Chapter 2: First Meeting

Su Nianmei realized what she said and knew it was too late to return it.

Steeling herself, she stammered out, “Xiaobao’s Dad,” but her voice came out like a mosquito buzzing in the air.

Gu Xichao leaned against the door, one hand holding his son while he gazed at his unfamiliar little wife.

The blue and white hospital gown accentuated her fair skin, and her long, dark hair cascaded casually over her shoulders.

Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with vitality, and her curved brows framed a small, delicate nose that hid a cherry-red mouth beneath, so rosy it made one want to steal a kiss.

She was different from the last time he had seen her. She exuded a certain charm now, pulling him closer with an invisible bond.

Seeing her sitting on the bed in a hospital gown tugged painfully at his heart.

“Mom, Mom, why are your ears so red?”

With keen eyes, Gu Xiaobao noticed his mother’s oddity and, in a flurry of worry, dropped his desire to cling to his dad.

He turned to run out and find the doctor, but Gu Xichao stopped him.

Gu Xichao glanced at Su Nianmei, noting that her previously pink ears had turned a bright red.

He pulled his son closer, casually draping him over his neck, and explained, “Mom is too hot, which is why her ears are red.”

Already tall, Gu Xichao had Gu Xiaobao perched on his shoulder, and as the little boy raised his hand, he nearly brushed the ceiling.

He patted Gu Xichao’s head and tugged at his ears excitedly.

Feeling as if he was floating in the air, Gu Xiaobao nodded as if he understood, speaking in a sweet, babyish voice: “I get it~ I’ve turned red when I was hot before. Aunt Li upstairs even said my face looked like…”

Gu Xiaobao momentarily struggled to remember, and in his distraction, he unintentionally tugged at Gu Xichao’s hair with his little hands.

Gu Xichao frowned slightly, but his expression remained calm and unfazed.

Su Nianmei also became interested and asked, “What do you look like?”

Gu Xiaobao tilted his head and smacked Gu Xichao again—Pa!

Su Nianmei felt a pang of concern watching them.

But suddenly, Gu Xiaobao burst into laughter, his eyes squinting as if they held a glimmer of light, and he earnestly said: “It looks like a monkey’s butt!”

As soon as the little bun spoke, it caused a fit of laughter from his parents.

The little bun, oblivious to the humor in his words, scratched his head in confusion.

He mumbled: “Aunt Li said that monkey’s butts are red.”

Su Nianmei watched the little bun’s adorable and silly demeanor, laughing breathlessly as she sat on the bed.

Gu Xichao set Gu Xiaobao down and, with his long legs, took two or three strides to stand before Su Nianmei.

Just as Su Nianmei managed to stop laughing, she found Gu Xichao standing right in front of her. Countless names swirled around in her mind, and she finally blurted out, “Xiao Gu.”

The twenty-eight-year-old Captain Gu smiled, his laughter rich and magnetic, with his two sharp little tiger teeth barely visible.

“Comrade Xiao Su, may I have the honor of escorting you home?”

Caught off guard by his charm, Comrade Xiao Su nodded dumbly.

When she noticed Gu Xichao efficiently starting to pack up, she felt a bit shy, shifted her legs, and quickly jumped off the bed.

Her legs, having remained still for too long, went numb and felt as though they were failing their mission.

Su Nianmei stood up unsteadily, nearly stumbling to the ground.

“Ah!”

Just as she thought she was about to kiss the floor, she was enveloped by a cold yet refreshing aura.

Gu Xichao wrapped his arm around Su Nianmei, slightly frowning. His slender frame made it easy for him to catch her. “Why are you so thin?”

Held in Gu Xichao’s embrace, Su Nianmei felt the chill of early autumn seep through her thin clothes.

She could sense heat rising in her back, and her eighteen-year-old heart raced wildly.

Wherever Gu Xichao touched her, it felt like it was on fire.

Su Nianmei’s head buzzed, and by the time she regained her senses, she found herself at the edge of the bed.

“I—I can walk on my own,” she stammered.

Gu Xichao glanced at the porcelain cup on the table and casually handed it to Gu Xiaobao, instructing him to fetch some water. His movements were natural and unselfconscious.

“Stay put,” Gu Xichao said in a flat tone as if he were soothing Gu Xiaobao. However, in that calm voice, Su Nianmei sensed something different.

“Thank you, dear!”

Su Nianmei held the still-warm cup in her hands. Back then, there were no bottled waters; people mostly drank boiled water from their homes, which had no peculiar taste.

She sipped slowly, savoring the smoothness, but her head felt a bit fuzzy. She had thought she was awake enough, yet she still felt somewhat dazed.

At some point, Gu Xiaobao had jumped onto the bed, quietly sitting next to Su Nianmei, his little legs swinging carefreely over the edge.

Su Nianmei looked down to find Gu Xiaobao’s pair of eyes locking onto hers—deep black, with slightly upturned corners, and round, sparkling as they moved around. He was utterly adorable.

She reached out to ruffle Gu Xiaobao’s hair and sighed, accepting her situation as it was.

When Su Nianmei left the hospital, it was just noon, and the sun was still blazing down, casting a harsh light on the ground. The military hospital had few passersby.

Su Nianmei didn’t carry much; a single package was enough to hold her belongings. She walked ahead with Gu Xiaobao, chatting and laughing.

Gu Xichao followed them at a leisurely pace, one hand holding the package.

His tall figure stood behind them, casting a bit of shade against the sun.

Gu Xichao felt a sense of contentment at this moment.

When they were engaged, he had only known that the Su family had a diligent eldest daughter.

Later, during the wedding, they had only briefly met a few times.

Though they were considered newlyweds, it felt more like they were just wearing the facade of marriage, with him knowing nothing about his wife’s preferences or personality—almost as if she were a stranger.

When he returned, he had heard only bits and pieces about her.

If his wife was unwilling, he could choose divorce, but he knew that the woman would suffer more as a result.

He felt a sense of responsibility in this matter.

His parents had concealed their child from him, and he felt some guilt for that.

He didn’t want to waste the time of a young woman who deserved better.

But this time, for this Su Nianmei in front of him, he felt that she was the one he was looking for. So, he wanted to save their marriage.

As Su Nianmei walked ahead, Gu Xiaobao carefully tugged at her pinky finger, lightly making contact with her.

Su Nianmei felt a pang of tenderness.

She slowly pulled her finger away from Gu Xiaobao’s grasp, but his hand quickly retreated as if pricked by something, his mouth turning downward in disappointment.

A large, warm, soft palm enveloped his little hand the next moment.

Gu Xiaobao’s drooping lips instantly lifted into a smile.

His little legs began to bounce as he felt an urge to run home and loudly tell the neighbor Er Gouzi that he had a mom now!

He finally had a mom!

The three of them continued walking ahead when suddenly, a gentle voice called out from behind, softly saying: “Brother Gu.”

Su Nianmei and Gu Xiaobao turned in unison to look back.

A girl in a nurse’s uniform stood there, her hair styled in two braided pigtails.

She held a medical kit in one hand and propped up an umbrella—a rarity in this day and age—with the other, looking quite delicate.