Chapter 4: Er Gouzi

Su Nianmei quickly grabbed Gu Xiaobao’s hand and led him outside, swiftly closing the door behind them. With a loud “bang,” the wooden door made a muffled sound.

Once outside the room, she picked up a porcelain cup from the table and noticed some water still left inside. She drank it all in one go, holding the cup in her hand, the cool porcelain resting against her lips.

Gu Xiaobao looked confusedly at Su Nianmei, who was drinking the water. He realized the water in the cup had been poured in two days ago. Worried, he gazed at Su Nianmei but thought better of speaking up.

The little guy then ran with his short legs to the kitchen, dragging a water kettle that was half his size. He puffed and panted as he placed the kettle on the floor, then poked Su Nianmei’s arm with his tiny index finger, saying sweetly, “Mom, drink water.”

Only then did Su Nianmei return to her senses, noticing her cup was empty. She set it down and gently ruffled Gu Xiaobao’s little head.

She removed the stopper and lifted the handle, taking the kettle he had brought over and watching the water spill out. It gave her a sense of returning to her childhood.

With a cheerful smile, Su Nianmei said to Gu Xiaobao, “Thank you for bringing me the water, baby.”

Gu Xiaobao’s eyes sparkled with joy at being praised by his mom. He excitedly spun in circles, eventually getting so dizzy he nearly toppled over.

Su Nianmei quickly caught the dizzy little boy, gently scratching his nose and laughing as she said, “Little treasure, slow down! Be careful not to get dizzy.”

She placed Gu Xiaobao on a chair. “Sweetheart, you should drink some water too and take a little rest.” The child had been with her in the hospital, and she guessed he hadn’t rested well.

Gu Xiaobao held the porcelain cup, burying his little face into it, gulping down water while his tiny feet happily swung back and forth.

Only then did Su Nianmei begin to formally take in the entire room.

As soon as she entered, Su Nianmei found the bedroom of the original owner and Gu Xichao on her right. To her left was a small open area with a square wooden table surrounded by four chairs.

Walking further into the open space, she discovered a tiny kitchen, well-equipped with a gas stove, pots, pans, and all the necessary utensils.

Moving on from the open area, there was a small room—Gu Xiaobao’s bedroom. It contained a simple wooden bed with just a mattress on it, making it appear somewhat shabby.

When Su Nianmei stepped out of Gu Xiaobao’s room, she caught sight of Gu Xichao, neatly dressed, playing with Gu Xiaobao.

Gu Xichao wore a simple military green shirt but appeared very rugged. His strong legs were wrapped in trousers, and he smiled as he lifted Gu Xiaobao high, his muscular curves subtly visible beneath his shirt, exuding the charm of a mature man.

Peeking into their bedroom, Su Nianmei noticed that the previously messy space had become tidy. Remembering the original owner’s large underwear, she felt an urge to find a crack in the ground to hide in.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Su Nianmei walked over and opened it.

A little head poked through the gap, sporting a small bun on top. The child looked at Su Nianmei with wide eyes, seemingly a bit shy, as she stepped back and weakly called out, “Little Treasure.”

Gu Xiaobao perked up at the sound, wriggling in Gu Xichao’s arms as he struggled to get down, excitedly shouting, “Er Gouzi!”

Su Nianmei looked at the little girl in a floral dress with a small bun on her head, unable to comprehend why her parents would call her “Er Gouzi.”

Hearing Gu Xiaobao’s voice, Er Gouzi became excited as well, no longer afraid of Su Nianmei. She took off with her short legs, aiming to rush inside.

However, with a loud “thud,” Er Gouzi’s little legs got caught in her dress, and she ended up making intimate contact with the ground.

The sound of her fall was quite loud!

Gu Xiaobao stretched out his little hand to cover his face, revealing only his big eyes, which peered quietly at Er Gouzi. He felt a pang of sympathy for Er Gouzi in his heart.

Su Nianmei had just intended to help Er Gouzi when a serious male voice came from behind, saying, “Get up by yourself, and no crying allowed.”

Er Gouzi, on all fours, struggled to rise. Tears and mucus streamed down his face, and he blinked at the newcomer, his eyes wide.

Su Nianmei turned to look at the newcomer, who was clad in a crisp military uniform, slightly shorter than Gu Xichao, with a square face that appeared rather stern.

As Su Nianmei searched the original owner’s memories for any recollection of this person, she found none. Therefore, she smiled at the newcomer.

Upon seeing Gu Xichao, the newcomer instinctively straightened his legs and saluted Gu Xichao with a standard military salute. In a robust and deep voice, he called out, “Good day, Captain!”

The sudden shout startled Er Gouzi, who was clinging to Gu Xichao’s leg, making him shudder.

The tears and mucus that had just stopped flowed down her face again.

Gu Xichao also stood at attention and returned the salute. With a smile, he said, “Jianjun, once you’re off the training field, we’re all family. There’s no need to be so formal.”

Comrade Li Jianjun smiled back at Gu Xichao, scratching his head in embarrassment.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke to them, “Captain and sister-in-law, my wife has a night shift tonight, and I have to go on a mission. No one is home at Aunt Wang’s place. Is it possible…?”

Before Li Jianjun could finish his sentence, Su Nianmei had already guessed what he wanted to say. With a cheerful tone, she interjected, “No problem at all, just…”

Su Nianmei had just intended to mention Er Gouzi but worried it might be impolite, so she changed her words, “Hey, the child can stay at our place. It’s perfect; she can keep Xiaobao company.”

She had already been concerned about how they would manage to sleep tonight, and now, having another child around would lessen the awkwardness.

She felt she was quite clever!

Gu Xichao looked at her and followed her lead, but the warmth in his eyes deepened.

Li Jianjun did not linger long. After entrusting the child to them, he hurried off on his mission.

Gu Xichao and Su Nianmei exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

Su Nianmei tugged at her clothes and said, “It’s already this late; why don’t I go make dinner?”

Gu Xichao stood at the kitchen door without replying.

As Su Nianmei walked toward the kitchen, she hadn’t even reached the entrance when her wrist was caught by Gu Xichao.

The warmth from his grip made Su Nianmei’s wrist feel hot. Gu Xichao, with a hint of a smile in his eyes, said, “You’ve just recovered from a serious illness; how can I let you cook?”

“You just praised my cooking skills. I can handle this meal,” she insisted.

But under his gaze, Su Nianmei couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She had only been being polite earlier, so she readily nodded in agreement, saying, “Alright.”

Gu Xichao turned and entered the kitchen, rummaging for ingredients. Before long, the sound of chopping vegetables echoed from the kitchen, “Dong dong dong.”

With tears still streaked on his face, Er Gouzi hurried over. Noticing Su Nianmei had nothing to do, she felt concerned and searched her room for a towel and a basin. She planned to fetch some water to help Er Gouzi wash his face.

However, after searching for quite a while, she still couldn’t find where the water was.

“Where’s the water in the house?” Su Nianmei asked, struggling to recall. Finally, she managed to say: “Ah Gu.”

The chopping sounds abruptly ceased. Gu Xichao replied, “The water jar is over here in the kitchen. If you need water, you’ll have to get it yourself. I can’t free up my hands right now.”

Su Nianmei responded with an “Oh” and walked over.

The family building in the courtyard was already small, and the kitchen felt even more cramped with a water tank.

Gu Xichao, wearing an apron, pressed down on the vegetables with his left hand while skillfully wielding a knife in his right, chopping steadily.

He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, giving him a tall and lean appearance.

Su Nianmei halted at the doorway, the sunlight streaming through the window and casting a warm glow on Gu Xichao. This made his facial features stand out sharply—his deep-set eyes and serious expression made Su Nianmei feel as if he were not just cooking but meticulously crafting a piece of art.

Su Nianmei couldn’t help but internally critique the original owner’s taste. How could someone so handsome, with such a perfect physique, have been seen as just a sturdy, dark-faced man?

She held the porcelain basin and tried to squeeze past Gu Xichao to get to the water.

The kitchen corridor was already narrow, and with Gu Xichao standing there, it felt even more cramped. As Su Nianmei squeezed in, she noticed the temperature in the room suddenly rise.

Gu Xichao, being considerate, even shifted slightly to give her more room to pass.

After much effort, Su Nianmei finally managed to get past and stood next to the water tank. She reached for the ladle to scoop water, her hand trembling nervously.

Su Nianmei managed to scoop a small amount of water, dampening the towel, and then quickly retreated from the kitchen, moving as fast as if she were fleeing.

Gu Xichao heard a splash and knew the ladle had fallen into the water. A slight smile crept onto his lips.

Turning to look, he saw Su Nianmei carefully wiping Er Gouzi’s face while Gu Xiaobao sat nearby.

The scene was heartwarming.

As Su Nianmei observed the marks on Er Gouzi’s face, she continued wiping gently, using the moment to educate Gu Xiaobao. “You have to take care of your little sister. You can’t bully her. Otherwise, if she cries, her pretty little face won’t look nice anymore.”

Gu Xiaobao and Er Gouzi paused momentarily, lifting their heads in remarkably synchronized movements.

Gu Xiaobao vaguely sensed that his mom might have misunderstood something.

In a soft voice, Er Gouzi chimed in: “But I’m a boy~”

Su Nianmei looked at Er Gouzi, who wore a little floral dress and had an exquisite appearance, and she found herself liking him more and more.

She wanted to scoop him up and give him a hug, but she felt it was inappropriate due to their relationship.

Noticing Su Nianmei’s eyes dimming, Gu Xiaobao, filled with protective instincts, quickly reassured her, “Mom, don’t worry! Xiaobao will definitely take good care of my future little sister.”

Just then, Dad walked out of the kitchen, raising his voice in a worried tone. “Dad, Dad, Mom likes little sisters! Can you give me a little sister, please?”