Chapter 59.2

Reunions were always fleeting, and partings were especially sorrowful.

At the train station in J City, Su Xi and Xie Zhen bid farewell to Tang Siyun and their friends, Pang Xing and Fang Yunyun, as they boarded the train for their return journey.

After another seven days and nights of bumpy travel, they finally arrived back at Hongjun Island, which they hadn’t seen in a month.

When they finally returned home, it was already three in the afternoon.

The couple quickly freshened up, not bothering to rest, and immediately went to visit Grandma Chen at the Su family home, also to let her know they were back.

August was still blisteringly hot.

After waiting for the sun to become less intense, Grandma Chen sat under the shade of a tree in the yard, sorting through the soybeans.

This year, the early-maturing soybeans were in their prime during the first week of August. With more than half an acre of land, they had harvested over a hundred jin.

Once cleaned and dried, they could be exchanged at the cooperative for a good amount of soybean oil.

Chen Xiangyun was just tossing a small clod of dirt onto the ground when she saw someone walking through the gate.

Grandma Chen looked up closely and was overjoyed to see her granddaughter and grandson-in-law had returned. She quickly got up to greet them, exclaiming, “Oh! When did you come back? Hurry over, Grandma Grandma Let me see! Was J City fun?”

Separated for over twenty days, Su Xi missed Grandma Chen dearly.

She smiled as she approached Grandma Chen, affectionately wrapping her arms around her arm and shaking it playfully. “We just got home, dropped off our luggage, and took a shower before coming here! J City was quite fun. Xie ZhenMom lent us a camera and took a lot of pictures.

We didn’t have time to develop them yet, but once the photos are ready, Xie ZhenMom said she would send them to us. I went to the Great Wall and other famous places in J City. Xie Zhen took me all around. Next time, I’ll take you to see them; it was so much fun…”

Chen Xiangyun listened with a smile as her granddaughter leaned against her, chattering away with her little mouth. Although Su Xi looked a bit tired, her eyes sparkled, clearly indicating that the trip to J City went very well. It made sense; this child, Xie, had always pampered Xi, ensuring that she wouldn’t feel wronged, and that was great! That was just great!

Grandma Chen smiled happily, listening to her granddaughter, while her son-in-law sat beside them, helping her pick beans. Chen felt even more satisfied and teased, “What do you mean Xie ZhenMom? Isn’t that your mom?”

Su Xi glanced at the man, then stuck out her tongue, twisting her body playfully. “I was just afraid you wouldn’t recognize her name! I get along really well with Mom, don’t I, Xie Zhen?”

Xie Zhen immediately nodded in agreement, “Yes!”

It was difficult to say that his own mother and daughter-in-law had a good relationship; he felt it was more like a mother-daughter bond, while he seemed like a son-in-law being scorned by his mother-in-law.

Grandma Chen tapped her granddaughter lightly on the forehead, feigning annoyance. “Now that you’re married, how can you still call her by her full name? It sounds so distant.”

Su Xi paused for a moment, hesitating as she turned to look at the man, only to meet his expectant gaze.

For some reason, she suddenly felt a bit shy and quickly turned her head back, unable to face those burning black eyes. Feeling awkward, she changed the subject. “What about my sister?”

Grandma Chen chuckled, “They took Xiao Zheng and Xiao Rong out to play. Didn’t you ask them to transplant a peach orchard earlier? It’s all done now; we’re just waiting for you to come back and graft it. I heard from the people in the family compound that the leader had a small slide built near the peach orchard for the children. Now the little monkeys run over there every day, and they’re not bothering to climb the mountains or go to the river…”

Su Xi hadn’t expected that, but she thought it was nice for the children to have a fun and safe place to play.

—o—o—o—

The grandmother and granddaughter chatted idly for a few more moments, but Su Xi then lazily yawned, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Chen Xiangyun had seen enough and began to shoo them away. “If you’re tired, just go take a nap. Come back for dinner later, Grandma Chen is cooking! You must be exhausted after sitting on the train for days.”

Su Xi was indeed a bit tired. After all those days, even though she had been in a sleeper car, she was genuinely worn out.

She did not refuse and let Xie Zhen lead her back to bed in a daze.

“Stay with me for a while!” Once they returned home, Su Xi was directly embraced by the man and settled onto the bed.

The house was very clean; it must have been tidied up by Grandma Chen or Xie Ying. At that moment, Su Xi was so sleepy that her eyes could barely stay open, yet she still pulled on the man, who was getting ready to leave, and patted the space beside her, acting adorably.

Xie Zhen hesitated but did not refuse. He had planned to go over to Grandma Chen’s to help her prepare dinner, but thinking it over, it was still early, and he could spend half an hour with his little wife before heading over.

So, he took off his long pants and outer clothes, rolled onto the bed, and stretched out his long arm to pull her into his embrace. His large hand gently patted her slender back. “Be good! Sleep now!”

Su Xi instinctively placed her small hand on the man’s waist, nuzzling her face against his chest. After a yawn, she breathed in Xie Zhen’s refreshing scent. In that familiar aroma, she immediately fell into a deep sleep!

Today, the Su family’s courtyard was especially lively.

The whole family gathered together, their cheerful laughter filling the air.

After dinner, instead of going for their usual walk, everyone stayed in the courtyard to chat. Su Xi seized the opportunity to distribute the gifts she had brought back from J City to her family members one by one.

The two little treasures received the tin toy cars that Su Xi had chosen for them from the friendship store and immediately squatted on the ground to start playing. Xie Ying stood nearby, watching them with a gentle gaze, while she asked her younger brother, “How are Grandpa and Mom and Dad?”

Xie Zhen nodded, “They’re doing well. This time, Xi Xi went with Mom to relax, and by the time we returned, her complexion had improved a lot. You don’t have to worry.”

Xie Ying smiled lightly, her brows softening. “Xi Xi is so good.”

Xie Zhen also smiled. “She really is. It’s my fortune to marry Xi!”

Xie Ying turned her head in surprise to look at Xie Zhen.

Her younger brother had always been a reserved person, cool on the outside but warm inside. He could be considerate but rarely spoke sweetly. She hadn’t expected him to change so much after meeting his wife.

However, that was good too. Xie Ying smiled, thinking this was what it meant to be a married couple.

Xie Zhen looked at his sister, who was smiling but still carried a hint of sadness in her eyes, and finally spoke up, “Sister… do you want to look for Brother-in-law?”

Xie Ying’s eyes widened in shock, losing the calmness she had just displayed. She grasped her brother’s arm tightly, tears welling up in her eyes as she exclaimed, “You know… you know where Brother Yuan is? Is he… doing okay? Has he… suffered a lot? Can I go find him? When can I leave…”

Seeing his sister’s frantic and disjointed reaction, Xie Zhen felt a pang in his heart. Usually, Xie Ying was quite stable emotionally, and he hadn’t expected her to react this strongly. He tried to soothe her, “Sister, don’t get too excited. You’re scaring the kids.”

Xie Ying froze for a moment, turning to look at her sons.

She noticed they had stopped playing with their toys and were now looking at her anxiously.

Xie Ying blinked hard to clear away the tears in her eyes, then squatted down beside her children, forcing a light-hearted smile. “Why aren’t you boys playing anymore?”

Her eldest son, Wen Zheng, reached out his small hand to tug on Mom’s finger, worriedly asking, “Mom, did you cry?”

The younger brother, Wen Rong, also dove into Xie Ying’s arms, mumbling, “Mom, don’t cry. Rong Rong will blow you a kiss!”

Feeling a lump in her throat, Xie Ying pressed the two children tightly in her embrace. After a moment, she finally spoke softly, her voice hoarse, “Mom didn’t cry; you boys misunderstood!”

Wen Rong, being more composed, pulled away from his mom’s embrace and reached out to touch the corner of her eyes, confirming that there were indeed no tears before letting out a little sigh. “Mom, you really worry me. You’re already an adult now; you need to be good!”

“Pffft!” Xie Ying couldn’t help but laugh at her son’s words. Though her heart felt bittersweet, she leaned in and kissed his increasingly fair and tender little face, softly coaxing, “Mom will be very good! You boys also need to be good and go play. Your aunt bought you lots of toys!”

Once they confirmed that their Mom truly wasn’t crying, the little ones started to play energetically again.

As they played happily, they even asked Xi Yan’nan and Su Dong to carry them on their shoulders, wanting to ‘fly.’

Watching her sons bounce back to their lively selves, Xie Ying turned back to her brother. “What about your Brother-in-law?”

Xie Zhen knew his sister was anxious and had no intention of hiding the truth, so he directly replied, “Brother-in-law did indeed suffer quite a bit before, but he’s much better now. It’s been more than half a year, and the situation there isn’t as strict anymore. Father has arranged for Brother-in-law to be sent to Xi Xi’s hometown. Xi Xi’s uncle is the village secretary, so under his eye, Brother-in-law will have a much easier life…”

Xie Ying’s palm trembled slightly.

After worrying for over half a year, she finally had news of her husband. Overwhelmed with a mix of tears and happiness, her mind felt like a jumbled mess of straw, and she didn’t know what to say except to keep murmuring, “That’s good! That’s good!…”

After thinking about what their father had discussed with him this time, Xie Zhen pressed his lips together. “When I returned, Father and I discussed the current situation, and we both believe that Brother-in-law’s circumstances won’t improve in the short term. It could be a few years, or possibly… even a decade. You need to be mentally prepared!”

At that moment, Xie Ying deliberately turned away from the children, quickly wiping her falling tears.

She closed her eyes, exhaled a deep breath, and when she opened them again, only determination remained in her gaze. She looked at her brother and declared, “I want to go find him!”

Xie Zhen sighed. He was not surprised by his sister’s decision. Although Xie Ying appeared gentle, she was actually a very strong person. “What about the children?”

Without hesitation, Xie Ying replied, “I’ll take them with me!”

Xie Zhen frowned. “It will be very tough!”

But Xie Ying’s eyes were resolute. “I’m not afraid. We are a family, and we should be together, no matter what. Even if we have to live in the countryside for the rest of our lives, I would accept it as long as I can be with Brother Yuan.”

Xie Zhen was not surprised by his sister’s decision; in fact, he had guessed it as soon as he received the news about Brother-in-law. Honestly, if he were in her shoes, he would do the same.

So, he did not try to persuade her further, only saying, “Don’t rush. Junzi will come over to see me soon. I’ll have him drive you there. Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease.”

Xie Ying opened her mouth but then turned to look at her laughing sons. She managed to suppress her anxious thoughts.

If it were just her, she wouldn’t wait a second longer, but thinking of her two young sons, she took a few deep breaths to help calm her racing heart.

—o—o—o—

On the way back, Su Xi held her husband’s large hand and asked, “Sister wants to go find Brother-in-law?”

Xie Zhen replied, “Yes! In a couple of days, Junzi will come to buy some wine. I’ll have him drive Sister back then, and that way I’ll feel at ease.”

Su Xi thought for a moment. “I should still have four or five days of leave left. Tomorrow, I’ll ask the director for some time off, and when Zheng Jun comes, I’ll go with Sister to send them back.”

Xie Zhen released his hold on his wife’s intertwined fingers and pulled her into his embrace, shaking his head. “No need. Junzi can handle it. You’ve already had a tough time traveling recently.”

Su Xi smiled and replied, “Actually, it’s not just for Sister. I haven’t been back home in almost two years. You know, ever since I was little, my uncle treated me like his own daughter. Now that I’m married, it’s a good opportunity to go back and see him!”

Xie Zhen contemplated for a moment. “Don’t rush to decide just yet. Tomorrow I’ll ask Senior Colonel Zhang. I have a few days of leave left as well; I had planned to cancel it tomorrow. If you’re certain about going back, I’ll find a way to go with you. After all, I should let your “father” see his son-in-law!”

Su Xi hesitated. “Can you find the time?”

Xie Zhen nodded. “Don’t worry. It’s my leave after all; I’m just adjusting it. If there aren’t any urgent tasks, I should be able to accompany you back. I’ll take turns driving with Junzi. It’ll take about two days to get to your home. Since you’ve decided to go back, why don’t you ask Grandma Chen if she wants to go back and see her family?”

Su Xi felt a rush of joy, thinking that Grandma Chen had been here for nearly two years and might want to return home to visit. “I’ll ask her tomorrow. Grandma Chen probably does want to go back!”

—o—o—o—

When they returned to their little home, dusk had fallen, and the sky was dotted with faint stars.

Su Xi watched as Xie Zhen secured the courtyard gate with a wooden beam. Just as she was about to speak, without warning, he picked her up as if she were a child, lifting her off the ground.

She let out a surprised squeal and instinctively wrapped her arms around Xie Zhen’s neck, playfully pouting, “What are you doing? What if someone sees us?”

Xie Zhen took big strides into the house, chuckling softly. “Don’t worry. Your man knows what he’s doing; I’ve already checked, and there’s no one around to see.”

Su Xi tugged at his ear, pretending to be fierce. “You should still be careful! What if someone sees us? It wouldn’t be good for our reputation!”

The man didn’t argue with her. He quickly reached their bedroom door, kicked it open with a swift motion, and placed Su Xi on the bed. He followed right after, leaning down to capture all her words with a kiss.

The room had no electric lights, only a faint twilight filtering in through the window.

Xie Zhen had great strength, kissing her with a nearly predatory urgency and fierceness. Su Xi squinted her watery eyes, trying her best to keep up with the man’s burning pace.

Gradually, her eyes turned a charming red, and just when she could hardly hold her breath, the man finally released her.

One of his hands slid beneath her clothing, while the other firmly controlled her wrists. His warm breath brushed against her skin as he said, “Xixi, how about we continue our conversation from the afternoon?”

Dizzy from the kiss and feeling utterly weak, Su Xi blinked her watery eyes in confusion and asked, “What?”

Her innocent gaze was both naive and alluring, causing the veins on Xie Zhen’s forehead to bulge. He felt as though his entire body was hardening like iron. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Don’t you think you should use a different name for me?”

Only then did Su Xi grasp the meaning behind “husband.” She pouted and said, “Isn’t Xie Zhen just fine?”

In truth, she had thought of many names in her mind, but no matter which one it was, it made her feel embarrassed.

Mainly, the man’s name was just a single character, making any way of addressing him feel awkward!

The man was unaware of his wife’s inner turmoil; he simply pulled her even closer with a dominant force and insisted, “No, we are married. I call you Xixi, so I want you to call me something affectionate, too.”

Hearing this, although still shy, Su Xi felt that he was right. She reflected on it and realized that calling her husband by his full name felt quite unfamiliar. So, she tentatively murmured, “Ah… Ah Zhen?”

Xie Zhen tightened his grip, a surge of desire igniting in his eyes. His breathing grew heavier, and his chest began to rise and fall rapidly. His voice turned hoarse, barely a whisper, “Baby, say it again!”

Su Xi obediently pouted her pink lips and sweetly replied, “Ah Zhen!”

In response, the man engulfed her in a searing kiss, plunging them into a vibrant sea of desire. Their breaths intertwined, and the air was gradually filled with a lingering sweetness.

Time passed without either of them noticing. Su Xi, feeling both exhausted and sleepy, sensed the man’s enthusiastic persuasion in her ear, urging her to say “Ah Zhen” once more…

—o—o—o—

The next day.

When Su Xi came to have breakfast, she shared her plans with Grandma Chen.

Grandma Chen was indeed overjoyed, saying that not missing home would be a lie. To be honest, it was Su Xi’s aunt, the sharp-tongued Wang Guizhi, that she somewhat missed.

However, she had a concern: “With so many of us going back, will the car fit?”

Su Xi assured her, “Of course it will! If it couldn’t, I wouldn’t have mentioned it to you.”

Grandma Chen was genuinely happy. She quickly finished her bowl of porridge, tossed down her chopsticks, and hurried back into the house to find things to bring for everyone.

—o—o—o—

“Doctor Su Xi, welcome back!”

“Doctor Su Xi, congratulations on your marriage!”

“Doctor Su Xi, is J City beautiful?”

Su Xi entered the hospital alongside a young man and greeted everyone she met—doctors and nurses alike. She didn’t hesitate to reach into her bag, pulling out a few pieces of candy to hand out while smiling and responding to various questions.

When she saw the hospital director, she happened to give her the last few pieces of candy, saying with a smile, “Director, may it bring you some good luck!”

Director He was also happy. She had always had high hopes for the couple, and time had flown by; in the blink of an eye, they were both married.

After chatting for a bit, Director He said, “You just got back yesterday; why aren’t you taking a break? I remember you still have several days of leave left.”

Su Xi said, “I had planned to take a day off, but I just found out that there’s news from Brother-in-law’s side, so I came to discuss with you whether I could adjust my leave for a few days.”

Director He pushed up her reading glasses and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Su Xi selectively relayed to her what Xie Zhen had said to her yesterday.

After listening, Director He’s furrowed brow relaxed a bit. She sighed, “It’s good for Xiao Ying to reunite with her husband. Being apart for a long time isn’t easy, but this child will have a hard time.”

Su Xi spoke gently, “I believe my sister is willing.”

Director He chuckled, “Of course! They’re all good kids. You’re considerate. Don’t worry about the leave; I’ll talk to the department head and have him help you adjust it. However, you can’t be away for too many days, or it’ll be difficult for me to explain here.”

Su Xi nodded, indicating her understanding. “Don’t worry, we plan to stay at home for just one night before coming back. By then, Xie Zhen and his friends can take turns driving, so it won’t be too exhausting.”

Director He seemed satisfied. “That’s good to hear. You’re lucky; the hospital hasn’t been too busy lately, or I wouldn’t be able to find time for you.”

Su Xi smiled gratefully and replied, “I’ve always been quite lucky. Otherwise, how would I have met such a wonderful leader like you?”

Director He laughed and gave her a light tap. She waved her hand to shoo her away. “Sweet talk won’t get you off the hook; hurry up and get to work!”

Su Xi was not annoyed; instead, she left with a cheerful smile.