Chapter 20: Home: A Sketch in Love and Duty 

Li Xia had no idea that the dish she sent over would be so well-received by the Ma family. 

However, she was aware that she had a natural talent for cooking. Back in school, even when she and her classmates followed the exact same recipe, her dishes always turned out better than theirs. 

Later, when she rented an apartment on her own, she developed a good relationship with an elderly man living next door. He taught her many cooking techniques and tricks. 

It wasn’t until much later that she found out: the old man was actually a descendant of an imperial chef from the Qing Dynasty. 

…

Gu Weicheng and An An loved her cooking as well. They finished every last bite of the two dishes and soup she had prepared. 

After the meal, Gu Weicheng got up to wash the dishes. Li Xia didn’t say anything, but in her heart, she secretly gave this man another round of praise. 

In her eyes, a man who took the initiative to do the dishes was undeniably attractive. 

There was no other reason; she simply hated washing dishes. 

As Gu Weicheng was washing the dishes, Sister-in-law Tao happened to come by to return the meal container. When she saw Gu Weicheng in the traditional kitchen washing dishes while Li Xia and An An were resting, she exclaimed in surprise, “Xiao Li, is Commander Gu the one washing the dishes at your house?” 

Li Xia had already anticipated this reaction from Sister-in-law Tao and knew that she meant no harm. 

“Division of labor and cooperation,” Li Xia replied. 

Sister-in-law Tao lowered her voice and said, “You married a good man. Commander Gu is truly a good man. You have no idea—my Old Ma never washes dishes. I do all the cooking, and I do all the laundry, too.” 

Li Xia smiled and said, “Then, Sister-in-law, you should start reforming Commander Ma.” 

Sister-in-law Tao burst into laughter. “I’ll take your advice! Starting today, I’ll make sure to reform him well and have him take Commander Gu as an example!”

“Speaking of which, your cooking skills are really impressive. Those three boys at home all said it was delicious, and even Old Ma praised it. He told me to learn from you.” 

“Of course! I was just thinking that I don’t know how to use a sewing machine. When the time comes, Sister-in-law, you’ll have to teach me. Once I learn, I’ll buy a sewing machine of my own,” Li Xia said. 

“Then we’ll learn from each other!” 

…

After Sister-in-law Tao left, Gu Weicheng had also finished washing the dishes. 

There was no television at home, but they had bought an electric fan while they were in the city today. With the fan running during dinner, they could eat without sweating profusely. 

On the first day of moving into their new home, it would have been nice to take a photo to commemorate the occasion. However, they didn’t own a camera, and in this era, cameras were considered a luxury. 

So, Li Xia suggested, “Since it’s our first day in our new home, let’s draw a picture together as a keepsake!” 

“Yes!” 

For a childlike An An, drawing was one of the most enjoyable activities. 

Gu Weicheng wasn’t skilled at drawing—in fact, he had never drawn before—but he fully supported the idea.

The artwork titled Home was completed with Li Xia as the primary artist and An An as the assistant. 

Li Xia sketched the house and courtyard, while An An added three figures—Daddy, Mommy, and himself. After some thought, he also drew a five-star red flag on top of the house. 

The drawing wasn’t particularly refined, but its sentimental value made it precious. Gu Weicheng even mentioned that they should buy a frame next time to properly preserve it. 

After a long and exhausting day, the three of them needed to wash up and get some rest early. 

Gu Weicheng took charge of bathing An An, leaving Li Xia free from the task. After finishing her own wash-up, she lay down on the bed. 

Not long after, Gu Weicheng came over, carrying An An, who was only dressed in a shirt and shorts.

Actually, there was another bed in the secondary bedroom, but it was assumed that An An would sleep there once he got older and no longer shared a bed with them. 

Clearly, Gu Weicheng had no intention of sleeping in the secondary bedroom either—he planned to sleep with them. 

Up until now, Li Xia had been so busy setting up their home that she hadn’t thought about this issue. It only occurred to her now, but it seemed too late to address it. 

After all, they had been apart for five years. She had finally moved in with him as part of the military family relocation and had even been honest with him earlier that day, expressing her desire to build a proper life together. 

At a time like this, she couldn’t very well ask Gu Weicheng to sleep alone in the secondary bedroom—how would that make him feel?

“I want to sleep next to Mommy! Mommy, can you tell me a story?” 

With An An there, sleeping in the middle, Li Xia was spared a great deal of awkwardness. 

The children’s storybook they had bought just that day finally came in handy. Flipping through it, Li Xia found that the stories were surprisingly well-written. They fit the era’s context well and conveyed values that would benefit a child’s upbringing. 

Most importantly, the illustrations were beautifully done, rich with traditional Chinese artistic charm. 

Unlike later years, when many children’s picture books and even school textbooks became infamous for their disturbing illustrations, leaving parents deeply unsettled. 

Li Xia chose the first story in the book and began reading it to An An. He listened intently, completely absorbed. By the time the story reached its end, his large, dark eyes shimmered with tears. 

“Mommy, Gale and his owner are so pitiful,” he sniffled.

The story was about a military dog and its handler who sacrificed their lives to save others. The handler lost his life, while the dog, Gale, was left with a broken leg. 

After his handler’s death, Gale never saw him again. But he found his master’s grave and remained there, standing guard, refusing to leave, forever loyal. 

After reading the story once, Li Xia had An An read it with her again. This kind of parent-child reading helped him recognize more characters and improve his literacy. 

Gu Weicheng, who had been listening on the side, spoke up: “An An, don’t cry. This is their mission. Just like how, from the moment I enlisted, I was prepared to sacrifice for my country. That is what it means to be a soldier.” 

Using the word pitiful to describe a soldier or a military dog wasn’t quite right—it wasn’t what they would want. 

For them, sacrificing for their country wasn’t something tragic. It was an honor. 

Some deaths are as light as a feather, while others weigh as much as Mount Tai.

An An was still too young to fully grasp such things, no matter how they explained it. 

He clung to Gu Weicheng tightly. “Daddy, don’t die.” 

Gu Weicheng chuckled and patted An An’s shoulder reassuringly. “Alright, I promise to be careful.” 

Li Xia looked at Gu Weicheng, and at that moment, the man before her seemed even more towering, even more heroic. It was precisely because of soldiers like Gu Weicheng, who feared no sacrifice, that their homeland stood as strong and prosperous as it did today.

The peaceful and beautiful lives of ordinary people were made possible because soldiers like him carried the weight of the world on their shoulders. 

Children slept especially soundly, and after an exhausting day, it was even easier for them to drift off. As soon as An An’s head touched the pillow, he quickly fell into a sweet slumber. 

Li Xia hadn’t fall asleep yet, but she closed her eyes and pretended to. 

Gu Weicheng was still awake as well. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, but he knew they were all positive ones. Moving into the military family housing compound, he had appeared calm on the surface, but in truth, his excitement was no less than An An’s. 

Ever since his mother had passed away and his father had remarried, he had been without a home. 

But now, he had a home again. 

And it felt so good. 

…

The bedside lamp was still on. By its dim glow, Gu Weicheng turned to look at An An and Li Xia lying beside him. 

An An’s breathing was steady, clearly deep in sleep. As for Li Xia…

Li Xia’s blanket had slipped off. Gu Weicheng propped himself up and reached out to cover her with it. The temperature in Yuncheng fluctuated significantly, and sleeping without a blanket at night could easily lead to catching a cold. 

Li Xia kept her eyes shut, but the moment she felt a broad, slender hand grasp her blanket, her heart began to pound wildly. 

What was Gu Weicheng trying to do? 

Was he planning to take advantage of her while she was asleep…? 

No way, right? 

Forget it! 

With a swoosh, Li Xia’s eyes snapped open, locking directly onto Gu Weicheng’s deep, unreadable gaze. She instantly snatched the blanket from his hand and, stiffening her neck, blurted out, “I—I’m on my period!”