Gu Huai’an was not one to joke around.
When he said he’d sleep on the floor, he meant it—not even a corner of the bed would be offered.
Shen Yu stared at the military overcoat spread out on the ground, then glanced at the bed—hard as it was, at least it was three feet off the floor—and her eye twitched.
“Commander Gu, are you serious?”
She pointed at the cement floor, stunned. “Even prisoners of war get a hot meal these days. I’m your soon-to-be wife, the one you filed a report for. And you want me to sleep here?”
“If you don’t want to sleep, stand. Stand at attention all night, and your legs will be straighter tomorrow.”
“…”
Gu Huai’an leaned against the table, thumbing a matchbox as he glanced at her indifferently.
“Until that marriage certificate is in hand, we’re just comrades.”
He tossed the matchbox onto the table and nodded toward the floor. “Letting you sleep in this room is already breaking the rules. And you still want to climb into my bed?”
Shen Yu laughed in disbelief.
Just moments ago in the canteen, he’d defended her like she was his own. But as soon as the door closed, he turned cold.
“Fine, you’re the principled one.”
Shen Yu didn’t waste words. She kicked off her shoes, lay down fully clothed on the spread-out overcoat, and wrapped herself up like a silkworm cocoon, curling into the corner.
“If I get cold in the middle of the night, I won’t care about rules—I’ll crawl right into your blanket. If you dare kick me out, I’ll scream ‘pervert.’”
“Go ahead and scream.”
Gu Huai’an wasn’t fazed. “I’ll have the Military Medic prescribe you two pounds of bitter herb soup—special treatment for a sharp tongue.”
He reached out and pulled the light cord, plunging the room into darkness.
“Shen Yu.”
The man’s voice sounded low in the dark.
“What?”
“It’s not too late to back out.”
Gu Huai’an leaned against the headboard, holding an unlit cigarette, tracing a faint circle in the air.
“A military marriage isn’t child’s play. Once that seal is stamped, leaving becomes difficult for life. Undermining a military marriage is a crime—I don’t need to teach you that.”
Shen Yu found it baffling. “I’m not planning to leave.”
What was he even talking about?
She’d just secured her backer—she’d have to be out of her mind to think about divorce now.
Gu Huai’an snorted. “You know what I do. My head’s tied to my belt—today I’m whole, tomorrow I might come back in a box.”
He paused, his tone turning colder.
“If I die someday, you’ll be a widow. If I’m lucky enough to survive but lose an arm or a leg—that’s common—you’ll have to serve me, clean up after me, for the rest of your life.”
“Don’t come crying later, saying I tricked you.”
Shen Yu tightened the overcoat around her. She knew Gu Huai’an wasn’t just trying to scare her.
In the original story, this man had indeed met a tragic end.
But that was the original story’s fate.
Now that she was here, that fate had to change.
Gu Huai’an waited a moment, hearing no response, and thought the girl was frightened.
Just as he was about to sneer and tell her to leave if she was scared, the dark lump on the floor shifted.
Shen Yu propped herself up halfway and asked him, “Hey, have you heard this saying?”
“What?”
“Marry a chicken, follow a chicken; marry a dog, follow a dog; marry a monkey, roam the hills. If I wanted stability, I’d have married that soy sauce seller at the supply and marketing cooperative.”
Gu Huai’an asked, “Then what do you want?”
“I want you because you’re handsome!”
She laughed again. “Serving a hero, I’m willing.”
“If you’re disabled, I’ll serve you. If you come back in a box, I’ll bring you home and honor you, offering you the finest incense on holidays. If that day ever comes, I’ll accept it.”
Gu Huai'an didn't speak, letting out a derisive snort only after a long pause. "Sweet talker. Go to sleep."
Shen Yu lay back down, but her mind remained unsettled.
Since the conversation had reached this point, she rolled her eyes and seized the opportunity to probe:
"Hey, Gu Huai'an, can I ask you something?"
"Spit it out."
"Have you guys had any missions lately… the kind that go south? Or to the border, maybe?"
If she could give an early warning, even just a heads-up, perhaps he could avoid that minefield.
The bed frame creaked as the man turned over, his tone turning stern. "Why are you asking? That's military classified information. Stop prying and keep your mouth shut."
"I'm just worried what you said might come true!"
Shen Yu quickly tried to smooth things over. "If you really have to go, I'll prepare some Yunnan Baiyao in advance and sew you a couple of extra-thick knee pads."
Gu Huai'an frowned. "Thinking far ahead, aren't you? Don't worry about those things. Just go to sleep!"
Shen Yu pouted.
The concrete floor was truly too hard. She tossed and turned like a pancake on a griddle several times before finally drifting off into a hazy sleep.
In the middle of the night.
Gu Huai'an opened his eyes.
He was a light sleeper by nature, easily roused by the slightest disturbance, let alone with an extra living person in the room.
The woman on the floor slept restlessly, her breathing alternating between light and heavy, occasionally letting out a couple of kitten-like whimpers.
He sat up and stared at the dark lump on the floor for a long while.
She had kicked most of the overcoat aside, curling up into a ball, looking utterly pitiful.
The concrete floor grew damp in the summer, and with her delicate-looking frame, she'd probably complain of aches all over by morning.
"Such a delicate thing."
He threw off the blanket, got out of bed, and crouched beside Shen Yu.
Up close, this woman was damn good-looking.
Long eyelashes, a small mouth—all her earlier ferocity was gone, replaced by a docile softness.
"Really owe you one."
Gu Huai'an muttered a low curse, then slid one arm under her neck and the other behind her knees, lifting her effortlessly.
So light.
That was Gu Huai'an's first thought.
How had she survived these past few years? She was so light he hardly dared to exert any force, afraid he might crush her with a bit too much pressure.
Shen Yu, still half-asleep, didn't wake even as she was suddenly lifted into the air. Instinctively, she snuggled toward the warmth, rubbing her face against his chest and mumbling, "…my butt hurts."
Gu Huai'an looked down at the oblivious woman in his arms, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Serves you right."
Though his words were harsh, his movements gentled considerably as he laid her on the bed and pulled the military blanket tightly around her.
The moment Shen Yu touched the pillow and blanket, her expression relaxed instantly. She turned over and sank into a deeper sleep.
Gu Huai'an stood by the bed for a while, feeling like he'd gone looking for trouble.
He fished out another cigarette and held it under his nose, but ultimately didn't light it.
Turning, he picked up the overcoat from the floor, wrapped it around himself, and lay down on the very concrete floor where Shen Yu had just slept.
For a body that could lie in a snowdrift for three days straight, this bit of chill was nothing more than a refreshing coolness.
…
Early the next morning, Shen Yu was once again startled awake by the bugle call.
"What time is it!"
She sat up reflexively, her hand pressing down beneath her.
Soft?
Opening her eyes, she saw Gu Huai'an standing by the bed, fastening his belt.
The hem of his training uniform was tucked into his trousers, the sam Browne belt cinched tight, accentuating his lean, powerful waist and making his legs appear even longer.
The sheer amount of testosterone was practically overflowing.
Shen Yu's gaze trailed down along that waist and abdomen for a moment before she quickly pulled it back.
"Awake?"
Gu Huai'an placed his cap on his head without even glancing at her. "Hurry up and get up. Wash your face and change your clothes."
He was dressed unusually formally today, wearing a crisp '65-style military uniform with the uniform collar button fastened tightly. Even his rarely worn service leather shoes were polished to a shine.
Shen Yu couldn't hold back a smile at the corner of her mouth. "Commanding officer, what happened last night? How did I end up in bed?"
Seeing Shen Yu sitting on the bed, swinging her legs, Gu Huai'an's gaze lingered on her face for two seconds before shifting away.
"I was afraid you'd die on the floor. Hurry up and get ready. I won't wait if you're late."
With that, he pulled open the door and strode out.
Shen Yu rolled over on the bed, feeling extremely pleased.
Such a little man, so easy to handle.
Twenty minutes later.
Shen Yu was wearing a white shirt, adjusting her collar again and again. Her hair was braided into a side ponytail that hung over her chest, looking both neat and playful.
She checked herself in the mirror. Without any makeup, she pressed a piece of red paper against her lips, instantly bringing her whole face to life.
When she walked out of the tube-shaped apartment building, the car was already running.
Gu Huai'an sat in the driver's seat, his hand resting on the car window. When he saw the touch of red on Shen Yu's lips, his gaze froze for a moment.
"Does it look good?" Shen Yu leaned over, blinking her eyes as she asked.
Gu Huai'an stubbed out his cigarette and looked away. "Looks like you ate a child. Get in the car."
"Can't you say something nice?" Shen Yu shot him a glare. "This is called a healthy glow, this is called festive! You old-fashioned fossil who doesn't know how to appreciate beauty."
Gu Huai'an curled his lips slightly, and the car sped straight toward the county town.