Chapter 6: The Agreement

Gu Xichao held the doorknob with his left hand, the dim yellow light casting a glow over him that accentuated the severity of his profile. He appeared as if he were a perfect masterpiece sculpted by an artist.

Standing tall, even in a simple tank top, he exuded the rugged demeanor of a soldier. A towel draped over his neck. He pulled it away to wipe the sweat from his brow.

Gu Xichao slightly turned his body, leaving a narrow passage for Su Nianmei to pass through. He asked, “Aren’t you coming in?”

Su Nianmei quickly withdrew her hand, looking at Gu Xichao. After he had fed her the egg yolk, he seemed like a different person, his gaze intense and aggressive.

She hesitated, her words coming out hesitantly, “I… I will.”

She stepped inside, trembling like a little rabbit that had just entered a wolf’s den.

As soon as Su Nianmei entered, Gu Xichao swiftly closed the door behind her, pinning the little rabbit against the wooden door.

The wooden door shut quietly, locking them in.

With Su Nianmei pressed against the cold wood, Gu Xichao leaned against the door, looking down at her. The light highlighted the sharp angles of his face even more.

Su Nianmei felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze.

She breathed heavily.

Gu Xichao gradually leaned closer, their faces coming nearer—like they were exchanging breaths.

However, Gu Xichao suddenly halted at a certain point, his hand gripping Su Nianmei’s chin. His finger traced the smoothness of her skin with a somewhat mischievous demeanor, and in a low, hoarse voice, he asked, “Are you very afraid of me?”

Su Nianmei’s pupils dilated slightly, and she struggled to calm herself. Still, her voice came out soft and delicate, quite unlike her usual tone. “N-No, I’m not afraid.”

Gu Xichao continued, “Then why are you deliberately avoiding me?”

Su Nianmei gasped, trembling as she said, “Ah Gu, can we talk?”

Seeing her like this, Gu Xichao realized he had frightened her and that he had been a bit too impatient. He let out a reluctant “hm” from his throat.

He released Su Nianmei and instinctively maintained some distance from her.

Stepping back to stand tall, Gu Xichao saluted Su Nianmei, regaining some of his previous formality. After a moment, he slowly began to speak, “You are my wife, and I swear on my honor as a soldier that I will take care of you for life. I was abrupt just now, and I apologize.”

Su Nianmei remained rooted to the spot, her mind a chaotic swirl as she looked at Gu Xichao. Suddenly, she burst out laughing. “Do you love me?”

Gu Xichao stood straight, resembling a soldier undergoing inspection, his palm pressed firmly against his pant seam. “I like you now and will love you in the future.”

He didn’t say that he had felt something different about her from the moment he first looked at her.

From the instant she had hugged Gu Xiaobao in the hospital.

To Gu Xichao, this Su Nianmei was a one-of-a-kind existence.

He had sensed a hint of this feeling, which was why he had become so anxious and out of control, behaving unlike his usual self.

Gu Xichao was never one to be gentle; he was a wolf, a wild wolf of the forest, and once he set his sights on his prey, he would take action without hesitation.

If he didn’t like someone, he wouldn’t leave them with any illusions.

He could not, and would not, allow his beloved treasure to slip away from his side again.

Su Nianmei looked at Gu Xichao, sensing that his eyes concealed many complex, anxious emotions.

There was desire, as well as genuine affection.

A myriad of intricate emotions converged, pressing against those eyes as if ready to burst forth at any moment.

She couldn’t comprehend it. But instinctively, she wanted to avoid that emotion, her gaze drifting away.

Desire is a common sentiment.

She wanted a sense of security in this unfamiliar world, but what she needed more was love, a love that was not a spark igniting dry tinder but an equal, sincere, and genuine connection.

It could be as tranquil as water or as passionate as a storm, but this love had to stem from affection first, not from desire.

However, when Gu Xichao’s feelings were bare before her, she felt they originated primarily from desire.

Unsure of how to face this, she could only retreat.

The decisions made in daylight seemed to be tilting, slowly shifting away, and she had no idea what the future would hold.

Glancing at the two blankets on the bed, Su Nianmei bypassed Gu Xichao and walked over, intending to pull the blankets onto the floor without saying a word.

Suddenly, her wrist was tugged, and both Gu Xichao and Su Nianmei found themselves sitting on the bed, with just a fist’s distance separating them.

Su Nianmei’s wrist felt warm where he held her. Gu Xichao looked at her, taking in this side of her—one he had never seen before.

At that moment, she was different from the strong persona she had shown earlier in front of Ji Yun. Now, she was a bit shy but completely unguarded, entirely open, and truly herself.

Gu Xichao looked at Su Nianmei and slowly released her wrist. He spoke, “I have been too hasty. Can we give each other a month to get to know one another?”

Though he hadn’t said much, Su Nianmei understood Gu Xichao’s meaning—he was giving her a month to accept him. Taking a deep breath, she replied, “Three months.”

The color in Gu Xichao’s eyes shifted dramatically, and he leaned forward. Su Nianmei felt a bit overwhelmed as his heated breath brushed against her ear. It felt like a negotiation, but his tone was particularly firm. “Two months.”

Gu Xichao didn’t give her the chance to refuse. After he finished speaking, he stood up, pulling a mattress from the nearby cabinet and laying it on the floor.

Su Nianmei looked over; the white mattress was slightly yellowed, clearly one that hadn’t been used often, and it bore a hint of dampness.

He then pulled a quilt from the bed, preparing to lie down.

Su Nianmei sat at the edge of the bed, only a foot separating her from Gu Xichao’s bedding. She wanted to say something but found herself unable to voice her thoughts.

It felt as if something was stuck in her chest—stifling and somewhat disappointing.

She pulled back the quilt, removed her shoes, and buried herself under the covers, closing her eyes tightly.

On this early autumn night, the sound of crickets chirping from the grass outside was persistent, one after another, causing a sense of irritation.

The room was so quiet that the only sounds were the breaths of the two of them.

Suddenly, a series of sharp whistles came from the courtyard outside, sometimes rapid, sometimes slow, alternating between long and short, echoing three times in total.

Su Nianmei heard a rustling sound near her ear, prompting her to act quickly. With her eyes tightly shut, she dared not open them.

Dressed in full military attire, Gu Xichao noticed Su Nianmei, who was still moving her eyes beneath her closed eyelids.

He let out a slight sigh and hurriedly stepped out of the room, quietly pulling the light cord to turn off the lamp and closing the door behind him.

Su Nianmei breathed a sigh of relief as darkness enveloped her, her mind still in a jumble, before she slowly drifted off to sleep.

—o—o—o—

Gu Xiaobao perched at the edge of the bed, watching the person on the bed intently. Every so often, he poked the person’s cheek with his small finger, finding it soft.

He frowned like a little old man before reaching out to pinch the cheek of the nearby Er Gouzi, his face lighting up with a satisfied smile.

Indeed, his mom was the best.

Er Gouzi’s face turned red from the pinch, baring his teeth in a grin. His tiny hands flailed in the air, and he opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to shout.

Quick as a flash, Gu Xiaobao covered Er Gouzi’s mouth.

Er Gouzi struggled more fiercely, but Gu Xiaobao was small, and the two little ones toppled over, landing on the bed.

Su Nianmei suddenly felt a weight on her chest, as if something was pressing down on her. Frowning slightly, she groggily opened her eyes, feeling her chest rise and fall with her breathing.

Upon opening her eyes, she saw the two children piled on top of her, with Er Gouzi trapped in the middle. His small hands twisted his skirt, looking up at her with an innocent expression, while Gu Xiaobao’s hand was still tightly covering Er Gouzi’s mouth.

All three of them locked eyes at that moment, and silence enveloped them.

A series of knocks echoed from outside the door. Just as Su Nianmei was about to get up, Gu Xiaobao slid down from the bed and hurried to open the door.

When he saw the person outside, his cheerful little face immediately fell, and he shrank back, his hand trembling on the doorknob.

A prolonged silence from outside made Su Nianmei a bit uneasy.

She called out, “Xiaobao, who is it?”