Outside the door, Zhou Wanyi was overjoyed to hear the fighting sounds coming from the radio, which had ruined her elder brother’s wedding night.
She saw her older brother push open the door, his cold eyes staring at her without saying a word. Just that intensely oppressive gaze made her tremble instantly, shrink back, and turn to run away.
Zhou Runqing watched Zhou Wanyi’s retreating figure and gritted his teeth in anger.
The static from the radio crackled and hissed, penetrating the room more clearly and jarringly.
The man quickly followed the sound, walked a few steps to the flowerpot, picked up the small radio, pressed the button with his thumb, and the static disappeared instantly.
He gripped the fuselage, glanced back, and said in a low, gentle voice, “You go to sleep first.”
He gently closed the door behind him before quickening his pace to chase after the culprit.
Lin Yuqiu felt a vague unease, and her fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the quilt.
Before she could even close her eyes, a series of noises erupted downstairs.
It was a man’s cold rebuke, laced with suppressed anger.
It was Zhou Wanyi’s sharp scream, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Immediately following were the muffled thuds of tables and chairs colliding, and the crisp sound of heavy objects hitting the ground.
The clanging and banging noise was like thunder in the night, startling people and making it impossible to sleep.
Lin Yuqiu’s heart sank. She got out of bed nervously, straightened her disheveled clothes, picked up the man’s unworn military jacket that was draped over the back of the chair, put it on, and opened the door.
Just then, they saw the elderly couple in the master bedroom downstairs also startled awake. They hurriedly put on their clothes and rushed towards Zhou Wanyi’s room, their faces full of anxiety.
Lin Yuqiu had just reached the top of the stairs with worry when she saw her in-laws close the door, and Zhou Wanyi’s heart-wrenching cries came from inside.
“Brother, you actually hit me for that woman!”
Zhou’s mother comforted him, “Your older brother just accidentally got hit by you, it’s not that serious. Come here, let me comfort you.”
“Brother, you married that burden, you have to support her paralyzed mother and that useless woman, your monthly salary will go into that bottomless pit!”
“What’s even worse is that Dad took half a year’s salary in advance to pay for her betrothal gifts. Half a year! Our family will starve after that!”
“You go and take her to live a good life, while we stay at home suffering!”
“If you marry Sister Shiwen, life will be much better. Shiwen is good to me and won’t try to take my things away from me!”
“What use is that woman? She’s a capitalist’s daughter, everyone hates her. I don’t like her. I prefer Sister Shiwen to be my sister-in-law!”
Inside the room, Zhou Wanyi threw a tantrum, and no one had time to scold her for her nonsense; everyone was busy trying to cheer her up.
Lin Yuqiu stood blankly at the top of the stairs, like a transparent shadow, like an unwanted outsider.
She couldn’t stay a moment longer, so she turned around and walked back up the stairs step by step, her steps so light that they seemed weightless, as if she had never come down at all.
Back in her room, she looked at the large red “double happiness” character and the wall clock.
She silently walked to the bedside, lifted the covers, and lay down.
Zhou Wanyi is right.
She is the daughter of a capitalist. She has a paralyzed mother and needs her brother’s salary for medical treatment and care to make a living.
For Zhou Runqing, she was indeed a burden.
My heart feels blocked by something, a sour, astringent feeling, and even breathing hurts.
She closed her eyes, buried her face in the pillow, and as she thought about how her mother’s complexion was improving day by day, the bitterness in her heart gradually subsided.
I don’t know how much time passed, but the noise downstairs gradually subsided when the hands of the wall clock had gone halfway around.
The door was finally gently pushed open.
Lin Yuqiu’s eyelashes trembled suddenly, and she immediately suppressed all her emotions, closing her eyelids tightly and even deliberately making her breathing soft.
The blanket was gently lifted, and the man’s chest, cool with the night air, came close. His strong arms, without warning yet with careful restraint, encircled her completely in his embrace.
Lin Yuqiu’s fingertips trembled slightly. Taking advantage of her unconscious state in her sleep, she gently struggled and moved her shoulder half an inch to the side, conveying a silent rejection.
Zhou Runqing looked at the woman’s charming little face in his arms. Her eyes were lightly closed, so sleepy that she could hardly open them. Her long, thick eyelashes drooped, and the soft flesh on her cheeks was slightly bulging, which made her look even more gentle and innocent.
But the moment he touched her warm, fragrant breath, the burning heat buried deep in his abdomen, consuming his very bones, returned, and he had no choice but to restrain himself.
He leaned down and placed a very gentle kiss on her smooth forehead, as if afraid of waking her from a deep sleep.
He tucked the blanket around her and carefully tucked her exposed hands into the warm bed.
His voice was very low, like a lukewarm fire in winter, soothing her ear: “Go to sleep, we have to get up early tomorrow.”
Lin Yuqiu closed her eyes, her nose tingling, yet a faint sweetness welled up in her heart, mingling with her emotions and tightening around her.
The moonlight outside the window gradually disappeared into the clouds.
Lin Yuqiu was closing her eyes, about to fall asleep, when suddenly a large, hot hand reached around her waist and gently embraced her.
Her soft lips moved slightly, and she mumbled a vague sentence, carrying a charming dissatisfaction at being disturbed from her sleep.
The man behind her froze, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and he dared not move an inch. After a long while, he gently withdrew his hand from her waist.
Only when he heard the woman’s breathing gradually even out and she had fallen into a deep sleep did the man carefully move closer and once again pull her soft body tightly into his arms.
He buried his forehead in the back of her neck, inhaling her faint, soft, sweet scent that seemed to help him fall asleep, before drifting off to a deep, contented sleep.
The next morning, Zhou Runqing opened his eyes to find his arms empty and the bed beside him cold and bare.
He suddenly threw off the covers and got out of bed, stepping quickly out the door and into the downstairs living room.
Zhou’s mother was already dressed and preparing breakfast. When she saw him come down, she smiled and wiped her hands, saying, “You’re awake? Go wash up and come have breakfast.”
Zhou Runqing looked around and asked, “Where’s my wife?”
“Xiaoyu went to the sanatorium before dawn, saying she wanted to say goodbye to her mother.”
Zhou Runqing nodded, but his brows furrowed involuntarily, and an unknown emotion welled up in his throat.
Why didn’t she tell him she was going to the nursing home?
Zhou’s mother saw through his thoughts, picked up the enamel mug, scooped out a few spoonfuls of malted milk powder, added hot water and handed it to him: “Don’t worry, I had your dad’s messenger, Xiao Zhang, deliver it. He’s a safe driver, so it won’t cause any problems.”
Zhou Runqing took the malted milk powder, blew on it to keep it warm, and absentmindedly took two small sips.
Zhou’s mother then instructed, “After you finish breakfast, go pack your luggage. Once Xiao Liu brings back the train tickets, you should set off as soon as possible, so as not to delay your return to the team.”
“Your situation is special now, and you can’t afford to make the slightest mistake. You can’t let anyone catch you doing anything wrong. You have to be more careful in everything you do from now on.”
“I heard that the Lin family father and son were sent to a labor camp. Don’t meddle in other people’s business, or you’ll get yourself into trouble. Just take care of yourself and your family.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a crisp military salute rang out from outside the courtyard gate. Guard Xiao Liu strode in, holding the train tickets, and said in a loud voice, “Commander, the train tickets to the island have been bought!”