His brows were clearly furrowed, yet he patiently put on his clothes and slowly moved his injured leg off the bed.
Watching his slow movements, Ruan Tong stepped forward. “Should I help you?”
“No need!” Gu Bai refused in a deep voice, his expression extremely serious.
Alright then.
Knowing this man had strong self-esteem, she didn’t insist and obediently stood aside, waiting.
One step, two steps…
As he walked slowly, Gu Bai’s body trembled, and he looked up in astonishment.
It really… had improved!
“How is it? Do you believe me now?”
Gu Bai turned his head and met those bright, smiling eyes.
Her confident gaze gave him courage, and he took a few more steps with anticipation.
It really didn’t hurt much anymore!
Although his gait was still somewhat limping, and the injured leg still lacked strength, he was satisfied with the current situation.
“Thank you!” Gu Bai wiped the thin sweat from his forehead and gave Ruan Tong a faint smile.
Ruan Tong walked over, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his face. “Fourth Brother, your leg can be cured. Although it will take a long time, believe me, I will definitely heal you.”
Having just experienced Ruan Tong’s skills, he naturally knew she wasn’t making empty promises.
Could it be that he really had hope of recovery?
Countless doctors had once pronounced his leg a “death sentence.” Since then, he had given up all hope and gradually accepted the fact that he had become a cripple.
But now, a young woman confidently told him his leg could be cured?
Was this really not just to comfort him?
Gu Bai fell silent for a few seconds before softly saying, “Ruan Tong, thank you, but I know some things can’t be forced.”
Hearing this, Ruan Tong simply smiled faintly.
She understood Gu Bai’s concerns.
He was afraid that after gaining hope, he would face disappointment once again.
It didn’t matter. She would let the facts speak for themselves.
Afterward, Ruan Tong treated Gu Bai’s leg every night.
In the first few days, the effects were remarkable. Gu Bai clearly felt his leg improving day by day.
Ten days later, he gradually noticed that the treatment’s effects were significantly less effective than before, almost to the point of stagnation.
Gu Bai remained expressionless on the surface, not even asking Ruan Tong about it, and continued to let her perform acupuncture on his leg every day.
In the blink of an eye, the two had been married for a month. Apart from their wedding night, Gu Bai had been sleeping on the floor.
Aside from Ruan Tong asking him once if he wanted to sleep on the bed—which he refused—she never brought it up again.
Of course, such trivial matters weren’t worth her attention.
Because something else had completely occupied her mind—she was pregnant!
After her period, which was usually very punctual, didn’t arrive, she checked her own pulse and discovered she was pregnant. The news struck her like a bolt of lightning, leaving her utterly stunned!
It was too unbelievable!
Just once, only once!
And she hit the jackpot!
She rested her chin in her hands, staring resentfully at Gu Bai, who was reading a book not far away.
“What’s wrong?” Sensing a resentful gaze, Gu Bai looked up and asked.
“I…”
As Ruan Tong began to speak, Gu Qin suddenly burst into the room.
“Fourth Brother, Fourth Brother, come out quickly! Guess who’s here!”
Seeing her flustered and reckless behavior, Gu Bai frowned in displeasure and scolded sternly, “Don’t you know you should knock before entering?”
“I’m just too happy!” Gu Qin cheerfully stepped forward, grabbing his arm and pulling him outside. “Fourth Brother, hurry up! Sister Qiuhong came here specially for you this time. She says she has something important to tell you!”
After saying this, she didn’t forget to glance back at Ruan Tong, her eyes filled with smugness and provocation.
Ruan Tong rolled her eyes. She didn’t even take Gu Qin’s little schemes seriously.
However, she did feel a slight curiosity about the woman named Qiuhong.
Putting down the pill in her hand, she leisurely walked outside.
She wanted to see what this person, whom Gu Qin was fawning over so much, actually looked like!
“Gu Bai, I’ve retired from the army! Now I’ll have time to spend with you!”
As soon as she stepped outside, she saw the woman named Qiuhong happily spreading her arms, about to hug Gu Bai.
This gesture was quite bold for this era.
Anyone who didn’t know the context would think it was a reunion of long-separated lovers.
Seeing this, Ruan Tong’s previously calm expression immediately darkened!
“Gu Bai!” Ruan Tong raised her voice to call the man not far away. She didn’t call him Fourth Brother anymore, lest some flirtatious troublemaker mistake her for his sister.
After all, Gu Bai was her husband!
Anyone who dared to covet her man was out of luck!
Gu Bai turned to look at her. Seeing Ruan Tong approach with a smile in her beautiful eyes, she hooked her arm through his, as if declaring her sovereignty, and looked at the woman in front of her, asking curiously, “Who is she?”
When Qiuhong saw Ruan Tong holding Gu Bai’s arm and their intimate posture, her hands, which had been suspended in mid-air, froze, and the smile on her face gradually faded.
Gu Bai actually didn’t push the woman beside him away!
So it was true!
Gu Bai had fallen in love with someone else!
“We were in the same unit before,” Gu Bai explained calmly, looking down at Ruan Tong. The frown that had tightened upon seeing Qiuhong had already relaxed.
Seeing this, Gu Qin quickly stepped forward, took Qiuhong’s hand, and said discontentedly, “Fourth Brother, what kind of attitude is this!? Sister Qiuhong came all the way from the city just for you!”
“Traveling such a long distance must have been tiring. Come inside and sit for a while!” With that, Ruan Tong led Gu Bai toward the elders’ room, exuding the aura of the lady of the house.
This was the first time he had seen Ruan Tong like this, and he couldn’t help but feel a little amused.
Could it be that this little woman was jealous?
But… that didn’t seem likely.
The elders’ room was the main house. Usually, guests were entertained there.
Seeing a group of people heading their way, the elders exchanged puzzled glances.
“Mom!” As soon as Erbao caught sight of Ruan Tong, his childish voice rang out. “Want candy, eat candy!”
The soft, sweet voice immediately caught Ruan Tong’s attention. She let go of Gu Bai’s arm, stepped forward, and picked up Erbao, who had been playing on the kang, pressing her face against his tender little cheek.
“Was Erbao good today? If not, there’s no candy to eat.”
Erbao giggled as she pressed her face against his. “Erbao good, Erbao obedient.”
When Gu Bai allowed Ruan Tong to hold his arm, Qiuhong’s internal alarm bells had already started ringing.
Now, seeing the scene inside the room—Erbao happily hugging Ruan Tong and calling her “Mom”—Qiuhong, who had been holding herself together, was starting to lose her composure.
“Qiuhong, you’re here! Come, sit down,” Wu Minzhen greeted her warmly.
Qiuhong forced a smile and sat on the stool, her eyes fixed on Gu Bai. But the man didn’t even spare her a glance.
Seeing this situation, Gu Qin grew a bit anxious, quietly tugging at Qiu Hong’s sleeve to remind her not to forget the main matter.
Only then did Qiu Hong snap back to attention, taking a quiet deep breath before turning to the elderly couple with a worried expression. “Uncle, Aunt, I heard that Gu Bai’s old injury flared up again recently. How could you not tell me about something so serious? Thankfully, Xiao Qin informed me in time.”
The meaning behind these words was not lost on the elderly couple—they understood perfectly well what she implied.