow crack.
A slender, wet, porcelain-white hand reached out.
Its damp, cool fingertips brushed against the back of his hand.
“Where are my clothes? Hurry and give them to me.”
The muscles on the back of Gu Chenyu’s hand tensed for an instant.
He handed the clothes to her.
The bathroom door closed, and the sound of running water gradually grew louder again.
When Lu Yan finished showering and came out, she saw Gu Chenyu standing on the balcony with his back to her, holding a military communicator as he spoke on the phone.
His tone was cold. She could vaguely make out words like “No” and “I can’t help you,” clearly refusing whatever the other person was asking of him.
Perhaps sensing the gaze from behind him, Gu Chenyu turned his head.
Lu Yan had just finished showering. Damp steam still clung to her, and she was wearing his slippers.
She stood motionless outside the bathroom, looking fresh and porcelain-white, like a beautiful little cat that had nowhere to settle.
Gu Chenyu ended the call and walked back inside.
Seeing that his attention had finally returned to her, Lu Yan sniffed lightly.
Her fair toes curled slightly inside his oversized slippers as she let out a spoiled little whine.
“Gu Chenyu, your shoes are way too big!”
Gu Chenyu answered in a low voice.
“…There aren’t any shoes here that fit you.”
Lu Yan wasn’t satisfied with that answer.
Perhaps because she’d just showered, her slightly upturned purple eyes looked moist and faintly red.
“What do you mean? Are you trying to kick me out?”
Gu Chenyu still wore that same stern, unskilled-at-comforting-people expression.
“No.”
Lu Yan pressed her lips together and refused to move her feet.
After a while, instead of Gu Chenyu coming over to carry her, she heard him speak again.
“Lu Yan, I don’t know how long you’re planning to stay here, and I don’t know why you came this time. If Duke Lu forced you to come here to find me, I can explain things to the Lu family. I’m the one who willingly agreed to divorce you. You don’t have to—”
Before he could finish, Lu Yan came stomping over in his oversized slippers.
She arrogantly grabbed the collar of his shirt.
The moisture in her eyes had yet to fade, but she had already adopted an expression of righteous indignation, turning the blame around on him.
“Gu Chenyu, you actually wanted to divorce me all along, didn’t you? I went through so much to give birth to our baby, and you think you can just decide to divorce me? Don’t you have any conscience?”
Gu Chenyu: “…”
He lowered his eyes to the slender hand clutching his collar, then looked into those beautiful yet piercing purple eyes.
The emotions in his eyes were impossible to read.
He couldn’t figure out what kind of threat she had been subjected to that would make her say something so obviously against her true feelings.
After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice low, cold, and utterly even.
“You were the one who didn’t want the child.”