Chapter 16

Seeing a model with a great body, she would simply admire, thinking they had a nice physique, good proportions, strength, and beauty.

But when she saw her own well-built husband, her thoughts became more complex.

For example, about the intimate matters between spouses.

For Shi Tingyu, who was still a bit shy when it came to things she hadn’t experienced, Lu Weiguo’s words made her quietly let go of his hand. In the end, she tugged at his clothes to straighten them out, attempting to fix the wrinkles.

This time, she didn’t make the same mistake again, especially with her hands reaching towards the front of his clothes, skillfully avoiding a certain area.

However, while she was done, Lu Weiguo felt a surge of heat in his body.

While she helped him adjust his clothes, a warmth spread across his abdomen, and a tingling sensation crept up his scalp.

Unconsciously, he moved slightly, trying to shake off that uncomfortable feeling.

After releasing her hand, Lu Weiguo quietly exhaled, feeling the heat dissipate a bit.

After adjusting his state, Lu Weiguo said, “How about… you hug my waist?”

To prevent any misunderstandings, he added, “The road is bumpy.”

Shi Tingyu didn’t hesitate. They were already legally married and protected by the law, so hugging a waist was nothing extraordinary.

With that in mind, she reached out and held his lean waist.

Even though she had noticed his good physique before, it was only when she physically measured his waist that she realized how dangerous it was.

When she grabbed his clothes, Lu Weiguo didn’t feel as strong a sensation as he did when Shi Tingyu hugged his waist.

The close contact between a man and a woman, which he had never experienced before, made his heart skip a beat.

His hand instinctively gripped the handlebars a bit tighter, accidentally brushing against the bell due to the sudden movement.

The abrupt sound of the bell startled Shi Tingyu.

In a deep, husky voice, Lu Weiguo apologized, “Sorry, accidentally touched it.”

Shi Tingyu responded with an “Oh, it’s okay. Let’s hurry up and go. I’m worried we won’t finish tidying up the house quickly.”

“Mm,” Lu Weiguo’s response was barely audible.

He pushed the pedals slightly with his long legs, setting the bicycle in motion.

The headwind dispersed the romantic atmosphere, and Lu Weiguo felt his heart, which had been racing, slowly return to a normal rhythm.

As they entered the family compound, the road was much smoother.

Shi Tingyu released her hold on the man’s waist. With many people around and various onlookers, even for a married couple, it was uncommon to walk arm in arm, let alone with arms around shoulders.

Not to mention hugging the waist of a man.

In a sensitive environment, Shi Tingyu didn’t want to provide gossip for the military spouses.

Lu Weiguo felt the arm around his waist loosen.

But the warmth of that encircling arm still lingered around his waist, emitting a feeling of emptiness.

It was like when an adult held a child for a long time, and upon setting the child down, there was a sense of emptiness where they were once close.

Seeing the car stop, Shi Tingyu jumped off the back seat.

The car was high, so she had to jump down.

But who could tell her if the sudden pain in her feet after jumping off the car was a bit unexpected.

If it weren’t for Lu Weiguo’s quick reaction to support her as she jumped off the car, she would have bounced up and down in place.

“When you get off next time, land slowly on the ground,” Lu Weiguo advised.

Shi Tingyu, unable to reach the ground: …

Luckily, the pain came and went quickly. Lu Weiguo opened the door and pushed the bike into the courtyard.

Shi Tingyu then used the key to unlock the door to the main hall.

As the door swung open, Shi Tingyu paused.

The inside was clean and tidy.

Lu Weiguo, who had parked and joined her, asked, “Why aren’t you going in?”

Shi Tingyu, looking puzzled, glanced at him, “Did you have someone clean up?”

“I slept here last night, and it was still early, so I did a quick clean-up,” he explained.

Although he said it casually, Shi Tingyu could tell it was definitely not just a simple clean-up.

After a closer look and finding nothing to tidy in the main hall, Shi Tingyu turned and entered the bedroom.

The bed in the bedroom was bare, with only a frame.

Shi Tingyu inquired, “How did you sleep here last night?”

Lu Weiguo didn’t elaborate, just replied, “I’ve slept in desolate places during missions before, so this is already good enough.”

Shi Tingyu advised, “Next time, don’t sacrifice yourself like this. During missions, it’s understandable, but in regular times, take better care of yourself.”

Seeing her rare chatty side, Lu Weiguo’s eyes softened involuntarily, “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

Shi Tingyu was proactive, and Lu Weiguo had tidied up last night. However, the arrangement of some items and the positioning of furniture still needed Shi Tingyu’s approval.

She carefully arranged the usual items, ensuring everything was in place, and the bedroom finally started to take shape.

But the bed remained bare.

“My parents have prepared several sets of blankets for us. They won’t be ready until this afternoon, so we’ll bring them back in the evening,” Shi Tingyu explained.

Nowadays, it was rare to find ready-made blankets for sale; instead, people bought cotton batting and made their own covers.

Shi’s parents had asked a neighbor to help make the blankets, giving her a token of appreciation and all the leftover fabric.

The two of them also quickly tidied up another bedroom.

In that bedroom where there was still no bed, Lu Weiguo had hired a skilled carpenter to make one, but it would take about a week before it was ready.

With everything tidied up, the small courtyard finally started to feel like home.

Lu Weiguo brought a chair into the house for Shi Tingyu and placed it under the corridor. He then took his new gardening tools and started working on the yard.

The soil in the yard wasn’t like tilled vegetable garden soil; it was hard and clumpy. Shi Tingyu estimated she wouldn’t be able to handle it, but Lu Weiguo effortlessly turned it over as if it were loose sand.

With his military uniform sleeves rolled up, revealing his strong and powerful forearms, Lu Weiguo’s fingers, long and bearing calluses and scars, tightened slightly as he gripped the hoe handle, veins popping on his hand.

Shi Tingyu found herself mesmerized for a moment.

The aesthetic of strength was displayed vividly on Lu Weiguo’s body.

She felt an urge to capture it in a drawing.

Sensing Shi Tingyu’s gaze, Lu Weiguo paused and looked up at her. She sat under the corridor, half of her legs bathed in sunlight while the upper half was hidden in the shade, emanating an indescribable beauty.

The beauty of light, her beauty.

Afraid she might be bored, Lu Weiguo initiated a conversation with her.

“I noticed you had many flowers at home before. If you’d like, you can plant some in the yard,” he suggested.

Shi Tingyu was intrigued.

She loved gardening, and the lively and vibrant beauty of flowers always captivated her.

As Lu Weiguo awaited her response, Shi Tingyu shook her head, “No, it’s better not to. Everyone is planting vegetables, and if we start growing flowers, it might be seen as indulging in capitalist waste and pleasure-seeking.”

Lu Weiguo’s brows furrowed slightly. He noticed her meticulous and cautious nature, always striving to avoid leaving any loopholes.

In reality, their camp wasn’t that strict. It wasn’t easy for the Red Committee to interfere in the military district.

A few flowers and plants wouldn’t cause any trouble; many wives from urban backgrounds liked to plant some in their yards.

“It’s not a big deal to plant some flowers, don’t worry about it,” Lu Weiguo reassured.

But Shi Tingyu remained firm in her decision.

After surveying the courtyard, Lu Weiguo’s gaze settled on a row of walls.