Chapter 59.1

Wen Nuan washed her hair before Gu Qinghan came home. After washing it, she sat at the door of the room to let it dry.

Northern City had gradually entered autumn, and the night breeze was colder than during the day. Wen Nuan wrapped her coat tighter around herself, listening to the sounds coming from the bathroom.

Gu Qinghan was always much quicker than her when it came to showering. Just as Wen Nuan was starting to feel a bit cold and was about to head back inside, he walked out leisurely while rubbing his hair with a towel.

He hadn’t even put on a shirt for his upper body, and she could vaguely see water droplets sliding down his well-defined muscles.

Wen Nuan wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but Gu Qinghan seemed a bit sluggish after drinking. However, if he was drunk, it didn’t seem like it.

As she watched him approach, she suddenly heard him ask in a hoarse voice, “What are you looking at?”

Wen Nuan looked up at him, then walked over and quickly grabbed his hand to lead him back to the living room, gently closing the door behind them.

She looked him up and down before saying, “Aren’t you cold? You just finished showering and didn’t even put on a shirt! It’s chilly at night; be careful not to catch a cold.”

Wen Nuan had originally saved some hot water for him, but Gu Qinghan hadn’t used it; he had still washed it with cold water.

Last November, he also used cold water, so Wen Nuan didn’t pay much attention to it. However, she hadn’t expected him to come out of the shower without putting on any clothes. What would they do if he caught a cold?

Last night, she had heard him say that after the Mid-Autumn Festival, he would be going to Shenyang for flight tests. How could he be so careless?

Gu Qinghan’s deep, dark eyes were fixed on her, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. He handed her the towel in his hand and said, “Help me dry my hair.”

Wen Nuan looked at the towel that had suddenly appeared in her hand. It was one she had given him just last month. Thinking about how he often helped her dry her hair, she walked with him over to the sofa.

Gu Qinghan sat upright on the only leather sofa, his unfathomable gaze fixed on Wen Nuan as she approached.

Wen Nuan walked to his side and quickly dried his hair. It was short and a bit stiff, but after one swipe with the towel, it was mostly dry.

Gu Qinghan caught a whiff of a pleasant fragrance and slightly raised his eyes, staring intently at Wen Nuan without blinking.

Wen Nuan had already draped the towel over the chair. She then took Gu Qinghan’s enamel cup and poured him a glass of warm water, handing it to him.

“Here, drink some warm water first.”

Wen Nuan stood by the side of the sofa, just a head taller than Gu Qinghan. She met his gaze, but when she saw he had no reaction, she called out uncertainly, “Qinghan?”

As soon as she spoke, Qinghan grabbed her wrist. With a firm pull, Wen Nuan felt herself spinning and then fell directly onto his lap.

However, the cup of water in her hand had already spilled more than half, and the water stains spread across their clothes, leaving a small wet patch on the floor tiles.

Wen Nuan wanted to scold him, but before she could, the man buried his slightly damp head against her shoulder, his strong arms tightly wrapping around her. In a husky voice, he said, “Don’t move. Let me hold you for a moment.”

Wen Nuan keenly sensed that he was a bit different than usual. She caught a whiff of alcohol on his breath, but it wasn’t unpleasant, so she quietly allowed him to hold her for a while.

However, when Wen Nuan felt the coolness of the skin on his back, she couldn’t help but ask, “Where are your clothes? Put your shirt on first.”

Although the man had a great physique, it wasn’t the right weather to be showing it off. Besides, there were times when she didn’t want to see it!

Thinking this, Wen Nuan glanced around to see where he had put his clothes, but she didn’t see them anywhere.

“I’m not cold.” The man took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her warm fingertips with a smile. “Your hands aren’t as cold as before.”

Wen Nuan couldn’t help but laugh, “I’ve been drinking herbal medicine for several months now; my health is much better.”

Gu Qinghan would stubbornly brew herbal medicine for her as long as he was home. In her memory, it seemed like the only time he hadn’t done so was on the night of New Year’s Day this year.

The man softly said, “Oh,” with a hint of relief, “That’s good.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Qinghan used one hand to pin her hands behind her back, while with the other hand, he pressed down on the back of her head, firmly restraining her.

Gu Qinghan’s deep, pool-like black eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned closer to her, then lowered his head to capture her lips.

“Mm…”

Wen Nuan was taken by surprise, her eyes widening as she looked at the slightly intoxicated man.

His eyes were closed, and his long eyelashes fluttered like a small fan.

His kiss was domineering and unrestrained, imbued with an unprecedented intensity and a hint of roughness. Wen Nuan was kissed breathlessly, and though she gently struggled, she felt his grip on her wrist tighten.

It seemed Gu Qinghan was not satisfied with such a kiss, as if he wanted to devour her whole. He quickly released her wrist and lifted her up, steadily walking toward the small room.

Wen Nuan knew that this man was drunk. Although he often did this kind of thing normally, now it made her heart race, leaving her feeling dizzy.

Wen Nuan felt herself being laid back on the soft bed, her arms climbing onto his shoulders as she slowly began to respond to him.

—o—o—o—

Wen Nuan did not know when she had fallen asleep the night before. When she woke up, she found herself on the kang in the large room.

Lele had one foot propped up against the wall while the other rested on Gu Qinghan’s belly, who was still sound asleep.

This was the first time she had seen Gu Qinghan wake up after her.

Recently, in Northern City, the autumn air was crisp and refreshing, and the weather was clear and dry. Even with the curtains drawn, the room was bright.

Wen Nuan lay on her side, observing Gu Qinghan as he slept. His arms were stretched above his head, and his sleeping posture was quite different from hers and Lele’s, which often involved limbs sprawled all over the place.

Since the king had been installed at home, Lele’s sleeping positions had become even more varied; he often started the night on one side but would wake up on the other.

In contrast, Gu Qinghan slept very properly. Aside from the times when it had been cold and he needed to hold her while sleeping, he hardly moved now that there was more space on the kang.

Like right now, Gu Qinghan lay perfectly still, breathing steadily, without a sound of snoring.

His long eyelashes were even clearer at this moment than they had been the night before.

Wen Nuan smiled and reached out to touch the tip of his nose. However, the next second, the man caught her hand and, after a brief pause, gently kissed it.

“Are you awake?” Wen Nuan smiled again, withdrawing her hand.

The next moment, she noticed a dark red mark on Gu Qinghan’s neck…

Oh no, it seemed she had gotten a bit carried away last night; it was her doing!

The flush on Gu Qinghan’s face had disappeared. Hearing Wen Nuan’s question, he reached down to remove Lele’s little foot that was resting on his belly.

Then he turned to her, pulling her into his embrace, and muttered, “Mm, I’m awake.”

“Were you drunk last night?”

“……”

Gu Qinghan paused for two seconds, his gaze landing on Wen Nuan’s swollen lips. Then he asked her, “Did I hurt you last night?”

“……”

That question was genuinely difficult to answer.

Wen Nuan lifted her eyes and caught a whiff of what seemed like lingering alcohol on him, so she decided to change the subject and asked, “You’re not going back to the flight team today, right?”

“Mm.” Gu Qinghan didn’t look at her but added, “Today, I need to accompany General Lu to visit the army soldiers. I won’t have to go back to the flight team for the next two days.”

Wen Nuan listened to him and thought about how tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Everyone would be on holiday, but she wanted to know if Gu Qinghan would have time to join them for the roast lamb.

She also didn’t know how long General Lu would be staying, so Gu Qinghan might not be free either.

Wen Nuan leaned toward him and remembered the fighter model. She asked, “By the way, you mentioned last night that General Lu wanted that model.”

“Mm, General Lu did ask me about it.” Gu Qinghan lowered his gaze and sensed that Wen Nuan seemed to have something on her mind. He asked, “Is the model gone?”

Feeling embarrassed, Wen Nuan explained how General Xu had asked her for the model the night before. In the end, she asked, “What should we do now? Should we give it to General Lu or General Xu?”

To be honest, both were Gu Qinghan’s superiors, and one was higher than the other. It wouldn’t be good to offend either of them…

Gu Qinghan also showed a serious expression for the first time, seemingly unable to decide.

Wen Nuan thought for a moment and said, “Since you made the model, why don’t you find some time to make another one? Then you can give one to each of them…”

Gu Qinghan smiled faintly. “If I make more, they won’t be as special.”

Wen Nuan nodded. “That’s true.”

Moreover, making that model had taken Gu Qinghan several nights. For the past two months, while their Kitchen Team was practicing in the kitchen, Gu Qinghan had taken Lele along. Wen Nuan didn’t want to waste any more of his time.

However, it was challenging to decide who to give the model to.

If they gave it to General Lu, they might be accused of trying to ingratiate themselves with a superior. But if they gave it to General Xu, it might offend General Lu…

It was too difficult to please both sides…

Gu Qinghan reached out and rubbed her head, then said, “Don’t think too much about it. The chief and General Lu are not the petty type.”

“And last night, General Lu asked about you several times. It seems he thinks highly of you.”

Wen Nuan looked confused; she hadn’t expected to catch General Lu’s attention. Curiously, she asked him, “What did General Lu ask about me?”

Wen Nuan suspected it was because of the incident with Gu Qinghan’s plane crash that had drawn significant attention from above, making General Lu interested in her.

Gu Qinghan stared at the ceiling for a moment before softly replying, “Nothing special. He just asked about your family situation—how many people are in your family and how old you are now.”

The marriage political review for flight personnel was much stricter than for regular soldiers. These details will be clear as soon as they open a file.

Moreover, Wen Nuan’s family had been workers for three generations, and their family situation was relatively simple. They had lived in the Wen family ancestral hall for generations without ever moving, which had allowed them to pass their political review back then.

So, Gu Qinghan figured that General Lu was just making small talk, especially since she had contributed to the military as well.

Wen Nuan responded with an “oh” and then asked, “How old is General Lu? He looks a lot older than General Xu.”

Gu Qinghan then began to tell Wen Nuan about General Lu.

General Lu’s original name was Lu Mingfei. He was 62 years old this year and had participated in the War, where he shot down two hundred and thirty enemy aircraft. In the 1960s, even at the age of 50, he still piloted fighter jets and achieved great victories, making him a well-respected hero.

Moreover, both of his sons were also soldiers. Unfortunately, they had both sacrificed their lives in battle, causing a white-haired man to send off his black-haired sons.

As Wen Nuan listened to Gu Qinghan’s words, she felt a bit downcast. The peace and prosperity of the future had been built on the blood of heroes from the older generation.

It was truly essential to cherish the hard-won life they had.

Noticing Wen Nuan’s low mood, Gu Qinghan rubbed her head and asked, “Are you hungry? I can get up and make you breakfast.”

Wen Nuan shook her head, having already gotten up herself. “No need. You should rest Today; I can handle it.”

Seeing his wife up, Gu Qinghan couldn’t lie still either and got up to help her make breakfast.

Just as they finished preparing breakfast, Lele woke up, climbed down from the kang, and emerged with a messy head of hair.

Wen Nuan noticed that she wasn’t wearing her shoes, so she went back into the room to get them. She wrapped the shoes up and placed them on a chair before helping Lele put them on. “The weather is getting cooler; remember to wear your shoes next time.”

Lele laughed and kicked her feet in her shoes, showing a bit of reluctance to wear them. However, Wen Nuan had already put them on and carried her back down to the floor.

Once Lele was on the ground, Wen Nuan prepared a little milk for her. This time, Lele was obedient, sitting at the doorway, drinking her milk while watching the hens peck around the yard.

They made a simple dish of egg and vegetable noodles for breakfast. Gu Qinghan brought the noodles to the table, and he and Wen Nuan sat at the Eight Immortals table to eat.

About halfway through their meal, Lele returned with her empty milk cup, saying, “Mama, give me more.”

When she saw her parents eating noodles, she tugged at Gu Qinghan’s arm and said, “Daddy, I want to eat.”

Gu Qinghan patted her little belly and replied, “Wait a bit. You just had milk, and I saved you a bowl.”

“I don’t want that!” Lele crossed her little arms, insisting she wanted to eat noodles.

After a while, seeing that the two adults were ignoring her, Lele stretched out her hand to grab the bowl on the table.

Wen Nuan swatted her hand gently and then picked Lele up, walking toward the kitchen while grumbling, “I’ve never seen such a little kid who can eat so much!”

Lele saw Wen Nuan bringing out her bowl of noodles and clapped her hands in delight. “I want to eat noodles!” 

Wen Nuan glanced at the little guy’s noodles and noticed that there were even fewer eggs in it than in hers. Gu Qinghan had given her all the eggs. 

Lele sat on her high stool, holding a spoon, and exclaimed, “Eggs! I want to eat eggs!” 

Gu Qinghan then pushed her bowl toward her and said, “There are eggs now, but you can’t eat your mom’s anymore.” 

Lele giggled, “Eggs are delicious.” 

She then began to clumsily eat the noodles, but eventually, Gu Qinghan couldn’t stand it any longer and fed Lele. 

After breakfast, Gu Qinghan was getting ready to go out, and Wen Nuan stood nearby watching him change clothes. She noticed a red mark on his neck and reminded him, “Hey, you should wear an extra coat today.” 

Gu Qinghan had a high body temperature; even in the season when they had already started wearing sweaters, he was still just wearing one layer, and he took cold showers every night, completely disregarding the drop in temperature. 

Moreover, with the recent cool autumn weather, he often broke a sweat after walking a few steps, yet Gu Qinghan had no intention of putting on two layers so soon. 

Seeing that the man was oblivious, Wen Nuan reminded him, “You have a mark on your neck.” 

“What mark?” Gu Qinghan instinctively touched his neck. 

Wen Nuan blushed and huffed, “Isn’t it the result of your actions last night? It’s not like I did it on purpose!” 

After saying that, she turned her head to look at Lele.

Gu Qinghan chuckled, fastening the last button on his collar before walking over and pinching his wife’s cheek. He smiled, “Oh? Were you that excited last night? “ No big deal, if someone asks me, I will them that I got bitten by a mosquito.” 

Wen Nuan swatted his hand away and made a face at him. “You’re the mosquito!” 

Besides, who would believe there were mosquitoes in Northern City at this time of year? 

However, Gu Qinghan strode out with a carefree spirit, and just before leaving, he gave Lele a kiss on the cheek. 

Gu Qinghan went out. 

Wen Nuan carried Lele to the kitchen. 

Those who participated in the gala would get a three-day break, and tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival, just in time for roasting a whole lamb. 

So Today, Wen Nuan went over to discuss with everyone where would be the best place to roast it, and they also needed to prepare side dishes to go along with it. A single lamb wouldn’t be enough on its own. 

When Wen Nuan arrived at the kitchen, Old Zhong and Quartermaster Luo had already brought back the lamb. 

When everyone saw Wen Nuan come over, they asked, “Comrade Wen Nuan, are we butchering it now or waiting until tomorrow?” 

Wen Nuan looked at the goat, which was quite plump, tied up outside the chicken coop.

“There’s no rush; let’s butcher it tomorrow morning. We can have dinner together in the evening, okay?” 

Quartermaster Luo had held a meeting with everyone last night. Those who performed on stage would have a gathering, while the others who didn’t participate would share the extra hundred yuan prize. 

They decided to keep 30 yuan to buy some other meat and side dishes. 

After all, the kitchen staff was nearly a hundred people, and one lamb wouldn’t be enough to go around. Fortunately, everyone understood the situation, and there were no objections to Quartermaster Luo’s plan. 

After discussing the lamb, Wen Nuan went to Quartermaster Luo’s office. 

Seeing her approach, Quartermaster Luo, unsure of what to expect, asked, “What’s up? You’re not suggesting we divide the lamb, are you?” 

Wen Nuan smiled and replied, “Nothing like that. I just wanted to ask where that model of the fighter jet from last night went.” 

Quartermaster Luo let out a sigh of relief and said, “Thank goodness! If you had me divide the goat, I wouldn’t have anything good to eat myself.” 

Then he added, “As for the fighter jet model? It’s probably still hanging from the ceiling in the auditorium. Why? Do you want to take it home?” 

Quartermaster Luo himself wanted the model in his office; he just hadn’t had the time to go get it yet.

“No,” Wen Nuan pressed her lips together and explained, “General Xu and General Lu both want to take it, so I wanted to take it back first and see who to give it to later.” 

“Ah?” Quartermaster Luo was taken aback. “General Xu and General Lu both want it?” 

He stroked his chin and clicked his tongue. “I was planning to keep it in my office!” 

“Do you want it too, Quartermaster Luo?” This model had previously been in his office, and Wen Nuan didn’t expect everyone to want it. 

Quartermaster Luo touched his wounded heart. In this Air Force unit, who didn’t have a dream of becoming a pilot soaring into the blue sky? 

“Forget it, forget it. How could I compete with General Xu and General Lu?” 

Of course, he wouldn’t be able to compete, and he wouldn’t dare to! 

Wen Nuan sighed as well. “It hasn’t been decided who will get it yet.” 

General Xu had asked her for it. 

But the model was made by Gu Qinghan, and General Lu had asked Gu Qinghan… 

It was complicated, but they should first bring the model back before deciding what to do.