Chapter 26.1

After Wen Nuan washed the bowl from which the child had eaten her porridge, she came out and noticed that Gu Qinghan looked gloomy.

Even when the child’s toy was thrown outside the car, he didn’t bother to help her pick it up.

Wen Nuan dried her hands and immediately walked over to the child, then bent down to retrieve the rattle that had fallen to the ground.

“Why are you back so soon? Did you give the things to Sister-in-law Juxiang?” Wen Nuan squatted down beside the child and wiped her mouth.

Gu Qinghan watched as the child quietly played with the rattle that Wen Nuan had picked up again. He thought back to just a moment ago when he had retrieved the rattle for Lele twice, only for the little one to throw it out again.

Feeling a little down, Gu Qinghan replied, “Yes, I gave them to her.”

“It feels like you were only gone for a little while, how did you get back so quickly?” Wen Nuan muttered.

Deng Juxiang’s yard was a bit far from their place. Wen Nuan had been there before and knew it took several minutes to walk over, yet Gu Qinghan had already come back after delivering the items.

It must be nice to have long legs.

However, Wen Nuan also guessed that Gu Qinghan must have delivered the things and returned right away without even chatting with them.

Unlike her, who would always get caught up in gossip with Sister-in-law Juxiang before heading back home.

The snow was heavy today, and as Wen Nuan sat in the living room, she felt a chill. All of a sudden, she really wanted to go sit on Sister Guihua’s warm heated brick bed.

Unfortunately, Gu Qinghan happened to be off work today, so she certainly couldn’t leave him home alone.

If Gu Qinghan were to go over and chat with Sister Guihua, it probably wouldn’t happen. After all, even when Wen Nuan didn’t talk to him, he was rarely the one to start a conversation.

With nothing else to do, Wen Nuan pulled out the cotton and fabric she had bought in Jingshi earlier, intending to make Lele another pink cotton jacket before the New Year.

This year’s Spring Festival was relatively late, in February, and with about ten days left, she figured she could finish it in time.

Gu Qinghan, too, seemed to have nothing much to do. After sitting in a daze beside the child for a while, he started cleaning the stove and then replaced the coal briquettes with fresh ones.

After changing the coal, he changed the child’s diaper.

However, Lele seemed to have some opinion about it and managed to wet her pants during the diaper change. After Gu Qinghan finished changing the diaper, he went to wash the wet pants.

—o—o—o—

By noon, Wen Nuan decided to save some rice for the Spring Festival, so for lunch, she had Gu Qinghan roll out some noodles. She soaked some mushrooms and made a mushroom and egg noodle dish.

Fresh vegetables were incredibly precious in Northern City. There had been several times when Wen Nuan had wanted to make tomato and egg, but it just wasn’t possible.

As she watched the man roll the noodles, Wen Nuan curiously asked, “Why do you seem so down ever since you came back from Sister-in-law Juxiang’s? Did something happen?”

Gu Qinghan lifted his dark eyes to meet Wen Nuan’s curious gaze and responded mildly, “No, I’m just not used to it.”

Wen Nuan thought about it and understood. It had been over two months since they arrived in Northern City, and this was Gu Qinghan’s first day off. When he was in the provincial army, he had even fewer days off.

Since he hadn’t brought his family along to the army base, Wen Nuan had heard him mention that he almost never took leave, spending every day busy with army duties.

Wen Nuan teased him with a laugh, “I thought you were upset because I asked you to roll out the noodles.”

Gu Qinghan suddenly smiled, reaching out with his flour-dusted hand to tap her delicate nose. “How could I be? I’m very happy to be with you and Lele.”

Wen Nuan pursed her lips. Why did it seem like she couldn’t feel his happiness at all? He didn’t even seem as cheerful as he had been when he returned last night!

She was about to say something else to tease him, but then she heard Gu Qinghan suddenly say, “Once the weather clears up, let’s take Lele and go get a family photo.”

During his recent mission, Gu Qinghan had noticed that his comrades all had pictures of their families or loved ones. It was only then that he realized they didn’t have a single photo together.

When they got married, it had been rushed. They had only hurried to get their marriage certificate, not even taking a single picture. After the child was born, it was even more chaotic. Gu Qinghan had only returned right after the birth, and the next time he came back was right before being stationed with the army.

So Gu Qinghan planned to wait for better weather, then take Wen Nuan and the child into town to get a picture taken together.

That way, whenever he missed them, he could at least take out the photo and look at it.

Wen Nuan nodded and smiled. “Sure, but who knows how long this snow will last? Even if it stops, I bet the snow this time will pile up pretty thick.”

But even if the snow stopped, Gu Qinghan might not have the time. Who knew when he’d get another day off again?

Gu Qinghan glanced at the heavy snow falling outside the window and hummed in agreement. “Yeah, this snowfall is really something. Even during my year of training in Shenyang, I didn’t see snow this heavy.”

Wen Nuan looked outside and casually responded, “Maybe it’s because there are more mountains around here, so the snow is a bit heavier.”

The two chatted intermittently, and while Wen Nuan cooked the noodles, Gu Qinghan helped by tending the fire.

The flickering firelight illuminated Gu Qinghan’s face, highlighting his already handsome and refined features.

Since the kitchen was a bit cold, they had placed the little one in the hallway between the kitchen and the living room. This way, the child could see them, and they could keep an eye on her in case anything unexpected happened.

However, Wen Nuan noticed that little Lele had thrown the rattle Gu Qinghan had brought back from the far frontier to the floor several times. Wen Nuan had already picked it up for her three times…

Alright, after glancing at Gu Qinghan’s downcast expression, she finally understood why he looked so glum!

Though Lele was only a little over eight months old, she was already quite clever. She was either upset that Gu Qinghan hadn’t taken her outside earlier, or she was just bored of playing with the rattle.

Regardless of the reason, Wen Nuan figured little Lele had hurt Gu Qinghan’s feelings.

No wonder.

—o—o—o—

Wen Nuan dropped the noodles into the boiling water, stirred them a little, and added a few drops of oil. Lunch was going to be a simple, modest meal.

After they ate, Wen Nuan deliberately put the little one to sleep early. Then, she pulled a gray scarf from the wooden chest, feeling rather proud of herself, and brought it to Gu Qinghan, who was busy wiping down the child’s stroller.

“Qinghan, this is the scarf I made for you. I was going to knit a sweater first, but after Sister Guihua tried teaching me for a while and I still didn’t get it, I decided to start with a scarf,” Wen Nuan said as she pulled Gu Qinghan up. She stood on her tiptoes and placed the scarf around his neck. “See if you like it. I put a lot of effort into it.”

The gloom that had weighed on Gu Qinghan all morning disappeared the moment Wen Nuan draped the scarf around him. However, he still couldn’t help but say tenderly, “Why didn’t you knit one for yourself first? I’m not afraid of the cold.”

Wen Nuan had intended to say she didn’t particularly like the gray color, but that would make the gift seem insincere. So, she looked at him with a bright smile and said, “Wasn’t that around the time you went on your first mission after we moved to Northern City? You were all I could think about, so I wanted to make one for you first!”

Her words weren’t entirely a lie. After all, during that time, she had really struggled to get used to life without Gu Qinghan around, and she had indeed been thinking about him constantly.

Seeing Gu Qinghan’s mood lift from rainy to sunny, Wen Nuan figured that even if it was a bit of a lie, it was a sweet, well-intentioned one.

After all, she cared for him deeply.

At that moment, Wen Nuan felt like a little sun, radiating warmth and light.

She casually adjusted the scarf around Gu Qinghan’s neck. She had to admit, a good-looking person would still look great even if they were wrapped in a burlap sack.

The gray scarf suited Gu Qinghan perfectly, making him look even more energetic.

“You look so handsome wearing it! Do you like it?” Wen Nuan asked with a cheerful smile.

Gu Qinghan lowered his gaze, looking at the scarf that wasn’t particularly beautiful, but his heart was indeed moved by Wen Nuan’s earlier words. He reached out to pull her close, then lowered his head and kissed her. “I like it. I like it very much.”

Wen Nuan wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled. “As long as you like it. Next time, when I learn how to knit a sweater, I’ll make one for you.”

“Alright.” Gu Qinghan touched the scarf around his neck, then added, “I can handle the cold a bit better, so next time, make something for yourself and Lele first, okay?”

Wen Nuan lifted her head slightly, a little shy as she softly replied, “Mhm. Next time, let’s make matching outfits for the three of us!”

Gu Qinghan glanced at the scarf again and smiled gently. “It’s really beautiful. Thank you, my dear wife.”

Wen Nuan smiled sweetly. She couldn’t even remember when it started, but by now, Gu Qinghan had gotten used to calling her “wife.” At this moment, the term sounded especially pleasant.

“As long as you like it. When summer comes, I’ll make you a shirt…”

“Alright.”

The two lingered for quite some time, and soon after, Wen Nuan yawned several times in a row. Gu Qinghan urged her to go back to sleep.

Wen Nuan usually took afternoon naps with the child, so she asked him, “Aren’t you going to take a nap?”

“I’m not sleeping. You go rest.” Gu Qinghan wasn’t in the habit of napping, so he didn’t plan to follow Wen Nuan back to the bedroom.

Wen Nuan didn’t press the matter. Since they had delayed for a while, she practically fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, without even needing time to wind down.

—o—o—o—

When Wen Nuan woke up, she saw Gu Qinghan grinding some walnuts that he had brought back from the border. He was meticulously working on them, likely because he thought that the gifts he had brought home were not well received by the little one, so now he was trying to make something fun for the child.

Seeing that she was awake, Gu Qinghan asked, “Lele hasn’t woken up yet?”

Wen Nuan nodded and pulled a stool over to sit beside him, watching him fiddle with the walnuts. “As long as no one disturbs her, she can sleep for two hours in the afternoon.”

It was probably also because since they had arrived at the base, they had been waking up earlier, and the child naturally slept more. Now, she could nap even longer.

Gu Qinghan smiled. “That’s good. Sleeping well will help her grow faster. In another two months, Lele should be walking.”

Lele was already crawling all over the place now, and if they weren’t paying attention, she would climb out of her stroller. But Gu Qinghan was worried the floor might be cold, so he didn’t let her get down.

“Yes, soon. It’ll be just in time for spring, and there won’t be any snow left on the ground. With her personality, I bet she’ll be running all over the place,” Wen Nuan said, relaxing at the thought. She wouldn’t have to carry Lele all day, or constantly have her strapped to her back.

The holiday time always seemed to pass too quickly. Wen Nuan felt like Gu Qinghan’s day off had flown by without them accomplishing much of anything.

By nightfall, the snow was coming down heavier and heavier, filling the sky. She couldn’t help but wonder how the man would manage to return to the base for training the next day.

Because of the cold, Wen Nuan had changed the baby’s diaper early, then brought her to bed, letting her play under the covers where it was warmer.

Gu Qinghan had just finished brewing Wen Nuan’s herbal medicine. He carried it into the room, gently blowing on it before handing it to her. “It should be ready now. Drink it slowly, don’t rush.”

The first batch of herbs had already been brewed and finished. These new ones were from a prescription Gu Qinghan had gotten from the hospital right before his mission.

As Wen Nuan drank, she could tell the herbs were slightly different, though she had no idea what they were—just that they were extremely bitter.

Gu Qinghan stood by the bed, watching her sip the concoction with a frown on her face. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re this afraid of bitterness? Wouldn’t it be easier to just gulp it down in one go?”

Wen Nuan stuck out her tongue, feeling the bitterness linger on the tip. “If I drink it too fast, I might throw up. Alright, stop rushing me. If you keep pushing, I won’t drink it at all!”

It was even more bitter than iced americano—she might as well pretend it was just like drinking coffee.

Sure enough, the tall man by the bed stopped speaking but didn’t walk away. He simply stood there, watching her finish every drop of the medicine.

Wen Nuan stared at the little bit left in the bowl, her stomach feeling bloated, and she couldn’t bring herself to finish it. She handed the bowl to him. “I really can’t drink that last bit. Go ahead and wash it.”

At first, Gu Qinghan wanted to hand the bowl back to her, but Wen Nuan suddenly looked up at him with those big, watery eyes, blinking pitifully. She pleaded, “Qinghan, I really can’t drink anymore. It’s so bitter!”

Hearing the delicate tone of her voice, Gu Qinghan’s heart softened. He lightly tapped her on the forehead and said, “I’ll get you some candy later.”

Before Wen Nuan could respond, the little one who had been crawling around the bed perked up at the word “candy.” She immediately babbled, “Ah, ah—”

With all her might, she tried to crawl out, reaching for Gu Qinghan to pick her up.

Wen Nuan shook her head, exasperated, giving the little one a light pat on the bottom. “All you think about is food! Don’t let anyone trick you with candy in the future!”

The little one didn’t understand a word Wen Nuan was saying. Hearing “candy” again, she giggled and sat up straight, reaching out for Gu Qinghan with eager little hands, saying, “Ba…ba!”

It was hard to tell if the little one was saying “ba-ba” (Daddy) or “bao-bao” (hug), but one thing was clear—she knew Gu Qinghan had something good, and she wanted him to hold her.

Since it was a rare day off for Gu Qinghan, he had already planned to spend quality time with Wen Nuan and the child. Now that Lele wanted him, he immediately picked her up from the bed, holding the bowl of herbal medicine in his other hand.

The little one noticed the bowl in Gu Qinghan’s hand and, thinking it was something delicious, started babbling, “Ah, ah, ah,” while pointing at the bowl, seemingly wanting to drink from it.

Seeing her curiosity, Gu Qinghan brought the bowl closer to her nose. As soon as the little one caught a whiff of the bitter medicine, she scrunched up her face, hugged Gu Qinghan’s neck tightly with her little arms, and shook her head vigorously, mumbling, “Mmm, mmm, mmm…”

Wen Nuan immediately seized the moment and teased, “See, even your daughter knows the medicine tastes awful!”

Gu Qinghan glanced at the little one and then at Wen Nuan. “Just a few more months, and you’ll be fine.”

A few more months…

Wen Nuan felt that these days were just too ‘bitter’!

Meanwhile, Gu Qinghan had already taken the child to the living room. From the sound of things, he had washed the bowl and actually given the little one a piece of candy.

After a short while, as expected, Gu Qinghan came back with a piece of candy and held it up to Wen Nuan’s lips while she was reading. “Have one.”

Wen Nuan looked up, smiling sweetly at him. “You can help me unwrap it.”

Then she asked, “Did you give Lele some candy too?”

Gu Qinghan chuckled, “No, I gave her a raisin.”

Before Wen Nuan could say anything, he quickly added, “I split it in half, so she wouldn’t choke.”

Wen Nuan nodded, satisfied, and then popped the candy Gu Qinghan had unwrapped for her into her mouth.

Before turning off the lights, Gu Qinghan laid down with the child to sleep.

As Lele grew, her sleeping positions became more unruly. Wen Nuan often found herself waking up in the middle of the night, searching for her at the foot of the bed. If not, the little one would drape her legs across Wen Nuan, making it hard for her to breathe, leaving her utterly beat.

However, when Lele first fell asleep, her sleeping posture was still quite graceful—her little fists raised, lying perfectly still.

Wen Nuan waited for Gu Qinghan to return to bed, and once they were both lying down, she asked, “Isn’t your brother getting married in the next few days? Has anyone from home called you?”

Gu Qinghan wrapped his arm around Wen Nuan’s waist, his warm fingers lazily tracing under her clothes. Hearing her question, he responded, “They called once and sent a telegram too, but I didn’t bother with it either.”

Then Gu Qinghan added, “I think it’s sometime around these days. Qingsong told me they were planning to register and have the banquet before the New Year.”

Wen Nuan turned her head to look at him, her gaze meeting his deep, dark eyes. Seeing no particular change in his expression, she remarked, “I bet your mom’s pretty upset, huh?”

Gu Qinghan gave a soft “Mhm” and laughed awkwardly, “I saw that coming. My mom has always relied on me. I’ve been covering most of the Family expenses. Now that I’ve defied her for the first time, it’s probably a bit hard for her to accept.”

“And I also told her that whatever Qingsong gives, we’ll match it,” Gu Qinghan continued. “She got even angrier, scolded me for a while, and then hung up the phone.”

Wen Nuan’s heart raced at the thought.

She imagined that if travel were as convenient and advanced as it was in her own time, Gu Qinghan’s mother would probably have stormed over the next day.

Fortunately, it was the 1970s, a time when travel required an introduction letter.

Even if Zhao Wuzhu wanted to come, she would have to go through the military’s approval process first.

Gu Qinghan glanced down at her, then pulled her tighter into his embrace. “It’s alright. It’s something I have to face eventually; it’s just a matter of sooner or later.”

Wen Nuan wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. “I know. I just feel sorry for you. You’ve taken such good care of your family all these years. It’s frustrating that wanting fairness has led to this…”

Wen Nuan understood that Gu Qinghan had always known how much he had given to his family, yet never received a word of appreciation from his mother.

To say it didn’t hurt would be a lie. But, as he had said, it was something he had to go through sooner or later.

Zhao Wuzhu’s favoritism was so evident that anyone would feel disheartened by it.

Moreover, Gu Qinghan wasn’t saying they would stop giving money altogether. He just wanted it to be fair; whatever Gu Qingsong contributed to the family; they would match.

“It’s fine. My mom will come to understand,” Gu Qinghan said, patting Wen Nuan’s back, his tone slightly helpless.

Wen Nuan held onto him, her voice soft. “Gu Qinghan, I’m here for you. Even if the whole world doesn’t understand you, I will always stand by your side.”

As she spoke, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his cheek, wanting to assure him that she would always be on his side, that they would always struggle together.

Gu Qinghan’s heart trembled slightly as he felt the woman tightening her embrace around his waist.

He lowered his head, seeking that sweet fragrance, and kissed her gently.

At that moment, Gu Qinghan realized that there were indeed people in this world who genuinely cared about him.

He then began to share with the woman, who cared so much for him, about his experiences as a young pilot.

He recalled when he was 18, just starting out as a pilot. On his first test flight with his instructor, a small malfunction occurred, and their aircraft skidded into a forest. He had sustained some injuries, but they were not serious. Still, at that tender age, he had longed for his mother’s comfort.

However, the first thing Zhao Wuzhu said when he called home was, “Hey, Eldest, do you have any money? Your brother is about to enter high school and needs to buy books. He’s short of 3 yuan; if you have it, send it over tomorrow.”

The rest of the conversation followed a similar pattern. Gu Qinghan clearly remembered that most of the family’s financial needs revolved around Gu Qingsong.

At that time, he thought it was only natural; as the eldest son in the family, with their father having passed away, he felt responsible for shouldering the family’s burdens.

It wasn’t until he brought his child and Wen Nuan to the northern city with the military that he understood that family members could care for each other.

But now, he felt different; it wasn’t as painful as it had been when he was 18.

He had come to accept reality.

Not every child received love.

Wen Nuan reached out to touch his face, smiling earnestly as she said, “It’s okay. In the future, you’ll have me and Lele. We’re always here by your side.”

Gu Qinghan brushed aside the messy strands of hair from her forehead and kissed her softly. “Okay.”

—o—o—o—