Huo Mingyue wasn’t done yet, her words flowing quickly and smoothly. “And besides being older isn’t a disadvantage it’s an advantage! Look at all those young lads barely in their early twenties they’re still children themselves hardly weaned yet and already wanting to marry? They’d bring a wife home just to have someone wait on them like a maid!”
“A man a little older knows how to cherish someone he’s seen more of the world and his temper is steady he knows how to treat a wife right he carries an umbrella when it rains he sees you’re warm when it turns cold he hands over every penny of his wages and lends a hand without being asked around the house so different from those green boys who only know how to argue and never give an inch.”
Her words struck right at Su Xingci’s heart. Gu Yuanhang was exactly like that wasn’t he? Seemingly mature yet selfish to the bone always putting his own face and advancement above everything else.
Huo Mingyue grew more animated seeing her brother still standing there silent and nudged him with her elbow. “Huo Chenzhou have you lost your tongue? Say something! Isn’t that exactly how it is?”
Huo Chenzhou swayed slightly at the nudge but stood firm his balance sure and steady. He didn’t look at his loud bustling sister instead gazed past her shoulder straight at Su Xingci.
“Mm.” A low sound rumbled in his throat giving little away yet carrying the weight of absolute certainty. “I know how to cherish someone.”
Just three simple words spoken quietly but they felt heavier than anything Su Xingci had ever heard. She looked up sharply meeting his gaze head on. His eyes were open honest and charged with unspoken meaning and those three words sounded like a promise every time they echoed in her ears. Her face burned hot the heat rising all the way to her neck. What was happening here? Nothing was settled not even begun yet and here these two were speaking as though it were all decided.
“Father!” Su Xingci could bear it no longer the air in the supply cooperative suddenly felt suffocating. She tugged at Su Yuanshan still turning over theories of prosperity and gold bricks stamping her foot in agitation. “Aren’t you tired from the journey? We should go home and rest right away instead of keeping Commander Huo from his little one!”
Su Yuanshan blinked confused. “I’m not tired it’s still early days Mingyue and I haven’t even talked properly…”
“We have talked plenty! Look how pale you look it’s exhaustion plain and simple!” Su Xingci gave him no chance to object inventing reasons freely and nodded hurriedly to Huo Mingyue and Huo Chenzhou by way of farewell. “Sister Commander Huo we must be going now see you another time!”
With that she pulled Su Yuanshan along and hurried out through the entrance. Huo Chenzhou watched her fleeing retreat and the straight line of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
“Uncle pretty sister ran away.” Tangtang resting on his shoulder piped up in her soft childish voice.
“Mm.” Huo Chenzhou adjusted the hairpin in her hair his mood unexpectedly bright.
Huo Mingyue rolled her eyes. “Look at you! You scared her off and you stand there smiling? Uncle Su said you were too old why didn’t you say something? Where’s all that stern commanding officer spirit you show to your men?”
Huo Chenzhou shifted Tangtang to his other arm and walked out at an unhurried pace. “Too old?” He gave a quiet scoff. “Better to be mature.”
Huo Mingyue stumbled and nearly twisted her ankle in her heels.
Meanwhile Su Xingci pulled Su Yuanshan all of two hundred yards before stopping to catch her breath certain no one had followed. Her heart was still racing from that intense scene. Huo Chenzhou looked so proper and serious yet he could speak so boldly he knew how to cherish someone indeed. Who asked him to cherish her anyway? Su Xingci fanned her warm cheeks trying to clear her head of all these distracting thoughts. She had been hurt and misled but she certainly wasn’t ready to rush into something new so soon.
Gu Yuanhang was back in his quarters. He hung his cap on the wall unbuttoned his tunic and rubbed his temples worn out. The meal had drained him completely. Su Yuanshan for all his rough plain spoken ways had probed him at every turn and Su Xingci usually so gentle had dared to show him her displeasure today confronting him in a restroom of all places. Just recalling her sharp defiant manner made his blood boil how had he never noticed how difficult she could be before? If this carried on and word got back to Su Yuanshan his career in the army would be half ruined. Restlessly he reached into a drawer for a cigarette and was about to light it when the telephone rang.
The sound cut sharply through the quiet room. Gu Yuanhang’s hand trembled and the cigarette fell to the floor. He stared at the phone hesitating there were very few who knew this number only his superiors and… His heart gave a sudden painful lurch. He wiped damp palms against his trousers and lifted the receiver.
“Hello.” His voice came tight trembling without him realizing. Silence answered him broken only by soft quiet breathing so familiar it had haunted him for three years. The irritation he felt toward Su Xingci vanished instantly replaced by a surge of pure joy.
Gu Yuanhang gripped the receiver tight lowering his voice speaking with a tenderness he had never shown Su Xingci careful not to startle her. “Miaomiao?”
A soft sob came down the line. “Yuanhang… it’s me.” The voice was gentle filled with hurt and longing and in an instant Gu Yuanhang forgot everything about Su Xingci. Leaning forward urgently he said “Don’t cry Miaomiao what has happened? Has someone hurt you? Tell me and I will come no matter how far.”
“I… I want to come home. I want to see you.”
“Yes come back come back at once!” Gu Yuanhang promised without hesitation. “I have waited for you always you know that nothing has changed.”
“But… I heard you have someone else?”
For a fleeting moment he pictured Su Xingci’s face but there was not a flicker of remorse. “That is not true.” He spoke firmly and clearly. “Merely rumors a pretence to satisfy family pressure Miaomiao you know I have never wanted anyone but you.”
“Truly?”
“Truly I promise. All these irrelevant matters will be put right and cleared away soon you will never be troubled by them.”
He hung up leaning back against his chair staring upward smiling a genuine heartfelt smile he had not worn in three long years. Miaomiao was truly coming back. Then his expression hardened as he thought of Su Xingci. Since Miaomiao was returning things needed to be settled properly. For now he must proceed carefully and wait until Su Yuanshan had left. This was a critical time for his promotion and he could not risk Su Yuanshan finding out about Miaomiao not with that fiery temper of his it would ruin everything. As for Su Xingci she was easy enough to manage. There were plenty of fine young men in the unit perhaps he could introduce her around? Or what if matters were simply settled one way or another? The thought made his heart beat fast. If he cast her aside his reputation would suffer but if she were seen to be with someone else… then even Su Yuanshan would have no grounds to hold him to account.