Shen Yu was dragged out of the office building by him. With his long legs and large strides, she had to jog a few steps to keep up.
"Slow down! Are you a donkey or something?"
Shen Yu panted as she complained, "What were you saying back there? You have no filter—talking about 'staying up all night chatting' without worrying about tripping over your own tongue."
Gu Huai'an stopped and turned to look at her. "What do you mean we didn't chat?"
The sun was blazing, glaring into their eyes.
The man had the unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, his hands stuffed into his pockets, that soldierly rogue demeanor resurfacing.
"Who was it last night who clung to me, refusing to let go, biting and nibbling? Who left a ring of teeth marks on my neck?"
Shen Yu choked.
Was this never going to end?
"That was an accident. If you want, you can bite me back."
Gu Huai'an snorted with laughter, his gaze sweeping over her neck.
"You said it yourself. Let's go back and have a proper talk."
He leaned in close, lowering his voice. "Shen Yu, I see right through you. You act all chaste and virtuous on the outside, but deep down, you're wild."
Suddenly, Gu Huai'an reached out and scooped Shen Yu up into his arms.
Shen Yu was startled, her legs kicking wildly.
"Put me down!"
"Keep kicking, and I'll toss you into the mud."
Gu Huai'an had always been one to defy convention.
He carried her ostentatiously all the way back, paying no mind to the wide-eyed stares of passing soldiers and their families as he headed straight for the family quarters.
Several military wives passing by blushed furiously at the sight, quickly covering their children's eyes while stealing glances through their fingers.
Even Shen Yu, thick-skinned as she was, couldn't handle this spectacle. She cursed, "Gu Huai'an, you bastard!"
Her cursing only seemed to please him.
Gentle whispers were boring.
"I'm your man. Call me something nice, and maybe I'll go easy on you tonight."
"Easy my foot! I'm sleeping on the floor tonight!"
"Dream on. If you dare step off that bed today, I'll break your legs."
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the two of them.
Their bickering voices faded into the distance, leaving only scattered golden light in their wake.
Lin Qichuan, being dragged out by two burly military police officers, happened to witness the scene and nearly choked with rage.
Proud of his scholarly background and destined for the city, praised by the villagers as a literary star, he had never been so humiliated.
But now, all he could do was seethe helplessly as he was dragged away like a dead dog.
Just around the corner, they ran into a squad of soldiers tidying up the flower beds.
The leader, who had been squatting on the ground smoothing mud, stood up immediately upon hearing footsteps. Without bothering to dust off his hands, he snapped to attention and saluted.
"Regimental Commander!"
His voice was loud and precise.
Gu Huai'an paused slightly but didn't put Shen Yu down, replying casually, "Mm, Yiqiu, working hard?"
Shen Yu found the name familiar and couldn't help peeking out from Gu Huai'an's arms.
The young soldier before her looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in a two-pocket military uniform, his uniform collar button fastened meticulously.
His posture was upright, his features clean and handsome, with a steadiness in his brow that belied his youth.
He was the polar opposite of Gu Huai'an, who exuded the aura of a rogue "Ghost's Despair."
Shen Yu's mind raced, and her eyes lit up.
Cheng Yiqiu!
The male lead from the original novel—now a squad leader, future military district senior commander!
The book mentioned that after Gu Huai'an's accident, it was this man who stepped up under pressure, climbed step by step from the grassroots, and eventually became a formidable figure who commanded respect across the region.
Moreover, this man was stubborn, principled to a fault, but also fiercely loyal.
This was a golden thigh that hadn't fully grown yet!
Shen Yu's gaze remained fixed on Cheng Yiqiu, her mind racing as she calculated how to build a good relationship in advance.
If Gu Huai'an's tree ever fell in the future, this would be the best place to seek shelter.
Cheng Yiqiu felt thoroughly uncomfortable under Shen Yu's stare. He kept his eyes straight ahead, trying his best not to look at the overly radiant sister-in-law in the regimental commander's arms.
Gu Huai'an sensed something off about the person in his arms.
Earlier, when she looked at Lin Qichuan, it was with disdain. But now, looking at this pretty boy, her eyes were so eager it seemed she wanted to pounce on him?
He jostled Shen Yu in his arms. "Make way, I still need to go back and coax my wife to sleep."
Cheng Yiqiu stepped aside, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Take care, Regimental Commander."
But Shen Yu didn't want to leave just yet.
This was a rare opportunity—she had to make an impression!
She stretched out a hand, waving cheerfully at Cheng Yiqiu:
"Ah, Squad Leader Cheng! I'm your sister-in-law, Shen Yu. Come visit us at home whenever you have time, help me improve my thinking too!"
Cheng Yiqiu was taken aback by being addressed so directly. He glanced up at Shen Yu, then quickly lowered his head again, his ears turning bright red. "You flatter me, sister-in-law. It's all thanks to the regimental commander's guidance."
"Of course, even though he has a foul temper, when it comes to leading troops, he's still—"
Smack!
Before she could finish, a slap landed on her bottom.
Shen Yu was stunned. She jerked her head up, meeting Gu Huai'an's eyes, which looked like they wanted to devour her.
"Gu Huai'an, why did you hit me!"
Being spanked in front of a future big shot—did she have no dignity left?!
"To knock some sense into your reckless self."
Gu Huai'an sneered. "If you want to improve, come to me. I'll teach you hands-on, on the bed and off, making sure you're thoroughly enlightened inside and out."
Cheng Yiqiu: "…"
The words were crude and unrestrained. The young squad leader, holding his small shovel, wished he could vanish on the spot.
The regimental commander's ways were too wild—his pure heart simply couldn't handle it.
Shen Yu punched him hard in the chest. "What nonsense are you spouting in front of others! Squad Leader Cheng is a decent man!"
"Oh, so he's decent, and I'm just a scoundrel?"
Now Gu Huai'an was truly riled up. "Shen Yu, you haven't even been married two days, and you're already siding with outsiders? What, you think I'm too rough and want to trade for someone soft and tender?"
The more he spoke, the more outrageous it became.
Even Cheng Yiqiu, as composed as he was, couldn't stand it any longer. He quickly saluted, stammering, "R-Regimental Commander, sister-in-law, I'll go shovel some dirt over there!"
Without waiting for Gu Huai'an's reply, he dashed off in a flash.
Shen Yu watched his retreating figure and laughed. "What kind of regimental commander acts like a bully like you?"
"Laughing? Still laughing?"
Gu Huai'an withdrew his gaze, looking at the woman in his arms who was shaking with laughter. The fire in his heart flared up uncontrollably.
The way she had looked at Cheng Yiqiu earlier—no matter how he thought about it, it irked him.
He strode forward with purpose, charging into the tube-shaped apartment building in a few steps.
"Hey! Slow down! You're jostling me to death!"
"Jostle you to death, then. At least your eyes won't be wandering all over the place."
Only when they reached the second-floor landing did Gu Huai'an finally set her down.
The moment her feet touched the ground, Shen Yu found herself pinned against the wall.
The hallway was dimly lit. Gu Huai'an braced one hand beside her ear, his unruly, wild energy fully unleashed.
"Got your eye on that proper one?"
He pinched Shen Yu's cheek, his tone dangerous.
"A block of wood that wouldn't utter a word even if you kicked it three times—you like that type?"
Shen Yu, held in his embrace, caught the overwhelming sourness in his words and found it somewhat amusing.
"I just glanced at him once, is that really necessary? He's a future… he's promising."
"Promising?"
Gu Huai'an sneered, "No matter how promising, he's still green. Shen Yu, since you've stepped into my door, keep your eyes straight."
"What does that raw kid know? Besides shouting slogans and folding blankets."
"Only someone like me, with Unorthodox Methods, can show you what real pleasure feels like."
Hot breath sprayed on his face, Shen Yu's cheeks burned, his heart pounding so fast it felt like it would leap out of his throat.
This man, when he starts spouting such shameless talk, he truly has no shame!